Volvo Olympian / Alexander RH 204 (M204 VSX) is seen here in St. Andrew Square on a 10 in late 2007. The death-knell had already sounded for the madder & white, step entrance fleet by this time, and the 10s were seeing an eclectic mix of allocations, covering everything from these stalwarts up to the latest Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Geminis.

More usually, by this time, operated by new B9TLs, step entrance buses were still to be found from time to time on the 17s as late as mid 2008, only a few months before the route itself would be axed. 204 again, waits to exit South St. Andrew St.

By August 2008, appearances on the 11s were rare; 204 is seen once more providing cover for busews delayed due to tramworks.

206 (M206 VSX) crosses Dean Bridge on a 41 in May 2008, not long before the end for this type.

212 (M212 VSX) enjoys the sunsgine at Clermiston terminus before setting off for Ocean Terminal in June 2008.

This photo kindly donated by my better half, sees 215 westbound on Princes St in May 2008.

Volvo Olympian / Alexander RHs sch as 218 (M218 VSX) were still standard fare on the 1s in June 2008. Three famous Edinburgh landmarks survey this scene on Princes St.

219 perhaps not the only point of interest in July 2008, on North Bridge on a 33. New Volvo B9TLs were at this point displacing both these and early Tridents from this service.

By September 2008, 220 was among very few Alexander RH bodied, Cummins engined Olympians left.

221 was a regular on the 18s towards the end.

In 2005, 223 was pretty much standard fare on the 11s. What a difference a couple of years can make...

227 negotiates Drumbrae Roundabout in June 2008. The 1s were home to most of this batch at this time.

Volvo Olympian / Alexander RH, 228 (M228 VSX) waiting to head East along Princes St. in October 2005.

Deliveries of new Volvo B9TLs to Central garage in mid 2007 saw the M/VSX Olympians cascaded to the other depots; 228 now found itself at Longstone, and is seen at the West Granton Scottish Gas HQ, northern terminus of the 32.

Within a year, the route of the 32 had been slightly revised, and now terminated at Granton Square. 230 was on duty here.

Last day in service for 230, depicted here at Broomhouse.

By May 2008, madder was a rare sight on the 33s. 231 is seen on Morrison Link; at this time Shandwick Place was closed fro tramworks, and all buses for haymarket and beyond had to follow this diversion.

232 stands at Granton Square, about to take up a 32.

233, a regular in mid 2008 on the 1s, heads west along Princes St.

234 (M234 VSX) is seen on Princes St. on a 41. Step entrance vehicles were still the mainstay of this service in April 2007.

251 on a 12 in Shandwick Place, April 2009, with the end in sight...

Reverse angle on 251

Royale 251 on a 42 in Frederick St. The gradual introduction of new buses around this time was resulting in a marked decline of madder & white numbers.

Volvo Olympian / Alexander Royale 252 (P252 PSX) in South Charlotte St. 252 has been one of the allover advertising buses for some time; and like or loathe contravision, the fact is that it was entirely due to said advertising that it survived to the end.

252's driver gives a wave in Bankhead Avenue. the 12s were among the last routes to convert (should thaht be "succumb?) to low floor vehicles.

52 lurks in the shadows on Shandwick Place in May 2009.

A final shot of 252 in Shandwick Place.

253 leads a Lothian convoy down Princes St. in October 2005. Even then, Central was in the process of clearing out its step entry fleet.

253, by now transferred to Marine, leaves Portobello via Brighton Place, and will soon pass under the low (and narow) bridge at the site of the long closed Portobello Station. By the time of this photo, the bus had completed its tour of duty at all three garages, having spent much of 2006/7 at Longstone.

By February 2009, the step entrance fleet may have been getting harder to find, but the 19s were still a fairly safe bet. 253 again on duty here.

254 negotiates roadworks on Princes St in May 2008. Well, I say roadworks - nothing compared to what has followed...

By June 2006, 254 is delicensed behind Longstone. Thanks to Alexander Wright for this shot.

255 in York Place on a 12 in February 2009 - one of a diminishing number of Royales on the route by this time.

A gleaming 256, nearing the end of its Lothian career in April 2009 reminds us just how good the outgoing madder & white livery looked.

257, delicensed and stored at Longstone, June 2009. Thanks to Alexander Wright.

258 heads along St. John's Road in May 2009.

258, again in St John's Road, enjoys the sunlight on its face in the twilight of its Lothian career.

Marine garage operates the 5, running from the Jewel to Oxgangs via Northfield, London Road, Tollcross and Morningside, and by late 2008, the dilution of madder & white with harlequins was already underway.

Not long to go now: 259 on the 15A. The 15/15A set was the very last service to employ madder & white buses routinely, with 252 providing the final journey on the final day.

260, seen in July 2008 in bankhead Avenue. Madder & white left the 21s abruptly with the conversionof the service to single deck in January 2009.

260 westbound, George St, on a 12. At the time of writing, this remains the only reasonably safe Royale territory - but this situation is unlikely to remain.

Thanks again to Alexander Wright for this shot of 261, delicensed at Longstone.

262 on a 12 at the West End. Notice what appears to be a huge upturned hairbrush behind and to the right of 262; this is in fact Nelson's Monument on Calton Hill, surrounded by scaffolding. The monument is home to one of Edinburgh's two archaic timekeeping devices (the other, and better known being the famous One O'Clock Gun) in the form of a 'time ball' ounted at the top, which falls at 1pm, the same time the gun is fired, traditionally to allow ships in Leith harbour a more accurate timecheck (the sound from the gun takes around 10 seconds to travel the distance to the port). Major renovations underway on the monument include a reinstatement of this odd feature.

Under starter's orders - 263 lines up alongside Trident 690 in Princes St in October 2009. At the time, the 33/7s' entire allocation was madder & white - how times change...

263 again just over a year later, by which time it was based at Marine, is seen on South Bridge on a 5.

June 2008 sees 263 enters the West Approach Road on a diverted 12. Shandwick place was closed at the time due to long term tramworks

263 again in January 2009, when service reductions were starting to make seriou - and sudden - inroads into the remaining step entrance fleet. At this time, workings on the 19s were probably about 65%/35% in favour of low floor

May 2009 sees 263 263 with a fair load on, on St John's Road on a 12. By now, only the 12s, 15s and 32s were strongholds of te madder & white fleet.