‘Scene’ Down Memory Lane On the Rails in the Irish Republic on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

I have always had a soft spot for the Irish.

 

Although they speak a language similar to that which we speak. They have very different ways of doing things.

 

It is that difference that I find attractive.

 

Over the years, I have made several journeys there. 

 

However they were mainly at a time when I was into video not photographs so I have used images taken by friend Peter Rose gathered during his own visits there.

 

As is usual with his work, they appear here with his consent and my thanks.

 

The most noticeable difference between Irish and the UK railways is the track gauge which is 5 feet 3 inches in Ireland as opposed Britains 4 feet 8 and a half inches.

 

011 ‘Iarnrod Eireann’ A Class. 

Metropolitan Vickers built Bo-Bo diesel electric locomotive

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

Although considered to be unsuccessful with the Crossley built engines proving unreliable, they still managed a working life of 40 years or so after being re-engined with General Motors units.

 

Pictured at Cobh on 6/11/1991 with the 13-45 to Cork.

 

 

 

 

121 & 135 ‘Iarnrod Eireann’ Class 121.

General Motors built Bo-Bo diesel electric locomotive

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New in 1960.

 

Similar to the UK’s Class 20 (one cab, long engine ‘bonnet’).

 

As delivered the drivers on the system refused to drive them unless they were turned at the end of each journey.

 

The later and similar Class 141 had a cab at each end.

 

The original locos work as do the UK’s Class 20’s in pairs with the bonnets facing inward.

 

Pictured at Mallow on 08/10/1994 working a sugar beet train.

 

 

 

 

141 ‘Iarnrod Eireann’ Class 141.

General Motors built Bo-Bo diesel electric locomotive 

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New in 1962.

 

Pictured at Wexford on 06/10/1992 on a Dublin Connolly to Rosslare Harbour service.

 

 

 

 

084 ‘Iarnrod Eireann’ Class 071.

General Motors built Bo-Bo diesel electric locomotive 

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New in 1976.

 

Pictured at Rosslare Harbour on 25/07/1995.

 

 

 

 

181 ‘Iarnrod Eireann’ Class 181.

General Motors built Bo-Bo diesel electric locomotive

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New in 1966.

 

Pictured at Ballina on 03/11/91 on a working to Manulla Junction.

 

 

 

 

202 ‘Iarnrod Eireann’ Class 201 'Abhainn na Laoi/River Lee'.

General Motors built Co-Co diesel electric locomotive

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

I have ridden behind these on a number of occasions and they really are big, powerful beasts.

 

The UK equivalent would be the Class 66.

 

New in 1994.

 

Pictured at Mallow on 08/10/1994 on its way to Cork.

 

 

 

 

8131 ‘DART’ (Dublin Area Rapid Transport).

GEC/Linke-Hofmann-Busch built electric multiple Unit

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New in 1983.

 

The ‘DART’ (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) is what we would call a suburban service in Dublin running on a generally North/South axis.

 

Pictured at Dublin Connolly on its way North to Howth.

 

 

‘Scene’ on Wetmore Road, Burton on Trent (BoT) Again on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

Wetmore Road, for those who don’t know, is where the fleet of 

‘Midland Classic of Burton’ (‘MC’) is garaged.

 

Over the weekend of 28/29th August 2021 ‘MC’ held a ‘Heritage Weekend’ to celebrate two anniversaries.

 

On the Saturday to celebrate 15 years of ‘mc’ operating in Burton.

 

On the Sunday to celebrate the 95th. anniversary of John Stevenson setting up in business to run buses between Burton and Uttoxeter via Tutbury.

 

A route that ‘mc’ still operates today.

 

An interesting ‘tableau’ mounted outside the offices at Wetmore Road is made up from a model bus and a piece of railway track.

 

The model bus is of one of London Transport’s ‘LT’ class double deckers more commonly known as the New Routemaster but painted in ‘mc’ livery.

 

‘mc’ have and still do operate former ‘LT’ deckers so it must be quite conceivable that when the buses are retired from London some might well come to Burton.

 

Time will tell!

 

The railway track is a piece of rail from the ‘Burton & Ashby Light Railway’ which ran between the towns of Burton on Trent and Ashby de la Zouch from 1906.

 

Taken over by the ‘Midland Railway’ in 1923, it became part of the ‘LMS’ in 1923 until its closure in 1927.

 

Another relic of the line, car No. 14, was exported to Detroit, USA from where it was repatriated in 2014.

