Optare Delta
{{Short description|Step-entrance bus body on DAF SB220 chassis}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox automobile
|name = Optare Delta
|image = Barton J306 BVO at Showbus.jpg
|caption = Barton Buses Optare Delta at Showbus 1991 at Woburn Abbey
|manufacturer = Optare
|production = 1988 - 1999
|assembly = Cross Gates, Leeds, England
|capacity = 47-53 seated, 24 standing
|length = {{convert|11.95|m}}
|width = {{convert|2.50|m}}
|height = {{convert|3.00|m}}
|floortype = Step entrance
|doors = 1 - 3
|chassis = DAF SB220
|engine = DAF LC1160
|transmission = ZF Ecomat 4HP500 4-speed automatic
ZF Ecomat 5HP500 5-speed automatic
|related = Optare Sigma
|predecessor =
|successor = Optare Excel}}
The Optare Delta was a single-deck bus body manufactured by Optare between 1990 and 1999 on the DAF SB220 chassis. The Delta was Optare's first full-size transit bus body, with the company having previously built minibus bodies on Volkwagen LT55 and Mercedes-Benz 811D chassis. The Delta was succeeded by the Optare Excel from 1995 onwards, with production of the Delta body ceasing in 1999.
Design
First announced in early 1988,{{cite news |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/18th-february-1988/16/single-deck-optare-on-the-way |title=Single deck Optare on the way |work=Commercial Motor |volume=168 |issue=4259 |location=Sutton |publisher=Reed Business Publishing |date=18 February 1988 |page=16 |access-date=31 January 2021}} the Optare Delta was formally launched as the first body for the UK market to be fitted to the DAF SB220 chassis in June 1988. The Delta bodywork featured a distinctive sloping one-piece windscreen with a separately mounted destination display, as well as gasket glazed tinted windows in the passenger cabin,{{cite news |last=Weatherley |first=Brian |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/18th-may-1989/68/-two-years-ago-commercial-motors-psv-news-reported |title=Split personality |work=Commercial Motor |volume=170 |issue=4319 |location=Sutton |publisher=Reed Business Publishing |date=18 May 1989 |pages=68-72 |access-date=25 July 2024}} and was constructed with an Alusuisse bolted aluminium frame, which Optare had gained the exclusive rights to use in Great Britain. At a length of {{convert|11.6|m}}, the Delta was marketed to three configurations: as a standard city bus, carrying 53 seated and 24 standing passengers, or to either city or intercity specification with 47 passengers seated hard plastic seats.{{cite news |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/2nd-june-1988/21/optare-launches-delta-city-bus |title=Optare launches Delta city bus |work=Commercial Motor |volume=169 |issue=4273 |location=Sutton |publisher=Reed Business Publishing |date=2 June 1988 |page=21 |access-date=25 July 2024}}
The Delta was powered by a DAF LC1160 {{convert|11.6|l}} turbocharged six-cylinder engine, and it could be optioned with either ZF Ecomat 4HP500 or 5HP500 automatic gearbox. The Delta's front suspension could "kneel", allowing the {{convert|310|mm}} entrance step to lower to a height of {{convert|200|mm}}, while air springs and a centrally mounted steering column, unusual for British buses at the time, were also provided.
Production of the Delta eventually ceased in 1999, around the time the second-generation low-floor Optare Excel began entering production.{{cite magazine |last= |first= |title=Daughters of Delta |magazine=Buses |issue=690 |pages=38-39 |date=September 2012 |location=Stamford |publisher=Key Publishing}}{{cite book|last=Jenkison|first1=Keith|title=The History of Optare|date=2020|publisher=Amberley Publishing|location=Stroud|isbn=978-1445696942}}{{page needed|date=July 2024}}
=Articulated designs=
The Delta's design was originally utilised by Optare as part of proposals for a trolleybus system in Leeds. Though the trolleybus proposal did not progress further, Optare instead redesigned the bus to be a diesel double-fronted articulated bus on DAF SB220 chassis. A mock-up bus was built, and an order for 12 articulated Deltas was considered in 1992 by Go-Ahead Northern when the operator proposed a guided busway serving Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland,{{cite news |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/5th-march-1992/16/northern-alights-on-artic |title=Northern alights on artic |work=Commercial Motor |volume=175 |issue=4492 |location=Sutton |publisher=Reed Business Publishing |date=5 March 1992 |page=16 |access-date=25 July 2024}} however no orders resulted due to the busway never being approved.
