Photograph courtesy of and © Jotus Model Depot

Photograph courtesy of and © Jotus Model Depot

Pre production sample Photograph © Campbell Morrison

Fleet number 503 is one of 5 Alexander bodied Tridents diverted from a Stagecoach order in 1999 – Lothian Buses having subsequently favoured Plaxton/Transbus bodywork on its substantial fleet of Dennis/Transbus Tridents and small batch of Volvo B7TLs. Originally route branded for service 44, 503 worked from Central Garage before moving in 2001 to Longstone for operation of service 21. During that period it was repainted and received smaller LOTHIAN fleet names in place of its former LRT logos. Manufacturers’ badging was removed as is the current practice. It also received a mega rear ad for the company’s Ridacard which it has retained to this day (albeit with the 90p a day legend changing to 96p a day!!!). It was this period that was captured by CMN in its model. Subsequently, 503 was transferred to Marine garage for principal use on service 26 and repainted (again) in the simplified Harlequin livery applied to newer vehicles in the fleet.

I am very grateful to Richard Walter for providing the above information.

This page last updated Tuesday, 21 July 2020