‘Scene’ at The Derbyshire Dales Bus Rally 3 on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

A new event organised by the ‘Nottingham Heritage Vehicles Charity’ (NHVC) who are based in the old TRENT garage at Hucknall, Nottinghamshire.

 

Friend Peter Rose and I ventured to the ‘Peak Rail’ site at Rowsley railway station in Derbyshire where the event was held.

 

As we have done before, we have combined all the images we gathered on the day. 

 

The credits being joint D.Basford/P.M.Rose.

 

YRC 191 ‘Nottingham Heritage Vehicles Charity’.

Leyland Tiger Cub / Alexander

on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

Delivered to ‘Trent Motor Traction Co. Ltd’ in 1962 as part of a batch of 20 similar vehicles, 191 is fitted with a Dual Purpose (DP) body, which meant it was intended mainly for use on bus services, but fitted with more comfortable seats and a luggage boot it could be used on Express services to coastal resorts at weekends.

 

Part of the NHVC collection and used as the site control bus.

 

I was surprised to see that it has been stripped of its TRENT titling and fleet number.

 

 

 

 

N769 WRC ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 769.

Volvo B10M / Alexander PS Dual Purpose

on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

Part of the NHVC collection.

 

 

 

 

EBC 567T ‘Paul S, Winson’, Loughborough.

Bedford YMT / Unicar Estoril (Spain) /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

I have seen this coach at Hucknall a number of times and I am assuming that it is part of the NHVC collection.

 

New to ‘Mood’, Shepshed, Leics.

 

 

 

 

EBC 567T ‘Paul S, Winson’, Loughborough.

Bedford YMT / Unicar Estoril (Spain) /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

YN05 GZB ‘Nottingham Heritage Vehicles Charity’, notts+derby.

Scania L94UB / Wright Solar

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New to ‘Felix’, Stanley, Derbys.

 

 

 

 

PRO 441W ‘Nottingham Heritage Vehicles Charity’, NATIONAL.

Leyland Leopard / Plaxton Supreme IV

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

At some stage in its career, it was registered HIL 256.

 

 

‘Scene’ in Sheffield Transport Interchange on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

‘First South Yorkshire’ (FSY) has recently started to re-paint its fleet in an approximation of the liveries of the major operators that made up the fleet when South Yorkshire PTE (which eventually became ‘FSY’) was launched in 1974.

 

These were the Corporation Transport Departments of Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.

 

For those not familiar with the previous liveries they were,

 

Doncaster, mainly dark red with a purple trim, Rotherham, dark blue and cream and Sheffield azure blue and cream.

 

Dark red with a purple trim might seem a bit of an odd combination but it was smart, stylish and applied in an imaginative way (see final image).

 

BD12 TAV ‘First South Yorkshire’ No. 36225 ‘Doncaster’s red buses’. Volvo B9TL / Wright Gemini /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New In 2012 to ‘First Games Transport’ who were one of the providers of transport for the Olympic Games that were held in that year.

 

 

 

 

BD12 TAV ‘First South Yorkshire’ No. 36225 ‘Doncaster’s red buses’. Volvo B9TL / Wright Gemini /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

BD12 TBU ‘First South Yorkshire’ No. 36227 ‘Doncaster’s red buses’. Volvo B9TL / Wright Gemini

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New In 2012 to ‘First Games Transport’ who were one of the providers of transport for the Olympic Games that were held in that year.

 

 

 

 

JKW 297W ‘South Yorkshire PTE’ No 1797 ‘Doncaster Transport’. Leyland Atlantean / Alexander

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

'Doncaster Transport’ livery at the time of becoming part of ‘South Yorkshire PTE’.

 

Pictured at Sandtoft Trolleybus Museum.

 

‘Scene’ Down Memory Lane once more in Sheffield 4 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

For part 1 see blog posted 24/12/2020, part 2 posted 25/12/2020, part 3 posted 26/12/2020.

 

On the 12th. of May 2013. ‘First South Yorkshire’ (FSY) organised a bus event to mark 100 years since the introduction of the motor bus in Sheffield.

 

It was held at ‘FSYs Olive Grove garage which is adjacent to the

‘Midland Main Line’ about half a mile to the South of Sheffield’s railway station. 

 

A stones throw from the garage is the site of what was Queens Road tram depot where many of Sheffields trams were built and housed.

