IN THIS ISSUE:
100 YEARS OF LODGE’S COACHES · HOW IT ALL STARTED · EPPING ONGAR
BUS RALLY · SOUTHAMPTON FAREWELL · END OF AN ERA AT ENSIGNBUS
AND BREAKERS
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CLUBS & SOCIETIES
RIBBLE ENTHUSIASTS CLUB
Our monthly bulletin includes Stagecoach North West, Transdev Blackburn and Burnley Bus Companies and numerous north-west independent operators. Visits, extensive photographic service, publications and second-hand department. Join today and enjoy Ribble country. Details from M.J. Yates, 23 Richmond Road, Hindley Green, Wigan, WN2 4ND.
MERSEYSIDE BUS CLUB.
Interested in buses on Merseyside and the surrounding area ? Monthly meetings with guest speakers in Liverpool, tours to places of transport interest, annual week-long holiday tour and postal photo-sales. For membership details and free copy of our bi-monthly Review, contact Dave Mitchell, 16 Allington Street, Liverpool, L17 7AD.
THE M&D AND EAST KENT BUS CLUB provides the fullest information on all operators in Kent and East Sussex. Membership facilities include news-sheet,
publications, photographs, outings, meetings and vehicle preservation. Out widely acclaimed Fleet History of Maidstone & District including 260 illustrations remains available at £22.60 including carriage. Details from 42 St Albans Hill, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP3 9NG.
THE SOUTHDOWN ENTHUSIASTS
CLUB provides a monthly journal with topical news and information on the fleets of Stagecoach South, Brighton & Hove, First Hampshire & Dorset and other local operators. Publications are issued on a regular basis including annual fleet lists and a Southdown Fleet History series.. Photographic and book sales, winter evening meetings and a variety of tours are also part of the club’s activities. For details send SAE to Hon.Sec, 11 High Cross Fields, Crowborough, East Sussex, TN6 2SN.
THE NORTHERN GROUP ENTHUSIASTS
CLUB keeps you up to date with changes and developments throughout the whole of the GoAhead Group as well as Stagecoach North East and Arriva North East. For details send SAE to Ian Athey, ‘Valley View’, Causeyway, Kip Hill, Stanley, Co Durham, DH9 8RN.
INTERESTED IN CROSVILLE then why not join the Crosville Enthusiasts Club ? We publish a monthly ‘Review’ covering Arriva Cymru and the former Crosville Motor Services area (including the erstwhile Chester, Potteries, Midland Red North, Stevensons and North Western), as well as several minor operators and also run tours during each year. Send large SAE for details to CEC Secretary, 13 Wepre Lane, Connahs Quay, Deeside, Clywyd, CH5 4JR.
WESTERN
Keep up to date with all the latest changes in the Stagecoach Western Buses and Stagecoach Glasgow fleets as well as those of Arriva Scotland West and several independent operators with our bi-monthly news sheets (with histories).
Details from G.W. Bain, 12 Brisbane Street, Greenock, PA16 8LN.
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MANAGING EDITOR: JOHN PODGORSKI BA Hons, MSc, CMILT.
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The news of the moment has been the sale of Ensignbus, out of independent ownership to First Group. The deal was announced in February and concluded in March.
Founded in 1972, Ensign was best known as a bus dealer, and also as a sightseeing operator, local bus provider and owner of a superb collection of heritage vehicles. More on this story can be found within this edition of Bus Fayre. The Newman family have retained their historic bus collection and we wish them well in their future endeavours.
Meanwhile, the Government backed £2.00 Bus Fare Cap has been extended, from March until June. This has effectively created a “flat fare” for all single journeys worth more than £2.00. It can create great value for money on longer journeys, although for regular travellers, multi journey “Rover” type tickets can still work out cheaper. This was introduced as a response by the Government to help the bus industry return to its pre-Covid levels of patronage.
Front cover pictures:
1: By 22 August 2020, Lodge of High Easter DAF SB120/Wright Cadet F20 DGE had acquired striking vinyls thanking local NHS staff for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic. It had again worked in on route 17 and was about to leave rural Essex for the journey through Chelmsford to the bus station.(Andrew Fieldsend). 2: United Counties
Bristol LS/ECW 453 (HNV 731) at Bedford depot in 1962. (Roger Pope). 3: Preserved Southampton City Transport Guy Arab III/Park Royal 64 (FTR 511) at the Alton Rally on 16/7/13. (Simon Austin).
Back cover pictures: 1: Earnside of Glenfarg Neoplan Tourliner WSV 490 pictured on 3/10/16. (Mike Bocklebank-Flickr). 2; Aberfeldy Motor Services Van Hool TX15 Alicron SP16 AMS at Gretna Gateway Outlet on 2/6/17. (Highlandreiver-Flickr).
3: Ex First Southampton Wright StreetLite 47598 (SN14 FFA) now with First Essex. Freshly repainted into Shuttles livery and seen in Chelmsford on 6/3/23. (David Arnold). 4: Goodfellows of Thorne Dart SLF/Mini Pointer HW54 BUV on one of its regular routes. 22/10/22. (Flickr). 5: Lothian has had Volvo BZL demonstrator BV72 KPF on loan. Temporarily numbered 999, it was seen at Trinity on 2/2/23. (Richard Walter). 6: Highland Council Volvo B8RLE/ MCV EvoRa BV72 KKM in Inverness on 24/1/23. (Richard Walter). 7: The new Scotland Rugby Coach. Edinburgh Coachlines Volvo 9700 SJ72 KSD at Portobello in February 2023. (Edinburgh Coachlines). 8: Probably the first 23 plate pcv to enter service in the UK was Delaine Buses of Bourne ADL/Enviro 200 MMC AD23 DBL. It was delivered well in advance of 1/3/23 and was pictured on depot when brand new on 19/1/23. (Steven Knight Media).
Thanks to: BAM, Flickr, D Arnold, S Austin, T Blackman, L Cocker, M Currie, N Eadon-Clarke, Edinburgh Coachlines, Ensignbus, A Fieldsend, First, Google, K Jenkinson, RF Mack, MBC, G Mead, National Express, R Pope, P Savage, Stagecoach, Steven Knight Media, R Walter, WilliamJL Photography.
In a previous recent Bus Fayre, we reported on a fire which badly damaged Slough Bus Station. This had been started in a bus that was parked there overnight, in what was basically a completely unsecured location. In these days of industry cost cutting there seem to be more and more buses which are kept overnight in “open” bus stations, outstations etc, and one wonders what this does to insurance premiums, compared to locking up buses in secure buildings or compounds ? Slough was not the first and definitely not the last incident where a bus has been vandalised at or stolen from an unsecured place. Also remember, that unlike virtually all other road vehicles, a service bus generally cannot be locked, and has no ignition key that can be removed. Sure some companies use other ways of immobilising their buses, but many still seem to not. Post Brexit seems to be creating headaches for international travellers, not least coaches. Over the weekend of 1-2 April, there were massive queues and delays at the Port of Dover. Around 100 coaches were stuck there for approx 14 hours, due to the passport checking process having been increased by Brexit beauracracy.
Pictured is one of the Newman’s Heritage Collection. Former Jersey Motor Transport (JMT) petrol engined all Leyland Titan TD1 6332J at the Annual Running Day at Lakeside on 1/12/18. This bus dates from 1932 and was originally registered J6332. It spent 28 years with its original operator before entering preservation. It passed to Ensign in 2014. Enjoy the magazine.
4 NEWS ROUND UP. The latest happenings, nationwide and beyond.
9 LODGE’S OF HIGH EASTER. Andrew Fieldsend on this Essex independent which celebrated its centenary in 2021.
13 HOW IT ALL STARTED. Roger Pope goes back to his roots.
16 SCENE AROUND. The ever changing UK bus scene in pictures.
18 HOW IT ALL STARTED PART 2. Pictures in colour and monochrome.
20 EPPING ONGAR BUS RALLY. Louise Cocker on another successful event at this Essex railway museum.
23 FAREWELL TO SOUTHAMPTON. First exits this south coast port city.
24 END OF AN ERA AT ENSIGN. Goodbye to independent ownership and hello to First Group.
26 LONDON HAPPENINGS. What’s going on in the capital.
28 DEALERS AND BREAKERS. Listings of buses and coaches for sale or scrap.
31 BOOK REVIEWS.
Keith Jenkinson looks at the latest enthusiast reading.
First announced in the second week of February 2023 that it had agreed to acquire the business of Ensignbus, Purfleet, with the exception of Ensign’s Heritage Fleet. The deal was completed on 10th March 2023. The Ensignbus identity will be retained by First.
First Cymru: New for TransCymru T1 (CarmarthenAberystwyth) are Yutong E12s 65125-32 (CE72 YOJ-P/R).
First Eastern Counties: The last Tridents are due for withdrawal during Spring 2023. All are at Norwich.
First Essex: New at Hadleigh are Wright StreetLite Max 63454-66 (MC72 UXS-Y, UYA/B/D/F). All of the micro hybrid Volvo B7RLE/Wrights at Colchester are now withdrawn. 66801 (MX05 CCJ) was the last. Trident operation finished in October, with ALX400 bodied 33383 (LK53 EZC) at Basildon. However, the very last Trident to remain in stock was Westcliff of Sea red/cream heritage liveried President bodied 33191 (LT52 XAB) at Hadleigh. Happily, this was saved for preservation.
First Glasgow: New BYD/ADL Enviro 400EVs are 3845769 (LG72 DXB-F/H/J-P), 38487-92 (LG72 EAW/-Y, EBA/ C/D).
First Hampshire & Dorset: Southampton depot was closed after 19/2/23. This was the former Southampton City Transport and had latterly been branded as City Red. Go-Ahead owned Bluestar mostly filled the void. The First Solent operation at Fareham and Portsmouth continues, with Fareham based buses still reaching Southampton on the X4 and X5 services. Prior to its closure, City Red received
Arriva Cymru: New are Volvo B8RLE/MCV EvoRas 3181-92 (BV72 KLE/K-M/O/P/S/U/ X/Z, KME, KLA). They are for routes 5/C/D (Llandudno-Bangor-Caernarfon). The VDL SB200/Wright Commander is now extinct in service here, although two remain as driver trainers.
Arriva Midlands: The closure of Oswestry depot was announced on 27/2/23. Due to happen later in 2023. Work and staff will move to Shrewsbury and Wrexham, with five tendered services handed back to Shropshire Council. Arriva North East: Further to the closure of Jesmond depot in Newcastle, this happened on 30/10/22. Although most work moved to Ashington and Blyth, a local outstation was established at the Walkergate depot of
Wright StreetDecks 35112/16/64 (SO15 CUV, CVA, SK65 PWJ) from First West of England.
First Potteries: The first brand new double deckers here for 33 years are 12 Wright StreetDeck Carbonliners, 10 of which carry a blue livery for ‘Constellation’ route 25 (Hanley-Keele University). They are 35939-48 (BN72 TTX-Z, TUA/H/J/O/P/U/V). Their ancestors were allLeyland Olympians of the G-XRE batch.
First West of England: New metrobus route m4 (Cribbs Causeway-Bristol Parkway-University-Bristol City Centre) commenced on 22/1/23.
Somerset Passenger Solutions: In the early morning of 17/1/23, Wright StreetDeck 233 (SK19 FEH) overturned in icy conditions on the A39 Quantock Road near to Bridgwater. 54 people on board sustained minor injuries. The bus was on a scheduled staff shuttle to the construction site of Hinckley Point C Power Station.
Stagecoach. Subsequently, Arriva gave up its share of Cross-Pennine Link route 685 (Newcastle-Carlisle), with Stagecoach taking full operation of that route. Meanwhile, Jesmond has been used for vehicle storage.
Arriva North West: The closure of the depots at Macclesfield and Winsford was announced on 27/2/23. This should happen in April 2023, after employee consultation. D&G Bus has registered some replacement bus services in these areas.
Arriva Southern Counties: ADL/E400 6528 (YX17 NFF) has received classic dark green/cream Maidstone & District livery to commemorate 100 years of Gillingham depot. Wright Gemini 2DL integrals are being received from Arriva London.
