‘Scene’ in Chesterfield again on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

One of my favourite spots for bus watching where something interesting always seems to turn up.

 

Chesterfield is very much on the tourist trail and visiting coaches are often booked into the parking bays in Beckingham Way, Coach Station.

 

FJ09 MWL ‘trentbarton’ No. 483.

Optare Solo M950

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

 

Working a ‘comet’ branded service from Derby, usually the duty of a Volvo B7RLE / Wright Eclipse.

 

More of a shooting star than a comet perhaps?

 

The brighter red livery is slowly spreading across the non-branded fleet.

 

All it needs now is the addition of cream to restore it back to the ‘Trent’ livery of sixty years ago.

 

 

 

 

YT16 SOH ‘National Holidays’.

Irizar i6 / Irizar

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

 

New to ‘Woods’ Coaches’, Tillicoultry, Scotland.

 

 

 

 

TH67 RBT ‘r. b. travel.

MAN 19.420 / Beulas Cygnus

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

 

New to ‘Bull Coaches’, Pytchley, Kettering.

 

 

 

 

YJ57 XWN ‘Hulleys of Baslow’, £2.

Optare Solo M950SL

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

 

New to ‘Courtney’, Bracknell, Berkshire.

 

The £2 sign at the front was the maximum fare payable that was applicable at the time.

 

 

 

 

SN56 AYF ‘Stagecoach Yorkshire’ No. 36071.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. Dart / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 200

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

 

What, I hear you ask, is interesting about this?

 

Well, it is a short bodied 8.9 metre long bus seating only 29 passengers and unusual in a ‘Stagecoach’ fleet.

 

New to ‘Shuttle Buses’, Kilwinning, Scotland.

 

 

 

 

YJ57 XWP ‘Hulleys of Baslow’ No. 25.

Optare Solo M950SL

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

 

I think that the addition of blue around the destination box is something that I have not seen before.

 

New to ‘Courtney’, Bracknell, Berkshire.

 

 

 

 

MM70 UCE ‘Stagecoach Yorkshire’

Ford Transit

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

 

Service buses sometimes need the support of service vans!

 

‘Scene’ out and about, ‘Bits & Pieces Once More’ on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk

 

Just back from a stay in Newcastle on Tyne. 

 

More of which another time.

 

Todays slightly longer than usual blog, is a collection that should find something of interest for most of you.

 

Most of my blogs have some sort of theme or purpose. 

 

There are, however, times when something just happens to turn up that does not fit into any category. 

 

Collectively they are just ‘Bits & Pieces’. 

 

Individually they can be interesting.

 

See if there is anything out of these that you like.

 

YY15 NJF ‘Diamond Buses (East Midlands) Ltd’ No. 31417.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. E20D / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 200

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

 

New to ‘Johnsons’, Henley in Arden.

 

It came into the ‘Diamond Buses’ fleet when the buses business of ‘Johnsons’ was taken over in April 2022.

 

This image courtesy of friend Peter Rose and posted with his permission and my thanks.

 

Pictured in Burton on Trent.

 

 

 

 

YX58 HVH ‘First Buses of Somerset’ No. 44078, sunseeker.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Dart / ‘Alexander Dennis Ltd’ Enviro 200

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

 

This image courtesy of friend Stephen Walters and posted with his permission and my thanks.

 

I was intrigued by the wording OPEN AIR DECK on the rear coving panel.

 

Closer inspection of the image shows that glass from the last three windows has been removed.

 

I have never seen that done before.

 

With all that ventilation at the back, why was it necessary to open the two window vents?

 

I wonder, when the bus is out working in December, if the branding is changed to windjammer?? 

 

New to ‘First Capital’ No . DME44078.

 

 

 

 

YN65 XDG ‘Bessway Travel,’ North Wembley.

Scania K410EB4 / Lahden

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

 

Lahden bodwork has appeared before but only on odd occasions. 

 

Being built in Finland, they are ‘rare birds’.

 

Pictured in Matlock, this image was taken through the windscreen of friend Peter Rose’s car on our way back from the Peak Park bus rally.

 

 

 

 

YX67 UPO ‘Stagecoach megabus’ No. 54286, Blakey.

Volvo B11RT / Plaxton Elite I

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

 

‘Blakey’ was a character in the ITV series ‘On The Buses’

 

A much put upon inspector!

 

Pictured at Woolley Edge services on the M1.

 

 

 

 

R536 ATR ‘OKER TRAVEL’.

Auwaerter Neoplan N212H Jetliner

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

 

New registered TOK 65 to ‘Easson’, Southampton.

 

Pictured in the old Matlock bus station.

 

However, since this image was taken, the use of the ‘new’ Matlock bus station has been discontinued leaving the old Matlock bus station as the ONLY Matlock bus station.

 

 

 

 

DM16 FEN ‘Fenn Holidays’.

Van Hool TX17 astron.

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

 

Pictured in the car park at Denby Pottery, Derbyshire.

 

 

 

 

KX14 FHT ‘High Peak Buses’ (HPB) No. 296. 

