Passengers on ‘the sixes’ service serving a broad corridor from Derby to Bakewell along and adjacent to the A6 in Derbyshire have been well served by the faithful Scania L94UB’s with Wright Solar Urban bodies.
For 10 years or so the livery pictured below has been part of every day life.
However for many months now we have become used to ever increasing numbers of these same buses painted in a much brighter shade of yellow ‘advertising‘ the fact that something better in appearance and comfort was to come. These buses so the window stickers told us were the ‘secret sixes’.
Although fully liveried buses had been in service for about 10 days. The official re launch of the ‘the sixes’ took place in Derby’s market place on the morning of Thursday the 27th. of March.
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Complete with balloons, banners, stickers, key rings, Mr Mango and all the razzamatazz that accompanies such events was the launch bus.
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An Optare Solo was also in attendance suitably attired and branded as ‘little sixes’. The Solo is used for a short working on ‘the sixes’ that only operates between Wirksworth and Matlock.
A view of the interior of the Scania showing ‘the more comfy seats’ (and they really are). The coving panels carry suitable publicity material.
The welcome on the drivers door.
and the engine bay door on the Solo.
Anticipating that things might get a bit busy on launch day. A few days before, I took myself of to Matlock to get my images of the buses in service.
It was pleasing to see ‘tb’ bring out their heritage Leyland PD3 with Willowbrook body LRC 454 which dates from 1958.
56 years old and still the lines are classical. The livery simple yet elegant.
Meanwhile, back at Derby bus station the rest of ‘the sixes’ Scania’s were going about their business up and down the Derwent Valley. As usual.
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