 

What is now the bus parking area at Olive Grove for many years was home to 

‘Sheffield United Tours’ fleet of luxury coaches which eventually passed to ‘National Travel East’.

 

A part of Sheffield then that is steeped in the city’s transport history.

 

This blog deals exclusively with buses of my generation. The blue and cream fleet.

 

Most of these buses have been illustrated in my blogs in the past but they were there on the day so I make no apology for including them again.

 

It is interesting to note that at the time of writing ‘FSY’ are experimenting with re-introducing elements of blue and cream to the current fleet.

 

Google BD12 TCO to see an example or see page 12 in ‘Buses’ magazine for December 2020.

 

Sheffield operated 3 ‘fleets’ all in the blue and cream livery.

 

The ‘A’ fleet were vehicles owned by ‘Sheffield Corporation Transport’ and operated within the city boundary.

 

The ‘B’ fleet were vehicles that were jointly owned by ‘Sheffield Corporation Transport’ and ‘British Railways’ and operated from Sheffield to destinations outside the Sheffield boundary but that were considered ‘local’ ie the routes to Bakewell and other Peak District destinations.

 

The ‘C’ fleet that was wholly owned by ‘British Railways’ (BR) and used on longer distance services e.g. Manchester, Leeds, Gainsborough etc.

 

Prior to 1948 the ‘Railway’ holdings were held by the LMS and/or the LNER and passed to BR at nationalisation.

 

7874 WJ  ‘Sheffield Transport’ No. 874. AEC Regent 5 / Alexander

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New in 1960.

 

The ‘A’ under the fleet number identifying the bus as an ‘A’ fleet vehicle.

 

 

 

 

OWE 271K ‘Sheffield Transport’ No. 271. Bristol VRT / East Lancs

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

3156 WE ‘Sheffield Joint Omnibus Commitee’ No. 1156. Leyland PD2 / Roe

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

New in 1958.

 

 

 

 

 

657 BWB ‘Sheffield Joint Omnibus Commitee’ No. 1357. Leyland Atlantean PDR1 / Park Royal 

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New in 1962 with a Weymann body but re-bodied in 1966 by Park Royal after fire damage. Surely, one of the most attractive and elegant of double deck bus designs ever.

 

‘Matchbox’ toys issued aa replica of this particular body style complete with the ‘Sheffield’ style of destination display.

 

‘Scene’ Down Memory Lane once more in Sheffield 3 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

For part 1 see blog posted 24/12/2020, part 2 posted 25/12/2020.

 

On the 12th. of May 2013. ‘First South Yorkshire’ (FSY) organised a bus event to mark 100 years since the introduction of the motor bus in Sheffield.

 

It was held at ‘FSYs Olive Grove garage which is adjacent to the ‘Midland Main Line’ about half a mile to the South of Sheffield’s railway station. 

 

A stones throw from the garage is the site of what was Queens Road tram depot where many of Sheffields trams were built and housed.

 

What is now the bus parking area at Olive Grove for many years was home to ‘Sheffield United Tours’ fleet of luxury coaches which eventually passed to ‘National Travel East’.

 

A part of Sheffield then that is steeped in the city’s transport history.

 

Apart from ‘FSY’s current fleet there were samples of earlier Sheffield buses and a good selection of preserved buses.

 

This selection illustrates former fleet vehicles.

 

NKU 214X ‘South Yorkshire Transport No. 2214. Dennis Dominator / Alexander ‘RH’

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

Preserved in the livery of ‘Doncaster Tramways’.

 

 

 

CWG 696V ‘Isle Coaches’, Owston Ferry. Leyland Atlantean AN68 /Alexander

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New to ‘South Yorkshire PTE’ as No. 1696.

 

 

 

 

UWA 312L  ‘Blue Mountains Explorer Bus’. Leyland Atlantean AN68 / East Lancs

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New to ‘Sheffield Transport’ as No. 312. 

 

The ‘London Transport’ titling is not genuine. For most of the time after it left Sheffields employ it has worked in Australia.

 

It was repatriated to the UK in early 2012.

 

 

 

 

D150 RAK ‘South Yorkshire Transport’ No. 150 ‘Little Nipper’. Dodge S56 / Reeve Burgess on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

The small GR above the fleet number is the abbreviation for the garage it works from in this case Greenland (Rd).

