Busworld Photography

Stevensons Secondhand Buses B102PHC

2012-02-01T03:41:00.000-08:00

Over the years Stevenson's had become experts at buying secondhand, an art no doubt invaluable following Deregulation when the fleet size soared. Typical of the mid-life buses bought were many Leylands including this former Eastbourne East-Lancs bodied Olympian B102PHC seen in Uttoxeter on a town service.

West Riding Snow: Yorkshire Metro Atlantean WNW 165S.

2012-01-31T09:06:00.000-08:00

We've had some bad winters recently but they don't compare to the one of 1981-2 when not only was there a lot of snow diesel in tanks froze and lorry drivers lit fires under their waggon on the hard shoulder. Of course if the weather forecast was really bad I was sent over to Yorkshire having to brave the M62, but if nothing else it produced some great winter bus scenes like this Atlantean..

When Setras took over the road and passes around St Moritz

2012-01-30T09:14:00.000-08:00

At the start of the Nineties there was a bit of variety at St Moritz but five years later the FBW and Saurer types seen here at the PTT Post Bus Depot would be replaced by German Setras in the tourist areas. But unlike the Swiss built buses that seemed to never age the modern ones would not enjoy extended lives due to things like salt corrosion.

Premier Travel A137 RMJ

2012-01-27T07:07:00.000-08:00

The mid-day departures from Digbeth were always worth hanging about for especially on a Friday. As well as coaches in all white were more attractive liveried examples like metallic-blue Duple Caribbean bodied Leyland Tiger of Premier Travel probably heading for Cambridge whilst the older Duple bodied Crosville Leopard was bound for Holyhead.

Leons of Stafford Bristol VR

2012-01-26T03:17:00.000-08:00

Leon's one of Britain's top coach fleets often seen travelling in hordes carrying Wolves Supporters to away matches are not really noted for their elderly double-deckers, but the odd one did appear in the Nineties for contract work as can be seen from the former United Bristol VR BPT 922T seen on the Weston Road in about early May when the trees were looking particularly green.

Padane ZX bodied Renault at Berlin Zoo

2012-01-24T07:26:00.000-08:00

Berlin Zoo is a great place to catch sight of all the visiting coaches, and as well as German vehicles can be found more variety like this Padane ZX bodied Renault from Italy working for Globus Gateway. As with everything else today there is not so much variety between nations on offer.

Luton and District A145 EPA at Victoria in London.

2012-01-23T03:19:00.000-08:00

Sometimes trying to squeeze the subject into the viewfinder can be rather rewarding as can be seen from this view taken in London at Buckingham Palace Road. Once a Green Line coach itself this Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Leyland Tiger A145EPA was still on a Green Line service to Cambridge for Luton and District..

PTT: A Swiss Post Bus Rarity at Scoul

2012-01-19T07:58:00.000-08:00

Well these Mercedes-Benz 0303 buses were not so very rare with the PTT but catching sight of a dirty one was. P23324 of 1991 was seen at the ski resort of Scoul which is tucked right in the top left-hand corner of Switzerland with Austria on one side and probably in sight here was nearby Italy.

Winter Mini Cruise to Gothenborg with Leon's

2012-01-18T03:29:00.000-08:00

A number of years ago a party of us from Stafford went with Leon's on a DFDS Mini Cruise to Gothenborg using the ship as a hotel. By their standards it wasn't cold that January but it must have been freezing taking an excursion on Shamrock & Rambler A100 JJT as it had no heaters working.

Rhymney Valley AEC Regent 422 CAX

2012-01-17T02:22:00.000-08:00

Seen at Caerphilly this rather fine lowbridge Massey bodied AEC Regent from the former tiny seven bus Bedwas and Machin Urban District Council fleet became a trainer in a combined Rhymney Valley fleet. In the early Seventies most surviving urban Municipal fleets worried that they might like so many others get swallowed up into the huge area PTE's. So as not to look so attractive to the planners some like these neighbouring concerns merged into one, Caerphilly with thirty buses was the most up-to-date whilst probably Gelligaer with about the same was the most interesting

The return of Lancashire United buses to Bolton

2012-01-13T08:44:00.000-08:00

Still wearing quite fresh looking Stagecoach stripes was this former Ribble Leyland National2 DBV 835V seen entering Bolton Moor Lane Bus Station soon after the local services and buses were taken over by a new company bearing an old name Lancashire United.

Waltzing through Chester Around and Around

2012-01-12T11:47:00.000-08:00

Waltzing through Chester with Daimler Fleetline 59 WFM159M. As these three buses negotiated the one-way system in Chester I tried to get them all at the same angle and it almost worked. Elevated positions are good for bus landscapes and this one worked well for a change as often with concrete city centres there are empty areas and the detailed interest is too far away.

2012-01-11T07:38:00.000-08:00

In a change from the usual Lothian madder red and white livery was F370 WSC a Leyland Olympian in a blue based livery to go to the Airport on Route 100. It is seen turning off Princess Street.

RM 2000 Buckingham Palace Road

2012-01-09T08:53:00.000-08:00

RM 2000 was new to Dalston but by the early Nineties it was to be found working from Peckham on the long north-south 36 Route which was to remain an RM stronghold, it was seen passing through Victoria.

