‘Scene’ recently in Loughborough part 2

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

 

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.

 

‘Centrebus’ operate 2 routes from Loughborough. No. 8 serves Grantham via Melton Mowbray whilst the other No. 154 serves Leicester via Swithland.

PAZ 9346

Probably the oldest bus on display is this 1995 vintage DAF SB220 with Northern Counties Paladin bodywork.

 

Part of the ‘Centrebus’ fleet. It arrived with them in 2011 when ‘Centrebus’ took over ‘Kimes Of Folkingham’ who’s livery it still carries. 

 

It was new to ‘Speedlink Airport Services’ as M848 RCP.

YX13 EJC

 

A ‘Centrebus’ Alexander Dennis  Ltd. (ADL) Enviro 200 liveried for the ‘Shore Link’ service that links Oakham with Uppingham and Rutland Water is a long way from its normal haunts as it waits departure time on the Grantham service. 

 

‘Buses’ magazine for February 2014 has a comprehensive article by John Marsh starting on page 24 for anyone wishing to read further.

 

YX63 LGJ 

 

Is another ‘Centrebus’ ADL Enviro 200 on the same service. This particular vehicle is illustrated in the article referred to above.

YJ60 GFO

 

A VDL SB180 with MCV Evolution bodywork had a spell with ‘White Rose Bus Company’ in Yorkshire (A ‘Centrebus’ group company) before moving South where again it is on the Grantham service.

The Leicester service sees the use of XIL 6081 an Optare Solo.

 

Originally registered YJ54 BTV it previously worked for Veolia Transport.

 

 

and T163 RMR

 

A Dennis Dart SLF with Plaxton Pointer 2 bodywork.

 

Previously employed by’ Thamesdown Transport’ in the Swindon area.

 

 

 MX12 DYY

 

A Wright Streetlite W/F operating for ‘Roberts’ of Hugglescote in Leicestershire. It is one of 3 that came from ‘Menzies’ at Heathrow.

 

I had the pleasure of visiting Roberts premises last year on a PSV Circle organised outing to find they have a varied fleet and a large yard that was full of elderly Metrobuses (or should that be Metrobi ?)

 

Nottingham City Transport (NCT) operate service number one. The route travels out over Trent Bridge, then on through Gotham where the South Notts (SN) bus company was based.

 

South Notts were taken over by NCT in 1991, 65 years to the day after SN ran its first service.

 

The normal buses on this service carry normal NCT livery with dark blue branding which I like to think is a nod to the old SN livery of dark blue and cream.

 

YN53 CFA

A Scania N94UD with East Lancs. bodies seating 90.

 

FD02 SFN

An Optare Excel 2 in NCT's standard unbranded livery.

‘Arriva’ runs a direct Leicester service the 126.

 

Y479 UGC

A DAF DB250 with ADL’s ALX 400 body first saw service in Arriva’s London fleet in red livery and with 2 doors.

Having been cascaded North and single doored, it had a spell with ‘Wardle Transport’ in the Stoke area.

 

FJ06 ZTC

A VDL DB250LF with Wright Pulsar Gemini bodywork.