Optare Excel 223 has departed today to Teesside to receive its new engine at Cummins. This will leave sister 225 as the only original specification Excel in use. Sister 226 will be the return load from Cummins tomorrow. The refurbishment programme commenced in summer 2007 when 210 was treated and it returned to use in September. The programme, which also involves body work overhaul and, usually a repaint has involved the following vehicles with their completion date and livery.
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| Excel 217 under refurbishment back in 2009 |
- 1 210 September 2007 (Line 7 livery, since into new livery)
- 2 211 November 2007 (Line 7 livery, since into new livery)
- 3 212 March 2008 (Line 7 livery)
- 4 213 August 2008 (Line 7 livery)
- 5 220 October 2008 (pool livery)
- 6 216 January 2009 (Line 7 livery)
- 7 218 November 2009 (no repaint, kept pool livery)
- 8 217 November 2009 (Line 7 livery)
- 9 219 February 2010 (pool livery)
- 10 215 June 2010 (Line 7 livery)
- 11 212 January 2011 (new livery)
- 12 224 February 2011 (new livery)
- 13 221 September 2011 (retained pool livery but soon repainted into new livery)
- 14 222 December 2011 (new livery)
- 15 226 returned January 2012 (for new livery)