Midland Red WHA 229H

2012-01-08T04:22:00.000-08:00

When driving around the Birmingham area I think, I had to stop to grab a photo of this Midland Red Leopard as 6229 had been new to Stafford Garage. They came with earlier style Panorama bodies but to be honest I find these gracefully curved bodies rather more attractive than the more simplified Panorama Elite.

First-PMT P870MBT

2012-01-05T08:18:00.000-08:00

Many new buses today are almost devoid of badging but this Dennis Lance of First PMT SDC870 near Alsager with Northern Counties Countrybus bodywork was covered in them.

E104 JVV Grey Green Double-Deck Coaches

2012-01-03T09:03:00.000-08:00

As well as turning to double-deckers to work Deregulated services in London like the 24 Cowies Grey Green had a few seated as coaches as well like this Alexander bodied Volvo B10D seen on The Embankment in London.

The Greatrex Tours Leopards MRF963-965F

2012-01-02T03:49:00.000-08:00

In the late Sixties Greatrex Tours attempted to move away from lightweights and bought three Duple Commander bodied Leopards. The delayed AEC Reliance had been their first choice and sadly they only lasted a few years before being sold to Rennie of Dunfermaline where one was good, one was bad, and one was average.

New Years Day in Genera

2012-01-01T03:08:00.000-08:00

Like New Year or not, at least it's one time of the year when we remember what we were doing. This was taken on Ist Jan 1989 in Switzerland where public transport operates 365 days a year. The new trolleybus is a NAW whilst No.201 is a Swiss Danish mix, a Saurer powered Dab-Leyland.

Eagle of Bristol 931DHT

2011-12-28T02:10:00.001-08:00

Eagle of Bristol operated this nicely turned out Van-Hool bodied Volvo B10M which was seen in Oxford in the early Nineties

Southdown in the cold

2011-12-22T11:54:00.000-08:00

We seem to have forgotten that we used to have proper winters in the past. This was 1969-70 when I was living in a basement flat in St.Georges Drive not far from Victoria Coach Station. Even covered in snow Weymann bodied Tiger Cub 1131 still looked very smart if not totally inviting.

Girls at Wansee

2011-12-22T03:05:00.000-08:00

In these dull months it's nice to have a reminder of Spring and Summer like this lunchtime secene at Berlin Wannsee

Winter sunlight in La Chaux de Fonds

2011-12-19T06:15:00.000-08:00

There are a number of Swiss towns I particularly like and one is La Chaux-de-Fonds in the west quite high up in the Jura Region near the French border where few tourists venture. It is this area where they made the expensive Swiss watches, but I liked it because the town was still running FBW buses plus trolleybuses and there was also a post bus garage nearby. The old Swiss buses had almost gone in 2000 but this Swiss bodied Volvo B10R in an attractive blue, yellow and white livery at least looked Swiss.

Stagecoach Fife: A Welcome Break o the M6

2011-12-18T08:05:00.000-08:00

No doubt a welcome break for a cup of tea and what my mother termed "Just going to powder my nose" for these elderly travellers stopping at Sandbach Services on the M6. Before going to Fife No.504 ILL 3504 a Van-Hool bodied Volvo B10M was new to Shearings as E636 UNE.

London, best views are not always from the top deck

2011-12-17T07:37:00.000-08:00

Although you see a lot of standing traffic bus photography doesn't always capture the true spirit of London. Turn the camera sideways and a different hustle and bustle of people some on holiday or just going about their daily routine appears. With an upmarket traditional look I always thought The Big Bus Company was the smartest of the open-top tours especially as an enthusiast. KJD109P was one of London Transports Daimler Fleetline DMS class which they hurriedly sold off much too the delight of less fussy operators and at one time most of the capital;s open-top tours were entrusted to these buses.

A no smoking bus maybe....

2011-12-17T01:14:00.000-08:00

.....but the passengers don't have to follow it, but the rebuilt Gardner powered Greenway would have been a big improvement on the notoriously smokey National1. Blackburn 423 though had been one of the first National2's as Midland Red 807 at Stafford Garage which came with a less problematic but loud Leyland 680 engine. As well as this a former Stafford Mark1 National 637 was also rebuilt as a Greenway but stayed with Midland Red.

Thirty year old Bedford Val Van-Hool Coach

2011-12-16T08:32:00.000-08:00

Stafford town centre doesn't seem to attract many coach visitors these days but just before Christmas there is a daily invasion of coaches from all over the county bringing schoolchildren in to enjoy a Panto held at the Borough Hall. Sadly there is not much sunlight and too many deep shadows and in about 1999 I had to time my click perfectly to get a view of Val's RAR690J a remarkable then almost thirty year old Bedford Val which I guess was by then in semi-preservation.

Old cats and Kittens at Ellen Smith

2011-12-14T03:20:00.000-08:00

During the 1980's when Elites and Dominants ruled the roost older more interesting Leylands slowly rotted away beside Ellen Smith's garage near Rochale including a Duple Eliabethen and a Harrington UDK551 Tiger Cub.

