In the past we have reported our concerns regarding the likely shortage of parts for restored vehicles for the future either to keep those that are fully restored going if something breaks down or fails, or to assist with rectification of new preservation projects that are currently awaiting attending to. 

Although certain parts are generally available, certainly mechanical and electrical parts, because they are being used in whole series of different types of vehicles and may still be in operation today in lorries, vans, etc., other items are becoming more difficult to secure from suppliers as new.  Also the profile of the vehicles in the scrap yards tends to reflect the buses being scrapped more recently rather than the older Atlanteans, Fleetlines and Olympians and Metrobuses which are becoming rarer.  Hence, in say 20 years on or more if spare parts are not secured now then vehicles that are restored may break down and not be able to be repaired or new projects may be hampered whilst the appropriate spares are located. 

Over the years we have collected a large amount of spare parts which we have stored in various locations, but the problem has been in the past due to lack of space that we do not necessarily know where we have stored everything in order to find items and, inevitably, the things that do break down for one reason or another, often happen not to be items that we hold spares for in the first instance.  That is why in more recent times we have purchased whole vehicles in order to act as spares so that we know that a full set of items we might want are available and we know where to find them, i.e. in situ.  Thus so far our collection of spares has concentrated on Park Royal bodied and Northern Counties bodied Standards on Atlantean, Fleetline and Metrobus chassis because we have a number of these either restored or due for restoration as follows:

Although we do have technically a spare Olympian, one of the F-Reg batch, 3279 (F279 DRJ), this has been secured specifically to be able to be the donor vehicle for the roof and the upper deck to assist with repairing the fire damage on Greater Manchester�s last Olympian 3305 (F305 DRJ).  Once that has been done the remainder the vehicle, certainly the lower deck and all the mechanical and electrical parts would be available for spares.  We are conscious however that we now have quite a number of Olympians in our collection, numbering seven with the recent acquisition of 3277,as reported in section 4 of this newsletter (1451, 3001, 3030, 3101, 3201, 3225 and 3277) we really ought to secure a spare Leyland Olympian Standard which we have now done, in that we have taken on board 3010 (ANA 10Y) from Delaine who were running it as their number 134. 

Delaine had the opportunity many years ago to secure all five ex-Greater Manchester ANA registered Olympians that were available for sale at Whealdons Omnibuses; 3004, 3007, 3008, 3009, 3010, and because they only wanted four they picked the four that were in consecutive number sequence, i.e. 3007 to 3010 (ANA 7Y to ANA 10Y) These were numbered 131 to 134 and had been in service for about six years.  A year ago ANA 10Y was taken out of service due to mechanical difficulties and had been used as a source of spares to keep the other three going over recent times.  There was then a potential preservation bid for ANA 10Y from an individual in Hull which fell through.  However, in anticipation of this a number of parts were put back on it.  ANA 8Y is to be sold for preservation to an individual in Warrington, thereby leaving ANA 7Y and ANA 9Y.  We are already committed to securing ANA 9Y for preservation during 2008 and we are to keep it in Delaine colours in the same way we have kept ex-Greater Manchester Atlantean 8700 (A700 HNB) in North Birmingham Busways green and cream colours as their number 70.  We chose ANA 9Y as it has the best finish in that it has the raised silver and red beading on the distinctive Delaine livery. 

Originally it was felt that 3007 (ANA 7Y) would be the ideal choice to secure as the vehicle for spare parts and that we would put the registration number ANA 7Y on retention.  However, because of the work that had been undertaken on ANA 10Y in order prepare it for the failed preservation attempt it seemed a more attractive prospect particularly in respect of retaining the registration of ANA 10Y as opposed to ANA 7Y, and it was the last of the ANA Y registrations on Olympians in any event.  Consequently, kindly Kevin Delaine-Smith at Delaine organised for some parts to be taken ANA 7Y when it came out of service on 30^th March 2007 and had them fitted to ANA 10Y, such as the battery cradle, inspection panels, missing sub-frame, etc., and they themselves have put ANA 7Y on retention at the DVLA.

Arrangements were then made for a group of members to visit Delaine of Bourne in a hired minibus on Easter Monday, 9th April 2007, once we had collected 3277 from Hyde Road Depot and moved it to our premises in East Manchester. 

