‘Scene’ in Nottingham. on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

Over the last couple of years I have covered the introduction of gas powered buses on a number occasions.

 

However, there are still large numbers of other buses in the city that are worthy of illustration.

 

 

KY16 PWO ‘CT4N' (Community Transport for Nottingham). Optare Solo SR

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

 

New to ‘Dawson Rentals’, Milton Keynes.

 

 

 

YX13 BNO ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) No. 376. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro200 

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

 

Pictured in the old green version of the ‘go anywhere’ spare bus livery.

 

 

 

YJ61 CFN ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 335 ‘Pink line 30, 31’. Optare M995 Solo SR on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

YD63 VBM ‘CT4N' (Community Transport for Nottingham) ‘locallink electric’. Optare OE925EV Solo 

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

 

 

 

 

FG52 WFU ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 853 ‘Driver Training’. Scania CN94UB / Scania OmniCity

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

 

New to ‘NCT’ as No. 509.

 

 

 

 

YX13 AEU ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) No. 375 ‘Green’ promotional livery’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro200 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

‘Scene’ at the ‘Scottish Vintage Bus Museum’ at Lathalmond on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

YSG 101 ‘Edinburgh Corporation Transport’. Leyland Leopard / Alexander ‘Y’ /1

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

 

When ‘Edinburgh Corporation Transport’ (ECT) introduced its No. 101 in 1962 it was unique to the UK in passenger management.

 

Three doors were unusual but the way they worked was that the rear door was for passengers to enter the vehicle where they were met by a seated conductor who sold them their tickets.

 

The other 2 doors were for passengers to leave the bus.

 

Although it was trialled for some time, it was not a success and the bus was eventually rebuilt as a single door vehicle fitted with coach seats for use by ‘ECT’s coaching division.

 

Eventually downgraded to bus work it was withdrawn in 1988, sold into preservation and returned to its 1962 layout.

 

YSG 101 ‘Edinburgh Corporation Transport’. Leyland Leopard / Alexander ‘Y’ /1

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YSG 101 ‘Edinburgh Corporation Transport’. Leyland Leopard / Alexander ‘Y’ /2

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

 

 

 

 

 

YSG 101 ‘Edinburgh Corporation Transport’. Leyland Leopard / Alexander ‘Y’ /3

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

YSG 101 ‘Edinburgh Corporation Transport’. Leyland Leopard / Alexander ‘Y’ /4

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Scene’ in a new Livery. ‘trentbarton’ Versa’s on ‘the sixes’ on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

‘trentbarton’s (tb)’s single decker bus of choice from 2011 to 2014 was the Optare Versa with some 50 or so entering service in that time.

 

The last batch in 2014 worked on the ‘rainbow one’ and ‘the rapid’ one from Alfreton, Heanor and Ripley to Nottingham.

 

In September 2020 these were replaced on those services by new 

‘Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E200 / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200MMC’s.

 

For images see blog posted September 14th. 2020.

 

It was widely known amongst the enthusiast fraternity that the now withdrawn Versa’s would in all probability supplement and eventually replace the Scania/Wright saloons currently working on ‘the sixes’.

 

After 15 years service, replacement was due.

 

For those not familiar with ‘the sixes’.

 

It is a group of routes serving the Derwent Valley from Derby via Belper and Matlock as far as Rowsley and beyond to Bakewell.

 

The townships of Ripley and Wirksworth are adjacent to the main route which uses the A6 are also served.

 

In my view the 6.1 to Bakewell is one of Derbyshires largely undiscovered gems and deserves to be more widely known.

 

I am pleased to see that the East Mill at Belper where I used to work form part of the graphics on the buses.

 

I should point out that my images of the vehicles were taken during the course of my daily walk and the interior images were taken by friend Paul Toon on his way to work so no government regulations current at the time were breached.

 

YJ14 BTF ‘trentbarton’ No. 837 ‘the sixes’. Optare V1170 Versa /1

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

 

 

 

 

YJ14 BTF ‘trentbarton’ No. 837 ‘the sixes’. Optare V1170 Versa /2

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

 

 

 

 

YJ14 BTF ‘trentbarton’ No. 837 ‘the sixes’. Optare V1170 Versa /3

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

 

 

 

 

YJ14 BTF ‘trentbarton’ No. 837 ‘the sixes’. Optare V1170 Versa /4

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

 

 

 

 

YJ14 BTF ‘trentbarton’ No. 837 ‘the sixes’. Optare V1170 Versa /5

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

 

‘Scene’ with ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT). Styles of Double Deckers on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

At the time of writing, there are three different styles of double decker in service with ‘NCT’.

 

For many years East Lancs Coachbuilders Ltd. (ELC) was a regular supplier of bus bodies but that changed when that company went into administration in 2007.

 

Between then and 2014 bodies were supplied by the Darwen Group and Optare to what appeared to me to be to the original ELC design.

 

The relationship between ELC, Darwen Group and Optare is complex and beyond the scope of this blog.

 

in 2014 Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) became the supplier with the Enviro400.

