‘Scene’ in Bristol 3 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

For what was our last transport themed outing of 2022, friend Peter Rose and I had a day in Bristol.

 

The day was dominated by a clear blue autumn sky and long shadows.

 

Not perfect conditions, but as always we do our best.

 

For the first time, we have combined all the images we have taken so the credits are joint D.Basford/P.M.Rose.

 

‘First Bristol, Bath & the West’ are the major operator in Bristol. 

 

Running a large variety of routes with buses painted in colourful liveries and adorned with informative route branding.

 

There are however a few buses still wearing the old ‘First’ group fleet livery which serve as a reminder of how dull things used to be.

 

WX57 HLF ‘First Bristol, Bath & the West’ No. 37345.

Volvo B9TL /Wright Eclipse Gemini

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

 

New to ‘First Bristol’.

 

 

 

YM17 FKG ‘First Bristol, Bath & the West’ No. 36812, metrobus m2.

Scania N250UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400MMC

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

 

New to ‘First West of England’.

 

 

 

YM17 FKF ‘First Bristol, Bath & the West’ No. 36811, metrobus m2.

Scania N250UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400MMC

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

 

 

 

 

YN68 EUV ‘First Bristol, Bath & the West’ No. 39334, metrobus m1

Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CityCBG

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

 

New to ‘CT Plus Bristol’ No. 2926 who ceased operating in September 2022 with their routes and vehicles passing to ‘First Bristol, Bath & the West’.

 

 

 

YN68 EVC ‘First Bristol, Bath & the West’ No. 39340, metrobus m1.

Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CityCBG

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

 

New to ‘CT Plus Bristol’ No. 2932 who ceased operating in September 2022 with their routes and vehicles passing to ‘First Bristol, Bath & the West’.

 

 

 

YM17 FKA ‘First Bristol, Bath & the West’ No. 36808.

Scania N250UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400MMC

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

 

 

 

 

‘Scene’ in Bristol 2 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

For what was our last transport themed outing of 2022, friend Peter Rose and I had a day in Bristol.

 

The day was dominated by a clear blue autumn sky and long shadows.

 

Not perfect conditions, but as always we do our best.

 

For the first time, we have combined all the images we have taken so the credits are joint D.Basford/P.M.Rose.

 

YN69 EHZ ‘First Bristol, Bath & the West’ No. 39447, Bristol for our city, citylines east.

Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CityCBG

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

 

How does the saying go?

   

“You wait half an hour for a bus to turn up and then you get three all at the same time”!!

 

 

 

 

YN69 EHW ‘First Bristol, Bath & the West’ No. 39444, Bristol for our city, citylines east.

Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CityCBG

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

 

 

 

 

YN69 DVZ ‘First Bristol, Bath & the West’ No. 39410, Bristol for our city, citylines east.

Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CityCBG

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

 

 

 

 

YP67 XDH ‘First Bristol, Bath & the West’ No. 36831, Airport Flyer.

Scania N250UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro400MMC

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

 

 

 

 

YP67 XDJ ‘First Bristol, Bath & the West’ No. 36832, Airport Flyer.

Scania N250UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro400MMC

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

 

 

 

 

MF22 SZD ‘First Bristol, Bath & the West’ No. 35690, badgerline.

Wright Streetdeck Micro Hybrid

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

 

 

 

 

MF22 SXU ‘First Bristol, Bath & the West’ No. 35666, badgerline.

Wright Streetdeck Micro Hybrid

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

 

 

 

 

SN14 FGM ‘First Bristol, Bath & the West’ No. 47558, badgerline

Wright Streetlite D/F

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

 

New to ‘First Somerset & Avon’.

‘Scene’ in Nottingham once more on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

Christmas comes but once a year so the saying goes, so I would like to wish all the blogs viewers and readers the compliments of the season and I hope that it is as happy a time for you as you would wish for yourselves.

 

It has been a bumper year for days out on the Rails, Roads and Runways of the UK where a wide selection of images have been gathered by friend Peter Rose and myself.

 

Our gift to you then, is to post blogs on every day over the Christmas and New Year period. 

 

Starting on Christmas Eve, the 24th. of December and concluding on New Years Day, January 1st. 2023.

 

So, don’t just get glued to the television, have a look at what is on offer at

 

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

 

 

Nottingham In recent times has been a bit on the quiet side when it comes to buses however, I thought that the arrival of a new batch of gas powered double deckers for ‘Nottingham City Transport’ made the two and a half hours return journey (by bus of course) just about worthwhile.

