‘Scene’ at the ‘Great Central Railway’, Leicestershire 3 “What sort of bus was it? It was a green one” on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

It is two years since friend Peter Rose and I last visited the GCR.

 

A good selection of trains both steam and diesel were running. 

 

However, our main purpose, now as then, was to see and photograph the entrants in the bus rally held at Quorn & Woodhouse station.

 

DFE 963D ‘Lincolnshire Road Car Co. Ltd’. No. 2537

Bristol FS5G Lodekka / Eastern Coach Works

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

 

Please forgive the slight intrusion of shadows at the front, caused by the trees that line the eastern side of the site.

 

 

 

 

MLL 817 ‘London Transport’ No. RF280

AEC Regal IV / Metro-Cammell  /1

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

 

 

 

 

MLL 817 ‘London Transport’ No. RF280

AEC Regal IV / Metro-Cammell  /2

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

 

 

 

 

MRT 9P ‘Ipswich Borough Transport’ No.9, PHILLIPA JAYNE.

Leyland AN68 Atlantean / Roe

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

 

Converted to open top in January 1985.

 

 

 

 

FRP 692 ‘UNITED COUNTIES’ No. 692.

Bristol KS6B / Eastern Coach Works

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

 

New in 1950.

 

 

 

 

EKA 220Y ‘Merseyside Transport’.

Leyland Tiger / Duple Dominant

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

 

 

 

 

264 ERY ‘GUIDE FRIDAY’ No. 264.

Leyland PD3A / Park Royal

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

 

New in 1963 to ‘LEICESTER CITY TRANSPORT’ who converted it to open top in 1978.

 

 

 

 

PJX 43 ‘HALIFAX CORPORATION TRANSPORT’ No. 43.

Leyland PD2 / Weymann

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

 

The livery was ‘borrowed’ from ‘Glasgow Corporation Transport’ by Mr. Geoffrey Hillditch who managed ‘HCT’ at the time.

 

Asked why, he said, “because I like it”.

 

I can’t think of a better reason!!

 

New in 1962.

 

‘Scene’ at The Derbyshire Dales Bus Rally 4 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.

 

NDB 356 ‘Stockport Corporation’ No.403.

Leyland Tiger Cub / Crossley

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

 

Although the body was built by Crossley, it was built to a Park Royal design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

UJX 920M ‘Halifax Corporation Transport’ No. 10.

Leyland Leopard / Plaxton Derwent

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

 

The livery was ‘borrowed’ from ‘Glasgow Corporation Transport’ by Mr. Geoffrey Hillditch who managed ‘HCT’ at the time.

 

Asked why, he said, “because I like it”.

 

I can’t think of a better reason!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

C131 HJN ‘UNITED’ No. 1401.

Leyland Tiger / Plaxton Paramount 3200

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

 

It also had a spell with ‘Eastern National’ in a rather garish yellow and blue colour scheme.

 

 

 

 

 

 

W645 FUM ‘NATIONAL HOLIDAYS’.

Volvo B10M / Plaxton

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

 

New to ‘Wallace Arnold Coaches’.

 

‘Scene’ at Transpire’s Peak Park Bus Gathering 2022 /3 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

For some years now, this event has been held at the ‘Peak Rail’ site at Rowsley in Derbyshire.

 

There was plenty of room for the 35 or so buses the event attracted together with the added bonus of the trains provided by ‘Peak Rail’.

 

This year being steam only.

 

A return to the traditional June date was welcome because last year the event was held in August due to the problems caused by the Covid 19 pandemic.

 

CRU 103C Bournemouth Transport No. 103.

Leyland Leopard / Weymann /1

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

 

One of three, CRU 101C No. 101 and CRU 102C No. 102 being the other two.

 

They were fitted with what were called ‘Dual Purpose’ seating. 

 

Not quite up to full coach standard but better than the usual bus seats.

 

Usually in a bus body shell.

 

They were used as buses most of the time but could be drafted in to support the coach fleet when required.

