‘Scene’ at the ‘Statfold Barn Railway’ (SBR) Buses 2 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

For those who do not know the ‘SBR,’ it is located near Tamworth in Staffordshire. 

 

A privately owned, multi gauge railway system which was operating at least seven locomotives and a tram on the day we were there.

 

There is also an extensive museum devoted to narrow gauge railway locomotives and artefacts.

 

Usually holding three running days per year (Spring, Summer and Autumn); buses, cars, Land Rovers, lorries, military vehicles and steam engines also featured.

 

Both friend Peter Rose and I found it to be an excellent day out.

 

NEA 101F ‘West Bromwich Corporation’ No.101.

Daimler CRG6LX Fleetline / Metro Cammell Weymann

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

 

 

 

 

MXX 23 ‘LONDON TRANSPORT’ No. RF 381.

AEC Regal lV / Metro Cammell

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

 

 

 

 

RC 4615 ‘Trent Motor Traction Ltd.’ No.714.

AEC Regal / Willowbrook 

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

 

New in 1937.

 

This is the second Willowbrook body that this bus has carried being re-bodied in1950.

 

 

 

 

KAD 359V ‘NATIONAL EXPRESS’ No. 359, BLACK & WHITE.

Leyland Leopard /  Plaxton Supreme

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

 

New to ‘National Travel (South West)’.

 

 

 

 

UHA 956H ‘Midland Red’ No. 5956, Wendaway.

BMMO S23 / BMMO

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

 

 

 

 

CCF 648 ‘MERVYNS COACHES’, Winchester.

Bedford OB / Duple

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

 

New in 1950 to ‘Theobald’, Long Melford.

 

‘Scene’ at ‘Bournemouth Corporation Transport’s Mallard Road depot on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

It is with much sadness this week that I learned of ‘Yellow Buses’, of Bournemouth, going out of business.

 

An operator I have followed, visited and ridden on for over 50 years.

 

The colours yellow and in later years blue that adorned the fleet reflected the yellow of the beach and the blue of the sky that always seemed to be sunny.

 

Now, no more.

 

In the early 1950s ‘Bournemouth Corporation Transport’  (which went on to become ‘Yellow Buses’ etc.) had a new depot built on the outskirts of the town to house its growing fleet of buses.

 

Single storey and spaciously laid out it was ideal for its purpose.

 

Back in the ‘good old days’ the company allowed enthusiasts, and anyone else who felt inclined, to visit and wander round taking photographs etc.

 

If memory serves me right it used to be on summer Wednesday afternoons only.

 

Most of the then service fleet were out earning their keep which meant that the old, weird and wonderful were easier to get at! 

 

So, in happier days, here is some of what I saw.

 

XRY 202 ‘Bournemouth Omnibus Company’. Leyland PD3 / Metro Cammell Carriage  & Wagon Co. 

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

 

Not quite what it seems.

 

Despite the pseudo ‘Tilling Stevens’ radiator, it is definitely a Leyland PD3 underneath it all.

 

It has a long and complex history and to access it ‘Google’ XRY 202 and click on 

 

‘Yellow Buses-Yellow Wednesdays XRY 202’

 

It is worth the effort!

 

 

 

 

KEL 133 ‘Bournemouth Corporation Transport’ No.247.

Leyland PD2 / Weymann 

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

 

New in 1950.

 

At the time Bournemouth specified two staircases with two doors allowing passengers to board at the front and leave by the rear.

 

Still in my view the most efficient way of loading and emptying a bus.

 

 

 

 

FRU 224 ‘Bournemouth Corporation Transport. No 40.

Guy Arab 2 / Weymann

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

 

Previously a service bus but cut down to provide the basis of a crane initially for planting or uprooting traction equipment for the then trolleybus fleet and then for removing or replacing roof panels on convertible open top buses.

 

New in 1944.

 

 

 

 

297 LJ ‘Bournemouth Corporation Transport’ trolleybus No. 297. Sunbeam MF2B / Weymann 

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

 

New in 1962. This bus and the rest of the trolleybus fleet were withdrawn in 1969 when the system was abandoned.

 

 

 

 

NLJ 272 ‘Bournemouth Corporation Transport No. 262.

Leyland Royal Tiger / Burlingham

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

 

New In 1954.

 

 

 

 

KRU 55F ‘Bournemouth Corporation Transport No. 55.

