‘Scene’ In The Sunshine 4 (hopefully) on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

The recent spell of warm, sunny weather set me in mind of open top buses which are traditionally used to enjoy this rare spectacle in British skies.

 

Some of these images have appeared before, but not for a long time, so enjoy them while the good weather lasts.

 

W631 PSX ‘ACE Travel’ No. 305, City Sights Liverpool.

Dennis Trident / Plaxton President

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

 

New to ‘Lothian Buses’ No. 31.

 

 

 

 

SFZ 404 ‘SEAFORD & DISTRICT’ No. 819, Eastbourne Sightseeing.

Dennis Trident 2 / East Lancs Lolyne

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

 

New registered T819 RFG to ‘Brighton & Hove’ No. 819. 

 

Pictured waiting for custom outside Eastbourne Pier.

 

 

 

 

BX55 XLV ‘East Yorkshire’ No. 889, Scarborough’s Beachcomber.

Volvo B7TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini

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

 

New to ‘Travel London’ but purchased via the ‘Ensign’ dealership.

 

 

 

 

SJ16 CTK ‘Edinburgh Bus Tours Ltd.’ No. 230 City Sightseeing Tour.

Volvo B5TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 3

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

 

Most open top buses have previously been fully roofed double deck buses that have been cut down to either part open top or fully open top.

 

Unusually, this bus is one of a batch of buses ordered new as part open toppers by the ‘Lothian Buses’ group which includes ‘Edinburgh Bus Tours Ltd.’

 

This image courtesy of friend Peter Rose.

 

 

 

 

HF09 FVY ‘Wilts & Dorset’ No. 1405, more.

Scania N230UD / Optare Olympus

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

 

Pictured in Sandbanks having been demoted to bus work from its previous ‘Purbeck Breezer’ branding.

 

 

 

 

MXZ 7653 ‘First Scotland East’ No. 32729, Bright Bus Tours Edinburgh.

Dennis Trident 2 / Plaxton President 

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

 

This image courtesy of friend Peter Rose.

 

‘Scene’ In The Sunshine 2 (hopefully) on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

The recent spell of warm, sunny weather set me in mind of open top buses which are traditionally used to enjoy this rare spectacle in British skies.

 

Some of these images have appeared before, but not for a long time, so enjoy them while the good weather lasts.

 

SIG 1847 ‘Maghull Coaches’, Liverpool.

DAF DB250 / Plaxton President

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

 

New registered T206 XBV to ‘ARRIVA London North’ No. DLP6.

 

 

 

 

BYX 118V ‘Top Line Travel’, York Citysightseeing.

MCW DR101/9 Metrobus 1 / MCW

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

 

Converted to open top in 1997.

 

New to ‘London Transport’  No. M118.

 

Pictured just down the road from York railway station.

 

 

 

 

SJ16 ZZP ‘Edinburgh Bus Tours Ltd.’ No. 248, MAJESTIC TOUR.

Volvo B5TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 3

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

 

Most open top buses have previously been fully roofed double deck buses that have been cut down to either part open top or fully open top.

 

Unusually, this bus is one of a batch of buses ordered new as part open toppers by the ‘Lothian Buses’ group which includes ‘Edinburgh Bus Tours Ltd.’

 

 

 

T209 XBV ‘Yellow Buses’, Bournemouth No. 436.

DAF DB250 / Plaxton President

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

 

New to ‘ARRIVA London North’ No. DLP9.

 

Converted to part open top in 2006.

 

 

 

 

HF54 KXV ‘Wilts & Dorset’ No. 1823., New Forest Tour.

Volvo B7TL / East Lancs Myllenium

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

 

New as No. 403.

 

Pictured in Lymington, Hampshire.

 

 

 

 

HF59 DMO ‘Wilts & Dorset’ No. 1406, Purbeck Breezer.

Scania N230UD / Optare Olympus

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

 

Pictured at Swanage railway station waiting to load for its return to Bournemouth.

 

‘Scene’ on a PSV Circle Organised Visit. At the Premises of ‘CHESTERS COACHES’ Ltd., Walkden, Manchester on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.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.

