Monday 31 August 2020
Friday 28 August 2020
‘Scene’, New on ‘skylink’ on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Before I get on to todays blog, I must comment on one of my earlier blogs.
On 31/07/2020 I raised questions about the seeming disappearance of Optare Versa’s on ‘trentbarton’s H1 service.
Well I have seen two of them in service today. So rest assured, Some are still with us.
Here is one seen at my regular spot in Derby.
YD63 VCV ‘trentbarton’ No. 828 ‘H1’. Optare V1110 Versa
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
’skylink’ is the ‘Kinchbus’ service linking Derby with Leicester via the East Midlands Airport.
In my last blog I pictured one of ‘skylink’ Mercedes-Benz Citaro’s with the comment that I was expecting them to be traded in for brand new
Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200MMC’s.
Although to be fair, some were still in service on the day.
Well the new buses have arrived.
The choice of day for my visit to Derby was unfortunate in that it started out wet and carried on the much same way all day.
YX20 OHG ‘Kinchbus’ No. 152 ‘skylink’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200MMC /1
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
YX20 OHG ‘Kinchbus’ No. 152 ‘skylink’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200MMC /2
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
YX20 OHG ‘Kinchbus’ No. 152 ‘skylink’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200MMC /3
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
YX20 OHF ‘Kinchbus’ No. 151 ‘skylink’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200MMC
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Wednesday 26 August 2020
Tuesday 25 August 2020
‘Scene’ at the ‘Scottish Vintage Bus Museum’ at Lathalmond on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ ‘Edinburgh Corporation Transport’ / ‘Lothian’ 1
It is hardly surprising that a bus museum located about 30 miles away from Edinburgh should attract so many buses from that great City.
JWS 594 ‘Edinburgh Corporation Transport’ No. 314. Guy Arab 2 / Nudd Brothers
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Although built to resemble a full fronted bus both the right hand panel of the windscreen and the panel above the front wheel are unglazed.
This feature was presumably to allow easier access to the engine for maintenance purposes.
The chassis dates from 1943 when it was delivered to ‘London Transport’ as No. G77 registered GLL 577 with utility bodywork by Park Royal.
Purchased by ‘ECT’ in 1952 and re-bodied.
OFS 798 ‘Edinburgh Corporation Transport’ No. 798. Leyland PD2 / Metro Cammell Weymann Orion
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
JSC 869E ‘Lothian Region Transport’ No. 869. Leyland Atlantean PDR 1 / Alexander ‘A’ type
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Painted in the operators coaching livery.
JSC 900E ‘Edinburgh Corporation Transport’ No. 900. Leyland Atlantean PDR 1 / Alexander ‘J’ type
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
BFS 1L ‘Edinburgh Corporation Transport’ No. 1. Leyland Atlantean AN68 / Alexander AL
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Friday 21 August 2020
‘Scene’ In Sheffield. ‘Stagecoach’ on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
As is now well known, ‘Stagecoach’ group has adopted a variety of new liveries.
My blog dated 17th. of July 2020 covered the the local bus livery in Chesterfield.
I hoped my visit to Sheffield might produce the other liveries but it was not to be.
I only saw a few buses in the local livery plus of course some in the earlier ones.
SN18 XXD ‘Yorkshire Traction Co. Ltd.’ No. 39116 ‘Buses for Sheffield’. Wright Streetlite MAX D/F
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
I was surprised that a bus only 2 years old had been repainted and was carrying the new livery but I thought it looked very smart.
SN18 XWZ ‘Yorkshire Traction Co. Ltd.’ No. 39112 ‘Buses for Sheffield’. Wright Streetlite D/F
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
YX69 NWU ‘Yorkshire Traction Co. Ltd.’ No. 37602 ‘Buses for Sheffield’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro200MMC
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
BV19 XPJ ‘Yorkshire Traction Co. Ltd.’ No. 54406 ‘national express’. Volvo B11RT / Caetano Levante 3
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
From the first time I saw this body at the NEC a few years ago, I have thought what a superb design it is.
