Following its rebrand from First Aberdeen to King Coaches, the Aberdeen-based operator found itself with no smaller vehicles in its fleet following the withdrawal of previously-used Mercedes-Benz 814D Plaxton Cheetahs along with a higher-spec Autobus-bodied O814D. It has recently addressed this with the purchase of two used Mercedes-Benz Sprinters, which were finished in the company’s smart two-tone green livery before delivery. Equipped with black leather seats, unusually, they are both fitted with manual gearboxes.
Meanwhile, at the nearby transport museum in Alford, the Bus Collection at Alford has returned a former member of the First Aberdeen fleet to running order. As part of its diversification policy within the then recently deregulated coach and bus industry, First’s predecessor Grampian Regional Transport sought to improve its position in the field of private hire work. To this end the company acquired two local private hire and coach tour operators, namely GE Mair Hire Services 1987, and Kirkpatrick of Banchory in 1989. What would become GRT’s 904 came into the Kirkpatrick fleet in 1990 as a second-hand acquisition from its original owner Epsom Coaches of Epsom, Surrey. Based on a Mercedes-Benz L608D, it has a vertical engine at the front which drives the rear axle through a synchromesh manual gearbox.
The chassis type was designed for light commercial vehicles but became very popular in the UK in the mid-1980s for small buses and coaches. This example received bodywork by Plaxton to its Mini Supreme specification and offering seating for 20 passengers. It was withdrawn from service by First Aberdeen in 1999 when it was bought for preservation.