An articulated Optare Delta was eventually developed by vehicle fitters Sutrak UK and BTSE 2000 in 1992, designed for use as a European roadshow vehicle by American multi-level marketing company Amway. Named the 'Amway Showcase', the vehicle was built on a left-hand drive MAN articulated chassis and LAG Panoramic coach framework, using a combination of Bova Futura coach mouldings, the Optare Delta's front fascia and the LAG Panormaic's rear fascia. Internally, the Amway Showcase featured a broadcasting studio, a portable stage, a NICAM stereo video system, and an IBM AS/400 computer for demonstrating Amway's customer support system.{{cite magazine |last=Jones |first=Stuart |date=13 March 1992 |issue=146 |pages=6-8 |title=Sutrak UK, winning new converts all the time |magazine=Bus & Coach Buyer |location=Spalding}} This bus was exported to Ireland for use by Dublin radio station FM104 in May 1996, however the bus was eventually scrapped after the collapse of its suspension frame had rendered it inoperable.{{cite magazine |last=Stazicker |first=Daniel |date=9 March 2022 |title=More on Optare Delta |url=https://www.keybuses.com/article/more-optare-delta |magazine=Buses |issue=805 |page= |location=Stamford |publisher=Key Publishing |access-date=20 January 2022 |url-access=subscription}}
Operators
File:Vehicles in the United Kingdom 115.jpg Optare Delta on the Blackpool Promenade in July 2021]]
File:Northumbria bus 251 (G251 SRG), 2009 Metrocentre bus rally (2).jpg Optare Delta at the MetroCentre in Gateshead in May 2009]]
The combined Trentbarton companies were the largest purchaser of Optare Deltas, purchasing a total of 51 between 1991 and 1993,{{cite magazine |last=Jarosz |first=Andrew |url=https://archive.org/details/cbw-issue55/page/6/mode/1up |date=12 September 1992 |issue=55 |page=6 |title=Trent back in Volvo fold |magazine=Coach & Bus Week |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap |access-date=24 July 2024}} with all but ten being delivered to Trent Buses, predominantly for use on the operator's Rainbow Routes network.{{cite magazine |date=21 March 1992 |title=Trent's success sticks |magazine=Coach & Bus Week |issue=5 |page=12 |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap}}{{cite magazine |date=1 November 1991 |issue=129 |page=16 |title=20 Deltas modernise Wellglade's fleet |magazine=Bus & Coach Buyer |location=Spalding}}
The second largest operator of Deltas was British Airways, who purchased 49 of the type between 1990 and 1993 for airside passenger transfer services at Heathrow Airport. These Deltas were unique in having three entrance doors, with a centre offside exit door situated opposite a nearside exit door, reducing seating capacity to up to 40 passengers;{{cite news |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/19th-july-1990/16/ba-fleet-revamp |title=BA fleet revamp |work=Commercial Motor |volume=172 |issue=4378 |location=Sutton |publisher=Reed Business Publishing |date=19 July 1990 |page=16 |access-date=25 July 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/1st-october-1992/16/optare-captures-145m-vecta-order |title=Optare captures £4.5m Vecta order |work=Commercial Motor |volume=176 |issue=4492 |location=Sutton |publisher=Reed Business Publishing |date=1 October 1992 |page=16 |access-date=25 July 2024 |quote=Optare also has a repeat order for 22 three-door Deltas from British Airways, joining 23 already used at London Heathrow.}} a batch of six Deltas delivered for use on a ten-minute landside shuttle between Terminal 1 and Terminal 4 had their doors sealed by HM Customs and Excise on each journey to eliminate the need for re-checking passengers and luggage at the destination terminal.{{cite magazine |date=8 August 1992 |title=Door-sealed Deltas |magazine=Coach & Bus Week |issue=25 |page=15 |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap}}
London Regional Transport's London Buses business units took delivery of 35 Deltas between 1990 and 1992, with most being built to dual-door configuration. After initial examples were bought for evaluation by London General and East London in 1989,{{cite news |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/15th-june-1989/18/second-delta-for-lb |title=Second Delta for LB |work=Commercial Motor |volume=170 |issue=4323 |location=Sutton |publisher=Reed Business Publishing |date=15 June 1989 |page=18 |access-date=25 July 2024}} 19 dual-door Deltas were delivered to East London in April 1992,{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/cbw-issue10/page/7/mode/1up |date=25 April 1992 |title=Deltas in service |magazine=Coach & Bus Week |issue=10 |page=7 |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap |access-date=24 July 2024}} and prior to this, seven Deltas were also delivered to Westlink in 1990.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}
