'Scene' recently in Loughborough part 1

This small selection of bus images taken recently brings together two brief visits. One at the very end of 2013 and another in the first week in February 2014.

 

Loughborough, a small compact town sits astride the A6 North of Leicester and South of Derby.

 

It is blessed with a wide selection of bus operators who provide a busy and colourful scene.

 

There are a couple of locally based operators.

 

‘Kinchbus’ (Kb), a ‘Wellglade’ group subsidiary has the highest profile.

 

‘Kb’ has a history dating back to 1987 when Gilbert Kinch started trading as GK Kinch. At that time his operation was based in Barrow on Soar.

 

Expansion followed in the 1990’s and in 1998 the company was sold to the ‘Wellglade’ group.

 

Apart from local services in the Loughborough area, longer distance services operate as far as Leicester, Nottingham and Derby.

 

At the time of writing ‘Kb’ operates approximately 30 vehicles.

 

‘Kb’ took 4 Optare Tempo’s and 7 Optare Solo’s in 2007 and both deliveries are represented here.

 

 YJ07 VSV

 

YJ07 EFW

Seen in the dedicated livery of the ‘sprint' service which links the town with the University and the railway station.

FE02 KDZ

Another Solo, came from 'trentbarton's (tb)s main fleet having previously been painted in both fleet and ‘Harlequin’ liveries.

'tb' being another 'Wellglade' group company.

In 2008, 'Kb' took 6 Volvo B7RLE’s with Plaxton Centro bodies for the ‘skylink’ service that links Derby to Loughborough via the East Midland Airport. 

 

These were supplemented by another of the same which came into the fleet when (tb) took over ‘Felix of Stanley’ in January 2012.

 

YN08 CWV

Volvo B7RLE/Plaxton Centro.

 

FJ03 VWM

The route has since been extended to Leicester which necessitated the addition of one of 'tb's Scania L94UB's with Wright Solar Urban bodywork.

 

It is also anticipated that more of them will follow.

 

FJ03 VWM

 

 

X234 WRA

An Optare Excel. Now in the twilight of its career and helping out on Town Service No.11. It still carries the remnants of the old 'tb' fleet livery.

 

 

FJ03 VWN

Other Scania/Wright buses work on service 9 to Nottingham. At one time it worked on 'tb's Rainbow 5 service.

 

Route 9 was originally a ‘Premiere’ travel route that came to ‘Kb’ when ‘Premiere’ ceased to operate in early 2013.

 

 

FJ03 VVP

Another Scania/Wright working for 'Kb'. 

 

The livery it carries is for ‘tb’s  H1 Derby, Heanor and Alfreton service.

 

This bus and others in the same livery have been displaced on the H1 by new Optare Versa’s. See my blog

‘H1 New Shiny Bus’ dated 11/01/14.

Another ‘Wellglade’ group bus in town was,

 

FJ03 VWY

Another Scania L94UB with Wright Solar Urban bodywork working for (tb) on the lengthy ‘skylink’ service from Nottingham via the East Midlands AirportThis vehicle previously worked on and carried the liveries of the ‘Calverton’ and ‘H1’ services.

The other local operator ‘Paul S. Winson’ always operates buses and coaches that are superbly turned out.

 

I have never seen a dirty bus in service.

 

W647 SNA Dennis Trident 2 with East Lancs Lolyne bodywork came from ‘Nottingham City Transport’.

W563 RSG

A Dennis Trident with Plaxton President bodywork that was previously operated by ‘Lothian Buses’.

XX12 PSW and XX13 PSW PSW

ADL Enviro 200’s, Both purchased at the same time. 

 

The company makes regular use of PSW suffixed registrations.