National Express Caetano Levante FJ61 EWM

When they first appeared on the scene the Caetano Levante certainly had that wow factor, but of course like this one at Wolverhampton they became just as familiar as the old Plaxtons were.

MAN SD B.V.1940 at Berlin Zoo

Berlin is a bit of a grey city or rather more of a sandy grey but there is always plenty going on and the area around the Zoo and the railway station are always busy.

WKR 136S Luton Corporation?

The highbridge bodied Bristol VR's built by ECW were scarce enough compared to their lowheight sisters to always look a bit strange. Maidstone and District had some and 5136 was seen close to the depot in Luton, not to be mistaken with the better known place with the same name where the Vauxhall's come from.

Southampton Corporation Atlantean East-Lancs OCR 150G at Shirley

In the Sixties the BET Group could present a very modern image with it's curved glass same at both ends single-deckers and stylish products from Alexander like the Y-type and double-decker. The municipal sector was a lot more staid in it's 'tried and tested ratepayers money' approach but Ralph Bennett shook things up when he cooperated with East-Lancs to create striking new buses for Bolton. They first appeared with a flat front as part of the concept but this soon gave way to a more popular modification with  curved glass. Other concerns were able to buy these buses too and they modernised many Corporation fleets including Southampton where they came to dominate. What I liked about this city was the fact that the new buses wore this the Bolton arrangement whereas the half-cabs retained the mostly dark red traditional scheme to the end and looked much better for it as it made the new ones look even more modern and exciting yet at the same time respected the heritage and suitability of the older fleet.

Optares of Preston Buses and ABC

For quality not one of my best photographs but it is quite atmospheric and has points of interest. In the town a Preston Optare Metrobus used on the Park and Ride is pursued by another Optare, this time a Delta of ABC on the Southport service.

Northern General VFT 188T at Jarrow

Northern General bought some Atlanteans from Tyne & Weir and retained the same yellow livery which was adopted as standard for services in the PTE area. These buses were quite interesting as they were about the last bodies to be built by MCW before it dropped it's other work to concentrate on it's much in demand

P25329 Le Chaux de Fonds

The Swiss Post Office operated a large fleet of Mercedes 0405's but some were to PTT's own specification and were bodied in Switzerland by R&J as they had to include a luggage compartment at the rear for the mail like this example at the Chaux de Fonds, a town in the Jura near the French border once at the heart of the world famous clock and watch making industry.

East London NDZ 3016 in East London!

No doubt many of you will recognise immediately where I took this photo of one of the many Wright Handy Bus bodied Dennis Darts originally placed in service with London Buses before finding their way into fleets like Stagecoach after the bits were sold off. These were hardly beautiful buses but they did the job. I know where it was but if I say not far from say Hackney someone will call me an idiot lol.

Grey Green Volvo Plaxton B870 XYR

A visit to The Thames Embankment was usually rewarded with parked coaches. Some had come from all over Britain and indeed the Continent but this Grey green Volvo woth a Plaxton Paramount 3500 body was one of the locals.

Cardiff a break before the trip back to Merthyr on BHB 341C

First thing at about 7.30am was a good time to take photographs at Cardiff bus station with soft sunlight and it facing the right way. It's intending passengers prefer to enjoy the sunshine rather than board the bus to Merthyr whilst no doubt it's crew are getting a cup of tea and maybe a well deserved cooked breakfast before the long journey back up the valleys. Despite the distance covered the upstairs windows of the bus are still steamed up so it was still a bit chilly and the air damp inside. Today I for one wouldn't want to be up there with the acrid cigarette smoke in those conditions, stay downstairs where it's warmer too and listen to the East-Lancs bodied Leyland PD3 clatter through the gears as it dutifully slogs from one place to the next homewards.

Stagecoach FX12 BLK in Lincoln

I'm afraid I like to be different for whilst others were taking as many views as they could of all those gems at the Lincoln Transport Museum running day I also wanted to get some of the ordinary buses in service there, most of which were these Stagecoach Enviros. Of course the old ones are more interesting but I like to get a bit of everything I guess. Having said that I was pleased to include the lovely preserved Lincolnshire Leyland Lion one of the buses we were able to ride on.

Preston Bus Dennis Trident V194 EBV

With the small town of Leyland right on it's doorstep Preston Corporation was very loyal to the big bus manufacturer over the years. When they were no longer available it had to go elsewhere for it's chassis and at least Dennis is British and the bodywork built in Lancashire in nearby Blackburn. In the 90's East-Lancs bodied Dennis Trident 194 approaches the bus station followed by a Leyland Lynx.

Silver Service AEC Reliance in Liverpool

Silver Service of Darley Dale operated this former Green Line Duple bodied AEC Reliance on it's LINCMAN Mansfield to Liverpool service.

Down The Pan For This Neoplan

Is it just me getting old and boring or are buses and coaches really becoming more monstrously hideous looking? Now a retro-look from the comic books of the Fifties I suppose it's what could be called 'futuristic' but I think like the world of Spiderman it will all date very quickly as it is ugliness disguised as cutting-edge. I've never been a huge fan of the American influenced Neoplan either and this is about the worst of the lot. One thing will be interesting is if we ever we see in old age coaches like this Leon's example in Stafford  doing the daily schools runs.

First in BoltoN: A Variation on Barbi G57 RND

When I took this photo in Bolton the First Group was still playing with it's Barbi image and the awful Barbi2 had yet to receive it's drizzle. Even this a different version which appeared on a former Timeline Alexander bodied Leyland Tiger driver training bus would have been some improvement.