 

It currently resides at the ‘Statfold Barn Railway’ which is not all that far away from its old haunts.

 

 

‘Midland Classic of Burton’

LT New Routemaster / Wright /1

 

 

 

‘Midland Classic of Burton’

LT New Routemaster / Wright /2

 

 

 

‘Midland Classic of Burton’

LT New Routemaster / Wright /3

 

 

 

JB10 MCL ‘Midland Classic of Burton’ No. 51.

Scania N230UD / Optare Olympus

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

Previously registered D10 SLT when it worked for ‘South Lancs Travel’.

 

 

 

 

BV55 UCU ‘Midland Classic of Burton’ No. 56.

Scania N94UD / East Lancs Omnidekka

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New to ‘Blue Triangle’ but purchased from ‘Go Ahead London’ where it was number SO2.

 

 

 

 

LK04 NNE ‘Midland Classic of Burton’ No. 101.

Volvo B7TL / Plaxton President

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New ‘Metroline London Northern’ As No. VPL 596.

 

The dual doorway configuration harks back to its day in London.

 

 

 

 

YN08 MKP ‘Midland Classic of Burton’ No. 62

Scania CN270UD4 / Scania

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New to ‘Reading Transport’ No. 1103.

 

 

 

 

SN11 BNL  ‘Midland Classic of Burton’ No. 69.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Trident / ‘ADL’ Enviro 400

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New to ‘First Capital’ as No. DN33623.

 

‘Scene’ in Derby Once More on 25/03/2022 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

It’s been a while since I visited Derby to watch the buses.  I also thought about going to Chesterfield because ‘Hulleys of Baslow’ always manage to spring a surprise or two.

 

What to do?

 

I have been looking to photograph the former ‘Lothian Buses’ double deckers that ‘notts+derby’ have recently bought and there’s quite a number of them so it was Derby that got the nod.

 

Disappointingly, wherever they were, it wasn’t where I was.

 

However, it did not prove to be a waste of time because I saw these.

 

OY21 CBU ‘SPENCER GRAHAM COACHES LIMITED’, Silloth, Cumbria.

Neoplan N2216SHD TOURLINER /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

It was in and out of the bus station in minutes but I did get to see the small sticker on the windcreen which reads ‘megabus M45’.

 

An internet search reveals that this is a ‘megabus’ service that runs from London North (Finchley Road) to Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire.

 

 

 

 

OY21 CBU ‘SPENCER GRAHAM COACHES LIMITED’, Silloth, Cumbria.

Neoplan N2216SHD TOURLINER /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

SGZ 3536 ‘Harpurs Coaches Ltd’. Derby.

Dennis Trident / Plaxton President /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New registered PN03 UMA to ‘London General’ numbered PDL41. It has since had spells with ‘Norse’ in Norwich and ‘Belle View’ in Manchester.

 

 

 

 

SGZ 3536 ‘Harpurs Coaches Ltd’. Derby.

Dennis Trident / Plaxton President /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

SGZ 3536 ‘Harpurs Coaches Ltd’. Derby.

Dennis Trident / Plaxton President /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

‘Scene’ in Huddersfield 2 ‘First HD Connect’ on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

‘Scene’ in Huddersfield 2 

‘First HD Connect’

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

Or ‘uddersfield as we Yorkshire folk are given to calling it.

 

My first real day out ‘bus hunting’ in 2022 was to the two West Yorkshire towns of Halifax and Huddersfield.

 

Only 9 or so miles apart in distance but separated in fact by an enormous hill along the top of which runs the M62.

 

Apart from buses painted in ‘First’ groups standard livery there are, a significant number painted in a ‘HD Connect’ livery.

 

Just what the significance is, I don’t know but it adds an bit more colour to the

standard livery.

 

‘Scene’ in Huddersfield 1 which looks at the bus station was posted on 20/03/2022.

 

YJ54 XUG ‘First West Yorkshire Ltd. No. 32518 ‘HD Connect’.

Volvo B7TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

BV13 ZDH ‘First West Yorkshire Ltd. No. 69556 ‘HD Connect’.

Volvo B7RLE / Wright Eclipse

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

YJ54 XUG ‘First West Yorkshire Ltd. No. 32518 ‘HD Connect’.

Volvo B7TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

SN64 CHL ‘First West Yorkshire Ltd. No. 47498 ‘HD Connect’.

Wright Streetlite D/F

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

YJ06 XKX ‘First West Yorkshire Ltd. No. 37032 ‘HD Connect’.

