A Volvo B10BLE with Wright Renown bodywork, 4898 (V988 ETN) was acquired by the Northern National Restoration Group in the summer of 2019.

Delivered to Go Northern in January 2000 at their now-closed Stanley depot, 4898 saw initial use on the 765/766 between Durham and Consett alongside the V-ETN registration B10BLEs it was delivered alongside. As part of the main fleet at Stanley, operating throughout the early 2000s in the company of the various Olympians and Metrobuses that also made up its allocation, 4898 saw use on the 775/778 services between Sunderland and Consett in addition to the 45 and 46 to
Newcastle.

In October 2006, 4898 received a lime green base livery, heralding its inclusion in the route branding drive being unrolled at that time. It was not until March 2007 that; Lime; route branding vinyl were applied, with 4898 receiving what would be
the first iteration of the; Lime; brand, featuring the tagline; cross country connection.

Following the withdrawal of the 775 service and the restructuring of the routes on this corridor, 4898 would see permanent allocation to the 8/78
services between Stanley/Consett and Sunderland for nearly ten years. In 2010, the Lime received updated branding that promoted it as a cycle-friendly service, receiving appropriate refurbishments at Thornton Brothers, Ashington in order to accommodate bikes along the route in the wheelchair/buggy bay.

4898 was one of the thirteen B10BLEs typically allocated to the PVR of the 8/78 services that survived until the final day of B10BLE operation on the route, Saturday 2nd May 2015. Although 4896 at Chester-le-Street and 4897-4902 at Stanley, being the younger examples in use on the; Lime, had futures in a reduced role in the Go North East, the trio of 4853-4855 was not as fortunate, being immediately withdrawn upon returning to Chester-le-Street that day. Following the entry into service of the brand new Wright StreetLites with; Coast & Country' branding on Sunday 3rd May 2015, the resulting vehicle cascades saw 4898 transfer out of Stanley, having served there for fifteen years, bound for Gateshead Riverside.

A few months later in August 2015, she received the necessary modifications at Thornton Brothers, Ashington to be made compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and thus able to continue operating in service beyond 1st January 2016. Although in September 2015 she was transferred to Deptford in line with other fleet movements, this transfer was reversed the
following month in order to facilitate the absence of other B10BLEs at Riverside during their DDA modifications.

Following the completion of DDA modifications on all B10BLEs that had been permitted a further lease of life with Go North East, 4898 was absorbed into the main fleet at Riverside in December 2015, having spent several months working as a float vehicle. She continued to work here throughout 2016 and well into 2017, although in September of that year, despite significant commitments with the lengthy Metro replacement operations in the summer of 2017 initially heralding a further lease of life for 4898, given the simultaneous refurbishment of Mercedes Citaros at Bus & Coach World, Blackburn, she was withdrawn from service at Riverside. Although she was reinstated for a short time following the withdrawal of Scania L94UB 4927 (Y927 ERG), 4898 was finally withdrawn from service in October 2017. 4898 had the distinction of being one of the final B10BLEs to serve in the Go North East fleet, having fought to the very end with sisters 4899 and 4922. While the former would be scrapped at local firm Alpha Recovery, the latter would go on to be preserved in the fleet of A-Line of Pelaw.

In November 2017, 4898 was sold for preservation to Chris Perdy, and after being sold on at least once in a fairly short period, she was acquired by the Northern National Restoration Group in the summer of 2019. Our second Volvo B10BLE, after 4855 (R855 PRG), a Renown she served alongside at Stanley in the early 2000s and on the Lime; for many years, our immediate plans for 4898 are to keep her in the second iteration of the lime; branding it received in previous ownership, although her interior will be repainted and her seats trimmed. Her first public appearance under our ownership was at NELSAM's Trams and Transport Day on Sunday 21st July 2019, is displayed alongside 4710 and 4855 beneath the wing of their iconic Vulcan fighter.