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5507 was new in September 1985 as a coach seated Leyland Olympian, with Optare body number 17, the first Optare double deck bus in fact. It was also the last Leyland engined service bus in use in the territory of the former West Yorkshire PTE, being withdrawn a couple of days after 5516 (30772 D516HUB). There were three batches of coach-seated Olympians, 5501-5506 (B141-145RWY and B506RWY - registrations of 5140-5145 and 5501-5505 being mixed up) being ordered by the PTE with Roe bodies, Roe only building the shells before closing down, the bodies being fitted out by ECW. Next were 5507-5511 (C507-511KBT) for the PTE, followed by 5512-5516 (D512-516HUB) ordered by Yorkshire Rider. 5501-5510 were delivered in Metrocoach livery, 5511 in White Rose Express livery and 5512-5516 in Gold Rider livery, into which most of the others were painted, followed by all 16 gaining standard Bright Green and Jonquil Yorkshire Rider livery in the early 1990s. In the mid 1990s, the coach seats were removed from them all and standard bus seats being substituted, all except 5512 getting the standard London style black brown orange and yellow moquette (5512 receiving seats in Yorkshire Rider moquette).

Optare did however build five more Leyland Olympians for West Yorkshire PTE - 5148, 5149 and 5150 with standard bus seated bodies, and 5146 and 5147 which had convertible open top bodies.

Unlike 1705 and 1807 in our fleet, 5507 has only had one home, from September 1985 until 9th June 2006, being Bramley Depot, from whom it was kindly donated to our group, and now resides with other vehicles in a private warehouse somewhere in Yorkshire.

5507 was taxed as a PLG (private light goods vehicle) from the start of July 2006 (thanks to the generosity of one of our members) and after being retrofitted with a tachograph on 7th July 2006 made its preservation debut at Thornes Park in Wakefield that evening (its original tachograph had been removed by First at some point in the past and a standard speedometer fitted in its place). Now that it has a calibrated tachograph, it can legally be used on the public highway.

Why the background colour? As can be seen from the photo, this is the colour of the orange stripe on its original livery, which believe it or not is still retained on the vehicle today, inside the fuel filler neck. Once original seats can be sourced (which realistically would require manufacturing from scratch at vast cost), 5507 will return to this livery, but until then is likely to be repainted into Yorkshire Rider livery when time permits, replicating its mid 1990s condition after the coach seats were removed.

Also saved for preservation from First Leeds by a private preservationist is Olympian 5024 CUB24Y which has recently been restored into verona green and buttermilk livery. This page http://www.typg.org.uk/2olympians.html shows pictures and details differences between both vehicles immediately upon preservation.

5507 seems to have been remarkably camera shy during its early years; in fact I do not seem to have any nearside pictures of her when in Yorkshire Rider livery. Here are a couple of views in Gold Rider livery (circa 1987 to 1991) and Yorkshire Rider livery (circa 1992 to 1998) after which she received Leeds City Link livery, then FirstGroup Barbie 2, finally FirstGroup Barbie 3 in July 2005.

If you have pictures of any of our fleet, please do get in touch. Also, if you have any pictures that show the rear of any olympian (whether in Metrocoach, Gold Rider, or Yorkshire Rider livery) perhaps something that has appeared at the side of another shot then these would be useful also.