On arrival at Delaine�s premises we were met by a small reception committee from Delaine as they were keen to see the vehicle being collected.  Arrangements were made with Kevin Delaine-Smith and the Managing Director, Anthony Delaine-Smith, to transfer the vehicle to the SELNEC Educational Trust.  A number of photographs were taken as is tradition when a vehicle is being collected for the first time. Then ANA 10Y set off for Manchester over the winding A-roads and hills performing well on the way back causing no problem whatsoever, except that when we attempted to park it up at our storage premises in East Manchester there was a problem with it obtaining reverse gear.  It appears this may an issue related to the engine being hot but we are to source a spare TL11 automatic gearbox brain unit in the hope that this may solve the problem so that vehicle can remain mobile. 

We were actually very surprised at the excellent condition that ANA 10Y is in and basically other than the fact it does not have the silver moulding with red inserts on it as does ANA 9Y it looks an excellent example of a Delaine vehicle.  Consequently, we may keep it in that condition for 12 months or so until ANA 9Y becomes available and take it on at least one rally, joined by North Birmingham Busways 70. 

3010	BATCH:	3001 - 3015
(ANA 10Y)	BODY:	Northern Counties H43/30F
	CHASSIS:	Bristol Olympian B45 - TL11-2R
	FIRST REGISTERED:	1st July 1983
	PURCHASED:	9th April 2007
	DETAILS:	Retained in it's last livery and condition of the original Delaine of Bourne, indicative of their ownership of a number of vehicles from this batch. Rallied until acquisition of 3009, where 3010 may then be used for spares for other ANA xY restorations.

This left 131 to 133 (ANA 7Y-ANA 9Y) in the ownership of Delaine of Bourne and we knew that in 2008, 3008 (ANA 8Y) was to be secured and kept in Delaine colours by Neil Wilson, a preservationist in the Warrington area, and this is what happened and he collected of the vehicle in the summer of 2008.  He also negotiated with Delaine of Bourne to purchase the cannibalised remains of 3007 (ANA 7Y) for spare parts to rectify and keep 3008 in service.  He did not however secure the registration number ANA 7Y because as indicated earlier it was kept on retention by Delaine of Bourne themselves. 

We were thereafter contacted by Kevin Delaine Smith to indicate that 3009 (ANA 9Y), the last of the four, had come out of passenger service on Friday 27th June 2008.  Consequently arrangements were made for us to travel to Delaine of Bourne as we did on Saturday 12th July 2008 to collect the bus and return it to Greater Manchester.  Whereas we have secured ANA 10Y for spare parts we intend to retain ANA 9Y in the Delaine colours as an example of an ex-Greater Manchester vehicle running for a subsequent operator, very much as a stable mate for ex-GMT alloy framed Leyland Atlantean 8700 (A700 HDB) which we retain in the green and cream colours of North Birmingham Busways. 

We therefore travelled down to Delaine of Bourne in Lincolnshire on Saturday 12th July 2008 to take formal ownership of 3009 from Kevin Delaine Smith and his brother, Anthony Delaine Smith, transferring ownership to the SELNEC Educational Trust on that day.  Also in the yard was their new East Lancs bodied vehicle AD58 DBL which could not be used until 1st September 2008 due to its �58� plate.  Thereafter with a full tank of fuel kindly provided by Delaine of Bourne we set off for an uneventful trip to Greater Manchester where the vehicle was parked up at our premises in East Manchester, not that far away from its sister vehicle 3010 (ANA 10Y).  Because its MOT does not expire until 30^th October 2008 it is to be taken to the Trans Lancs Historic Vehicle Rally in Heaton Park on 7^th September 2008 along with 3301 and 2040, the two Magic Buses secured from Stagecoach Manchester, the MOTs on which also do not expire until after 7th September 2008.  3009 was delivered new to GMT on 1st July 1983 and it has chassis number ON595 and Northern Counties body number 2394.  

3009	BATCH:	3001 - 3015
(ANA 9Y)	BODY:	Northern Counties H43/30F
	CHASSIS:	Bristol Olympian B45 - TL11-2R
	FIRST REGISTERED:	1st July 1983
	PURCHASED:	12th July 2008
	DETAILS:	Retained in it's last livery and condition of the original Delaine of Bourne, indicative of their ownership of a number of vehicles from this batch.

Interestingly the year 2008 represents 78 years of Delaine of Bourne operating Leylands in daily service, 36 years of their association with the bodybuilder, Northern Counties of Wigan, and 21 years since September 1987 of the operation of ex-Greater Manchester vehicles being the nine Leyland Atlanteans secured at that time and the subsequent four Leyland Olympians.

Of the ANA Ys detailed below are their current situation and their location:

* It is not known whether their registrations have been put on retention of not.