Samualson's New Transport KLR457D

2011-12-12T14:44:00.000-08:00

Sadly some of the smaller BET/BTC operations are almost forgotten like one of my favourites Samualson's whose coaches looked magnificent in blue silver and white. Indeed my favourite of all London coaches were Harrington Grenadier bodied Leopards DYM452-455C. Samualson's moved to it's home here at Victoria Coach Station when they were bought by it's owner's London Coastal Coaches in 1936. AEC's had been normal but after the Grenadiers Leopards continued to be bought but future deliveries like KLR457D had Duple Northern bodywork.

RLH 24 in Basel

2011-12-09T06:31:00.000-08:00

One of the nice things about double-deck sightseeing tours is that they use otherwise defunct types keeping them in use for a bit longer. But some are very special like former London Transport RLH 24 doing a tour in Basel in 1990. Normally London developed it's own buses like the RT and Routemaster but at times smaller numbers were needed like these lowheight buses Provincial buses. Of course a batch of seventy-five of these Weymann bodied AEC Regents would be a huge order for most operators but London at one time had over eight-thousand red and green buses.

December 1986 & a horrible day in Glasgow

2011-12-08T11:33:00.000-08:00

When taking bus photos whilst working my visits to Glasgow have been scarce hence this terrible December day for my first attempt in about 1986. With such dull conditions it was hard to get any contrast to lift the scene or mood. But as the people at the bus stop for Ruchill might have told you, the camera doesn't lie. Glasgow City Transport and it's successor Strathclyde PTE took large numbers of Alexander bodied Leyland Atlanteans including UGG387R No. LA 1168.

Arriva F301AWW in the snow

2011-12-06T08:35:00.000-08:00

It might not have snowed yet this year in Stafford but at the moment it certainly feels cold. One thing we all seem to agree on though when it does come it's always worth the cold hands and feet to get some less unusual views of familiar buses. The bonus comes when like this former West Riding Lynx they have been a memory.

JNA404 Manchester's old buses

2011-12-05T02:53:00.000-08:00

The over zealous use of the red paint spray gun might have really spolit the appearance of the later MCW bodied buses in Manchester but the earlier stock like this solidly elegant streamlined Leyland PD2/3 at Rochdale Road Garage seemed totally unabashed by it. But the no-nonsense feel of MCTD added much to the grimy northern warmth of the city in the Sixties. Today whenever I see a sparkling former Manchester bus something tells me I'm being cheated because newness did not last long.

Happier Days for Hospital Nurses in Stafford

2011-12-02T02:16:00.000-08:00

It's sad that Stafford Hospital has received so much bad publicity, but as you can see it was not all bad for us. But actually this was the time when the hospital was in Greyfriars nearby and attractive young nurses were a more familiar sight in the town centre. Happy Days Ford BCX426K was new to Hanson of Huddersfield.

New Leyland Panthers for the City of Lincoln

2011-11-29T01:13:00.000-08:00

My first visit to Lincoln many years ago coincided with the recent arrival of it's first Leyland Panthers bodied by Roe.

Day out in Statford on Avon ANK 319X & ANK 320X

2011-11-27T02:11:00.000-08:00

A sunny Summer Sunday and a pair of Carsville's Plaxton bodied Leyland Tigers arrives in Stratford on Avon on a day trip.

London Sightseeing Tours

2011-11-25T08:49:00.000-08:00

One of the good things about sightseeing buses is not only are they often older and therefor more interesting they bring a bit of variety to the streets. Comparatively speaking Leyland Atlanteans have never been a common sight in central London but quite a few carried tourist such as this former South Yorkshire PTE example SWB 286L. As it crosses London Bridge from the top deck tourists are afforded magnificent views of more than just the wide River Thames

Blackburn in the Nineties

2011-11-24T00:45:00.000-08:00

Sorry I couldn't get the whole of the Dennis Dart in Guys! Blackburn was always a good town for bus variety and that was still the case in the Nineties and some of the girls weren't half bad either like this blond braless stunner who had been shopping in W.H.Smith.

Old Routemaster Coaches become Trainers RMC 1499

2011-11-22T03:04:00.000-08:00

I always rather liked the Green Line RMC class so it was rather depressing when these buses looked so neglected in the Eighties after being turned over to training duties. RMC 1499 was seen at Ponders End Garage.

Thankfully an end to the Torbay Minibus

2011-11-20T03:29:00.000-08:00

I must admit I like to post photos that relate to the time of the week whether it be Saturday, Sunday or a weekday. This Sunday was in July 1998 when the more balanced Stagecoach fleet had largely swept away most of those boring minibuses it inherited from Harry Blundred's Devon General and partly replaced them with older and much more enjoyable proper buses like this Bristol VR LWU468V seen in Torquay.

Ford Demonstrator PNO603V

2011-11-17T03:23:00.000-08:00

In 1980 National Travel East had this Plaxton bodied Ford demonstrator on loan and PNO603V was seen heading out of Bradford on a London Service.

SMT Volvo Ailsa CSG776S in Edinburgh

2011-11-16T02:51:00.000-08:00

As time has gone on for me buses have become progressively more dull either through appearance or modernity. Thankfully there have been exceptions too as in Scotland where there were plenty of these splendid quick Alexander bodied Volvo Ailsas with their screaming little turbocharged engines to make each ride a memorable experience.

