SINGLE DECK AN68 ATLANTEAN
STRATHCLYDE SA1 (SGA 733N)
Click on the thumbnails for the big picture
In the early 1980s in search of a replacement for the Seddon midibuses
used on service 98 linking Queen Street and Central Stations,
Strathclyde PTE decided to put to use some of the ill-regarded panoramic windowed Atlanteans
which were being heavily withdrawn due to structural problems.
They rebuilt three of them into single deckers with a further five over the coming year.
SA1, originally LA850, was the first and was one of - if not the first bus to be turned out in the new Strathclyde Red.
The model was produced along the same lines as previous Atlanteans. The roof is from an OOC BET single deck,
shortened with the sky-lights filled over. The rear was completely remanufactured as in addition to the usual changes,
the overhang of the roof at the rear is less than on double deckers. I also had to cut out a window behind the driver
where the stairs used to be. The roof was attached after the interior and glazing was in place because the casting
has a sealed chassis. This then had to be filed smooth and mouldings added as appropriate.
The interior stairs were removed and replaced with a luggage rack.
Sadly, none of these unusual buses has survived - unless you know different?
