‘Scene’ at Showbus 2022 A Delectation of Double Deckers 1 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.

 

LKP 385P ‘Maidstone & District’ (M&D) No. 5385.

Volvo Ailsa B55 / Alexander AV7 /1

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

 

In the early 1970s. Leyland had mopped up UK based bus building competitors AEC and Daimler.

 

It was almost a Leyland monopoly.

 

Other manufactures associated with the bus industry decided to make a bid for a share of the business.

 

Volvo via the Ailsa, MCW’s Metropolitan with the Scania underframe and Bristol / Eastern Coach Works who were better known for the Lodekka all entered the competition with the VR.

 

If my memory is correct, this bus was one of five of its type that were purchased for assessment by the BET Federation group in 1975.

 

MCW’s Scania / MCW Metropolitan (5 ordered), and Bristol’s VR / ECW (7 ordered) made up the balance of the competition.

 

All went to ‘M&D’ with a view to bulk orders being placed for whichever proved the most successful.

 

The Bristol being the eventual winner with several thousands being produced.

 

 

 

 

LKP 385P ‘Maidstone & District’ No. 5385.

Ailsa B55 / Alexander AV7 /2

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

 

 

 

 

J257 NLU ‘Reading Buses’ No. 701.

DAF DB250 / Optare Spectra

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

 

Originally registered MRD 1 by Optare for use as a demonstrator prior to being delivered to Reading.

 

Now 30 years old and still in my view one of the most attractive double deck bodies ever built

 

The design was ahead of its time being of integral construction which probably cost it in terms of sales.

 

 

 

 

LJ59 LYW ‘First Essex Bus’ No. 34462.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Trident / ‘ADL’ Enviro400

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

 

New to ‘ARRIVA’ London.

 

 

 

 

W425 XKX ‘ARRIVA MIDLANDS’ No. 5425. ‘SHOWBUS Control’.

Dennis Trident / Alexander ALX400

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

 

New to ‘Arriva The Shires’.

‘Scene’ in Warrington, Double Deckers on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

W10 MPT ‘Omega Busways’.

DAF DB250 / Optare Spectra

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

 

The ‘pick of the day’ for me being a very rare bus these days.

 

Now almost 20 years old, being new registered YJ53 VBN to ‘Universitybus’, Hatfield. 

 

The Spectra was developed from the MCW Metrobus by DAF and Optare and was Optare’s first venture into the world of low floor double deck buses.

 

The choice of route number deserves comment.

 

The B52H is currently the only model of Boeing’s B52 strategic bomber aircraft still in service with the ‘United States Air Force’.

 

The B52 dates back to the early 1950s and the current survivors are due to be re-engined by Rolls-Royce to give them another 30 years service.

 

Somebody at ‘Omega Busways’ has a strong sense of aviation history.

 

The company operates widely across Manchester and Warrington providing contract bus services.

 

 

 

 

PN16 PAV  ‘Warrington Borough Council’ No. 303. Warringtons own buses, we’ve been part of Warrington since 1902.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. E40D / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro400City

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

 

 

The PAV part of the registration is to mark the passing away of a popular driver Pawel.

 

 

 

 

SN09 CDY ‘Warrington Borough Council’ No. 311. Warringtons own buses, we’ve been part of Warrington since 1902.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. Trident / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro400

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

 

New to ‘Centrewest’ (London) No. DN33578.

 

 

 

 

SN09 CDX ‘Warrington Borough Council’ No. 308. Warringtons own buses, we’ve been part of Warrington since 1902.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. Trident / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro400

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

 

New to ‘Centrewest’ (London) No. DN33577.

 

 

 

 

 

BN61 MWF ‘Go North West’ No. 3002.

Volvo B5LH / Wright Eclipse Gemini /1

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

 

New to ‘First Manchester’ No. 39208.

 

‘Go North West’ came into being in 2019 when the ‘Go-Ahead’ group bought ‘First’ group’s Queens Road (Manchester) depot and the associated services worked from there.

 

Working from and back to Manchester’s Shude Hill transport interchange.

 

A place where I have spent many happy hours.

 

 

 

 

BN61 MWF ‘Go North West’ No. 3002.

Volvo B5LH / Wright Eclipse Gemini /2

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

 

 

‘Scene’ in Burton on Trent (BoT) on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk

Regular readers will know of my liking for ‘BoT’ and its buses.

