7001 - 7500

An order for production Standards totalling 500 was placed as a result of the trials with the 21 prototypes, the order being split between 150 Atlanteans (now the up-graded AN68 model rather than the previous PDR1 model) which were numbered 7001 - 7150 and 350 Fleetlines in the batch 7151 - 7500.

The new Fleet numbering sequence was chosen because all previous acquired vehicles fell into the following series:

1-999      Central Division Single Deck vehicles;

1000 +    Manchester/SELNEC Atlantean Mancunians;

2001 +    Manchester/SELNEC Fleetline Mancunians;

3001 +    Central Division double deck Leylands;

4001 +    Central Division double deck Daimlers;

5001 +    Southern Division vehicles;

6001 +    Northern Division vehicles.

Hence, the production Standards commenced in the next available series, starting the series at 7001. This initial order of 500 chassis made up of 150 Atlanteans and 350 Fleetlines, was so large that Northern Counties were not able to cope with the delivery times, and subsequently, Park Royal were commissioned to body 200 of the chassis - 145 of the 150 Atlanteans which became 7001 - 7145, and 55 of the 350 Fleetlines, being 7151 - 7205. All these were of single door layout.

The odd five Atlantean chassis built by Northern Counties numbered 7146 - 7150, and the bulk of the Northern Counties bodies 295 were fitted to Fleetline chassis. These commenced at 7206 which was exhibited at the 1972 Commercial Vehicle Motor Show.

A large batch of these Northern Counties bodied Daimler Fleetlines were to have been of dual door specifications, being H45/27D as opposed to single door configuration H43/32F.

The deliveries were also to be split across the three Divisions of SELNEC as follows:

Park Royal/Leyland Atlantean

7001 - 7071 - Central- single door

7072- 7109- Northern- single door

7110 - 7145 - Southern - single door

Northern Counties/Leyland Atlantean

7146 - 7150 - Central - single door

Park Royal/Daimler Fleetline

7151 - 7186 - Northern - single door

7187- 7205 - Southern- single door

Northern Counties/Daimler Fleetline

7206 - 7279 - Central - dual door

7280 - 7299 - Northern - dual door

7300- 7328- Southern - single door

7329 - 7434 - Central - dual door

7435 - 7466- Northern - single door

7467- 7500- Southern - single door

In reality, however, only 48 dual door production Standards were built due to a change in policy, being 46, 7206 - 7251 in the Central Division and two, 7280 - 7281, of the Northern Division.

These 48 were the only production SELNEC/GMT Standards ever to be built along with the five prototypes, EX17 - EX21 as dual door, all of which were Fleetlines. Consequently, there were never any dual door Standards built on Leyland Atlantean chassis. After 7328 had been delivered, the next deliveries continued in .numerical sequence 7329 - 7500, without any Divisional splits, due to the fact that the Divisions of SELNEC had been abandoned and all future deliveries were delivered centrally to SELNEC carrying the orange SELNEC Flash. (Which only reached 7400 before GMT was formed).

Although 7001 was the first production Standard built on a Leyland Atlantean chassis, 7206 was the first Production Standard built on a Fleetline chassis. (7151 bodied by Park Royal followed later).

7206 was also the first production Fleetline bodied by Northern Counties, and the sixth production Standard bodied by Northern Counties after the small batch of five Leyland Atlantean Standards, 7146-7150.

Standardisation remained an important factor in the years to come, especially as other Fleets were absorbed, being North Western in 1972 and with the change of boundaries and the formation of Greater Manchester Transport (GMT) on 1st April 1974, Wigan Corporation was added. The change to Greater Manchester Transport occurred whilst the Fleetlines were being delivered, consequently, vehicles from 7401 were delivered with Greater Manchester Transport Fleet Names. Furthermore, the colour was changed at this time, to Metropolitan Orange and White, as the Sunglow Orange and Mancunian White had not worn very well in service.

Also, after trials on 7328, the front end of the Standard had been altered with wraparound windscreens and this was called the Mark 1A Standard, appearing from 7401 onwards. Thus 7401 marked the change of livery, change of design and change of Fleet Name.

On 1st January 1976, GMT acquired Lancashire United Transport, but the Fleet was not fully amalgamated until 1st April 1981.

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