‘Scene’ Coaching in North Wales on ‘Dennis Basfords railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

A short break on the North Wales coast held all sorts of transport possibilities. 

 

‘Arriva Wales’ trains and buses including some ‘Sapphire’ branded deckers,’Express Motors’ yellow and white fleet together with whatever the countries coach operators could turn up with.

 

The ‘STAR’ of the week was,

 

BCJ 710B ‘Alpine Travel’ Leyland Tiger Cub / Harrington Cavalier 

on ‘Dennis Basfords railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

Making its way to Llandudno pier for another day at work

 

Dating from 1964 when it was new to ‘Wye Valley Coaches’ of Hereford.

 

 

B12 CYM ‘Cymru Coaches’ Volvo B12BT / Jonkheere SHV 

on ‘Dennis Basfords railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

‘Cymru Coaches’ are based in Swansea.

 

 

KJI 404 ‘Mystic Isle’ Mercedes-Benz 1836RL / Mercedes-benz Touro 

on ‘Dennis Basfords railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

‘Mystic Isle’ are from Droitwich, Worcestershire.

 

Originally BU53 AWO, it became 447 HWT, then reverted to BU53 AWO before taking its present mark.

 

 

MY51 SLE ‘Mystic Isle’ Mercedes-Benz 1836RL / Mercedes-Benz Touro 

on ‘Dennis Basfords railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

X31 SLE ‘Mystic Isle’ Mercedes-Benz Tourismo 

on ‘Dennis Basfords railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

Formerly AL08 DGE with ‘Lodge Coaches’ of High Easter in Essex.

 

The driver was cleaning it at the time (see the wash leather on the windscreen wiper) and what an excellent job he made of it.

 

All 3 ‘Mystic Isle’ coaches in Llandudno that week looked immaculate every time I saw them.

 

 

YJ55 EYV ‘Ellen Smith Tours Ltd.’ VDL Bova Futura 

on ‘Dennis Basfords railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

‘Ellen Smith Tours Ltd’. are a long established operator from Rochdale.

 

 

JSU 986 ‘Clynnog & Trefor’ (CT) Mercedes-Benz Vario / Plaxton Cheetah.

on ‘Dennis Basfords railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

A ‘cherished’ registration having appeared on at least two earlier ‘C&T’ vehicles.

‘C&T’ being based at Caernarfon.

M953 TSX ‘Alpine North Wales’ Volvo B10M / Plaxton Interurban.

on ‘Dennis Basfords railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

Formerly with ‘Stagecoach in Fife’ where it worked on the ‘Stagecoach Express’ network.

 

PK13 GCX ‘Silverdale’ Neoplan N2216SHD Tourliner.

 

on ‘Dennis Basfords railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

Silverdale being a well known Nottingham based operator.

 

 

 

FF10 NJS ‘Roselyn Coaches’ Volvo B12M / Jonkheere SHV.

on ‘Dennis Basfords railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

A long way from home which is in Par in Cornwall.

 

 

 

GIG 7078 ‘Bluebird Coaches’ DAF SB3000 / Van Hool Alizee.

on ‘Dennis Basfords railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

’Bluebird’ are a Wales based company from Neath in Glamorgan.

 

 

 

BU13 ZTW ‘Alfa Coaches’ Mercedes-Benz Tourismo.

on ‘Dennis Basfords railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

‘Alfa’ work from their Chorley, Lancashire, depot.

 

 

 

WA04 ZNR ‘Daish’s Holidays’ Volvo B12B / Jonkheere Mistral.

on ‘Dennis Basfords railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

Not the best of of images being shaded by trees but included to show ‘the new kid on the block’ in Llandudno terms.

 

‘Daish’ being a very well known coach holiday operator previously exclusively across the South of England with hotels in Bournemouth, Eastbourne, Weymouth, Torquay and the Isle of Wight.

 

The opening of a hotel in North Wales could open the way for others across the North !

 

 

 

‘Scene’ in Derby Friday 08/01/2016

Well, here we are at the start of a New Year that from a weather point of view so far has been dreadful.

 

The sight on television of a ‘Stagecoach’ single decker floating  in floodwater in Cumbria brings it home to me that we have been remarkably lucky in the East Midlands to get off as lightly as we have.

 

So then, the first dry day together with a bit of sunshine encouraged me to get the camera out and ‘sally forth’.

