A Day out with Dennis to Carsington

This set of images is to illustrate an article written for a magazine called ‘All Things Local’.

This community magazine is produced and distributed from a base in Kilburn, Derbyshire and covers large areas of the towns of Ripley and Belper.

 

The major local bus operator is ‘trentbarton’ (tb) which covers a large area of the East Midlands.

 

The first bus of the day is ‘trentbarton’s (tb) ‘the sixes’ service. These buses have chassis built by the Swedish manufacturer Scania fitted with bodies that are built in Northern Ireland by Wright’s in Ballymena. It is called the ‘Solar Urban’ body.

 

‘tb’ have recently refurbished all the buses used on ‘the sixes’ fitting them with better seats and at the same time, they have all been repainted in a much brighter shade of yellow.

 

The bus taking you onto Carsington and Ashbourne is another Wright’s product called the ‘Streetlite’.

 

‘yourbus’ the operator have two of these buses specially branded for this service. The branding mainly towards the rear of the bus is seen here.

 

From Ashbourne back to Derby a Wright’s of Ballmena body is fitted to another Swedish chassis this time produced by Volvo. This service is called ‘the swift’.

Finally to get back home to Belper its back on ‘the sixes’ from Derby to Belper or if you are going to Ripley the quickest way is on ‘tb’s ‘red arrow’ service.

Mainly run with Scania coaches fitted with Spanish built ‘Irizar’ bodies but from time to time other buses may well deputise.

 

 

‘Scene’ in Derby today 17th. February 2014

YN05 GZB

Scania L94UB/Wright Solar which came into 'notts + derby' ownership when 'Wellglade' group took over ‘Felix of Stanley’.

YR59 NNU

Another Scania/Wright combination that has recently joined ‘Arriva’ in Derby from Hinkley. 

 

 

W475 BCW

The Volvo B7TL with Plaxton President bodywork makes for a handsome bus. It was 1 of 4 received from 'London United' 4 years ago.

 

BK10 MFY

A Volvo B7RLE/Plaxton Centro freshly repainted in ‘yourbus’ livery waiting to go to Ilkeston.

 

I first new this bus when in ‘Nottingham University Hopper Bus’ it worked for ‘Premiere’ travel.

 

Their ceasing to operate brought it into ‘yourbus’ hands still in 'Hopper' livery and ‘K&H Doyle’ ceasing trading recently caused it to be repainted.

 

I do not know who does ‘yourbus’ repaints but this one is a particularly fine job. Well done!

 

YJ07 VSA

An Optare Tempo on the jointly operated (with Arriva) X38 service to Burton on Trent.

 

The X38 normally departs from Victoria Street and I have never seen one in Derby’s bus station before.

 

It might have been a crew comfort stop or a maintenance issue or could the X38 be coming into the bus station on a regular basis .............?

 

YN62 AOV

An ADL Enviro 200. 

 

I always think it brave to choose a white based livery. It soon gets dirty, however on a dull, damp day in February ‘Littles’ have done a good job in keeping this bus looking smart.

 

 

FJ55 BZP

One more Scania/Wright on one of ‘trentbarton’s ‘sixes’ services. 

 

It seems a long time since these buses started being repainted but with rumours of a ‘sixes’ re launch in the near future, maybe the old livery is about to become a thing of the past !!

 

A trio of ‘unibus’ liveried vehicles to conclude.

 

X236 WRA

An Optare Excel.

 

M135 PRA

A Northern Counties bodied Volvo B10B. 

 

The oldest of the lot having just registered its 19th. birthday.

 

YJ07 JWA

A VDL SB200/Plaxton Centro that came into ‘Wellglade’ ownership with the purchase of TM Travel in 2012.

‘Scene’ in ‘yourbus’ colours

One of the effects of ‘yourbus’ taking over many of the routes run by K & H Doyle is that 4 of ‘yourbus’ fleet of Wright Streetlites have been committed to these routes.

 

These in turn required replacement. These came from ‘yourbus’ stock of vehicles painted in other liveries.

 

It takes time and organisation to set up a re painting programme.

 

This last couple of days has seen at least 2 recently repainted buses ‘out and about’.

 

SN10 CDK

An Alexander Dennis  Ltd. Enviro 300 seen resting between duties at Sainsbury’s in Ripley before leaving for Matlock on the 141.

 

Before joining ‘yourbus’ it was with ‘Premiere’ in Nottingham in Nottingham University ‘Hopper’ livery.

