‘Scene’ Out and About on the 5th. of February 2015

Regular viewers of my blog will probably be aware that I write a regular article on days out by bus for a community magazine called ‘All Things Local’ which is based in Kilburn in Derbyshire.

 

These articles are to encourage people to get out and about and with a bit of guidance from me ensure that hopefully, they get back home and are not stranded somewhere out in the wilds.

 

I research the days myself generally on cold, wet, miserable days like the 5th. of February was. If I can find some merit in a day out in poor conditions then hopefully, my readers will enjoy it all the more on a bright sunny day.

 

This is a little of what I saw, starting in Derby

 

In my blog posted on 11th. December 2014. I published images of YY64 GWJ. An Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Enviro 200 working for ‘Centrebus’ (Cb) on the ‘transpeak’ service from Derby to Buxton and Manchester.

 

I wondered if it and the other 3 of type bought for the job would make it into ‘transpeak’ livery .

 

Here then is the answer with YY64 GWL carrying ‘transpeak’ livery in top of its original ‘Cb’ colours.

 

I will grant that the bus was a bit ‘grubby’ but considering the conditions and the mileages these buses cover in their daily work, ‘grubby’ is good.

 

 

 

FJ58 KKT

A Scania L94UB with Wright Solar Urban of ‘trentbarton’ painted in that companies 100 years anniversary livery.

 

I well remember a morning two years ago when it first appeared, waiting patiently for it to turn up to be photographed. Needless to say it did not oblige and it took another four weeks or so before I eventually captured it.

 

It still looks well and is seen working on the ‘ilkeston flyer’.

 

HSK 659

A Volvo B9R with Plaxton Elite bodywork working for ‘Parks of Hamilton’ in Scotland on a 'National Express’ service to Brixham.

A treasured registration that has appeared on previous ‘Parks’ vehicles.

 

SN03 LDG

Dennis Dart SLF with Plaxton Mini Pointer Dart bodywork in the ‘Arriva’ fleet.

 

I had been asked by an‘Arriva’ driver if any of my images turn up on the internet because he would like to see a bus he was driving ‘up there’.

 

Well, if you see this young man, this is for you.

 

The rest of the day took me to Loughborough, Ashby de la Zouche (Ashby) and home via Burton on Trent. By the time I left Ashby, it was pouring with rain.

 

Loughborough was dull, grey, wet but fine (just) and yielded.

 

FJ03 VVP

A Scania L94UB with Wright Solar Urban bodywork working for local operator ‘Kinchbus’ (Kb).

Operating on service 9 to Nottingham which would normally merit a route branded vehicle.

 

YJ07 ZSX

An Optare Tempo 1 again in the ‘Kinchbus’ fleet.

 

From another operator based in the town ‘Paul S. Winson’ (PSW) comes.

 

XX12 PSW

An ‘ADL’ E200 which was about to carry me off to ‘Ashby’

 

 

and XX06 PSW

A Volvo B12B with Jonkheere Mistral bodywork.

 

I have singled these four vehicles out because despite the poor weather conditions, they were immaculate.

 

I spoke to the driver of the ‘PSW’ Volvo who told me that he had already cleaned it once and would do so again before the day was out.

 

I feel that congratulations are in order to the teams at both ‘Kb’ and ‘PSW’ for setting and maintaining such a high standard of presentation.

 

 

My final images of the day were in ‘Ashby’ where I was for only 10 minutes.

 

The pick of what I saw was this.

 

BW52 OSD

 

A Mercedes-Benz Touro carrying the name ‘Lady Margaret’ and once more spotless.

Operated by local company ‘Macpherson’ to whom again congratulations are offered for the vehicles condition.