1974 to 1999 25 Years- MetroBus to FirstBus
During 1980 The Baddeley Brothers
business was also disposed of, although the Metrocoach operation
which was developed with new Leyland Leopards & Tigers in the
coming years was retained. Also in 1980 a batch of Leyland
National 2s were purchased
April 1980 The first batch of MCW
Metrobuses 7501-7505 entered service in April 1980, followed by
7506-7510 in November 1980. 
The second of
105 Metrobuses is 7502 seen in Leeds Central Bus Station
Early 1981 A reorganisation of the
PTEs operating districts was implemented with the East District
becoming responsible for the various Leeds Depots & United
Services, whilst the West District took control of Bradford,
Halifax, Todmorden and Huddersfield. Also Three new Leyland
National 2s were aquired for the United Services subsidiary,
carrying the blue livery
July 1981 In 1981, a new joint company was formed by
the PTE and the National Bus Company under the title of
"Metro-National Transport Co Ltd" with the object being
the development of an integrated transport system throughout the
county. This resulted in the newly introduced
"Metrobus" fleetname being applied not only to PTE
owned veheichles on which WYPTE lettering was carried beneath the
fleet name, but also a large number of NBC subsidiaries,
"West Yorkshire Road Car Company", "West Riding
Automobile Company Limited", "Yorkshire Woollen
Transport Company Limited" and "Yorkshire Traction
Company Limited". Those buses carried "West
Yorkshire", "West Riding", "Yorkshire"
and "Yorkshire Traction" names below the Metrobus name.
Some years later, some of those companies (excluding Yorkshire
Traction) were repainted into the PTEs verona cream &
Buttermilk livery as to present a corporate image. From this date
the "WY" logo on the front of buses was replaced by the
"Metro-National" emblem
190 shows the new
fleetname, compare this with the photo of 570 previous, A
Calderdale Daimler Fleetline also shows the new fleetname.
December 1981 This month, the last Roe
bodied Leyland Atlantean was delivered. 361 buses had been bought
since 1974, the last bus 6361 (VWW361X) was allocated to
Bradford. The next buses were Leyland Olympians
March 1982 A Batch of Alexander bodied
MCW Metrobuses 7511-7520 were aquired this month. Also the first
batch of 145 Roe bodied Leyland Olympians were delivered, the
first bus was 5001 (UWW1X). Deliveries continued until August
1984
One of the first Leyland Olympians is seen here shortly after
delivery showing of the current MetroBus livery in Leeds with the
latest style fleetname
January 1983 The first batch MKII MCW Metrobuses started being delivered this month. (CUB521Y) 7521 is still in the fleet. Deliveries continued until November 1988
Mid 1983 To celebrate 100 years of
public transport in Huddersfield, MetroBus decided to paint up
two vehicles in old liveries, Leyland Atlantean 6299 PUA299W
carried Huddersfield Corporation red livery and 6300 PUA300W
carried the old Huddersfield Tramways livery, these buses later
became "Building on a Great Tradition" vehicles and
were kept in those liveries until the late 90s
6300 is shown left
During 1983 The first of 22 Duple
Dominant bus bodied Leyland Tigers were placed in service, with
dual-purpose seats for longer distance services. Also more high
profile coaches were purchased for coach tour and hire work.
The photo shows
Leyland Tiger 1603 which wore the MetroCoach Executive livery
December 1985 Roe was taken over by
Optare, during 1985, so the next Olympians for the fleet, were
bodied by Optare. 5 Bus seated buses 5146-5150 & 10 coach
seated 5507-5516 were delivered in the next two years. The early
coach seated buses & the roe bodied 5501-5506 carried
Metrocoach livery with the later ones being delivered in Gold
Rider double deck livery. 5511 Was delivered in a three tone blue
livery for the X33 White Rose Express service
5507 is shown
before entering service and was the first Olympian to be bodied
by Optare after their take over of Roe. It is shown in the
MetroCoach livery which was ousted under a year later. 5511 is
shown in the White Rose Express livery for operation on services
between Bradford/Leeds and Sheffield. On this occasion the bus
was in operation on service X6 Leeds-Huddersfield.
Copyright West Yorkshire Buses Website 1999/2000, Some info is aquired from other sources, and is not my own info. Bus Fayre magazine and Badgerline and FirstBus handbooks have been used for exact dates and details. Thanks to Ivan Noble for copius information in relation to the History of Yorkshire Rider. Thanks to Michael Forster for all the photographs and also information relating to Liveries carried. Terry Stapley provided the photo of Atlantean 6300. Please do not copy any information contained in the History of Yorkshire Rider without specific permission. Full completion: April 08, 2000, Last revised: August 25, 2002.