‘Scene’ at Showbus 2022 Pre War Buses on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

I have attended a number of SHOWBUS events over the years but this was the first time I had attended one at the Hertfordshire County Showgound.

 

The 50th. show and if we are to believe what we read, the last.

 

It would be a great pity if the reputation the SHOWBUS name has built up over the years were to be lost but we shall have to wait and see.

 

It is hard to believe that buses built before the Second World War are still around and able to visit an event 83 years after the war had started.

 

It speaks volumes for the durability of the design and construction in the first place and even more volumes for the men and women who work to keep these buses in the condition they are.

 

BOR 767 ‘Provincial’, Fareham, Hants No. 35.

AEC Regent / Park Royal /1

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

 

New to ‘Gosport & Fareham’ in 1936.

 

Pictured arriving at the show.

 

 

 

 

BOR 767 ‘Provincial’, Fareham, Hants No. 35.

AEC Regent / Park Royal /2

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

 

Later in the day, it had acquired an AEC banner.

 

 

 

 

CG 9607 ‘Provincial’, Fareham, Hants.

AEC Regal 4 / Reading

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

 

New in 1934 to ‘Gosport & Fareham’ with a Harrington body.

 

Re-bodied in 1962.

 

 

 

 

YG 7831 ‘TODMORDEN JOINT TRANSPORT COMMITTEE’ No. 15.

Leyland Tiger TS6 / Northern Counties /1

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

 

New to ‘Todmorden’ in 1934.

 

 

 

 

YG 7831 ‘TODMORDEN JOINT TRANSPORT COMMITTEE’ No. 15.

Leyland Tiger TS6 / Northern Counties /2

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

 

 

 

 

 

JJ 4379 ‘London General’ No. 832 J. Emergency Equipment.

AEC Regent / London General Omnibus Company /1

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

 

New in 1933 No. STL 162.

 

‘London Transport’ were masters at converting old buses into vans, lorries, tower wagons and all manner of ancillary vehicles.

 

Pictured arriving at the show.

 

 

 

 

JJ 4379 ‘London Transport’ No. STL 162. Emergency Equipment.

AEC Regent / London General Omnibus Company /2

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

 

Pictured later in the day when its fleet number had been changed to STL 162.

 

Two for the price of one ??

 

 

 

 

JJ 4379 ‘London Transport’ No. STL 162. Emergency Equipment.

AEC Regent / London General Omnibus Company /3

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Scene’ at Transpire’s Peak Park Bus Gathering 2022 /2 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.

 

G755 UYT ‘REDFERN TRAVEL’ www.johnsonstours.co.uk.

Leyland Olympian / Northern Counties

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

 

‘REDFERN TRAVEL’ are part of the ‘JOHNSON BROS. TOURS’. group.

 

New to ‘Pan Atlas’ as No. AB61 but acquired from ‘Arriva Merseyside’ No. 3215.

 

 

 

 

YSV 604 ‘JOHNSON BROS. TOURS’. www.johnsonstours.co.uk.

Leyland Olympian / Northern Counties

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

 

New registered G759 UYT to ‘Pan Atlas’ as No. AB67 but acquired from ‘Arriva Merseyside’ No. 3219.

 

This image by Peter Rose to whom thanks are given for its inclusion.

 

 

 

 

C253 FRJ ‘Wigan Corporation’.

Leyland Olympian / Northern Counties

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

 

New to ‘Greater Manchester PTE’ No. 3253.

 

Although painted as a ‘Wigan Corporation’ bus, I don’t think that it ever appeared in Wigan livery except in preservation.

 

 

 

 

 

GNU 266C ‘Chesterfield Transport’ No. 266.

Daimler CCG6DD / Weymann

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

 

 

 

 

LJX 198 ‘HEBBLE’ No. 307.

AEC Regent V / Weymann

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

 

New in 1959.

 

 

 

 

NAT 766A ‘Grimsby-Cleethorpes Transport’ No. 57.

Daimler CVG6-30 / Roe 1/

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

 

 

 

 

NAT 766A ‘Grimsby-Cleethorpes Transport’ No. 57.

Daimler CVG6-30 / Roe /2

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

 

 

 

 

F97 PRE ‘midland classic’, Burton on Trent. No. 97. ‘Stevensons Bus Services’.

