‘Scene’ Out and About on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

Most of my regular readers will know that from time to time, I publish blogs that illustrate a series of articles about days out by bus.

 

These are written for a local community magazine that is circulated locally around the part of Derbyshire where I live.

 

It is called ‘all Things Local’, which is published bi-monthly and generally runs to about 10,000 copies per print run.

 

All these days out involve a degree of research which generally starts with maps and timetables and eventually requires a day out for me (and sometimes my wife Barbara) to make sure that all goes well.

 

I have recently researched a day out that took me from home to Derby, onto Loughborough, then Melton Mowbray and back via Nottingham.

 

Some of what I saw along the way were.

 

 

‘trentbarton’ have recently put 8 Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Enviro 200MMC’s on its ‘the mickleover‘ service (see blog published 09/12/2016).

 

However, this was the first time I had seen this particular vehicle.

 

YX66 WLR ‘trentbarton’ No. 105 Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 200MMC

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

 

 

 

Similarly, Heanor based ‘yourbus’ have put a batch of ‘ADL’ Enviro 200’s into service. 

 

These being to Euro 5 specification with the old style of bodywork. (See blog published 24/11/2016).

 

This again was the first time I had seen this particuler vehicle.

 

 

SN66 WLL ‘yourbus’ No. 1404 Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 200

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

 

 

 

My journey to Loughborough, courtesy of ‘Kinchbus’ was on,

 

BX64 WJD ‘Kinchbus’ No. 913 Mercedes-Benz Citaro

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

 

 

 

Loughborough usually produces something from the always immaculate fleet of Paul S. Winson  (PSW) and today was no exception.

 

Originally T420 XVO, with ‘Nottingham City Transport’ then YNR 778 with ‘PSW’ it eventually became T8 PSW.

 

T8 PSW ‘Paul S. Winson’ No. 115 Dennis Trident / East Lancs Lolyne

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

 

 

 

Also seen in Loughborough was, this former ‘trentbarton’ bus which also had a spell with the associated ‘TM Travel’ company.

 

FE02 KFJ ‘Kinchbus’ No. 460 Optare Solo

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

 

 

 

Market day generally brings this into town,

 

YX60 DZW ‘Soar Valley Bus’ FIAT / Bluebird Orion

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

 

 

 

My transport to Melton Mowbray was provided by ‘Centrebus’ on this bus which was bought from the previously mentioned ‘PSW’ in 2015.

 

FN09 FSO ‘Centrebus’ No. 511 Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 200

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

 

 

 

 Melton Mowbray, is an interesting town in bus terms and will appear in a blog of its own in the future.

 

The only route operated by ‘Arriva’ is No. 5A and it goes to Leicester. I saw three departures which were all operated by ‘ADL’ Enviro 400MMC’s.

 

YX16 OKB ‘Arriva Midlands’ No. 4524 Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400MMC

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

 

 

 

Working route 8 from Loughborough to Grantham was,

 

YH63 CXC ‘Centrebus’ No. 670 VDL SB180 / MCV Evolution

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

 

 

 

Formerly registered J718 KBC when new to ‘Pailton’, Warwickshire in 1992 and a real ‘blast from the past’ was,

 

B3 CEC ‘Viking Travel’ Dennis Javelin / Plaxton Paramount

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

 

 

At this point, rain set in so it was home via Nottingham.

 

 

 

 

‘Scene’, the new bus station in Worksop.

Opened in August 2015 the new bus station replaces facilities which at best could have been described as ‘bleak’ that were located in Hardy Street.

 

The new facility boasts 8 covered loading bays, a staffed information office, superb toilets and baby changing whilst a cafe is promised.

 

There are other cafe’s locally which could be used including one 200 metres away, located in the Library across the road to the right.

 

The interior is warm and welcoming. 

 

In my view a vast improvement over what went before.

 

 

 

 

Worksop is very much a ‘Stagecoach East Midlands’ (SEM) town. The only non ‘SEM’ operator I saw whilst I was there was ‘Nottinghamshire County Council’ who run minibuses into the town.

 

All of ‘SEM’ buses I saw where their fleet standards mostly painted in fleet livery with one or two exceptions.

 

FJ08 VPY

 

A Dennis Dart SLF 4 with Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Enviro 200 bodywork.

 

Painted in the duo green and yellow livery of the ‘Sherwood Arrow’. Used on services from Worksop and Retford into Nottingham which not surprisingly runs through large parts of Sherwood Forest.

 

KX53 VNG

A Transbus Trident with Plaxton President bodywork in ‘SEM’. ‘Ruby the Retford Belle’ branding. It was new to ‘Stagecoach Oxford’ and then went to ‘Stagecoach Devon’ before coming North.

 

There are a number of ‘Belle’ themed brandings in use ranging from ‘Donna’ the Doncaster Belle, via ‘Betty the Bawtry Belle’ and so on covering 13 towns across the operating area.