 

Very much the major operator these days is ‘midland classic’ who in September 2016 took over the operations in the town of the local ‘ARRIVA Midlands’ unit together with a collection of eldery Wright bodied DAF single deckers.

 

Further to the addition of some new Optare MetroCity’s and Alexander Dennis Ltd. E20D’s there is usually a steady turnover in vehicles that have been bought in from elsewhere.

 

I think that the only bus in this selection that has appeared on my blog before is the first image of the Optare Spectra that was at 2016’s ‘Showbus’ at Donnington Park.

 

On that occasion I showed a nearside view whereas this time we see the offside.

 

Still I would argue one of the best looking buses around.

 

R2 NEG ‘midland classic’ No. 41. DAF DB250LF / Optare Spectra

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

 

New to ‘National Express West Midlands’ as its No. 4002.

 

 

 

 

TFA 13 ‘midland classic’ No. 55, ‘STEVENSONS’. Scania N94UD / East Lancs

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

 

Painted to represent a bus of a long time operator in ‘BoT’ ‘Stevensons’ who disappeared into the ‘ARRIVA’ group.

 

Formerly YN54 OAG  and new to ‘London Sovereign’ as its No. SLE5.

 

 

 

LJ04 LGE ‘midland classic’ No. 49. VDL DB250 / Wright Eclipse Gemini

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

 

New to ‘ARRIVA London South’ as its No. DW90.

 

 

 

YN08 HYP ‘midland classic’ No. 58. Scania N230UD / East Lancs Olympus

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

 

New to ‘Reading Buses’ as it No. 853.

 

 

 

LJ04 LGD ‘midland classic’ No. 48. VDL DB250 / Wright Eclipse Gemini

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

 

New to ‘ARRIVA London South’ as its No. DW89.

 

 

 

‘midland classic’ took over 11 former ‘ARRIVA’ DAF SB200 / Wright Commanders of which I believe 5 so far have  been withdrawn.

 

As far as I am aware only one has made it into ‘mc’ livery the others still wearing their old ‘ARRIVA’ colours with ‘mc’ vinyl overstickers. 

BF52 NZX ‘midland classic’ No. 112. DAF SB200 / Wright Commander

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

 

New to ‘ARRIVA Midlands North’ as its No. 1151.

 

 

 

BF52 NZY ‘midland classic’ No. 111, ‘ARRIVA’ livery. DAF SB200 / Wright Commander

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

 

New to ‘ARRIVA Midlands North’ as its No. 1152.

 

 

 

FX55 VKG ‘midland classic’ No. 83. Scania L94UB / Wright Solar

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

 

New to ‘Green Triangle’, Atherton, Lancs, (Who became ‘South Lancs Transport’). as its No. 26.

 

 

 

JB64 MCL ‘midland classic’ No. 3. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200

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

 

Formerly YY64 YKC and new to ‘ADL’ as a demonstrator.

 

 

 

YX09 FLN ‘midland classic’ No. 33. ‘ADL’ Dart / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200

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

 

New to ‘Centrewest’, London as its No. DMS44413.

 

 

 

HK62 MCL ‘midland classic’ No. 21. Scania K230 / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200

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

 

Formerly YN62 AAK and new to ‘ADL’ as a demonstrator.

 

 

 

KW14 MCL ‘midland classic’ No. 2. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200

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

 

‘Scene’ in the Sunshine at Showbus 2016 part 1 on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk

 

On what is my last blog of 2016, I would like to wish that all my readers have a Happy and Healthy New Year in 2017.

 

I have done some forward planning for next year which at this stage includes Leicestershire, Devon, Hampshire, Yorkshire and Lancashire together with a trip to Holland.

 

No doubt Derby will again figure large with ‘trentbarton’s new Enviro 200MMC’s on my local ‘the nines’ route being due in the next few weeks.

 

Meanwhile ‘Nottingham City Transport’ will be taking delivery of new gas powered double deckers.

 

Plenty to look forward to then.

 

I would also like to finish the year on a bright note and take my readers back to a day where the sun shone and it was pleasantly warm. 

 

Where there were buses a plenty and all seemed well with the world.

 

Where better than ‘Showbus 2016’ at Donington Park.

