‘Scene’ in Scotland, ‘West Coast Motors’ (WCM) and ‘Stagecoach’ (S/C) on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk

 

‘WCM’ has become one of the largest independant operators on the West Coast of Scotland with over 200 buses and coaches being operated.

 

Oban is only one of many locations where their operations can be observed.

 

I was only there briefly so here is what I saw.

 

Other blogs looking at different elements of ‘WCM’ were published on 29th. June and 24th. July 2016.

 

 

 

Seen in the joint ‘WCM’/Scottish ‘citylink’ livery.

YT11 LVM ‘West Coast Motors’ No. 11112 Scania K360EB6 / Irizar i6

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

 

 

 

SN11 BVA ‘West Coast Motors’ No. 11106 Alexander Dennis Ltd Enviro 300

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

 

 

 

A treasured registration that has appeared on earlier buses in the fleet.

 

L700 WCM ‘West Coast Motors’ No. 10406 Dennis Dart SLF / Plaxton Pointer

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

 

 

 

YJ16 DZM ‘West Coast Motors’ No. 11603 Optare Solo SR

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

 

 

 

YJ15 AXW ‘West Coast Motors’ No. 11508 Optare Solo SR

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

 

 

 

New to ‘WCM’ as YJ07 EHC.

 

P600 WCM ‘West Coast Motors’ No. 10712 Optare Solo M710

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

 

 

 

 

Considering that Scotland is the home of ‘Stagecoach’, there wasn’t a lot to be seen.

 

Based and seen in Fort William. 

SV58 BNB ‘Stagecoach The Highlands’ No. 19377 ‘the fort link’ Dennis Trident 2 / Alexander Enviro 400

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

 

 

 

 Based in and seen leaving Fort William.

SV55 FKB ‘Stagecoach The Highlands’ No. 53227 Volvo B7R / Plaxton Profile Interurban

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seen in Kyle of Lochalsh but based on the Isle of Skye.

 

S860 VAT ‘Stagecoach The Highlands’ No. 52510 Volvo B10M-62 / Plaxton Premiere 350

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Based and seen in Inverness.

 

Look closely and you will see the fleet number alongside the word ‘Stagecoach’ on the cove panel. Something I have not seen before.

SV61 CXZ ‘Stagecoach The Highlands’ No. 28602 Scania K230UB / ALexander Enviro 300

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

 

 

 

 

Based and seen in Inverness.

 

SP55 CXL Stagecoach The Highlands’ No. 47232 Optare Solo 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Scene’ in Derby recently

For me, one of the pleasures of watching the transport scene is that you never know what is going to turn up next.

Sometimes you wait for hours and nothing much happens and then on another occasion these turned up within a half hour or so of each other.

 

‘trentbarton’ have transferred 4 Scania L94UB’s with Wright Solar Urban bodies (FJ03 VWB, VWF, VWH and VRZ) to strengthen the service on the i4.

 

FH54 VRZ

Y259 DRC

An Optare Excel of ‘trentbarton’. Surely living on borrowed time!

 

KE6918S

 

A MAN Lion Coach. The first I have seen. Working for ‘INTERBUS’ from Kosice in Slovakia.

 

WA59 EBC

 

A Volvo B12B with Van Hool Acron bodywork.

 

Operated by Chalfont Coaches on ‘National Express’ (NE) work.

 

WA57 JZV

A Volvo B12B with Van Hool Alizee bodywork.

 

Operated by ‘Chalfont Coaches’ in their own livery but working a ‘NE’ service to Gatwick Airport.

 

SHZ 5734

A Scania K340EB6 with Caetano Levante bodywork working in ‘NE’ livery and presumably is one of the ‘Skills’ allocation.

 

‘Scene’ this week in Derby and Burton on Trent

It is a while since I have visited either place so with a free day, what better?

 

‘Skills’ of Nottingham have recently taken over some of the ‘yourbus’ ‘National Express’ (NE) work at very short notice. 

 

Some coaches have come from ‘Parks of Hamilton’ whilst a number have come from ‘NE’ reserve stock.

 

MIG 9440 formerly (FJ07 DVP) is one of five from this latter source.

 

A Scania K340EB6 with Caetano Levante bodywork  is seen leaving for London on service 440.

 

These 6 wheel vehicles accommodate 61 passengers.

 

YN08 CWU

A Volvo B7RLE with Plaxton Centro bodywork working for ‘Wellglade’ group member ‘Notts & Derby’ in ‘unibus’ livery.

It has been cascaded from fellow ‘Wellglade’ group member ‘Kinchbus’ where it had previously worked on the ‘skylink’ service.

 

This was the first time I had seen this bus since its repaint.

 

YJ11 OHK

An Optare Solo of ‘Arriva Midlands’.

 

in what I at first thought was a route branded livery but closer inspection shows it to be a Co-op advert !

 

HSK 659

 

A Volvo B9R with Plaxton Elite bodywork. 

 

Operated by ‘Parks of Hamilton’ on ‘NE’ contracts. 

On its way to Torquay and Brixham.

 

YRC 182

 

A Volvo B10M with Plaxton Interurban bodywork working on ’tb’s ‘red arrow’ service to Chesterfield.

 

I have photographed this bus many times before and I make no apologies for doing so again because in the ‘red arrow’ fleet it is my favourite (and the oldest). 

 

I feel that with new Volvo/Plaxton coaches soon for delivery, this MUST be a casualty so it might be the last time I see it.......

 

 

YJ56 KAO

 

A VDL SB120 with Plaxton Centro bodywork operated by ‘Wellglade’ group member ‘Notts & Derby’.

 

Nothing unusual about this you may think except that it is operating in Burton on Trent for ‘Midland Classic’ (MC) (see the small sticker in the windscreen). 

 

Rumour has it that it is on loan to cover a temporary vehicle shortage at ‘MC’.

 

 

JB14 MCL

 

An Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E200 of ‘MC’ waits its next duty.

 

I think that the registration owes something to the company’s owner Mr. James Boddice.

 

 

YY64 YKC

 

Another ‘ADL’ product this Enviro 200 former demonstrator might have suffered some damage whilst with ‘MC’ as it was allover white when it arrived.

 

 

YJ07 VSC

 

An Optare Tempo of ‘trentbarton’ (tb) on the jointly operated (with Arriva) X38 Burton-Derby express service.

 

If the rumours are correct then the ‘tb’ share in this route could see the Tempo’s replaced by former ‘red arrow’ 10 plate Scania/Irizar coaches. We shall see!

 

I had really gone to Burton to see the former London United East Lancs bodied Scania’s but non of them put in an appearance so I had to make do with this and what a bus to make do with !

JB10 MCL

 

A Scania N230UD with Optare Olympus bodywork of ‘MC’. I have said it before but this really is a superb vehicle.

 

This bus appeared at the ‘Showbus’ rally at Duxford last year.