Trips by Bus and Coach: Your reports

[RELL6L]

Yesterday was finally a decent chance for me to get out and about - a gap in my university classes coinciding with a day of reasonably decent weather. So I decided to make the most of it and explore an area I've rarely visited before - in the heart of North Yorkshire. It wasn't really a trip centred on buses (I expected the main part to be a 10 mile walk), and I certainly didn't expect there to be much material for a report... but there were quite a few surprises and mishaps which I thought deserved a little write up.

To start with, I headed into Gateshead and boarded the X10 service to head south. This flagship route, connecting Tyneside and Teesside, was operated using coaches the last time I used it, but last month the decision was made to revert back to double deckers, taken from the X84 and X85 routes. As with all of the X Lines routes, the buses are to a very high specification, and the change doesn't feel like much of a downgrade. Being in the morning peak, the service was fairly busy, with a fairly even split between passengers making end-to-end journeys and those using travelling to or from intermediate destinations like Dalton Park or Peterlee. And even though the route now serves all stops (no longer alternating between skipping Dalton Park/Billingham and Peterlee/Stockton), it still feels very fast - particularly the section between Peterlee and Billingham.

I decided to get off the bus at Stockton, giving me time to stretch my legs, get a coffee, and walk to Thornaby, where I boarded the direct train to Thirsk. I then walked from Thirsk station to Ripon - that's the ten mile walk I mentioned at the start of the post. I won't dwell on it because it's outwith the scope of this thread, but needless to say it was a very enjoyable saunter through some lovely country in the Vale of York. Crucially though, I made good time, arriving at Ripon fully half an hour earlier than planned.

This was where the fun began. Frequencies in this part of North Yorkshire are pretty poor, and in particular the timings on the 70 which runs from Ripon to Thirsk station (and Northallerton) are unhelpful, with no departures between 13:40 and 17:35 (presumably the bus which operates on the 70 does a school run around this time). However, I was aware that North Yorkshire were trialling a DRT scheme called YorBus in the area to the north of the city, and Bedale and Northallerton were connected by a relatively frequent service, so I had planned to use YorBus to Bedale and then head to Northallerton station. While booking the service in advance was not possible, I felt confident that this plan would work: in the days before my trip I'd used the app as if I were making a booking, to see the options which were presented. And they always seemed reasonable - typically involving about 30 minutes waiting in Ripon and then about 30 minutes travelling to Bedale - though of course I never actually booked them.

As soon as I arrived at Ripon, I opened the app and tried to book a journey... and the two options involved a 52 or 48 minute wait. I wasn't too upset - I was ahead of schedule, and I'd planned to spend the wait looking around the centre anyway - but it certainly made me nervous. About a quarter of an hour before the initial planned pick up time, I walked to the bus station, and checked the app again to be promptly told the bus had been delayed and it was now due in 20 minutes. Before long, it became clear that even this revised estimate was too optimistic, with the bus spending several minutes at the same location in the outskirts of Ripon - perhaps a passenger was booked to board the bus there, but didn't turn up? Whatever the reason, I felt increasingly concerned, but the YorBus finally arrived just as I was about to make contingency plans. It turned up at 15:50 - fifteen minutes later than I initially expected and nearly seventy minutes later than I had made my booking. Still, provided we made decent time, I would easily make my 16:35 connection at Bedale... right?

Wrong. The flexible aspect of the service, where the route can vary dramatically depending on demand, put paid to that. The bus headed almost all the way to the westernmost point of the zone, making a drop off near Masham, before heading east towards Bedale. The driver certainly did his best along the narrow country lanes, but we arrived at Bedale at 16:38 - by which time the bus I planned to get had left. I made good use of the hour and a half in Bedale, having dinner and a couple of pints at a very nice pub in town, but it did force me to change my plans and I had to book a train north from Northallerton. I could have returned the way I had came, but it would have meant long waits at Northallerton and Middlesbrough, and a very late arrival back into Gateshead!

By the time I was on the 73 from Bedale to Northallerton, it was completely dark outside. I was surprised at how busy the bus was - and almost all fare paying passengers. The fare was £3.05: a very awkward sum considering Dales and District only accept cash. Fortunately I'd checked the price beforehand using the government's open fare data (which is now surprisingly comprehensive), but I imagine drivers have to give 95p in change quite often. The service dropped me right at Northallerton station, which was very convenient for me to catch my train home.

So overall, it was a much more eventful day than planned. In hindsight, I was probably wrong to trust YorBus as much as I did - even with quite a wide margin for error, DRT services just aren't predictable. There's also the issue of financial sustainability - I only paid £1.20 for my single which is a great bargain, but that means breaking even would require huge numbers of passengers. While YorBus was much busier than other DRT services I've used in the past or read reports of, it's still hard to see how it can cover its costs. On a brighter note, it was good to see decent loadings on all of the services I used today - hopefully this is sign passengers are returning to normal!

That's a great trip and fabulous to include a walk. I have never managed a 10 mile walk, 2-3 miles is the most I would want to do on a bus trip but that sounds delightful. Sorry to hear your experience of 'flexible' bus services, I don't think what you encountered is that uncommon although others have few passengers. The only time I have done this was some years ago, from Saltfleet to Mablethorpe in Lincolnshire, and I booked this by phone the day before. Pleasing to hear the 73 was busy, this used to be half-hourly until Covid struck and is still normally hourly so hopefully demand remains. I do worry that the remaining routes in this area will all vanish in the face of the unpredictable options like YorBus.

As the weather wasn't looking too pretty out West I heading East to cobble up a day out. This time East to Sussex.

The day started early with a Southern service to Brighton. At Worthing I quickly changed trains to a diverted Gatwick Express branded 387 that would get me to Brighton quicker, I had a short connection at Brighton.

At Brighton I took the next Southern service to Hastings. At £11.55 return a Southampton to Hastings off peak day return with railcard discount is great value. The line beyond Lewes was new for me, so new line bonus!

From Hastings my rough idea was work back towards Brighton by bus. I had no concrete plans after that. I had a discovery ticket.

Stagecoach 99 Hastings to Eastbourne E300

A 58 plate E300 showed up for the 99 to Eastbourne, one of them uncomfortable ones with low back seats, it seemed every other 99 was a decker! A busy bus heading out of Hastings, nice view of the rough English Channel. Perhaps I will be back to do the 98 route which runs inland.

Brighton and Hove 12X Eastbourne to Brighton Gemini

After a short pitstop in Eastbourne time to head West again. The Eastbourne to Seaford section was new to me and very impressive, will have to come back to visit beachy head. After Seaford we ran in convey with two other 12 variants. I had my sights on a connection to the Metrobus 271 at the Old Steine.

Stagecoach 17 Brighton to Horsham E300

I decided to catch a late running service 17 to Horsham, a pleasant run through rural Sussex. At Horsham I toyed of the idea of getting the bus to Crawley but I settled for the train.

Metrobus 98 Horsham to Horsham station E200

Decided to take the lazy option up to Horsham station which was a well presented E200. From Horsham Railway station I took the next Southern service to Crawley. I had lunch Crawley and a break of just over an hour

Metrobus 271 Crawley to Brighton via Haywards Heath Double Decker unsure of type 09 plate.

Decided to take the 271 as I have already travelled on the 273 via Hickstead, still to do the 272 and 270. This route gives sweeping views across Sussex before a tootle through Haywards Heath. I jumped off on London Road in Brighton before catching a busy Southern service back along the coast.

Hope to explore further the Metrobus network, such as the routes to Epsom, Dorking and Leatherhead. In addition head further East from Hastings using buses and trains.

Another great trip. The 99 is almost entirely run by deckers, I think you were very unlucky to get an E300. But it isn't massively scenic. The 98 is an alternative with different scenery for another trip.

The 12X is much better. If you do it again, or for anyone else, then it is worth stopping off at a number of places and the service is frequent enough that this isn't difficult. Seven Sisters (the gap where you cross the Cuckmere river), Seaford (sea front), Newhaven (harbour), Rottingdean (sea front) are all worth a stop. For Beachy Head you need the 13X which only runs on Sundays at the moment, there may be a better service in the summer. From Beachy Head you can walk down towards Eastbourne where there is a regular service into town from virtually the bottom of the footpath - I do recommend doing it this way round!

Here is a recent trip I did to Shropshire/ Herefordshire.

I was inspired to make this excursion for two reasons. Firstly, I wanted to witness how Hereford has performed since the recent withdrawal from city routes by Yeomans. Commercially operated city routes in Hereford were mostly withdrawn by Yeomans in December. Sargeants had expanded slightly since then to cover some new areas. Second, this trip is (mostly) courtesy of Herefordshire County Council due to their current scheme of offering free weekend bus travel within the county.

Starting at Shrewsbury at 1130 to 1244, I caught the 435 by Minsterley Motors to Ludlow. I was aiming to catch the 0930 but, they're one of the few bus operators not accepting contact less payments. That's my fault - I'm normally prepared with cash everytime I am out, especially if I am using smaller bus companies, but not today! It was operated by an unbranded plain white Optare versa - though most vehicles in their fleet do contain basic route info and branding at the top. This was a fairly pleasant journey with an average load.

I had 30 mins break in Ludlow, so I had a wander around the town and saw the castle. Ludlow, like Shrewsbury is a historical town and is a lovely place to visit.

Next bus of the day is at 1315 to 1354, then 1400 to 1443, from Ludlow to Leominster and Hereford. This is operated by Lugg Valley as the 490/492 and the same bus operates through. This was operated by an optare solo, as are most (all?) buses by Lugg Valley and the sister company Yeomans. I paid for a single to the Herefordshire border, then travel beyond there was free. The first part of the route was very quiet, I was the only one on board for most of the way, but it got substantially busier on the 492 towards Hereford. There was about 12 on board at the end.

My original plan would have got into Hereford 2 hours earlier - and my schedule thereafter would have been to sample some of the Hereford City local services before heading back to Shrewsbury by train. I decided to instead do something different , after about 90 min break in Hereford, I will head to Knighton via Kington and catch the train to Shrewsbury from there instead. Hereford itself was busy and energetic today, not only was there a market on, there was also a band in town playing a hodgepodge of 80s music.

I got to see a collection of local buses while I was in Hereford. Yeomans and Lugg Valley both look and feel very basic. They have a very drab cream-coloured livery which I do not find particularly eye-catching. My impression is they're a company cutting as many of the costs as possible when providing a service and running a business. They were functional during my trip down from Ludlow to Hereford, but certainly nothing impressive. The passenger numbers I witnessed on city routes also reflect this. The minimalistic attitudes by some bus companies, unfortunately, do very little to encourage any new bus users. It tends to be those who -have- to use the bus rather than those who -want- to.

I caught the 461 by Sargeants to Kington at 1600 to 1710. This was by far the busiest bus I had with around 30 on board, about half getting off at Weobley and half getting off at Kington. The bus continues to Llandrindod Wells - but at Kington the driver said those going further must change. I'm unsure if this was the norm or not. This was also probably the nicest and most varied route of the day with its scenery. I arrived into Kington around 10 mins early.

I also changed buses here, to catch the 41 1730 to 1805 Kington to Knighton, also by Sargeants. It was starting to get dark now, so I didn't get to see much on this route, but it was quick and covered the 10 miles or so in half an hour.

All in all, I had an interesting trip. Compared to Yeomans and Lugg Valley, Sargeants appear to be more ambitious. They have expanded in Hereford City to cover the recent cutbacks by Yeomans. Their fleet presentation is also, in my opinion, more aesthetically pleasant compared to the other company. Their buses are red. They now operate city routes A and B, and 88, running one-way only loops of suburbs, as well as hourly routes from Hereford to Credenhill and Kington. Yeomans local routes are now mostly confined to South of the city, whereas Sargeants have a bit more geographic coverage now.

Hope this was an interesting read.

This is a fabulous trip in a really scenic area and it is a shame that you had to do some of it in the dark. Interesting to hear your take on the situation in Hereford. When I last went Yeomans looked like they were trying reasonably hard to maintain a professional presence and run reliably, but it does seem like services have reduced and Sargents have got a foothold in the Hereford city position now.

The 461 from Hereford to Weobley, Kington and Llandrindod Wells is very scenic and seems to be well run and popular and continues to run at a decent frequency. On one of my first trips I presented myself at Kington Bus Station and Sargent's double decker, then an Optare Spectra, arrived showing Llandrindod Wells - that would have been really good. But the driver dropped off passengers and said that our bus would be along in a minute. It was a Solo. Later I started a trip from Hereford and took the same journey, the same decker after having brought lots of students into the college, and again it finished at Kington, this time I was going on to Knighton on the 41. This position remains, the first journey to and from Hereford and one or two others are normally run by Sargent's Optare MetroDecker now, but not beyond Kington. More recently still I did the whole route with a break for an hour in Weobley, a very scenic village best seen by alighting and exploring, again we changed onto a Solo for the last leg beyond Kington. The last section from Kington to Llandrindod is exceptionally scenic.

The 41 from Kington to Knighton via Presteigne is also very attractive and, as you did it in the dark, I suggest another trip sometime. You could do Shrewsbury - X75 - Llangurig - X47 - Llandrindod - 461 - Kington - 41 - Knighton - 738/740 - Ludlow - 435 - Shrewsbury. That starts at 09.25 and finishes around 19.00 - it gives you an hour and a half in Kington which can easily be filled by walking on the hills just outside the town centre, this is a town where time has stood still and also popular with Mike Oldfield fans (one for the oldies!). Alternatively if you can get to Welshpool for 07.48 or Newtown for 08.30 you can do the same trip running earlier with slightly better connections and including half an hour in Llanidloes.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Yesterday was finally a decent chance for me to get out and about - a gap in my university classes coinciding with a day of reasonably decent weather. So I decided to make the most of it and explore an area I've rarely visited before - in the heart of North Yorkshire. It wasn't really a trip centred on buses (I expected the main part to be a 10 mile walk), and I certainly didn't expect there to be much material for a report... but there were quite a few surprises and mishaps which I thought deserved a little write up.