 

The pattern of taking holidays in the 1960’s was different to today.

 

These days, coach holidays have the coach providing transport to and from the resort and staying in the resort to provide excursions during the holiday.

 

In the 60’s, people booked their own accomodation in a resort and then booked with a coach or bus company to provide the transport to the resort.

 

Saturday was ‘changeover day’ when resort coach parks would be very busy.

 

I have seen the coach parks in Skegness, Llandudno and other places rammed with coaches and often buses delivering and collecting passengers. 

Almost anything that could turn a wheel was sometimes used.

 

A way of working that has gone but they were very interesting times for enthusiasts.

 

 

 

 

 

CRU 103C Bournemouth Transport No. 103.

Leyland Leopard / Weymann /2

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

 

 

 

 

N668 THO ‘Coopers’, Killamarsh, Derbyshire, 

Burtons of Alfreton, (Derbyshire).

Volvo B10M / Plaxton Premiere 320

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

 

New registered XEL 6S to ‘Excelsior’, Bournemouth.

 

Being local to where I live, this coach is well known to me.

 

The quality of the paintwork is superb. 

 

So much so that ‘Coopers’ opted to keep it as it was with just the addition of their own titles.

 

 

 

 

EKA 220Y ‘Merseyside PTE’ No. 7020.

Leyland Tiger / Duple Dominant

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

 

 

 

 

PRA 109R ‘Whites of Calver’, Derbyshire.

Leyland Leopard  Alexander ’T'

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

 

Well known to me when it was new to ‘Trent Motor Traction’ as No. 109.

 

It was sold to ‘Lancaster City Transport’ before joining 

‘Whites of Calver’, (a subsidiary of ‘Chesterfield Transport’).

 

‘Chesterfield Transport’ became part of the ‘Stagecoach’ group and the bus passed to their ‘Bluebird Buses’ subsidiary in Scotland.

 

Again, the quality of the paintwork is superb.

 

 

 

 

KPC 204P ‘WHITEHEADS’.

Bedford YRQ / Plaxton Panorama Elite 111

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

 

New to ‘Harding’, Betchworth, Surrey.

 

 

 

 

DXI 3341 ‘Ulsterbus No. 341.

Leyland Tiger / Alexander (Belfast) ’N’

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

 

‘Scene’ on Wetmore Road, Burton on Trent (BoT) When Yellow met Blue on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

Wetmore Road for those who don’t know is where the fleet of ‘Midland Classic of Burton’ (MC) is garaged.

 

Over the weekend of 28/29th August 2021 ‘MC’ held a Heritage Weekend to celebrate two anniversaries.

 

On the Saturday to celebrate 15 years of ‘MC’ operating in Burton.

 

On the Sunday to celebrate the 95th. anniversary of John Stevenson setting up in business to run buses between Burton and Uttoxeter via Tutbury.

 

A route that ‘mc’ still operates today.

 

I have referred to ‘Stevenson’s’ a number of times in my blogs over the years. 

 

Usually in connection with ‘Midland Classic’ the current major operator in ‘BoT’ who own a number of buses that carry ‘Stevenson’s’ livery.

 

This legendary operator dating back to the 1920’s operated in Staffordshire and eventually into what is now the West Midlands as far south as Birmingham.

 

Always innovative, they operated a fleet which was made up of a wide variety of vehicles from a wide variety of sources.

 

At the height of operations the fleet stood at over 250 buses.

 

This included in later years.

 

Bristol VR’s with Eastern Coach Works coach seated bodies working a commuter service into the centre of Birmingham.

 

Known originally as  ‘Stevenson’s of Spath. (the village that was the companies base).

 

Then ‘Stevenson’s of Burton & Uttoxeter until becoming part of ‘ARRIVA via ‘British Bus’ in 1994.

 

UVT 14X ‘Stevensons’ No. 14.

Leyland Tiger / Plaxton Supreme V Express /1

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

 

The numberplate behind the windscreen (XBF 423X) was carried by this coach when it worked for ‘Bassetts of Tittensor’ prior to being preserved.

