Thursday 25 June 2015

‘Scene’ in Retrospect (Retro Liveries in Modern fleets)

 

One aspect of the transport scene that has particularly pleased me in the last couple of years is the  use of ‘retro’ liveries in modern fleets, with modern buses appearing in the liveries of yesteryear. This has usually been done to tie in with an anniversary.

 

My thanks to the managements at ‘First Group’, ‘Stagecoach’ and others who whilst living in the modern world still find the time, the energy and the money to keep in touch with their past.

 

YN58 ETX

 

One of a number of Volvo B9TL’s with Wright Gemini Eclipse bodies painted in liveries specific to South Yorkshire. 

 

This appears in the dark blue and cream colours of ‘Sheffield Corporation Tramways’. 

YN58 ETX

 

3910 WE


A Volvo B9TL with Wright Eclipse Gemini body carrying a registration previously carried by a Leyland PD3 (but in reality YN08 LCJ) waits patiently in Sheffield Transport Interchange (Pond Street Bus Station to my generation).


3910 WE

 

YN08 LCL 

 

A Volvo B9TL’s with Wright Gemini Eclipse bodywork, this time in ‘Rotherham Corporation Transport’ colours.


YN08 LCL

 

‘First Manchester’ provided the following.

 

MX06 VOP

 

A Volvo B7RLE with Wright Eclipse Urban bodywork in the livery of ‘Bolton Corporation Transport’.

 

Bolton’s previous livery had been in the same colours of dark red and cream with the dark red being the predominant colour. This gave the buses a rather dark dull appearance. When the ‘new’ livery was introduced it certainly brightened up the buses and the town.


MX06 VOP

 

MX06 VMZ


A Volvo B7RLE with Wright Eclipse Urban It is seen in the livery of  ‘Ramsbottom Urban District Council’.

 

MX06 VMZ

MX07 BTF


Another Volvo B9TL with Wright Gemini Eclipse bodywork in the livery of ‘Salford City Transport’ seen leaving Eccles Bus Station.

MX07 BTF

 

MX58 EAC

 

A Volvo B9TL with Wright Eclipse Urban bodywork in the colours of ‘Rochdale Corporation Transport’ leaving that towns new bus station.


MX58 EAC

 

A move to The Midlands, specifically Hanley where two buses carrying an earlier ‘Potteries’ livery are seen

 

MX05 CGK

 

A Volvo B7RLE with Wright Eclipse Urban bodywork that migrated South from ‘First Manchester’ wearing an older ‘Potteries’ livery.


MX05 CGK

 

YN05 HCL

 

A Scania CN94UB with Scania Omnicity bodywork in a retro ‘Potteries’ livery.


YN05 HCL


 

Further South to Leicester although these two images were both taken at ‘Showbus’ at Duxford in September 2014.

 

KP54 AZL

 

A Volvo B7TL with Wright Gemini Eclipse bodywork in ‘Leicester City Transport’ livery.


KP54 AZL

 

KX05 MJF


Another Volvo B7RLE with Wright Eclipse Urban bodywork in a livery based on that previously used by ‘City of Leicester Tramways’.

 

KX05 MJF

 

 

Whilst all the previous images are of ‘First Group’ owned buses. This next one is owned by ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) and shows a bus operating in the livery of the former ‘West Bridgford Urban District Council’ which was taken over by ‘NCT’ in 1968.

 

YN08 MLL

 

A Scania N270UD with Darwen built bodywork.


YN08 MLL

 

A move now to the East Midlands where ‘East Midland Motor Services’ (EMMS) were based in Chesterfield. The buses seen here are from the local ‘Stagecoach’ fleet of whom ’EMMS’ became part.

 

FY02 VCJ

 

A Dennis Dart with Plaxton Pointer 2 bodywork in the earliest livery EMMS that I can remember. Seen leaving Mansfield Bus Station.

 

After this there was a desperately dull unrelieved dark red. There was a period of green which when used with white in NBC days was very attractive.


FY02 VCJ

 

YN05 XNZ

 

Another Dennis Dart with Plaxton Pointer 2 bodywork in the much brighter red and white colours seen at the ‘Transpire’ bus rally held at the Peak Rail facility at Rowsley in Derbyshire during 2013.


YN05 XNZ

 

The same bus reappeared in 2014 in ‘Chesterfield Corporation Transport’ colours to celebrate 100 years of motor bus operation in the town.


YN05 XNZ


A move to the Southwest sees ‘First Devon & Cornwall’s

 

W716 RHT

 

A Dennis Trident with East Lancs ‘Loline’ bodywork wearing the livery of the former ‘Western National’ company working in Plymouth.


W716 RHT




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