BK10 MFX

 

Is a Volvo B7RLE with Plaxton Centro body which also came from ‘Premiere’ and in the same livery. 

 

This time seen in Derby bus station waiting departure time for its next trip to Ilkeston on the 59. 

 

K & H Doyle Coaches. The end.

W 975 ETW

Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Dart

 

 

 

I remember 'Doyle’s starting up in the mid 1980’s with one vehicle running a contracted taxi bus service between Street Lane and Pentrich via Ripley.

 

Since them, I have seen them grow and seemingly prosper to the point where they had become a fixture in the area.

 

At one time they had an operating base in Ripley but then moved to a unit on Lydford Road on the Meadow Lane industrial estate in Alfreton which then became their base.

 

I remember an evening visit to ‘Doyles’ with ‘Transpire’ the Chesterfield Bus Society when Kevin Doyle personally conducted us around his premises.

 

A likeable man who was pleased with what he had achieved.

 

I knew something was amiss when I saw a ‘yourbus’ Wright Streetlite running on a ‘Doyle’ service earlier this week.

 

There were a number of rumours about but it seemed that ‘Doyles’ had gone out of business on Monday 13th. of January and that both Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire County Councils transport units were trying to fill the gaps that had appeared in their timetables.

 

A visit to the Lydford Road premises found them empty apart from Optare Solo W296 EYG

in the workshop.

Today, I set out to find out what routes were being run, by whom and with what vehicles.

 

I was able to glean a lot of information regarding what and whom from Matthew Barker’s excellent ‘Derby Bus Depot’ web site.

The with what, was down to me.

 

As I write, the following appears to be the situation.

 

Route 4  Mansfield -Mansfield Woodhouse currently has no service.

 

Route 17 Oak Tree-Mansfield- Sutton-in- Ashfield is being run by ‘Stagecoach’ to a normal timetable.

 

YN53 ZRY 

A Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Dart

Route 18 Mansfield-Crown Farm is being run by ‘Stagecoach’ to a normal timetable.

 

V515 XTL

Another Dennis Dart, this time bodied by East Lancs.

Route 19 Mansfield-Berry Hill- Mansfield currently has no service.

 

Route 143 Ripley-Ambergate-Belper is being run by ‘yourbus’ to a normal timetable.

 

MX62 GXZ

A Wright Streetlite D/F.

 

 

Route 144 Ripley-Ambergate-Crich is being run by ‘yourbus’ to a normal timetable.

 

MX62 GXZ

Again, which interworks the two routes.

 

 

Route 145 Blidworth-Sutton-Kirkby is being run by ‘Stagecoach’ to a normal timetable.

 

YN53 ZSG

A Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Dart.

 

 

Route 148 Codnor-Ripley- Alfreton is being run by ‘yourbus’ to a normal timetable.

 

MX62 GXE

A Wright Streetlite D/F.

 

Route 151 Alfreton-Outseats and Peasehill Estates is being run by ‘yourbus’ to a normal timetable.

 

MX62 GXK

A Wright Streetlite D/F.

 

Route 152 and 153 Alfreton-Sleetmoor Lane-Somercotes-Lower Birchwood is being run by ‘yourbus’ to a normal timetable.

 

MX

A Wright Streetlite D/F which inter works the two routes.

 

 

 

 

Route 228 Hucknall-Bestwood Village-Bulwell is being run by ‘yourbus’ to a normal timetable.

 

No Image

 

Route 331 Selston-Moorgreen-Phoenix Park is only running between Selston Church and Phoenix Park. Operated by A & S Coaches.

 

No Image

 

Route 332 Eastwood-Moorgreen-Pinxton- Alfreton currently has no service.

 

It is always sad when an enterprise that started out with ambition and high hopes comes to grief.

 

The passengers have mostly already been found alternative transport.

 

The buses will move on and very soon the bright green buses of ‘K & H Doyle Coaches’ will be but a memory.

 

Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire County Councils have done well to keep the services running.

 

The management teams at ‘Stagecoach’ and ‘yourbus’ have done extremely well to juggle their resources to provide the services that they have.

 

Transport to me is all about people. People providing a service to enable other people to move around.

 

The loss of ‘Doyles’ will mean that some of those people will lose their jobs. Some will find other jobs. Possibly with 'Stagecoach' and 'yourbus' To all of Doyle's former employees I extend my very best wishes for the future.

‘Scene’ today (15th January 2014) in Ripley, Derbyshire

‘yourbus’ (yb) Wright Streetlite D/F MX62 GXE operating on service 148 which is normally operated by ‘K & H Doyle Coaches’ of Alfreton.