Daimler SRC6 Roadliner / Willowbrook on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk

 

 

 

 

BOW 162 ‘Bournemouth Transport Museum’. Bristol L5G / Beadle /1

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

 

New as No. TS 662 to ‘Hants & Dorset Motor Services’ in 1938 and now in use as a recovery wagon.

 

As might be expected with a former bus of this age, there is a long and detailed history.

 

For further details, Google BOW 162 and the first item that comes up is what you are looking for.

 

 

 

 

BOW 162 ‘Bournemouth Transport Museum’. Bristol L5G / Beadle /2

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

 

 

 

 

ERU 108V ‘Yellow Buses’ No. 108. 

Leyland Leopard / Plaxton Supreme IV 

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

 

‘Scene’ on a PSV Circle Organised Visit ‘Nottingham Heritage Vehicle Charity (NHVC) 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 first visit was to the ‘NHVC’ which is based in what was the ‘Trent Motor Traction’ depot in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire.

 

The group have an excellent website which I would recommend to anyone requiring further details.

 

I have previously posted blogs featuring the ‘NHVC’ on 29/04/2019, 21/01/2020, 26/01/2020, 05/02/2020 and 17/03/2020 so I feel I have pretty well covered the main exhibits.

 

However, the ‘NHVC’ has a reserve collection of buses that are awaiting preservation work.

 

These are located on an industrial estate nearby.

 

No doubt that in time and with further funding, some of these will buses will move to Hucknall.

 

G335 PAL ‘Nottingham Heritage Vehicle Charity’, ‘Paul S. Winson Coaches’, Loughborough.

Volvo B10M / Alexander RV

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

 

New to ‘Nottingham City Transport’ as No. 335.

 

 

 

 

ONN 571P ‘Nottingham Heritage Vehicle Charity’, ’Trent Buses’ No. 571.

Leyland Atlantean AN68 / Willowbrook

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

 

Delivered with an Eastern Coach Works body that was damaged in the Meadow Road depot fire in July 1976.

 

Re-bodied by Willowbrook in 1977.

 

 

 

 

MTV 755P ‘Nottingham Heritage Vehicle Charity’, ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) No. 755.

Leyland Leopard / Duple Dominant E

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

 

In the mid 1970’s, ‘NCT’ took delivery of a batch of buses for use on park & ride services from a number of sites around the city.

 

Unusual at the time, being Duple Dominant coach bodies fitted with standard bus seats.

 

As supplied, they were painted lilac and marketed as ‘Lilac Leopards’.

 

The intention was to phase traffic lights into the city to give these services priority, so speeding the journey.

 

Park & ride was a new concept at that time and it became obvious that the citizens of Nottingham did not want it so the scheme was abandoned.

 

 

 

 

YN04 ANF ‘Nottingham Heritage Vehicle Charity’, ’Nottingham City Transport’ No. 204.

Scania N94UB / East Lancs

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

 

 

 

 

C724 MRC ‘Nottingham Heritage Vehicle Charity’, ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 724.

Leyland National 2

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

 

 

 

 

FJ03 VWK ‘Nottingham Heritage Vehicle Charity’, ‘trentbarton’ No. 620.

Scania L94UB / Wright Eclipse

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

 

 

 

 

FRB 208H ‘Nottingham Heritage Vehicle Charity’, ‘Trent Buses No. 356.

Bristol RE / Eastern Coach Works

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

 

New to ‘Midland General Omnibus Co’ as No. 146.

 

Fitted with dual doors.

 

 

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

 

Readers/viewers of my blog might be forgiven for thinking that public transport in ‘BoT’ has always been provided by either ‘Arriva Midlands’, ’midland classic’ or Stevensons’.

 

There was a time when ‘Burton Corporation’ was the main operator.

 

Fortunately, two of the companies former vehicles still survive.

 

TFA 987 ‘Burton Corporation’ No. 87. 

Daimler CC5GDD / Massey /1

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

 

New in 1964.

 

It is hard to believe that traditional, front engined, half cab buses were still being built a full five years after the introduction of the revolutionary, rear engined, Leyland Atlantean.

 

Another image of this bus also appeared in my blog dated 19/10/2021at an event in Chatsworth park.

 

 

 

 

TFA 987 ‘Burton Corporation’ No. 87. 

Daimler CC5GDD / Massey /2

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

MFA 703G ‘Burton Corporation’ No. 103.