Optare Solo SR M900

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

Pictured in Belper bus station (Derbyshire).

Laying over between journeys on service 113 from Belper to Ashbourne.

 

'Wellglade', owners of the bus station, normally only allow access to group members: 'trentbarton' and ‘notts+derbys'.

 

‘HPB are able to use it because the company is a joint venture owned by 

‘Wellglade’ and ‘Centrebus’.

 

 

 

 

SP59 DCE ‘Moffat & Williamson’, Fife, Scotland.

Optare Solo M950

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

 

This image courtesy of friend Peter Rose and posted with his permission and my thanks.

 

Pictured in Dundee.

 

 

 

 

X13 PSW ‘Paul S. Winson’, Loughborough.

Volvo B7TL / Alexander ALX400

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

 

New registered 06-D-40470 to ‘Dublin Bus’.

 

Buses in the PSW fleet are always immaculately presented.

 

Pictured at the East Midlands Airport.

 

 

 

 

P2 JJL ‘Station Coaches’, Batley, West Yorks.

Volvo B7RLE / Wright Eclipse

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

 

New to ‘Longstaff’, Mirfield, W. Yorks.

 

Pictured entering Leeds Bus Station.

 

‘Scene’ at Hull Paragon Interchange once more. on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

YX03 MWJ ‘East Yorkshire Motor Services’ (EYMS) No. 336. Dennis Dart SLF / Plaxton Pointer

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

 

An interesting bus.

 

New to ‘Porteous’ Hull, then to ‘Alpha Bus & Coach’, Hull’. Later to ‘Veolia Transport’.

 

Bought by ‘EYMS’ in 2009. Transferred to associate company ‘Finglands’ in 2010 numbered 36. 

 

Returned to ‘EYMS’ in February 2015.

 

 

 

 

YX56 DZJ ‘East Yorkshire Motor Services’ No. 271. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Enviro 300 / ‘ADL’ Enviro 300.

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

 

New to ‘Finglands’ (an ‘EYMS’ associate company’ as its No. 1701).

 

To ‘EYMS’ 2015.

 

 

 

 

KX58 NBM ‘Stagecoach East Midlands’ No. 53604 ‘megabusplus.com’. Volvo B9R / Plaxton Panther

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

 

The branding details the operation of the coachlink to and from Hull to the ‘East Midlands Parkway’ railway station and return at which point passengers transfer to trains bound for London.

 

New to ‘Stagecoach United Counties’.

 

 

 

 

YX67 VHF ‘Linconshire Road Car Company’ (Stagecoach East Midlands) No. 26174 ’Humber ‘FastCat’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200MMC

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

 

 

 

SL64 HYT ‘Linconshire Road Car Company’ (Stagecoach East Midlands) No. 27205 ‘Humber Flyer’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Enviro 300 / ‘ADL’ Enviro 300

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

 

New to ‘Stagecoach Red & White’.

 

 

 

SN66 VXR ‘Linconshire Road Car Company’ (Stagecoach East Midlands) No. 10747 ‘simplibus’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E40D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 400MMC /1

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

 

 

 

SN66 VXR ‘Linconshire Road Car Company’ (Stagecoach East Midlands) No. 10747 ‘simplibus’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E40D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 400MMC /2

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

 

 

 

FX60 HFN ‘Linconshire Road Car Company’ (Stagecoach East Midlands) No. 19691 ‘THIS IS HULL’. Dennis Trident / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400

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

 

New to ‘Stagecoach Cleveland Transit’.

 

This particular image was taken through the upstairs front window of another bus.

 

 

 

 

YX51 AYH ‘East Yorkshire Motor Services’ No. 592 ‘Battle of Passchendaele 100 Years’. Volvo B7TL / Plaxton President

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

 

Like many operators, ‘East Yorkshire Motor Services’ (EYMS) has been commemorating the First World War.

 

In a blog published on the 4th. of January 2018, I showed an image of YX51 AYH an ‘EYMS’ Volvo B7TL with Plaxton President bodywork branded to commemorate ‘The Somme Centenary’ in 1916.

 

It has been updated to commemorate the ‘Battle of Passchendaele’ in 1917.

 

 

 

YX51 AYH‘East Yorkshire Motor Services’ No. 592 ‘The Somme Centenary’. Volvo B7TL / Plaxton President

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

 

Here it is in its earlier guise.

 

 

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

Regular readers will know of my liking for ‘BoT’ and its buses.

 

Very much the major operator these days is ‘midland classic’ who in September 2016 took over the operations in the town of the local ‘ARRIVA Midlands’ unit together with a collection of eldery Wright bodied DAF single deckers.

 

Further to the addition of some new Optare MetroCity’s and Alexander Dennis Ltd. E20D’s there is usually a steady turnover in vehicles that have been bought in from elsewhere.

 

I think that the only bus in this selection that has appeared on my blog before is the first image of the Optare Spectra that was at 2016’s ‘Showbus’ at Donnington Park.