Stagecoach East: Outstations closed due to the service cuts after 29/10/22 were Ely, March and Holbeach Drove. Ely’s work and staff moved to Stephensons, operating from the nearby Greys depot. Ely had been a full depot at one time, located on Witchford Industrial Estate. It and Greys had previously both been located on London Road, Ely, just doors apart. March was a former full depot and its garage building remained largely unaltered from its Eastern Counties days. Holbeach Drove was at the Fowlers bus depot. Both March and Holbeach Drove’s remaining work moved to Peterborough. All of the ex London Scania Omnicity ‘deckers have relocated to Stagecoach South East – 15074/75/78/81/83/85/87/89/90/9
2 (LX09 AEY/Z, AFF/N/U/Y, AGO/ V/Y, AHA).
Stagecoach Merseyside and South Lancashire: The new 319 Trainlink
Cardiff Bus: On lease from Mistral are ADL/E400 MMCs 314-317 (YX72 OLJ/ K/M/N). Ex Yellow Buses Bournemouth are ADL/E400 MMCs 321-323 (SN65 OHZ, OJA/B).
Newport Transport: ADL/E400 401 (SN62 AOO) has received a “street art” based livery, commissioned by artist Tee2Sugars. It celebrates art, culture and history of Newport.
Reading Buses: (Thames Valley):
Following the serious fire in October 2022; Slough Bus Station partially reopened in February 2023, but only for bus parking. In the interim, Thames Valley had used the nearby First depot. Work was ongoing to restore offices, staff facilities and the shop, but customers had to continue to use temporary on street bus stops. The Bus
service between Skelmersdale and Kirkby began in January 2023. The 319 is an express route connecting with trains at Kirkby and will also service Merseyrail’s new Headbolt Lane station when that opens during 2023. Two ex ‘Gold’ ADL/Enviro 300s are used, in a black/yellow livery – 27261/70 (SN65 OCZ, ODK). Following Arriva’s announced withdrawal from west Cheshire, Stagecoach has registered route 84 (Chesster-Crewe), which has also been registered by D&G Bus.
Stagecoach Midlands: Gained a number of Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) local bus contracts from January 2023. This brings back this operator to the Birmingham area. Latterly, only route X20 had reached this conurbation – and only to Solihull. The new gains serve Coventry and east Birmingham. They are (in Birmingham) 41 (Queen Elizabeth Hospital-Headlands Hospital), 169 (Kings Heath-Shirley), A9 (Kingshurst-Blyth Valley Park), 46 (Queen Elizabeth Hospital-Kings Heath), 71 (Chelmsley Wood-Sutton
Station is owned by Slough Borough Council. An 18 year old male was arrested and bailed by Thames Valley Police in connection with the above incident. (Editor’s note: Would it not be better to keep buses “locked up in sheds and yards” when not in use ? Leaving unsecured buses overnight in an unsecured town centre location is asking for trouble. Also see editorial).
Warrington’s Own Buses: The VDL SB120/Wright is now extinct here. Acquired ADL/E200s mostly replaced them.
Coldfield). In Coventry 7 (Pool Meadow-Brownshill Green), 51 (Pool Meadow-Arena Retail Park). NB: 7 is run by Stagecoach evenings and Sundays but continues with NX West Midlands the rest of the time.
Stagecoach North Scotland: New for services from Portree, Isle of Skye are Volvo B8RLE/MCV EvoRas 21389-98 (SJ72 HNCH/K-N), 39506/07 (SJ72 HNA/B). From 6/2/23, the Inverness city services were converted to electric bus operation, using 25 new Yutong E10s – 30101-15 (SG72 NAA/E/O/U, NBA/B/D-F/J-O), 30116-125 (SG72 NDC-F/J-L/N/O/U). Meanwhile, MacDuff has become a sub depot of Elgin.
Stagecoach South Wales: Blackwood (Penmain Road) depot closed after service on 4/2/23. Work moved to the neighbouring depots at Caerphilly and Cwmbran. There were no compulsory redundancies at Blackwood. This was the old Islwyn Borough Transport facility, acquired by Stagecoach in 2010.
Wellglade Group MD Jeff Counsell retired in February 2023, after a nearly 50 year career in the bus industry, starting as an apprentice mechanic at Lancashire United Transport in 1974. His successor is Tom Morgan, latterly Commercial Director with Wellglade (Trent Barton, Notts & Derby, Kinchbus, TM Travel).
Notts & Derby: New are ADL/Enviro 400 MMCs 15-17 (SK72 CVY/Z, CWA) for Unibus.
Left: Stagecoach South Wales Blackwood bus depot, which is now closed. (Google).
Brighton & Hove: In the first week of February 2023, it was announced that Southdown PSV, Copthorne had been acquired by Go-Ahead and that B&H was to manage it.
East Yorkshire: ADL/Enviro 200 286 (YX11 CNN) has been withdrawn in bizarre circumstances. In the early hours of 18/1/23, it was parked at Anlaby Road depot, Hull when a brick wall partially collapsed onto the bus, causing extensive damage to the cab and front platform area.
Go North West has won the first two Transport for Greater Manchester Big Bus Franchises. They are for Bury And Oldham and gained from Diamond North West and Stagecoach respectively.
Go South Coast: (Bluestar): Following First’s departure from Southampton, Bluestar has expanded its network in this city with 6 new services and recruited 140 more staff. The new routes are: 10 (ex First 9) (City-Sholing); 13 (ex First 13) (City-Harefield); 14 (ex First 8) (City-Hedge End); 15 (ex First 6) (City-Hamble); 19 (ex First 3) (ThornhillLordshill); 20 (ex First 7) (City-Townhill Park). Transferred from Go North East for this extra work are Volvo B7TL/ Wright Geminis 6901-13 (LX06 EAY, EBA/C/D/F/G/J-P).
A new bus sponsorship has been offered to local businesses across the Transdev area. It follows a successful trial with John Lewis, in which high profile messaging was displayed on two Yorkshire Coastliner buses. This links with the “Transdev Treats” discount network at visitor, shopping and leisure attractions.
Harrogate Bus Company: BYD/ADL/200ev demonstrator LC71 EFE was on loan during 2022. It has been announced that route 36 (Harrogate-Ripon-Leeds) is to be electrified.
Keighley Bus Company: Volvo B10BLE/Wright Renown 1343 (V209 EBV) was withdrawn after it collided with the rear of a farm tractor trailer on the A629 at Utley on 7/3/23. The bus was running light at the time. The bus driver was seriously injured.
Rosso: Ex Nottingham City Transport are ADL/E200 B33F 761-66 (YX13 AEG/J-N) in yellow/orange Rochdale Runners livery.
Team Pennine: A full refurbishment of the depot in Elland has expanded facilities to include an ‘Academy’ training centre and customer service hub, plus an operational base for its expanding network of routes serving Calderdale.
Transdev Airport Services, West Drayton: This a new contractor for airside at London Heathrow Airport. It has new Volvo B8RLE/MCV EvoRa triple door (1 centre door is offside) saloons LF22 CAA/E/O/U/V/X, CBO/U/V/X/Y, CCA/D/E/J/N/O/U/V/X-Z, CDE/K/N/O. Reminiscent of some of the Leyland Nationals operated by British Airways in the 1970/80s.
Touromo is a new brand encompassing the coach holiday and day trip market. It replaces the brands of Collesium Coaches, Lucketts Travel, Mortons Travel, Solent Tours, Stewarts Tours, Woods Tours and Worthing Coaches. The livery is dark blue with light blue/white markings.
Lucketts: New NX spec are Scania K410EB6/Caetano
Levante IIIS BV72 XEU/Z. Acquired from the closed Yellow Buses operation were Scania K410EB6/Caetano
Levante B052 (BV67 JZM), Scania K410EB6/Levante IIIs B061 (BU18 OTF), B062-064 (BF68 LCC/G/L), B101-104 (BV22 VSJ-M).
National Express Coaches: The Wandsworth base in London has been upgraded to a full depot. On the evening of 10/1/23 there was a serious crash involving a NX Scania K410EB6/Caetano Levante III on the M6 J2 near Coventry. The coach mounted the central reservation and struck a bridge support pillar. 12 people were injured.
NX West Midlands: A new depot opened at Perry Barr on 10/12/22, equipped to house a 100% electric bus fleet in the future. The new site has an allocation of 170 buses with 450 staff. It replaced the old facility, dating from 1932 which is to be redeveloped. New at Coventry are BYD/ADL/Enviro 400EVs E080-099 (LG72 EBM/P/U-X/Z. ECA/C-F/J/N, DVF/H/J-L), E100-E121 (LG72 DVM/P/R/T-Z,DWA/C-F/ J-N), E122-163 (LG72 DWO/P/U-Z, DXA-F/H/J-M/O/P/R-Z, DYA-D/F/H/J/M-P/S). Mercedes eCitaro demonstrator MB21 BUS was evaluated at Coventry in December 2022.There was strike action by drivers in late February/early March but this was resolved on 24/3/23, when a 16% pay increase was brokered. Engineers voted for industrial action over the same period, and a pay deal for them was agreed on 17/3/23.
Aberfeldy Motor Services: This Scottish operator closed at the end of 2022, after 47 years. The owners decided to retire.
Ashford and St Peters Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Surrey, has new 8.9m ADL/Enviro 200 MMCs YX72
OJV/W. They work a shuttle linking the two hospital sites replacing minibuses and were supplied via Dawsongroup. Black Cat, Lincoln: Has taken over the Spalding town service on council retender from Brylaine of Boston.
Borders Buses: New at Gallasheils are ADL/Enviro 400 MMCs 12209/10 (YX72 OMK/L).
Cawthornes Travel, Anston: Took over ex Powellsbus service 3 (Rotherham circular) and ex First peak hours X74 (Sheffield Business Park) following the collapse of HCT Group.
Central Connect/Galleon Travel, Stansted: The outbase at Roydon has been replaced by a new site in Harlow. Centrebus: New for the Orbital in Leicester are Yutong E10s 850-855 (YD72 FFU-Z).
D&G Bus: Chaserider is operating new Telford & Wrekin Council sponsored service 100 ‘Express’. It links South Telford with industrial areas, Wellington and the Princess Royal Hospital. Interestingly, 100 Express does not serve Telford town centre. Replacements have been registered for Arriva routes 31(Northwich-Crewe), 37 (NorthwichSandbach/Crewe), 84 (Crewe-Chester) which are worked by the soon to close Arriva Winsford depot.
Delaine Buses, Bourne: ADL/Enviro 200 MMC AD23 DBL was the first 23 plate bus in the UK. It was delivered in January and entered service on 1st March.
Earnside Coaches, Glenfarg: This Perth and Kinross based operator closed on 31/3/23 – after 50 years of operation and its third generation of Rutherford family ownership.
Edinburgh Coach Lines: Has new 9.7m ADL/Enviro 200 MMC YX72 ONK, for its 13 bus service (LochendEdinburgh-Blackhall). The new Scottish rugby team coach is Volvo 9700 SJ72 HSD which is dark blue with the Scottish Rugby logo and ‘As One’ motto, plus Saltire flags. Edwards Brothers, Tiers Cross: Has sold its assets to Pembrokeshire County Council. This includes all vehicles, property, staff and routes. Edwards had been founded in 1946 as a garage and diversified into buses and coaches from 1960.
Ember Core, Edinburgh: New is Yutong (pantograph charging fitted) Tce12 SG72 NBY.
Ensignbus, Purfleet: This well known Essex operator and dealer agreed to be acquired by First, in the second week of February 2023. The purchase was concluded on Thursday 9th March 2023. Ensign is retaining its Heritage Fleet. Go Coach, Otford: The main depot is now at Swanley, in the old London Country bus garage. Otford is now an outstation.
Goodfellow, Thorne: Began local bus routes in October 2022 with South Yorks Council sponsored 84/A and 86/A in Thorne. Ex Hulleys of Baslow Dart SLF/Mini Pointer HW54 BUV was acquired for these.
Harris, Blackburn: The O licence was revoked in February 2023.
Highland Council: Brought some of its contracted local bus services in house, from 4/1/23. 6 new Volvo B8RLE/ MCV EvoRas (BV72 KKM-P/R/S) are being used, along with 6 ex RATP London Scania Omnicity ‘deckers (YT09 ZCN, YT59 RYG/H, SFN, SGZ, YR59 FYX), all in a white based livery.
Kev’s Coaches, Bromsgrove: Following the devastating depot fire in March 2022, which destroyed virtually all of its bus fleet, good news is the winning of a number of Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) local bus contracts for 2023.
