These are one of Volvo's best creations ever (subject to opinion), with a low horsepower rating to begin with, 215! However, with a 250hp option. Out-of-London operators generally opted for the latter.
The B7TL was launched in 1999 to replace the dual-axle Volvo Olympian. There were bulks of orders, even in the London market! Every main operator has had at least one, excluding Stagecoach London (which outside UK, have B7TLs).
Arriva London ordered 372. 173 on the Alexander ALX400 body and the other 199 with the Eclipse Gemini body by Wrightbus. Read page about VLA1-173 and VLW1-199.
The late East Thames Buses (owned by TfL) ordered 44 Geminis and 19 Plaxton Presidents. These all went to Go-Ahead following ETB's surrender. Read about VLW1-44 & VP149-173.
Go-Ahead placed a larger order of 790! 52 with East Lancs Vyking body, 419 on a Plaxton President, 273 on the Wright Eclipse Gemini and lastly, 46 on the Alexander ALX400 which were all centre-staircased. The first hundred or so 'PVLs' were also centre-staircased.
Travel London (now Abellio) whom wanted variety participated in ordering Volvo's B7TL, all 73 were on a Voith gearbox and a Gemini body. So much for variety there.
Then we come to Transdev (at the time), with a weird choice, 55 on a East Lancs Vyking body of which only 10 are 10m and 293 (VA1-104/293-311) on an ALX400 body, all 10m. Then Plaxton Presidents of 10.6m length coded VLP18-27 (10 buses), odd from RATP.
First Group, well, London in this case, ordered 81 short Geminis and 8 long Geminis. Following the split in to Metroline West and Tower Transit, 70 shorts and 8 long are with Tower Transit now, withdrawn are alive. Plus myriads of Plaxton Presidents of both length variants. Go-Ahead London at Northumberland Park (NP) got their hands on the 17 remaining Plaxton bodied B7TLs which were of 10.6m length.
Metroline are the next ones who were given the light of glory by Volvo, 307 B7TLs all on a Plaxton President body. Of which 103 [long ones] were withdrawn, 29 long ones are still in service and the rest are all short versions.
Last updated 19/10/20.
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