At the end of July 2010, Happy Al's phoned us and offered former Metrobus 810 (H810AGX) for preservation, an opportunity we could not turn down.  810 is now owned by Stuart Boxall, Karl Griffin and Patrick Hall.

810 was purchased new by Metrobus in Orpington in 1991, as part of a general fleet modernisation plan, which saw the replacement of the second hand ex-LT Fleetlines with brand new Olympians on route 61.  Loss of the 61 tender, but picking up route 161 from the Kentish Bus saw the batch transferred there.

When the 161's were retained, low floor Tridents came in which saw the Olympians cascaded to the provincial operations at Lewes and then Godstone.

2003 saw a cascade of Volvo Olympians from Orpington as more new low floor vehicles arrived and this saw the end of the Leylands.  A batch went to Happy Al's in Birkenhead, this being 803, 808-813.  803 has now sadly been withdrawn and scrapped and the others are now facing withdrawal and 810 has now been saved for preservation and is now stored at Retrobus alongside other former Metrobus Olympians 13 and 395.

810 at Orpington War Memorial operating route 61 (c) Jeff Lloyd

810 takes recovery time at Bromley North Station on route 261 (c) Chris Suggitt

810 parked up in Happy Al's yard in Birkenhead in April 2010 (c) Martin Clitheroe

810 seen at her new home, safely under cover (c) Stuart Boxall