‘Scene’ in Chatsworth Park, Derbyshire 3 Visitors on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

There cannot be many readers / viewers of my blog who are unaware that 2021 marks the 100th. anniversary of the founding of ‘Hulleys of Baslow’.

 

It had been intended to mount a bus rally in Chatsworth nearer to the original anniversary date but this was set back to September 26th. 2021 because of the Covid-19 crisis.

 

The buses I saw on the day split nicely into, 

 

Those owned by ‘Hulleys’, preserved buses and those that were visiting or passing through.

 

I do not claim that those pictured were the only buses on display because there were others that were out visiting elsewhere that I would have missed.

 

SL64 JCU ‘Stagecoach Manchester’ No. 10428 ‘ PROUD TO SERVE MANCHESTER FOR 25 YEARS’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E40D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 400MMC

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

 

An unusual livery.

 

 

 

 

 YN06 JYK ‘TM Travel’ No. 11. Scania N94UD / East Lancs Omnidekka

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

 

Pictured working between Sheffield and Bakewell.

 

New to ‘Metrobus’ as No. 925.

 

Wearing ‘TM Travel’ titles on a ‘notts+derby’ paint scheme.

 

Both companies being part of the ‘Wellglade’ group.

 

 

 

 

YN06 JYO  ‘TM Travel’ No. 1175. Scania N94UD / East Lancs Omnidekka

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

 

Pictured working between Sheffield and Bakewell.

 

New to ‘Metrobus’ as No. 927.

 

 

 

 

M444 BUS ‘Maxfields Travel’, Sheffield. Auwater Neoplan Euroliner N 313 SHD

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

 

New registered YR02 UMK to ‘Pagan’ of Hounslow.

 

The badging N 316 SHD on the coach is incorrect.

 

 

 

 

WX69 PMU ‘IGO TRAVEL’. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 516 CDI

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

 

 

 

 

BK13 XYJ ‘Bakers Dolphin’. Merceded Benz Tourismo

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

 

‘Scene’ in Eastbourne, Coaches on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

Eastbourne, like many UK resorts depends on the coaching industry to provide a steady stream of visitors to fill the towns hotels.

 

Eastbourne is famous for its ‘Carpet Gardens’. In this image, we can see why.

 

 

 

YJ12 CGO ‘OGDENS Travel’, (St Helens). Van Hool TX15 / Van Hool

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

 

 

 

SR14 NGS ‘Shearings Holidays’. Mercedes-Benz Tourismo

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

 

New to ‘Pulham’, (Bourton-on-the-Water).

 

Not the best image I am afraid but included to show a ‘Shearings’ livery that I have not seen before.

 

 

 

B1 BTL ‘Bensons’ (Tattenhall). Scania K124EB6 / Irizar PB

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

 

New to ‘Ashton’s, St. Helens as SA06 ASH.

 

 

 

YT16 JMO ‘Silverdale’ (Nottingham). Scania K410EB4 / Scania OmniExpress

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

 

 

 

 

PSV 592 ‘Slacks’ (Matlock). Neoplan Euroliner N316SHD

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

 

Formerly YN06 FWB with ‘Slacks’.

 

 

SFZ 595 ‘Seaford & District’ No. 2595 Volvo B10M / Jonkheere 

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

 

An image snatched through the upper windscreen of a bus I was travelling on and at the time employed on Rail Replacement work into Brighton.

 

Formerly S658 JSE with ‘Stagecoach Highlands’ as its No. 52608.

 

 

 

3P6 9371 ‘Travel Ageny Inex’ SETRA S-117-HD

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

 

With a party of Czech schoolchildren, seen at Birling Gap.

 

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' around Torbay

A few days in the Torbay area produced a crop of transport images.

 

PSV 592

A Neoplan Euroliner operated by KV & GL Slack of Matlock in Derbyshire. This is a cherished registration that has been used before. In the past it has appeared on a Van Hool Alize bodied DAF and also a Iveco Beulas EuroRider 35.

 

A20 EFA

Another Neoplan, this time a Starliner in the service of Applegates Coaches of Gloucestershire.

 

No. 4588

Great Western Railway 2-6-2T seen at the Paignton terminus of the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway.

 

Torbay is very much ‘Stagecoach’ territory and as elsewhere in the country they have introduced the upmarket ‘Stagecoach Gold’ brand to the area.

 

Externally distinguished by the gold and dark blue colour scheme. The interior has matching dark blue leather seats of a standard that is better than those normally fitted in their double deckers.

 

There are currently two routes in operation both commencing in Torquay. Then running via Paignton to Totnes where they divide with one then serving Dartmouth and the other going on to Plymouth.

 

The last time I was in the area 2 years ago, ‘First’ ran the Plymouth service as the X81 but with the introduction of the competing ‘Stagecoach’ service simply gave up.

 

YN63 BWZ is seen in Paignton bus station.

A Scania 230UD with Alexander Dennis Ltd (ADL) bodywork.

 

 

 

The rest of the operation is in the hands of ‘Stagecoach’ standard types

 

WA61 KLX

Being another Scania 230UD with 'ADL' Enviro 400 bodywork. This bus is branded for the Newton Abbot to Brixham service.

 

50 years ago, much of this route was operated by Devon General’s open top MCW bodied Leyland Atlanteans which carried the names of famous English ‘Sea Dogs’

 

S467 BWC

Now approaching the veteran stage is this Dennis Dart SLF with ‘ADL’s ALX 300 bodywork.

In the background is the clock tower roundabout adjacent to Torquay’s harbour.

 

The clock tower is an historic feature dating back to 1902 and was erected as a memorial to the life and work of Richard Mallock. He lived at nearby Cockington Court in the village of Cockington.

 

I was a bit surprised that in a land where the Enviro 400 is plentiful that all the departures on the sometimes severe X46 to Exeter that I saw. Were operated by older Alexander ALX400 bodied Dennis Tridents. 

 

MX05 WHZ  

 KN04 XJG

As in most towns and cities these days, the Optare Solo can be found in some numbers. Paignton bus station was no exception.

 

WA04 TYB

 

L15 PPN

At one time with ‘Lippen Coaches’ in Southwest Scotland. It now operates for ‘Local link’ in Torbay

WK06 HZZ

Again with ‘Local link’