 

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 being in the North West of England centred on the Holiday Inn Express, Preston.

 

Friend Peter Rose joined me for what turned out to be a sometimes wet, but very enjoyable weekend.

 

As we have done before, we have combined all the images we have gathered. 

 

The credits being joint D.Basford/P.M.Rose.

 

3 LXE ‘CHESTERS COACHES’ Ltd., CHESTERS Executive  TRAVEL.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. Trident / Optare Olympus /1

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

 

New registered RX58 HVJ to ‘Courtney’, Bracknell, Berks.

 

 

 

 

3 LXE ‘CHESTERS COACHES’ Ltd., CHESTERS Executive  TRAVEL.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. Trident / Optare Olympus /2

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

 

 

 

 

6 CCX ‘CHESTERS COACHES’ Ltd., CHESTERS Executive  TRAVEL.

Scania 270UD / Scania OmniCity /1

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

 

New registered YT09 YHR to ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 963.

 

 

 

 

6 CCX ‘CHESTERS COACHES’ Ltd., CHESTERS Executive  TRAVEL.

Scania 270UD / Scania OmniCity /2

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

 

 

 

 

60 CCX ‘CHESTERS COACHES’ Ltd., www.Wrigley’s coaches.com.

Scania 270UD / Scania OmniCity

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

 

New registered YT09 YHS to ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 964.

 

 

 

 

5 HDC ‘CHESTERS COACHES’ Ltd., CHESTERS Executive  TRAVEL.

SETRA S416GT-HD / SETRA

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

 

New registered BN09 FXJ to ‘Shearings’, Cheshire No. 119.

 

 

 

 

3 HDC ‘CHESTERS COACHES’ Ltd., CHESTERS Executive  TRAVEL.

SETRA S416GT-HD / SETRA

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

 

New registered BU13 ZUA to ‘Talisman’, Great Bromley, Suffolk but acquired from ‘Angus’, Needham Market, Suffolk.

 

‘Scene’ on a PSV Circle Organised Visit. At the Various Premises of R.S. Tyrer Ltd., Farnworth, Bolton 6 on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.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.

 

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 being in the North West of England centred on the Holiday Inn Express, Preston.

 

Friend Peter Rose joined me for what turned out to be a sometimes wet, but very enjoyable weekend.

 

As we have done before, we have combined all the images we have gathered. 

 

The credits being joint D.Basford/P.M.Rose.

 

‘Tyrers’ has a history stretching back to 1972 when Bob Tyrer at the age of 58 started his own business with a single, Leyland engined, Plaxton bodied Bedford coach.

 

Today, the company operates over 100 vehicles out of three separate bases in the area.

 

‘Tyrers’ provided the transport for our second morning until lunchtime, which was taken in Manchester.

 

TYR 25R ‘Tyrers Coaches Ltd,’.

Volvo B9TL / Optare Olympus

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

 

New registered PN09 OKA.

 

Seating 100 passengers in coach seats.

 

The Olympus body was originally an East Lancs design which was continued by Optare when they took over the company.

 

 

 

 

BIG 9783 ‘Tyrers Coaches Ltd,’.

Scania N94UD / East Lancs Omnidekka

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

 

New registered YN07 EYU to ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 757.

 

 

 

 

BIG 9782 ‘Tyrers Coaches Ltd,’.

Scania N94UD / East Lancs Omnidekka

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

 

New registered YN07 EYR to ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 755.

 

 

 

 

JRZ 3263 ‘Tyrers Coaches Ltd,’.

DAF DB250 / Transbus ALX400

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

 

New registered LJ03 MTF to ‘Arriva London North’ No. DLA 376.

 

 

 

 

LX11 CWK ‘Tyrers Coaches Ltd,’.

Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini

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

 

New to ‘London General’ No. WVL 405.

 

 

 

 

BF62 UYC ‘Tyrers Coaches Ltd,’.

Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini

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

 

New to ‘Tower Transit’ No. VN37990.

 

 

 

 

LX59 CMZ ‘Tyrers Coaches Ltd,’.