To start with, I headed into Gateshead and boarded the X10 service to head south. This flagship route, connecting Tyneside and Teesside, was operated using coaches the last time I used it, but last month the decision was made to revert back to double deckers, taken from the X84 and X85 routes. As with all of the X Lines routes, the buses are to a very high specification, and the change doesn't feel like much of a downgrade. Being in the morning peak, the service was fairly busy, with a fairly even split between passengers making end-to-end journeys and those using travelling to or from intermediate destinations like Dalton Park or Peterlee. And even though the route now serves all stops (no longer alternating between skipping Dalton Park/Billingham and Peterlee/Stockton), it still feels very fast - particularly the section between Peterlee and Billingham.

I decided to get off the bus at Stockton, giving me time to stretch my legs, get a coffee, and walk to Thornaby, where I boarded the direct train to Thirsk. I then walked from Thirsk station to Ripon - that's the ten mile walk I mentioned at the start of the post. I won't dwell on it because it's outwith the scope of this thread, but needless to say it was a very enjoyable saunter through some lovely country in the Vale of York. Crucially though, I made good time, arriving at Ripon fully half an hour earlier than planned.

This was where the fun began. Frequencies in this part of North Yorkshire are pretty poor, and in particular the timings on the 70 which runs from Ripon to Thirsk station (and Northallerton) are unhelpful, with no departures between 13:40 and 17:35 (presumably the bus which operates on the 70 does a school run around this time). However, I was aware that North Yorkshire were trialling a DRT scheme called YorBus in the area to the north of the city, and Bedale and Northallerton were connected by a relatively frequent service, so I had planned to use YorBus to Bedale and then head to Northallerton station. While booking the service in advance was not possible, I felt confident that this plan would work: in the days before my trip I'd used the app as if I were making a booking, to see the options which were presented. And they always seemed reasonable - typically involving about 30 minutes waiting in Ripon and then about 30 minutes travelling to Bedale - though of course I never actually booked them.

As soon as I arrived at Ripon, I opened the app and tried to book a journey... and the two options involved a 52 or 48 minute wait. I wasn't too upset - I was ahead of schedule, and I'd planned to spend the wait looking around the centre anyway - but it certainly made me nervous. About a quarter of an hour before the initial planned pick up time, I walked to the bus station, and checked the app again to be promptly told the bus had been delayed and it was now due in 20 minutes. Before long, it became clear that even this revised estimate was too optimistic, with the bus spending several minutes at the same location in the outskirts of Ripon - perhaps a passenger was booked to board the bus there, but didn't turn up? Whatever the reason, I felt increasingly concerned, but the YorBus finally arrived just as I was about to make contingency plans. It turned up at 15:50 - fifteen minutes later than I initially expected and nearly seventy minutes later than I had made my booking. Still, provided we made decent time, I would easily make my 16:35 connection at Bedale... right?

Wrong. The flexible aspect of the service, where the route can vary dramatically depending on demand, put paid to that. The bus headed almost all the way to the westernmost point of the zone, making a drop off near Masham, before heading east towards Bedale. The driver certainly did his best along the narrow country lanes, but we arrived at Bedale at 16:38 - by which time the bus I planned to get had left. I made good use of the hour and a half in Bedale, having dinner and a couple of pints at a very nice pub in town, but it did force me to change my plans and I had to book a train north from Northallerton. I could have returned the way I had came, but it would have meant long waits at Northallerton and Middlesbrough, and a very late arrival back into Gateshead!

By the time I was on the 73 from Bedale to Northallerton, it was completely dark outside. I was surprised at how busy the bus was - and almost all fare paying passengers. The fare was £3.05: a very awkward sum considering Dales and District only accept cash. Fortunately I'd checked the price beforehand using the government's open fare data (which is now surprisingly comprehensive), but I imagine drivers have to give 95p in change quite often. The service dropped me right at Northallerton station, which was very convenient for me to catch my train home.

So overall, it was a much more eventful day than planned. In hindsight, I was probably wrong to trust YorBus as much as I did - even with quite a wide margin for error, DRT services just aren't predictable. There's also the issue of financial sustainability - I only paid £1.20 for my single which is a great bargain, but that means breaking even would require huge numbers of passengers. While YorBus was much busier than other DRT services I've used in the past or read reports of, it's still hard to see how it can cover its costs. On a brighter note, it was good to see decent loadings on all of the services I used today - hopefully this is sign passengers are returning to normal!

A fascinating trip report and in an area I know VERY well. That's one hell of a walk from Thirsk Station to Ripon! Must have taken you about 3 hours?

A few observations... the 70 from Northallerton to Ripon was always rigidly two hourly. I think it was a supported service but with North Yorkshire Count Council axing support for many routes, Dales and District took it on commercially. Four return journeys a day is paltry. The YorBus DRT concept is obviously appealing to NYCC as they get funding and its cheap and you can see other conventional services getting chopped, not that there are that many. I remember the plethora of market day services that used to exist around Ripon and Thirsk but the service provision now is minimal - the council really aren't that bothered about buses and really never have been.

Understand the attraction of experiencing the DRT scheme, and Bedale is not a bad town to spend some time in. However, I might have been tempted to have the certainty of getting the D&D 159 via Leyburn and Richmond which is a beautiful scenic journey. The scenery gets better as you travel north with West Tanfield being a sweet village, Masham is a fab little town, though you'd have seen those anyway with your DRT. However, the trip up past Jervaulx Abbey (home of Wensleydale cheese), then Middleham with its castle, is gorgeous. Then you pass under the castellated bridge and up through Leyburn and a bit of bleak dales scenery before arriving in Richmond which is picture-perfect. From there, it's a simple trip to Darlington station, probably now on an Arriva gas bus, Sapphire e400s or Pulsars, now that the Omnicities have been retired.

As for the more northernly aspect, I did have a trip on the X85 last year and was amazed that there was a business case for such vehicles on that route. That they've headed to the X10 makes more sense. I missed out on the coaches on there - I got a Streetdeck instead. A rather bizarre interlude all round.

Thanks for sharing your experiences

 

[RELL6L]

Another February trip from my archive, again in February 2018. This time I started in Crowland, Lincolnshire. Why? Always somewhere I had wanted to visit, I had been through it but to visit would take at least an hour given the one hourly service through the village. It was easier (and cheaper) to park there than say Peterborough and doesn’t take much longer to get to, avoiding city traffic. So on a pretty chilly morning that’s where I started, looking round the attractive three sided bridge and the abbey as the sun was beginning to come up. I could not photograph the abbey except as a silhouette as the sun was right behind it.

From Crowland I took the Stagecoach 37 to Spalding on a MAN single decker. Spalding is a reasonably pleasant town on the River Welland; the area round the bus station is somewhat run down to say the least but it is much better around the river. Then from Spalding it was the 505 – to Kings Lynn but stopping off at Holbeach and Long Sutton on the way. At this time the 505 was every 20 minutes with a wide variety of buses. The first leg was on a Solo and I then had 20 minutes in Holbeach, a reasonably attractive town architecturally. The second leg was on an ancient Trident which only started its journey in Holbeach, having run empty from the depot. It was clear that something was not well with the bus but it staggered to Long Sutton where I alighted for another 20 minutes, again reasonably pleasant. The final leg was on a more modern E400 and at the very first stop outside Long Sutton we came across the Trident from the previous journey, apparently the brakes were the problem and it was going to need a suspended tow back to the depot. We continued to Kings Lynn although slightly delayed as we were picking up two bus-loads on passengers. Although Stagecoach have got rid of most of their Kings Lynn (formerly Norfolk Green) operations, the 505 route has been retained, now half hourly exclusively with deckers, from an outstation in Sutton Bridge.

I think Kings Lynn is a really lovely town and have been there several times. The area by Purfleet Quay and the Old Customs House is probably the best but I had been there a couple of times and this time I went to South Quay, around some of the attractive historic town centre buildings and to Tuesday Market Place. I thoroughly recommend an hour exploring Kings Lynn.

From here I took what was then the First X1, now “Excel” to Wisbech. Wisbech is another attractive town, especially the frontage on the River Nene but also around The Crescent, a lovely Georgian circle. Wisbech might not be the best place in some ways but has great architecture. Then I took the Stagecoach 46 to March, I think this was an Optare Solo. This is another of the Kings Lynn routes Stagecoach have retained, along with the roughly parallel 56, now run mainly by double deckers. In fact it appears that the whole operation in the area is run with double deckers, although the 46 appears to be Stagecoach East (run from March outstation) while the 56 and 505 are Stagecoach East Midlands.

I had been to March before and so I made do with just 12 minutes here, my next bus being the Stagecoach 33 towards Peterborough. This was run by an old (51 reg?) MAN and left promptly, doing a grand tour of March before heading out of town towards Whittlesey. I had intended to stop off here for 30 minutes before continuing to Peterborough but it was clear from looking online, and noting where we passed a 33 going back to March, that the service was in some disarray and I could be stuck in Whittlesey for some time. I did in fact alight and whizz round the village centre but then got back on the same bus which had arrived quite early.

On then to Peterborough where some badly placed and controlled roadworks explained why the 33, and many other Peterborough routes, were in some chaos. As we joined the queue at the edge of the city centre I asked to alight but was not permitted to do so between stops, meaning I had to wait in the queue for 10 minutes. I did have plenty of time to explore the attractive city centre area around the cathedral before taking my final bus, a decker on the 37 back to Crowland. Still light when I got here and I was able to take better pictures of the ruined abbey with the sun now behind me.

Allowance of 10 pictures:

Spalding, by the river


Spalding - with a bus - a Brylaine decker headed for Boston.


Holbeach


Long Sutton


Kings Lynn


Wisbech, by the river


Wisbech, back streets of the town centre


March


Peterborough cathedral


Crowland, triangular bridge in the foreground and the abbey in the distance

 

[TheSel]

Thanks, everyone, for your interesting reports and some fantastic photography. You're definately whetting my appetite to visit some of these areas that I've not been to for a long time - or at all, in the case of Crowland. Particular Thanks @RELL6L

As promised / threatened [delete as appropriate], I'm back with another historical report, this time from today - Saturday 16 February - back in 1985.

It was cold and bright, and whilst coastal Southport rarely sees any snow, the weather reports suggested that I might find some if I headed into North Wales. So, I drove the short distance to Birkdale Station, parked up, and boarded the 0703 to Liverpool Central (507022), which connected into the 0745 under the River Mersey to Birkenhead Hamilton Square (508136). This was a regular start for me in those days, and despite the scheduled arrival time at Hamilton Square being 0749, I knew from experience that I stood a very good chance of getting up on the lift and walking the hundred yards or so to Woodside terminus in time for Crosville's 0748 C1 to Chester, particularly on a Saturday as this was a 'first trip' (i.e. it came off the depot) and the light traffic conditions that prevailed on Saturdays meant that time could easily be made up.

Today was no exception, and I was thus able to board ECW bodied Bristol VR DVL344 - WDM344R on this working, buy my 'Wanderbus' ticket, and settle down for a run mainly along the A41 to Chester, arriving at Delamere Street Bus Station nicely in time for my next planned trip, the 0845 D2, to which almost new ECW bodied Olympian DOG190 - B190BLG - was allocated. This was a through working Chester - Wrexham - Oswestry, but I decided to alight at Wrexham.


DOG190 - new that month - in Wrexham.

The main reason for alighting at Wrexham was that I could see ECW bodied Bristol RELL6G ERG271 - YFM271L - being readied for the 0930 D27 'back lanes' route to Mold. I had lived in the Wrexham area for a couple of years in the late 1970s, so I knew the route, and figured that the traces of snow in Wrexham meant that there would be much more in the higher parts of this route. I was not disappointed, although on the outward journey it was difficult to find anywhere that the route was heading the right way into the sun for photography.


ERG271 - Treuddyn

So, on arrival at Mold, the sensible option seemed to be to return to Wrexham on the same bus, working the 1032 D27 Mold - Wrexham:


ERG271 - Top-y-Rhos


ERG271 - Treuddyn Corner


ERG271 - Ffrith.

This convenient two-hours of Bristol RE activity nicely brought me back to Wrexham in time to continue my journey towards Oswestry, connecting into the 1136 D2 (which had started in Chester at 1045 - two hours behind my new Olympian earlier that morning). The bus provided was ECW bodied Bristol VR DVG519 - YMB519W.

Next up was a trip to the pretty village of Ellesmere, which was in the hands of one of the many second hand vehicles that made Crosville's such an interesting fleet at this time. HVG935 - OWE277K - was an East Lancs bodied Bristol VR new to Sheffield Corporation, but acquired by Crosville in 1980 from South Yorkshire PTE. As with the Mold trip earlier, the outward run was almost completely 'wrong for the sun', making photography just about impossible, but that meant the return was spot on.


HVG935 - Ifton Heath


HVG935 - Gobowen Orthopaedic Hospital.

Time to 'fess up. To get that shot outside the Hospital grounds, I stood on the snowdrift, thinking it was solid enough to take my weight. It wasn't! I thus had to endure the rest of the afternoon with freezing cold, soaking wet shoes, socks and trouser legs, so on arrival back in Oswestry I went in search of a warm pub with a real fire, in order to at least partially dry out. And a pint, naturally.

And so it wasn't until after three o'clock that I took my next trip - the 1510 D60 to Oaklands Road and back, in the hands of another Bristol RE, this time SRG180 - EFM180H.


SRG180 - Oaklands Road

... which I followed up by riding on its next duty, the 1610 D61 to Black Park.