LJ Edwards Coach Hire, Polegate suddenly ceased operations from 5/1/23. Edwards was the trading name of Ancass Ltd, which had been a management buyout in 2018. Fleet strength was 12. Ready Group subsequently acquired the LJ Edwards brand and digital assets. The LJ Edwards tour program for 2023 will thus continue under Readytours. No vehicles or other physical assets were acquired from LJ Edwards however, but some Ready Group liveried coaches have since appeared with LJ Edwards fleet names and some staff moved over.
M&H Coaches, Denbigh: Is operating new TrawsCymru service T8 (Corwen-Ruthin-Mold-Chester) on behalf of Transport for Wales (TfW). It is initially as a 12 month pilot. T8 provides an hourly daytime service Mon to Sat. Its predecessor service X1 only ran twice a day.
Maynes of Buckie: To celebrate 76 years of trading, Maynes has launched a new black livery and Legacy brand. The black reflects the livery of the taxis operated at the company’s inception. Irizar i6 N22 GSM was the first coach outshopped in the new scheme.
McGill’s: Offered interviews to Amazon employees threated with redundancy by the closure of the Amazon Gourock distribution centre. McGill’s identified them as having transferrable skills compatible with the bus industry. The new identities for the ex First businesses began to appear on buses from March 2023. They are Eastern Scottish (green/cream) and Midland Bluebird (blue/cream). Initially Eastern Scottish livery appeared on ex London ADL/Enviro 400s on routes X10/X10A (Glasgow-Stirling), 38 (Stirling-Edinburgh), X25 (Blackridge/ArmadaleLivingston/Edinburgh) , 26 (Livingston-Bathgate), while the Midland Bluebird identity is on Mercedes Citaros cascaded from within McGill’s group and for services UL, 54 (Stirling-University). A large number of buses acquired with the First Scotland East business were not used and were put into store at Bannockburn depot. New for Inverclyde services are Yutong E12s G5055-59 (SG23 OTL, OSU/X, OTU), Yutong E10s G5500-09 (SG23 OSA/E/J/K/B/F/M/C/D/L), Yutong E12s I5059-64 (SG23 OTM/N/R/Y/A/V), Yutong E12 J5065-85 (SG23 OSR, OTZ/P/S/W/X, OSN/O/P/V/W/Y/Z, OTC/D/E/F/H/J/K/B)
Reliance Bus Works, Stoke on Trent: On 9/1/23, the premises of this classic bus restorer were broken into and several buses vandalised. They included former Lancashire United Transport Guy Arab IV/Metro Cammell 534 RTB;
ex Alec Head Daimler Fleetline/MCW ‘DMS’ OJD 216R; ex First Potteries all Leyland Olympian G755 XRE; former Badgerline Freight Rover Sherpa/Dormobile ‘breadvan’ D583 EWS; an ex Malta AEC Mercury; former Eastern National Bristol SC4LK/ECW 604 JPU; a Harrington bodied AEC Reliance coach; an ex Routemaster Buses, Nantwich Dart SLF/ALX200; former Brutonian AEC Reliance/Plaxton Derwent CYA 181J. These all sustained broken windows and graffiti. And a staff member’s BMW car parked there was also damaged, along with loose stored spare parts and other items. Police were seeking 6 youths in connection with this incident. A Crowdfund Appeal for £20,000 was subsequently launched, with £12,000 being raised in the first 10 days. Reliance was founded in 2000 by a former employee of Knotty Bus & Coach, who had previously occupied the site. 534 RTB and D583 EWS were subsequently quickly repaired.
Sanders, Holt: Further new Volvo B8RLE/MCV EvoRas are 526-529 (BV72 KKA-D).
Solus Coaches, Tamworth: Has been sold to BBK Group. BBK already owns BM Coaches of Hayes and Gatwick Hoppa. A new livery for Solus is being introduced, along with an expansion into local bus work. Solus has been trading for 21 years.
Southdown PSV, Copthorne: Passed to Go-Ahead in the 1st of February 2023. It will be managed by Brighton & Hove. Southdown has a fleet of 30 buses, running nine mainstream local bus routes, plus a selection of school contracts in West Sussex, East Surrey and also to Westerham in Kent. Until 2016 a dealership was additionally owned, which subsequently became the independent Chartwell Bus and Coach Sales.
Stephensons of Essex: New is Scania N250UD/E400
MMC 621 (EU23 BZL) – the last of its combination to be produced. There were changes to the 24/24A SouthendSouthchurch routes from 13/2/23. The old 24 was withdrawn, with 24A being renumbered 24 and retaining
Blackpool Transport: A report has been published into an incident at Cleveleys in November 2021, when a pedestrian was struck and killed by a tram on an uncontrolled foot crossing. The accident happened after dark on a reserved section of tram track, also known locally as the “tramroad”. The RAIB report stated that both the tram driver and pedestrian appeared to be “unaware of each other’s presence”. The angle of the crossing in relation to the tracks was also of concern as it could have deterred the deceased pedestrian from properly checking to his left, (which is from where the tram came) and the recommendation was that the operator reviewed their risk assessments on such matters.
Edinburgh Trams: The final piece of track for the 4.5 km Newhaven extension was laid (at Picardy Place) in December 2022. Services are due to commence during spring 2023.
Transport for Wales (TfW): For the Class 398 Stadler Citylink tram trains, there is a new maintenance depot at Taff’s Well. 25kv AC Overhead Live Equipment (OLE) has been installed
the same route that had previously been 24A. School services 621 (Chelmsford-Braintree-Great Totham), 701 (Brightlingsea-Colchester) ceased after 10/2/23. All of the above were mostly replaced by parallel bus services, although Central Drive at Southchurch no longer sees any buses. 24/24A had previously been run by First Essex.
Street Buses, Caerphilly: Following the abrupt end of operations in September 2022, all of its local bus routes were deregistered. A Public Enquiry (PI) was called, for March 2023.
Swans Travel, Chadderton: The first battery-electric coach deployed on home-to-school service in northern England is Yutong TCe12 YD72 FFM. It links Cheadle with Manchester Grammar School.
Transpora Group: From 20/2/23, operations began in Bournemouth. Route P&PGS (Verwood-West MoorsFerndown-Poole Grammar School-Parkstone Grammar School). These were ex Yellow Coaches.
Xelabus, Eastleigh: The Yellow Coaches subsidiary has been closed, 6 months after it was acquired from the failed Bournemouth Transport. Yellow Coaches had operated council contracted local bus routes 18, 33, 36 and school services in the Bournemouth Christchurch Poole unitary authority area. A base had been set up at Bournemouth Airport. Xelabus made the decision based on operating costs, the bus routes being due for retender and difficulty in securing a permanent operating centre. Staff affected were offered transfer to Eastleigh. The local bus contracts ceased after 14/2/23. The school routes were withdrawn between 13/1/23 and 17/3/23. Additionally Council tendered routes X9 (Eastleigh-Bishops Waltham), X10 (Southampton-Bishops Waltham) ceased upon end of their contracts on 31/3/23, having been operated by Xelabus since 2015. The two new ADL/E400 MMCs 571/572 were re-registered to GB/PB72 PEL before entering service. They had arrived as SK72 CWJ/L.
at Radyr, and will be erected through the Core Valley Lines (CVL) so that the tram trains can use the 25kv AC mains supply to charge their batteries for sections of the route which will have no overhead wires, where the track is permanently earthed or has other “challenging conditions”. Cardiff Canton (shed code CN orig 86A) train depot is also receiving some OLE and battery handling facilities for the tram trains.
West Midlands Metro: An industrial dispute by operational staff which began in June 2022, was settled in November 2022. It had involved 170 members of the Unite union. The deal accepted was a pay rise of between 10.25% and 20.1% depending on grade and length of service. Work has begun on extending Wednesbury depot, to more than double its tram stabling capacity.
Abellio Rail: Passed to management buyout (MBO) Transport UK Group on 28/2/23, along with the Abellio UK London bus operations. This covers the rail franchises of East Midlands Railway (EMR), Greater Anglia, Merseyrail, West Midlands Trains.
When I bought my house in Chelmsford in 1988, I of course took into consideration various factors such as access to shops, doctor’s surgery and so on.
While I was pleased to note that Eastern National buses ran past the end of my road, one point that I did not appreciate at the time was that the same road was also served by Lodge’s Coaches’ long-established route 33, with one journey each way between Good Easter and Chelmsford town centre on Fridays and Saturdays only. The inbound journey passed my house at around 10.00 and the return journey left Chelmsford at 13.00, so the service was clearly intended to cater for shoppers, with Chelmsford of course being the County Town of Essex and a major retail centre.
Some information about Lodge Coaches appeared in an article entitled ‘And it all started with just six pounds from Mum …’ in the 15 June 1995 edition of the Chelmsford Weekly News. The
accompanying photograph showed a line-up of seven modern Van Hool bodied coaches, of which the one nearest the camera was registered M7 SLC, while the article read as follows:
“Lodge Coaches, based in the picturesque Essex village of High Easter, is a local success story which it is a pleasure for me to write about. This year the company celebrates its 75th Anniversary and it is difficult to imagine, though true to say, that the founder of Lodge Coaches, Joseph Lodge, started the business by borrowing just six pounds from his mother. Clearly a shrewd and forwardthinking businessman whose mother had a keen eye for investment! That was way back in 1920. Soon after this the very first coach was constructed from a model T Ford, onto which a wooden body was built by a local carpenter, thus providing
the first of their motorised bus services which regularly conveyed passengers to and from Chelmsford. Because of its construction, it became affectionately known to the locals as the ‘Rabbit Hutch’.
Lodge Coaches’ first premises were in the yard of the Punchbowl Public House, now a restaurant, but then the company moved to land belonging to the Cock and Bell Inn, where Joe built a garage and workshop, where business really got under way. By 1958 these premises also became too small and outdated, so Joe purchased the Old Vicarage, High Easter and built new workshops in the grounds, from where the company still operates today. These new workshops provided undercover storage and good maintenance and sprayshop facilities for the upkeep of their increasing fleet. The sprayshop also paints vehicles for many other operators in Essex and provides another important department for the company.
Since those days, the company has continued to grow and develop. It now has a total of eleven coaches with capacities from 21 to 55 seats, with both standard and executive facilities. The private hire vehicles are also fitted with seat belts throughout, an initiative which although not yet required by law, has been taken to give customers more peace of mind. The company provides a wide range of holiday tours, day excursions, and private hire services throughout the UK and Continent. The company is now in the capable hands of Joe’s son
Upper left: By May 2002, G836 UDV, Carlyle B33F-bodied Mercedes-Benz 811D seen here leaving Chelmsford bus station, was a regular performer on route 33. The vehicle is recorded as being new to Brixham Coaches in June 1990.
Tony, his sons Robert and Andrew and his nephew Christopher, with Tony’s wife Dorothy heading tour management and administration. Sadly, Tony’s twin brother Terry, who also played a vital role in the company, died some nine years ago”.
In 1988, the fleet was fairly unremarkable. The first photograph I took, in May 1988, was of LDX 835P, a Bedford VAS5 with Plaxton C29F body, new to Banham of Hartest in October 1975. The company did, however, (and still does) run second-hand doubledeckers on schools services and at one point owned JKW 286W, which was smartly turned out in the company’s blue and cream livery. Route 33 was in the hands of coaches, the first one I photographed, in September 1989, being 463 VVT, which carried a Plaxton Supreme body and was almost certainly a Bedford. The company’s irritating use of so-called ‘cherished’ registrations sometimes makes it difficult to identify vehicles with certainty. Subsequent performers included TER 6S, a Duple Dominant C45F bodied Bedford YLQ new to Kenzie of Shepreth in May 1978, and YMJ 555S, a Bedford YMT with Duple Dominant C53F body bought new in June 1978 and now preserved by the company.
It must have been in the very early 1990s that I first used the service. The route served several very small villages between the operator’s home village and Chelmsford, and joined the road served by Eastern National only a couple of hundred yards before the end of my road. As I was not sure whether the bus would pick up passengers in Eastern National territory, I first telephoned the company to check that they would pick up at what is locally known as the ‘Tin Chapel’, a Bethel Chapel that was opened in October 1926 (further details of this can be found on the Web), and obtained a positive confirmation. Clearly, this was not a common occurrence as the driver was quite surprised to be hailed by an intending passenger while the conductress did not have a clue what fare to charge, finally settling on 50 pence single to the town centre. On the next occasion she charged one pound, but that was still considerably cheaper than the Eastern National fare. Later, the service became one person operated.