 

Where better to start than Derby, there is always something that is of interest.

 

AIG 1346

 

A Mercedes-Benz Vario with Plaxton Cheetah bodywork working for ‘Glovers’ of Ashbourne.

 

It was previously registered W365 MKY with ‘Glovers’.

 

YN53 CFL

This Scania Omnidekka (one of 10) now working for ‘notts+derby’ (n+d) was formerly employed in the ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) fleet in who’s basic livery it still appears.

 

P51 JJU 

 

A Volvo B10M with Plaxton Premiere bodywork working for ‘Harpur’s Coaches' of Derby.

 

Nothing seems to be known of this vehicle other than it was supplied by ‘Yeates’ the Loughborough dealership.

 

FJ03 VVW

A Scania L94UB with Wright Solar Urban bodywork  of ‘trentbarton’ (tb) turns into the bus station.

 

I think that ‘tb’ do an excellent job of publicising their own services and some of their branded liveries are superb. 

 

I just wish that the dark red used for the ‘fleet’ livery could be a lot brighter. 

 

Being an ‘oldtimer’, I still look back to the rich red and cream of ‘Trent Motor Traction’ with fond memories.

 

FE02 KDN

 

An Optare Solo helping out on the ‘sevens’ to Belper.

 

FN04 HSD

 

A Scania L94UB with Wright Solar Urban bodywork  of ‘tb’ 'ZOOM’s out of Derby on its way to Borrowash.

 

YN53 CEU

A Scania Omnidekka formerly of ‘NCT’ that has made into ‘n+d’ livery and very well it looks!

 

R960 RAU

 

A Volvo B10M with Plaxton bodywork of ‘n+d’ that has previously appeared in both ‘red arrow’ and ‘transpeak’ liveries for ‘tb’ or ‘Trent Buses’ as they were then.

 

R27 BUS

An Optare Solo in ’n+d’ colours. 

 

Unusual in that this is its third (at least) registration number having previously been FE02 KEK in the main ‘tb’ fleet and then A20 UOD.

 

FJ10 OXR

 

This Scania/Irizar i4 coach was new in 2010 and has always worked on the ‘red arrow’. 

 

However, it has been re painted to match the layout and style of the livery applied to the new Volvo/Plaxton coaches introduced on the 'red arrow' in October 2015.

 

YN08 MRO

A Scania K230UB with Wright Solar bodywork working for ‘High Peak Buses’ (HPB) which itself is a jointly owned operation of ‘Centrebus’ and ‘trentbarton’.

 

The last time I saw it, it was painted in the green version of the ‘transpeak’ livery.

 

Prior to joining ‘HPB’ it was used by Scania as a demonstrator and then the ‘Huddersfield Bus Company’ who are again a ‘Centrebus’ group company.

 

YJ12 NAU

An Optare Solo SR of ‘tb’

 

Seen in the ‘Mango’ livery which promotes ‘tb’s own cashless travel card.

 

 

 

‘Scene’ in Leicester Haymarket

I am aware that the Haymarket area together with its small bus station are being re-developed so I thought it best to get some images before the buses were crowded out by ‘dozers and diggers’. 

 

FD02 UKR

A DAF DB250 with East Lancs Lowlander bodywork working for ‘Arriva Midlands’ (AM).

FD02 UKT

 

Another of the same wearing a revised, newer livery from the one above.

 

 

TUI 7938 (formerly FJ56 OBF)

 

A Volvo B7TL with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodywork wearing the ‘Arriva’ Sapphire livery that is relevant in Leicester.

 

Prior to its re registration it worked in Leicester in the ‘turn up and go’ livery. I presume that it has been re registered to disguise its age.

KP51 WBY

 

A Volvo B7TL with Alexander ALX 400 bodywork working for ‘First Leicester’. 

 

Barbie was still hanging on in there...!

SN58 CHC

 

A Dennis Trident fitted with Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Enviro 400 bodywork.

 

It used to work in London for ‘First Capital’ before being cascaded North.

 

Route branded for service 74 to Anstey.

 

I think the branding makes what is otherwise a poor livery look quite attractive.

 

V159 EFS

 

A Dennis Dart SLF with Plaxton Pointer 2 bodywork.

 

Wearing a non standard ‘Centrebus’ (Cb) livery, the white element being missing.

 

It was part of the ‘Kimes of Folkingham’ (KoF) fleet that was taken over by ‘Cb’ in 2011 and originally entered service in Leicester in ‘KoF’ livery prior to being repainted.