 

 

 

 

OWJ 353A ‘South Yorkshire Transport’ No.  M3 ‘TOWING’. Leyland PD3 / Roe

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

Rebuilt as a Tow car from former ‘Doncaster Corporation’ bus  registered 

475 HDT new in 1962 numbered 175.

 

The small HE above the fleet number is the abbreviation for the garage it works from in this case Herries (Rd).

 

‘Scene’ at the ‘Scottish Vintage Bus Museum’ at Lathalmond on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

When I wrote on November 11th this year that I would post a blog every day until the end of this current period of lockdown, I did not know what I was taking on.

 

Well here we are at the end of that period of lockdown and as from tomorrow we are now into tier 3 of whatever the new system is called. All very confusing. 

 

Fortunately, I think the blog a day has been moderately successful but to allow myself to get my breath back so to speak, I will for the time being revert to my previous blogging schedule of a couple of times a week.

 

I may in future return to a blog a day but that is dependant on my actually being allowed to go out and take the images I require for me to do so.

 

Meanwhile, whatever happens I hope that you continue to access my blog and that you enjoy what I do.

 

Best wishes,

 

Dennis

 

 

The Glasgow Connection

 

It would be surprising if Glasgow wasn’t represented at a bus rally held in Scotland.

 

Starting with a bus dating back to ‘Glasgow Corporation Transport’ days. Then the intervening years and finally to the ‘First Glasgow’ fleet of today.

 

SGD 500 ‘Glasgow Corporation Transport’ No. A350. AEC Regent 5 / Alexander

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

SF09 LDJ ‘First Glasgow’ No. 37738. Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

Painted in the traditional ‘Glasgow Corporation Transport’ livery.

 

 

 

 

SF09 LFB ‘First Glasgow’ No. 37751. Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

Painted in the livery of ‘Greater Glasgow PTE’ which came into being in 1973.

 

 

 

 

A735 PSU ‘Strathclyde’s Buses’ No.A109. Volvo Ailsa B55 / Alexander RV

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

Painted in ‘Strathclyde Buses’ buses livery dating from 1986.

 

Please forgive the one spot of rain on the upper deck windscreen.

 

 

 

 

SK19 EOM ‘First Glasgow’ No. 33101 ‘500 Glasgow Airport  Express’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E40D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 400City 

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

‘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.

 

’‘Scene’ at the ‘Scottish Vintage Bus Museum’ at Lathalmond. A Rhapsody in Blue (and cream) 2 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

For part one of  ‘A Rhapsody in Blue (and cream)’. See blog posted 19/06/2020.

WG 1448 ‘W. Alexander and Sons Ltd’ No. F55. Albion Valkyrie PW65 / Alexander /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New in 1932.

 

 

 

 

 

WG 1448 ‘W. Alexander and Sons Ltd’ No. F55. Albion Valkyrie PW65 / Alexander /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

 

CMS 200 ‘W. Alexander and Sons Ltd’ No. PA181. Leyland PS1 / Alexander /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New in 1949.

 

 

 

 

 

CMS 200 ‘W. Alexander and Sons Ltd’ No. PA181. Leyland PS1 / Alexander /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

 

SO 3740 ‘W. Alexander and Sons Ltd’ No. P63. Leyland Tiger TS2/ Alexander

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New in 1934.

 

 

‘Scene’ at ‘Nottingham Heritage Vehicles’ Open Day /4 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk

‘Nottingham Heritage Vehicles’ premises are located in what was the bus garage of ‘Trent Motor Traction’ in the Nottinghamshire town of Hucknall.

 

A small but busy operation that is worth a visit on one of their opening days.

 

‘Trent Motor Traction’

 

Vehicles formerly operated by ‘Trent Motor Traction’ feature but there are other East Midlands operators represented at Hucknall.

 

YRC 191 ‘Trent Motor Traction’ No. 191. Leyland Tiger Cub / Alexander

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New in 1962.

 

 

 

LRC 454 ‘Trent Motor Traction’ No. 1054. Leyland Titan PD/3 / Willowbrook

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New in 1958.

