NV1 (M401RVU) was delivered to London Central in March 1995, in a batch of 10 for Docklands Express work painted in a dedicated red and white livery.  These vehicles remained on these duties for the next 5 years before the inevitable came and they joined the main fleet of NVs in London Central's traditional livery of red with grey skirt.

Meanwhile, London Central had won the contract to operate route 492 and a transfer to Bexleyheath came in 2000, to replace Titans initially used.  This was only a short-lived transfer as a couple of years later NV1 found herself (again with sisters NV 2-10, except 7) joining the fleet at Metrobus, Orpington.

Metrobus had cascaded their single door Volvo Olympians on route 261 to Crawley and borrowed dual-door NV examples from London Central (around a dozen vehicles from the NV28-NV42 batch).  A need for yet more saw NVs 1-10 joining them, with 1-6 working from Orpington and 8-10 at Crawley.  The 10-month loan was long enough for the vehicles to acquire Metrobus' smart blue and yellow stripes.  However, with the influx of low-floor Scania OmniDekkas coming in, in mid-2003 their usefulness in London was dwindling and they were withdrawn.

NV1, carrying fleet number 891 for Metrobus heads south through Bromley on a 320 (c) John Delaney

First had a need for various vehicles and thus NV1 found herself sold from the Go-Ahead Group into First's fleet and, in 2004, NV1 settled into life at First Manchester (by now numbered an anonymous 34251).

NV1 on layout at First Manchester's Bolton Depot in November 2008 (c) Martin Clitheroe

Again, her sisters joined her and thus NVs 1-7 were all re-united under one banner.  Move forward a few years and by 2011 First Manchester has deemed these surplus to requirements.  By late 2010, they were all withdrawn and during 2011, NV1 found herself moved to First West Yorkshire.  We do not believe she worked for this operation though (unless someone knows different?).

NV1 is an obvious target for preservation and we are delighted to say her future is now secure.  January 2012 saw her collected from First West Yorkshire and she happily made the journey south where she will now be inspected for any remedial work she requires.

NV1 withdrawn with First West Yorkshire (c) Martin Clitheroe

NV1 at Knutsford Services on the M6 (c) Martin Clitheroe