Fishwick's National2 WRN413V

2011-11-15T02:32:00.000-08:00

A Preston teatime and members of the attractive Fishwick fleet are difficult to photograph due to their sombre neutral colours obscuring them in long dark shadows. With it's base at Leyland not surprisingly Fishwick's were a loyal Leyland customer and a large number of new Workington built Nationals were bought too including early Mark2 buses like WRN413V.

A GMT Olympian heads for the Arndale Centre

2011-11-14T04:05:00.000-08:00

When I was a boy one had to know where to go in Manchester City Centre to see all the different operators. Just outside a few yards from the city Salford Bus Station was literally just a stone's throw away and here one found the delights of Lancashire United, Leigh, and on Route 8 Bolton Corporation. When it closed this service and others finally made it and terminated in Manchester at the Arndale Centre nearby.

Green Line from Heathrow in the Nineties

2011-11-11T06:07:00.000-08:00

Formerly B271KPF this London Country NE Plaxton bodied Leyland Tiger was leaving London Heathrow Airport on Green Line 724 to St Albans.

Pool Valley: Southdown Winter Sun

2011-11-10T01:32:00.000-08:00

Pool Valley for many was Southdown, and here I caught East Lancs bodied PD2 No.200 catching the glare from the low winter sun coming off the sea across the promenade as it departed for Peacehaven. These were my favorite fleet deckers as they were my first proper taste of the company as I went to stay for New Year with a schoolfriend at Jarvis Brook near Crowborough on the iconic 119-122.

Routemasters and Tourist London

2011-11-08T11:43:00.000-08:00

Like the pigeons Routemasters seemed to gather around Trafalgar Square much to the delight of the tourists. Few would have noticed that well turned out RML 2527 was owned by BTS and not London Buses.

Extreme Sports: Bus Photography!

2011-11-08T02:07:00.000-08:00

Well it's not that dangerous unless you decide to keep nipping over the carriageways of the M25 to get your shots. But as with skiing and motor sport where there are infamous dangerous bends and obstacles our hobby has it's perilous places too. I see from other Flick postings that I am not the first person to come a cropper trying to get a decent view of vehicles departing from Marlborough Street Bus Station either catching the shadows or like this getting it blurred. Pity really as I wanted a nice view of Southern National RDV419S because by that time it was almost the last of it's breed with the NBC.

A Southend Tiger at Piccadilly Circus

2011-11-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

Following Deregulation Southend operated a number of coaches on express services to London including a number of former Green Line Plaxton bodied Leyland Tigers like No.561 A103EPA.

Plymouth Citybus: The School Run

2011-11-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

Plymouth Citybus operates a modern fleet of buses but as well as these there is a pool of older stock kept for schools and student contracts. Many of them are double-deckers but in the Nineties there were also three former National Travel (S West) Leopard coaches including KAD352V seen finishing it's homeward run in Tavistock.

Trent Leylands at Derby Bus Station

2011-10-31T09:54:00.000-07:00

Derby as well as being home to the hus company Trent, the town as it was then was famed for it's architecturally iconic art-deco influenced bus station dating from the early Twenties. Of course despite this it has recently been demolished in the name of progress! The bus operator's didn't like it much though as being a curved shape it was not suitable for modern large buses. However these three Leylands looked happy enough in this Sixties view.

Mercedes Post Bus on Airport Servive in Basle

2011-10-31T09:19:00.000-07:00

Here was PTT owned Post Bus P25505 departing from outside the impressive railway station at Basle on the single route to the Airport. Saurer RH's had been been the regular performers but from the early Nineties Mercedes-Benz 0405's like P25505 became the norm.

Crew Change at BVG Zehlendorf Garage

2011-10-28T02:53:00.000-07:00

In the Nineties Volvo must have hoped for great things when it secured an order for a batch of buses off the huge BVG. But in Berlin today the scene is still dominated by MAN double-deckers and Mercedes based vehicles like the articulated Solaris. The brighter Dutch inspired yellow based livery was a great improvement on the previous porridge colour used by German city bus fleets since the early days.

Bus Wars Competition in Wigan

2011-10-28T02:18:00.000-07:00

I feel much of the fierce competition following Deregulation was rather childish, anyway that's how I see the way the former Liverpool and Manchester PTE's invaded one another's vast territory for neither side could have gained much from it. But it certainly gave us enthusiasts a bit more to see and wonder about like for instance was Merseyside trying to steal a bit of the old much missed Lancashire United Magic too? Merseyside PTE had standardised largely on Leyland Atlanteans but as they were phased out more other double-deck manufacturers appeared including MCW with the Metrobus like No.0811 F811YLV which would have offered a rather pleasant ride back to Liverpool from Wigan just situated in the former Manchester area.

WMTravel Coach Seated Metrobus

2011-10-23T03:12:00.000-07:00

When West Midland's applied grey to it's new coach seated Metrobuses to make them stand out it was rather effective, but as with First Group when the whole fleet slowly turns to grey it can be slightly dull. Having said that it might have seemed an eternity but following Deregulation many liveries seem to alter all the time including Travel West Midlands.No.2959 D959 NDA was on the longer type limited stop 900 Service to Coventry which they were bought to do.