 

 

 

F600 GVO ‘Trent Motor Traction’ No. 600. Volvo B10M Citybus / Alexander RV

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

After service with ‘Trent’ it worked for ‘Plymouth Citybus’, ‘Diamond Bus Northwest’ and ‘Wigan Coachways’ that I know of.

 

 

 

FJ10 EHG ‘trentbarton’ No. 485 ‘Hucknall Connect’. Optare Solo

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

It just happened to be passing by so I have included it for completeness sake.

‘Scene’ in South Yorkshire. The Leyland Atlantean on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

The first mass produced front exit, rear engined double decker built in the UK.

 

The layout is so widely accepted these days that anything else is regarded as ‘unusual’.

 

Back in the late 1950’s when my home town fleet of ‘Sheffield Transport’ introduced what were described in the local press as ‘monsters’ there was much excitement amongst the local enthusiasts.

 

I remember seeing a lady who was walking round the rear end of the bus trying to to find the way on and having to point out to her that the door was at the front.

 

“It wont last’ she said. Little did she know!

 

The majority of these images were captured at Sandtoft, the home of the Trolleybus Museum, North East of Doncaster.

 

 

657 BWB ‘Sheffield Joint Omnibus Committee’ No. 1357. Leyland Atlantean PDR1 / Park Royal /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

‘Sheffield Transport Department’ (STD) were early buyers of the Atlantean which at that time was the PDR/1 model

 

Although seen in full Sheffield livery as preserved. It was owned by ‘Sheffield Joint Omnibus Committee’ which was a joint venture between ‘STD’ and the railway company’s.

 

Originally this had been the LMS & LNER but by this time it was now ‘British Railways’.

 

This bus was originally delivered in 1962 and at that time had a Weymann built body. 

 

It was re-bodied in 1968 with the Park Royal body seen here following a serious fire.

 

 

 

 

657 BWB ‘Sheffield Joint Omnibus Committee’ No. 1357 ‘Driver Training Bus’. Leyland Atlantean PDR1 / Park Royal /2 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

‘Sheffield Transport Department’ (STD) were early buyers of the Atlantean which at that time was the PDR/1 model.

 

This bus was originally delivered in 1962 and at that time had a Weymann built body. 

 

It was re-bodied in 1968 with the Park Royal body seen here following a serious fire.

 

Now seen as part of ‘South Yorkshire’s Transport’ (SYT) driver training fleet. ‘SYT’ being ‘STD’s successor.

 

 

 

 

SWB 287L ‘South Yorkshire’s Transport Ltd.’ No. 287 ‘Mainline’. Leyland Atlantean AN68 / Alexander /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

The Leyland Atlantean PDR/2 model followed the PDR/1 into the fleet in 1968. 

 

The AN68 model joined the (STD) fleet in 1973 just prior to the company disappearing into what became ‘South Yorkshire PTE’. (South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive).

 

Originally delivered to ‘Sheffield Transport’ in 1973.

 

 

 

 

SWB 287L ‘South Yorkshire’s Transport Ltd.’ No. 287 ‘Mainline’. Leyland Atlantean AN68 / Alexander /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

The Leyland Atlantean PDR/2 model followed the PDR/1 into the fleet in 1968. 

 

The AN68 model joined the (STD) fleet in 1973 just prior to the company disappearing into what became ‘South Yorkshire PTE’. (South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive).

 

Originally delivered to ‘Sheffield Transport’ in 1973.

 

 

 

 

VET 611S ‘South Yorkshire’s Transport Ltd.’ No.105 ‘DRIVER UNDER INSTRUCTION’. Leyland Atlantean AN68 / Roe 

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New to ‘SYPTE’ as No.1611.

 

 

 

 

CWG 689V ‘South Yorkshire PTE’ No. 1689 ‘Sheffield MAINLINE’. Leyland Atlantean AN68 / Alexander

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

JKW 297W ‘South Yorkshire PTE’ No. 1797 ‘Doncaster Transport’. Leyland Atlantean AN68 / Alexander 

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New to ‘SYPTE’ but wearing the final version of Doncaster’s livery prior to becoming part of ‘SYPTE’.

 

 

 

 

CWG 762V VET 611S ‘South Yorkshire Transport Ltd.’ No.1762 ‘Premier’ Leyland Atlantean AN68 / Roe

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

Wearing the livery of ‘Premier Coaches’, Stainforth who ‘SYT’ had just taken over.