Derby: Blue Bus

Sadly three years after Derby Corporation took over Blue Bus of Willington in 1973 and it's routes between Derby and Burton on Trent one night a fire destroyed both the bus garage and all nineteen vehicles inside including the most famous Daimler Fleetline of them all, the the very first one which entered service as a works demonstrator with the registration 7000 HP. Fortunately not everything was lost and a couple of rare Daimlers deckers survived as they were at Ascot Road. But the Blue Bus look lived on for a while as it was worn at least by some Plaxton bodied AEC Reliance coaches built to 'Grant' specification. Seen crossing The Trent Bridge in Burton No.13 could even boast an attractive driver at the wheel but I think I would still have preferred one of the early Northern Counties Fleetlines as I always liked them or something older.