 

 

 

 

UVT 14X ‘Stevensons’ No. 14.

Leyland Tiger / Plaxton Supreme V Express /2

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

 

 

 

 

UVT 14X ‘Stevensons’ No. 14.

Leyland Tiger / Plaxton Supreme V Express /3

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

 

 

 

 

ORS 60R ‘Stevensons’.

Leyland Leopard / Alexander ‘Y’

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

 

New to ‘Grampian Regional Transport’ as No. 60.

 

Subsequently to ‘Bankfoot Buses’.

 

 

 

A499 MHG ‘Jim Stones’.

Leyland-DAB A/S Cub / Eastern Coach Works /1

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

 

I believe this is bus is  unique to the UK. 

 

The chassis was built by Leyland’s Danish subsidiary.

 

 

 

 

A499 MHG ‘Jim Stones’.

Leyland-DAB A/S / Eastern Coach Works /2

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

 

 

 

 

TMS 405X ‘Midland Scottish’ No. MPE 405.

Leyland Leopard / Alexander ‘Y’ type /1

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

 

New to ‘Alexander Midland’.

 

 

 

 

TMS 405X ‘Midland Scottish’ No. MPE 405.

Leyland Leopard / Alexander ‘Y’ type /2

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

 

‘Scene’ at the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre. More Visiting Single Deckers on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

Located at Ruddington, which lies five miles to the South of Nottingham.

 

It is also home to the ‘Great Central Railway-Nottingham’.

 

A large site which houses an extensive collection of vintage buses as well as standard gauge and miniature railway vehicles and artefacts.

 

Originally a station on the ‘Great Central Railway’  extension line that linked Sheffield with London via Nottingham and Leicester.

 

1322 WA ‘Sheffield United Tours’ (SUT) No. 322.

AEC Reliance / Plaxton Panorama

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

 

New in 1961.

 

At that time, I lived about 15 minutes walk away from SUT’s Charlotte Road depot and I can remember these being delivered.

 

I thought they were beautiful at the time.

 

I still do.

 

 

 

 

PDJ 269L ‘St Helens Corporation No. 269.

AEC Swift / Marshall

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

 

 

 

 

DNU 20C ‘Midland General Omnibus Company’. No. 296.

Bristol MW6G / Eastern Coach Works

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

 

 

 

 

A10 CNU ‘TRENT’ No. 10 ‘NATIONAL HOLIDAYS’

Leyland Tiger / Duple Laser

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

 

 

 

 

R89 GNW ‘White Bus Services’.

DAF SB220 / Optare Delta

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

 

New registered 98-D-61842 to ‘Flyerbus’, Dublin.

 

‘Scene’ at the age of 100. ‘Hulleys of Baslow’ /2 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

For ‘Hulleys of Baslow’ /1, see blog posted 01/04/2021.  

 

April 2021 sees the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of what has become ‘Hulleys of Baslow’, the well known Derbyshire based independent bus operator.

 

To celebrate the occasion, a gathering of some of ‘Hulleys’ past and present fleet is being planned to take place in Chatsworth Park, Derbyshire on Sunday the 25th. of April 2021.

 

Founded by Henry Hulley, the ownership of the company has changed hands more than once but the name of its founder has survived all the changes.

 

I have known the company for over 60 years and during that time the buses initially painted (in my time at least) in shades of red and red and grey have been a fixture in Rutland Square in Bakewell.

 

These days, the livery has changed to cream and dark blue. 

 

A combination that ‘Hulleys’ inherited from ‘South Notts’ when buses were bought from that fleet and the livery adopted.

 

Although Hulleys ‘main line’ is probably its service number 170 from Bakewell to Chesterfield via Baslow.

 

The company operates widely across North Derbyshire, to Sheffield and in the past year to Manchester.

 

The earliest images I have are in black and white and were acquired over the years from a variety of sources which today are unknown. 

 

So the best I can claim is that they are part of my collection.