 

 

HDK 835 ‘Rochdale Corporation Transport’ No. 835 AEC Regent 3 / East Lancs

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

 

 

 

New to ‘London Transport’ as LS 432 was.

BYW 432V ‘Pennine Motor Services’ of Gargrave’ No. LN19 Leyland National

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

 

 

 

Wearing what I think is the old ‘Wolverhampton Corporation Transport’ livery. ‘WCT’ being part of what became ‘TWM’.

 

E989 VUK  ‘Travel West Midlands’ (TWM) No. 2989 MCW Metrobus Mk. 2

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

 

 

 

CDK 172L ‘Yelloway’ AEC Reliance / Plaxton Panorama Elite 3

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

 

 

 

 

One of the all time great coach body designs is.

PUJ 781 ‘Whittle’s Coaches’ Leyland Tiger Cub / Burlingham Seagull

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

 

 

 

 

Formerly 22728 having been with both ‘Stagecoach North East’ and ‘Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire’.

 

Now preserved.

 

T728 OEF ‘Stagecoach Kingston Upon Hull’ No. 728 MAN 18.220 / Alexander ALX 300

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

 

FDB 334C ‘Stockport Corporation’ No. 34 Leyland PD2/40 / East Lancs

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

 

 

 

Seen in ‘National Bus Company’ livery. It later worked for ‘Cumberland Motor Services’.

 

TRN 481V ‘Ribble Motor Services’ No. 1481 Leyland Atlantean AN68/1 / Eastern Coach Works

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

 

 

 

 

Dating from 1950.

 

JOJ 489 ‘Birmingham City Transport’ No. 2489 Crossley DD42 / Crossley (to BCT design).

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

 

 

 

Seen in ‘National Bus Company’ ‘Dual Purpose’ livery. Originally delivered in overall NBC white coach livery.

TFM 267K ‘Crosville Motor Services’ No. ERL 267 Bristol RELH6L / Eastern Coach Works

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

 

 

 

New to ‘National Express West Midlands’.

 

R2 NEG ‘midland classic’ DAF DB250LF / Optare Spectra

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

 

 

 

An early integral bus where the vehicle was chassisless but incorporated the running units from pre war Leyland TD4 buses.

 

 

OKP 980 ‘Maidstone & District’ No. CO 252 Leyland TD4 / Beadle

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

 

 

 

 

‘Scene’ in and around Norwich Bus Station

Whilst on holiday on the North Norfolk Coast, the lure of the county town Norwich could not be ignored.

 

As we arrived by bus in the bus station, that seems a good place to start.

 

YJ56 ATX

 

An Optare Tempo of ‘Norfolk Green’ (NG).

 

At one time ‘NG’ was an independent operator but as of December 2013 it became part of the ‘Stagecoach’ group as ‘Stagecoach in Norfolk’.

 

YN57 HPU

A Optare Solo of ‘Anglian Bus Ltd’ (ABL).

 

YX63 LJV

 

Passing by the entrance to the bus station was this Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400 of ‘First Eastern Counties’ (FEC).

 

Seen operating on part of service X1 that at its longest links Lowestoft with Peterborough which according to Google maps is over 100 miles!

 

SN10 CFD

 

An ‘ADL’ Enviro 400 of ‘konectbus’ (kb) working on the Park & Ride (P&R) service from Harford.

 

‘kb is another one time independent who have joined a larger group. In their case the ‘Go Ahead’ group.

 

BL57 OXN

 

A Mercedes-Benz 0305G articulated Citaro. Another ‘kb’ bus working a ‘P&R’ service. This time from Costessey.

 

At one time it was part of the ‘London General’ fleet that was banished from the capital by London Lord Mayor Boris Johnson.

 

 

YN06 JWC

 

A Scania N94UD Omnidekka with East Lancs bodywork. 

 

Seen the livery of another independent operator ‘Sanders of Holt’ (at least at the time of writing they still were).

 

Formerly in the fleet of ‘Reading Transport’.

 

 

SN62 AVY

 

An ADL’ Enviro 400 again of ‘kb’. Working on service 6 from Watton.

 

 

W219 PRB

 

An Optare Excel once more working for ‘kb’. 

 

It has an East Midlands connection having formerly been a member of the ‘trentbarton’ fleet.

 

 

WX62 HHF

 

An unusual MAN Ecocity gas powered bus in ‘ABL’s fleet. The bodywork is by Caetano.