I believe that route 33 was operated without Essex County Council subsidy, and I don’t know the origin of the route number. The fortunes of the service seemed to be declining because by March 1995 the route was operated by G964 WNR, a midicoach about which
I have no details, and in June 1996 by D519 FYL, an ex-London Buses Iveco 49.10 minibus with Robin Hood B21F body, although I did photograph YMJ 555S on the route in December 1997, when presumably there was extra preChristmas patronage. In 2002 the regular performer seemed to be G836 UDV, a Mercedes Benz 811D with Carlyle B33F body new to Brixham Coaches in June 1990. In my early photographs, no route number or destination was evident on the vehicles but by December 1997 a blue board with ‘33 CHELMSFORD’ in white was being displayed in the windscreen. G836 UDV displayed ‘33’ on its roller blind.
By December 2003 route 33 had been replaced by two Essex CC subsidised services running from Great Dunmow to
Chelmsford. Route 17, which continues to run once a day on Friday and Saturday, but with very slightly earlier timings, is an extension of route 33, while route 18, which runs once a day on Tuesdays and Thursdays, follows a slightly different route between Good Easter and Chelmsford, with the two routes merging only just before the ‘Tin Chapel’. The first performer I photographed on route 17 was M73 WYG, a MAN 11.190 with Optare Vecta B42F body new to Black Prince of Morley in February 1995 and now preserved in their livery (see https:// www.blackprincebuses.co.uk/73). Since then, routes 17 and 18 have always been operated with modern, low-floor single deck buses, the current performer being F20 DGE, a Wright bodied DAF SB200 that had been new to Fishwick’s of
Above: The introduction of routes 17 and 18 saw the return of full-sized buses. A MAN 11.190 with Optare Vecta B42F body, M73 WYG started life with Black Prince Coaches of Morley in 1995. It is seen here approaching Chelmsford on an evidently cold day in December 2008.
Below: Typical of the current front-line coach fleet is AL15 DGE, a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo M with C53Ft body photographed on 6 June 2022 during a five-day tour to Snowdonia. It was previously registered BF15 XOV.
Leyland in March 2003 registered YJ03 PFF. It currently carries a ‘Thank you NHS’ livery with rainbow motif.
In 2020, Lodge’s coaches celebrated its centenary and this was marked by the following article entitled ‘Family-run Essex firm Lodge Coaches celebrates 100th birthday’ which appeared on the ITV News website on 12 March 2020. Much of the information complements that recounted earlier, although there is at least one notable discrepancy:
“A family-run coach company in Essex is celebrating its 100th birthday. Lodge Coaches was founded by Joseph Lodge in 1920 when he returned home to High Easter, a village near Chelmsford, following the First World War. Joseph had served in the Essex Yeomanry and the Royal Horse Artillery, and it was whilst working in the cavalry he learned how to maintain and drive vehicles. Borrowing seven and sixpence from his mother, he went to an auction and returned with a former army ambulance, a 1920 Ford TT. This was to be Lodge Coaches’ first coach, which would go on to transform transport in High Easter and the surrounding villages. For the first time, villagers could travel to Chelmsford on something other than horse and cart. ‘The High Easter my grandad grew up in was very rural village. It was village shops, three pubs, a beer house – everything you wanted within the village. You didn’t really need to go out of the parish, and people didn’t until motorised transport came along’, Roger Lodge, Director of Lodge Coaches, told ITV News Anglia. ‘So it was opening up doors to people to go to places. I can remember stories of people in the village that had never seen the sea. Albeit it was a trip to Southendon-Sea, which is the Thames Estuary, but to them it was the first glimpse of sea’. From this point came the first sixseater coach which carried everyone and everything – including chickens.
In the 1960s Joseph died and the company was taken over by his wife Ede and their twin sons Terry and Tony Lodge. In the late 1980s they then handed the business over to their children, and Robert and his brother and cousin still run the 40-strong fleet today. Most of its employees live in and around High Easter and the village is integral to the company’s identity. The high spec. coaches now travel all over Europe, but Lodge Coaches still operates that same local route through the North Essex countryside to Chelmsford that Joseph Lodge first drove 100 years ago.
From High Easter to Hollywood, the company is also making a name for itself in the film and TV industry. It
has accumulated and restored a coach from each century the business has been operating. Naming each after a family member, its vintage coaches have appeared in the Netflix series ‘The Crown’, as well as TV adverts, and they’re even set for a cameo in the new Keira Knightly film ‘Misbehavior’ which will be released later this year. Many local people have memories of day trips on Lodge Coaches but as well as celebrating the nostalgia of the past, the company is looking to the future. Although the technology has changed, from wooden seats to air conditioning, the passion of the family to keep going has stayed the same. With a fourth generation keen to take on Lodge Coaches, there may be many more big anniversaries to come”.
Lodge’s Coaches is becoming increasingly well known for its immaculately maintained fleet of vintage coaches, the first of which, MJB 481, has been owned since at least 1989 and featured, among many other occasions, at the excellent Hertford Running Day in June 2007. This Duple Vega C37Fbodied Bedford SB was new to Chiltonia of Chilton Foliat in 1956. An occasion to display the collection to the general public arose on Sunday 23 August 2020 when the company organised a ‘car meet’ on its premises, which includes a large grassed field. The event was blessed with fine weather and attracted a huge entry of preserved cars of varying ages plus a small but interesting selection of preserved coaches, many owned by operators in the region. As I happened to be in Essex that day, I was able to attend. In addition to MJB 481, the following vehicles preserved by Lodge’s Coaches were on display:
• SV 6936, a 1920 Ford TT, representing the company’s first vehicle;
• LTA 752, the well-known Bedford OB with Duple Vista 27 seat body that was new to Western National in 1950 as its 1413. Later sold to Lincolnshire Road Car, who converted it into ‘semi-toastrack’ format for service on Skegness seafront, it was acquired by Lodge’s Coaches in December 2010;
• TMY 700, a Bedford OB with Duple Vista C29F body that was new to Essex County Coaches in 1949 and was acquired by Lodge’s Coaches in November 2006;
• CFV 851, another Bedford OB with Duple Vista C29F body that was acquired from a preservationist in September 2016. New to Wood t/a Seagull
Coaches, Blackpool in March 1948, it spent some time with Tony McCann t/a McCann Coaches at Forest Green Garage, Dorking Surrey;
• FFS 867, which was new to SMT as its C167 with an SMT C29F Duple Vista style body in November 1947. In 1953 it was rebodied by Burlingham with a ‘Baby’ Seagull FC24F body and was acquired by Lodge’s Coaches in February 2017;
• EDD 685C, a Duple Bella Vega bodied Bedford SB13. New to Princess Mary Coaches in Bristol in 1965, it spent many years with Fowlers of Holbeach Grove. Lodge’s Coaches acquired it in February 2014;
• YMJ 555S, described above.
Several other vintage vehicles are owned by the company that were not on display that day. In addition, dumped behind the back of the garage building was yet another Bedford OB with Duple Vista coach body. This was derelict, presumably having been used as a source of spares. It carries the remains of a cream and red livery and the fleetname ‘Fords Coaches’, but no registration number was visible. Among the modern vehicles in the fleet, most notable was C20 DGE, a Transbus Trident with East Lancs Myllenium Lolyne body that was new to Blackpool Transport as its number 327. It now carries a commemorative livery to mark 100 years of passenger transport by the company. The visiting coaches included Kenzie’s of Shepreth C25 KAV, a Van Hool Alizée bodied Volvo B10M bought new in April 1987. At the wheel was none other than Cyril Kenzie, who is now in his early 90s.
Alongside the double-deckers for schools services, the bulk of the Lodge’s Coaches fleet is composed of coaches of increasingly high specification that are used for a programme of holiday tours as well as private hires. On fairly regular occasions over the past 30 years I would drive out to the garage on a Sunday morning to photograph the various vehicles in the fleet. On one such occasion I happened to meet Andrew Lodge who assured me that the company would never give up the Chelmsford service. He also told me that the fleet of preserved vehicles was expected to pay their way commercially. This familyrun company has developed out of all recognition during the time that I have been following it closely, and seems to have a bright future ahead of it.
In the late 1980s, the standard of the Lodge’s Coaches fleet, although always very presentable, was modest. LDX 835P, seen here in May 1988, was a Bedford VAS5 with 29-seat Plaxton coachwork that was new to Banham Coaches of Hartest, Suffolk in October 1975
A longstanding member of the ‘heritage’ fleet, MJB 481 is a Bedford SBG with Duple Vega coachwork that was new to Chiltonian Coaches of Chilton Foliat, Berkshire in 1956. It was noted at the former Braughing railway station during the Hertford Bus Running Day on 10 June 2007.
Crew-operated full-sized coaches were employed on route 33 in the late 1980s. Plaxton-bodied Bedford YRQ 463 VVT is seen here in Chignal Road, Chelmsford in September 1989.
The company celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2000 and this commemorative logo clearly illustrates some of the fleet developments over that period.
Members of the heritage fleet on display at the depot on 23 August 2020 included LTA 752, a Bedford OB with Duple ‘toastrack’ body new in 1950, MJB 481, TWY 700, a Bedford OB/Duple new in 1949, and SV 6936, the 1920-vintage Ford Model T.
The stylish logo commemorating the centenary of Lodge’s Coaches.
For over 60 years I have been interested in buses and coaches. Between the ages of 9 and 11 I was into trains, but as I was now using buses to get to school, my fascination switched.
I acquired Ian Allan BBFs and I was away.
Today, in my post lockdown world, I don’t seem to be excited by the rides on buses I used to have. I know the reasons behind electric power and it’s need to proliferate round the country and thoroughly support the movement from current motive power systems. But I grew up listening to the sound emanating from my local buses.
After primary school, my father moved me to the Harper Central School in Harper Street Bedford and to get there I had to use the 105 service of United Counties. From September 1960 I rode on green and cream painted Bristol buses with very attractive Eastern Coachworks bodies. In general they were the oldest of UCOC’s Bedford allocation, the oldest of which were first into service in 1946, and some which were at least six years older, but had been given a newer body to make them appear less ancient. The work they were asked to do wasn’t exhausting, a round trip on the 105 being only five miles and taking about 40 minutes. At best a 10 minute frequency was provided and four vehicles were required.
But whilst the Bristol types, LL, LWL, K, KS and KSW types, which were most often used to get me to school, were fairly different in appearance, they were all powered by Gardner 5LW engines. These were all facts that I learned from the BBFs that I now had in my pocket every day. The engine and transmission sounds varied from vehicle to vehicle, and some stood out as they approached unseen the bus stop in Wendover Drive, where I would be waiting. I can still remember a few with unique sounds-there were 712(KHK 514), 725(MPU 9), 756(NNO 97), these were all Bristol K type double deckers, and then there was 883(TNO 678), a very throaty sounding KSW5G. Sometimes I amazed my travelling friends when I could identify some of these regular operators of the 105 service.
I remember one day in the early days of 105 riding, a sound I hadn’t heard before. ‘This is not a Bedford bus’, I told my friends, and indeed it wasn’t. I can’t even recall which one, but it was
a Luton based Bristol K6B. I was to find out later that Luton buses, and others from other garages, eg Hitchin and Aylesbury, came to Bedford for overhaul work and pre-painting work, prior to going to Northampton, where painting was done.
As I got into my teens I discovered other noises that buses made. Some I liked and some I didn’t, and some I longed for a chance to ride on and savour the sounds. By 1964 my parents were allowing me to travel for a day to other towns. One town visit that made an impression on me was Cambridge. Here were buses sounding like those in Bedford, looking like those in Bedford but painted red and cream! The bus I travelled on to get to Cambridge emitted very pleasant noises. My BBF said it was a Bristol FLF6B, but it didn’t sound like the LDs that featured in Bedford and occasionally appeared on the 105. I was later to discover that early Bristol engines were known as AVW and the more pleasant later ones were of the BVW type.
