Wright Axcess



Wright Axcess is a serioes of two low-entry single-decker bus bodies built on the Scania L113CRL chassis by Wrightbus. The Wright Axcess-Ultralow was manufactured between 1995 and 1998; then the Wright Axcess-Floline between 1998 and 2001.

Design
The Wright Axcess-Ultralow was introduced in 1995 as a low-cost replacement for Wright Endurance and Wright Pathfinder bodies based on the step-entrance Scania N113 and low-entry N113CRL chassis respectively, developed to fit the recommendations of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DiPTAC) on improving wheelchair and pushchair access. Like the Endurance and Pathfinder, the Axcess-Ultralow body was constructed using an Alusuisse bolted aluminium frame and with bonded window glazing, and internally, featured a 320 mm low single entrance step, capable of being lowered to 200 mm at the kerbside via the 'kneeling' function of the chassis. This was followed by a 780 mm central gangway between both front axles and three 200 mm steps towards the rear seats of the bus.

The Axcess-Ultralow would be succeeded by the Wright Axcess-Flolinein 1998 on the Scania L94UB chassis, and was visually almost identical to this model, but had slightly different side window spacing. It was also very similar to the Liberator and Renown bodies on Volvo chassis. It was succeeded in 2000 by the 'Millennium Design' Wright Solar on the same chassis.

Operators
An initial batch of 20 Wright Axcess-Ultralows were delivered to Rider York in June 1995 for service on the York park and ride equipped with luggage ramps supplied from Marks & Spencer. These buses would eventually become part of the FirstBus fleet, who especially with its Scottish operations, were popular customers of the Wright Axcess-Ultralow. A majority of the group's Axcess-Ultralows were delivered to First Glasgow from 1996 onwards, while twelve were delivered to FifeFirst in June 1997, and eight were delivered to its Midland Bluebird and Lowland operations during 1997. Elsewhere, Axcess-Ultralows were delivered to Kingfisher Huddersfield, First Crosville, and the group's Eastern Counties, Northampton and Leicester operations.

Twenty Axcess-Ultralows were delivered to MTL Trust Holdings for its Merseybus operations in 1996, while ten Axcess-Ultralows were also delivered to Kentish Bus in late 1994, part of a wider investment by Kent County Council into improving bus stops and shelters as well as providing route information for service 480 between Dartford and Gravesend. Six Axcess-Ultralows were delivered to Chester City Transport for park and ride services in late 1997, and five Axcesss-Ultralows were delivered to Nottingham City Transport between 1995 and early 1996.

Five Axcess-Ultralows were delivered to Bullocks Coaches of Cheadle in 1995 for use on route 42 between Piccadilly Gardens and Stockport bus station, followed by another five being delivered to North Western's StarLine subsidiary for service between Altrincham, Sale, Wythenshawe and Manchester Airport. The purchases of both batches of these buses were funded from low-floor grants provided by the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority. A further 29 Axcess-Ultralows would be supplied to North Western and the StarLine subsidiary during 1996.

Of the 276 Axcess-Flolines produced, FirstGroup purchased 242.