 

KX53 VNE

Another Transfuse Trident with Plaxton President bodywork in ‘SEM’. ‘Donna the Doncaster Belle’ branding. Again, previously with ‘Stagecoach Oxford’

 

SF64 CZS

 

FIAT running units with bodywork produced by ‘Bluebird’ at Scarborough before they were taken over by Mellors of Rochdale. Operated by ‘Nottingham County Council’.

 

YN56 HBC

 

A Dennis Dart SLF with Plaxton Pointer 2 bodywork. Previously with ‘Stagecoach Grimsby Cleethorpes'.

 

R166 VPU

 

A Volvo Olympian with unusually, Alexander (Belfast) bodywork. It had a spell with ‘Stagecoach in Hull’ but was new to  'Stagecoach East London’.

 

FJ07 OSY

 

A Dennis Trident with ‘ADL’ Enviro 400 bodywork. 

 

It previously ran in the red, white and green livery of the ‘Robin Hood Airport Lynx service.

 

FX61 HGC

 

An ‘ADL’Enviro 300.

 

YN04 KGE

A Dennis Trident 2 with Alexander ALX 400 bodywork.

 

FX61 CZB

Another ‘ADL’ Enviro 300. This time carrying a slightly revised livery and branding for service 19 which runs from Worksop via Dinnington to Rotherham.

 

FJ07 OSZ

A Dennis Trident with ‘ADL’ Enviro 400 bodywork. 

 

Carrying a small sticker referring to the co operation between ‘SEM’ and ‘Nottinghamshire County Council’.

 

Another bus that was branded at one time for the ‘Robin Hood Airport Lynx’ service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Scene’ on Nottingham’s trams this week

The work to build Nottingham’s tramway system has been going on for that many years that it is difficult to remember a time before it started.

 

The initial line (Phase 1) was built from Hucknall in the North to terminate at Nottingham Railway station on the Southern side of the city taking in much of the city centre along the way

 

This was opened in 2004 and is known as ‘Nottingham Express Transit’ (NET).

 

There was also a diversion North of Basford (No! not me but probably my ancestral home) to serve a large Park & Ride facility at Phoenix Park which for many years was the site of Cinderhill pit.

 

This week Phase 2 after many weeks testing came into operation.

 

This continues South from the railway station for a few hundred yards before the line splits and one line goes South to serve Wilford and Clifton whilst the other line turns West to serve Nottingham University, The Queens Medical Centre, the suburbs of Beeston and Chilwell terminating on a very rural site at Toton Lane not far from but not in reach of the M1/A52 interchange.

 

The original rolling stock for phase 1 were 15 Incentro AT6/5 trams built by 

‘Bombardier Transportation’. 

 

Numbered from 201 to 215 they were given names of well known local people. 

 

In time for the opening of phase 2, these trams were refurbished in 2014.

 

 

No. 205 Lord Byron

 

New trams for phase two were 22 Alstom Citadis 302’s which have been delivered over the past 2 years.

 

No.219 Alan Sillitoe

Both types of tram operate right across the system.

 

Below, the tram ‘stop’ at Nottingham railway station which was the terminus point for Phase 1.

 

The railway line runs at right angles under this deck and is accessed by stairs, a lift and escalators which were not working when I was there.

 

A pair to the new Citadis trams standing at the Toton Lane terminus.

The buffer stops look substantial !

 

There are a number of bus stands one of which is playing host to a Nottinghamshire County Council minibus.

YX62 FRZ

 

FIAT running units with bodywork produced by ‘Bluebird’ at Scarborough before they were taken over by Mellors of Rochdale.

 

Behind the bus can be seen the wide open spaces of the car park and beyond that the Nottinghamshire countryside at what is a very rural location.

 

The centre of Beeston has been heavily re-modelled to accommodate the trams.

This image shows the proximity of the buses and trams giving a cross platform connection facility. This tram is travelling outward.

 

The same connectivity applies on the inbound direction.

 

Passenger loadings were very heavy on the day I was there but the system having only just opened that was to be expected.

 

English National Concessionary Passes (bus passes) that are issued locally are the only bus passes accepted.

 

Bus Passes issued by any other authority pay the normal fares which in my view are reasonable.

 

A Clifton bound tram loads at the station railway station stop.

 

The other new terminus at Clifton is again rural in nature having run through the centre of the town.

 

The structures found across the new parts of the system are light, airy and functional.

 

 

The citizens of Nottingham have waited a long time for their new tramway. 

 

At times it has been controversial and there have many slips along the way.

 

However, now that it is up and running, those people I spoke to were positive about it and were looking forward to putting it to good use.

 

I wish it well.

 

 

 

I have not as yet seen the new trams carrying advertisements as yet whereas the old ones do. 

 

Here are a small selection of the recent colourful side of the system.

 

NET 202

 

NET 206

 

NET 207

 

 NET 209

 

NET 211