 

Working  service 7 from Great Yarmouth.

 

 

SN60 CAA

 

An ‘ADL’ Enviro 400 of ‘FEC’ being based in Great Yarmouth.

 

Working on service X1 from that town.

 

 

PN03 UMH

 

A Dennis Trident with Plaxton President bodywork working for ‘Norse’.

 

Formerly part of the ‘Go- Ahead London General’ fleet.

 

 

GX10 HBY

 

An ‘ADL’ Enviro 300 of ‘NG’.

 

Part of the deal when ‘Stagecoach’ took over ‘NG’ was to retain the ‘NG’ livery for a period of time (which I think was up to two years).

 

This bus shows the ‘NG’ colours but painted in what I would call ‘Stagecoach’ style which I think is very attractive.

 

 

YJ03 UML

 

A rare Optare Spectra. Seen working for ‘NG’. 

 

Based on DAF SB250 running units it was previously part of the ‘Reading Transport fleet’.

 

This was Optare’s first attempt at a double decker and at the time of writing, its most successful.

 

‘Scene’ at the PSV Circle gathering in the West Midlands April 2015 part 1

The PSV Circle Annual General meeting this year was held earlier this month at the Menzies Strathallan Hotel at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

 

In addition to the meeting itself, attending members from around the country were treated to a half and two full days of visits to bus operators and locations where buses might be seen in some numbers.

 

I was only able to attend on the Saturday and here are a selection of images from that day.

 

To transport the members then, what better than buses? The first two images are of the two hired in for the event.

 

SUI 6582

 

A DAF DB250 with Optare Spectra bodywork which comes from’ Thandi Coaches’ based in Smethwick

New as L123 ELJ, to ‘Wilts & Dorset’ and operated in the Bournemouth area.

The second,

PO51 WNF

Is a Dennis Trident with Plaxton President bodywork seen working for the ‘Green Bus’ company based in Hockley.

Previously working in the fleet of ‘Reading Transport’. 

 

 

The first visit was to the ‘Rotala’ group depot at Aston. Where

BJ15 TWK

A Wright Gemini bodied Volvo had just been delivered, indeed another of the same turned up whilst we were there.

 

Although not wearing any vinyl’s yet, it is seen in the livery of ‘Preston Bus’ which has been part of the ‘Rotala’ group since 2011.

 

BN09 FWS

At the same location was this Mercedes-Benz Citaro wearing ‘Signature’ livery which I believe is used by ‘Rotala’ in Solihull.

 

SN04 EFP

Moving on to ‘Central Buses’ saw this Transbus Enviro 300 SLF liveried for the ‘Coleshill Connection’ service.

 

 

SDA 832S

The ‘Green Bus’ depot found this former ‘West Midlands Travel’ MCW Metrobus still wearing its former owners livery.

There was also another E989 VUK in a version of the ‘Green Bus’ livery

 

NK51 UCX

A Dennis Trident with Plaxton President bodywork which is another member of the ‘Green Bus’ fleet. Seen wearing this magnificent livery promoting the ‘King Edward VI School’ at Five Ways.

Originally working for ‘Go-North East’ with this registration, it then had a spell as R8 OXF on Park & Ride duties in Oxford working for fellow ‘Go- Ahead’ group member the ‘Oxford Bus Company’.

 

Moving on to ‘Thandi Coaches’

 

TH07 NDY

 

A Mercedes-Benz 0816 with Spanish built ‘Ferqui’ 32 seat bodywork which previously carried the registration YX07 AYF.

Ferqui used to have a tie up with Optare who marketed Ferqui production in the UK.

 

W466 EON

A Setra S315GT-HD in the livery of associated company ‘Evergreen’. Previously carrying the cherished registration B1 AVY.

 

R18 AVY

A Scania K124EB4 fitted with Irizar PB bodywork. It was previously registered YN55 PXM when it worked for ‘Veolia’ on ‘National Express’ work.

 

RUI 2058

A Volvo Olympian with Alexander Royale bodywork that was P278 PSX in an earlier employment when it worked in Scotland for ‘Lothian Regional Transport’.

 

‘Thandi Coaches’ have taken over the name of the well known holiday tour company of ‘Bowens’ who went out of business a couple of yeas ago.

 

The livery it carries is a promoting the recently revived ‘Bowens’ operation.

Further photos can be seen on my Flickr