SRG180 - shortly after leaving Black Park on its way back to Oswestry.

As this was due back in Oswestry about five minutes after a D2 to Wrexham and Chester would depart, I 'cut a corner' by leaving this splendid machine at Weston Rhyn, and walking the half mile or so to Gledrid Cross Roads to await what turned out to be an ECW bodied Bristol VR in the form of DVL411 - ODM411V as the 1720 Gledrid Cross Roads (started at Oswestry at 1710) to Chester, where a convenient connection was made onto the 1918 C1 from Chester - Birkenhead, worked by similar DVL322 - TMA322R. Well, that was the intention, but on arrival outside Rock Ferry depot, we stopped for a crew change, so I jumped off and had a short trip from Rock Ferry (Crosville Depot) to Rock Ferry railway station on Merseyside PTE 0055 - DEM822Y - one of their Alexander bodied Volvo Ailsas, which made a change from the almost ubiquitous Leyland Atlanteans and Daimler Fleetlines on the Wirral, before returning home by train (Rock Ferry - Moorfields on 508136, then Moorfields - Birkdale on 507018).

When I look back on some of those days out, it seems that I was a bus-spotter who firmly believed that Crosville was basically just there for my entertainment. Fortunately, a significant number of drivers seemed to share this view of the world, and were quite happy to oblige. To them, I shall forever be grateful.

Hopefully of some interest to some of you.

More from TheSel's archives in a few days.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Thanks, everyone, for your interesting reports and some fantastic photography. You're definately whetting my appetite to visit some of these areas that I've not been to for a long time - or at all, in the case of Crowland. Particular Thanks @RELL6L

As promised / threatened [delete as appropriate], I'm back with another historical report, this time from today - Saturday 16 February - back in 1985.

It was cold and bright, and whilst coastal Southport rarely sees any snow, the weather reports suggested that I might find some if I headed into North Wales. So, I drove the short distance to Birkdale Station, parked up, and boarded the 0703 to Liverpool Central (507022), which connected into the 0745 under the River Mersey to Birkenhead Hamilton Square (508136). This was a regular start for me in those days, and despite the scheduled arrival time at Hamilton Square being 0749, I knew from experience that I stood a very good chance of getting up on the lift and walking the hundred yards or so to Woodside terminus in time for Crosville's 0748 C1 to Chester, particularly on a Saturday as this was a 'first trip' (i.e. it came off the depot) and the light traffic conditions that prevailed on Saturdays meant that time could easily be made up.

Today was no exception, and I was thus able to board ECW bodied Bristol VR DVL344 - WDM344R on this working, buy my 'Wanderbus' ticket, and settle down for a run mainly along the A41 to Chester, arriving at Delamere Street Bus Station nicely in time for my next planned trip, the 0845 D2, to which almost new ECW bodied Olympian DOG190 - B190BLG - was allocated. This was a through working Chester - Wrexham - Oswestry, but I decided to alight at Wrexham.

View attachment 110270
DOG190 - new that month - in Wrexham.

The main reason for alighting at Wrexham was that I could see ECW bodied Bristol RELL6G ERG271 - YFM271L - being readied for the 0930 D27 'back lanes' route to Mold. I had lived in the Wrexham area for a couple of years in the late 1970s, so I knew the route, and figured that the traces of snow in Wrexham meant that there would be much more in the higher parts of this route. I was not disappointed, although on the outward journey it was difficult to find anywhere that the route was heading the right way into the sun for photography.

View attachment 110271
ERG271 - Treuddyn

So, on arrival at Mold, the sensible option seemed to be to return to Wrexham on the same bus, working the 1032 D27 Mold - Wrexham:

View attachment 110272
ERG271 - Top-y-Rhos

View attachment 110273
ERG271 - Treuddyn Corner

View attachment 110274
ERG271 - Ffrith.

This convenient two-hours of Bristol RE activity nicely brought me back to Wrexham in time to continue my journey towards Oswestry, connecting into the 1136 D2 (which had started in Chester at 1045 - two hours behind my new Olympian earlier that morning). The bus provided was ECW bodied Bristol VR DVG519 - YMB519W.

Next up was a trip to the pretty village of Ellesmere, which was in the hands of one of the many second hand vehicles that made Crosville's such an interesting fleet at this time. HVG935 - OWE277K - was an East Lancs bodied Bristol VR new to Sheffield Corporation, but acquired by Crosville in 1980 from South Yorkshire PTE. As with the Mold trip earlier, the outward run was almost completely 'wrong for the sun', making photography just about impossible, but that meant the return was spot on.

View attachment 110275
HVG935 - Ifton Heath

View attachment 110276
HVG935 - Gobowen Orthopaedic Hospital.

Time to 'fess up. To get that shot outside the Hospital grounds, I stood on the snowdrift, thinking it was solid enough to take my weight. It wasn't! I thus had to endure the rest of the afternoon with freezing cold, soaking wet shoes, socks and trouser legs, so on arrival back in Oswestry I went in search of a warm pub with a real fire, in order to at least partially dry out. And a pint, naturally.

And so it wasn't until after three o'clock that I took my next trip - the 1510 D60 to Oaklands Road and back, in the hands of another Bristol RE, this time SRG180 - EFM180H.

View attachment 110277
SRG180 - Oaklands Road

... which I followed up by riding on its next duty, the 1610 D61 to Black Park.

View attachment 110279
SRG180 - shortly after leaving Black Park on its way back to Oswestry.

As this was due back in Oswestry about five minutes after a D2 to Wrexham and Chester would depart, I 'cut a corner' by leaving this splendid machine at Weston Rhyn, and walking the half mile or so to Gledrid Cross Roads to await what turned out to be an ECW bodied Bristol VR in the form of DVL411 - ODM411V as the 1720 Gledrid Cross Roads (started at Oswestry at 1710) to Chester, where a convenient connection was made onto the 1918 C1 from Chester - Birkenhead, worked by similar DVL322 - TMA322R. Well, that was the intention, but on arrival outside Rock Ferry depot, we stopped for a crew change, so I jumped off and had a short trip from Rock Ferry (Crosville Depot) to Rock Ferry railway station on Merseyside PTE 0055 - DEM822Y - one of their Alexander bodied Volvo Ailsas, which made a change from the almost ubiquitous Leyland Atlanteans and Daimler Fleetlines on the Wirral, before returning home by train (Rock Ferry - Moorfields on 508136, then Moorfields - Birkdale on 507018).

When I look back on some of those days out, it seems that I was a bus-spotter who firmly believed that Crosville was basically just there for my entertainment. Fortunately, a significant number of drivers seemed to share this view of the world, and were quite happy to oblige. To them, I shall forever be grateful.

Hopefully of some interest to some of you.

More from TheSel's archives in a few days.

Again @TheSel, thank you for your recollections and the photographs. I was going to ask how you managed to get so many in such disparate spots but clearly, you had some very patient and considerate drivers.

I'm just cold looking at the pictures and can't imagine it was that warm. Sadly, I have too many memories of being on buses at that time being rather cold affairs with floor mounted heaters barely whirring! One little observation was the ticket machines - Oswestry had Almex A whilst I assume it might be Mold depot that was using manual Setright machines. They were getting quaint in 1985!!

I can't compete with the photographic delights that you and @RELL6L are spoiling us with but I might come up with another Explorer Gold at some point.

 

[RELL6L]

Thanks, everyone, for your interesting reports and some fantastic photography. You're definately whetting my appetite to visit some of these areas that I've not been to for a long time - or at all, in the case of Crowland. Particular Thanks @RELL6L

As promised / threatened [delete as appropriate], I'm back with another historical report, this time from today - Saturday 16 February - back in 1985.

It was cold and bright, and whilst coastal Southport rarely sees any snow, the weather reports suggested that I might find some if I headed into North Wales. So, I drove the short distance to Birkdale Station, parked up, and boarded the 0703 to Liverpool Central (507022), which connected into the 0745 under the River Mersey to Birkenhead Hamilton Square (508136). This was a regular start for me in those days, and despite the scheduled arrival time at Hamilton Square being 0749, I knew from experience that I stood a very good chance of getting up on the lift and walking the hundred yards or so to Woodside terminus in time for Crosville's 0748 C1 to Chester, particularly on a Saturday as this was a 'first trip' (i.e. it came off the depot) and the light traffic conditions that prevailed on Saturdays meant that time could easily be made up.

Today was no exception, and I was thus able to board ECW bodied Bristol VR DVL344 - WDM344R on this working, buy my 'Wanderbus' ticket, and settle down for a run mainly along the A41 to Chester, arriving at Delamere Street Bus Station nicely in time for my next planned trip, the 0845 D2, to which almost new ECW bodied Olympian DOG190 - B190BLG - was allocated. This was a through working Chester - Wrexham - Oswestry, but I decided to alight at Wrexham.


DOG190 - new that month - in Wrexham.

The main reason for alighting at Wrexham was that I could see ECW bodied Bristol RELL6G ERG271 - YFM271L - being readied for the 0930 D27 'back lanes' route to Mold. I had lived in the Wrexham area for a couple of years in the late 1970s, so I knew the route, and figured that the traces of snow in Wrexham meant that there would be much more in the higher parts of this route. I was not disappointed, although on the outward journey it was difficult to find anywhere that the route was heading the right way into the sun for photography.


ERG271 - Treuddyn

So, on arrival at Mold, the sensible option seemed to be to return to Wrexham on the same bus, working the 1032 D27 Mold - Wrexham:


ERG271 - Top-y-Rhos


ERG271 - Treuddyn Corner


ERG271 - Ffrith.

This convenient two-hours of Bristol RE activity nicely brought me back to Wrexham in time to continue my journey towards Oswestry, connecting into the 1136 D2 (which had started in Chester at 1045 - two hours behind my new Olympian earlier that morning). The bus provided was ECW bodied Bristol VR DVG519 - YMB519W.

Next up was a trip to the pretty village of Ellesmere, which was in the hands of one of the many second hand vehicles that made Crosville's such an interesting fleet at this time. HVG935 - OWE277K - was an East Lancs bodied Bristol VR new to Sheffield Corporation, but acquired by Crosville in 1980 from South Yorkshire PTE. As with the Mold trip earlier, the outward run was almost completely 'wrong for the sun', making photography just about impossible, but that meant the return was spot on.


HVG935 - Ifton Heath


HVG935 - Gobowen Orthopaedic Hospital.

Time to 'fess up. To get that shot outside the Hospital grounds, I stood on the snowdrift, thinking it was solid enough to take my weight. It wasn't! I thus had to endure the rest of the afternoon with freezing cold, soaking wet shoes, socks and trouser legs, so on arrival back in Oswestry I went in search of a warm pub with a real fire, in order to at least partially dry out. And a pint, naturally.

And so it wasn't until after three o'clock that I took my next trip - the 1510 D60 to Oaklands Road and back, in the hands of another Bristol RE, this time SRG180 - EFM180H.


SRG180 - Oaklands Road

... which I followed up by riding on its next duty, the 1610 D61 to Black Park.


SRG180 - shortly after leaving Black Park on its way back to Oswestry.

As this was due back in Oswestry about five minutes after a D2 to Wrexham and Chester would depart, I 'cut a corner' by leaving this splendid machine at Weston Rhyn, and walking the half mile or so to Gledrid Cross Roads to await what turned out to be an ECW bodied Bristol VR in the form of DVL411 - ODM411V as the 1720 Gledrid Cross Roads (started at Oswestry at 1710) to Chester, where a convenient connection was made onto the 1918 C1 from Chester - Birkenhead, worked by similar DVL322 - TMA322R. Well, that was the intention, but on arrival outside Rock Ferry depot, we stopped for a crew change, so I jumped off and had a short trip from Rock Ferry (Crosville Depot) to Rock Ferry railway station on Merseyside PTE 0055 - DEM822Y - one of their Alexander bodied Volvo Ailsas, which made a change from the almost ubiquitous Leyland Atlanteans and Daimler Fleetlines on the Wirral, before returning home by train (Rock Ferry - Moorfields on 508136, then Moorfields - Birkdale on 507018).

When I look back on some of those days out, it seems that I was a bus-spotter who firmly believed that Crosville was basically just there for my entertainment. Fortunately, a significant number of drivers seemed to share this view of the world, and were quite happy to oblige. To them, I shall forever be grateful.

Hopefully of some interest to some of you.

More from TheSel's archives in a few days.

Absolutely wonderful, thank you, and such great snowy pictures as well - what a glorious day! I have nothing that can compare to them.

I always think of Crosville as being reasonably standardised and I forget how they ended up with odd things like the East Lancs bodied VRs from South Yorkshire. I remember them in Sheffield but I got the impression they weren't much loved then as they were non-standard there too. Good to see passengers waiting in the snow for the buses, Crosville was really there for them, but I know what you mean!

More from my archive later too, but not as far back as yours sadly.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Absolutely wonderful, thank you, and such great snowy pictures as well - what a glorious day! I have nothing that can compare to them.

I always think of Crosville as being reasonably standardised and I forget how they ended up with odd things like the East Lancs bodied VRs from South Yorkshire. I remember them in Sheffield but I got the impression they weren't much loved then as they were non-standard there too. Good to see passengers waiting in the snow for the buses, Crosville was really there for them, but I know what you mean!

More from my archive later too, but not as far back as yours sadly.

The standardisation of the NBC was never quite as pervasive as people think, simply because Nationals started arriving in 1972/3 but the ending of the bus grant meant vehicles could not be replaced as quickly. Moreover, the Market Analysis Projects meant an extended life for older deckers and a requirement for to be purchased.

Look forward to the @RELL6L archive to be raided

 

[Norton Bridge]

As there seems to be some interest in reports of Crosville trips I'd like to share the following from 42 years ago today - Monday 18th February, 1980. Sorry there are no photographs.

