However, in the late 1970's, an attempt was made to make bus production very much like car production and discontinue the practice of having chassis and bodies built separately, but have integral vehicles 'off the shelf' with chassis and bodies being built together as a one-off integral design, available for companies to purchase.

In essence, this was the purpose of the Leyland Titan and the MCW Metrobus, both of which were featured in the 'Clash of the Titans' production on BBC Television in 1979, which appeared to threaten the independence of the bus bodybuilding industry.

However, at the end of the day, both the B15 Leyland Titan and the MCW Metrobus failed to maintain a firm foothold and eventually matters reverted to previous circumstances whereby chassis were purchased by operating companies who then chose their bodybuilder, and in some circumstances continued to influence their design.

As far as Leyland Motors were concerned, they had hoped that their integral Leyland National single-decker would be replicated by the double-deck Leyland Titan, but this project failed for a number of reasons.

Consequently, except for the large number of these vehicles delivered to London Transport, very few others were built. In fact, Greater Manchester Transport only received 15, 4001-4015 and the SELNEC Preservation Society has secured the last of these, 4015 (GNF 15V).

In terms of Metrobuses, although London Transport and West Midlands secured a large number of these vehicles, GMT acquired only 190 of the fully integrated MCW Metrobuses, 5001-5190 of which the SELNEC Preservation Society has the first of these, 5001 (GBU 1V) in preservation.

There was then an additional batch of 30 Metrobus chassis but bodied with the Northern Counties Standard body 5201-5210 with Cummins engines, and 5301-5320 with Gardner engines.

It was evident there would be a second generation chassis of rear-engined vehicles depicted, not only by the production of the Leyland Olympian, which replaced the Leyland Titan, but also Dennis Dominators, Scania N113, and more recently the Dennis Trident and Volvo B7TL.

Leyland, very conscious of the failure of the Leyland Titan, realised that their only survival would be in the continuation of production of separate chassis, to be bodied by independent bodybuilders, so consequently created what was the B45 which was to become the Olympian.

In essence, only nine prototypes were built - the fifth of which was purchased by Greater Manchester Transport to form the basis of their development of the Standard body on a second generation rear-engined chassis, and consequently, an unusual arrangement was created, whereby the Standard body was adapted to fit this Olympian prototype chassis B45-05, which became vehicle 1451 (NJA 568W).

It is interesting that GMT used the 1400 Fleet No. series for a variety of vehicles. Initially, the North Western-ordered, but delivered to SELNEC Cheshire 25 Bristol VR's which were re-numbered 1400-1424. Thereafter, the unusual delivery of 10 MCW Metropolitans had been allocated to this series, 1425-1434, and then the two prototype Northern Counties Fodens were delivered as 1435 and 1436. They were followed by four prototype Dennis Dominators, again with the Standard body, as with the Fodens - these being numbered 1437-1440.

When it was decided that the Olympian would be purchased by Greater Manchester Transport, the very first and only GMT prototype was numbered 1451, with Northern Counties taking the full length of the vehicle in its stride and creating a new body style with full length windows to fit the length of the chassis.

1451 proved to be something of a challenge for Northern Counties, as they had to make their Standard body, normally fitted to Atlanteans and Fleetlines, fit the new Olympian chassis. This chassis was longer than that of the Atlantean or Fleetline, so the vehicle had five standard length windows on the upper deck and a slightly shorter window at the rear, and all the hoppers and windows on it were of a different design from that usually applied to the Standard vehicles.

It also had a very large 'Help' impact bumper fitted on the front with the licence plate standing on it, which in itself was unusual.

Thereafter, as time went on, the 1400 series continued. 1461 and 1462 became two Scania N113's bodied by Northern Counties on their Standard body. Then 1471-1473 saw the Standard body adapted to fit three Dennis Falcon V's, and eventually, the final adaptation and the final addition to the experimental 1400 series were three Volvo Citybuses, 1481-1483.

In the meantime, the first and only prototype Olympian delivered to Greater Manchester, 1451, was exhibited at the 1980 Commercial Vehicle Motor Show and thereafter it became the basis for various analyses as to the future of this chassis, which eventually resulted in orders being placed for what were to become in the end 305 production examples, with 3001 (ANA 1Y) appearing two years later at the Commercial Vehicle Motor Show, in 1982.

In all, there were nine prototype Olympian chassis built at Bristol as listed below, of which 1451 was the fifth.