There was so much more I was to learn! From the age of 12 or thereabouts, summer Saturdays were full of learning. I would get up early and do my paper round, go home for
breakfast, which mum had got ready for me, and then I would walk into Bedford along Goldington Road and sit near to Bunyan’s statue spotting buses of UCOC and the coaches making their way to the East Coast resorts along the A428. Most of these were Bedfords or Fords, with only a few being Leylands and AECs. My next stop would be the Bus Station and then I would walk down to the St. Johns depot of United Counties.
I can’t remember his name but I would be greeted by the ‘output officer’ in his office who would grant me permission to look round the depot, not to go into the workshops, and on my return he would give me the last but one allocation card and let me look at sheets that gave info on vehicle happenings. Wonderful. Then I would return home for lunch and sometimes go into town again around five o’clock to view the Premier Travels, Yelloways and Associated Motorways services.
Many of the vehicles I would spot and sometimes photograph, were AEC Reliances and Bristol RELHs and of course Leyland Leopards, but I didn’t put the sounds of the latter very high in my estimation. Regarding photography of buses and coaches I started with a bellows camera my father gave me in 1962, and then I proceeded to a Brownie
Box Camera, and then to an instamatic, and through a variety of film and digital cameras until the small and versatile digital one I use today.
1964 was a good year for me. I finished O levels with good results and was transferred to Mander College in Bedford to begin A levels. I also gave up my Monday to Saturday paper round and changed to a more lucrative Sunday one. Now Mander College was a little further from the town centre so I used any of the family’s bicycles that were serviceable to get there. This is where a lot of my recording started.
On the wall behind the output officer’s desk at Bedford depot was a chart showing all of the duties that the allocation operated. I learned a lot from this. It showed the country routes, the town routes and the one man routes. The town routes were duties 30-50 if I remember and each bus carried a black metal square with white numbers on usually found just below the front nearside window. I used to enjoy recording which vehicle was assigned each duty.
It was about this time that I joined the M & D and East Kent Bus Club, because they had a group covering Eastern National, which later became a club of their own. I went on several of the trips they organised. I would get to Cambridge on the first bus and then make south from Cambridge to Bishops Stortford where I would board the groups bus. I still am fascinated with the connection between United Counties and Eastern National, as I was then.
My Sundays all from 1962 would see me doing the paper round, eating the breakfast and cycling to St Johns and being welcomed by staff and listing the allocation not being used and then feeling a bit sad with the rows of withdrawn buses at the rear of the depot. These were Bristol Ks, Ls and LLs mostly from former ENOC depots.
As a boy scout I went camping on Guernsey in 1962 and 1963. The buses there were most delightful, with a system of pay as you leave. I got some interesting pictures! I undertook holidays with friends and relations, in 1964 to Maidstone and District territory in Crowborough and Tunbridge Wells, and in 1965 With uncles and aunts in Canvey Island. From here I got to meet Derek Giles on a visit to Southend!
My family took a holiday to Hemsby Beach in 1966. This was wonderful-apart from the beach, the fish and chips, the family fun-I was able to engage myself
several times to get into Gt Yarmouth where I could see these red and cream Bristols of Eastern Counties. To get to Great Yarmouth from Hemsby Beach one had to catch a 6B service. This was operated by FLF6G types buses that thrilled me with their Gardner sounds, especially as they zipped through Caister. Once in the town I made my way to the Beach Coach Station, often with a giant hotdog being nibbled. This former rail station quickly got filled up with buses and coaches from all over. Wonderful!
From Bedford I regularly took to the buses for circular tours of United Counties territory. If I went west initially I took a Limited Stop 128 service from Bedford to Northampton. The noises of Gardner 6s were regularly heard in Bristol MWs or the lovely RELHs. During the years from 1963 to 1968 I undertook trips that got me as far as Nottingham, Peterborough, Maidenhead, Luton and many more places including London.
In 1968, with a friend I have sadly lost contact with, I undertook an adventure that was repeated the following year. After weeks of timetable searching and B & B
booking we travelled from Bedford and around the Devon and Cornwall coast in search of buses!
Sadly, all this enthusiasm was diverting me from my A level studies and the results were not good. It was decided that I would follow my father into the teaching profession, and indeed to the same college that he had got his qualifacations. Once my entrance to St Peters College in Birmingham was sorted I and a friend set out on an enthusiast tour of the West Country which took us a week and only required one short ride by train.
This sort of enthusiast holiday became a feature of my life, especially as I made two close friends in the first few months of my studies to be a teacher. One of these friends is now my best friend and together our common interests have developed greatly.
Today I suffer from nostalgia, and I often think back to the times I observed the goings on with buses and coaches in Bedford’s bus station. Wonderful, a time not to be repeated!
Left upper: Yelloway Bedford VAL/Plaxton Panorama EDK 391D at Bedford in April 1966. Unusual in this predominantly AEC fleet. (Roger Pope).
Left lower: Bailey’s of Turvey Bedford OB KYU 90 at Bedford Bus Station on 7/10/1967. (Roger Pope).
Right upper: United Counties Bristol MW 148 (148 BRP) in Northampton garage in 1962. (Roger Pope).
Right lower: Birch Brothers AEC Reliances in Bedford in 1965. K31 (RYT 31) and K80 (80 CYV). (Roger Pope).
1: Southdown PSV ADL/Enviro 200 GX57 BXG at Crawley in March 2010. (John Podgorski).
2: LJ Edwards of Hailsham Bova Futura LJ10 LJE at one of the Channel Ports on 7/9/13. LJ Edwards is now part of the Readybus Group. (365515 Flickr).
3: Mc Gill’s new Yutong E12s G5058/56 (SG23 OTU, OSU) at a launch ceremony for the type on Iverclyde services, at Clyde Square, Greenock on 28/2/23. (Richard Walter).
4: Airporter, based in Derry~Londonderry, provided a frequent minicoach service between that city and Belfast’s two airports. Back in October, a deal was reached for FirstGroup-owned Aircoach to acquire the company and Aircoach commenced operations on January 22, linking the Airporter service with its own Belfast to Dublin Airport and city centre to provide a through link. The connection to Belfast City Airport was discontinued. On January 28, the Mercedes-Benz 516CDIs, with EVM conversions, are seen at Springtown garage, a site once used by the Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway Company. (Paul Savage).
5: Ensign’s freshly restored ex Southend Transport AEC PRV Routemaster no 116 at the Epping Ongar Railway EOR-LRT Running Day on 19/2/23. (Nigel Eadon Clarke).
6: From 13/2/23, Stephensons of Essex revised its Southend to Southchurch routes. Ex YourBus, Nottingham ADL/Enviro 200 no 470 at Chichester Road, Southend on 9/8/22. See ‘State of Independence’ for full details. (John Podgorski).
7: Edinburgh Coach Lines has this new ADL/Enviro 200 MMC - YX72 ONK, for its local bus route 13 in Edinburgh. Pictured in February 2023. (Richard Walter).
8: The first of the new StreetDeck and GB Kite Electroliners for Translink’s Foyle Metro fleet in Londonderry were shown to management at Belfast’s Europa Bus Centre w/c 6/3/23. The StreetDeck Electroliner 3610 is one of ten (3610-9), the GB Kite Electroliner 2632, one of 28 (2630-57), all due for delivery by July. They will see city services in Londonderry become fully electric operated. (Paul Savage).
Above left: Maidstone Corporation Sunbeam W/ Northern Coachbuilders trolleybus 73 (HKR 12) in August 1965. (Roger Pope)’
Above; Wallace Arnold AEC Reliance/Plaxton Panorama 75 BUA at Bedford Bus Station on 11/9/1966. (Roger Pope).
Left: Eastern National Bristol MW/ECW 367 (BNO 117B) at Braintree in November 1965. (Roger Pope).
Below left: United Counties Bristol RELH /ECW 251 (ABD 251B) at Bedford Bus Station on 4/3/1967. (Roger Pope).
Below: Brand new Eastern Counties Bristol FS/ ECW LFS120 (FPW 320C) at Drummer Street, Cambridge in November 1965. (Roger Pope).
The weekend of 18th and 19th February saw the biggest Bus Rally event to date at the Epping Ongar Railway. Maybe the Railway should be renamed Epic Ongar Railway because it was truly an epic event that was very well supported by lots of visitors.
The theme for the event was “From LT to LRT” and a good selection of beautifully presented buses from the era of LT and LRT were on display and in service providing bus rides for visitors around the local area. There was also several stalls selling a huge range of bus and other transport memorabilia.
On Saturday the routes in operation were;
20B North Weald Station to Loughton Station
175A North Weald Station to Passingford Bridge via Ongar.
250 North Weald Station to Passingford Bridge via Epping.
339 North Weald Station to Epping Station.
581A North Weald Station to Passingford Bridge via Toot Hill.
On Sunday the routes in operation were;
201 Ongar to Loughton via North Weald and Epping.
339 North Weald Station to Epping Station.
500 North Weald and Theydon Bois Circular via Epping.
581 North Weald and Toot Hill Circular via Ongar and Stanford Rivers.
I drove DM1052 on route 20B on Saturday morning and Southend Transport 116 Routemaster on route 175A on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday
I drove RMC1513 on route 201.
The bus crews always like to make the event as authentic as possible and we all looked very smart in our uniforms. I wore LT uniform on Saturday and LRT uniform on Sunday. Lots of visitors commented that they enjoy seeing the bus crews in uniform to match the theme of the Bus Rally.
These buses attended the event with most giving bus rides to the many visitors who supported the event.
RT1530 - RT1702 - RT2150 - RT3871
- RT4548 - RF136 - RF392 - RM1527
- RM1993 - RMC1461 from the London Bus Museum - RMC1513 - MBA539
- SM1 - DM1052 - BL88 - T986 - V3
- LS174 - LS444 - GLS490 - Ensignbus MCW 192 and Southend Transport 116 Routemaster 543 CLT - Leyland Lynx G293 KWY in Sovereign Bus livery.
On Sunday afternoon there was a road run to North Weald airfield and several circuits of the perimeter road were completed so that visitors could enjoy further bus rides and alight to take photos of all the buses.
Some of the more unusual buses that attended over the weekend was former London Transport Volvo Ailsa V3 (A103
SUU) with Alexander bodywork. This was one of only three of this type of bus purchased by London Buses for trials in 1984. The unusual thing about this bus is that it has two staircases with doors at the front and the very rear of the bus to allow access to the rear stairs.
RF136 which entered Green Line service in 1952. The RF buses were so reliable that by the mid 1960›s LT decided to refurbish them rather than replace them. By 1966 RF136 had been refurbished to give it a more “modern” look, but what made RF136 a one off was that it was the only RF to have the pale pearlescent grey with a broad green stripe bearing the Green Line fleet name livery.
BL88 is a Bristol LH bus with Eastern Coach Works (ECW) bodywork. There were 95 BL class buses which were in service with London Transport from 1976 to 1981. This type of bus was needed for routes that required buses to be 7ft 6in wide and 30ft long. Having driven several different types of Bristol buses, single and double deck at the start of my career as a bus driver in the 1980’s, I personally think that Bristol buses with ECW bodywork are great looking buses.
SM1 is a Marshall-bodied AEC Swift. SM1 (AML 1H) was the first of its class and entered service in 1970 with London Transport.
Huge thanks must go to everyone involved in organising this event. A lot of hard work is required for this event with everyone involved giving their time for free. Thanks also to all the bus owners who provided buses for this event. See you all at our next bus event. Keep an eye on the Epping Ongar Railway website for details of all their events.
Southend Transport 116 Routemaster (543 CLT) at Passingford Bridge on 18.02.23 which I drove.
On February 18th, First exited this southern port city, ending an era begun by Southampton Corporation’s motorbuses in 1919.
March 9th 2023 saw Ensignbus leave its Newman family ownership after 51 years. March 10th witnessed the start of a new chapter, with First.
Peter, Ross and Steve Newman received a special send off on that rainy Thursday. Three of Ensign’s most distinctive buses collected them from their homes to take them to their final day “at the helm” at Purfleet. Peter had AEC Regent III ‘Prewar’ RT8 (FXT 183) as his carriage; Ross had Metrobus MkII 192 (F292 NHJ) and Steve had the gold Volvo B9TL/ Wright Gemini 130 (LX15 GPY).
Above: RT8 at Thames Drive, Leigh on Sea.
Above right: 130 at Purfleet depot. Right: Steve, Peter and Ross with 192 at Purfleet.