 

Rumour in the town has it that Doyles’s have ceased trading overnight and that ‘yb’ are picking up the pieces.

 

Time as they say will tell. 

'Scene' in Heanor

Heanor, a small mid Derbyshire town lies at the crossroads of the A 6007 and the A 608. It used to be on the road that linked Manchester with Nottingham but a bye-pass ended that.

 

Once the centre of a busy East Midlands coalfield, that went the same way as most of the other English coalfields.

 

A bit of a backwater then in some ways so it comes as a bit of a shock for there to be what the press love to call ‘a bus war’ taking place in the town.

 

‘trentbarton’ (tb) whose origins can be traced back over 100 years now having recently celebrated that momentous birthday has always been the main player in the town.

 

‘yourbus’ (yb) are a newcomer dating from 2009 who have a depot in the town.

 

For many years ‘tb’ ran their service from Derby to Heanor with an hourly extension to Alfreton as the H1.

 

Starting in August last year, ‘yb’ started its Y1 service from Heanor to Derby even offering to accept ‘tb’ tickets. They do not cover ‘tb’s extension to Alfreton.

 

Between them then ‘tb’ and ‘yb’ provide 8 buses an hour each way. 

 

At one time ‘tb’s rolling stock was the unusual Optare Vecta which utilised MAN 11.190 running units but these days it uses Wright Solar Urban bodied Scania L94UB’s in a dedicated livery although from time to time fleet liveried buses turn up.

 

FJ03 VVR 

 

  FJ55 ABK

Mercedes-Benz Citaro’s are ‘yb’s choice for the Y1.  Here we see BK13 XYC pulling on to the stand in Heanor.

So, what else is there to see.

 

‘tb’ have 2 routes serving Ripley and Nottingham which pass through Heanor.

 

‘rainbow 1’ runs all stops via  Codnor, Loscoe, Heanor, Langley, Eastwood, Kimberley and Watnall. Running time is scheduled, depending on the time of day to be about an hour and a quarter although on bad traffic days it can take longer.

Current rolling stock are Scania L94UB’s (bought 2004) with Wright Solar Urban bodies seating 44.

 

They are painted in a dark shade of blue which preserves the memory of the old 
Midland General Omnibus Company (taken over by Trent in 1969) who ran the route back then. At Eastwood the route combines with other ‘rainbow one’ services that originate in Alfreton to provide an increased frequency into Nottingham

 

FN04 HSY 

‘rapid 1’ runs all stops via Codnor, Loscoe, Heanor, Langley, and then non stop along the A 610. Running time is scheduled for just over fifty minutes.

 

Current rolling stock is with Volvo B7RLE’s (bought 2009) with Wright Eclipse bodies seating 45. 

 

The paintwork is still dark blue, albeit a lighter shade than the Rainbow 1.

 

 

FJ09 BXE 

 

‘tb’ have many ‘branded routes’. One of which is the ‘amberline’. This route links Derby with Hucknall via Kilburn and Heanor.

 

Usually operated with Optare Solo’s (of which ‘tb’ has bought over 100).

 

Painted in a bright shade of orange and unless my eyes deceive me, two different shades at that.

 

X627 ERB 

 W412 YAL

 

 

Other Solo’s in the ‘tb’ fleet in town were W414 YAL seen working route 1A which links Ripley via Heanor to Aldercar. This includes a number of diversions onto housing estates which are spread along the route.

 

and FE02 KFD

One of a number of buses in the fleet liveried to advertise ‘tb’ s ‘Mango’ card. This is a smart card which can be purchased and gives discounted travel on ‘tb’ services.

 

Seen working on route 23 which links Heanor to Kirk Hallam via Ilkeston. Like the 1A, it includes a number of housing estates along the way.

 

MX62 GVZ

One of ‘yb’s Wright Streetlite’s acquired a little over a year ago that is seen on the 138 linking Heanor to Belper via Kilburn.

Using both Wheel forward and Door forward buses, ‘yb’ have built up a significant network of routes in central Derbyshire. (see my blog entries for 17th and 28th October 2013 for details).

 

YJ07 VSG

An Optare Tempo 1 working on ‘tb’s lengthy ‘black cat’ route linking Derby to Mansfield via West Hallam, Ilkeston, Heanor, Kirkby and Sutton in Ashfield.

LX58 BZC

A Mercedes-Benz ‘Sprinter’ conversion working for ‘Harrison Ford Executive Transport’ of Mansfield.