 

In 2017 NCT switched to Gas buses and specified the Enviro 400City body.

 

All incidentally on Scania chassis.

 

All the images for this blog were captured outside Nottingham’s beautiful railway station.

 

YT61 FFN ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) No. 926. ‘Uni 4 Navy Line’. Scania N230UD / Optare

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

 

 

 

 

YN14 MVM ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) No. 639 ‘Navy Line’ 48. Scania N230UD / ‘ADL’ Enviro400 

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

 

 

 

 

YN18 EFY ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) No. 487 ‘Navy Line 49’. Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBGCity 

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

 

 

‘Scene’ at the ‘Scottish Vintage Bus Museum’ at Lathalmond on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

When I wrote on November 11th this year that I would post a blog every day until the end of this current period of lockdown, I did not know what I was taking on.

 

Well here we are at the end of that period of lockdown and as from tomorrow we are now into tier 3 of whatever the new system is called. All very confusing. 

 

Fortunately, I think the blog a day has been moderately successful but to allow myself to get my breath back so to speak, I will for the time being revert to my previous blogging schedule of a couple of times a week.

 

I may in future return to a blog a day but that is dependant on my actually being allowed to go out and take the images I require for me to do so.

 

Meanwhile, whatever happens I hope that you continue to access my blog and that you enjoy what I do.

 

Best wishes,

 

Dennis

 

 

The Glasgow Connection

 

It would be surprising if Glasgow wasn’t represented at a bus rally held in Scotland.

 

Starting with a bus dating back to ‘Glasgow Corporation Transport’ days. Then the intervening years and finally to the ‘First Glasgow’ fleet of today.

 

SGD 500 ‘Glasgow Corporation Transport’ No. A350. AEC Regent 5 / Alexander

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

 

 

 

 

SF09 LDJ ‘First Glasgow’ No. 37738. Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini

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

 

Painted in the traditional ‘Glasgow Corporation Transport’ livery.

 

 

 

 

SF09 LFB ‘First Glasgow’ No. 37751. Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini

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

 

Painted in the livery of ‘Greater Glasgow PTE’ which came into being in 1973.

 

 

 

 

A735 PSU ‘Strathclyde’s Buses’ No.A109. Volvo Ailsa B55 / Alexander RV

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

 

Painted in ‘Strathclyde Buses’ buses livery dating from 1986.

 

Please forgive the one spot of rain on the upper deck windscreen.

 

 

 

 

SK19 EOM ‘First Glasgow’ No. 33101 ‘500 Glasgow Airport  Express’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E40D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 400City 

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

 

‘Scene’ In Sheffield. The one that almost got away on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

On the 9th. Of September 2019, I posted a blog about ‘First’ in Sheffield and their use of retro liveries to celebrate transport anniversaries in the City.

 

Whilst the blog of 09/09/2019 dealt with the 100th. anniversary of motor buses in Sheffield.

 

One bus had eluded me and I closed the piece by saying “Watch this space”.

 

The one I had missed celebrated the 40 years since ‘South Yorkshire PTE’ was

founded in 1974 and here it is.

 

YN58 ETR ‘First South Yorkshire’ No. 37524 ‘South Yorkshire Transport’  No. 524 ‘Alan Yates’. Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini /1

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

 

 

 

 

YN58 ETR ‘First South Yorkshire’ No. 37524 ‘South Yorkshire Transport’ No. 524 ‘Alan Yates’. Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini /2

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

 

 

 

 

YN58 ETR ‘First South Yorkshire’ No. 37524 ‘South Yorkshire Transport’ No. 524 ‘Alan Yates’. Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini /3

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

 

‘Scene’ in Nottingham again 2 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

The junction of Milton Street and Upper Parliament Street in Nottingham must be  one of the most heavily bussed junctions in the country.

 

So much so that at one time the pollution levels were too high.

 

This was one of the reasons that ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) chose to purchase a fleet of gas powered Scania/Alexander buses in an effort to reduce the pollution levels.

 

With ‘NCT’ having colour based route branding, it leads to a very colourful scene.

 

The building to the right is Nottingham’s Victoria Shopping Centre. Built largely on the site of the old Nottingham Victoria Railway station which was opened in 1900 by the Great Central and Great Northern Railways.

 

For part one see blog published 03/03/2020.

 

Upper Parliament Street (left to right) and Milton Street (facing) junction in Nottingham

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

 

 

 

YN18 SVZ ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 441 ’Skyblue Line 45’. Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBG City 

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

 

 

 

 

YN19 EFL ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 476 ‘Purple Line 89. Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBG City 

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

 

 

 

 

YN19 EEX ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 464 ‘Lilac Line 27’. Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBG City 

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

 

 

 

 

YN19 EHC ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 498 ‘Lime Line 58’. Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBG City 

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

 

 

 

 

YN19 EEW ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 463 ‘Lilac Line 27’. Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBG City 

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

 

Seen keeping company with similar YN19 EFF No. 472. 

 

Showing the clever way of utilising paint stocks. The lilac bus has a contrasting trim of purple whilst the purple bus has a contrast of lilac