 

YN22 BNB ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 530, Orange Line 35 36.

Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro400 City CBG

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

 

 

 

 

YN22 BNO ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 537, Lime Line 56 57 58 59.

Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro400 City CBG

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

 

 

 

 

YN22 BMY ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 527, Orange Line 35 36.

Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro400 City CBG

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

 

 

 

 

YN22 BNF ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 533, Lime Line 56 57 58 59.

Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro400 City CBG

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

 

 

 

 

YX69 NPJ ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 399.

Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200MMC

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

 

 

 

 

YD63 VAA ’CT4N’ (Community Transport For Nottingham) No. 940, medilink electric.

Optare Versa V1040EV

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

 

 

 

 

VJI 625 ‘sharpes of Nottingham’.

Volvo B12B / Van Hool Alizee

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

 

New registered EM59 GSM to ‘Maynes’, Buckie, Scotland.

 

‘Scene’ outside Nottingham’s Railway Station (NRS) 2 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

The original ‘NRS’ was opened in 1839 by the ‘Midland Counties Railway’.

 

Substantially rebuilt in 1904 by the now ‘Midland Railway’ using brick, terracotta and faience (a form of glazed terracotta) instead of stone.

 

Further re-worked in 2013 when the trackwork was remodelled resulting in the beautiful building seen today.

 

All of the images in this blog show part of the station exterior in the background.

 

Nottingham  Railway Station frontage 2020

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

 

 

 

 

YN14 MTK ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) No. 613. N230UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400 

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

 

Buses painted mainly in  silver are spare buses which can be used anywhere in the system.

 

 

 

 

 

FJ58 KKU ‘trentbarton (tb )No. 725. Volvo B7RLE / Wright Eclipse

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

 

Painted in the maroon livery and branded for ‘mango’ ‘tb’s discounted cashless travel card which indicates a ‘spare’ bus that can go anywhere in the system.

 

 

 

 

YT61 FFN ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) No. 926. ‘Uni 4 Navy Line’. Scania N230UD / Optare

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

 

YY69 TMV ‘trentbarton No. 144 ‘the cotgrave’. Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200MMC

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

 

 

 

 

YP17 UFB ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) No. 402 ‘Bridgford Bus’. Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBG City 

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

 

‘Scene’ with ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT). Styles of Double Deckers on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

At the time of writing, there are three different styles of double decker in service with ‘NCT’.

 

For many years East Lancs Coachbuilders Ltd. (ELC) was a regular supplier of bus bodies but that changed when that company went into administration in 2007.

 

Between then and 2014 bodies were supplied by the Darwen Group and Optare to what appeared to me to be to the original ELC design.

 

The relationship between ELC, Darwen Group and Optare is complex and beyond the scope of this blog.

 

in 2014 Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) became the supplier with the Enviro400.

 

In 2017 NCT switched to Gas buses and specified the Enviro 400City body.

 

All incidentally on Scania chassis.

 

All the images for this blog were captured outside Nottingham’s beautiful railway station.

 

YT61 FFN ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) No. 926. ‘Uni 4 Navy Line’. Scania N230UD / Optare

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

 

 

 

 

YN14 MVM ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) No. 639 ‘Navy Line’ 48. Scania N230UD / ‘ADL’ Enviro400 

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

 

 

 

 

YN18 EFY ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) No. 487 ‘Navy Line 49’. Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBGCity 

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

 

 

‘Scene’ in Nottingham again 2 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

The junction of Milton Street and Upper Parliament Street in Nottingham must be  one of the most heavily bussed junctions in the country.

 

So much so that at one time the pollution levels were too high.

 

This was one of the reasons that ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) chose to purchase a fleet of gas powered Scania/Alexander buses in an effort to reduce the pollution levels.

 

With ‘NCT’ having colour based route branding, it leads to a very colourful scene.

 

The building to the right is Nottingham’s Victoria Shopping Centre. Built largely on the site of the old Nottingham Victoria Railway station which was opened in 1900 by the Great Central and Great Northern Railways.

 

For part one see blog published 03/03/2020.

