‘Scene’ at the ‘Great Central Railway’, Leicestershire “What sort of bus was it? It was a red one” /1 on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

It is two years since friend Peter Rose and I last visited the GCR.

 

A good selection of trains both steam and diesel were running. 

 

However, our main purpose, now as then, was to see and photograph the entrants in the bus rally held at Quorn & Woodhouse station.

 

At one time ‘trentbarton’s red arrow service from Chesterfield to Nottingham via Derby was worked by at least three different types of coach and during the course of a day, any of them could turn up.

 

The subtitle was a comment from another friend who didn’t know much about buses.

 

One day when he returned home from a trip to Derby, I asked him what type of bus he had travelled on and that was his answer.

 

AHE 163 ‘Yorkshire Traction’ No. 725.

Leyland PD1 / Roe /1

on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

To anyone connected with public transport in South Yorkshire, ‘YT’ was always, ‘the tracky’ .

 

New in 1946.

 

 

 

 

AHE 163 ‘Yorkshire Traction’ No. 725.

Leyland PD1 / Roe /2

on Dennis Basford’srailsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

 

 

 

 

EPW 516K ‘Eastern Counties’ No. RL516.

Bristol RELL6G / Eastern Coach Works

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

 

 

 

 

BRM 596 ‘Cumberland Motor Services’ No. 596.

Leyland TD4 / Eastern Coach Works

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

 

The chassis dates from 1934, whilst its original Massey body was replaced with this elegant lowbridge ECW body in 1950.

 

I think the body sits very well on the Leyland chassis because the radiator is set at a slight angle and not vertical.

 

I saw the bus drive onto the site and from the style of the body I thought it was built on a Bristol K5G chassis. 

 

It was only sometime later that I saw the radiator and realised it was a Leyland.

 

Superbly preserved.

 

 

 

 

E647 DAU ‘Barton Transport’ No. 647.

DAF  MB230 / Plaxton Paramount 4

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

 

New in 1988.

 

I have seen this coach several times over the years and I am always struck by how modern the body looks.

 

Take the numberplate away and you would never guess that it is 35 years old. 

 

It would not look out of place in any modern fleet.

 

 

 

 

KGU 284 ‘Barton Transport’ No. 1049.

Leyland 7RT / Park Royal

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

 

New to ‘London Transport’ No. RTL326.

 

 

‘Scene’ at the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre ‘Barton Transport’ Double Deckers on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

Located at Ruddington, which lies five miles to the South of Nottingham.

 

It is also home to the ‘Great Central Railway-Nottingham’.

 

A large site which houses an extensive collection of vintage buses as well as standard gauge and miniature railway vehicles and artefacts.

 

Originally a station on the ‘Great Central Railway’  extension line that linked Sheffield with London via Nottingham and Leicester.

 

JNN 384 ‘Barton Transport’ No. 467. 

Leyland PD1 / Duple Lowbridge

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

 

One of a batch of 40 new in 1947-49.

 

 

 

 

JVO 230 ‘Barton Transport’ No. 507. 

Leyland PD1 / Duple Lowbridge /1

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

 

 

 

 

JVO 230 ‘Barton Transport’ No. 507. 

Leyland PD1 / Duple Lowbridge /2

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

 

 

 

 

AAL 522A ‘Barton Transport’ No. 854. 

AEC Regent V / Northern Counties

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

 

New registered 854 FNN when new in 1960, one of a batch of five and withdrawn in 1973.

 

‘Scene’ at ‘Transpire’s Peak Park Preserved Bus Gathering 2016 Part 3 on Dennis Basford’s ‘railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk

I do not attend many bus rallies because I find more than enough in the current scene to keep me busy. 

 

However once a year ‘Transpire’ the Chesterfield based enthusiasts group holds its own event which for the last few years has been held at the ‘Peak Rail’ site at Rowsley in Derbyshire.

 

I have been a member for many years and have rarely missed so as usual, last year I went along and of course the camera went with me.

 

 

 Part 3 The North West Connection.

 

For parts 1 and 2 see blogs dated 23rd. June 2016 and 11th. September 2016.

 

UHG 353Y ‘Blackpool Transport’ (BT) No. 353 Leyland Atlantean / East Lancs

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

 

Owned by the Chesterfield 123 Preservation Group. 

 

It was new to ‘BT’ in 1982 being withdrawn in 2008.