0805 M51 Rhyl to Ruthin CRG494 (5455FM) Bristol RELH6G/ECW coach in National white livery. This was one of a handful at Rhyl at the time confined to stage work with conductors. It would be withdrawn a couple of months later.

0920 M51 Ruthin to Corwen SRG18 (SFM18F) Bristol RELL6G/ECW. There were as many parcels being delivered on this journey as there were passengers. This bus was sold to Belfast Citybus later in the year.

1105 D94 Corwen to Wrexham ERG272 (YFM272L) Bristol RELL6G/ECW DP. I was really pleased when this turned up. I’d been expecting SNL589 as this lengthy route from Barmouth had gone over to B-type National operation the year before and that was now the regular performer.

1300 D26 Wrexham to Mold SNL816 (WFM816L) Leyland National dual door. An early example, now in preservation.

1340 B3 Mold to Chester DFG194 (GFM194C) Bristol FS6G/ECW. There were still lots of these traditional half cabs working trunk routes at this time. The lady conductor was interested that I had a card version of the £2.97 Wanderbus ticket issued by the enquiry office, rather than a paper one out of a Setright.

1526 C30 Chester to Warrington ENL956 (MLG956P) Leyland National DP. I was already familiar with this Chester based bus which was a common performer on routes such as the L1 and C84.

1706 H31 Warrington to Runcorn SRL241 (SJA376J) Bristol RELL6L/ECW. One of the ex-North Western examples with the low roof. They seemed to be quite common performers on this route.

1828 H21 Runcorn to Chester ENL831 (NFM831M) Leyland National DP. This was of slight interest as it was from the first batch of Crosville’s DP Nationals, most of my journeys over the years being on the later ones. This had the shallower and longer pod and different seat moquette.

2000 L1 Chester to Rhyl ENL904 (GMA407N) Leyland National DP. Fairly standard for the Cymru Coastliner, but probably the one that Caernarfon depot were least likely to turn out.

Overall I thought that was a pretty good day out. Four REs all of different classes, and two early Nationals, although I have to admit I didn’t appreciate the latter at the time. Also, a good mix of buses, DPs and even a coach. It was very much a day of single-deckers, but the Lodekka still managed to put in an appearance.

 

[TheSel]

As there seems to be some interest in reports of Crosville trips I'd like to share the following from 42 years ago today - Monday 18th February, 1980. Sorry there are no photographs.

0805 M51 Rhyl to Ruthin CRG494 (5455FM) Bristol RELH6G/ECW coach in National white livery. This was one of a handful at Rhyl at the time confined to stage work with conductors. It would be withdrawn a couple of months later.

0920 M51 Ruthin to Corwen SRG18 (SFM18F) Bristol RELL6G/ECW. There were as many parcels being delivered on this journey as there were passengers. This bus was sold to Belfast Citybus later in the year.

1105 D94 Corwen to Wrexham ERG272 (YFM272L) Bristol RELL6G/ECW DP. I was really pleased when this turned up. I’d been expecting SNL589 as this lengthy route from Barmouth had gone over to B-type National operation the year before and that was now the regular performer.

1300 D26 Wrexham to Mold SNL816 (WFM816L) Leyland National dual door. An early example, now in preservation.

1340 B3 Mold to Chester DFG194 (GFM194C) Bristol FS6G/ECW. There were still lots of these traditional half cabs working trunk routes at this time. The lady conductor was interested that I had a card version of the £2.97 Wanderbus ticket issued by the enquiry office, rather than a paper one out of a Setright.

1526 C30 Chester to Warrington ENL956 (MLG956P) Leyland National DP. I was already familiar with this Chester based bus which was a common performer on routes such as the L1 and C84.

1706 H31 Warrington to Runcorn SRL241 (SJA376J) Bristol RELL6L/ECW. One of the ex-North Western examples with the low roof. They seemed to be quite common performers on this route.

1828 H21 Runcorn to Chester ENL831 (NFM831M) Leyland National DP. This was of slight interest as it was from the first batch of Crosville’s DP Nationals, most of my journeys over the years being on the later ones. This had the shallower and longer pod and different seat moquette.

2000 L1 Chester to Rhyl ENL904 (GMA407N) Leyland National DP. Fairly standard for the Cymru Coastliner, but probably the one that Caernarfon depot were least likely to turn out.

Overall I thought that was a pretty good day out. Four REs all of different classes, and two early Nationals, although I have to admit I didn’t appreciate the latter at the time. Also, a good mix of buses, DPs and even a coach. It was very much a day of single-deckers, but the Lodekka still managed to put in an appearance.

What a superb report! Very much "my era" - and indeed "my area", as I was working in Wrexham at the time. Would have loved the crew operated CRG - I only ever did those on Express.

Nice to see the 'torpedo' (low height SRL) too.

Many thanks for posting.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

As there seems to be some interest in reports of Crosville trips I'd like to share the following from 42 years ago today - Monday 18th February, 1980. Sorry there are no photographs.

0805 M51 Rhyl to Ruthin CRG494 (5455FM) Bristol RELH6G/ECW coach in National white livery. This was one of a handful at Rhyl at the time confined to stage work with conductors. It would be withdrawn a couple of months later.

0920 M51 Ruthin to Corwen SRG18 (SFM18F) Bristol RELL6G/ECW. There were as many parcels being delivered on this journey as there were passengers. This bus was sold to Belfast Citybus later in the year.

1105 D94 Corwen to Wrexham ERG272 (YFM272L) Bristol RELL6G/ECW DP. I was really pleased when this turned up. I’d been expecting SNL589 as this lengthy route from Barmouth had gone over to B-type National operation the year before and that was now the regular performer.

1300 D26 Wrexham to Mold SNL816 (WFM816L) Leyland National dual door. An early example, now in preservation.

1340 B3 Mold to Chester DFG194 (GFM194C) Bristol FS6G/ECW. There were still lots of these traditional half cabs working trunk routes at this time. The lady conductor was interested that I had a card version of the £2.97 Wanderbus ticket issued by the enquiry office, rather than a paper one out of a Setright.

1526 C30 Chester to Warrington ENL956 (MLG956P) Leyland National DP. I was already familiar with this Chester based bus which was a common performer on routes such as the L1 and C84.

1706 H31 Warrington to Runcorn SRL241 (SJA376J) Bristol RELL6L/ECW. One of the ex-North Western examples with the low roof. They seemed to be quite common performers on this route.

1828 H21 Runcorn to Chester ENL831 (NFM831M) Leyland National DP. This was of slight interest as it was from the first batch of Crosville’s DP Nationals, most of my journeys over the years being on the later ones. This had the shallower and longer pod and different seat moquette.

2000 L1 Chester to Rhyl ENL904 (GMA407N) Leyland National DP. Fairly standard for the Cymru Coastliner, but probably the one that Caernarfon depot were least likely to turn out.

Overall I thought that was a pretty good day out. Four REs all of different classes, and two early Nationals, although I have to admit I didn’t appreciate the latter at the time. Also, a good mix of buses, DPs and even a coach. It was very much a day of single-deckers, but the Lodekka still managed to put in an appearance.

I'll echo the thoughts of @TheSel - thank you for those recollections. I was still in short trousers then so a little before my time!

Have to say that even so, I'm surprised that you'd have had a conductor on the M51; I'm assuming that this was a case that the RE didn't have a ticket machine stand/cash tray so was sent out on service with a conductor, rather than a standard duty? I imagine it would've been a very luxurious and relaxing trip to Ruthin, if not fast, especially with a manual gearbox RELH!

I know it heresy to say such things but I had/have a sneaking regard for Nationals.

 

[Norton Bridge]

What a superb report! Very much "my era" - and indeed "my area", as I was working in Wrexham at the time. Would have loved the crew operated CRG - I only ever did those on Express.

Nice to see the 'torpedo' (low height SRL) too.

Many thanks for posting.

Thanks very much. I'll try to post some others as time allows. I've very much enjoyed yours too!

I'll echo the thoughts of @TheSel - thank you for those recollections. I was still in short trousers then so a little before my time!

Have to say that even so, I'm surprised that you'd have had a conductor on the M51; I'm assuming that this was a case that the RE didn't have a ticket machine stand/cash tray so was sent out on service with a conductor, rather than a standard duty? I imagine it would've been a very luxurious and relaxing trip to Ruthin, if not fast, especially with a manual gearbox RELH!

I know it heresy to say such things but I had/have a sneaking regard for Nationals.

The M51 was a strange one. Many of the journeys were operated by Denbigh depot who didn't have conductors, and most others by Rhyl as OPO, but there were about three a day through to Ruthin that had a conductor. These could be operated by literally anything that Rhyl had.

At this time CRGs 494, 524 and 525 were all being regularly used on stage services. I don't think any of Crosville's manual gearbox ones were ever downgraded and given ticket issuing equipment, but by this time some of the semi-automatics had become ERGs and lasted for a few more years.

Despite what I say above I'd also had CRG525 on National Express 940 from Birmingham just after Christmas, so they could still deliver the goods on front line express services when required! Marvellous machines.

I did get quite fed up with the number of Leyland Nationals around in later years, but these days I'd be quite nostalgic for a trip on an ENL.

 

[TheSel]

Moving forward exactly four years to the day from that superb report from @Norton Bridge , here's what TheSel got up to on Saturday 18 February 1984. (Whisper it quietly, but there's even a Leyland National for @TheGrandWazoo to get his teeth into!)

Sadly my notes aren't quite complete - I didn't keep detailed records of every rail journey at that time, only loco-hauled journeys, but a combination of my spotting log and my diary reveal that I drove to Wigan, and bought a Peak Wayfarer. Presumably I got a DMU via Bolton or Atherton, before the first 'bus' entry of the day, GMPTE 1726 - XVU356M - one of the Seddon Pennine IV midibuses on the Victoria - Piccadilly shuttle. This must have been followed by a rail journey (DMU or EMU) to Stockport, because my record continues with a scenic run on:

0903 E8 Stockport – Macclesfield Crosville SNL874 – RFM874M – Leyland National


Crosville SNL874 - Wood Lane.

This took me to Macclesfield in time for the three times a day 201 service towards Derby, which was in the hands of one of Crosville's Willowbrook bodied Leyland Leopards, ELL33 - DDM33X. This was to turn out to be a memorable trip.


Crosville ELL33 - Hugbridge.

Although the route stayed pretty much to the main road (the A523), it's a scenic run. The roads seemed clear enough, but a combination of greasy roads and the low sun meant that when we stopped at a point up on the Staffordshire Moors called 'Bottom House', to allow a passenger to board, the following Audi driver ... er ... didn't.


Leopard 1 : 0 Audi.


Exchanging details.

After ensuring no-one was hurt, and exchanging insurance details, the rest of the journey was relatively uneventful, and we reached Ashbourne about twenty minutes late. Time, then, for a pint before departing on …

1305 411 Ashbourne – Matlock Webster's of Hognaston BUX217L – Duple bodied Bedford YRQ


Webster's of Hognaston BUX217L at Hognaston


Webster's of Hognaston BUX217L at Carsington

The was a superb trip, through some remote countryside with which I was unfamiliar, driven by a Sikh gentleman who was more than happy to pause for photostops, providing I promised to send him copies - which, of course, I did.

I then enjoyed an hour or so doing Matlock 'locals', covering:

1432 157 Matlock – Cavendish Park – Matlock Trent 333 – SJA348J – Marshall bodied Bristol RELL6L


Trent 333 approaching Cavendish Park.

1502 160 Matlock – Hackney – Matlock Trent 340 – SJA355K – Marshall bodied Bristol RELL6L


Trent 340 - Hackney

... and the same vehicle's next working:

1525 164 Matlock – Tansley – Matlock Trent 340 – SJA355K – Marshall bodied Bristol RELL6L


Trent 340 - Tansley

… before heading home using ...

1602 152 Matlock – Bakewell Trent 344 – LRC344K – ECW bodied Bristol RELL6L

1634 X58 Bakewell – Macclesfield East Midland 24 – DWF24V – Willowbrook bodied Leopard. (Footnote - this was the one that was rebodied about twelve months later, in so doing, becoming the only Leopard to receive an Alexander 'P' type bus body).

… and presumably an EMU – very likely a class 304 – to Piccadilly

---- 4 Piccadilly Station – Victoria Station GMPTE 1718 – XVU348M – Seddon Pennine IV

then presumably back to Wigan, again either via Bolton or Atherton.

Hopefully of some interest. More from my archives in a few days.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Moving forward exactly four years to the day from that superb report from @Norton Bridge , here's what TheSel got up to on Saturday 18 February 1984. (Whisper it quietly, but there's even a Leyland National for @TheGrandWazoo to get his teeth into!)

Sadly my notes aren't quite complete - I didn't keep detailed records of every rail journey at that time, only loco-hauled journeys, but a combination of my spotting log and my diary reveal that I drove to Wigan, and bought a Peak Wayfarer. Presumably I got a DMU via Bolton or Atherton, before the first 'bus' entry of the day, GMPTE 1726 - XVU356M - one of the Seddon Pennine IV midibuses on the Victoria - Piccadilly shuttle. This must have been followed by a rail journey (DMU or EMU) to Stockport, because my record continues with a scenic run on:

0903 E8 Stockport – Macclesfield Crosville SNL874 – RFM874M – Leyland National

View attachment 110413
Crosville SNL874 - Wood Lane.

This took me to Macclesfield in time for the three times a day 201 service towards Derby, which was in the hands of one of Crosville's Willowbrook bodied Leyland Leopards, ELL33 - DDM33X. This was to turn out to be a memorable trip.

View attachment 110414
Crosville ELL33 - Hugbridge.

