'Scene' in Sheffield part 1 'First' group

The last 12 months or so has seen a number of anniversaries amongst 'First South Yorkshire' constituent companies. Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster all being celebrated by getting a bus (2 in the case of Sheffield) painted into a traditional livery.

YN08 LCL

A Volvo B9TL with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodywork in ‘Rotherham Corporation Transport' colours.

 

The repainting of ‘First’ group vehicles has continued apace and I had to make an effort to find these three buses in the ‘Barbie’ livery.

 

All three are quite old and I suspect that withdrawal might mean that they never get repainted

 

T899 KLF

A Volvo Olympian with Northern Counties ‘Palatine' bodywork seen in Pond Street bus station (Sorry, I mean Sheffield Interchange).

 

In an earlier employment it was with ‘Centrewest’ in London.

T839 MAK

A Volvo B10BLE with Wright Renown bodywork.

 

X359 VWT

A Volvo B7TL with Alexander’s ALX 400 bodywork had a spell in the Leeds area when it worked for ‘First West Yorkshire)’.

 

Whilst I never really liked ‘Barbie’ all that much, I prefer it to the latest fleet livery which I think is insipid.. 

 

Hope may be on the horizon though now that elsewhere in the UK ‘First’ are moving away from the corporate livery in favour of ‘local’ liveries

 

If I may make a suggestion. How about all over cream with three dark blue bands edged in black with red wheels.

 

That would look superb. (It always used to).

 

YN08 PLX

A Volvo B9TL with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodywork carrying branding for ‘First’s Rotherham operations.

 

I bet that the PLX suffix on a Wright built body causes a smile in Scarborough.....!

 

SK63 KGZ

A Wright Streetlite D/F. ‘First’ group seem to have taken to the Streetlite in a big way.

 

LK51 UYO

A Dennis Trident with Plaxton President bodywork.

 

T871 ODT

Another Volvo B10 BLE with Wright’s Renown bodywork.

LT02 ZDJ

Another Plaxton President body sitting on top of a Volvo B7TL chassis.

Before coming to South Yorkshire it had a lengthy spell in London in red liveried, dual doored configuration.

 

YX11 HNZ

An Alexander Dennis Dart with Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 200 bodywork in ‘Freebee’ livery.

 

The South Yorkshire PTE have announced that due to cost considerations, the ‘Freebee’ FREE to all city centre service is to be withdrawn in April 2014.

 

The same applies to similar operations in Rotherham and Doncaster.

 

W717 CWR

A Volvo B7TL with Alexander bodywork. This bus at one time worked in Leeds with ‘First West Yorkshire’.