These days, I suppose that the majority of photographers store their images on hard drives on various computers, tablets etc.
So it was with some surprise that I recently discovered some of my older images in that most familiar of storage locations, an old shoe box.
All of the images were taken on film in the days before I had graduated to automatic digital cameras so any slight focus or colour problems are due entirely to me.
It was sometime in the early 1980’s that I had occasion to visit the village of Spath where ‘Stevensons’, a legendary bus operator of that time was based.
Lunchtime saw me there, camera in hand.
So enjoy this selection dating back many years.
‘Stevensons of Spath eventually became ‘Stevensons of Uttoxeter & Burton’ (pronounced Uchetter by the locals) and eventually disappeared into
‘ARRIVA Midlands’.
The star of the day for me was this.
Unregistered (but I think it became Q246 FVT). ‘Stevensons Bus Services’. Leyland Olympian / Eastern Coachworks
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
This bus was one of the prototype Olympians built by Leyland and bought by ‘Stevensons’ as a bare shell which was fitted out by the company at Spath.
It was unusual for a number of reasons. One was the fitting of Bristol VR front panel.
It eventually became No. 99.
Pictured at Spath.
UWW 6X ‘Stevensons Bus Services’ No. 98. Leyland Olympian / Eastern Coachworks
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
Pictured I think at Sandtoft Trolleybus Museum.
New to ‘West Yorkshire PTE’ as No. 2005.
PAX 466F ‘Stevensons Bus Services’ No. 30. Leyland PD3 / Massey Lowbridge
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
New to ‘Bedwas & Machen U.D.C’. The very last low bridge body to be built in the UK.
For those not old enough to remember low bridge buses. The were lowered by means of having four seats abreast upstairs served by a sunken gangway on the offside which intruded into the downstairs saloon.
For those sitting on the offside downstairs it was ready made for banging your head on when leaving your seat.
For those sitting upstairs nearest the nearside window it generally meant climbing over the passenger(s) sat to your right.
An abomination that was resolved by the introduction of the drop centre rear axle as on the Bristol Lodekka, Dennis Loline and the Albion Lowlander.
Pictured I think at Sandtoft Trolleybus Museum.
JGF 298K ‘Stevensons of Uttoxeter & Burton’ No. 38. Daimler Fleetline / Park Royal
on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’
New to ‘London Transport’ as DMS298.
‘Stevensons’ operated a substantial number of the former ‘London Transport’ DMS class of Daimler Fleetline / Park Royal buses.
Pictured at Spath.
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