The Optare Delta was a

single-decker bus A single-decker bus or single-decker is a bus that has a single deck for passengers. Normally the use of the term ''single-decker'' refers to a standard two-axled rigid bus, in direct contrast to the use of the term double-decker bus, which ...

body manufactured by

Optare Switch Mobility (originally called Optare) is an English bus manufacturer based in Sherburn-in-Elmet, North Yorkshire. It is a subsidiary of Indian company Ashok Leyland. The company would be responsible for the EV operations of the group with ...

on the

DAF SB220 The DAF SB220 was a full-size single-decker bus chassis produced by DAF Bus International from 1985. Initially only built in left hand drive, in 1988 a right hand drive version was launched for the United Kingdom market. An articulated vers ...

chassis. They were built in a factory in

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popul ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

. They are known for their distinctive sloping front window. A common feature about the bus that it has a distinctive one-piece windscreen with a sloped windowline and a separately mounted destination display.Optare Delta restored by Paul Pearson of Potteries Ominbus Preservation Society
'' The Sentinel''

History

Announced in early 1988, the first Delta was launched at the

British International Motor Show The British International Motor Show is an annual motor show held by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders between 1903 and 2008 in England, and as The British Motor Show since 2021 by Automotion Events. Initially held in London at T ...

at the National Exhibition Centre in October 1988.A Potteries Commection ''

Bus & Coach Preservation Ian Allan Publishing was an English publisher, established in 1942, which specialised in transport books. It was founded by Ian Allan. In 1942 Ian Allan, then working in the public relations department for the Southern Railway at Waterloo st ...

'' January 2021 pages 33-37 The first was delivered in February 1989. A total of 324 were produced with

British Airways British Airways (BA) is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London, England, near its main hub at Heathrow Airport. The airline is the second largest UK-based carrier, based on fleet size and passengers ...

purchasing 49,

Trent Barton Trentbarton operates both local and regional bus services in Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire, England. It is a subsidiary of the Wellglade Group. History In October 1913, Trent Motor Traction Company was foun ...

43,

London Regional Transport London Regional Transport (LRT) was the organisation responsible for most of the public transport network in London, England, between 1984 and 2000. In common with all London transport authorities from 1933 to 2000, the public name and operatio ...

35,

Reading Buses Reading Buses is a bus operator serving the towns of Reading, Bracknell, Newbury, Slough, Windsor, Maidenhead, Wokingham and the surrounding areas in the counties of Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Hampshire, England, as well as parts of Greater ...

20 and Northern General 19. Production of the Delta ceased in 1999.

In popular culture

An Optare Delta in all-over red livery is featured as a driveable vehicle in the PlayStation 2 game '' The Getaway'', and its sequel '' The Getaway: Black Monday''.IGCD.net: Optare Delta in video games
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References

External links

Bus Lists on the Web - DAF SB220
{{Optare timeline Full-size buses Delta Single-deck buses Step-entrance buses Vehicles introduced in 1988