Leyland Olympian / Alexander RL

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

 

It came into ‘Arriva Midlands’ ownership when ‘Stevensons’ were taken over in 1994.

 

 

‘Scene’ on a PSV Circle Organised Visit ‘JOHNSON BROS. 4’ on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

The PSV Circle (of which I have been a member for some years) aims to hold an Annual General Meeting in a different location in the UK every year. (Covid permitting).

 

Usually held at a weekend, they also include visits to operators and other bus related venues for the attending members to visit and enjoy.

 

This year, the location was in my part of the world, the East Midlands.

 

The fourth visit of the second day was to ‘Johnsons’ facility in Worksop, Notts.

 

I say facility because it seems to serve several purposes. A workshop and repair centre which covers both in house and third party work and a very smart showroom.

 

H5 JBT ‘JOHNSON BROS.’ ‘Euro Assist.

Renault Trafic

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

 

Like the ‘REDFERN TRAVEL’ fleet visited earlier, the ‘JOHNSON BROS.’ fleet has a very swish service vehicle to back up the drivers and vehicles out on the road.

 

 

 

 

96 RT ‘REDFERN TRAVEL’, ‘JOHNSON BROS.

Mercedes-Benz 102L / Erduman

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

 

New registered YN67 EMV.

 

 

 

 

RV71 EWK ‘JOHNSON BROS. TOURS’.

IVECO 70C22 / Ilesbus

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

 

 

 

 

P1 JBT ‘JOHNSON BROS. TOURS’.

Scania N94UD / East Lancs Omnidekka

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

 

New registered to YN04 UJZ ‘Nottingham City Transport’ as No. 737.

 

 

 

 

T655 KPU ‘JOHNSON BROS. TOURS’.

Dennis Trident / Alexander ALX400

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

 

New to ‘East London’ as No. TA55.

 

Then becoming ‘Stagecoach’ No. 17055 in 2003, moving to 

‘Stagecoach East Midland’, ‘Cambus’ and ‘Stagecoach Devon’ from where it was acquired in 2016.

 

 

 

 

YSV 604 ‘JOHNSON BROS. TOURS’.

Leyland Olympian / Northern Counties

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

 

New registered G759 UYT to ‘Pan Atlas’ as No. AB67 but acquired from 

 

‘Arriva Merseyside’ where it was No. 3219.

 

‘Scene’ on a PSV Circle Organised Visit ‘REDFERN TRAVEL ’ 2 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

The PSV Circle (of which I have been a member for some years) aims to hold an Annual General Meeting in a different location in the UK every year. (Covid permitting).

 

Usually held at a weekend, they also include visits to operators and other bus related venues for the attending members to visit and enjoy.

 

This year, the location was in my part of the world, the East Midlands.

 

The second visit of the second day was to ‘REDFERN TRAVEL’ who work out of a large modern depot at Mansfield Woodhouse, Notts.

 

The company are part of the ‘JOHNSON BROS. TOURS’ (JBT) group of Hodthorpe, Worksop, Notts. 

 

(More of which another day).

 

The fleet comprises a mixture of luxury coaches, which are a familiar sight across the UK, together with a fleet of double deck buses which are occupied on contract work.

 

59 RT ‘REDFERN TRAVEL COMMERCIAL VEHICLE REPAIRS / JOHNSON BROS. ‘Euro Service’.

Renault Trafic

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

 

It must give the group’s drivers a lot of confidence to know that if they encounter any difficulties they have this superb vehicle to call on.

 

 

 

 

L826 BKK ‘REDFERN TRAVEL’ ‘VISION West Nottinghamshire College’.

Leyland Olympian / Northern Counties

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

 

New to ‘Stagecoach East Kent’ as No. 14826.

 

There are five of these in the fleet.

 

 

 

 

S805 BWC ‘JOHNSON BROS. TOURS www.johnsonstours.co.uk

Dennis Trident / Alexander ALX400

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

 

New to ‘East London’ as No. TA5 passing to ‘Stagecoach Devon’ as No. 17005.

 

 

 

 

YV03 PZK ‘REDFERN TRAVEL’. ‘Crosskeys’.

Scania N94UD / East Lancs Omnidekka

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

 

New to ‘Metrobus’ as No. 440 but acquired from ‘Crosskeys’, Folkestone’.

