Optare Esteem

The Optare Esteem was a low-floor single-decker bus body manufactured by East Lancashire Coachbuilders, Darwen East Lancs and Optare between 2006 and 2009 on Scania N94UB, Scania N230UB, Volvo B7RLE, MAN 12.240, Alexander Dennis Dart SLF, Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart and Alexander Dennis Enviro300 chassis.

East Lancs / Darwen / Optare Esteem
The Sussex Bus East Lancs Esteem bodied Volvo B7RLE in Brighton in September 2014
Overview
ManufacturerEast Lancashire Coachbuilders
Optare
Production2006 - 2009
AssemblyBlackburn
Body and chassis
Doors1 or 2
Floor typeLow floor
ChassisScania N94UB
Scania N230UB
Volvo B7RLE
MAN 12.240
Alexander Dennis Dart SLF
Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart
Alexander Dennis Enviro300
RelatedOptare Olympus
Optare Visionaire
Powertrain
Capacity33 - 43 seated
Dimensions
Length10.7 to 12.2 metres
Width2.52 metres
Height2.90 metres
Chronology
PredecessorEast Lancs Myllennium

History
A Quality Line East Lancs Esteem bodied Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart. This is one of the early examples having sides of the older Myllennium style

The Esteem was launched by East Lancashire Coachbuilders in 2006.[1][2] The first production examples entered service with Preston Bus in September 2006 on Scania N94UB chassis.[3][4]

After East Lancashire Coachbuilders was placed in administration in August 2007, it was bought by Darwen Group and the Esteem was rebranded as the Darwen Esteen.[5] In 2008, Darwen Group merged its Darwen East Lancs and Optare businesses under the latter name, resulting in the Esteem being rebranded again.[6][7]

The first few examples of the Esteem only had new front and rear ends, the sides still being of the older Myllennium design. There were also two double-decker variants of this body - the Olympus that was a closed top double-decker and the Visionaire that was an open top double-decker.

Production of the Optare Esteem ceased in 2009, with the last being 40 built on Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart chassis for Go-Ahead London.[8]

Panaire

It was also planned for an open top version of the Esteem to be launched alongside, named the Panaire.[9] This version of the bus never attracted any orders and was removed from the product list during the reverse takeover.

Customers

Metrobus had the largest number of the original East Lancs Esteems, some of which were on Scania N94UB, Scania N230UB and MAN 12.240 chassis while 21 on Alexander Dennis Dart SLF chassis were purchased for Transport for London contracted routes.[10] The first two Esteems to be built on the Alexander Dennis Enviro300 chassis were delivered to Courtney Coaches in 2006, and were the first Enviro300s with bodywork not built by Alexander Dennis.[11]

References
  1. New single-deck from East Lancs Bus & Coach Professional 7 February 2006
  2. New Esteem single-deck from East Lancs Bus & Coach Professional 13 April 2006
  3. New Buses for Gamull Lane Service Preston Bus September 2006
  4. Esteem goes into service with Preston Bus Bus & Coach Professional 13 September 2006
  5. East Lancs acquired from administrators Bus & Coach Professional 23 August 2007
  6. Optare plc formed as takeover complete Bus & Coach Professional 17 July 2008
  7. Optare facing job losses Bus & Coach Professional 31 July 2008
  8. Optare secures 100-plus Go-Ahead order Bus & Coach Professional 5 August 2008
  9. "The Darwen Group - The Darwen Group – Panaire Open Back Tourismo". 9 May 2008. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  10. Metrobus Fleetlist Go-Ahead Group 12 May 2017
  11. "Fleet News England and Wales". Buses (618): 46. September 2006.

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