'Scene' in Bakewell 1

When I first knew Bakewell, which is over 60 years ago. It was a typical country market town. Its primary function was trading in livestock at its large market together with produce, farm equipment and everything else that goes to support a basically farming community.

 

None of that has changed. The markets are still very busy particularly on Mondays. What has changed is that Bakewell has re invented itself and is now very much on the tourist trail and holidays map.

 

Situated on the river Wye and lying to the South of Manchester and Buxton. To the North of Derby and Matlock and to the West of Sheffield. Bakewell is ideally placed and the level of its bus services reflects that.

 

North-South links to Derby and Manchester are provided by ‘High Peak Buses’ (HPB) ‘transpeak’ services

 

Historically a Trent Motor Traction route that passed to today’s ‘trentbarton’ (tb) and when ‘tb’ joined forces with ‘Centrebus’ (Cb) to form ‘HPB’ in 2012 it passed to them

 

YN08 MRO

A Scania 230UB with Wright Solar bodywork. It came from another ‘Cb’ fleet. That of the Huddersfield Bus Company and before that was with ‘Cb’ in Leeds.

YN07 EXP 

A Scania CN230UB OmniCity that previously worked for “Cb’ in Leicester in its original white livery.

YN08 OAJ

 

Another Scania 230UB with Wright Solar bodywork. As with YN08 (above) it worked for ‘Cb’ in  Leeds.

 

X233 WRA

An Optare Excel that worked for and still wears the basic livery of ‘tb’ although it is working for ‘HPB’.

 

Although an elderly bus, I have travelled on it and it seems to have worn quite well despite the hammering it gets up and down the A6.

 

Locally based operator ‘Hulleys of Baslow’ are major operators in the town. It is 100 years this year since Henry Hulley bought his first ‘public transport’ a Ford model T taxi. The first bus followed in 1921 to operate from Bakewell to Chesterfied and as they say the rest is history.

 

There have been changes of ownership along the way but the smart blue and cream buses still carry his name.

 

LX51 FJA

A Dennis Trident with Alexander ALX 400 bodywork formerly of ‘Stagecoach in London’.

 

This particular bus has appeared before on my ‘blog’. I make no apology for including it again because it is such a superb vehicle.

 

 

MX11 CZM

An ‘Alexander Dennis Ltd’ Dart SLF (ADL) with ‘ADL’s Enviro 200 body waits at the Rutland Square bus stands.

 

AE55 EHL

A MAN 14.220 with an MCV Evolution body.

PL06 TGE

 

Another MCV Evolution body sits on a Dennis Dart SLF chassis. 

 

It was one of 3 similar which came from North West Bus Rentals. The other 2 being registered PL06 TGF and PL06 TFZ.

 

MX09 AOF

An Optare Solo fitted with the ‘slimline’ version of the body to be better able to cope with Derbyshire’s narrow lanes. It recently had to be fitted with a new engine.

 

YJ62 JZT

A VDL SB200 with Wright Pulsar bodywork which previously worked for ‘Wrays of Wigton’ in Cumbria.

 

In the lower image the contact details for ‘Wrays’ are clearly visible above Wright's ‘W’.