1968: The Manchester bus for the Seventies

2011-10-20T08:37:00.000-07:00

Whereas under pioneering General Manager Ralph Bennett the nearby crafted East-Lancs bodied Bolton Atlanteans had looked fresh and exciting a move to Manchester produced the even more modern and bigger 'one person' Mancunian in it's bold red and white livery which had looked positively surreal when it first appeared on the streets. Leylands started to arrive before Fleetline orders and stole most of the glory like No.1024 worked the 19 the first route.

Shiver: Winter is coming down your road

2011-10-19T03:26:00.000-07:00

Every cloud has a silver lining and just think of all those fab festive bus scenes you can shoot. As for myself I love the snow these days as I have a nice warm bed, then afternoon snooker to watch on the TV and in the evening with a hot cup of tea I relax and white chaos on the news. Seriously though I wouldn't take to heart the warning of terrible weather again this year as in truth nobody knows what the weather will do more than a couple of weeks ahead and now it is is so unpredictable they can't even follow past trends. In this view Geoff Arrowsmith heads back into Stafford from The Heywoods in Staffordian Leopard ex Nat Travel East YWE514M

Eilat's Breakdown Tender in 1979

2011-10-19T03:02:00.000-07:00

This might be just a cut down and customised Leyland Royal Tiger Worldmaster, but this beefy recovery vehicle belonging to TAN at Eilat certainly looked the business. I'm not sure what Voca would say about the large tyre mounted on the front but with so much sand drifting about in the desert obviously there are times when it had to push them out as well as pull and tow.

Fleetlines in Brum

2011-10-16T16:20:00.000-07:00

Despite NOV791G having been delivered to the Birmingham City Transport fleet and four years later VOX131K to the West Midlands PTE there are obvious similarities between these Daimler Fleetlines.

Merseybus Ailsa 0073

2011-10-12T03:17:00.000-07:00

Merseyside PTE bought a number of small batches of various buses in the early Eighties including some Alexander R-bodied Ailsas. No.0073 was visiting Liverpool from the Wirral on service to Hewall.

Best Friends on a City Break in Berlin

2011-10-11T01:14:00.000-07:00

I really miss the older Berlin double-deckers but with their steering and entrances on the correct side of the bus right across Europe they are favoured over modern former British bus for sightseeing conversion. MAN 1909 still belonged to the main BVG Berlin operator but it has now pulled out of this competitive tourist business. However there are still a number of former Berlin buses at work here.

A glimpse inside Midland Red Stafford Garage.

2011-10-08T03:20:00.000-07:00

Apart from just one double-decker, recently arrived former Trent Fleetline 2541 which quickly moved on to Ludlow and Hereford all these buses were typical of the Stafford fleet in the Eighties. After Deregulation as well as Mark1's all eleven MRN National2's were here and the pod-less type was ideal for the 824 to Lichfield with that low bridge at Colwich. 807-811 were new here. Of the JHA-L Leopards 225 was also new here and was later joined by spare sister 224 when Oldbury Garage was transferred to WMPTE. But by this time both had moved on and their replacements 207, 247 and seen here 221 became regulars for a number of years. Also new came later N-Reg 340 and 360. Unlike the Fleetline which was not very 'opo friendly' the Leopards were always popular.

National Express C182 RVV at Digbeth

2011-10-06T03:59:00.000-07:00

Despite the nameNational Express never really wanted to own any of it's coaches but had to run one or two to have an operators licence. The first of these were a pair of unusual Caetano bodied Leyland Tigers, one of which was seen about to depart for Manchester from below the firms HQ which was at Digbeth.

Art Students chatting in Saint Gallen

2011-10-03T01:51:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned before pictures of buses and girls together are often loosely called a Jowitt. But of course like all good photographers he had a style all of his own and I have to admit many of my views have that 'Jowitt Feel'. This one from Switzerland is typical with the girls taking centre stage in this softly lit street scene with lots of reminders that for us Brit's makes it seem somewhere slightly more exotic and romantic. And there just as you start to daydream you see a strange trolleybus perhaps heading to the next shot!

Chaserider & Happy Days Buses in Stafford

2011-10-03T00:56:00.000-07:00

I was never a big fan of the London Transport DMS which looked rather plain boxy and unimaginative and especially when compared to the modern rounded designs that came from builder's like Alexander. However in hindsight I'm sure some of the reason for this was that they were far better constructed than some of the more attractive when new 'fair maidens' particularly from East Lancs and Northern Counties. No doubt this helped endear the to all the operator's who said 'thank you very much' when LT threw them to one side. OUC 35R even found it's way to Happy Days of Woodseaves.

Clynnog and Tevor

2011-09-29T11:51:00.000-07:00

At Plymouth Bretonside helping out on a National Express duty from North Wales was this Plaxton bodied Volvo coach YSU446..

