‘Scene’ in Leigh Bus Station Part 1 on Dennis Basford’s ‘railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

Leigh Bus Station is at the ‘country’ end of the Leigh to Manchester guided ‘Busway’ that was opened in April 2016.

 

20 new Volvo B5LH/Wright Gemini 3’s were purchased specially for the ‘Vantage’ service that runs from Leigh to Manchester.

 

BW65 DCO ‘First Manchester’ 39240 Volvo B5LH / Wright Gemini 3

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

 

 

Seen parked up waiting its next turn of duty is,

 

BW65 DCF ‘First Manchester’ 39252 Volvo B5LH / Wright Gemini 3 

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

 

 

 

The 34/X34 service for which this bus is branded( which is based at Wigan) also operates between Leigh and Manchester using ordinary roads and as a consequence takes longer.

 

SN65 NYZ ‘Stagecoach Manchester’ 10444 Dennis Trident 2 / ADL Enviro400MMC 

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

 

 

 

 

Showing the offside of the 34/X34 branding which displays the route details.

 

SN65 NYY ‘Stagecoach Manchester’ 10443 Dennis Trident 2 / ADL Enviro400MMC 

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

 

 

MX09 KTD ‘Stagecoach Manchester’ 19522 Dennis Trident 2 / Alexander Enviro 400

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

 

 

 

BD11 CEY ‘First Manchester’ 69526 Volvo B7RLE / Wright Eclipse Urban

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

 

 

MX62 LKD ‘Stagecoach Manchester’ 27818 Dennis Enviro 300 / Alexander Enviro 300

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

 

 

 

AE51 RZG ‘Stagecoach Manchester’ 22328 MAN 18.220LF / Alexander ALX300

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

 

 

AE51 RXW ‘Stagecoach Manchester’ 22301 MAN 18.220LF / Alexander ALX300

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

 

 

DK09 ELV ‘network warrington’ No. 85 Volvo B7RLE / Wright Eclipse Urban 

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

 

‘Scene’, Coaching in the Canaries on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk

1489 CLJ ‘Bus Leader’ No.14 IVECO Eurorider / Noge

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

 

 

 

0749 HCP ‘TUI Group’ Volvo / Irizar Century

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

 

 

 

0520 GPV ‘Amanda Bus’ Scania / Irizar Century

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

 

 

 

0003 HKC ‘ultramar transport’ Volvo B9R / Irizar Century

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

 

 

 

A minimalist livery !

 

TF-0134-AY ‘Gomera Tours’ Volvo / Irizar Century

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

 

 

 

 

A driving school for coach drivers no less.

 

0838 CYK ‘Carmelo Autoscuela’ MAN / Beulas

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

 

0351 JGZ ‘INTERCITY BUS’ Iveco Crossway 

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

 

 

 

 

IB 8347 CW ‘torres’ Scania / Beulas

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

 

 

 

 

Displaying a typically Beulas feature, a seperate door for the driver.

 

IB 8347 CW ‘torres’ Scania / Beulas /2

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

 

 

 

Taken from the sundeck on 'Thomson Majesty' !

 

0780 JDK ‘Bus Leader’ MAN / Irizar Century

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

 

 

 

9943 FDS ‘Gomera Tours’ Irisbus / Noge EuroRider C35

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

 

 

929 FMG ‘Autobuses Mesa’ Mercedes-Benz / Noge Titanium

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

 

‘Scene’ in Barnsley recently on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk

I first new Barnsley in the 1950’s when it was the centre of the South Yorkshire coal mining industry. The major bus company in the town was ‘Yorkshire Traction’ (YT).

 

The company was always known affectionately as the ‘Tracky’.

 

Much has gone over the years including the mining industry and for that matter ‘YT’ itself which has become part of ‘Stagecoach Yorkshire’( SY) in 2005.

 

However ‘SY’ has chosen to remember its links with ‘YT’ by painting one of its double deckers in the old ‘YT’ livery to mark 10 years of operation in the town.