 

 

 

LED 71P ‘Warrington Borough Transport’ No. 71 Bristol RESL6G / East Lancs

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

 

New in 1975. It normally is kept at ‘North West Museum of Road Transport at St. Helens.

 

 

 

DKC 301L ‘Merseybus’ No. 1301 Leyland Atlantean / Alexander

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

 

 

 

A763 NNA ‘GM Buses’ No. 8763 Leyland Atlantean / Northern Counties

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

 

The layout of the destination blinds on Manchester buses was distinctive.

 

Withdrawn in 2003 and preserved at the Wigan Transport Trust.

 

 

EED 5 ‘Warrington Corporation’ No.27 Leyland Titan PD1 / Alexander (built to a Leyland design).

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

 

 

 

TNA 520 ‘Manchester Corporation’ No. 3520 Leyland Titan PD2 / H V Burlingham

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

 

 

The layout of the destination blinds on Manchester buses was distinctive.

 

 

 

AEK 514 ‘Wigan Corporation No. 101 Leyland Royal Tiger / Northern Counties

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

 

 

 

CDB 224 ‘North Western Road Car Company’ No. 224 Leyland PD2 / Leyland

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

 

New 1948. Preserved at the Greater Manchester Museum of Transport.

 

 

When the ‘South East Lancs North East Cheshire’  (SELNEC) authority came into being after the Transport Act of 1968. It essentially took over the buses of Greater Manchester and many of the surrounding town and company operators.

 

After inheriting a wide diversity of vehicles, SELNEC sought to establish its own style by introducing a ‘Standard’ bus body designed to its own specifications.

 

This body style known as the ‘Manchester Standard’ was the outcome.

 

New in 1971 to SELNEC passing to Greater Manchester PTE in 1974. Withdrawn and preserved in 1984. 

RNA 236J ‘SELNEC’ No. 2236 Daimler Fleetline / Park Royal 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Scene’ at ‘Showbus 2016’, ‘Barton Transport’ on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogsot.co.uk’

One of the main features of this years ‘Showbus’ was to feature ‘Barton Transport’ who this year are celebrating the 150th aniiversary of the birth of the comany’s founder Mr. T. H. Barton.

 

I captured what images I was able too as the cavalcade passed through the site hoping to have a chance to catch up with them later. 

 

Circumstances on the day prevented me from doing so.

 

I therefore present the 11 images I did get and apologise for the other 4 which unfortunately got away.

 

 

 

 

966 RVO ‘Barton Transport’ No. 966 Bedford VAL / Yeates Europa

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

 

At the time of this bus being introduced, many of the travelling public were not used to the concept of dual doored buses so it was found necessary to paint IN and OUT on the bodywork.

 

Dating from 1963.

 

 

KNN 254 ‘Barton Transport’ No. 580 Leyland Titan PD1 / Duple

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

 

Dating from 1949.

JVO 230 ‘Barton Transport’ No. 507 Leyland Titan PD1A / Duple

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

 

 

Dating from 1948.

 

 

 

AAL 522A ‘Barton Transport’ No. 854 AEC Regent V / Northern Counties

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

 

 

Originally registered 854 FNN when new in 1960. The last of a batch of 5 and withdrawn in 1973.

 

 

 

JNN 384 ‘Barton Transport’ No. 467 Leyland PD1 / Duple

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

 

 

Dating from 1948.

 

 

 

XAL 784 ‘Barton Transport’ No. 784 AEC Regent V / Northern Counties

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

 

 

Dating from 1957.

 

 

 

WAL 782 ‘Barton Transport’ No. 782 Leyland Tiger PS1 / Willowbrook

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

 

 

A 1957 rebuild of a much earlier single deck chassis.

 

 

 

866 HAL ‘Barton Transport’ No. 866 AEC Reliance / Plaxton Panorama

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

 

 

Dating from 1960.

 

 

 

RVO 668L ‘Barton Transport’ No. 1246 Leyland Leopard PSU 3 / Plaxton Elite Express 3

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

 

 

Dating from 1972.

 

 

 

861 HAL ‘Barton Transport’ No. 861 Dennis Loline 2 / Northern Counties

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

 

 

Unique in that it combines a low height chassis with low height bodywork so producing an overall height of 12 feet 6 inches ( 3.81m) which I believe is still a lowest ever for a fully roofed double decker.

 

Dating from 1961.

 

 

 

XRR 615M ‘Barton Transport’ No. 1286 Leyland Leopard PSU3  / Plaxton Elite Express 3

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

 

 

Dating from 1973.