 

 

 

 

YN04 UJJ ‘REDFERN TRAVEL’.

Scania N94UD / East Lancs Omnidekka

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

 

New to ‘Nottingham City Transport’ as No. 746.

 

‘Scene’ on a PSV Circle Organised Visit ‘REDFERN TRAVEL (RT)’ 1 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

The PSV Circle (of which I have been a member for some years) aims to hold an Annual General Meeting in a different location in the UK, every year. (Covid permitting).

 

Usually held at a weekend, they also include visits to operators and other bus related venues for the attending members to visit and enjoy.

 

This year, the location was in my part of the world, the East Midlands.

 

The second visit of the second day was to ‘REDFERN TRAVEL’ who work out of a large modern depot at Mansfield Woodhouse, Notts.

 

The company are part of the ‘JOHNSON BROS. TOURS’ (JBT) group of Hodthorpe, Worksop, Notts. 

 

(More of which another day).

 

The fleet comprises a mixture of luxury coaches, which are a familiar sight across the UK, together with a fleet of double deck buses which are largely occupied on contract work.

 

YN55 NGE ‘REDFERN TRAVEL’. ‘www.johnsonstours.co.uk'.

Scania N94UD / East Lancs Omnidekka

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

 

Nearby, ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) having taken into stock over 100 gas powered double deckers in the last few years and have been selling on large parts of their good quality diesel powered fleet, a number of which have been snapped up for both ‘RT’ and ‘JBT’ fleets.

 

This line up contains 8 similar buses

 

New to NCT as No. 690.

 

 

 

 

YN08 MSO  ‘REDFERN TRAVEL’. ‘www.johnsonstours.co.uk'.

Scania N270UD / East Lancs Omnidekka

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

 

New to NCT as No. 945.

 

Bought from ‘First West of England’ where it was No. 36080.

 

 

 

 

YN55 NGZ ‘REDFERN TRAVEL’, ‘www.johnsonstours.co.uk'.

Scania N94UD / East Lancs Omnidekka

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

 

New to NCT as No. 691.

 

 

 

 

V108 MEV ‘REDFERN TRAVEL’, ‘www.johnsonstours.co.uk'.

Dennis Trident / Alexander ALX400

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

 

New to ‘Selkent’ as No. TA108.

 

 

 

 

L830 BKK ‘REDFERN TRAVEL’, ‘www.johnsonstours.co.uk'.

Leyland Olympian / Northern Counties

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

 

New to ‘Stagecoach in East Kent’ as No. 7830 but by the time it had been sold it had been renumbered 14830.

 

 

‘Scene’ at the GCR’s Bus & Train Spectacular 2021 ‘Other Operators’ on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

XOI 105 ‘G.H. WATTS Coaches’

Chassis not known / Alexander RL

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

 

 

 

 

ARC 666T ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 666 ‘Andrew Pickering’. Leyland Atlantean AN68 / Northern Counties /1 of 2 

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

 

Very much a one off where ‘NCT’ explored various ideas for incorporation in future buses.

 

This bus has appeared on my blog before but I think that it is such an attractive bus that I make no apology for including it again.

 

 

 

 

OLD 714 ‘London Transport’ No. RT 4494

AEC Regent lll / Weymann

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

 

New in 1954.

 

Originally built with a Park Royal body. It acquired its current Weymann body at overhaul in 1966.

 

 

 

 

 

D113 DHY ‘Badgerline’ No. 113

Volvo B10M / Alexander ‘P’ type

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

 

Alexanders have for many years produced stylish, elegant, attractive bus and coach bodies.

 

This, however, was not one of them.

 

 

 

 

GCK 279S ‘Florence & Grange Tours’ No. 21 ‘Violet Rose’

Bedford YLQ / Plaxton Supreme

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

 

It also had a spell on the Isle of Man registered A111 MAN.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FJU 973 ‘Paul S. Winson’, Loughborough No. 147

Volvo B7RLE / Wright Eclipse

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

 

MY02 BAN ‘SOUTH STAFFS COACH HIRE / HYLTON & DAWSON of Leicestershire’

Dennis R410 / Plaxton Panther

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

 

New registered LA02 RZG to ‘Banstead Coaches’ where it gained its current registration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

. 

