‘Scene’ Coaching in London recently part 2

It is now some time since I was in the Capital but such is the volume of bus traffic and such is the quality of the vehicles appearing that it would be a shame to leave these out.

 

One of my local operators here in the East Midlands is ‘Little’s of Ilkeston’ and it is with one of their coaches that we start.

 

PB09 LTL

A Scania K340EB4 with Irizar PB coachwork.

 

KX56 OVF

A Volvo B7R with Plaxton Profile bodywork working for London operator ‘Corbel’.

 

BN63 NYU

A Chinese built King Long XMQ6129Y working for ‘Excalibur Coaches’ who are another London based operator.

 

This coach appeared on the King Long stand at the Bus & Coach Live 2013 show at the NEC.

 

B2 EBT

A Volvo B12M with Plaxton Paragon bodywork with a cherished registration that identifies it as a member of the

‘Eddie Brown Travel’ fleet.

 

BL14 LSX

A Sunsundegui bodied Volvo working for’ Terravision’ on route A50 which takes in both Stansted Airport and London Victoria.

 

I have only seen one other of this body type which is called the SC7 and that was at the NEC last year and I commented then on its very close similarity to the Caetano Levante.

 

TUI 1646

A Dennis Javelin with Caetano Algarve 2 bodywork. Formerly registered N786 SJU.

 

Working for ‘Britannia Holidays’ who operate from the Hitchin in Hertfordshire.

 

9 HDX

This Volvo B12B/JonkheereSHV combination has to be one of the most elegant vehicles on the road.

 

Working for ‘The Travellers Choice’ who are based at Carnforth in Lancashire. 

 

An operator with a history going back over 140 years !

 

WAF CO 444

A SETRA S 415HD working for German operator ‘Engel Touristik’.

 

GB04 EBL

 

A Scania K114B4 with Irizar Century bodywork in the fleet of ‘Lucketts Travel’ of Fareham in Hampshire.

 

FDY 383

A Volvo B12B with a Volvo built body that was new to ‘Rambler Coaches Ltd.’ of Hastings in 2008 as CR08 RAM. 

 

It was reregistered to its current mark in early 2015.

 

YJ11 AMV

A Mercedes-Benz 0816D fitted with Sitcar ‘Beluga’ bodywork working for ‘Alba Coaches’.

 

I have commented before that I think the name ‘Beluga’ which is a species of whale is an unfortunate choice for what is quite a dainty coach.

 

‘Scene’ in Bakewell part 2

When I first knew Bakewell, which is over 60 years ago. It was a typical country market town. Its primary function was trading in livestock at its large market together with produce, farm equipment and everything else that goes to support a basically farming community.

 

None of that has changed. The markets are still very busy particularly on Mondays. What has changed is that Bakewell has re invented itself and is now very much on the tourist trail and holidays map.

 

Situated on the river Wye and lying to the South of Manchester and Buxton. To the North of Derby and Matlock and to the West of Sheffield. Bakewell is ideally placed and the level of its bus services reflects that.

 

Services to Sheffield have been in the hands of ‘TM Travel’ (TMT) and ‘Hulleys of Baslow’ (see part 1) for some time but is interesting to see that ‘First in South Yorkshire’ have re introduced their service 240 which ran for many years and If memory serves me correctly originated in the ‘Sheffield Joint Omnibus Commitee’ service 40. 

 

Only at week ends and bank holidays to start with but no doubt it will be developed .

 

J854 TSC

A Leyland Olympian with Alexander RH bodywork. Originally with ‘Lothian Regional Transport’, coming to TMT in 2008.

R977 KAR

 

A Volvo Olympian and bodied again by Alexander but this time by the Belfast factory for ‘Dublin ‘Bus for whom it worked as 98-D-20316. It came to TMT in 2009.

R93 LHK

 

Another Alexander Belfast bodied Volvo Olympian that was built for ‘Dublin Bus’ and was registered as 97-D-368 arriving with TMT in 2009.

 

 

DK10 DXS

 

Those of you who have read my earlier ‘blogs’ will know of my interest in ‘Community Transport’ fleets.

 

This ‘Mellor’ of Rochdale bodied Mercedes-Benz’ Sprinter is seen working for the local unit which is ‘Bakewell and Eyam C.T.

 

YJ07 DVM

A Sitcar Beluga bodied Mercedes-Benz of ‘Golden Green Travel’. An operator based not very far away at Longnor in Staffordshire.

 

Although the Beluga has been around for a long time, to me it is something of a rarity.

FJ05 HXW

A Volvo B12B with Caetano bodywork working for local operator ‘Lathkill Coaches’. Formerly working in Durham for ‘Lees Holidays’.

 

FM56 UNU

A DAF SB4000 with Marcopolo Viaggio bodywork operating for ‘Chiltern Travel’ of Blunham in Bedfordshire.

 

Originally registered 07-KE-1532 in the Irish Republic in the service of ‘Barton of Maynooth’. It also worked for ‘Matthews’ of Inniskeen before coming to the UK in 2010 with its present registration.

 

 

SU11 RON

A DAF MX340 with Van Hool T916 Acron bodywork working for ‘Barnards Coaches’ of Kirton-on-Lindsay in Lincolnshire.

 

When not on tour or excursion work this coach is used as the team coach for Scunthorpe United Football Club.

 

RB14 BUL

A Scania/Irizar PB working for ‘bullocks’ of Cheadle in Cheshire.

 

BG09 JJO

A Mercedes-Benz Tourismo carrying ‘Travelmaster Holidays’ titles although the coach is operated by ‘Owens Coaches’ of Oswestry.