Scania N230UD / Scania OmniCity

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

 

New to ‘Stagecoach East London’ No. 15136.

 

 

 

 

YP59 ODU ‘Tyrers Coaches Ltd,’.

Scania N230UD / Scania OmniCity

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

 

New to ‘London United’ No. 40140.

 

‘Scene’ at The Derbyshire Dales Bus Rally 1 on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

The fifth blog of ten, posted over ten consecutive days. 

More tomorrow.

 

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.

 

TYR 25R ‘Tyrers’, Farnworth, Bolton, Lancs.

Volvo B9TL / Optare Olympus /1

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

 

We recently photographed this bus on a PSV Circle arranged visit to ‘Tyrers’ depots in and around Bolton.

 

The Olympus bodywork was originally designed and built by ‘East Lancashire Coachbuilders’ but due to that company being taken over, continued to be built by ‘Darwen East Lancs’.

 

With ‘Optare’ also being taken over, the better known ‘Optare’ name was adopted.

 

This magnificent vehicle seats 100 passengers.

 

New registered PN09 AKA.

 

 

 

 

TYR 25R ‘Tyrers’, Farnworth, Bolton, Lancs.

Volvo B9TL / Optare Olympus /2

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

 

Pictured starting out on a trip to nearby Bakewell.

 

 

 

 

TYR 25R ‘Tyrers’, Farnworth, Bolton, Lancs.

Volvo B9TL / Optare Olympus /3

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

 

The lower deck seating.

 

 

 

 

TYR 25R‘Tyrers’, Farnworth, Bolton, Lancs.

Volvo B9TL / Optare Olympus /4

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

 

The upper deck seating.

 

 

‘Scene’ in Loughborough 4 ‘Other Operators’ on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

Just over 10 miles north of Leicester, Loughborough is an interesting town from a transport point of view being on the Midland Main Line and the Grand Union Canal.

 

In addition, there is a frequent and varied range of bus connections supplied on the day I was there by five different operators.

 

YN15 EJA ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) No. 641 ‘South NottS’ 1, 

Neil Parnell.

Scania N230UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400

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

 

Named Neil Parnell in tribute to the local man who died in tragic circumstances. 

 

Pictured working route No. 1 from Loughborough to Nottingham which has a history dating back almost 100 years.

 

The ‘South Notts Bus Company’ dates from 1926 and remained independent until taken over by NCT in 1991.

 

Todays buses still carry ‘South NottS’ branding and still wear the dark blue paint scheme that was worn by their predecessors.

 

From 1926, the route was based in the old ‘South NottS’ depot which lies on the route in the village of Gotham

 

Operations were transferred back to Nottingham when Gotham depot was closed in 2021.

 

 

 

 

YN14 MVO ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 640.

Scania N230UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400 /1

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

 

Pictured in the silver spare bus livery.

 

 

 

 

YN14 MVO ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 640.

Scania N230UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400 /2

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

 

 

 

 

SN66 WZJ ‘Diamond Buses (East Midlands) Ltd’. No 31422, ROTALA.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. E20D / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 200 /1

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

 

‘Diamond Buses (East Midlands) Ltd’. are part of the ROTALA group. 

 

They took over ‘Midland Classic’ in August 2022 and are based in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

 

New to ‘Johnsons’, Henley-in-Arden whose bus operations were taken over by ‘ROTALA’ in May 2022.

 

 

 

 

SN66 WZJ ‘Diamond Buses (East Midlands) Ltd’. No 31422, ROTALA.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. E20D / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 200 /2

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

 

 

 

 

YJ08 EEH ‘arriva midlands’ No. 4107.

Volvo B9TL / Optare Olympus

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

 

‘Scene’ in Leicester, Arriva Midlands 1 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

I had not been to Leicester for some years but I had read that the rebuilding of St. Margarets Bus Station had been completed so I thought another visit was due.

 

The new bus station has been rebuilt virtually following the original’s footprint.

 

The building is new and it would appear to be equipped with all the facilities  I would expect.

 

It did seem extremely quiet in both bus and passenger terms. It’s a bit like a pub that has lost all its regulars and doesn’t know how to get them back.