Abellio London: TfL U5 (HayesUxbridge) has been converted to Wright StreetDeck Electroliner ex ADL/Enviro 400 EV. Some E400EVs have moved from Hayes to Beddington Farm for TfL68 (West Norwood-Euston) as a result. The new Electroliners are 3001-30 (LY72 BYT/U/W/X/Y/Z, BZA-H/J-P/RU/W-Y, CAA/E). There was further strike action on 1-3/2/23, but this time an agreement was reached for drivers to get a pay rise to £18 per hour, which was unanimously accepted. The Management Buyout (MBO) by Transport UK, officially took over from Abellio UK from 28/2/23. This covers Abellio London Buses and the UK Abellio rail franchises. The Abellio name will be retained for the time being.
Go-Ahead London: (Blue Triangle): The BCI Enterprise hybrid TA1 (LX18 DGF) is here ex London Central for schools. (London Central): TfL B13 (New Eltham-Bexleyheath) was gained from Arriva from 21/1/23. Until the planned electric buses are ready, diesel Enviro 200s from B16 (KidbrookeBexleyheath) are being used, with B16 going temporarily over to double deck. (London General): From 4/2/23, TfL91 (Trafalgar Square-Crouch End), N91 (Trafalgar Square-Cockfosters) were gained from Metroline. (Metrobus): Prior to the electrification of TfL358 (Orpington-Crystal Palace); a charging pantograph gantry has been installed at Crystal Palace.
Metroline: After 3/2/23, TfL271 (Moorgate-Highgate Village) ceased and the Highgate terminus closed. It was replaced in part by a rerouting of TfL234 (Barnet-East Finchley to Barnet-Archway) and Go-Ahead TfL21 (Lewisham-Newington to Lewisham-Holloway). However, as 271 was a 24 hour route, a N271 (Moorgate-Highgate-North Finchley) night bus service has been introduced. 91 (Trafalgar Square-Crouch End), N91 (Trafalgar Square-Cockfosters) passed to Go-Ahead on retender on 4/2/23. Wright StreetDeck Electroliner demonstrator WDE2769 entered service at Potters Bar in early February,
on TfL134 (North Finchley-Warren Street). Redevelopment of Brentford depot commenced in late 2022, with a temporary adjacent site being used from late summer, and TfL90 (Northolt-Feltham) transferring to Perivale. New apartments are being built on part of the old site, reducing bus parking capacity. This is the former Armchair Coaches base, which Metroline acquired in 2004.
RATP London: (London United): TfL295 (Ladbroke Grove-Clapham Junction) has received new BYD/ADL E400EV Cities. They are BCE4715777 (LG72 EEA/B/F, LD72 UFV-Z, UGA-C/E-G/J-P). Also new are BYD ADL/E200EVs BE37075/78/81 (LB70 OAA/E/J) for TfL C1 (White CityVictoria).
(London Sovereign): New BYD ADL/ E400EVs BCE47127/28/30/31/34-37 (LG22 AUT/U/W/X, AVC-F); New for TfL 226 (Golders Green-Ealing) are BYD/ADL E200EVs BE37085-101 (LG72 ECT/V-Z, EDC/F/J-L/O/P/R/ U/V/X). The ex Tower Transit Wright StreetLite DFs WSL300027-40 have been delicensed.
Stagecoach London: (East London): From 9/1/23, for approx three weeks, TfL372 (Hornchurch-Lakeside) was diverted away from Wennington, while buildings there damaged in the wildfire of 19th July 2022 were demolished for safety reasons.
AH COMMERCIALS, YAXLEY: For scrap: Ex Brighton
Horizon Coaches Volvo B10M/Caetano Enigma CU51 RYG ex 731 HLL, 5134 PH.
ALPHA RECOVERY, WEETSLADE; For scrap: Ex Arriva
North East Optare Solos YJ08 XBL/N/O/R/S/U/V/Y, YK08
ERU, ETR, YJ58 CBU/V, YK58 CAA, CBF/O; Scania
Omnicity saloons CX05 EOY, NK05 GXA/B/D/E/J/L-N;
VDL SB200/Wright Commander YJ56 JYP; Volvo B7TL/
ALX400s NK05 GWX/Y, LJ55 BJE; Volvo B7TL/Wright
Gemini LJ51 OSK, LF02 PKU, LG52 DDJ, LJ03 MHU. Ex
First West Yorkshire BMC Condor 220 YJ56 ZTM. Ex Go
North East Mb Citaros NK07 KPJ/L/N-P/R/U, NK08 CGU, HF06 FUA, HW07 CWX; Optare Versa NK09 FVF; Scania
Omnicity saloons NK56 KHG/V, KJY, KKE. Ex Weardale, Stanhope Optare Solo YK08 ETU.
ARDEE COACH TRIM, COUNTY LOUTH: For resale: Ex Translink Ulsterbus Scania K400EB6/Irizar i4 LFZ 8055.
BLAKELEYS, PLATTS BRIDGE: For scrap: Ex Hattons
Travel, Haydock Trident/EL Lolyne YAZ 8827 ex T405
BNN.
BUS & COACH REPAIRS, YAXLEY: For resale: Ex MP
Travel, Warrington Volvo B7TL/Wright Gemini BX55 XMP; Volvo B7RLE/Wright SN58 BYR. For scrap: Ex Roselyn, Par Trident/President PK02 RFJ ex HXZ 447; Volvo B7TL/ EL Myllenium Vyking PL51 LFJ ex HXZ 424, HXZ 878 ex PL51 LGE; Resold: BX55 XMP, SN58 BYR – to Roselyn, Par.
CAMPBELL, DUMBARTON: For scrap: Ex Mc Gill’s
Volvo B7RLE/Wrights RX06 WPT, SF57 NPN; Mb Citaros
BX06 UNP, BX56 VTK/L, BV57 JYG; Optare Solo M1020
YE08 EBG; Optare Solo M850s PO56 RNY, KN04 XKF; Optare Solo M920 MX06 BSZ; Dart SLF/Pointers SN57
DXM, GX09 AGV; ADL/E200 YX60 BZD; DAF SB200/ Wright Pulsars YJ09 CUX, YJ04 HJC-F; VDL DB250/Wright Gemini LJ05 GKZ ex X23 SPT; Optare Solo M710SL WK59 CXC.
CHARTWELL BUS SALES, COPTHORNE: For resale: Ex RATP London ADL/E200s YX09 HKC-G/M/U, YX59 BYA.
DAVIES MOTORS, RUTHIN: For scrap: Ex Llew Jones, Llanwrst Volvo B10M/Plaxton Premiere AIG 7236 ex P960
YGG, LSK 876; DAF SB4000/VH Alizee YJ53 VFY. Ex Lakeside, Ellesmere Mb Sprinter 515 SF08 SKD.
DAWSONGROUP: For resale: Ex Airport Bus, Stansted Mb Tourismos BN17 JHH/J/V/X/Y. Resold: BN17 JHH/J/V/X/Y – to Brighton & Hove. Off hire: From Newbury & District Volvo B8R/Plaxton Leopard YX71 LWF. From Thames Valley Volvo B7RLE/Wright BD14 KXU.
DREW WILSON, CARLUKE: For resale: Ex Carrs Loch Lomond, Alexandria Scania K114EB4/Irizar Century YB06 JON ex CAR 30M. Ex Hire Society, East Kilbride Volvo B12B/Caetano Enigma FJ04 SNV ex P888 BAY. Ex Houston, Lockerbie Optare Solo M960 SJ10 AJR ex MH07 EMH. Ex Nefyn Coaches, Wales Optare Solo M920 MX05 EMJ ex R12 CBC; Optare Solo M880SLs MX57 CBY, CX08 AOG. Ex Stuart, Carluke ADL/WE200 MMCs YW68 PDV/X. Ex Weavaway Bova Futura YJ04 GYA ex X70 OXF.
ENSIGN, PURFLEET: VEHICLES IN: From Brighton and Hove: Merc Citaro bendys BD57WDE / WDP / WDT / BP57UYF / BL57OXM. From Cardiff Bus: Scania N230UD/ Olympuses CN57BKE / BKU / FGA/ CN57BKL / BKO / FGC / FGO. From First Eastern Counties: Dart SLF/Pointer EU05AUN; Volvo B7TL/ALX400’s YJ51RDU / RAU, AU53HJX / HKF / HKE / HKL. From First Essex: Trident/
ALX400 LK53EZD; Volvo B7RLE/Wrights MX05CCF / KX05MJY / MX05CFK. MX05CDY; Volvo B7TL/Wright Gemini YJ05VWG. From First Halifax: Volvo B7TL/ Geminis YJ54XVB. YJ04FZT / FZX / YJ54XTT/ WX56HJZ / YJ06XLM / YJ04FZL. From Go Ahead London : Dart SLF/ Pointer SN54GRK From Ipswich Buses: E200’s YX59BZL / BZN. From Metroline: E400s LK12AWC SN12DHD / DHE/ SN12EHF / EHG / EHH / EHJ / EHK / EHP / HER / EHS / EHT / EHV / EHW / EGY / EGZ SN62AAF / AAK / AAD / AAV. From Nottingham City Transport: Scania Omnicity ‘deckers YT61GOJ / YT11LTF. From RATP London: Scania Omnicity ‘deckers YT59RXS / YT10UWG / XBW / XBX YT10UWH / XBU / XBV / XBY. From Rotala: Scania Omnicity ‘deckers YT13HKY / YN63BYP / BYO. From Stagecoach East Scotland: Volvo B9R/Plaxton Profile YN10FZW. From Stagecoach London: Scania Omnicity ‘deckers: LX58CEV / LX09FZR. From Stagecoach South: Trident/ALX400 LY52ZDX; Dart SLF/ Pointers GX06AZG / GX56KVU / KVV / KVW / KVY / KWA / KWB / KWE / KWF / KWG / KWM / KWN / OGA / OGB / OGJ / OGK / OGL; E200s: GX07FXB / HUK / HUU / HUZ / GX61AYL; E300: GX10KZV; MAN/ E300s : GX08HBO / HBP / HBU / HBY / HBZ GX58MVG / MVO / SF09ADX / ADZ / AED / AEG / AEJ / AEN; Solos GX57DJJ / GX08HBK . (All of these are to go for scrap to Shelton Motors , any that don’t will be listed). From Stagecoach SE (Heritage Fleet): AEC Regal AHC 411. From Stagecoach South West: Trident/ALX400s WA05MGU / MGV / KN04XJJ / XJK / XJM / KX55TLN / TLU / WJ55NLZ. From Stagecoach London: Scania Omnicity ‘deckers : LX58CEV / LX09FZR. From Transdev Airport Services: E200s GN63HXF / HXG / HXL / HWU / HXX / HXK / HXP / HXM / HXS / HXT / HXW. VEHICLES OUT: AEC Regal AHC411: Seven Sisters Bus and Coach, Eastbourne. E200 GX0HUU: Galleon Travel, Stansted. E200 OU08 AYG: Avondale, Glasgow. E200s LX11AWC / AWR: EP Training, Leatherhead. E200s YX11AEC / HPL: Red Rose, Aylesbury. E200s YX15XMJ / YX65RHF: Warrington’s Own Buses. E200 YX17NRO: Faresaver Buses, Chippenham. E400 HP05BUS: New Adventure, Cardiff. E400s LK08NVE / DYA: Littles Coaches, Ilkeston, Derbys. E400 LJ09CAU: Nu-Venture, Maidstone. E400s SN12EHE / EHS: Als Coaches, Liverpool. E400 SN12EHP: Chalkwell, Sittingbourne. E400s SN62AAO / AAK / AAV / AAF: Als Coaches, Liverpool. Mercedes Citaros BD57WDE / WDL / WDM / WDP / WDT / BP57UYF / BL57OXM: First Group. Scania K320EB4/Irizars JFZ7013 / 7023: Igobus, Churchdown, Gloucs. Scania Omnidekka YV03PZZ: Fragers Limited, Colchester, Essex. Scania
Omnicity saloon NK56KHZ: Brighton Horizon Coaches. Scania N230UD/Olympuses CN57BKF / BKG: Golden Eagle, Salsburgh. Scania N230UD/Olympus CN57BKJ: Fourways, Chelmsford. Scania N230UD/Olympuses
CN57FGC / BKE / BKL / BKO: Dews Coaches, Somersham. Scania Omnicity ‘deckers YT09ZCN / YT59RYG / RYH / FYX YT59SFN / SGZ: Highlands Council. Scania Omnicity ‘deckers YR59FZF / YT59PBX / YT10UWG / XBW / XBX / XBV / XBY/ YR59FYZ / FYT / YT59RXS / YT10XBU / YT10UWH / YT09BJX: Top View Tours London. Scania Omnicity ‘deckers YT11LTF / YT61GOJ: Ipswich Buses. Trident/ALX400 VX54MTY: First Bus Stop, Gravesend. Volvo B7TL/Geminis YBZ233 / 636 / 949: Alpine Coaches, Llandudno. Volvo B7TL/ALX400 LK53LZC: Little Legs
Playbus, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex. Volvo B7TL/Gemini:
YJ04FZL: Hawkes Coaches, Derby. Volvo B7TL/Geminis
YJ04FZT / FZX / YJ54XTT/ YJ54XVB : Hardwicks, Barnsley, for scrap. Volvo B7TL/Gemini WX56HJZ: Axe Valley, Seaton, Devon. Volvo B7TL/Gemini SP07FCY: Bus and Coach
Repairs, Yaxley, Cambs. Volvo B9R/Plaxton Profile SF11FFW: New Adventure Travel, Cardiff. Volvo B9TL/Geminis
LX59DBO / DBY / DAU : First Eastern Counties. Volvo
B9TL/Geminis LK59CWU / CXC : First West Yorks. Volvo
B9TL/Gemini LK59FCX : First Devon and Cornwall Volvo
B9TL/Geminis LK59CWN / CWP / CWV / CWX / CXG / FCP
/ FCU : First West Yorkshire. Volvo B9TL/Geminis LX59DAO
/ DBU / DBV : First Eastern Counties. Volvo B9TL/Gemini
LK59FCY : First Devon and Cornwall. Volvo B9TL/Geminis
HF11HCP / HCX : Sharpes Coaches, Nottingham. Volvo
B9TL/Gemini HF11HCU : Sharpes Coaches, Nottingham. The following all to Shelton Motors for scrap : Trident/Presidents
LR02LXX / LYJ / LT02ZCA/ LT52WXK. Trident/ALX400s
KN04XJM / XJM / VX54MTZ/ KX55TLU / TLN. Volvo
B7TLs YJ51RDU / YJ51RAU / KP51WBJ AU53HJX / HKF
/ HKE / HKL. Volvo B7TL/Geminis KP54 BKF / YJ05VWG.