‘Scene’ at the GCR’s Bus & Train Spectacular ‘Confidence Bus’, ‘Barton Transport’ & ‘Devon General’ on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

B190 BLG ‘CONFIDENCE BUS, Leicester’ No. 70.

Leyland Olympian / Eastern Coach Works

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

 

New to ‘Crosville Wales’ as No. DOG190.

 

 

 

 

WLT 655 ‘CONFIDENCE BUS, Leicester’ No. 15.

AEC Routemaster / Park Royal

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

 

New to ‘London Transport’ in 1961 as No. RM655.

 

 

 

 

‘Barton Transport’ was one of the major independent bus operators in the East Midlands. 

 

Eventually becoming part of the ‘Wellglade’ group of companies.

 

Always known for their style and flair when it came to buying buses, this is but one example.

 

851 FNN ‘Barton Transport’ No. 851 /1.

AEC Regent 5 / Northern Counties Lowbridge

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

 

It spent some time at ‘Quantock Motor Services’ where it was part of the heritage fleet.

 

 

 

 

851 FNN ‘Barton Transport’ No. 851 /2.

AEC Regent 5 / Northern Counties Lowbridge

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

 

 

 

 

851 FNN ‘Barton Transport’ No. 851 /3.

AEC Regent 5 / Northern Counties Lowbridge 

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

 

For those readers who don’t fully understand what a lowbridge body was.

 

It was a way of building double deck bus bodies to a lower overall height. Generally, a foot or thereabouts lower.

 

What would have been the centre aisle upstairs was moved to the offside and dropped into the downstairs saloon. 

 

It intruded over the offside downstairs seats and was ready made for banging heads on when leaving seats.

 

Upstairs, the two pairs of seats were replaced by one seat that seated 4 people.

 

It was a most uncomfortable arrangement where you could finish up climbing over the other passengers seated with you.

 

Fortunately, this arrangement came to an end with the introduction of the drop centre rear axle which I think debuted on the Bristol Lodekka.

 

So allowing conventional 2X2 upstairs seating in a low overall height bus.

 

 

 

 

EOD 524D ‘Devon General’ No. 524.

AEC Regent 5 / Metro-Cammell Orion

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

 

The body shell was built in 1966 by Weymann but completed by MCW.

 

 

 

 

9 RDV ‘Devon General’ No. 9.

AEC Reliance / Marshall

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

 

Built by ‘Marshall’ to the BET Federation standard of the time.

 

‘Scene’ on Wetmore Road, Burton on Trent (BoT) ‘Trent / Barton’ 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.

 

As well as buses in ‘ ‘midland classic of Burton’ and ‘Stevensons’ livery.

 

There was a selection of both current and preserved vehicles in attendance.

 

Many were operating journeys on ‘mc’s service No. 401 which is the current route number for the original service dating back to 1926.

 

 

There was a time when ‘Trent Motor Traction’  and ‘Barton Transport’ were mortal enemies competing vigorously for traffic along the A52 between Derby and Nottingham and elsewhere in the East Midlands.

 

All that came to an end in 1989 when ‘Barton’ were taken over by the ‘Wellglade’ group.

 

They already owned ‘Trent’ and chose to operate the formerly separate companies as ‘trentbarton’ which they continue to do today.

 

Most takeovers or mergers result in the junior partner disappearing while the senior partner continues as before.

 

In this case however the name ‘trentbarton’ has survived for 33 years so far and would seem to be set fair for the future.

 

L102 LRA ‘TRENT Buses’ No. 102.

Volvo B10B / Northern Counties Countybus /1

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

 

I rode on these buses many times and found them most uncomfortable having poor legroom.

 

The survivors were eventually cascaded to fellow ‘Wellglade’ group member ‘notts&derby’ with whom they saw out their days on contract work mainly around Derby.

 

 

 

 

L102 LRA ‘TRENT Buses’ No. 102.

Volvo B10B / Northern Counties Countybus /2

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

 

 

 

 

MRR 811K ‘Barton Transport’ No. 1229.

AEC Reliance / Plaxton Panorama Elite Express /1

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

 

 

 

 

MRR 811K ‘Barton Transport’ No. 1229.

AEC Reliance / Plaxton Panorama Elite Express /2

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