 

 

 

 

 

One of the few remaining buses that has direct links to ‘YT’ in that it was ordered by and delivered to the company before it became part of the ‘Stagecoach’ group.

 

YN53 PAO ‘Stagecoach Yorkshire’ No. 16937 Scania N94UD / East Lancs Omnidekka

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

 

 

 

 

Another of the few remaining buses that has direct links to ‘YT’ in that it was ordered by and delivered to the company before it became part of the ‘Stagecoach’ group.

 

YN53 PAO ‘Stagecoach Yorkshire’ No. 15417 Scania N94UD / East Lancs Omnidekka

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

 

 

YN59 EAX ‘Stagecoach Yorkshire’ No. 19565 Dennis Trident 2 / Alexander Enviro 400

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

 

 

YX66 WCZ ‘Stagecoach Yorkshire’ No. 10658 ADL E40D / ADL Enviro 400MMC

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

 

 

 

YN62 FVD ‘Stagecoach Yorkshire’ No. 28671 Scania 230UB / Alexander Enviro 300

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

 

 

 

 

New to ‘Shuttle Buses’ of Kilwinning in Scotland. then to ‘Stagecoach Merseyside & Wirral’.

 

 

SN56 AYG ‘Stagecoach Yorkshire’ No. 36072 Dennis Dart SLF / Alexander Mini Enviro 200

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

 

 

 

YX65 RBZ ‘Stagecoach Yorkshire’ No. 26030 ADL. E20D / ADL Enviro 200 MMC

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

 

 

 

YX65 PZB ‘Stagecoach Yorkshire’ No. 26020 ADL. E20D / ADL Enviro 200 MMC

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

 

 

 

A former service bus converted to a driver training role in October 2016.

 

MX54 LRO ‘Stagecoach Yorkshire’ No. 22088 MAN 18.220 / Alexander ALX300

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

 

 

 

There has generally been at least one independent operator in Barnsley when I have visited in the past but unfortunately they come and go on a regular basis. 

 

At one time it was ‘Redline’ than ‘Tate’s Travel’. The latest to try their luck is ‘R & S Waterson’.

 

 

Still wearing its previous owner’s (East Yorkshire Motor Services) livery and legal titling is,

 

 

W817 UAG ‘Watersons’ Dennis Dart SLF / Plaxton Pointer 2

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

 

 

 

Still wearing part of the livery it carried with ‘Nottingham City Transport’ (No. 530) and the branding it carried with ‘Transdev York’ (No. 1109) is

 

YS03 ZLU ‘Watersons’ Scania N94UB / Scania Omnicity

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

 

 

 

 

New to ‘Menzies of Heathrow’ before moving to ‘Dawson Rentals’.

 

YN53 GGK ‘Watersons’ Scania CN94UB / Scania Omnicity

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

 

 

 

 

‘Scene’ ‘In the Pink’ in Derby on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk

‘trentbarton’ have had new Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro200 MMC’s on order for sometime. 8 for 

‘the mickleover’ and 14 for ‘the nines’.

 

One of ‘the mickleover’ buses was on show at the NEC in November (see blog dated 01/11/16).

 

‘the ‘mickleover’ buses have just entered service with ‘the nines’ buses due in January.

 

Of course, I had to make them feel welcome !

 

YX66 WLN ‘trentbarton’ No.103 Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro200 MMC

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

 

 

 

YX66 WLU ‘trentbarton’ No. 107 Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro200 MMC

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

 

 

YX66 WLU ‘trentbarton’ No. 107 Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro200 MMC /2

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

 

 

YX66 WLO ‘trentbarton’ No. 104 Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro200 MMC

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

 

 

 

 

In the bus station the new buses were given a welcoming arch of pink balloons.

 

 

 

 

‘trentbarton’ pink welcoming balloons

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

 

 

 

Even the drivers santa hat was a pretty shade of pink instead of the usual red. A nice touch !