 

On that occasion I showed a nearside view whereas this time we see the offside.

 

Still I would argue one of the best looking buses around.

 

R2 NEG ‘midland classic’ No. 41. DAF DB250LF / Optare Spectra

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

 

New to ‘National Express West Midlands’ as its No. 4002.

 

 

 

 

TFA 13 ‘midland classic’ No. 55, ‘STEVENSONS’. Scania N94UD / East Lancs

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

 

Painted to represent a bus of a long time operator in ‘BoT’ ‘Stevensons’ who disappeared into the ‘ARRIVA’ group.

 

Formerly YN54 OAG  and new to ‘London Sovereign’ as its No. SLE5.

 

 

 

LJ04 LGE ‘midland classic’ No. 49. VDL DB250 / Wright Eclipse Gemini

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

 

New to ‘ARRIVA London South’ as its No. DW90.

 

 

 

YN08 HYP ‘midland classic’ No. 58. Scania N230UD / East Lancs Olympus

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

 

New to ‘Reading Buses’ as it No. 853.

 

 

 

LJ04 LGD ‘midland classic’ No. 48. VDL DB250 / Wright Eclipse Gemini

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

 

New to ‘ARRIVA London South’ as its No. DW89.

 

 

 

‘midland classic’ took over 11 former ‘ARRIVA’ DAF SB200 / Wright Commanders of which I believe 5 so far have  been withdrawn.

 

As far as I am aware only one has made it into ‘mc’ livery the others still wearing their old ‘ARRIVA’ colours with ‘mc’ vinyl overstickers. 

BF52 NZX ‘midland classic’ No. 112. DAF SB200 / Wright Commander

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

 

New to ‘ARRIVA Midlands North’ as its No. 1151.

 

 

 

BF52 NZY ‘midland classic’ No. 111, ‘ARRIVA’ livery. DAF SB200 / Wright Commander

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

 

New to ‘ARRIVA Midlands North’ as its No. 1152.

 

 

 

FX55 VKG ‘midland classic’ No. 83. Scania L94UB / Wright Solar

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

 

New to ‘Green Triangle’, Atherton, Lancs, (Who became ‘South Lancs Transport’). as its No. 26.

 

 

 

JB64 MCL ‘midland classic’ No. 3. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200

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

 

Formerly YY64 YKC and new to ‘ADL’ as a demonstrator.

 

 

 

YX09 FLN ‘midland classic’ No. 33. ‘ADL’ Dart / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200

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

 

New to ‘Centrewest’, London as its No. DMS44413.

 

 

 

HK62 MCL ‘midland classic’ No. 21. Scania K230 / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200

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

 

Formerly YN62 AAK and new to ‘ADL’ as a demonstrator.

 

 

 

KW14 MCL ‘midland classic’ No. 2. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200

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

 

‘Scene’ in Southport. ‘Arriva’ on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

One of my earliest ‘blogs’ featured Southport and it is still available. It was published on the 13th. of October 2013.

 

A return visit then was called for.

 

As usual, some things have changed and somethings remain the same.

 

One of the things that is changing is ‘Arriva’s livery and it is a change for the better in my view.

 

CX08 DJK ‘Arriva North West’ No. 2142 ‘Light blue livery’ Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Dart /  ‘ADL’ Enviro 200

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

 

 

CX07 CRK ‘Arriva North West’ No. 2633 ‘Light blue livery’ VDL SB120CS / Wright Cadet /1

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

 

 

 

CX07 CRK ‘Arriva North West’ No. 2633 ‘Light blue livery’ VDL SB120CS / Wright Cadet /2

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

 

 

 

CX08 DJU ‘Arriva North West’ No. 2144 ‘Park & Ride’ Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Dart /  ‘ADL’ Enviro 200

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

 

In the past, bus services in Southport were run by ’Southport Corporation Transport’ who ‘had a livery of Red and Cream.

‘Arriva’ have chosen to use the same colour combination on its dedicated fleet of ‘Park & Ride’ buses. A nice touch.

 

 

 

 CX08 DJO ‘Arriva North West’ No. 2143 ‘Park & Ride’ Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Dart /  ‘ADL’ Enviro 200

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

 

 

 

CX58 GAA ‘Arriva North West’ No. 4412 ADL Trident / ADL Enviro 400

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

 

 

 

YX64 VPT ‘Arriva North West’ No. 4578 ADL E40D / ADL Enviro 400

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

 

 

 

‘Arriva’s standard single decker, the VDL / Wright features large in the fleet.

 

CX06 BHY ‘Arriva North West’ No. 2587 VDL SB200 / Wright Commander

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

 

 

 

CX07 CSY ‘Arriva North West’ No. 2641 VDL SB120 / Wright Cadet

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

 

 

 

MX59 JZG ‘Arriva North West’ No. 2991 VDL SB200CS / Wright Pulsar 2

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

 

Formerly BUS 321 in ‘Arriva’s Malta fleet.

 

 

 

MX10 BZU ‘Arriva North West’ No. 3035 VDL SB200CS / Wright Pulsar 2

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