‘yourbus’ expand again

When I did my last piece that included ‘yourbus’ (See ‘Scene’ in Matlock 17th  October). I said that they were quietly building a network in this part of central Derbyshire.

 

Today (28th. of October 2013), two more pieces were fitted into the jigsaw.

 

Route 113 has been taken over from ‘Glovers of Ashbourne’.

 

The Plaxton Primo’s that Glovers mainly have employed have given way to ‘yourbus’ Wright ‘StreetLites’.

 

 

Here MX62 GXE about to load in Belper for the 12-25 departure.

 

 

 

 

The other route that ‘yourbus’ is operating is the 114 that runs from Derby to Ashbourne via Hulland Ward. It was operated by ‘Arriva’ as the 109.

Here we see MX62 GOA about to leave Ashbourne on the 2-00 p.m. departure.

 

The sun has almost obliterated the destination but it is still readable. In case there is any doubt, I show the repeater by the door.

 

 

I was a little surprised that ‘yourbus’ are operating just one service on what is normally ‘trentbarton’s ‘Swift’ Derby- Ashbourne service.

 

I presume since the bus arrives on the ‘swift’ and it departs on the 114 (both at 06-35) that it is a positioning movement.

 

 

Considering ‘yourbus’ rapid acquisition of routes over the past few months It is interesting to speculate where they are going to turn up next !!  

 

'Scene' in Matlock today 17th. October 2013

It is seven months since I did my last piece about Matlock. That appeared on the Focus Transport website and is still available to view by going to focustransport .org. 

 

Then go to articles from January to July and scroll down to 9th of March and it is entitled Matlock 2013.

 

Today however I was looking at what was new to me or different.

 

‘yourbus’ are perhaps better known for their tussles with ‘trentbarton’ (tb) in and out of Nottingham and Derby but quietly they have set about building a network in and around this central part of Derbyshire.

 

All the services currently operated have been taken over in the last couple of years or so from other operators, mainly

‘TM Travel’ and ‘Doyle’s Coaches of Alfreton’.

 

It does not end there however,  from the end of October they are taking over the 113 Belper to Ashbourne service from ‘Glover’s of Ashbourne.

In addition, a new route the 114 between Ashbourne and Derby replaces the old 109. It was formerly operated by 'Arriva'.

 

Services are run with a mixture of Wright Streetlite W/F and D/F ‘s which are now about a year old. 

 

My experience is that they have settled down to being regular, reliable performers being warm and comfortable at the same time. That will do for me !!

 

 

H822 DVL

Licenced as an Iveco Ford. It looks like a former mobile shop or library but gets included because of the use of the word ‘bus’ in its livery. 

 

Sat in Sainsbury’s car park it seemed to do a steady trade.

 

IIG 9818

Also at Sainsbury’s was this VDL Bova of ‘Caledonian Travel’ which was touring in ‘Nottingham and the Peak’.

 

(tb) are known to be refurbishing the Scania/Wrights on the ‘sixes’ services which cover a corridor of Derbyshire from Derby as far North as Bakewell, as far West as Wirksworth and as far East as Ripley.

 

It seems to be taking some time to complete. There are a small number of buses wearing the new base colour with little branding while the old livery is still in widespread use. One of each is illustrated.

 

FJ55 BZP

 

 FJ55 ABO

 

 

YN06 CJE

 

YN08 OAJ

 

were High Peak buses contribution whilst in a similar livery.

 

G535 VBB 

 

Brings the Sheffield to Matlock via Bakewell service 218 service into town.

 

Formerly this Leyland Olympian with Northern Counties Palatine body now with 'TM Travel' worked in London for ‘Arriva’ in full London red livery.

 

V327 KMY 

A Dennis Dart with Plaxton’s Pointer bodyworkIs another former London resident having worked there when it was part of ‘Metrobus’s fleet. Now with ‘DW Coaches’ of Clay Cross.

W423 RTO

The last time I saw this 'TM Travel' former ‘tb’ Optare Solo it carried no titling having been just at that time been transferred from one to the other. 

Now properly identified, its green livery dates back to the days when it worked on 'tb’s se7ens service between Derby and Belper.

 

YN09 AOJ

A Plaxton Cheetah bodied Mercedes-Benz Vario from ‘G & J Holmes’ of Clay Cross.

 

MX58 AVE

An ‘Amber Valley Community Transport’ Volkswagen Crafter unusually not carrying its normally distinctive side branding.