Although the route stayed pretty much to the main road (the A523), it's a scenic run. The roads seemed clear enough, but a combination of greasy roads and the low sun meant that when we stopped at a point up on the Staffordshire Moors called 'Bottom House', to allow a passenger to board, the following Audi driver ... er ... didn't.

View attachment 110418
Leopard 1 : 0 Audi.

View attachment 110420
Exchanging details.

After ensuring no-one was hurt, and exchanging insurance details, the rest of the journey was relatively uneventful, and we reached Ashbourne about twenty minutes late. Time, then, for a pint before departing on …

1305 411 Ashbourne – Matlock Webster's of Hognaston BUX217L – Duple bodied Bedford YRQ

View attachment 110422
Webster's of Hognaston BUX217L at Hognaston

View attachment 110424
Webster's of Hognaston BUX217L at Carsington

The was a superb trip, through some remote countryside with which I was unfamiliar, driven by a Sikh gentleman who was more than happy to pause for photostops, providing I promised to send him copies - which, of course, I did.

I then enjoyed an hour or so doing Matlock 'locals', covering:

1432 157 Matlock – Cavendish Park – Matlock Trent 333 – SJA348J – Marshall bodied Bristol RELL6L

View attachment 110425
Trent 333 approaching Cavendish Park.

1502 160 Matlock – Hackney – Matlock Trent 340 – SJA355K – Marshall bodied Bristol RELL6L

View attachment 110426
Trent 340 - Hackney

... and the same vehicle's next working:

1525 164 Matlock – Tansley – Matlock Trent 340 – SJA355K – Marshall bodied Bristol RELL6L

View attachment 110427
Trent 340 - Tansley

… before heading home using ...

1602 152 Matlock – Bakewell Trent 344 – LRC344K – ECW bodied Bristol RELL6L

1634 X58 Bakewell – Macclesfield East Midland 24 – DWF24V – Willowbrook bodied Leopard. (Footnote - this was the one that was rebodied about twelve months later, in so doing, becoming the only Leopard to receive an Alexander 'P' type bus body).

… and presumably an EMU – very likely a class 304 – to Piccadilly

---- 4 Piccadilly Station – Victoria Station GMPTE 1718 – XVU348M – Seddon Pennine IV

then presumably back to Wigan, again either via Bolton or Atherton.

Hopefully of some interest. More from my archives in a few days.

Thanks @TheSel - for clarity, I was much more of a Bristol/ECW type of soul. Just that they tended to be LHs so the National seemed civilised in comparison. And besides, it all gets better and more rose tinted with age.

I'm amazed that the Audi came off worst in a collision with a cardboard Leopard. Never has such a decent chassis been married up to a terrible body! That is something that doesn't get better as the years pass.

Perhaps I'm being a bit naive but I'd have imagined a Sikh bus driver in rural Derbyshire would've been quite rare in those times. However, the rest of the shot is absolutely typical of those days of independent rural operation. Knackered Bedford, coach door, adhoc destination display - much different from a Solo with an LED

 

[Norton Bridge]

Thanks @TheSel for another great report. Your photos really help to bring these alive. I didn't get a decent camera until 1982 so I missed a lot of great shots from the seventies.

I always thought that the TownLynx livery like that on ELL33 was the best around. A shame it was short lived and replaced by the venetian blind version.

A couple of years later ELL33 was in National Express livery (and I think based at Wrexham) when I rode on it on a Rhyl to Birmingham duplicate (service 407 by that stage).

The Marshall bodied RE looks very different from the Crosville ones in green. NBC may have been very standardised but there was still a lot of interest at that stage.

 

[RELL6L]

Wonderful reports from @Norton Bridge and @TheSel, very evocative, wouldn’t it be great to visit back in time and experience some of these again! I am sure I travelled on a really old manual gearbox RE from Mold but I don’t recall it having a conductor. Agree with @TheGrandWazoo about old Bedfords, I don’t look back on them with particular fondness. I am pretty sure I did Ashbourne to Matlock back then, certainly have more recently. But I particularly love the Marshall bodied RELLs, I always thought they looked really good, I’d forgotten Trent had Leyland engined ones. Shame about the Leyland Nationals - I only liked the SNG Gardner engined conversations!

Another trip from the archives – this was on Tuesday 26 February 2019. This was at the time, I think, the warmest February day on record, and I was in North Wales which I seem to recall was the warmest place.

It was still February though and sunrise and sunset were at normal February times, so it was dark when I arrived in Flint and grabbed a bacon roll and coffee from McDonalds before looking at the ruins of the castle at sunrise. I then took an Arriva Wales 11 to Hawarden, a double decker on the trunk route from Rhyl. A few minutes in Hawarden and then I took an Arriva 4 to Mold. This was then a time when the Sapphire double deckers were being used on the 4 and X4 instead of the 10, I think this was a brief experiment which clearly didn’t work out as they soon went back onto the 10. A short break at Mold, which is quite a pleasant town especially up the road leading up to the church. I went this way to Mold as I had already been on the direct route.

From Mold I took the P&O Lloyd 126 to Holywell. It is pleasing to see that the timetable for this route now looks exactly the same as it was in 2019, signs of a solid independent and unlike many others I could name. This journey was the one journey via ‘windmill’, and I recommend this route, it is lovely in a fairly understated sort of way. Holywell is OK, I had been here before and walked down to the holy well, this time I did not have time for that and after a few minutes here I took another P&O Lloyd bus, a 19 to Dyserth, again via an inland route and again scenic, with views over to the Dee estuary. I think the two buses were both Solos but I honestly can’t remember. I had about half an hour at Dyserth, the Arriva routes here had until recently done a double run up through the village and back down, now they kept to the main road passing the bottom of the village. A quiet village but pleasant enough. To my surprise my next bus, on the Arriva 35, was a Wright DB300 double decker, probably on the route for engineering rather than traffic reasons. This took me the short distance to Rhuddlan. Not a great deal at Rhuddlan except a very impressive castle, which I had passed previously on the 51 and remember visiting on family holidays as a child, so a couple of photos taken here. From Rhuddlan it was another fairly short hop on the Arriva 13 to Abergele. This has long been a most unsatisfactorily timetabled route. It has a round trip, including layover, of 200 minutes. For some time it was every 40 minutes, with 5 buses. When I got it in 2019 it had been increased to 6 buses at a frequency of every 35 minutes, utterly unmemorable for the casual user. Now it is 4 buses at a frequency of every 50 minutes. Not good to chop and change and always with frequencies that are difficult to remember. I think DAF SB120 Cadets were the normal fare on the 35/36 and 13 then and probably still are.

A bit of time for a bite and to explore the small town of Abergele, its nothing special but OK. From here the scenery became more mountainous as I took the M&H Coaches route 43 to Llangernyw via Llanfair Talhaiarn and Llansannan. A very scenic route into the foothills and quite a few passengers as I recall. I think this might have been an E200 or Dart. Back in 2019, this being a Tuesday, there was a connecting bus at Llangernyw, the Llew Jones 42 to Llanrwst. The main purpose of the 42 was for market day traffic into Llanrwst so I was a little nervous about using it the other way but I was not alone, there were two girls who had obviously done the trip in the morning so the Llew Jones minibus was expecting passengers. It was already parked up at the interchange point which was actually a school entrance. This took me down into Llanrwst along a very scenic road with view across the Conwy Valley towards Snowdonia. I have driven this and it is difficult to enjoy the views due to the need to stay on the road. Sadly the 42 is no more, replaced by a Fflesci which is likely to make such a trip very difficult.

I had half an hour in Llanrwst, which is a lovely town with the Conwy River flowing right past the town centre. From here I took a Llew Jones 19, an E200 I think, up the valley, alighting in Deganwy, somewhere I had not stopped at before. Here it really felt like it was summer with many people on the beach like it was June, a glorious afternoon. From here I took the Arriva 13 again to Colwyn Bay, another place I had not stopped at. I had a short look round the town centre and then down, under the A55 and the railway, to the seafront. It was a little cooler now but still plenty of people enjoying the sunshine on the beach. Time for a decent wander along the promenade and back before, as it was now beginning to get dark, taking the train back to Flint. A wonderful day out. I might write about the following day before February finishes…

Sticking to my ration of 10 pictures but I have cheated a little....



Four for the price of one Flint (top left), Hawarden (top right), Mold (bottom left), Holywell (bottom right)


From the 126 near Pentre Halkyn


From the 19 near Trelawnydd


Dyserth


Rhuddlan Castle


Abergele, a back street


Another four - Llanfair Talhaiarn (top left), Llansannan (top right), these two from the 43 bus, Llangernyw (bottom left) showing the Llew Jones 42 waiting, from the road from Llangernyw to Llanrwst (bottom right)


The River Conwy at Llanrwst


Deganwy


Colwyn Bay

 

[TheSel]

Thank you, @RELL6L for another wonderful report with fantastic photography. A truly lovely part of North Wales, and much of it unspoiled by too much tourism. It's nice to see that some of those inter-urban routes are still clinging on, despite Arriva's insistence on impossible-to-remember timetables! Good 'Crosville' territory, of course, back in the day.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Apologies for the delay in responding to @RELL6L. You are right that it was the most fabulous February day; I was working in Dover that day and it was t-shirt weather!!

A lot of very familiar places there - Colwyn Bay without the pier, and places like Llanrwst. I think I've done the run from Abergele over the top before but it's a long, long time ago. Brilliant photos and some places that I am less familiar with.

 

[Norton Bridge]

Thanks @RELL6L. Your photo of Colwyn Bay reminds me of the former route of the A55 up on the hillside, along with the dreadful congestion that played havoc with the bus schedules. This sounds like a great day out. I'm feeling inspired to get back to some bus travel in north Wales.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I can't hope to rival @TheSel for bus content, nor @RELL6L for the postcard style shots (meant as a compliment). Even @Norton Bridge is spoiling us with his experiences. Despite that, I will head back into the archive for something to hopefully entertain, dating from June 1987 and one of my favourite trips.

I'd begun the day in the small Yorkshire town of Richmond. Most trips involved a trip to Darlington but I'd worked out a smart way of exploring further south. At this point, Explorer tickets were not purchased on the bus, but from post offices and were of the "scratch off" variety. Even better, the last vestiges of National Bus Co inter availability still persisted so trips could be more daring than nowadays (at least on a budget). Having invested £3.10, I had my ticket and it was a relaxed start. My first trip was just before 0830 and the service INTO Wensleydale. This was the longstanding 26 service and would normally be operated by a United LH so it was very pleasing that instead, it was one of the last two RESLs that were allocated to Richmond depot - 2863 JHN563K. On a bright morning, the ageing single decker made its way up the dale in an unfussy and ponderous manner; it would soon be withdrawn and despatched to Citybus in Belfast. A quirk of the scheduling was that the 26 would pass each other and a driver swap would take place, so that the driver from Hawes outstation wouldn't actually make it to Richmond so it was in Bellerby that the drivers swapped steeds; I think it was an LH the other way. We continued to Leyburn.



Another longstanding arrangement was the connection of three services in Leyburn on a Saturday with a bus to Northallerton, one heading to Hawes and my next bus, the 159 to Ripon. Of course, the service still runs daily and starts from Richmond to Ripon (replacing the 26) but then the 159 was a market day run from Hawes to Ripon. Surprisingly, it wasn't the other RESL but instead, Hawes outstation had 6093, one of the rare 0680 Leyland engined RELHs (United usually had Gardners) in 6093 BHN693N. These were flying machines but not today as the narrow dales roads precluded much speed as we dived down past Middleham Castle, Jervaulx Abbey and after serving Masham, would serve small villages like Grewelthorpe (it's much nicer than it sounds) and so we had nearly a full load of pensioners arriving into a sunny Ripon. One little United quirk was that 6093 was one RE that had received accident damage but United only had the fibreglass mould for LH front and so it was one of a number that had the wrong dash panel.

Ripon was United's southern outpost and was a small depot, mainly operating marginal routes across North Yorkshire. The one board on the Leeds route (shared with West Yorkshire) was the mainstay. Other routes had baffling frequencies and variations, with lots of interworking. The York service had been recast so there were additional fast journeys and so my next run, after a 30 min break, was the 142 via Skelton, Borougbridge and then fast to York. And it was fast - Ripon had one RELH (6087 BHN687N) and it was also one of the Leyland machines, and it would take me to York in just over an hour. I settled back into the faded high back seats and enjoyed a last United RE as it took me into the heart of the city, depositing me at Piccadilly. It would be only a few months and RE operation would end, having been 25 years since the first one. The 142 would also soon change, losing its fast journeys so that all stops were observed south of Boroughbridge. I spent the next couple of hours wandering around the historic heart of the city.



I ended up about 13:30 in Rougier Street that acted, at that time, as the de facto bus station as it was where West Yorkshire Road Car had their office. This was new territory for me and the next bus was a cock up on my part. I'd spotted a short 746 working to Pocklington that would then allow me to travel towards Hull. As the East Yorkshire VR approached, I slightly panicked and got on the 195 to Pocklington. No fast journey this as we then travelled for the next 1h 15 via many villages such as Elvington dropping off a small number of pensioners. The VR, 504 JKH504V was a full height, Leyland engined example, whose size wasn't needed but then again, Pocklington depot was virtually all double deck because of schools. It was getting on by the time we arrived at Pocklington bus station (the yard outside the depot) and it pleases me that the depot still survives at present. It was now time to make for the North, and the 744 to Bridlington.