 

 

YJ61 CHO

An Optare Versa working for ‘AM’.

 

V120 LVH

An Optare Solo working for ‘Cb’ in an almost all over ad for a local radio station.

 

YN03 ZXB

Another ‘Cb’ Optare Solo. This one came to ‘Cb’ by way of ‘Paul James’ of Radcliffe on the Wreak who in turn became part of ‘Veolia Transport’.

 

S553 BNV

A Mercedes-Benz 0814 Vario with Plaxton Beaver bodywork. 

 

Previously in the fleet of ‘Burton’s of Haverhill’ it currently works for ‘Nigel Jackson Travel’, a Leicester based company.

 

The orange strobe light on the roof is an unusual addition to a service bus.

Coaches 'Scene' in the Southwest

A few days holiday based in Weymouth allowed me to have a look at what goes on in that part of the world. The buses of the Southwest will feature in a later ‘blog’.

 

Many coaches in this part of the world are like me and just visiting. We start however with one that ‘lives’ there.

 

JSK 262

A Volvo B10M-62 with Plaxton Paragon bodywork was new to ‘Plymouth citycoach’ as Y314 NYD in 2001 and gained its dateless registration in 2011.

 

‘Plymouth Citybus’ of which ‘citycoach’ is a part has a history dating back a hundred years and for most of them it was owned by Plymouth Corporation. These days however it is part of the ‘Go-Ahead’ group having been purchased by them in 2009.

 

SJ08 WAC

 

A Volvo 9700 of ‘Platinum Express’, a Wolverhampton based operator.

 

At one time it was 08-G-805 operated by ‘Callinan Coaches’ of Claregalway, County Galway in Southern Ireland. At that time it carried a ‘Eurolines’/‘National Express’ joint livery.

 

 

YT13 AMU

A Scania K380EBF with Irizar i6 bodywork of ‘Solus Coaches’. ‘Solus’ are a Tamworth, Staffordshire based operator.

 

With a history going back only as far as 2001, they have come along way in a short time with a current fleet of over 30 vehicles.

 

2011 saw them take over ‘Protours’ of Swadlincote and revert the company back to its original name of ‘Viking Coaches’. A widely known and respected name in the East Midlands with a history dating back almost 90 years.

 

YJ06 LCY

A VDL SB4000 with Van Hool Alizee bodywork. It has been with ‘Mid Wales Travel’ of Penrhyncoch since new in October 2006.

 

NH06 GEH

A Volvo B12M with Plaxton Panther bodywork operated by ‘National Holidays’ who these days are part of the ‘Shearings’ group.

FJ10 DPX

A Volvo B12B with Jonkheere bodywork new to and operated by ‘Brent Thomas Coaches Ltd.’ of Tonypandy in South Wales.

 

HSK 654

A Volvo B9R with Plaxton Elite bodywork operated by ‘Parks of Hamilton’ on ‘National Express’ work.

 

Seen in the rather bleak confines of Bridport bus station the dateless registration has been used before most recently on another Volvo/Plaxton product a B12M/Panther.

 

 

 

 

GIL 8494

 

Another VDL SB4000 with Van Hool Alizee bodywork working for ‘Pencoed Travel’ of Pencoed in South Wales. 

 

Before gaining its dateless registration it was YJ54 CHG and was new to ‘Bradshaw’ of St. Annes on Sea.

 

WA14 EJK

 

A Mercedes Benz Vario with Plaxton Cheetah bodywork working for ‘Sewards Coaches’ of Axminster in Devon.

 

 

R555 JVA

A Volvo B10M with Plaxton Premiere bodywork. currently working for Somerset based operator ‘Chivers’ (JVA Sunseeker Tours) of Midsomer Norton.

 

It has an interesting history being new to ‘The Londoners’ as R986 MGP in 1996. Moving to ‘Hearn’ of Harrow weald in 2001 as R1 HRN before finally moving to ‘Chivers’ in 2007 and being given its current registration in 2008.

 

It is surprising to me that whilst being given a new identity in 2008, they didn’t go the whole hog and give it a dateless registration.

 

HY53 DVO

A Neoplan N316SHD Euroliner of ‘South Coast Travel’ (SCT) seated to carry 70 passengers (presumably children). ‘SCT’ are based in Bournemouth.