 

Upper Parliament Street (left to right) and Milton Street (facing) junction in Nottingham

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

 

 

 

YN18 SVZ ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 441 ’Skyblue Line 45’. Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBG City 

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

 

 

 

 

YN19 EFL ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 476 ‘Purple Line 89. Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBG City 

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

 

 

 

 

YN19 EEX ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 464 ‘Lilac Line 27’. Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBG City 

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

 

 

 

 

YN19 EHC ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 498 ‘Lime Line 58’. Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBG City 

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

 

 

 

 

YN19 EEW ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 463 ‘Lilac Line 27’. Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBG City 

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

 

Seen keeping company with similar YN19 EFF No. 472. 

 

Showing the clever way of utilising paint stocks. The lilac bus has a contrasting trim of purple whilst the purple bus has a contrast of lilac

 

‘Scene’ at the Bus & Coach show at the NEC in 2016 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

The annual B&C show at the NEC has been cancelled for 2020 because of the Covid 19 Pandemic.

 

Regular readers/viewers of my blog will know that I would normally have published a number of blogs built round what was new in the 2020 show.

 

As I am not able to do so, I will fill the gaps created by re-running some of the highlights from previous shows.

 

Sometimes (but not always) a veteran bus from earlier years  puts in an appearance.

 

The 2016 show today, 2017 tomorrow.

 

LJ66 CHK ‘Go-Ahead London General’ No. SEe37. BYD D9UR / Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Enviro 200EV 

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

 

The E200EV  how now got the hump so to speak which housed the BYD battery pack.

 

‘ADL’ were very quick to adapt their E200MMC body to accommodate the BYD power source.

 

See my blog dated 04/11/2016 for more images.

 

 

 

 

DD16 GAS ‘Scania’ demonstrator. Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) Enviro 400CBG City

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

 

At the time, a number of ‘alternative’ power sources were eagerly being evaluated but who would have thought that a fleet of over 100 gas powered buses would appear on the streets of Nottingham with another substantial fleet running in Reading?

 

I have produced many blogs over the past 2 or 3 years covering Nottinghams gas bus fleet.

 

 

 

 

Mercedes Benz Citaro, ‘McGills Bus Services’, Greenock. 

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

 

With more than 50,000 produced, the Citaro’ is a true worldbeater.

 

 

 

 

SJ66 LOA ‘Lothian Buses’ No. 441. Volvo B5TL / Wright Gemini 3

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

 

The stunning livery was/is known as ‘Fleet of the Future’.

 

 

 

 

Alexander Dennis Ltd. (ADL) E20D / ‘ADL’ Enviro 200MMC

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

 

The first of many of the type for my local operator ‘trentbarton’.

 

They are still buying them four years later with more to come.

 

For more images see my blog posted 01/11/2016.

 

 

 

 

3705 VM ‘City of Manchester’ No. 3705. Leyland PD2 / Metro Cammell

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

 

The half cab double decker was the type of bus I grew up with and although I am very much a fan of today’s ‘scene’, I still look at these ‘old timers’ with a great deal of affection.

 

New in 1964.

 

‘Scene’ in Nottingham again 1 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

The junction of Milton Street and Upper Parliament Street in Nottingham must be one of the most heavily bussed junctions in the country.

 

So much so that at one time the pollution levels were too high.

 

This was one of the reasons that ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (NCT) chose to purchase a fleet of gas powered Scania/ Alexander buses in an effort to reduce the pollution levels.

 

With ‘NCT’ having colour based route branding, it leads to a very colourful scene.

 

The building to the right is Nottingham’s Victoria Shopping Centre. Built largely on the site of the old Nottingham Victoria Railway station which was opened in 1900 by the Great Central and Great Northern Railways.

 

Upper Parliament Street (left to right) and Milton Street (facing) junction in Nottingham

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

 

 

 

 

DD18 GAS ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 500 ‘100TH BIOGAS BUS’. 

Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBG City 

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

 

I keep mentioning that the gas powered fleet numbers over 100 buses. Well here is the proof, the 100th.

 

 

 

 

 

YN19 EFU ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 483 ‘Pink Line 28’. 

Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBG City 

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

 

 

 

 

 

YN69 DPE  ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 505 ‘Yellow Line 68 69’. 

Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBG City 

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

 

 

 

 

 

YN18 SXK ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 450 ‘Orange Line 36’. 

Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBG City 

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

 

 

 

 

 

YN69 DRV ‘Nottingham City Transport’ No. 515 ‘Turquoise Line 77’. 

Scania N280UD / Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400CBG City 

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