The 744 (now 45) has always been the Cinderella route to the main York to Hull route that serves Pocklington but I actually think it's a nicer journey as you journey across the Wolds towards the coast and Bridlington. At this time, much of the 744/746 was still operated by bus seated VRs but I was very fortunate to get one of the few Olympians that EYMS had at that time. It was 533 B533WAT (photo credits for both EY ones are to Paul Coupland on flickr), and was a coach seated version still wearing the NBC era "venetian blind" style livery of white and two tone blue. So began a delightful hours' run via Driffield to Pocklington going through pretty villages like Warter and then out into the big sky country of the Wolds. Pausing at its home depot of Driffield, we continued on the open road, the sea shimmering in the distance. The Olympian coped with the climbs in the Wolds and being relatively new, was a very civilised place to spend some time with barely a creak or squeak.



We arrived in Bridlington at the stops where the bus station now stands; the old bus station was still extant at that time and was an outdoor market but the site has since been redeveloped. It was a quick change onto the VR, 959 PAT959R, that was busy loading on the trunk 121 to Scarborough. A 10 year old VR was perhaps a little old for that punishing route but the views from the top were rewarding as we passed via Filey and the depot of Primrose Valley Coaches who had begun to compete on the Bridlington route with some barely older Fleetlines. It was bright and sunny as we passed the former Butlins camp, and then via the attractions at Cayton Bay before arriving at the cramped bus station in Scarborough (Valley Bridge).

It was time to say goodbye to EYMS and it was back to United for the journey north. Sadly, the standard of vehicle and presentation was about to decline markedly, and the summer timetables on the 93 could and did feature all sorts of good and bad vehicles. I wouldn't wish it on my mortal enemy, but I would spend the next two hours travelling to Middlesbrough on 6221 TPT21V - a Willowbrook 003 bodied Leopard. A decent chassis marred by a terrible body. Drivers didn't like them, the seats were appalling, and engineers had an unequal battle with corrosion.


The 93 still exists and now how decent B9TLs but a shabby Leopard was a constant risk in those days. The scenery remains as it was and a thrash on the A171 having escaped the Scarborough suburbs was punctuated by a stop at Whitby where an already quite full Leopard was soon at capacity. We headed further north, via Aislaby, and then the best bit as you traverse the North York Moors and past Scaling Dam before the sharp drop into Guisborough. There's a final small climb that then provides the brutal industrial landscape of Teesside from the top of Ormesby Bank though the industry has much declined over the last intervening 35 years.

We arrived a few mins early into the then still modern bus station in Middlesbrough; it has barely changed. The arrival being early, I knew I had a chance of a swift connection and so I was able to leave my hated Leopard, run through the bus station to Newport Road and the roadside stands where the Darlington bus was. It was a stalwart of Darlington depot in 3702 VPT941R, one of a batch of semi auto Nationals that worked extensively on major interurban routes and this was working the long (5 hour round trip) 268 from Lingdale via Skelton, Saltburn, Redcar, Middlesbrough and Stockton. It wasn't one of the better Nationals but it was a fun trip through bits of Stockton and past Thornaby station before collecting more passengers in Stockton. The 268 then went out via Hartburn and unlike the current day X66/67 that keep to the A66, we would weave our way to serve the villages either side of it such as Elton and Sadberge; many involving a scary exit from a village and into fast moving traffic. After looping through the northern edge of Darlington (Whinbush), we dropped down into the town centre and the black hole that was the bus station and depot, all now erased from history.

I had a 30 min wait so as it was light, I may have had a wander up to the United Central Works about 5 mins walk. Walking back, it was time for a fast run to Richmond along the old A1 on VR 787 SGR787V, before a last change and onto LH 1613 GUP897N that was covering for a missing Mercedes mini.


Hope this hasn't been too indulgent. The photos are from the late and much missed Mark Harrington (unless stated) and I've tried to use ones as close to the date in question. I had no camera in those days; oh that I wish I had!

 

[TheSel]

Many thanks, @TheGrandWazoo for bringing back many happy memories with such a fantastic report. A glorious area, and a tour reminiscent of several days I had in that area over the years, often borrowing my parents' camper van, and staying at the SwaleView Campsite, just outside Richmond to enjoy REs, LHs and the like. More, please!

 

[RELL6L]

I can't hope to rival @TheSel for bus content, nor @RELL6L for the postcard style shots (meant as a compliment). Even @Norton Bridge is spoiling us with his experiences. Despite that, I will head back into the archive for something to hopefully entertain, dating from June 1987 and one of my favourite trips.

I'd begun the day in the small Yorkshire town of Richmond. Most trips involved a trip to Darlington but I'd worked out a smart way of exploring further south. At this point, Explorer tickets were not purchased on the bus, but from post offices and were of the "scratch off" variety. Even better, the last vestiges of National Bus Co inter availability still persisted so trips could be more daring than nowadays (at least on a budget). Having invested £3.10, I had my ticket and it was a relaxed start. My first trip was just before 0830 and the service INTO Wensleydale. This was the longstanding 26 service and would normally be operated by a United LH so it was very pleasing that instead, it was one of the last two RESLs that were allocated to Richmond depot - 2863 JHN563K. On a bright morning, the ageing single decker made its way up the dale in an unfussy and ponderous manner; it would soon be withdrawn and despatched to Citybus in Belfast. A quirk of the scheduling was that the 26 would pass each other and a driver swap would take place, so that the driver from Hawes outstation wouldn't actually make it to Richmond so it was in Bellerby that the drivers swapped steeds; I think it was an LH the other way. We continued to Leyburn.

Another longstanding arrangement was the connection of three services in Leyburn on a Saturday with a bus to Northallerton, one heading to Hawes and my next bus, the 159 to Ripon. Of course, the service still runs daily and starts from Richmond to Ripon (replacing the 26) but then the 159 was a market day run from Hawes to Ripon. Surprisingly, it wasn't the other RESL but instead, Hawes outstation had 6093, one of the rare 0680 Leyland engined RELHs (United usually had Gardners) in 6093 BHN693N. These were flying machines but not today as the narrow dales roads precluded much speed as we dived down past Middleham Castle, Jervaulx Abbey and after serving Masham, would serve small villages like Grewelthorpe (it's much nicer than it sounds) and so we had nearly a full load of pensioners arriving into a sunny Ripon. One little United quirk was that 6093 was one RE that had received accident damage but United only had the fibreglass mould for LH front and so it was one of a number that had the wrong dash panel.

Ripon was United's southern outpost and was a small depot, mainly operating marginal routes across North Yorkshire. The one board on the Leeds route (shared with West Yorkshire) was the mainstay. Other routes had baffling frequencies and variations, with lots of interworking. The York service had been recast so there were additional fast journeys and so my next run, after a 30 min break, was the 142 via Skelton, Borougbridge and then fast to York. And it was fast - Ripon had one RELH (6087 BHN687N) and it was also one of the Leyland machines, and it would take me to York in just over an hour. I settled back into the faded high back seats and enjoyed a last United RE as it took me into the heart of the city, depositing me at Piccadilly. It would be only a few months and RE operation would end, having been 25 years since the first one. The 142 would also soon change, losing its fast journeys so that all stops were observed south of Boroughbridge. I spent the next couple of hours wandering around the historic heart of the city.

I ended up about 13:30 in Rougier Street that acted, at that time, as the de facto bus station as it was where West Yorkshire Road Car had their office. This was new territory for me and the next bus was a cock up on my part. I'd spotted a short 746 working to Pocklington that would then allow me to travel towards Hull. As the East Yorkshire VR approached, I slightly panicked and got on the 195 to Pocklington. No fast journey this as we then travelled for the next 1h 15 via many villages such as Elvington dropping off a small number of pensioners. The VR, 504 JKH504V was a full height, Leyland engined example, whose size wasn't needed but then again, Pocklington depot was virtually all double deck because of schools. It was getting on by the time we arrived at Pocklington bus station (the yard outside the depot) and it pleases me that the depot still survives at present. It was now time to make for the North, and the 744 to Bridlington.

The 744 (now 45) has always been the Cinderella route to the main York to Hull route that serves Pocklington but I actually think it's a nicer journey as you journey across the Wolds towards the coast and Bridlington. At this time, much of the 744/746 was still operated by bus seated VRs but I was very fortunate to get one of the few Olympians that EYMS had at that time. It was 533 B533WAT (photo credits for both EY ones are to Paul Coupland on flickr), and was a coach seated version still wearing the NBC era "venetian blind" style livery of white and two tone blue. So began a delightful hours' run via Driffield to Pocklington going through pretty villages like Warter and then out into the big sky country of the Wolds. Pausing at its home depot of Driffield, we continued on the open road, the sea shimmering in the distance. The Olympian coped with the climbs in the Wolds and being relatively new, was a very civilised place to spend some time with barely a creak or squeak.

We arrived in Bridlington at the stops where the bus station now stands; the old bus station was still extant at that time and was an outdoor market but the site has since been redeveloped. It was a quick change onto the VR, 959 PAT959R, that was busy loading on the trunk 121 to Scarborough. A 10 year old VR was perhaps a little old for that punishing route but the views from the top were rewarding as we passed via Filey and the depot of Primrose Valley Coaches who had begun to compete on the Bridlington route with some barely older Fleetlines. It was bright and sunny as we passed the former Butlins camp, and then via the attractions at Cayton Bay before arriving at the cramped bus station in Scarborough (Valley Bridge).

It was time to say goodbye to EYMS and it was back to United for the journey north. Sadly, the standard of vehicle and presentation was about to decline markedly, and the summer timetables on the 93 could and did feature all sorts of good and bad vehicles. I wouldn't wish it on my mortal enemy, but I would spend the next two hours travelling to Middlesbrough on 6221 TPT21V - a Willowbrook 003 bodied Leopard. A decent chassis marred by a terrible body. Drivers didn't like them, the seats were appalling, and engineers had an unequal battle with corrosion.

The 93 still exists and now how decent B9TLs but a shabby Leopard was a constant risk in those days. The scenery remains as it was and a thrash on the A171 having escaped the Scarborough suburbs was punctuated by a stop at Whitby where an already quite full Leopard was soon at capacity. We headed further north, via Aislaby, and then the best bit as you traverse the North York Moors and past Scaling Dam before the sharp drop into Guisborough. There's a final small climb that then provides the brutal industrial landscape of Teesside from the top of Ormesby Bank though the industry has much declined over the last intervening 35 years.

We arrived a few mins early into the then still modern bus station in Middlesbrough; it has barely changed. The arrival being early, I knew I had a chance of a swift connection and so I was able to leave my hated Leopard, run through the bus station to Newport Road and the roadside stands where the Darlington bus was. It was a stalwart of Darlington depot in 3702 VPT941R, one of a batch of semi auto Nationals that worked extensively on major interurban routes and this was working the long (5 hour round trip) 268 from Lingdale via Skelton, Saltburn, Redcar, Middlesbrough and Stockton. It wasn't one of the better Nationals but it was a fun trip through bits of Stockton and past Thornaby station before collecting more passengers in Stockton. The 268 then went out via Hartburn and unlike the current day X66/67 that keep to the A66, we would weave our way to serve the villages either side of it such as Elton and Sadberge; many involving a scary exit from a village and into fast moving traffic. After looping through the northern edge of Darlington (Whinbush), we dropped down into the town centre and the black hole that was the bus station and depot, all now erased from history.

I had a 30 min wait so as it was light, I may have had a wander up to the United Central Works about 5 mins walk. Walking back, it was time for a fast run to Richmond along the old A1 on VR 787 SGR787V, before a last change and onto LH 1613 GUP897N that was covering for a missing Mercedes mini.

Hope this hasn't been too indulgent. The photos are from the late and much missed Mark Harrington (unless stated) and I've tried to use ones as close to the date in question. I had no camera in those days; oh that I wish I had!

Wonderful report, thank you. Great pictures too - although I know they weren't yours. Some familiar territory but I've not been up Wensleydale on a bus nor Ripon-York (on the list of plans), ditto Pocklington-Driffield.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Thanks for a great report, very interesting, particularly to hear from someone who knows the area well.

I went to much of this area last September, including Ashington, Newbiggin-by-Sea and Cramlington, also Durham and Newcastle. On a sunny day Newbiggin-by-Sea seemed very pleasant, although I agree it takes more than sunshine to say the same for Ashington. The 35 to Morpeth seems to be a home for some pretty old kit, the more modern deckers being used on the Newcastle services. I took the Go North East tendered route from there, the 434, this was a good experience of the industrial coast round North Blyth on a virtually empty Scania Omnidekka. Also been to Sunderland and South Shields and between them on the E1 back in 2018. I am pretty sure that the Go North East X1 goes through Wrekenton and past the Bowes Railway, I went that way last autumn too but in fading light. I haven't done or even noted the 25 though, that sounds like an interesting run, mental note for another time. The area of Sacriston and Brandon is also one I have never done. I agree that Durham without the bus station is quite shambolic, I was there in the morning rush hour and it was not very organised.

I had hoped to get out today but in the end the weather wasn't up to it, I'll perhaps post another old report or two next week.

Just as well that I had the chance to sample some of these routes. There's a swingeing set of cuts coming in the North Tyneside and SE Northumberland area so the 19 to Ashington is going except for peak hour journey, and the 42A to the Airport is also axed as the loadings stay around 70% and the government funding declines

Wonderful report, thank you. Great pictures too - although I know they weren't yours. Some familiar territory but I've not been up Wensleydale on a bus nor Ripon-York (on the list of plans), ditto Pocklington-Driffield.

I am surprised that you've not explored Wensleydale. The main services up the dales are now community minibuses so the 159 from Ripon to Richmond is the only one with a conventional bus.

Pocklington to Driffield is a lovely run. Another one is the 143 from Beverley to Brough. You do wonder how long these may last with the funding issues.

Many thanks, @TheGrandWazoo for bringing back many happy memories with such a fantastic report. A glorious area, and a tour reminiscent of several days I had in that area over the years, often borrowing my parents' camper van, and staying at the SwaleView Campsite, just outside Richmond to enjoy REs, LHs and the like. More, please!