DB railway bus at Giessen

2011-09-28T01:52:00.000-07:00

The DB German railways owned buses could be seen at many locations and Setra DB-23-904 seen here in Giessen still painted in a traditional dark red and cream represented the old order whilst less characterful newer buses in a less pleasing shocking reddy-pink colour keep it company.

Badgerline 816 SHW leaves Bristol for Chepstow

2011-09-27T03:21:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you see something you want to photograph but are on the wrong side? Well I think it was better to take this wide view rather than get run over. I must admit I must have looked a bit of a fool standing on that wall between the carriageways moving backwards and forwards getting shots from all directions but we are bus enthusiasts aren't we and we're not supposed to act cool! This Plaxton bodied Leyland Leopard on it's way to Chepstow crossing the Severn Bridge into Wales wore the un-dated registration from off an earlier Bristol FLF Lodekka in the Bristol fleet to hide it's years and would have been a late Seventies T-W series coach.

The many colours of Midland Red

2011-09-26T04:11:00.000-07:00

Paint suppliers must have rubbed their hands together with glee during the Nineties as new owners wanted to make their presence felt or operator's couldn't decide whether the latest livery was better than the last. Here at Ditherington Garage the Midland Red Shrewsbury allocation would with the exception of 'park and ride' buses soon become boring Corporate Arriva. But using this photo as an argument some might say it was not really such a bad thing.

Celebrating a high point. My Wallace Arnold Leopard

2011-09-25T02:59:00.000-07:00

I'm careful not to buy things I don't really want and there is always a short list of bus models I want to have in my collection. I'm putting this Wallace Arnold Leopard on today as I'm celebrating the purchase on eBay for £6.67 (£8.67) of their similar Panorama Elite AUA 422J, not usually a bargain as it's still available at the normal price from EFE. Officially I stop at K-Reg as everything quickly went downhill from then on with things like The National, tacky NBC and even worse PTE liveries. So as well as 1971 being something of a high point with my EFE model with it's 'Indian Summer' of popularity for Leyland with the Leopard, it bore a classic Plaxton Panorama Elite body topped off with a distinctive modern attractive livery that even Ray Stenning hasn't bettered. From a personal perspective 1971 was an interesting and difficult year as at 22 I was being forced to decide what direction I should take, and none of the sensible one's seemed to appeal and coaches like this made me want to be out on the road. But I have no regrets. PNW 314W was shot on the old lorry park at Broad Eye in Stafford and now part of Sainsbury's car park.

Chester Rally: Old history becomes History itself

2011-09-25T02:17:00.000-07:00

It might seem inappropriate taking black and white views of preserved buses when the owners are proudly showing off the glorious old liveries. But days like this in the early Eighties become history too and since that time some of these secure looking buses might have fallen through the net and of course sadly many of the enthusiastic enthusiasts will have passed away. One can pinpoint the year from the Y-reg Berkhof bodied Dennis demonstrator making it about 1981.

Berlin: The magic of old Bussings

2011-09-24T03:00:00.000-07:00

Thankfully as in British cities Berlin has kept it's double-deckers for the busiest routes. But of course as here apart from being able to ride upstairs the modern buses offer little excitement for the enthusiast. Before it was taken over by MAN in the Seventies the Berlin bus was a Bussing like this. They didn't look much but when it comes to sounds these tuneful buses had all the little friendly notes and quirks we associate with say the Routemaster quickly making them a favourite and adding to that feeling of being abroad.

609: Barton's fleet of ageing Leopards

2011-09-24T02:24:00.000-07:00

In the early Seventies Barton decided to replace it's interesting fleet with new generation bus grant coaches from Bedford and Leyland. As it turned out the Bedfords had comparatively short lives here but the Leopards soldiored on till long after the company joined forces with Trent. Late Leopard No.609 had been one of the last Leylands for when the Tiger came on to the scene as happened elsewhere Barton abandoned Leyland and where others chose Volvo they instead too to DAF.

Go-Ahead a NBC self-off survivor

2011-09-24T02:01:00.000-07:00

Of course it's still here but of the privatised NBC companies who could have predicted which ones might survive. I'm sure Go-Ahead Northern wasn't a front runner so it's nice to see a well turned out Atlantean which was going somewhere in time. YNL208V was new to Tyne and Wear PTE and carried one of the last bodies built by MCW before it decided to body only it's own products especially the rather promising new Metrobus!

WMTravel Metrobus 2062

2011-09-22T11:55:00.000-07:00

2062 a West Midlands Travel MCW Metrobus leaves the Handsworth district and heads towards Birmingham City Centre in the Eighties.BOK62V was from the first batch of these locally built buses which became the standard double-decker in the Eighties

An afternoon drink in Nottingham

2011-09-22T02:40:00.000-07:00

I've always rather liked Nottingham as it feels a bit more cosmopolitan than say Leicester. Of course it has always been a mecca for bus enthusiasts even if the native National Mk2's weren't the most exciting buses on offer. However 718 on the Cityline gave me the chance to take a pleasant capture of the city relaxing in the afternoon.

