BUSWORLD PHOTOGRAPHY

I AM CHRISTOPHER LEACH THE ARTIST. I started this blog so that I can share with everyone my vast collection of transport photographs showing a personal and nostalgic view of the industry with images that span some 45 years taking in the U.K and some of Europe. I have no darkroom and so rather than being the perfectionist after tidying them up I upload the images warts and all, and even those that won't scan squarely or are scratched. In a way it adds age and character. You are all free to download these for your personal use but please remember I still own them and you are not just free to use them without prior permission for any knd of publishing. Click on images to enlarge them and if you want to see more leave your comments or visit my website for the mother-site with galleries including those Buses & Girls: PICTUREWORLD

Friday 31 August 2012

Arriving at Shrewsbury on the long X64 Service from Newcastle was this former Southend Tiger A215 PEW seen in September 1992. When new this Duple Dominant bodied coach worked commuter express routes into London.

Monday 27 August 2012

Probably the best known Devon General buses of the Sixties was the Sea Dog class of open-top MCW bodied Leyland Atlanteans 925-933 GTA. In the NBC era these were replaced by some Bristol VR's which also carried names and appropriately 'Torbay' VDV136S was seen enjoying the sunshine at Torquay.

Sunday 26 August 2012

I bought a wide angle lens and experimented with it a bit but I didn't like the distorted effect which was a pity as some of te results were quite interesting. In this view of Scarborough I'm sorry I can't tell you anything more about this Plaxton bodied Leyland Tiger.

Scarborough my favourite seaside resort

We all have our favourite seaside resort depending on taste. But I think Scarborough takes some beating and especially for photography. The lucrative seafront open-top service was being hotly contested when I last went there in about 1989 and Appleby's ex-Chester Daimler Fleetline Northern Counties WFM 159K was trundling down the prom as others headed for the beach.

Saturday 25 August 2012

There may be no flies on me....

...but there certainly are plenty splattered on this Ribble Plaxton 4500 bodied Neoplan N722/3 Mercedes, one of nine in the fleet at the time seen at Chorlton Street Bus Station in Manchester. C176 KHG would soon be heading down the motorway to London to gather more squashed inspects in September 1989..

Thursday 23 August 2012

A City-Line Lynx in Bristol

Even with a forty-five minute pause at Bristol's Marlborough Street Coach Station there were numerous good vantage spots for bus photography nearby. A recent Leyland Lynx of City-Line makes a good excuse for this picture taken in about 1989. Rather like the old London Transport the privitised NBC Bristol Omninus Company split it local operations so the city buses were red and the country service green.

Sunday 19 August 2012

A69 NPP. That perfect day but almost time to go

Sadly even after the most perfect day at the seaside the hour creeps up when it's time to get on the hot coach and head home. From Bournemouth it would probably take the best part of three hours to get home to Coventry for that much anticipated "nice cup of tea" on Mike de Courcey's re-registered Tiger Plaxton Paramount 3500 MJI 7862 A69 NPP.

Saturday 18 August 2012

The Football Season is about to commence and in 1980 members of the Lancaster and Morecambe Supporters Club board their Battersby's Bedford Duple Dominant coach OFR 930T for a local derby just down the M6 at Preston.

Tuesday 14 August 2012

119: A Maidstone & District 'Relief'

Maidstone &District's first five 36ft AEC Reliance Willowbrook buses S1-5 could usually be found much nearer to home around the town of Tonbridge just south of Tunbridge Wells, but S3 by then in early 1969 renumbered 3703 was pictured passing Brighton's Lewis Road ornate Victorian depot wearing a typically unhelpful destination much displayed by Southdown too when providing additional service buses on busy routes. For many of us this style of bodywork which was the standard for the BET Group in 1962 is something of a favourite.

Wednesday 8 August 2012

Not surprisingly serious tourists take notes so they know what and where they took their photos and especially on a Cosmos coach tour with it's numerous stops each day. But for me that doesn't spoil this 1984 shot too much of a smartly turned out RN 4440, a Utic bodied AEC taken at a typical town square with it's municipal flower beds of lush exotic plants and no doubt small gentle fountain.

Monday 6 August 2012

PMT a new BEH 148H at Stoke

Scanned off an old stained print I think this view of PMT No.148 BEH 148H is still worth posting. Newly arrived one of 21 Alexander dual-entrance Daimler Fleetline CRG6LX buses it looked rather attractive as the Scottish bodybuilder built stylish bodywork right through the Sixties including the perhaps rather 'brutal' looking W Series body.

Thursday 2 August 2012

Bennett's Green Line Tiger in Purple

Bennett's of Cotes Heath ran a good selection of used Leyland Leopard and Tiger coach an even a pair of Doyans. Duple bodied Tiger YPD 108Y was a former London Country Green Line coach and was seen making slow progress amongst diverted motorway traffic around the Stafford Queensway in the mid-Nineties

Wednesday 1 August 2012

Nottingham City Transport was renowned for it's innovative stance, and this Northern Counties bodied Atlantean numbered 666 ARC 666T appeared at the Motor Show in 1978 sporting a revised frontal treatment. With it's stretched Wallace and Gromit mouth I have to say I'm pleased it didn't catch on as it was rather an ugly duckling or by it's looks maybe a large angry Pike looking not too pleased to be hauled out of the nearby Trent.