‘Scene’ in Cardiff part 2

Another of those places like Chester, Bath and York that seem to be overflowing with buses.

 

My previous blog re Cardiff (published 18 April 2015) dealt entirely with the buses of ‘Cardiff Bus’. This blog covers the other operators that were seen on the day.

 

SN62 AOP

An Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E40D operated by ‘Newport Bus’ looking resplendent in the bright sunshine.

 

YT11 LUL

A Scania Omnicity again of ‘Newport Bus’ carrying route branding for the X30 Cardiff-Newport service.

 

The downside to a bright sunny day inevitably is shadows.

 

AE54 HYX

A Transbus Dart with Caetano Nimbus bodywork which used to work for ‘local Link’ in the Torbay area.

 

Older readers might well remember the Albion ‘Nimbus’ of many years ago which was similar in size to the Dennis Dart MPD. I believe the name on Albion’s Nimbus was an amalgam of the words NIMble and BUS.

 

YJ13 HLX

An Optare Versa of ‘First Cymru Buses Ltd.’ The unusual dark blue and gold livery is used across the South Wales express services.

 

YJ61 MMV

An Optare Tempo on the ‘Traws Cymru’ (TC) service T4. 

 

‘TC’  is an operation funded by the Welsh Government to provide medium and longer distance services across the country. T4 linking Cardiff to Newtown in Mid Wales.

 

 YN55 PXL

A Scania K113 EB with Irizar PB coachwork. Used by ‘First Greyhound’ part of ‘First Cymru’ between Swansea and Cardiff whilst some services used to run through to Bristol Airport.

 

‘First Greyhound” was an attempt to enter the specialist long distance coach market occupied by the likes of ‘megabus.com’ and ‘National Express’.

 

Services from London to Portsmouth, Southampton, Bournemouth and Poole were started in 2009 and had all been discontinued by the end 2012.

 

I do think that the addition of a destination box to the PB body is ugly.

 

FJ11 GNK

A Volvo B9R with Caetano Levante coachwork working for ‘National Express’ contractor ‘Bebb of Llantwit Fardre’.

 

V670 FPO

 

Enveloped in the gloom of the shadows in front of Cardiff Castle is another of ‘Bebb’s fleet.

 

This time a Dennis Javelin with Caetano Cutlass bodywork.

 

At one time it operated in the fleet of Norfolk Norse in a yellow livery on ‘Norfolk County Council Services’.

 

X314 CBT

An Optare Solo in the sunlight working for ‘EASYWAY’. 

 

The branding states the ‘We Give Change’. No doubt a reference to ‘Cardiff Bus’ who operate a ‘farebox’ system only accepting the correct fare.

 

Originally with ‘Durham County Council’ and then ‘Travel Master’ (Manchester).

 

A couple of ‘Stagecoach Wales’ standard types put in an appearance

YX63 ZUC

A Dennis Dart SLF with 'ADL' Enviro 200 bodywork.

CN56 EXF

‘Stagecoach’s website shows this as being A Dennis Dart SLF with Alexander Pointer 2 bodywork. Seeing that ‘ADL’ do own Plaxton, I suppose that this is technically correct however most enthusiasts would recognise the bus as being a Plaxton or Transbus product.

 

 

N548 LHG

A Volvo Olympian with Northern Counties bodywork working on the Cardiff sightseeing service.

 

An information panel on the rear of the bus points any enquirers about the bus and its services to the ‘Bath Bus Company’ who are in turn are owned by the French group ‘RATP’ .

 

A Swedish chassis with English bodywork working for a French owned English based company in the Welsh capital.

 

Who would have thought it ....!