Solent Blue Nationals in Southampton

Originally with Hants and Dorset a pair of Leyland Nationals were seen hard at work in Southampton surrounded by Christmas Shoppers in the Nineties.

Oldham Corporation Atlantean GBU 143D

Once image conscious General Managers and designers got their heads around the problems of designing a decent rear-engined double-deck body some of the results were quite pleasing such as this style of Roe body to be found on most of the Leyland Atlanteans in the Oldham fleet. Ian Allan called their main colour maroon but it wasn't quite that as it was pinky a bit like Eden Vale black cherry yogurt. Not as tasty but rather nice and distinctly different when freshly turned out like many of the Municipal liveries.

I Might Not Look It But I Am The Number One: N201 UHH Stagecoach Cumberland

It must go back to my spotting days but I'm still attracted to bus numbers and registrations and Stagecoach Cumberland number-one was too tempting despite being a minibus. I quite like the Mercs and another thing that attracted me was it still had it's badge another of my requirements lol. Despite all the bus trivia it is still a nice interesting photo as in the background a massive Taylor Martley Scania artic squeezes it's way through Kendal's narrow streets, th norm before the M6 was built.

A Redeployed AEC Regent at Cosford JCR 292E

Seen at the Cosford Air Show in the Eighties was this former Southampton AEC Regent with most of it's East-Lancs body removed. I imagine it was used to tow gliders and light aircraft.

An Alpha MB Tourismo in Stafford BU16 HBC

I couldn't snap this one as I was driving so I asked my friend Vicky to snap it. As quick as a flash she grabbed the camera and took a pretty fine photo considering. It was of an Alpha of Euxton Mercedes touring coach No.95  heading for a pick-up or drop-off by Stafford Station.

Plymouth Citybus in Tavistock L302 YOD

As more of the Plymouth Citybus route network started to spread beyond the city boundery they became a familiar sight in Tavistock. But when this was taken in the Nineties they were still a slight novalty with coaches visiting on contract work like this Plaxton bodied Volvo B10M.

First Barbi in Bolton

Typical of the first buses to initially appear in First's corporate 'Barbi' livery were buses like this Wright bodied Volvo seen in Bolton.

A Portsmouth Atlantean CPO 346W in London!

Often when I was working I had a lot of time to kill which was a bonus for someone who enjoys photography. Sadly we can't always guarantee that the weather will be equally obliging but at least there was some thin Autumn sunshine on this occasion when I had to go to Earls Court and come back later. When it comes to buses London could always offer the odd surprise but this East-Lancs bodied Portsmouth Leyland Atlantean was a rarity indeed.

A dull morning at Plymouth Bretonside greets the passengers as they alight this impressive looking Van-Hool bodied Leyland Royal Tiger which was something of a rarity. It belonged to Dack's Rosemary Coaches from the King's Lynn area of Norfolk. It's 'cherished' registration had come home as 'OU' was a Devon marque but not as one might suspect off a Western National Lodekka once a familiar sight in here.

We're Goin to Lincoln

Because of the weather the early November Lincoln transport museum running day pretty well marks the end of the bus rally season but this time we were greeted by a beautiful crisp autumn day. The Delaine is always well represented and never common, there are just a couple of these Willowbrook bodied Atlanteans/Fleetlines left. In later years the Loughborough firm, part of Duple built mostly saloon bodies for the BET and some on a lightweight chassis for the Independents and Highland. It used to build double-deck bodies particularly for Trent but the advantage of Willowbrook is they would take a single vehicle contract like this though Whippet also took a similar bus at about the same.time.

Manchester: The Many Faces of Barbi

I don't know if it was intentional but I find the friendly 'Thomas The Tank Engine Faces' on this generation of the Alexander Dennis Enviro buses a bit freaky. Whilst I have my rant,  the current First livery is a bit insipid and not much improvement on the previous one as it was these similar cold depressing pastel colours that was it's fault, indeed it strikes me as a watered down version of  Barbi but at least it's not as bad as horrible 'Barbi 2'.Nothing was as bad as Barbi 2. The trouble is unlike proper nice red and cream Manchester buses of old these trendy colour schemes might look good on the drawing board but not in practice. Of course it's all a matter of taste as I admit I'm something of a traditionalist. Before someone mentions it, Derby Corporation adopted a similar grey and blue scheme but what was wrong with the olive-green and cream, at least it had a bit of class!

Lothian Leyland Tiger Duple Laser

Always so smart I think the white livery of the Lothian coach fleet didn't do it justice, anyway it didn't show them off very well. As usual Leylands were the normal choice and a Duple Laser bodied Tiger was seen in Prince's Street.