Volvo B7TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

BD13 NFK ‘First West Yorkshire Ltd. No. 69564 ‘HD Connect’.

Volvo B7RLE / Wright Eclipse

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

YJ06 XKU ‘First West Yorkshire Ltd. No. 37029 ‘HD Connect’.

Volvo B7TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

‘Scene’ at the Buses Festival 2021 More Shades of Green & Blue on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

The annual ‘Buses Festival’ in 2021 was held at the ‘East of England Showground’ which is near Peterborough.

 

UFX 360L ‘Dewsway’, Somersham, Cambridgeshire.

Bedford VAL70 / Plaxton Panorama Elite III /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New to ‘Ward & Tarr’, Parkestone.

 

 

 

 

UFX 360L ‘Dewsway’, Somersham, Cambridgeshire.

Bedford VAL70 / Plaxton Panorama Elite III /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

JFT 412X ‘Dewsway’, Somersham, Cambridgeshire.

Bedford YMQ / Duple Dominant 3

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

The raked forward window pillars was a short lived fashion statement copied from American built coaches used by ‘Greyhound’.

 

 

 

BJU 13T ‘Theobalds Coaches’, Luton.

Bedford YMT / Plaxton Supreme IV Express

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

 

 

 

CVH 733Y ‘Peelings Coaches’ ‘Trevor’.

Ford R1114 / Duple Dominant /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New to ‘Traject’, Huddersfield.

 

 

 

 

CVH 733Y ‘Peelings Coaches’ ‘Trevor’.

Ford R1114 / Duple Dominant /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

GCK 279S ‘Florence & Grange Tours’ No. 21.

Bedford YLQ / Plaxton Supreme

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

KVY 789N ‘Thornes’.

Bedford YRQ / Duple Dominant

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

C25 KAV ‘Kenzies’, Shepreth.

Volvo B10M / Van Hool Alizee

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New in 1985.

 

‘Scene’ in Huddersfield 1 The Bus Station (HBS) on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

Or ‘uddersfield as we Yorkshire folk are given to calling it.

 

My first real day out ‘bus hunting’ in 2022 was to the two West Yorkshire towns of Halifax and Huddersfield.

 

Only 9 or so miles apart in distance but separated in fact by an enormous hill along the top of which runs the M62 Motorway.

 

My first stop wherever I go is usually the local bus station.

 

I was quite impressed with ‘HBS’. 

 

One way in, one way out.

 

Excellent for photography.

 

The way it seems to operate is for buses to drop their passengers (or customers) as the bus companies like to call us at the entrance.

 

If they are going straight out they pull on to he stand.

 

If not they reverse into the waiting area directly opposite.

 

The bus companies I saw during my short visit were First West Yorkshire with buses branded for both Halifax and Huddersfield, Arriva Yorkshire, Transdev Team Pennine, Stotts Coaches and ‘South Pennine Community Transport’.

 

I understand that national express are also regular visitors.

 

Huddersfield Bus Station 1.

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

The usual drive in, reverse out.

 

The upper part of the building is a car park.

 

It looks possible to take photographs from the upper floor but I did not have time to actually do so.

 

My images, taken from a grassy bank which extends round the back of the waiting area show how easy photography is.

 

The only problem could be wet grass underfoot so be careful.

 

If you are in the area, well worth a visit.

 

 

 

 

Huddersfield Bus Station 2.

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

Huddersfield Bus Station 3.

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

Huddersfield Bus Station 4.

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

I counted 26 bus stands in use and there were the usual toilets, shops and a good enquiries centre which is a bit unusual these days.

 

This was in the early part of the afternoon on a Tuesday and it was quite busy.

 

 

 

 

Huddersfield Bus Station 5.

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

Where do you want to go?

 

 

 

 

‘Scene’ on Wetmore Road, Burton on Trent (BoT) ‘Trent / Barton’ on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

Wetmore Road, for those who don’t know, is where the fleet of ‘midland classic of Burton’ (mc) is garaged.

 

Over the weekend of 28/29th August 2021 ‘mc’ held a ‘Heritage Weekend’ to celebrate two anniversaries.

 

On the Saturday to celebrate 15 years of ‘mc’ operating in Burton.

 

On the Sunday to celebrate the 95th. anniversary of John Stevenson setting up in business to run buses between Burton and Uttoxeter via Tutbury.

 

A route that ‘mc’ still operates today.

 

As well as buses in ‘ ‘midland classic of Burton’ and ‘Stevensons’ livery.

