Devon General's Willowbrook bodied Atlanteans.

The very early Leyland Atlanteans bodied by the MCW Group and lookalikes by the others have a reputation for being rather uninspired. But as the sixties unfolded matters improved and other bodybuilders did some attractive designs. One of my favourites was by Willowbrook of Loughborough who supplied Devon General with six new buses in 1966. Not only were these buses better looking than the earlier MCW and Roe Atlanteans in the fleet they came equiped with more powerful Leyland 0680 engines needed on steep hilly routes around Torquay.

New standee buses for London

In the mid-Sixties London Transport tried new bus types including the AEC Swift or named for LT at first the Merlin. Sadly these less dependable stablemates would push out the ultra-reliable RTL based on the Leyland PD2 also to be seen here at Victoria. The first fourteen surprisingly had Stratchens bodywork and introduced both 'opo' and the continental concept of standee city buses to London operating short distance Red Arrow routes.

Porto: Evening heat haze.

I don't know if I've posted this image before but at the moment I can't bring much new stuff as my scanner needs to be re-configured as it doesn't normally work on Vista. However I rather like this view of a rather smart AEC entering Porto on a journey from Aluger.

May I wish you all a very Merry Christmas

Of course snowy images are not so effective this year but I'm sure Swiss snow is a more expensive luxury product or maybe it was just their Saurer and FBW buses that were better like this Saurer RH P24267 from the Eighties alongside a Nineties NAW BH 4-23 fellow PTT Davos stablemate. The NAW was a continuation of the small specialist alpine bus following the takeover by Mercedes-Benz but despite that these quite attractive buses found a following.

Swedish coaches and Danish blonds in Aarhus

Some people prefer coaches to buses but I like both and when it's to make a decent photograph it doesn't matter either way. I'm glad I did as for instance when I caught some of my 'buses and girls views' I snapped some vehicles that I might not have bothered with but which  have become a lot more interesting with the passage of time.
Probably but I can't really remember if I was also after the tall slim Danish blond girl in Aarhus but one doesn't see many Volvo's like this from Sweden perhaps bodied by Kutter carried on the front.

Hants & Sussex AEC Merlin in Portsmouth

Despite their short lives with London Transport these AEC Merlins and Swifts did not achieve the kind of popularity enjoyed by better buses like the DM Fleetline finding new owners. Hants and Sussex not only ran them but kept them looking smart too and on a rare visit to Portsmouth managed to snap one before it went too dark one December afternoon.

Learning in all weathers

Despite it not being a wonderful quality photograph I still rather like this wintry 'get in front and jump out to take' shot of PMT yellow Leopard trainer 927UVT which had trundled through Tittensor on the A34 with Bassett's Roadways in the background.

A Manchester Atlantean in Whitstable

Following Deregulation Greater Manchester Atlanteans and Fleetlines too seemed to appear in many fleets. Fortunately the Northern Counties 'Standards' looked good in any livery including East Kent whose new colours reminded us of pre-NBC days. ONF657R was No 7657 but now 7557 as it paused across the road from the cafe where I used to have breakfast on Fridays in Whitstable before driving home via London for work.

A Black & White Christmas

Actually it should be 'black and blue' as I tumbled on a high kerb last week as I was running for a bus and ended up in hospital where I had six stitches on my chin and another on the bridge of my nose. Thankfully nothing was broken but I'm feeling very sore and bruised and not in a party mood. In 1969-70 a Black & White Daimler Roadliner enters Victoria Coach station.

Eastbourne: Memories of Summer

Enjoying the sunshine at Eastbourne in the 90's was this Van-Hool bodied Leyland Tiger carrying the registration letters of it's owner Ivy.

Historic Bern

Switzerland has done much to shake off it's old image and there was nowhere more conservative than Bern it's capital where the biggest disturbance was elderly trams pulling trailers as they slowly as if half asleep snaked through the medieval streets grinding and squealing as the went.

Out Christmas Shopping in Knightsbridge

December many years ago and in Knightsbridge I think they shop for the festive season all year round. A not very old London Buses Metrobus M1180 B180WUL of 1984 is not afraid to use it's size to justle it's way through the lunchtime traffic. It was heading for Turnham Green where it was one of fifty buses garaged there. No doubt I was trying to get the girl on the crossing in the shot too and she almost got away.