YN12 GYO ‘Yorkshire Traction Co. Ltd.’ No. 15824. Scania N230UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro400
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
YN60 CKP ‘‘Yorkshire Traction Co. Ltd.’ No. 15718 ‘YOUR X2 Barnsley to Sheffield’. Scania N230UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro400
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
New to ‘Andrews’.
A Sheffield based company that became part of ‘Stagecoach Yorkshire’.
YN62 BXX ‘Yorkshire Traction Co. Ltd.’ No. 12173 ‘Stagecoach in Sheffield’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E40H / ‘ADL’. Enviro400
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Tuesday 18 August 2020
‘Scene’ in Exeter Once More on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
This small selection is in response to the blog I published on Monday the 10th. of August 2020 illustrating one of the current breed of ‘Stagecoach’ group’s driver trainers.
The number of ‘views’ that that particular image attracted in its first week was excellent so there is obviously somebody out there who likes them.
That being so, see if you like this small collection of other ‘Stagecoach’ group driver trainers which were all taken on the same day in the parking area at the old Exeter Bus Station in November 2008.
J727 CYG ‘Stagecoach Devon’ No. 26027 ‘DRIVER UNDER INSTRUCTION’. DAF SB220 / Optare Delta
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
New to ‘London Buses’ as No. DA27.
P806 XTA ‘Stagecoach in Devon’ No. 52346 ‘STAGECOACH DRIVER TRAINING DEPARTMENT’. Volvo B10M / Plaxton Premiere Interurban
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
New to ‘Devon General’ as No. 806.
HSV 195 ‘Stagecoach in Devon’ No. 52071 ‘STAGECOACH TRAINING DEPARTMENT’. Volvo B10M / Plaxton Paramount 3500
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
New registered E905 UNW to ‘Wallace Arnold’, Leeds.
Friday 14 August 2020
‘Scene’ in Burton-on-Trent (BoT) once more 1 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
It is now about 18 months since I last went to ‘BoT’ so it was time for a revisit.
Well then, what has changed in that time?
The elderly Wright bodied VDL’s that were inherited from ‘ARRIVA’ seem to have gone.
Also, sadly the Optare Spectra seems to have gone as well.
The Optare Metrocity’s and the buses on the X12 to Lichfield have acquired revised liveries.
Two buses I knew when they were with ‘yourbus’ have joined the fleet and a new style of company fleet name has been adopted.
So, last first. The revised fleet name.
‘Midland Classic of Burton’ revised fleet name
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Smart, sharp and I think the black and red show up well against the yellow background.
The white ‘of Burton’ seems to get a bit lost against the yellow but it looks stronger on the revised liveries on the Metrocities’s and the X12’s.
Maybe the ‘of Burton’ could have given the town’s name ‘of Burton on Trent’ or as appears on the X12’s ‘Burton upon Trent’.
After all, the company operates well beyond the boundaries of the town.
Anyway, I like it, what do you think!
For a fleet with around around 20 double deck buses, there is a surprising variety in that number.
Wright Gemini bodied Volvo VDL 250DB’s, Dennis Tridents with Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400 bodies, Scania N94UD’s and N270UD’s with Optare, East Lancs and Scania bodies and a solitary Routemaster.
In the preserved fleet there is a Leyland Olympian with Alexander bodywork and a MCW Metrobus.
YN08 MKP ‘Midland Classic of Burton’ No. 62. Scania N270UD OmniCity / Scania
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
It has appeared before in one of my bus blogs but I make no apology for including this magnificent vehicle again.
New to ‘Reading Transport’ as No. 1103.
LJ04 LFV ‘Midland Classic of Burton’ No. 46. DAF DB250LF / Wright Gemini Eclipse
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
New to ‘ARRIVA London South’ as No. DW82.
LK57 AXJ ‘Midland Classic of Burton’ No. 92. Dennis Trident / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
New to ‘Metroline’ as No. TE831.
LJ04 LGA ‘Midland Classic of Burton’ No. 47. DAF DB250LF / Wright Gemini Eclipse
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
New to ‘ARRIVA London South’ as No. DW87.