Daimler Fleetline / Willowbrook /1

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

 

How fortunate it was that the company elected to buy a single deck version of the hugely successful double decker rather than having gone for the hugely unsuccessful Daimler Roadliner.

 

 

 

 

MFA 703G ‘Burton Corporation’ No. 103.

Daimler Fleetline / Willowbrook /2

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

 

‘Scene’ at the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre. Work in Progress on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

Located at Ruddington, which lies five miles to the South of Nottingham.

 

It is also home to the ‘Great Central Railway-Nottingham’.

 

A large site which houses an extensive collection of vintage buses as well as standard gauge and miniature railway vehicles and artefacts.

 

Originally a station on the ‘Great Central Railway’  extension line that linked Sheffield with London via Nottingham and Leicester.

 

We are all used to seeing immaculately restored veteran and vintage vehicles but

it’s not often we get to see what the restorers have to work on.

 

Here is just a sample.

 

WAL 782 ‘Barton Transport’ No. 782. 

Leyland Tiger PS1/B / Willowbrook 

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

 

New registered CWH 262 new in 1948 as a Leyland Tiger PS1 with a Strachans coach body to ‘Knowles’, Bolton.

 

Rebuilt by Willowbrook in 1957 with this lowbridge body.

 

Coming towards the end of what looks to be an excellent re-paint.

 

 

 

 

KNN 254 ‘Barton Transport’ No. 580.

Leyland PD1A / Duple /1 of 2

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

 

 

 

 

KNN 254 ‘Barton Transport’ No. 580.

Leyland PD1A / Duple /2 of 2

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

 

 

 

 

VVO 735 ‘Barton Transport’ No. 735.

Leyland Tiger BTS/1 / Willowbrook

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

 

New registered KAL 380 a Leyland PS1/1 with a Duple coach body.

 

Rebuilt by Willowbrook in 1957 with this lowbridge body.

 

 

 

 

VO 8846 ‘South Notts’ No. 17.

Leyland Lion LT5 / Willowbrook

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

 

New in 1932.

 

 

 

 

MAL 310 ‘South Notts’ No. 310.

Leyland Royal Tiger / Duple Roadmaster

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

 

New in 1951. 

 

I wonder how many of us had one or more of the Dinky Toys model in our collections back in the 1950’s?

 

I have still got 3 in a variety of liveries.

 

 

‘Scene’ at the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre Visitors for the Day 1 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

Located at Ruddington, which lies five miles to the South of Nottingham.

 

It is also home to the ‘Great Central Railway-Nottingham’.

 

A large site which houses an extensive collection of vintage buses as well as standard gauge and miniature railway vehicles and artefacts.

 

Originally a station on the ‘Great Central Railway’  extension line that linked Sheffield with London via Nottingham and Leicester.

 

DTL 489D ‘The Delaine’ No. 60. Leyland Atlantean PDR1/12 / Willowbrook /1 of 2

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

 

It has appeared before in my blog when it was at ‘Showbus’ in 2016.

 

Here is what I wrote at the time and I have not changed my opinion since.

 

‘The Delaine’ working out of Bourne in Lincolnshire has been an independent bus operator going back over a century.

 

‘Buses Illustrated’ for May 1966 drew attention to a new double decker having been delivered to ‘The Delaine’ registered DTL 489D.

 

This was the first rear engined double decker to join the fleet.

 

It was further recorded in the magazine that,

 

   “the superb finish” (of the Willowbrook bodywork) “has to be seen to be believed.”

 

It went on, 

 

    “Surely this must be the most beautifully painted and trimmed Atlantean in the country.”

 

 

It doesn’t look bad now, 55 years later.

 

So here it is, enjoy !

 

 

 

 

DTL 489D ‘The Delaine’ No. 60. Leyland Atlantean PDR1/12 / Willowbrook /2 of 2

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

 

 

GKV 94 ‘Coventry Transport’ No. 94. Daimler CVA6 / Metro Cammell /1 of 2

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

 

New in 1950.

 

Superbly restored both inside and out.

 

I was fortunate enough to get a ride on this bus.

 

My ‘Star of the Show’.