 

I have included them for completeness sake and thank the unknown photographers who at that time had the foresight to capture the images for posterity.

 

Buses (and coaches) are listed in order of their first date of registration when new.

 

LHN 574 ‘Hulleys’ No. 27. Guy Arab / Burlingham

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

 

New in 1949 as No. 074 to ‘Darlington Triumph’.

 

 

 

 

LHA 400 ‘Hulleys’. BMMO S9 / Brush

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

 

New as No. 3400 to ‘Midland Red’ in 1949.

 

At the time, it was unusual for ‘Midland Red’ buses to be sold on the second hand market. They usually went straight for scrap.

 

 

 

DHE 353 ‘Hulleys’ No. 25. Leyland Tiger / Brush

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

 

New in 1951 to 'Yorkshire Traction’ as No. 922.

 

Currently under restoration.

 

 

 

 

KBN 90 ‘Hulleys’. AEC Reliance / Burlingham Seagull

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

 

New in 1956 to ‘Knowles’, Bolton.

 

 

 

 

402 BRB ‘Hulleys’. Bedford SBG / Duple

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

 

New in 1957.

 

Pictured in Rutland Square, Bakewell.

 

 

 

 

‘Scene’ at ‘Transpire’s 2019 Bus Rally at Rowsley in Derbyshire /5 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

‘Transpire’ being the name of the ‘Chesterfield Bus Society’.

 

A major event in my ‘Bus’ calendar. I have attended most if not all of the events over the years.

 

I am always surprised that although I think that I have seen everything that might turn up that on the day there is always something that I have not seen before and is new to me.

 

For part 1 see blog posted 21/08/2019. For part 2 see blog posted 05/01/2020. For part 3 see blog posted 17/01/2020. For part 4 see blog posted 30/01/2020.

 

A10 CNU ‘Trent Motor Traction Ltd’ No.10, ‘NATIONAL HOLIDAYS’. Leyland Tiger / Duple Laser

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

 

 

 

B106 JAB ‘Midland Red West’ No.1006, ‘Eurocruising’. Leyland Tiger / Plaxton Paramount

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

 

 

 

J70 BTS ‘Blackpool Transport No. 364. DAF DB250LF / East Lancs Myllenium

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

 

New registered  FMN-181-P No. 54 to ‘Bus Vannin’, Isle of Man.

 

 

 

1322 WA ‘Sheffield United Tours Ltd. No. 322.  AEC Reliance / Plaxton Panorama 1

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

 

New in 1961.

 

 

 

G329 SVV ‘J.R. Dent’. Leyland Tiger / Plaxton Paramount 3

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

 

New registered G880 BKV to ‘Wainfleet’, Nuneaton.

 

At some time in its career it has also carried the registration MIW 5787.

 

‘Scene’ at ‘Transpire’s 2018 annual gathering at Rowsley 4 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

‘Transpire’ being the Chesterfield Bus Society.

 

TT57 BLU ‘hulleys of Baslow’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Dart / MCV Evolution

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

 

For Parts 1, 2 and 3 see blogs posted 03/04/2019, 22/04/2019 and 23/04/2019

 

An uncomfortable mixture of lower case and capital letters in the operators title.

 

Used as a control vehicle on the day.

 

New to ‘Dunstan’, ((Bluebird), Middleton as its No. 94. 

 

Then having had spells with ‘Stagecoach Manchester’ as its No. 33872 who took over ‘Bluebird’ and then ‘Compass Bus’ (Worthing).

 

 

 

 

R897 XVM ‘Harpur’s Coaches’, Derby. Volvo B10M / Alexander PS

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

 

New to ‘Greater Manchester South’ as it No. 897.

 

 

 

 

AXI 2541 ‘Citybus’, Belfast No. 2451. Bristol RELL6G / Alexander (Belfast)

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

The advertisement boards are an unusual feature.

 

 

 

 

YXI 5500 ‘Ulsterbus’, Leyland Tiger / Wright

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