*ULTRA RARE BEAST* Ride on First York 1701 - Y445 CUB - Wright Eclipse - Shuttle Run

I didn’t drive to Skipton, as Google Maps suggested that the best route was straight through Bradford, and who the fuck wants to do that? Luckily, there were feeder services. The Wigan Bus Group ran their freshly restored Arriva North East Renown, 4515, from Preston, while the Ebor Bus Group ran their Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B7L, which was former First York 1701, from York, also picking up in Knaresborough and Harrogate. As it’s an easier drive and having found a long-stay car park to be picked up from, I went to Harrogate to get the Eclipse. Due to the controversial side-engined design, this is a very rare type. It was only manufactured between 2001 and 2003, and only First had large numbers of these, and I believe they’ve been just as difficult to preserve as DB250s. Having failed to get on any of Leicester’s before they were withdrawn, I thought I’d missed the boat for them. 1701 was the first of a large batch for York that was gradually delivered across 2001 and 2002. They eventually ended up with 53. Under national numbering, it became 60876, and would go on to spend its whole time with First in York. Others moved down the road to West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire after a few years, some later moved to Norwich, and some ended up in Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. One was destroyed in a fire in late 2003, which probably damaged their reputation, and that was 60879. 60876 stayed with First York until early 2019, though it remained in the area, as it was sold to Reliance Motor Services. They ran it until 2023, when it was sold to Keats in Shiregreen in Sheffield, and this was its last owner until it was purchased by the Ebor Bus Group in 2025. They’ve done well to get it, as these B7Ls were proving difficult to maintain. There was 61588 in Glasgow which was let go after a few years, and there’s also 66354 in South Yorkshire, but I fear that’s met the same fate after disappearing from its last known location at the SYTT yard. Sources also suggest 66334 is preserved in Northampton, but I’ve seen nothing of it so will presume it isn’t (a pity really as most of the MV02s were beasts when they were in Norfolk). We were also going to have 66320 in Leicester but those plans fell through, so this potentially may be the only one. It currently still carries the Reliance livery, as well as the re-upholstered seats it received when it worked for them. There are plans to restore the proper First moquette, but I’ve heard that the owner doesn’t want to put in the Barbie livery as there’s a few buses preserved in it now. I’ve been told instead they’re looking at the Rail Link livery, presumably like what the YM52 Wright Solars wore when they were new in Manchester. I cannot believe that this is what a 25-year-old bus now looks like. Despite that incredible milestone, and despite Leicester operating theirs for over 18 years, this is my only second ever one. My only other one was on the 18 all the way back around July 2008, and I only found myself on it as the person I was with needed to run something to Hinckley Road. The route choices were pretty poor, and with things only getting worse since then, they’re mostly ones I avoid like the plague. Your best bet was the 74, but you’d have had to hope the traffic wasn’t too heavy between Beaumont Leys and Anstey. This run was filmed on the return trip. It was a simple dash along the A59, which saw its fair share of hills. It also saw some incredible views across the southern end of the Dales. If I didn’t want to move to Yorkshire before, I do after that amazing day (and the Yorkshire enthusiasts are the friendliest I’ve encountered so far).