‘Scene’ at Transpire’s Peak Park Bus Gathering 2022 /1 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

For some years now, this event has been held at the ‘Peak Rail’ site at Rowsley in Derbyshire.

 

There is plenty of room for the 35 or so buses the event attracted together with the added bonus of the trains provided by ‘Peak Rail’.

 

This year being steam only.

 

A return to the traditional June date was welcome because last year the event was held in August due to the problems caused by the Covid 19 pandemic.

 

SN03 DZM ‘Hulleys of Baslow’ No. 24 ‘For the best view of the Peak District’.

Transbus Trident / Alexander ALX400

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

 

My ‘Star of the Day’.

 

New to ‘London United’ as TA314.

 

Rebuilt in 2017 for open top service with ‘Bath Bus’, Bath for tourist services in that city, numbered 380.

 

 

 

 

R717 YWC ‘Pennine Motor Services’ No. D15, Gargrave, N. Yorks.

Dennis Dart / Plaxton Pointer

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

 

New to ‘Stagecoach East London’ in 1997 with two doors as PD17.

 

Transferred to ‘Stagecoach Manchester’ in 2001.

 

Then to ‘Stagecoach in the Highlands’ in 2009 from where it passed to ‘Pennine’ in 2010 via ‘Ensign Bus’, the London bus dealer.

 

An early model of the Dart with the step entrance.

 

A very readable and interesting history of  ‘Pennine Motor Services’ can be found on the internet by Googling ‘Pennine Motor Services 1925-2014’

 

 

 

 

SFJ 904 ‘Vallances Coaches’, ‘Ethel’, Kirkby in Ashfield, Notts.

Bedford SBG / Duple Vega /1

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

 

New to ‘Greenslades Tours’ of Exeter.

 

Known to enthusiasts of the time as ‘Butterflies’.

 

Look at the shape of the radiator grill.

 

The ‘G’ in the SBG signifies ‘Gasoline’ (American for petrol) which provided the power for this model.

 

Bedford being owned by the American ‘General Motors’ group.

 

 

 

 

SFJ 904 ‘Vallances Coaches’, ‘Ethel’, Kirkby in Ashfield, Notts.

Bedford SBG / Duple Vega /1

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

 

 

 

 

 

JMY 120N ‘National Travel’ ‘SUPERNATIONAL’.

Leyland National /1

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

 

I never liked the National.

 

It was the bus to buy because you were told to or because there was little else available.

 

The bus of last resort.

 

To be fair, this particular sample has survived for 50 years so somebody must like it.

 

 

 

 

JMY 120N ‘National Travel’ ‘SUPERNATIONAL’.

Leyland National /2

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

 

 

 

 

JMY 120N ‘National Travel’ ‘SUPERNATIONAL’.

Leyland National /3

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

 

‘Scene’ at the age of 100. ‘Hulleys of Baslow’ /2 on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

For ‘Hulleys of Baslow’ /1, see blog posted 01/04/2021.  

 

April 2021 sees the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of what has become ‘Hulleys of Baslow’, the well known Derbyshire based independent bus operator.

 

To celebrate the occasion, a gathering of some of ‘Hulleys’ past and present fleet is being planned to take place in Chatsworth Park, Derbyshire on Sunday the 25th. of April 2021.

 

Founded by Henry Hulley, the ownership of the company has changed hands more than once but the name of its founder has survived all the changes.

 

I have known the company for over 60 years and during that time the buses initially painted (in my time at least) in shades of red and red and grey have been a fixture in Rutland Square in Bakewell.

 

These days, the livery has changed to cream and dark blue. 

 

A combination that ‘Hulleys’ inherited from ‘South Notts’ when buses were bought from that fleet and the livery adopted.

 

Although Hulleys ‘main line’ is probably its service number 170 from Bakewell to Chesterfield via Baslow.

 

The company operates widely across North Derbyshire, to Sheffield and in the past year to Manchester.

 

The earliest images I have are in black and white and were acquired over the years from a variety of sources which today are unknown. 

 

So the best I can claim is that they are part of my collection.

 

I have included them for completeness sake and thank the unknown photographers who at that time had the foresight to capture the images for posterity.

 

Buses (and coaches) are listed in order of their first date of registration when new.

 

LHN 574 ‘Hulleys’ No. 27. Guy Arab / Burlingham

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

 

New in 1949 as No. 074 to ‘Darlington Triumph’.

 

 

 

 

LHA 400 ‘Hulleys’. BMMO S9 / Brush

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

 

New as No. 3400 to ‘Midland Red’ in 1949.

 

At the time, it was unusual for ‘Midland Red’ buses to be sold on the second hand market. They usually went straight for scrap.

 

 

 

DHE 353 ‘Hulleys’ No. 25. Leyland Tiger / Brush

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

 

New in 1951 to 'Yorkshire Traction’ as No. 922.

 

Currently under restoration.

 

 

 

 

KBN 90 ‘Hulleys’. AEC Reliance / Burlingham Seagull

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

 

New in 1956 to ‘Knowles’, Bolton.

 

 

 

 

402 BRB ‘Hulleys’. Bedford SBG / Duple

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

 

New in 1957.

 

Pictured in Rutland Square, Bakewell.

 

 

 

 

'Scene’ 'Lodging' at ‘Showbus' 2014

One of my abiding memories of ‘Showbus’ 2014 was the family of coaches on display from one operator. 

 

‘Lodges Coaches’ of High Easter in Essex.

'Lodges' have a long history dating back to the 1920’s and the vehicles on display covered most of the intervening period since then.

 

ES 8640

The oldest of which was this Chevrolet X replica. The original dating from 1926.

 

LTA 752

A Bedford OB with Duple coachwork. New to ‘Western National’ in 1950 it passed to ‘Lincolnshire Road Car Company’ where it was converted to ‘toastrack’ style bodywork for use in Skegness town and in the Butlins Holiday Camp nearby.

The style of bodywork was similar in appearance to that which was used on ‘Charabanc’s dating back to the very early days of coach operation.

One of 4 converted, this is believed to be the sole survivor.

I remember seeing these in 'Skeggy' I think in the 1950's.

 

 

 TMY 700

An even older Bedford OB/Duple dating back to 1949.

 

MJB 481

A Bedford SBG with Duple Vega bodywork dating from 1956. The ‘G’ in the type code indicated a Gasoline (Petrol) engine.

It was new to ‘Chiltonia Motors’ before moving to ‘West Wight’ of Totland on the Isle of Wight (IOW).

 

YMJ 555S

A Bedford YNT with Duple Dominant bodywork dating from 1978.

 

K738 ODL

A Leyland Olympian with Northern Counties bodywork dating from 1993. 

 

This is another vehicle with an ‘IOW’ connection having previously worked for ‘Southern Vectis’ there.

 

 

EU14 GXR

A Setra 416 GT-HD. A much more recent acquisition in 2014.

 

JW10 DGE which is cleverly spaced to read JW 10DGE.

 

Another of the same that I have included purely for the registration.