Volvo B7RLE/Wrights MX05CCF / CDY / CFK / CCA / KX05MJY. Dart SLF/Pointers KX06JYK / JYS, SN54CRK / EU05AUN. E400 SN14TXB.
EVOBUS, COVENTRY: For resale: Ex Alpine, Llandudno
Volvo B10M/Plaxton Premiere P894 TCK ex 5096 WF. Ex
Lynch, Arklow Mb Tourismo BT15 KMV orig 152 WW 1179.
Ex G Line, St Annes Van Hool TX15 YJ65 GME. Resold:
BT15 KMV to Edwards Bros, Tiers Cross.
HAMILL, AHOGHILL: For scrap: Ex Ace Coaches, Dungannon DAF DB250/ALX400 LJ03 MJY. Ex Translink
Metro Scania L94UB/Wright Solars UCZ 8796/805/807; Volvo
B7TL/ALX400 EEZ 2898. Ex Translink Ulsterbus Scania
L94UB/Solars BYZ 1096 ex GXI 436, BYZ 6731 ex GXI 428, BYZ 7765 ex GXI 441, GEZ 7821/23/24/25/27/33, TCZ
1763/78/85, VCZ 8815, BYZ 6235/85, 8495, 8506 ex GXI 424, FXI 385, GXI 432/34; BYZ 5720, 5869, 6505, 7379, 6496/97, 7381/82, 6510 ex FXI 401/02/04, 387, 414, 386, 395, GXI 443/49, KEZ 7454/56/59/60/61/76 ex GXI 454, OXI 518, GXI 459, HXI 460/61/76; KEZ 7451/62/65/73 ex GXI 451, HXI 462/65, OXI 523; Volvo B7TL/ALX400s EEZ 2984/93; accident damaged Volvo B7R/Wright SchoolRun NEZ 9266; Volvo B7TL/ALX400 TCZ 9956; fire damaged Volvo B9TL/ Wright Gemini OEZ 7238.
HARDWICK, CARLTON: For scrap: Ex Arriva North West
VDL SB120/Plaxton Centro CX56 CEV; VDL SB120/Wright
Cadets DK55 FXX, CX07 CPE/U, CSF; VDL SB200/Wright
Commanders CX06 BKJ/N; VDL SB200/Wright Pulsars
CX07 CTE/Y, CUU; Volvo B7TL/ALX400s CX06 EAY, EBJ. Ex Arriva Southern Counties DAF SB120/Wright Cadet GK52 YUY; short Dart SLF/Caetano Nimbus RX07 KPG; Dart SLF/Mini Pointers GN04 UDJ, KX56 HCP; Mb Citaros BX56 VTU/W; Optare Versa KX62 JKN (fire damaged); Scania K114EB4/Berkhof Axial TUI 4764; VDL SB120/ Wright Cadets GN04 UFX, UGA; ADL/E200 GN09 AWO; VDL DB250/EL Myllennium YJ57 BKF; Volvo B7TL/Wright
Gemini LJ03 MHX. Ex First Essex Dart SLF/Pointer SN03 WME. Ex First Potteries Scania Omnicity saloons YN05
HCV/Y. Ex Mullany, Watford Dart SLF/MCV Evolution AE56 OUM. Ex Pilkington, Accrington Trident/ALX400 T659 KPU.
HECTARE PLANT SALES, JONESBOROUGH: For resale: Ex Translink Metro Volvo B7TL/ALX400s EEZ 2896/99, 2906/09/11/14/15/16/20, BYZ 6521 ex EEZ 2900, EEZ 2901, BEZ 8974/75; TCZ 9941/45/54/61. Ex Translink Ulsterbus
Scania K320 IB4/Irizatr i4 JFZ 7011. Resold: Ex Metro Volvo
B7TL/ALX400s EEZ 2907/13/17, TCZ 9953 – to Celtic Journey Tours, Dunboyne, Meath.
IAA, HIXON: For salvage: Ex Nefyn Coaches Optare Solo M920 CN06 BXS.
JOHN HILL COACH SALES, Melton Mowbray: For resale: Ex Translink Ulsterbus Scania K320 IB4/Irizar i4s JFZ 7004/08/24/32/9038, LFZ 9062
LELO METALS, CORWEN: For scrap: Ex Llew Jones, Llanwrst Mb Sprinter 413/Koch DE52 OKV ex B10 WFB.
LLOYD, HIXON: For scrap: Ex Llew Jones, Llanwrst fire damaged Scania K340EB6/Berkhof Axial YT59 NZD ex LIJ 2221, LJ59 LLJ.
LOOMS, SPONDON: For scrap: Ex Notts & Derby Scania
L94UB/Wright Solar FJ03 VVX; VDL SB120/Plaxton Centros
YN06 CYO, YJ56 KAO, YJ07 JWW. Ex TM Travel VDL SB120/Plaxton Centro YJ07 JVE. Ex Trent Barton Scania
K320IB4/Irizar i4 FJ10 OXR; Scania L94UB/Wright Solars
FJ03 VVS, VWM, FJ55 AAK/Z; Volvo B7RLE/Wright FJ58
KJV.
M8 RECOVERY, GLASGOW: For scrap: Ex First Glasgow
ADL/E200 MMC SN65 ZFX (fire damaged); Dart SLF/
Caetano Nimbuses EG52 FFL ex J101706, EG52 FGD, FFK ex J101726/18, MXZ 2128 ex EG52 FGE orig J101721, MXZ 2130 ex EG52 FGU orig J101725, MXZ 2145 ex EG52 FFJ orig J 101703; Dart SLF/Pointers SF05 KXJ; Optare Solo M850 EO02 FLB. Volvo B7RLE/Wrights WX54 XCY, SF55 UBW, SF06 GXH/N, GYE/T/W/X/Z, GZB/D/G/H/L/M; Volvo B7TL/Wright Geminis YN53 EFL, SF54 OSV/W/Y, OTC/D/ H/J, OUM, THZ, TJO/V, TKT/V/Y, TLK.
MC TRACTORS, RAMSEY: For scrap: Ex NX West Midlands Trident/ALX400s Y826 TOH; BP51 HDL/O, BX02 AUN, BV52 OBE/X, BU03 ETT/Y, BL53 EEF, EFC, BU04 BJE, BKX, BLK; Volvo B7TL/ALX400s BU51 RXB/R/V, BV52 OCK/U/W, BL53 EEB, BX54 XPR, XRL.
MIKE NASH, COBHAM: For resale: Scania Omnicity saloons YN55 PWK, YN08 DFJ/K.
MISTRAL, KNUTSFORD: For resale: Ex South Wales Transport, Swansea ADL/Enviro 200 YY16 KJX. Ex Vision, Blackrod ADL/E200 YX16 ODJ. On rental: ADL/E200 MMC
8.9M YX72 OJU – to MD Bus & Coach, St Helens. Resold: YX16 ODJ – to Transdev Airport Services, West Drayton.
MOSELEY, GLENMAVIS: For resale: Ex Peace, Echt Bova Futura FJ04 PXX. Resold: FJ04 PXX – to Millport Motors. NORTH WEST BUS SALES, BOLTON: For resale: Ex Stagecoach North Scotland Volvo B9R/Plaxton Panthers KX58 NBZ, NCA.
PARTON, CARLTON: For scrap: Ex Arriva North East ADL/E200s NK58 AFO/U/V; Volvo B7TL/ALX400s NK05 GWX/Y. Ex Blackburn Bus Company Volvo B10BLE/Wright Renowns X566 YUG, YD02 UMW. Ex Stagecoach North East ADL/E200 KX08 HRC. MAN18.220/E300 NK55 AJY; MAN14.240 E200s NJ08 CSF, CTZ, KX08 HRD/E, NJ58
AGO. Ex Stagecoach North Scotland Optare Solo M950 YJ05 XOF.
PETER REDDISH, NOTTINGHAM: For scrap: Ex Diamond Midlands Optare Solo battery electric YJ60 KFN; Scania L94UB/Wright Solar FX55 VKH ex S24 SLT; Volvo
B7TL/Presidents LK04 NNE, LK54 FWL/R.
PLAXTON, ANSTON: For resale: Ex Celtic Travel, Llanidloes ADL/E200 MMCs YX68 UMS/T. Ex D&E Coaches, Inverness Volvo B8R/ YX19 MMA. Resold: YX68 UMS – to Green Mountain Travel, Cramlington. YX68 UMT – to Centrebus.
PVS, CARLTON: For scrap: Ex Carousel Buses Mb Citaros
HF55 JYX-Z, JZE. Ex First Potteries Volvo B7RLE/Wrights
MX06 VND/U. Ex First West Yorkshire Volvo B7TL/ALX400
Y798 XNW; Volvo B7TL/Wright Gemini YJ54 XTP; Volvo
B7RLE/Wrights YK04 EZG/H/J, YJ54 XVX/Y, XWA, YJ05
KOB/H, KNV/W/Y, VVX/Y, YK05 FJF/J, FLB, FOU. Ex Marshalls, Sutton on Trent Trident/EL Lolyne W649 SNN. Ex NX West Midlands Trident/ALX400s Y738/53 TOH, BV52
OAB, OBZ, BJ03 EVG/R, BL53 EEG Volvo B7TL/ALX400s
BU51 RRY, RWZ, RXG/J, BU53 UMJ; Volvo B7TL/Wright
Gemini BX54 XPZ. Ex Rosso Volvo B7RLE/Wright PO53
OBR. Ex Stagecoach Manchester Optare Solos MX08 UPA/G, MX58 HCJ/L. Ex Warrington’s Own Buses Optare Versa YJ13
HKF; VDL SB120/Wright Merits DK55 HMO/P, OPM, DK54
MLO, DK07 FWJ, DK07 EZP/R/N/M, YJ57 BPO; Volvo
B7TL/ALX400 V104 LGC; Volvo B7TL/Wright Gemini
BD51 YCT; VDL DB250/Wright Gemini LJ04 LDV.