A Crosville Bristol VR at Woodside

2011-09-20T01:52:00.000-07:00

Some bus stations are pretty dire for bus photography either hidden beneath dreary concrete multi-storey car parks or positioned in the middle of nowhere with no interesting backdrop or worthwhile activity to record. One of the best was Woodside in Birkenhead where even if the buses weren't quite as inspiring as they once were it boasted one the best views in the country of the Liver Building and a romantic looking Liverpool over the winter sunlight glittering Mersey.

Tegal bound BVG 1518 turns on to the bustling Ku-Dam

2011-09-19T02:52:00.000-07:00

Standing probably not able to see much from the crowded bus full of sweaty travellers but for some this will be their last views of the bustling Kurfirstendam as the No.9 'Airport to City' branded bus makes steady progress to Tegal Airport. At the time when the normal livery was a typical monotonous german unrelieved creamy colour these MAN airport buses 1513-1527 of 1981 looked exceptionally smart and eye-catching.

Brighton in the Nineties

2011-09-19T01:55:00.000-07:00

I don't get about so much these days but the Nineties was a busy time for me and I even managed to have a night in Brighton. There were still plenty of Bristol VR's in service with Brighton & Hove in a modernised version of it's former smart red and cream livery whilst Brighton was taking Lynx's and not in this view Southdown before takeover by Stagecoach had a batch of Volvo D10M buses.

Bread & Bitter: Meredith's tour feeder coach

2011-09-18T03:02:00.000-07:00

Weekends can be a good time to call at certain motorway service areas as they are where the various tour coaches and feeders meet up. On the M6 in Cheshire Meredith's of Nantwich Dennis Javalin P883RFM was a less exotic visitor but one of those firms that doesn't usually get photographed and so it was good to add this more interesting working view.

Oxford's last Fleetlines

2011-09-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

When it took this there seemed to be no other Daimler Fleetline out and about in Oxford. So being the last chance to photograph them I didn't feel this little diversion was exactly a waste of film. I can't remember what I did with the more conventional view.

German visitors sample M6 Motorway Food

2011-09-11T14:37:00.000-07:00

Of course our European cousins have been coming to London, Stratford on Avon and places like Edinburgh and Bath for years but when I took this photo in about 1982 a German coach was something of an unusual sight at Hilton Park on the M6. I wonder what the smartly dressed visitors made of our latest weapon in the war to keep out the old foe, the scruffy Mecca motorway service area with it's cold greasy chips and stewed tea.

Stanley Gath Coaches in Plymouth

2011-09-11T05:25:00.001-07:00

I'm afraid Bretonside is not what it was and even some of the services like the Western National buses to Tavistock no longer use it. Perhaps they now stop and head straight off from the Royal Parade to save time buses and bus station fees. A few coaches still kill time here but unlike more distinctive liveried Stanley Gath most of them are dealer-white and deadly dull.

First Western National Plymouth Garage outstation at Tavistock 90's

2011-09-09T02:57:00.000-07:00

Western National in Tavistock used to have a garage on the same site as the bus station in Plymouth Road, but the First garage is now a yard just outside the town which backs on to the River Tavy. The old allocation used to be about seventeen and as the town has grown the First fleet here mushroomed and must have approached a similar size. However I now suspect it has shrunk again as they have given up most of the rural work as part of the tendering process as nearly everything heads down the busy corridor to Plymouth. It doesn't seem so long ago that the local buses were Bristol VR's, Leyland Olympian and Lynx, plus Tigers and Leopards too along with the usual Dennis Darts. Not common in the First Western National fleet was the Duple Dominant bus body like on Tiger A665KUM which started life with West Yorkshire PTE.

What a bargain, Exeter to London for Twelve-Pounds!

2011-09-02T08:32:00.000-07:00

Situated at the gateway to the West Country proper Exeter has always been an important interchange on the express coach network. Today though it is just another National Express stop as nowhere is it as busy or as exciting as it used to be. Not so many years ago the lower area of Paris Street Bus Station was solely for coaches but today they have just a few stands in the main concourse. However at times with the comings and going of the public it can still get quite lively and in 1998 it was hardly surprising when you could go to London for twelve-pounds on Tratherns.

NBC rekindles memories of the old South Wales

2011-09-01T11:36:00.000-07:00

Even though it was far more enjoyable than what we have today with much of it's inherited empire still intact the NBC era was rather depressing compared to what came before under the BET and BTC. So it was more heartening when the NBC relaxed it's rules and recognised the value in it's heritage with the sell-off of it's parts looming. And so we were treated to what became known as the blind-effect where companies tried to be a bit different and more memorable with differing variants on the theme. Some went for something new and brighter but South Wales reused it's former dark red and gold fleetname from BET days on this Willowbrook bodied Leopard local express coach.

The Drawline Livery chosen for Midland Red North

2011-08-31T02:02:00.000-07:00

The Drawline bus livery chosen by Ray Stenning for Midland Red North looked rather attractive on the recently rebodied Tigers. The yellow and red dual-purpose version was perhaps better but I felt it fell down as the buses looked a bit too much like some of Midland Red West and even PMT. Stafford ran many of these new creations of both lenths including B103KPF which still looked new when it arrived from Crewe complete with front wheel trims, a real rarity by then but made it look much more tidy.

