Wright StreetDeck Ultroliner No. 315 MAN 41H was spotted in service today, likely its first day in passenger operation. This bus, carries a version of Isle of Man Road Services red livery, as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the nationalisation of the Island’s bus services and the combination of Isle of Man Road Services and the Douglas Corporation Transport buses back in October 1976.
The bus sports the registration number MAN 41H, a number once carried by one of the Optare Spectra DAF DB250LF built in 2000 fleet number '41' (see photo below). The latter was withdrawn in February 2011, passing to Maghull Coaches, Liverpool later that year and receiving UK registration X557 XEO. (It is now listed as SORN).
MAN 41H was later carried by Bus Vannin No. 127, an ex-Wrights demonstrator Streetlite with Wrights B41F bodywork new in December 2010. It arrived in the Isle of Man on loan from Wrightbus in September 2013, initially registered MAN 41H. Very soon after, it became re-registered LMN 267K and after a short period returned to Wrightbus in April 2014; r/r ERZ 2028, it passed to Diamond Bus, Tividale (West Midlands) in August 2015.
MAN 41H was most recently carried in the Isle of Man by one of Bus Vannin's many Mercedes-Benz Sprinter minibuses, No. 141.
The Ultroliner carries the Bus Vannin fleet number 315. It also sports a presumably 'decorative' fleet number 41 on the front. Amongst previous Isle of Man Transport and Road Services vehicles to carry the fleet number 41 have been:
- No. 41 MN 5043, a Guy BB with Guy B28D bodywork, new in June 1927, passing to Isle of Man Railway in February1929, being renumbered 41 in October 1929; to Isle of Man Road Services as No. 41 in July 1930; finally withdrawn and scrapped in 1938.
- No. 41 MAN 942, a Commer PN3 with Waveney FB14F bodywork, new in April 1936. Withdrawn in 1954, passing via a dealer to Ward's Cream Ices Ltd, Spring Valley, Braddan in April 1954; scrapped August 1956.
- MN 41 (2767 NX), a Leyland PD3/4 with Willowbrook H41/32F bodywork, originally new in February 1960 as Stratford Blue 17. It came to the Isle of Man in November 1971, registered MN 41. It was withdrawn in March 1979, passing to Telefilms, Preston (dealer) in September 1979, and shortly after scrapped.
- No. 41 W848 MAN ((UKA 600H), Leyland PDR2/1 with Alexander H47/32D bodywork, new in April 1970; arrived in the Isle of Man as one of Jackson's many second-hand purchases, entering service here in 1982; withdrawn in October 1988, it passed to Citibus, Chadderton, r/r UKA 600H 11/1988; scrapped 1991.
- No. 41CMN 41C (UOR 327T), a Leyland AN68/1R with Alexander H45/28D bodywork, new in January 1979 (as City of Portsmouth 327); ex Portsmouth Transit 3274/1991; entered service in the Isle of Man in October 1991; it was withdrawn in June 1998, passing to Mersey and Calder Preservation Group by 12/1998; scrapped for spares 11/2003
(Thanks to Shane Conway's fabulous Classic Manx Buses fleetest website for the above detail)
No 315 is one of two Bus Vannin StreetDeck Ultroliners to receive ‘heritage’ livery. The two buses have been painted (vinyl wrapped?) in IoMRS and DCTD colours by the manufacturer Wrights of Ballymena ‘at no extra cost to Bus Vannin.’
The duo are part of a delivery of six new double-deckers replacing older buses, which will be sold.
The six new vehicles, which have cost a total of £1.4 million, are the first new double-deckers to be bought by Bus Vannin since the pandemic.
Both of the new 'heritage' liveried buses have been stored at Bank’s Circus yard since delivery late last year.
It is expected that both heritage vehicles will enter service and attend various celebratory parades later in the year, if and when the current industrial action by bus drivers is resolved.
All six new StreetDeck Ultroliners are powered by Cummins B6.7 litre ULEB six-cylinder diesel engines, along with the latest Voith DIWA.8 NXT 7-speed transmissions.
SEE ALSO MAN 42H at Banks Circus
ABOVE: Ultroliner No. 316 (aka 42) Banks Circus March 2026
ABOVE: A previous iteration of MAN 41H