RIPLEY, CARLTON: For scrap: Ex First Potteries Scania
Omnicity saloon YN05 HCL. Ex Stagecoach North Scotland
ADL/Enviro 200 SY57 AYH; ADL/Enviro 300s GX06 DZK, SN06 BSU, SN56 AXR/S/T/V, SV57 BYR, SN08 AEJ/K/M; Optare Solo M850 OA05 RKA; Volvo B7R/Plaxton Profile
KX56 JZO ex GDZ 3363.
SCANIA, WORKSOP; For resale: Ex APH, Sharston Volvo B9R/Caetano Levante BF63 ZSR ex Y4 APH. Ex Weavaway, Didcot Temsa MD9s OY19 NLK-M ex OO07/08/09 WTG.
Resold: OY19 NLK-M – to Greys of Ely.
SCRAPPED IN HOUSE: JMB, Newmains Dart SLF/Pointers
SV55 BZN, SF56 FKV. Redline, Aylesbury Dart SLF/Pointer
SN51 TCJ; Volvo B7TL/ALX400 SK52 MPV; Volvo B7TL/ Wright Gemini LJ03 MJF. Stagecoach East London ex HCT Group BMC Condor 225 FJ59 UVG. Stagecoach East Scotland MAN18.240/E300s SF09 AEV/Z; MAN18.240/EL
Kinetics SP56 FGZ, AGO; Optare Solo M880s SP08 FMA/C; Optare Versas PX08 FNC, WA09 KWH/J/K; Volvo B12M/ Sideral FJ04 ESU ex HKZ 726. Stagecoach North Scotland
ADL/E300s GX06 DZK, SV57 BYR; ADL/E200 SY57 AYH; accident damaged ADL/E400 MMC SN16 OMX; Mb Sprinter City 45 BV66 GUD; Optare Solo M850 OA05 RKA; Volvo B7R/Plaxton Profile KX56 JZO.
SCRAPCO, PADDOCK WOOD: For scrap: Ex Metrobus
Dart SLF/Pointer SN03 YCL.
SHEARS, NORTHAM: For scrap: Ex Go South Coast
Dennis R410/Plaxton Panther KP51 UEO.
SHELTON MOTORS, RAMSEY: For scrap: Ex Arriva
Southern Counties ADL/E200 GN07 DLX; ADL/E200 MMC
YX17 NYT (fire damaged); Optare Solos YJ58 CCK, KE55
FDG; Dart SLF/Mini Pointers LF52 USC, EU56 FTO; Dart SLF/Pointer SN54 HXA; Trident/ALX400 open topper V304 KGW; Volvo B7RLE/Wright GN54 MYT/U, KX11 PUO, OSD-G, PZZ; DAF SB120/Wright Cadets LJ51 DDX, LF02 PNV, GK52YUW, YVB/J/L, GK53 AOV/W, GN04 UFY/Z,
UGD; Volvo B7TL/ALX400 GN04 UFA; Volvo B7TL/Wright Geminis LJ51 DHE, LF02 PSU, UUI 2944 ex FJ51 DFL. Ex Arriva The Shires DAF DB250/ALX400s KL52 CWN, CXB; DAF DB250/EL Myllenium Lowlander FE51YWK; DAF SB120/Wright Cadet GK52 YVG; Mb Citaro BV58 MLJ; VDL SB120/Wright Cadets YJ07 JVU/Y/Z; Volvo B7RLE/Wright
KE05 FMM. Ex Brighton & Hove Mb Citaro bendys BD57 WDK, BP57 UYE/G, BL57 OXP, BP57 UYK, BL57 OXN. Ex First Essex Trident/Presidents LN51 GOA, LT02 ZBZ; Trident/ ALX400 LK53 EYR, VX54 MTV, MUB; Dart SLF/Pointer WX05 RUW; Volvo B7RLE/Wrights MX05 CBU, CCA/N, CDF/N, CFE, CKD. Ex First West Yorkshire Volvo B7TL/ ALX400s KP51 WBK, WU02 KVO, YN53 EOA, YN53 EFJ.
UNKNOWN DEALERS: Ex Dews, Somersham Dart SLF/Pointer
BU52 ELY ex MB04 BKZ. Ex Fowlers, Holbeach Volvo B10M/ Premiere P350 VWR. For scrap: Ex Anderson, Langholm Iveco
Daily 65C15/Mellor FN02 ULF; Mb Sprinter 614 BV51 EKR. Ex Big Lemon, Brighton Optare Solo M780SL YJ06 YRR. Ex Bullocks, Cheadle DAF DB250/ALX400 LJ03 MKD; Optare Solo W308 DWX ex L20 BUL. Ex Carousel Buses Mb Citaros VF/WF56 OXF. Ex Centrebus Optare Solos YJ06 YPT, MX05 EKV; VDL SB180/MCV Evolution YJ60 GFE. Ex First Manchester Volvo B7RLE/Wright MX55 LDJ. Ex First West Yorkshire Volvo B7RLE/Wrights YK05 FJJ, FLB. Ex Gillen/Glen, Greenock Volvo B10M/VH Alizee IIG 8306 orig L641 AYS, IIG 9820 orig J229 NNC, LIG 5298 orig F171
RJF, J127 MTY orig J211 NNC, T583 DGD; Scania K113/VH Alizee L563 FND; Volvo B10M/Plaxton Expressliner L12POC orig R550 JDF; Leyland Tiger/ Weight Endeavour K985 JNV orig WXI 4409; Mb Vario 0814D/Plaxton Cheetah SL02 LMO; Optare Solo M920
YF02 SKX.Ex Harris, Fleur-de-Lis Optare Solo M950s MX07 BCE, MX56 ACU. Ex High Peak Buses MAN12.240/Plaxton Centros FJ59 FYS/T; Scania L94UB/Wright Solars FN04 HSV, HTP/U; Scania Omnicity saloon YN07 EXP; accident damaged Mb Citaro FM11 EJC orig KMN 202L. Ex Moffat & Wilson, St Fort Optare Solos PO51 WLF, YK04 KWH/N, SF54 RJU, PX07 GZU, SF08 GUW; Volvo B7R/Plaxton Profiles SV55 FJN, SV56 BVS. Ex Nu-Venture, Aylesford Trident/President PN03 UMC. Ex Richards Bros, Cardigan Mb 614D/Vario/Plaxton Beaver2 S353 CSF; Mb 614D/Autobus Classique T941 RDE. x Stagecoach South Wales Optare Tempo YJ55 YFY; Dart SLF/Pointers LX53 LGL, PX55 EEB/R, CN56 EXH. Ex Stagecoach West ADL/E400 VX07 CYT; Dart SLF/Pointer PX04 HTY, PX55 EHC, AE06 HAA/O, GX56 KWH; Optare Solo M880SLs KX56 TXT/U, VX57 NZWL; Optare Solo M950 VX07 LYA.
USED BUS & COACH SALES, WARRINGTON: For resale: Ex NX West Midlands Trident/ALX400 BX02 AVK.
VOLVO, COVENTRY: For resale: Ex Whitelaw, Stonehouse Volvo 9700 SF17 VPW ex 1716 WW.
WEALDEN PSV, FIVE OAK GREEN: For resale: Ex Adventure Travel Scania Omnicity ‘decker LX59 CRV.
WIGLEY, CARLTON: For scrap: Ex Ellie Rose, Hull Volvo B7TL/ ALX400 W669 CWX. Ex First Eastern Counties Volvo B7TL/ ALX400 LT52 WTM. Ex First Manchester Volvo B7RLE/Wright
MX56 AEO. Ex First South West Dart SLF/Pointers WX06 OMG/H, ONG; Scania L94UB/Wright Solar YN05 GXF; Volvo B7RLE/Wright
MX05 CGY; Autosan A1012T Eagle BX55 NZV ex MIG 9614. Ex Go North West Volvo B9TL/Wright Gemini MX07 BSZ. Ex Go South West Mb Citaros WJ55 HLG, WA56 OZT. Ex Isle Coaches, Owston Ferry Volvo B10BLE/Wright Renown X564 YUG; MAN NL273F/ Wright Meridian SF08 ROU. Ex Preston Bus Volvo B7RLE/Wrights
MX06 VNW, VOG, VND, VMW; Scania Omnilink YT61 FEV; Mb Citaro BT11 UWK; Scania Omnidekka YU52 XVR. Ex Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire Optare Versa SF08 GOC; Optare Solos PX54 EOZ, EXM, AE56 LUL.
&
– A NATIONAL BUS COMPANY by Michael Hitchen. Published by Amberley Publishing, 234mm x 165mm, soft cover, 96pp, £15.99. During its time as a subsidiary of the National Bus Company, Hants & Dorset underwent a number of changes, all of which are covered by the selection of superb photographs included. After taking over the management of Gosport & Fareham (Provincial) in 1970, two years later the company was merged with NBC subsidiary Wilts & Dorset whose red livery was adopted rather than retaining its own green hue, and in April 1973 purchased the business and vehicles of Winchester-based King Alfred. After taking over Western National’s operations in Swanage in 1974, things settled own until 1984 when the company was separated into four units – Hants & Dirset; Wilts & Dorset; Provincial; and Shamrock & Rambler in preparation for forthcoming sale to the private sector. An excellent book looking at a wide variety of buses operated, it can be recommended to all.
. BELGIUM’S TRAMS AND TROLLEYBUSES by John Law. Published by Amberley Publishing, 234mm x 165mm, soft cover, 96pp, £15.99. This book takes a look at the tramways operated in several Belgium towns and cities as well as the rural metre gauge system known as the Vicinal. Although the greater concentration is devoted to the trams which date from the 1930s to the present day, trolleybuses play second fiddle since the last examples in the country were withdrawn in June 2009. Nevertheless, although the majority of readers will not be familiar with, or perhaps have never seen a Belgian tram or trolleybus, this is an interesting book which should not be overlooked
NOTTINGHAM’S GAS BUSES by Scott Poole. Published by Amberley Publishing, 234mm x 165mm, soft cover, 96pp, £15.99. As its title indicates, this book is largely devoted to the 120 cng-powered Alexander Dennis E40D (mmc)-bodied Scania N280UD-bodied buses currently operated in the city where they made their debut in 2017. Also included are the three bioethanol-fueled Scania K270UB single deckers which were purchased for evaluation in 2008 but have since been converted to normal diesel power. The excellent photographic content illustrates every one of the 120 in their different route branded liveries and includes several interior shots as well as a few views of their predecessors, East Lancs-bodied Dennis Tridents and Scania N94UDs and Alexander Dennis diesel-engined integral E40Ds. Accompanied by an informative text, this is a book that can be highly recommended and follows the current environmental trend so necessary in a bid to save our planet.
LONDON’S ENVIRO200 BUSES by David Beddall. Published by Amberley Publishing, 234mm x 165mm, soft cover, 96pp, £15.99. Although the Enviro200 first appeared in 2003 and was not successful, after it was tweaked and relaunched in 2006 it became extremely popular with operators all over the UK and not least in London where it entered service with all the TfL operators. While the majority had bodywork by Alexander Dennis, others were built by Wrights, East Lancs and MCV, and more recently some electric versions on BYD chassis have made their debut, these being constructed in collaboration with Alexander Dennis. The book is arranged, though superb photographs to show the order of their entry into service in London and the routes they served from their introduction through to 2019 and as such this book will appeal to all, and not be confined to those whose interest is solely in London
MERSEYSIDE BUSES 1986-2004 by Keith A.Jenkinson. Published by Amberley Publishing, 234mm x 165mm, soft cover, 96pp, £15.99. During the years following the deregulation of bus services, Merseyside became a haven (and heaven) for newcomers to bus operation with a considerable number of independent start-up companies, as well as some existing coaching concerns, trying their luck against the large established giants such as the PTE, North Western and Crosville. All the buses to be seen in Liverpool, the Wirral, St.Helens, and Southport are illustrated in previously unpublished colour photographs to show the variety of liveries and makes and models operating between 1986 and 2004, with many of which were ultimately taken over by their larger neighbours or failed to survive under growing competition. Highly recommended, this book will recapture a large number of memories of the past and will appeal to enthusiasts and historians across the whole of the UK.
All Amberley Publications titles can be purchased direct from them at The Hill, Merrywalks, Stroud GL5 4EP: sales@amberley-books.com;, or via Amazon.