 

 

 

‘trentbarton’ pink santa hat

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

 

 

 

 

 

‘Scene’ at the East Midlands Airport on ‘Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk’

We were off to the Canary Islands and Madeira and although it was quite late in the year, the weather was dismal.

 

 

EI-DHS ‘Ryanair’ Boeing 737-8AS

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

 

 

 

G-GDFN ‘Jet2’ Boeing 737-33V

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

 

 

G-TCGD ‘Thomas Cook Airlines’ Airbus A321-211

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

 

 

This was our ride out.

G-TAWF ‘Thomson Airways’ Boeing 737-8K5

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

 

 

 

G-GDFD ‘Jet2’ Boeing 737- 8K5

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

 

 

 

G-DHJH ‘Thomas Cook Airlines’ Airbus A321-211

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

 

 

 

 

EI-EVW ‘Ryanair’ Boeing 737-8AS

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

 

 

 

 

 

Many thanks to friend John Beastall for the following details

 

First flew 26/02/1971 c/n 20431 Line No: 851.

Delivered to ‘Lufthansa 11/03/1971 as D-ABDI - named Lubeck.

1/1987 Leased by ATASCO to ‘Pan Am’ as N878UM - named Clipper Fleetwing.

05/1992 To ‘Albatross Airlines’ as TC-ALB  - named Tin Can.

06/1993 leased to ‘Sultan Air’ as TC-JUH.

Leased 10/1993 to ‘Bosphorous Airways’ as TC-IKO

Delivered 02/1994 to ‘Air Alfa’ as TC-ALM.

 

It became a fire trainer at EMA in 1997. It was impounded when Air Alfa ceased ops, at EMA - probably for maintenance fees / landing charges. 

 

It regularly underwent engine runs, whilst in storage. Following one of these the tail support was not relocated under the tail (727 being very tail heavy!!). During an ensuing storm the aircraft tipped onto its tail and was subsequently written off from the resulting damage.

 

Currently used to train rescue crews.

 

TC-ALM ‘Air Alfa’ Boeing 727-230

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

 

 

 

 

 

Its not often you get a bus on an aviation blog but this turned up…..

 

Specifically built with doors on both sides for aviation work when it previously worked for ‘British Airways’.

 

 

 

 

‘Scene’. Competition on the 20 & 26 in Derby on Dennis Basford’s railsroadsrunways.blogspot.co.uk

 

To use a term much loved by the tabloid press, a ‘Bus War’ has broken out in Derby.

 

For many years ‘Arriva Midlands’ (AM) buses have had Derby City service 20 to Chaddesden and service 26 to Oakwood to themselves. 

 

That ended on November 20th. when Heanor based ‘yourbus’ (yb) went head to head matching ‘AM’s 4 buses an hour on a combined timetable giving a bus every 7 or 8 minutes instead of the previous every 15 minutes.

 

My observations recently were that ‘yb’s extra 8 buses an hour is putting a strain on Derby bus stations capacity and that the previously gentlemanly and ladylike conduct of drivers was being put under pressure.

 

‘yb’ have used this confrontational approach before, challenging ‘trentbarton’ (tb) on that company’s ‘red arrow’ (Derby- Nottingham) service in 2013.

 

‘yb’ eventually conceded defeat and ‘tb’ still continue in isolation with its splendid fleet of Plaxton Elite bodied Volvo’s.

 

No doubt the passengers who benefit from these extra buses on the 20 & 26 will be pleased but how will it all end?

 

Watch this space!

 

PS Note that the last image has competing buses in the same image. (More luck than judgement).

 

BX13 SYC ‘yourbus’ No. 3026 Mercedes-Benz Citaro

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

 

 

 

YR58 SRO ‘Arriva Midlands’ No. 3552 Scania Omnicity

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

 

 

 

BD 64 NBY ‘yourbus’ No. 3109 Mercedes-Benz Citaro

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

 

YR58 SRZ ‘Arriva Midlands’ No. 3557 Scania Omnicity

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