A Lancaster Tiger leaves Blackpool

2011-08-30T03:00:00.000-07:00

Here's another one I had difficulty getting right because of the contrasting light. If one lightens the shadowy area beneath the bus station the background gets burnt out so here's a reasonable compromise. But better an action shot like this than the bus parked up somewhere, and it's an interesting bus as it was the only East Lancs Tiger in the Lancaster fleet. Seen in Blackpool bound for Morecambe when still quite new D154THG looked rather attractive in the rather cheerful blue and white colour

Parish Motor Services in Oswestry

2011-08-29T01:53:00.000-07:00

I don't get about so much these days but a little trip up to North Wales for a bus/rail day at Llangollen with Wag and Mick on JHA227L took us passed Oswesty where in about 1982 I took this shot of Parish's Plaxton bodied Bedford SUX614S. At the time I looked down on poor old Bedfords and Fords but fortunately I was keen on wasting a bit of film so I could quickly go up in the darkroom and get them developed and a few of these more mundane examples got recorded which turned out to be fortunate.

2011-08-26T06:38:00.000-07:00

When we get interested in transport photography and take our inspiration from masters like T.W.Moore we see wonderful views yet it's easy to fail. This sort of view with the main interest in shadows is very difficult to balance as the bright sunlight areas elsewhere get faded out. However I'm rather pleased with what I've done with this National Welsh Duple bodied Tiger at Bridgend.

Yelloways o the way to Exeter and beyond!

2011-08-24T03:26:00.000-07:00

Here on Flickr we tend to moan that everything was better in the old days. I'm sure it's not true but many of our favourite things were, I mean I wouldn't dream of driving or taking a train to Plymouth when I could take a Yelloways from outside Stafford Station. Of course they stopped on the way too giving plenty of opportunity to take a few photos or have half an hour in Bristol. Coaches like Plaxton bodied XNE188S were the usual choice for Yelloway.

So they live long enough to get a bus pass?

2011-08-24T03:13:00.000-07:00

As you can see they were not too hot on health and safety issues in Portugal as small boys stole rides on the rear bustle of the Atlanteans in Porto. However as well as having to hold on tight beause of the poor roads and cobbled streets it must have got quite hot on there.

Hold Tight Please: Jojo on the buses

2011-08-23T03:25:00.001-07:00

Hold Tight Please: Jojo on the buses, a photo by DUDLEY865 on Flickr.

A picture full of symbolish as my world as Christopher the artist and transport enthusiast and Jojo my feminine other half have joined up. Maybe I should have done it earlier as most people seem to either like or be not be bothered about at all.

T43 crossing Richmond Bridge in london

2011-08-19T02:54:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate enough to have to call and wait at a little engineering works down beside the river below so it gave me time to take some photos of the local LT buses, but by this time in the Eighties they were all Metrobuses and if I remember Nationals too.

2011-08-18T11:40:00.001-07:00

London's evening rush-hour in Victoria with commuters rushing for the Tube and Trains whilst a Grey Green Plaxton 3500 Volvo B10M goes to pick up a few more. It's nice to be able to stand on the sidelines and watch all this activity.

Blue Bus in Bolton

2011-08-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

Blue Bus of Horwich was one of a number of aggressive new operators that emerged after Deregulation and getting quite big. No doubt when they sold out to Arriva well behaved firms like Fishwicks breathed a sign of relief. The company seemed to like Leopards or Tigers like this Duple bodied example that came from West Yorkshire PTE.

Why you bring your Mom and Dad on our honeymoon?

2011-08-12T04:02:00.001-07:00

Why you bring your Mom and Dad on our honeymoon?, a photo by DUDLEY865 on Flickr.

I think this young chap has already resigned himself to a life where he'll get his ears abused. Also in this scene is a rather attractive Hastings and District Duple bodied Tiger and two buses one traditionally wouldn't have really expected to see at Victoria Coach Station.

Charles Cook RBM426M

2011-08-10T03:35:00.001-07:00

Charles Cook RBM426M, a photo by leylandbus on Flickr.

Eastern Counties in Norwich

2011-08-10T02:11:00.000-07:00

I was never a great 'Tilling' fan but for various reasons one gets to like certain companies more than others. A good example is Eastern Counties whose cheery red buses and largely unspoilt operating area made them seem a lot more inspiring than it's seemingly less friendly green neighbours. Also even in NBC days it seemed very civilised with good tidy facilities including the bus station and garage in Norwich, something that is more striking today in the age when garages have been replaced with fenced yards fences and helpful inspectors by an anonymous website or busy telephone number. Even in 1981 here as well as in the city of Cambridge the company ran a sizeable fleet of half-cabs Bristol FS and FLF's but as you can see they were quickly being replaced by new buses like Bristol BVG220T No.VR 220 or more depressingly you might agree the ubiquitous Leyland National.

A Plymouth Adventure!

2011-08-10T01:32:00.000-07:00

A coachload of elderly and infirm people from the Nottingham area arrive in Plymouth on a sunny day for a game of bowls on The Hoe before heading off to sink The Spanish Armada. If they return unscathed their Skills Volvo B10M will be waiting for them and it's driver will no doubt have enjoyed a little snooze after fingering The Sun and yawning.