I know exactly where you mean with the campsite. Served by the two main routes (albeit hardly frequent) with REs to Wensleydale and LHs to Swaledale in the main.

 

[peterblue]

Today I was out in and around the Pennines on South Pennine Community Transport (SPCT) a local rural bus company operating services aimed at shoppers and daytrippers in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire. They own a fleet of Ford vans, and while they're not the most comfortable or modern vehicles, they are perfectly serviceable especially for the reasonably short journeys that SPCT run. I was interested in riding around the Pennines today - and SPCT go on some very lovely routes. Thoroughly recommended to anyone in the area.



I started my journey with SPCT at Greenfield Station, on the border near Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire. I just arrived by train at 1021 and aim to catch the 1028 352 service from Greenfield Station to Holmfirth. This is a Saturday only route, with 3 journeys a day approximately every 2 hours apart. This was probably the second most scenic run of the day, and we experienced picturesque views as the bus ascended a pennine mountain road.



Holmfirth is a small yet pretty town in the leafy ruralness of Yorkshire. The river divides the village in 2 and flows right through the centre. It has an outdoor bus station situated overlooking the same river, with 'floating bus shelters' slightly jutting out from the road into the river.



Arriving into Holmfirth, I had a brief chance to stretch my legs before continuing on the same bus on the 1055 26A service to Thurgoland. I wasn't aware this would be the same bus, and initially I was slightly concerned I would not make this connection, as it was only 5 mins between my 352 arriving, and the 26A departing. This route runs along the main road, crossing the border into South Yorkshire to visit Stocksbridge and Fox Valley retail Park (where everyone got off!), and afterwards it continues to the small village of Thurgoland.



Thurgoland is nothing noteworthy, so I continued onwards, taking a very short 10 min bus ride 29 by TM Travel to Penistone, a larger, but still somewhat empty village. At Penistone I had 30 mins so quickly gathered some sustenance in preparation of the next legs of my journey.



At 1224 to 1258, I caught the 350 by SPCT back to Holmfirth, thus completing a circular journey Holmfirth - Fox Valley - Thurgoland - Penistone - Holmfirth. This one operates via Denby Dale (where Transdev have recently expanded with their Team Pennine sub business).



At Holmfirth again, I decide to go to Huddersfield and back (308 and 314 routes) on First. I had about 45 mins in Huddersfield, filled up mainly by just wandering around the town. These are double decker operated. Although externally they convey HD ("Huddersfield") smart blue branding, internally they look a bit worse for wear. First are the main operator here in Holmfirth, running 4 hourly routes into the smaller town of Honley and the nearest large town of Huddersfield - the 308 310 314 and 316 - with certain sections of routes combining to be served more frequently. Transdev run their X1 "Holmfirth Explorer" hourly pink branded route to Wakefield from here. There is also the aforementioned SPCT mainly focusing on rural and shopper routes, as well as a scattering of other local and smaller routes & operations.



The final route for the day is the 351 at 1520 to Glossop, operated by SPCT 3 times on Saturday only. This goes via Woodhead reservoir. I saved the best to last here - both the mountainous and the lakeside views were simply stunning. My poetic language could not do this justice!



All in all, I had had a wonderful day. I would encourage those interested to explore this seldom visited part of Yorkshire. There are many stunning routes crossing the Pennines - as well as the 351 and 352 I've covered today, the 184 Huddersfield to Oldham (First) and 900 Huddersfield to Hebden Bridge (TLC) are also recommended routes. SPCT, from my observations today have been very well run. All the drivers were friendly and talkative, indeed, it was the case that all passengers knew the driver beforehand on a first name basis and were in depth with conversations about holiday plans in Spain and Jersey, kitchen renovations and more! There were also people going on to have a "ride around" as was commented to the driver at one point. It is refreshing to see those (especially the more elderly as was the demographic on board) getting out and enjoying the countryside, no longer afraid or imprisoned by Covid.

 

[RELL6L]

Today I was out in and around the Pennines on South Pennine Community Transport (SPCT) a local rural bus company operating services aimed at shoppers and daytrippers in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire. They own a fleet of Ford vans, and while they're not the most comfortable or modern vehicles, they are perfectly serviceable especially for the reasonably short journeys that SPCT run. I was interested in riding around the Pennines today - and SPCT go on some very lovely routes. Thoroughly recommended to anyone in the area.



I started my journey with SPCT at Greenfield Station, on the border near Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire. I just arrived by train at 1021 and aim to catch the 1028 352 service from Greenfield Station to Holmfirth. This is a Saturday only route, with 3 journeys a day approximately every 2 hours apart. This was probably the second most scenic run of the day, and we experienced picturesque views as the bus ascended a pennine mountain road.



Holmfirth is a small yet pretty town in the leafy ruralness of Yorkshire. The river divides the village in 2 and flows right through the centre. It has an outdoor bus station situated overlooking the same river, with 'floating bus shelters' slightly jutting out from the road into the river.



Arriving into Holmfirth, I had a brief chance to stretch my legs before continuing on the same bus on the 1055 26A service to Thurgoland. I wasn't aware this would be the same bus, and initially I was slightly concerned I would not make this connection, as it was only 5 mins between my 352 arriving, and the 26A departing. This route runs along the main road, crossing the border into South Yorkshire to visit Stocksbridge and Fox Valley retail Park (where everyone got off!), and afterwards it continues to the small village of Thurgoland.



Thurgoland is nothing noteworthy, so I continued onwards, taking a very short 10 min bus ride 29 by TM Travel to Penistone, a larger, but still somewhat empty village. At Penistone I had 30 mins so quickly gathered some sustenance in preparation of the next legs of my journey.



At 1224 to 1258, I caught the 350 by SPCT back to Holmfirth, thus completing a circular journey Holmfirth - Fox Valley - Thurgoland - Penistone - Holmfirth. This one operates via Denby Dale (where Transdev have recently expanded with their Team Pennine sub business).



At Holmfirth again, I decide to go to Huddersfield and back (308 and 314 routes) on First. I had about 45 mins in Huddersfield, filled up mainly by just wandering around the town. These are double decker operated. Although externally they convey HD ("Huddersfield") smart blue branding, internally they look a bit worse for wear. First are the main operator here in Holmfirth, running 4 hourly routes into the smaller town of Honley and the nearest large town of Huddersfield - the 308 310 314 and 316 - with certain sections of routes combining to be served more frequently. Transdev run their X1 "Holmfirth Explorer" hourly pink branded route to Wakefield from here. There is also the aforementioned SPCT mainly focusing on rural and shopper routes, as well as a scattering of other local and smaller routes & operations.



The final route for the day is the 351 at 1520 to Glossop, operated by SPCT 3 times on Saturday only. This goes via Woodhead reservoir. I saved the best to last here - both the mountainous and the lakeside views were simply stunning. My poetic language could not do this justice!



All in all, I had had a wonderful day. I would encourage those interested to explore this seldom visited part of Yorkshire. There are many stunning routes crossing the Pennines - as well as the 351 and 352 I've covered today, the 184 Huddersfield to Oldham (First) and 900 Huddersfield to Hebden Bridge (TLC) are also recommended routes. SPCT, from my observations today have been very well run. All the drivers were friendly and talkative, indeed, it was the case that all passengers knew the driver beforehand on a first name basis and were in depth with conversations about holiday plans in Spain and Jersey, kitchen renovations and more! There were also people going on to have a "ride around" as was commented to the driver at one point. It is refreshing to see those (especially the more elderly as was the demographic on board) getting out and enjoying the countryside, no longer afraid or imprisoned by Covid.

Great report, thanks for posting. Some very good routes there and I have been to several of these places within the last year. I took the 351 from Glossop to Holmfirth when it ran on Fridays and the 308 north to Huddersfield, both really scenic. Also took South Pennine from Penistone in January, they seem a well organised operation. It’s a very scenic area around the boundaries of Derbyshire, South and West Yorkshire.

I was out yesterday, report to follow…

 

[route101]

Last week I sampled more of the MoreBus network.

Armed with the network ticket on the Bluestar App I started at the Westquay in Southampton.

Bluestar 6 Southampton to Lymington

First bus on a Saturday is at 1020 so a late for me. The route is not new to me but first time in this direction. Was a standard E400 which are common across the Bluestar/Morebus network.

Fast run out to Totton before around the houses at Ashurst. The route then runs via Lyndhurst and Brockenhurst, so a good run through the New Forest.

Morebus X1 to Bournemouth Scania double decker

Luckily I didn't have to wait long for the X1. First time along the coast West from Lymington via New Milton. Good view of the sea at times and certainly not a fast X express route ! Seats were quite uncomfortable on this bus, the bottom half of the seat was shorter than usual.

Morebus X6 Bournemouth to Poole via Ringwood ,Another 63 plate E400

After a short pit stop I took the next X6. Fast run up to Ringwood before heading out on the back roads to Verwood, which was a bigger place than I thought. I very roundabout route to get to Poole but I wasn't in a rush.

Morebus M2 Poole to Bournemouth Station E200MMC

One of the premier routes in the Morebus network. Has a great frequency along with the M1. At the station I then took a rail replacement coach back to Southampton via the A338/A31.

Still quite a few routes to do on the Morebus network like out to Wimborne etc.

 

[Norton Bridge]

I can't hope to rival @TheSel for bus content, nor @RELL6L for the postcard style shots (meant as a compliment). Even @Norton Bridge is spoiling us with his experiences. Despite that, I will head back into the archive for something to hopefully entertain, dating from June 1987 and one of my favourite trips.

I'd begun the day in the small Yorkshire town of Richmond. Most trips involved a trip to Darlington but I'd worked out a smart way of exploring further south. At this point, Explorer tickets were not purchased on the bus, but from post offices and were of the "scratch off" variety. Even better, the last vestiges of National Bus Co inter availability still persisted so trips could be more daring than nowadays (at least on a budget). Having invested £3.10, I had my ticket and it was a relaxed start. My first trip was just before 0830 and the service INTO Wensleydale. This was the longstanding 26 service and would normally be operated by a United LH so it was very pleasing that instead, it was one of the last two RESLs that were allocated to Richmond depot - 2863 JHN563K. On a bright morning, the ageing single decker made its way up the dale in an unfussy and ponderous manner; it would soon be withdrawn and despatched to Citybus in Belfast. A quirk of the scheduling was that the 26 would pass each other and a driver swap would take place, so that the driver from Hawes outstation wouldn't actually make it to Richmond so it was in Bellerby that the drivers swapped steeds; I think it was an LH the other way. We continued to Leyburn.

View attachment 110598

Another longstanding arrangement was the connection of three services in Leyburn on a Saturday with a bus to Northallerton, one heading to Hawes and my next bus, the 159 to Ripon. Of course, the service still runs daily and starts from Richmond to Ripon (replacing the 26) but then the 159 was a market day run from Hawes to Ripon. Surprisingly, it wasn't the other RESL but instead, Hawes outstation had 6093, one of the rare 0680 Leyland engined RELHs (United usually had Gardners) in 6093 BHN693N. These were flying machines but not today as the narrow dales roads precluded much speed as we dived down past Middleham Castle, Jervaulx Abbey and after serving Masham, would serve small villages like Grewelthorpe (it's much nicer than it sounds) and so we had nearly a full load of pensioners arriving into a sunny Ripon. One little United quirk was that 6093 was one RE that had received accident damage but United only had the fibreglass mould for LH front and so it was one of a number that had the wrong dash panel.

Ripon was United's southern outpost and was a small depot, mainly operating marginal routes across North Yorkshire. The one board on the Leeds route (shared with West Yorkshire) was the mainstay. Other routes had baffling frequencies and variations, with lots of interworking. The York service had been recast so there were additional fast journeys and so my next run, after a 30 min break, was the 142 via Skelton, Borougbridge and then fast to York. And it was fast - Ripon had one RELH (6087 BHN687N) and it was also one of the Leyland machines, and it would take me to York in just over an hour. I settled back into the faded high back seats and enjoyed a last United RE as it took me into the heart of the city, depositing me at Piccadilly. It would be only a few months and RE operation would end, having been 25 years since the first one. The 142 would also soon change, losing its fast journeys so that all stops were observed south of Boroughbridge. I spent the next couple of hours wandering around the historic heart of the city.

View attachment 110599

I ended up about 13:30 in Rougier Street that acted, at that time, as the de facto bus station as it was where West Yorkshire Road Car had their office. This was new territory for me and the next bus was a cock up on my part. I'd spotted a short 746 working to Pocklington that would then allow me to travel towards Hull. As the East Yorkshire VR approached, I slightly panicked and got on the 195 to Pocklington. No fast journey this as we then travelled for the next 1h 15 via many villages such as Elvington dropping off a small number of pensioners. The VR, 504 JKH504V was a full height, Leyland engined example, whose size wasn't needed but then again, Pocklington depot was virtually all double deck because of schools. It was getting on by the time we arrived at Pocklington bus station (the yard outside the depot) and it pleases me that the depot still survives at present. It was now time to make for the North, and the 744 to Bridlington.

View attachment 110602

The 744 (now 45) has always been the Cinderella route to the main York to Hull route that serves Pocklington but I actually think it's a nicer journey as you journey across the Wolds towards the coast and Bridlington. At this time, much of the 744/746 was still operated by bus seated VRs but I was very fortunate to get one of the few Olympians that EYMS had at that time. It was 533 B533WAT (photo credits for both EY ones are to Paul Coupland on flickr), and was a coach seated version still wearing the NBC era "venetian blind" style livery of white and two tone blue. So began a delightful hours' run via Driffield to Pocklington going through pretty villages like Warter and then out into the big sky country of the Wolds. Pausing at its home depot of Driffield, we continued on the open road, the sea shimmering in the distance. The Olympian coped with the climbs in the Wolds and being relatively new, was a very civilised place to spend some time with barely a creak or squeak.