'Scene’ in Lichfield Bus Station

 

This small City by comparison to some others, Lichfield is located in Staffordshire on the edge of the West Midlands, not far away from the East Midlands and is dominated by its Cathedral.

 

Lichfield sees to be a quiet place but as it lies along the route of the proposed HS2 railway line, It will no doubt see expansion when it becomes commutable from London.

 

The Bus Station is old fashioned being reminiscent of the 1960’s and ripe for development. That is not to say that it is not functional. The buses are driven in and driven out. No drive in and reverse out. The shelters are quite effective at keeping the rain out as I found out for myself ! 

 

Most of the services operating out of the bus station are in the hands of ‘Arriva’ but there are others.

 

The ‘Arriva’ fleet is represented by

 

YJ11 OKD

 

An Optare Versa from ‘Arriva Midlands’ about to depart for its home town at Burton on Trent.

 

YN08 HZR

A Scania K230UB Omnilink from ‘Arriva North Midlands’.

 

YN08 HZM

Another of the same from the same batch albeit wearing the earlier livery.

 

YJ57 AZR

A VDL SB200 with Plaxton Centro bodywork.

 

Old and new ‘midi buses’ were in attendance.

 

SN53 ESO

A Dennis Dart fitted with Plaxton’s Mini Pointer Dart bodywork and

 

MX12 JXF

An Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 200 branded for the Walsall-Lichfield service 35. 

 

The attractive young lady driving this bus had a smile that was like the sun coming out. She quite made my day!

YJ61 FEH

Another VDL SB200. This time fitted with Wright’s Pulsar 2 bodywork. Working from Cannock depot.

 

‘Arriva’ operates the X65 linking Lichfield with Tamworth. Seen waiting departure time is

 

BJ12 YPM  

A Mercedes-Benz Citaro.

 

The X65 was was introduced to compete with CEN Group owned Central Buses who operate a fleet of approximately 24 buses across the West Midlands.

 

They run the service between Lichfield and Tamworth as the X55 and cleverly include the ‘55’ in its ‘xpress’ branding.

 

YX63 ZXL 

 

An Alexander Dennis Enviro SLF 200. One of 2 in the fleet. (the other being ZXK).

 

 

‘Midland Classic’ are a relatively new operator mainly working in the Burton-on-Trent area. They operate the X12 from Burton to Lichfield on a half hourly basis and hourly it is extended to Sutton Coldfield. 

 

S25 SLT

A Scania L94UB with Wright Pulsar bodywork. One of 5 similar that came from  ‘South Lancs Transport’ of Atherton in Greater Manchester.

 

 

DY57 HYM

 

It is unusual for a Ford Transit to appear on bus work but this one working for ‘Solus Coaches’ is operating on service No. 823 between Lichfield and Rugeley.

 

 

YJ54 BUE

 

An Optare Solo of ‘Blue Diamond’ (BD). There are a couple of these working a circular service round North Lichfield. The other is BUF. Both came from ‘Rossendale Transport’.

 

‘BD’ started with the formation of the Birmingham Coach Company in 1984 and today after a complex series of take overs is now part of the ‘Rotala’ group.

 

Lichfield apart from its Cathedral is an historic city and because if that finds itself on the tourist trail

 

R161 LDE

A Volvo B10M with Plaxton bodywork. A now elderly coach which looked very well. Working for ‘Chris Cars’ who use the fleet name ‘Coracle Coaches’, based in Carmarthen in South Wales.

New to ‘Jones’, Login in 1998 as R161 LDE it was re registered 834 TDE by ‘Jones’ in 2005. Presumably because ‘Jones’ wanted to retain the date less registration it reverted to the original when the coach joined ‘Chris Cars’ in 2011.

 

 

KVL 261

A Plaxton Cheetah bodied Mercedes-Benz-Vario working for ‘Sleafordian’ from Sleaford in Lincolnshire who this year celebrate 50 years in the coaching business. Congratulations !!

(Somebody has pinched the 3 pointed M-B 'star' off the radiator).

 

KSK 985

 

A Volvo B9R with Plaxton Elite bodywork. Working for ‘National Express’ contractor ‘Park’s of Hamilton’ and just leaving Lichfield on on its way to Brixham.

 

The driver very kindly stopped and posed the coach for me.

K107 OHF

 

A Volvo B10B with Northern Counties Paladin bodywork employed by ‘Arriva’ on driver training duties called in to sample the bus station’s facilities.