Wright Liberator
{{Short description|Low-floor bus body on Volvo B10L chassis}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox UK Bus
|name = Wright Liberator
|image = TRAVEL WEST MIDLANDS - Flickr - secret coach park.jpg
|imagesize =
|caption = Travel West Midlands Wright Liberator bodied Volvo B10L in Walsall
|manufacturer = Wrightbus
|production = 1996 - 1999
|assembly = Ballymena, Northern Ireland
|designer = Trevor Erskine{{cite magazine |date=19 March 2020 |title=Obituary: Trevor Erskine, Wrights' legendary designer |url=https://www.keybuses.com/article/trevor-erskine-wrights-legendary-designer |magazine=Buses |issue=781 |page=16 |location=Stamford |publisher=Key Publishing |access-date=12 December 2023}}
|capacity = 67 (47 seated, 20 standing)
|floortype = Low floor
|doors = 1 or 2
|weight =
|chassis = Volvo B10L
|related = Wright Fusion
|predecessor = Wright Endurance
|successor = Wright Renown}}
The Wright Liberator was a low-floor single-deck bus body built on Volvo B10L chassis by Wrightbus between 1996 and 1999.
Design
The Wright Liberator was announced in October 1995 by Wrightbus, joining its range of bodies on Volvo chassis such as the Pathfinder and Crusader. The bus was constructed with an Alusuisse bolted aluminium frame and took advantage of the B10L chassis to create a step-free floor up to the rear axle.{{cite magazine |last=Barton |first=Mark |url=https://archive.org/details/cbw-issue222/page/n12/mode/1up |date=15 June 1996 |title=Liberator: less weight, more seats |magazine=Coach & Bus Week |issue=222 |page=13 |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap |access-date=3 May 2024}}{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/busesmag-issue496/page/8/mode/1up |title=Liberator storms in |magazine=Buses |issue=496 |date=July 1996 |location=Hersham |publisher=Ian Allan Publishing |page=8 |access-date=3 May 2024}} The Liberator was succeeded in 1999 by the Renown on the Volvo B10BLE chassis.
Operators
The Liberator's launch customer was First Greater Manchester, who after ordering the buses as GM Buses North, took delivery of five of the type branded for 'Superbus' low-floor services between Wigan and Leigh in June 1996.{{cite magazine |last=Morgan |first=Mike |url=https://archive.org/details/cbw-issue190/page/n9/mode/1up |date=21 October 1995 |title=GM Buses North B10L liberated |magazine=Coach & Bus Week |issue=190 |page=10 |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap |access-date=3 May 2024}} The National Express Group were the Liberator's overall largest customer, with over 100 purchased by their Travel Dundee and Travel West Midlands subsidiaries.{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/coach-bus-week-26-july-1997-issue-279/page/32/mode/2up |date=26 July 1997 |title=Lowfloors now total 20 at Travel Dundee |magazine=Coach & Bus Week |issue=279 |pages=32-33 |location=Peterborough |publisher=Emap |access-date=9 November 2024}} Eleven were also purchased by Bus Éireann in Ireland.{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|Buses}}
{{commons category-inline}}
{{Wrightbus|state=collapsed}}