SN11 BNE ‘Midland Classic of Burton’ No. 68. Dennis Trident / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Is the lady in the facemask waiting to catch it or admiring the superb finish on the paintwork?
New to ‘First Capital’ as No. DN33619.
Tuesday 11 August 2020
‘Scene’ in Chesterfield yet again on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
I don’t usually do 1 image blogs but I was in Chesterfield yesterday (Monday) on other business and this came my way so I decided to post it as a ‘bonus’ blog because I liked it and I hope you do as well.
MX54 LRN ‘Stagecoach Yorkshire Traction’ No. 22087 ‘Driver Training’. MAN 18.220 / Alexander Dennis Ltd. ALX300
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
New to ‘Greater Manchester South’.
Saturday 8 August 2020
‘Scene’ again in Derby on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
I must say what a pleasure it was to get back to something vaguely like normal, taking pictures of buses again in Derby after a break over 4 months.
The bus station was very quiet with buses waiting on the streets before entering to pick up.
For those who know Derby, I spent most of my time on the bit of road outside the Council House.
Traffic roundabouts at both ends, slowing traffic down.
Buses coming at me from three directions.
Blue skies and sunshine.
What more could you want ??
FJ10 OXP ‘notts+derby’ (n+d) No. 74. Scania K942B4 / Irizar i4
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
It has appeared in my blog before when it was in the red livery of associate company ‘TM Travel’ (TMT).
New in 2010 with others to work ’trentbarton’s prestigious ‘red arrow’ service from Derby to Nottingham.
They were replaced on that in October 2015 when ‘trentbarton’ introduced Volvo/Plaxton Elite coaches.
Since then they have spent their time with’ ‘n+d’ and ‘TMT’ .
YX65 RFY ‘ High Peak Buses’ No. 525 ‘TRANSPEAK’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’.
It has appeared on my blog before when it was working a genuine TRANSPEAK service.
On this occasion it is working service 114 a former ‘yourbus’ route from Ashbourne.
SN65 OFB ‘Littles Transport’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Enviro 200 / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Working service 9 another former ‘yourbus’ route from Ilkeston.
FN04 HSU ‘Kinchbus’ Loughborough, No. 651. Scania L94UB / Wright Solar
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Working a service that is normally worked by route branded Mercedes-Benz Citaro’s.
BX64 WHV ‘Kinchbus’ Loughborough, No. 908 ‘skylink’. Mercedes-Benz Citaro
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Included because it might be the last time I see it.
Rumour has it that it and its fellow M-B Citaro’s are going to ‘Alexander Dennis Ltd’ In part exchange for Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200MMC’s.
55 of which are on order.
FJ13 FYM ‘ARRIVA Midlands’ No. 3737. VDL SB200 / Wright Pulsar
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Formerly branded for the X38 service to Burton-on-Trent. (see by blog posted 15/01/2018 for an illustration).
Wednesday 5 August 2020
‘Scene’ at the ‘Scottish Vintage Bus Museum’ at Lathalmond on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ Recovery Vehicles
Recovery of broken down or damaged vehicles used to provide work for a wide variety of cut down and otherwise modified former buses.
These days, such are the complexities and legislation surrounding such activity that it is often contracted out to specialist operators.
Fortunately there are some modified bus recovery vehicles still left to entertain us.
WG 8107 ‘W. Alexander & Sons Ltd’. No. 205. Leyland Tiger TS8 / Alexander /1
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
New as No. P528 in 1939.
WG 8107 ‘W. Alexander & Sons Ltd’. No. 205. Leyland Tiger TS8 / Alexander /2
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
CSG 29C ‘Eastern Scottish’ No. E6. Bristol FLF6G / Eastern Coach works
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
New to ‘Scottish Omnibuses’ as No. AA29.
DMS 359C ‘Midland Scottish’ No. ML 309. Leyland Leopard / Alexander ‘Y’
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
New to ‘Alexander (Midland)’ as No. MPE 73.
JK 5603 ‘Operator Unknown. AEC Matador / Bodywork Unknown
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
For completeness sake, I include the only genuine ‘wrecker’ on display.
A former military vehicle new in 1943.
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