 

There was a selection of both current and preserved vehicles in attendance.

 

Many were operating journeys on ‘mc’s service No. 401 which is the current route number for the original service dating back to 1926.

 

 

There was a time when ‘Trent Motor Traction’  and ‘Barton Transport’ were mortal enemies competing vigorously for traffic along the A52 between Derby and Nottingham and elsewhere in the East Midlands.

 

All that came to an end in 1989 when ‘Barton’ were taken over by the ‘Wellglade’ group.

 

They already owned ‘Trent’ and chose to operate the formerly separate companies as ‘trentbarton’ which they continue to do today.

 

Most takeovers or mergers result in the junior partner disappearing while the senior partner continues as before.

 

In this case however the name ‘trentbarton’ has survived for 33 years so far and would seem to be set fair for the future.

 

L102 LRA ‘TRENT Buses’ No. 102.

Volvo B10B / Northern Counties Countybus /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

I rode on these buses many times and found them most uncomfortable having poor legroom.

 

The survivors were eventually cascaded to fellow ‘Wellglade’ group member ‘notts&derby’ with whom they saw out their days on contract work mainly around Derby.

 

 

 

 

L102 LRA ‘TRENT Buses’ No. 102.

Volvo B10B / Northern Counties Countybus /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

MRR 811K ‘Barton Transport’ No. 1229.

AEC Reliance / Plaxton Panorama Elite Express /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

MRR 811K ‘Barton Transport’ No. 1229.

AEC Reliance / Plaxton Panorama Elite Express /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

‘Scene’ on Wetmore Road, Burton on Trent (BoT) on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

Wetmore Road for those who don’t know is where the fleet of ‘Midland Classic of Burton’ (MC) is garaged.

 

Over the weekend of 28/29th August 2021 ‘MC’ held a Heritage Weekend to celebrate two anniversaries.

 

On the Saturday to celebrate 15 years of ‘MC’ operating in Burton.

 

On the Sunday to celebrate the 95th. anniversary of John Stevenson setting up in business to run buses between Burton and Uttoxeter via Tutbury.

 

A route that ‘MC’ still operates today.

 

I have referred to ‘Stevenson’s’ a number of times in my blogs over the years. 

 

Usually in connection with ‘Midland Classic’ the current major operator in ‘BoT’ who own a number of buses that carry ‘Stevenson’s’ livery.

 

This legendary operator dating back to the 1920’s operated in Staffordshire and eventually into what is now the West Midlands as far south as Birmingham.

 

Always innovative, they operated a fleet which was made up of a wide variety of vehicles from a wide variety of sources.

 

At the height of operations the fleet stood at over 250 buses.

 

This included in later years.

 

Bristol VR’s with Eastern Coach Works coach seated bodies working a commuter service into the centre of Birmingham.

 

Known originally as  ‘Stevenson’s of Spath. (the village that was the companies base).

 

Then ‘Stevenson’s of Burton & Uttoxeter until becoming part of ‘ARRIVA via ‘British Bus’ in 1994.

 

KLB 908 ‘Stevenson’s’ No. 11.

Leyland 6RT / Leyland /1

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

New to ‘London Transport’ as No. RTW 178.

 

Part of the massive family of RT buses in London.

 

Whilst most RT’s were 7 feet six inches wide this particular bus (and others of its class) were built to a width of 8 feet. Hence RTW - Wide.

 

 

 

 

KLB 908 ‘Stevenson’s’ No. 11.

Leyland 6RT / Leyland /2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

KLB 908 ‘Stevenson’s’ No. 11.

Leyland 6RT / Leyland /3

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

F96 PRE ‘Stevensons Bus Services No. 96.

Leyland Olympian / Alexander RL

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

In service with ‘Stevensons’ at the time of the ‘ARRIVA’ takeover, it appeared in full ‘ARRIVA’ livery at one stage.

 

It spent some time with ‘transdev’ before coming back in 2016 to ‘midland classic’ (mc).

 

I posted a 4 image blog on 04/10/2016 showing the livery in which it returned to ‘mc’ when it was working a contract service into Derby.

 

 

 

 

F97 PRE ‘Stevensons Bus Services No. 97.

Leyland Olympian / Alexander RL

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

TOJ 592S ‘Stevensons Bus Services’ No. 80.

MCW Metrobus DR101/2

on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’ 

 

New to ‘MCW’ as a demonstrator.

 

MCW = ‘Metro-Cammell Weymann’.