View attachment 110597

We arrived in Bridlington at the stops where the bus station now stands; the old bus station was still extant at that time and was an outdoor market but the site has since been redeveloped. It was a quick change onto the VR, 959 PAT959R, that was busy loading on the trunk 121 to Scarborough. A 10 year old VR was perhaps a little old for that punishing route but the views from the top were rewarding as we passed via Filey and the depot of Primrose Valley Coaches who had begun to compete on the Bridlington route with some barely older Fleetlines. It was bright and sunny as we passed the former Butlins camp, and then via the attractions at Cayton Bay before arriving at the cramped bus station in Scarborough (Valley Bridge).

It was time to say goodbye to EYMS and it was back to United for the journey north. Sadly, the standard of vehicle and presentation was about to decline markedly, and the summer timetables on the 93 could and did feature all sorts of good and bad vehicles. I wouldn't wish it on my mortal enemy, but I would spend the next two hours travelling to Middlesbrough on 6221 TPT21V - a Willowbrook 003 bodied Leopard. A decent chassis marred by a terrible body. Drivers didn't like them, the seats were appalling, and engineers had an unequal battle with corrosion.
View attachment 110601

The 93 still exists and now how decent B9TLs but a shabby Leopard was a constant risk in those days. The scenery remains as it was and a thrash on the A171 having escaped the Scarborough suburbs was punctuated by a stop at Whitby where an already quite full Leopard was soon at capacity. We headed further north, via Aislaby, and then the best bit as you traverse the North York Moors and past Scaling Dam before the sharp drop into Guisborough. There's a final small climb that then provides the brutal industrial landscape of Teesside from the top of Ormesby Bank though the industry has much declined over the last intervening 35 years.

We arrived a few mins early into the then still modern bus station in Middlesbrough; it has barely changed. The arrival being early, I knew I had a chance of a swift connection and so I was able to leave my hated Leopard, run through the bus station to Newport Road and the roadside stands where the Darlington bus was. It was a stalwart of Darlington depot in 3702 VPT941R, one of a batch of semi auto Nationals that worked extensively on major interurban routes and this was working the long (5 hour round trip) 268 from Lingdale via Skelton, Saltburn, Redcar, Middlesbrough and Stockton. It wasn't one of the better Nationals but it was a fun trip through bits of Stockton and past Thornaby station before collecting more passengers in Stockton. The 268 then went out via Hartburn and unlike the current day X66/67 that keep to the A66, we would weave our way to serve the villages either side of it such as Elton and Sadberge; many involving a scary exit from a village and into fast moving traffic. After looping through the northern edge of Darlington (Whinbush), we dropped down into the town centre and the black hole that was the bus station and depot, all now erased from history.

I had a 30 min wait so as it was light, I may have had a wander up to the United Central Works about 5 mins walk. Walking back, it was time for a fast run to Richmond along the old A1 on VR 787 SGR787V, before a last change and onto LH 1613 GUP897N that was covering for a missing Mercedes mini.
View attachment 110600

Hope this hasn't been too indulgent. The photos are from the late and much missed Mark Harrington (unless stated) and I've tried to use ones as close to the date in question. I had no camera in those days; oh that I wish I had!

Thanks @TheGrandWazoo for this great report. I'm sorry I've only just got round to responding but I wanted to do it justice and read it with a map in front of me. I've been to many of the places at various times, but I'm not quite sure in my mind where each is in relation to each other. It must have taken you a while to put this together, so many thanks indeed. Even though I was never very familiar with United the types are very familiar and did bring back memories.

It's interesting that Citybus were still after REs at this point, and good to see that rural practices such as swapping drivers mid-route still happened. I've heard the Willowbrooks called "cardboard Leopards" and they were truly awful. However, I have to confess to being quite fond of the ones Alder Valley had (originally for the Heathrow Rail Air Link of all things!) which had reclining seats, and Crosville even put toilets in some of theirs for the Supabus route to Ireland.

Thanks once again, and to every one else who's been posting historic trip reports.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

I want to report three more trips

19/02/2022 - North & West Oxfordshire

A mix of rainy and sunny day, but still enjoyable nethertheless.

This day started with a rather rare working, a Stagecoach Gold Scania Enviro400 (15933 YN63BYM) on route 10 to Oxford City Centre (a route normally allocated with Enviro400 hybrids).

After that, I do both branches of the Stagecoach Gold S3 (a perfect example of a route which despite the same number has different variations and terminuses - very confusing I know). Firstly with the Charlbury branch, which I very much enjoyed - beautiful Cotswold towns and villages say it all! I once again had a Gold Scania E400, but 15752 (OU61 AVF). A rather unexpected long diversion too!

After that, a short break in Woodstock, lovely town but shame it was raining heavily.

Then I had another Scania E400, but this time a refurbished one: 15757 (OU61 AVM) doing the Chipping Norton branch of the S3. Beautiful towns and villages once again with some nice scenery too!

Visited Chipping Norton, definetly worth going! Again, another of these beautiful Cotswold towns and villages, with some nice scenic views! And yay, it is now a beautiful sunny day!

Then onboard the Pulhams Coaches Optare Solo SR YJ14 BWH on route X9 to Witney. Another lovely, scenic route going through another set of beautiful old Cotswold villages. Interestingly, I had to pay, for the first time since 2019, my ticket in cash as Pulhams only accept contactless on some routes.

Witney - another beautiful town in Oxfordshire, worth visiting.

And finally, to conclude the day, I get the S1 back to Oxford, but I go back the longer way, doing first the Carterton loop then back to Oxford. I had for the first time, one of those Witney SN69 E400 MMCs (11234-11253 series). For a E400 MMC, they are surprisingly rather good (or at least the one I had, 11252, was). Next stop announcements initially not working until we got to Carterton, when they started to work. The S1 is a great route - the interesting bit is between Eynsham and Farmoor, where the bus goes via the Swinford toll bridge (rather unusual to see a toll bridge for a secondary road.

The other two trips will be posted on this thread in the next days.

 

[TheSel]

Hi, Folks. @TheSel has delved into his archives again, and has come up with this one from eighteen years ago today - Saturday 28 February 2004. This was supposed to be the last day of Bristol RE operation with Ulsterbus, but as is almost inevitably the case, I understand that one of the vehicles did soldier on for a few more days on a Schools working.

I'd flown over to Belfast from Liverpool the previous evening, and enjoyed a few pints in The Crown, so I'd slept well! An early start found me wandering down Botainc Avenue and Great Victroria Street before eight o'clock, as I'd arranged to be picked up at Great Victoria Street bus station by the Irish Transport Trust at 0815. Sure enough, at the appointed hour, firstly the dulcet tones, and then the glorious sight of preserved, ex Citybus 2415 – VOI8415 – an Alexander bodied Bristol RELL6G signalled the start of what turned out to be a hugely enjoyable day.

The former 2415 proceeded via the Airport (to collect more participants), and the Glenshane Pass, to Derry / Londonderry, where Ulsterbus staff had very kindly laid on a buffet in the depot parking area. Suitably refreshed, participants took their choice from a convoy of vehicles – some still in service, others preserved – to various areas of the city, and later to some much more rural outposts. My journeys that day were (all Alexander bodied Bristol RELL6G):


Londonderry Depot – Shantallow – Londonderry Bus Station
Lough Swilly 82-DL-1423 (formerly Citybus 2581 – BXI2581)

Londonderry Bus Station – Altnagelvin Hospital
Ex Ulsterbus 2595 – BXI2595

Altnagelvin Hospital – Londonderry Bus Station
Lough Swilly 82-DL-1423 (formerly Citybus 2581 – BXI2581)

Londonderry Bus Station – Creggan – Bogside
Ulsterbus 2596 – BXI2596

Bogside – Londonderry Bus Station
Ex Ulsterbus 2599 – BXI2599

Londonderry Bus Station – Claudy – Oak Wood
Ulsterbus 2440 – WOI2440

Oak Wood – Derry Airport – Londonderry Depot
Ulsterbus 2596 – BXI2596

... where more tea and sandwiches were kindly supplied before we bade our farewells and returned once again over the Glenshane Pass in former Citybus Citybus 2415 – VOI8415 to Belfast International Airport (Aldergrove), where I left the tour, to return to Liverpool by EasyJet.

Some photos from the day:

Citybus 2415 and Ulsterbus 2599 at Derry / Londonderry Depot.


Ulsterbus 2440 at Ardmore


Ulsterbus 2440 at Shantallow


Ulsterbus 2595 at Altnagelvin Hospital, with other REs in the background


Ulsterbus 2596, climbing Bogside


Ulsterbus 2596 (and others) at Legahory


Lough Swilly 82-DL-1423 (former Citybus 2581) passing through Derry / Londonderry City Walls.


A line up at Derry / Londonderry Bus Station


A line up at Derry / Londonderry (Ulsterbus) depot.


A line up outside the DuPont Factory.

 

[RELL6L]

I am surprised that you've not explored Wensleydale. The main services up the dales are now community minibuses so the 159 from Ripon to Richmond is the only one with a conventional bus.

I have taken the 159 from Ripon to Richmond and it is a fantastic journey. Attractive villages south of Leyburn and gorgeous scenery from Leyburn to Richmond. What I’ve not done since recommencing my travels post-kids is venture up Wensleydale towards Hawes, maybe one for the future or explore on a UK holiday.

Hi, Folks. @TheSel has delved into his archives again, and has come up with this one from eighteen years ago today - Saturday 28 February 2004. This was supposed to be the last day of Bristol RE operation with Ulsterbus, but as is almost inevitably the case, I understand that one of the vehicles did soldier on for a few more days on a Schools working.

I'd flown over to Belfast from Liverpool the previous evening, and enjoyed a few pints in The Crown, so I'd slept well! An early start found me wandering down Botainc Avenue and Great Victroria Street before eight o'clock, as I'd arranged to be picked up at Great Victoria Street bus station by the Irish Transport Trust at 0815. Sure enough, at the appointed hour, firstly the dulcet tones, and then the glorious sight of preserved, ex Citybus 2415 – VOI8415 – an Alexander bodied Bristol RELL6G signalled the start of what turned out to be a hugely enjoyable day.

The former 2415 proceeded via the Airport (to collect more participants), and the Glenshane Pass, to Derry / Londonderry, where Ulsterbus staff had very kindly laid on a buffet in the depot parking area. Suitably refreshed, participants took their choice from a convoy of vehicles – some still in service, others preserved – to various areas of the city, and later to some much more rural outposts. My journeys that day were (all Alexander bodied Bristol RELL6G):


Londonderry Depot – Shantallow – Londonderry Bus Station
Lough Swilly 82-DL-1423 (formerly Citybus 2581 – BXI2581)

Londonderry Bus Station – Altnagelvin Hospital
Ex Ulsterbus 2595 – BXI2595

Altnagelvin Hospital – Londonderry Bus Station
Lough Swilly 82-DL-1423 (formerly Citybus 2581 – BXI2581)

Londonderry Bus Station – Creggan – Bogside
Ulsterbus 2596 – BXI2596

Bogside – Londonderry Bus Station
Ex Ulsterbus 2599 – BXI2599

Londonderry Bus Station – Claudy – Oak Wood
Ulsterbus 2440 – WOI2440

Oak Wood – Derry Airport – Londonderry Depot
Ulsterbus 2596 – BXI2596

... where more tea and sandwiches were kindly supplied before we bade our farewells and returned once again over the Glenshane Pass in former Citybus Citybus 2415 – VOI8415 to Belfast International Airport (Aldergrove), where I left the tour, to return to Liverpool by EasyJet.

Some photos from the day:

Citybus 2415 and Ulsterbus 2599 at Derry / Londonderry Depot.


Ulsterbus 2440 at Ardmore


Ulsterbus 2440 at Shantallow


Ulsterbus 2595 at Altnagelvin Hospital, with other REs in the background


Ulsterbus 2596, climbing Bogside


Ulsterbus 2596 (and others) at Legahory


Lough Swilly 82-DL-1423 (former Citybus 2581) passing through Derry / Londonderry City Walls.


A line up at Derry / Londonderry Bus Station


A line up at Derry / Londonderry (Ulsterbus) depot.


A line up outside the DuPont Factory.

What a wonderful collection of REs in Northern Ireland. Only ever been there once - early 1980s - and never on a bus. Another trip for the future - not on REs sadly! I do remember REs in Christchurch New Zealand - but they sounded like Leyland Nationals because they had the horrible 510 Leyland engines so hardly the same!

Good reports too from @route101 and @SouthEastBuses - great trips there. The 6 through Lyndhurst and Brockenhurst is very scenic and Lymington is an attractive place to visit in its own right too. The X1 is good but I would have thought the X6 round Verwood was rather dull - goes a long way round and just houses. Very fond of North West Oxfordshire, a good day there too.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I'm beginning to suspect that @TheSel has a liking for REs! Whilst I've worked and visited Northern Ireland, I confess I've never travelled on the buses there. In response to @Norton Bridge, the security situation was that ex British REs were still being sought in 1986/7 essentially as cannon fodder from Falls Road depot!

Thanks for the photos @TheSel and the recollections. Another wintry one for you - with @RELL6L doing good weather, and you doing bad, the pair of you are covering the bases. Tend to agree with @RELL6L and their view of the X6 around Poole by @route101 - done it in the past and it didn't captivate (and I'm someone who likes the less well-trodden path)

@SouthEastBuses trip to Oxfordshire reminds me of my last trip in the area a few years ago. At that point, the Cotswold Discoverer was valid on Pulhams and so a few of the same trips made. Chipping Norton is, of course, surrounded by the rich and famous and it makes for a very civilised town but the villages are quite lovely too.