 

The only major change, as far as I could see, is that buses can now leave the bus station directly onto the A594 Burleys Way.

 

A significant saving of both time and fuel.

 

Friend Peter Rose joined me for the day and whilst we were attracted initially by the new St. Margarets, we spent most of our time at the nearby Haymarket Bus Station.

 

YJ08 EEU ‘Arriva Midlands’ No. 4114.

Volvo B9TL / East Lancs/Optare Olympus

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

 

New to ‘Arriva Yorkshire’ as No. 1814.

 

Pictured on Haymarket.

 

 

 

 

YX16 OJJ ‘Arriva Midlands’ No. 4509, 84/85.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E40D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 400MMC

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

 

Pictured leaving St. Margarets.

 

 

 

 

YY67 HDL ‘Arriva Midlands’ No. 4545, arriva sapphire.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E40D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 400MMC

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

 

Pictured on Haymarket.

 

 

 

 

YJ56 KFL ‘Arriva Midlands’ No. 4777.

VDL DB250 / Wright Eclipse Gemini

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

 

Pictured leaving St. Margarets.

 

 

 

 

YX64 VPA ‘Arriva Midlands’ No. 4421.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E40D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 400

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

 

Pictured on Haymarket.

 

 

 

 

 

YJ16 OJE ‘Arriva Midlands’ No. 4505, 50/51.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E40D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 400MMC

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

 

Pictured on Haymarket.

 

 

 

 

YJ16 OKL ‘Arriva Midlands’ No. 4532. 5/5A.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E40D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 400MMC

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

 

Pictured on Haymarket.

 

 

 

 

YJ08 EET ‘Arriva Midlands’ No. 4113.

Volvo B9TL / East Lancs/Optare Olympus

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

 

Pictured approaching Charles Street.

 

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

 

An interesting ‘tableau’ mounted outside the offices at Wetmore Road is made up from a model bus and a piece of railway track.

 

The model bus is of one of London Transport’s ‘LT’ class double deckers more commonly known as the New Routemaster but painted in ‘mc’ livery.

 

‘mc’ have and still do operate former ‘LT’ deckers so it must be quite conceivable that when the buses are retired from London some might well come to Burton.

 

Time will tell!

 

The railway track is a piece of rail from the ‘Burton & Ashby Light Railway’ which ran between the towns of Burton on Trent and Ashby de la Zouch from 1906.

 

Taken over by the ‘Midland Railway’ in 1923, it became part of the ‘LMS’ in 1923 until its closure in 1927.

 

Another relic of the line, car No. 14, was exported to Detroit, USA from where it was repatriated in 2014.

 

It currently resides at the ‘Statfold Barn Railway’ which is not all that far away from its old haunts.

 

 

‘Midland Classic of Burton’

LT New Routemaster / Wright /1

 

 

 

‘Midland Classic of Burton’

LT New Routemaster / Wright /2

 

 

 

‘Midland Classic of Burton’

LT New Routemaster / Wright /3

 

 

 

JB10 MCL ‘Midland Classic of Burton’ No. 51.

Scania N230UD / Optare Olympus

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

 

Previously registered D10 SLT when it worked for ‘South Lancs Travel’.

 

 

 

 

BV55 UCU ‘Midland Classic of Burton’ No. 56.

Scania N94UD / East Lancs Omnidekka

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

 

New to ‘Blue Triangle’ but purchased from ‘Go Ahead London’ where it was number SO2.

 

 

 

 

LK04 NNE ‘Midland Classic of Burton’ No. 101.

Volvo B7TL / Plaxton President

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

 

New ‘Metroline London Northern’ As No. VPL 596.

 

The dual doorway configuration harks back to its day in London.

 

 

 

 

YN08 MKP ‘Midland Classic of Burton’ No. 62

Scania CN270UD4 / Scania

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

 

New to ‘Reading Transport’ No. 1103.

 

 

 

 

SN11 BNL  ‘Midland Classic of Burton’ No. 69.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Trident / ‘ADL’ Enviro 400

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

 

New to ‘First Capital’ as No. DN33623.