‘Scene’ in Mansfield Bus Station

It is two and a half years since Mansfield’s new bus station opened and whilst it is not that far from the old one in distance, it is miles away in terms of style and comfort. Built at an alleged cost of 9 million pounds, in my view it was money well spent.

 

It is also a genuine ‘Transport Interchange’ being linked to the railway station by an enclosed elevated walkway.

 

 

 

Since the images for this blog were taken, ‘Stagecoach’ group have started to remove ‘branding’ from buses. 

 

Whilst it simplifies the swapping of buses from fleet to fleet it also makes them less colourful and arguably less interesting.

 

T438 JJF

 

A Volvo Olympian with Alexander bodywork. New in 1999 to ‘Dublin Bus’ registered 99-D-524. 

 

Operated by ’Skills Coaches’ who apart from a large coaching operation also do a lot of contract bus work.

 

Unusually it retains its second door from its Dublin days.

 

FJ55 DZK

A Volvo B12B with Plaxton Panther bodywork. 

 

Working for ‘Silverdale Tours’ a long established Nottingham operator who have recently joined the ‘Skills’ group.

Although unbranded, it has spent some time on ‘National Express’ work.

 

YM52 UOW

A Dennis Trident with Alexander ALX 400 bodywork. Working for ‘Stagecoach East Midlands’ (SEM).

 

Still wearing branding for the ‘Mansfield Move’ which was used in the run up to the opening of the new bus station.

 

PX53 DJY

A Dennis Dart SLF with Plaxton Pointer 2 bodywork working for ‘SEM’. 

 

New to ‘Stagecoach Cumberland’ in 2004.

 

FX12 BSU

An Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E20D Enviro 200 working for ‘SEM’

 

Wearing branding for route No. 1 the ‘Mansfield Miller’.

 

FJ55 AAF

 

A Scania L94UB with Wright Solar bodywork working for ‘trentbarton’ (tb). 

 

Seen deputising on the ‘pronto’ service from Chesterfield to Nottingham for what is normally a route branded vehicle.

 

W261 EWU

An Optare Solo working for TM Travel. It was new to ‘HAD Coaches’ of Shotts in Scotland.

 

YJ12 PJY

 

An Optare Versa of ‘tb’. 

 

One of 18 buses branded for ‘the threes’ which are a series of routes linking Mansfield with Nottingham.

 

YJ07 VSE

An Optare Tempo of ‘tb’.

 

Carrying branding for the ‘black cat’ route that links Mansfield with Derby.

 

Since this image was taken, the ‘Black cat’ Tempo’s have been withdrawn and are expected to re appear on another route.

 

SL64 HSX

 

An ‘ADL’ Enviro 300 looking pretty in pink.

 

Working on the ‘pronto’ service from Chesterfield to Nottingham which is jointly operated with ‘tb’.

 

FJ09 MVR

 

An Optare Solo of ‘tb’ on the lengthy route to Derby.

 

SN63 YPW

 

Another ‘ADL’ Enviro 300 in fleet livery.