Go-Ahead Northern first took delivery of 14 Deltas in 1989,{{cite news |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/17th-august-1989/20/go-ahead-goes-for-daf-deltas |title=Go-Ahead goes for Daf Deltas |work=Commercial Motor |volume=170 |issue=4332 |location=Sutton |publisher=Reed Business Publishing |date=17 August 1989 |page=20 |access-date=25 July 2024}} which were followed by an additional five in 1990.{{cite news |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/10th-may-1990/29/can-shuttle-upgraded |title=GAN shuttle upgraded |work=Commercial Motor |volume=172 |issue=4368 |location=Sutton |publisher=Reed Business Publishing |date=10 May 1990 |page=29 |access-date=25 July 2024}} Competing operator Northumbria Motor Services took delivery of 17 between 1989 and 1990,{{cite news |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/15th-march-1990/23/disabled-buses-receive-approval |title=Disabled buses receive approval |work=Commercial Motor |volume=172 |issue=4360 |location=Sutton |publisher=Reed Business Publishing |date=15 March 1990 |page=23 |access-date=25 July 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/21st-june-1990/20/more-deltas-for-nms |title=More Deltas for NMS |work=Commercial Motor |volume=172 |issue=4374 |location=Sutton |publisher=Reed Business Publishing |date=21 June 1990 |page=20 |access-date=25 July 2024}} while elsewhere in the North East of England, other operators included United Automobile Services,{{cite news |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/19th-july-1990/16/tiger-trials-at-united-auto |title=Tiger trials at United Auto |work=Commercial Motor |volume=172 |issue=4378 |location=Sutton |publisher=Reed Business Publishing |date=19 July 1990 |page=16 |access-date=25 July 2024}} OK Motor Services and Teesside Motor Traction.{{cite magazine |date=29 May 1992 |issue=157 |page=10 |title=Seven Deltas for OK Travel |magazine=Bus & Coach Buyer |location=Spalding}}
Other notable operators of the Optare Delta included PMT of Stoke-on-Trent, taking delivery of nine in 1990,{{cite news |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/9th-august-1990/17/pmt-replaces-its-double-decker-fleet |title=PMT replaces its double-decker fleet |work=Commercial Motor |volume=172 |issue=4381 |location=Sutton |publisher=Reed Business Publishing |date=9 August 1990 |page=17 |access-date=25 July 2024}}{{cite news |url=http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/Paul-s-return-trip-bus-built/article-1679600-detail/article.html |title=Paul's return trip to where bus was built |work=The Sentinel |location=Hanley |date=21 December 2012 |access-date=31 January 2021 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120924141713/http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Paul-s-return-trip-bus-built/story-12546711-detail/story.html |archive-date=24 September 2012}} Blackpool Transport, who first purchased eight Deltas in 1990,{{cite news |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/26th-april-1990/21/single-decks-to-blackpool |title=Single-decks to Blackpool |work=Commercial Motor |volume=172 |issue=4366 |location=Sutton |publisher=Reed Business Publishing |date=26 April 1990 |page=21 |access-date=25 July 2024}} going on to purchase 20 more between 1991 and 1993,{{citation needed|date=July 2024}} Yorkshire Rider, who took five Deltas in 1990 as part of type evaluations for a guided busway project,{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/11th-january-1990/30/deltas-on-test-for-rider-plan |title=Deltas on test for Rider plan |magazine=Commercial Motor |volume=171 |issue=4351 |location=Sutton |publisher=Reed Business Publishing |date=11 January 1990 |page=30 |access-date=23 May 2025}} Ipswich Buses, who took its first Delta in 1991,{{cite magazine |date=8 August 1991 |issue=651 |page=13 |title=Ipswich Buses gets first Delta |magazine=Coachmart |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap}} following with another four delivered in 1994,{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/cbw-issue61/page/7/mode/1up |date=17 April 1993 |title=Grants for upgrade |magazine=Coach & Bus Week |issue=61 |page=7 |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap |access-date=24 July 2024 |quote=Three Dennis Lance with East Lancs bodywork and two, possibly three, Optare Deltas, are due for January delivery.}} and Fylde Borough Transport, who took three Deltas in 1991.{{cite magazine |date=30 May 1991 |issue=641 |page=11 |title=Fylde chooses full-size deckers |magazine=Coachmart |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap}} Among the Delta's final customers were Reading Buses, who after first purchasing ten Deltas in 1989,{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/coachmart-issue558/page/9/mode/1up |date=12 October 1989 |issue=558 |page=9 |title=Ten Deltas for Reading |magazine=Coachmart |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap |access-date=4 June 2025}} took delivery of a second batch of ten between 1995 and 1996.{{cite magazine |last=Jarosz |first=Andrew |url=https://archive.org/details/cbw-issue221/page/n7/mode/1up |date=8 June 1996 |title=Deltas 'transform rural services' |magazine=Coach & Bus Week |issue=221 |page=8 |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap |access-date=16 August 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category-inline}}
{{Optare timeline}}