 

 

 

 

GKV 94 ‘Coventry Transport’ No. 94. Daimler CVA6 / Metro Cammell /2 of 2

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

 

 

 

 

NNU 447J ‘Midland General Omnibus Co. Ltd.’ Bristol RE / Eastern Coach Works /1 of 2 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk

 

 

 

 

NNU 447J ‘Midland General Omnibus Co. Ltd.’ Bristol RE / Eastern Coach Works /2 of 2

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

 

 

 

 

‘Scene’ at the age of 100. ‘Hulleys of Baslow’ /1 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

April 2021 sees the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of what has become ‘Hulleys of Baslow’, the well known Derbyshire based independent bus operator.

 

To celebrate the occasion, a gathering of some of ‘Hulleys’ past and present fleet is being planned to take place in Chatsworth Park, Derbyshire on Sunday the 25th. of April 2021.

 

Founded by Henry Hulley, the ownership of the company has changed hands more than once but the name of its founder has survived all the changes.

 

I have known the company for over 60 years and during that time the buses initially painted (in my time at least) in shades of red and red and grey have been a fixture in Rutland Square in Bakewell.

 

These days, the livery has changed to cream and dark blue. 

 

A combination that ‘Hulleys’ inherited from ‘South Notts’ when buses were bought from that fleet and the livery adopted.

 

Although Hulleys ‘main line’ is probably its service number 170 from Bakewell to Chesterfield via Baslow.

 

The company operates widely across North Derbyshire, to Sheffield and in the past year to Manchester.

 

The earliest images I have are in black and white and were acquired over the years from a variety of sources which today are unknown. 

 

So the best I can claim is that they are part of my collection.

 

I have included them for completeness sake and thank the unknown photographers who at that time had the foresight to capture the images for posterity.

 

Buses (and coaches) are listed in order of their first date of registration when new.

 

HL 7510 ‘Hulleys’ No,21. Leyland TS7c / Roe

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

 

New in 1936 to ‘West Riding’.

 

 

 

 

EA 9676 ‘Hulleys’ No.29. AEC Regal / Duple

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

 

New in 1938 to ‘Hill’, West Bromwich.

 

 

 

 

RC 9673 ‘Hulleys’ No.14. AEC Regal / Willowbrook

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

 

New in 1947 to ‘Trent’ as No.767. 

 

Pictured in Rutland Square, Bakewell.

 

 

 

 

BRN 61 ‘Hulleys’ No. 8. Bedford OB / Duple

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

 

New in 1947 to ‘Scout’, Preston.

 

 

 

 

 

FEH 812 ‘Hulleys’ No. 23. Leyland TS8 / Burlingham

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

 

New in 1938 to ‘Potteries’ as No. 137 with a Brush body and re-bodied by Burlingham in 1949.

 

Pictured in Rutland Square, Bakewell.

 

‘Scene’ at the Bus & Coach show at the NEC in 2018 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

The annual B&C show at the NEC has been cancelled for 2020 because of the Covid 19 Pandemic.

 

Regular readers/viewers of my blog will know that I would normally have published a number of blogs built round what was new in the 2020 show.

 

As I am not able to do so, I will fill the gaps created by re-running some of the highlights from previous shows.

 

Sometimes (but not always) a veteran bus from earlier years  puts in an appearance.

 

The 2018 show today, 2019 tomorrow.

 

Neoplan Tourliner

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

 

 

 

 

YN67 VDK ‘CT Plus’ Irizar i2e

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

 

At last years show in prototype form.

 

 

 

 

EHA 424D ‘BMMO’ (Midland Red). BMMO D9 / Willowbrook

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

 

Arguably one of the best double deckers of its period. 

 

Sadly, I never got to ride on one.

 

 

 

 

Volvo B8RLE / Plaxton Panther LE demonstrator

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

 

At the time, I wrote

 

  ”The Plaxton Panther LE is basically a low floor front end married to the rear end of a coach.

 

Thus giving the operator and passengers the benefits of low floor accesability and  the ride and comfort that coach passengers accept as normal.

 

Ideal for the longer interurban routes where I expect such vehicles will spend most of their time.”

 

 

Produced I believe primarily at the request of the ‘Stagecoach’ group.

 

I expected this to sell like hot cakes whereas the only ones I know of in service are with ‘Stagecoach Fife’ and operate between Edinburgh and Dunfermline.

 

For further images. See my blog posted 12/06/2020.

 

 

 

 

Plaxton Panther demonstrator

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

 

 

 

 

Optare MetroCity EV ‘London General’ No. MC1

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

 

For further images. See my blog posted 05/11/2018.