Black Prince B-Series National ODM 679V

When you think about how many Leyland Nationals were built thankfully they didn't have a massive effect on the second hand market. But of course there were more than enough but the B-Series like this example with Black Prince of Leeds were not quite so numerous, one of a large fleet delivered to Crosville.

TBC 163: Leicester City Transport Trainer

Despite being a much more reliable and dependable bus this sturdy East-Lancs bodied Leyland PD3 was time-expired and had been withdrawn by Leicester City Transport but had been retained as a driver training bus.

Blackburn GUY CBV 433: Two Faces of Modernism

Blackpool with it's tacky bling might still have it's tower which can be seen from miles away but even humble Morecambe has it's architectural treasure the magnificent Art-Deco Midland Hotel. Having just passed it on the recent Ribble Enthusiasts Running Day was this Blackburn Guy with Crossley bodywork which had been restored to original condition. When built in 1949 this Manchester  streamlined styling was considered state of the art in some town halls especially after the austere wartime utility buses but it looked rather ugly on this Arab111 especially as it's over decorative lining-out belonged in the past on the old tramcars it replaced.

You Cars Burger Off!

I think this gentleman nearing retirement age is wondering if he will make it as he braves the traffic and fumes at Piccadilly Circus in London. Still it looks like he's made it all the way from America so the short hop to his pitch shouldn't be too much bother. When I was a student I got food poisoning from one of these street vendors here and my advice is steer well clear. I was watching an environmental health documentary and it showed these hot dog stands stored in a back yard with pigeon droppings all over them....Lovely! A bit more appealing for me would have been the roar and exhaust cackle of this Duple Dominant bodied Leyland Leopard taking up some local school duties.

tylstrup Rutebiler Scania

An impressive Danish bus was this Scania with a Ringstead body built in that town. Of course as elsewhere here buses are operated under the owners name, but also common is by their colour and also as here by the large village they come from like this one which was taking a break in Aalborg before returning home north to Tystrup in 1982.

National Travel Bova

The beautifully rounded Bova Futura had classic looks which guaranteed it a long life but it's predecesor even though quite stylish had a starkness which was off-putting. When quite new this National Travel London coach was seen somewhere between Newark and Lincoln.

Let's Go to Wolverhampton

Being a saturday with much of the city centre closed off for an event there were plenty of extra buses in Wolverhampton being diverted down Stafford Street and there are no less than three 'Let's Go' ageing Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Darts in this view. taken last week. The name 'Let's Go' seems rather appropriate as frustrated passengers wait for all the traffic-lights to change in this Midlands city.

Ipswich Dennis Falcon C113 SDX

Northern Counties of Wigan got very much involved in building double-deck bodies especially for Greater Manchester but even in the early Eighties when the single-deck market was flat due to the influx of Transits and Sherpas they still managed to find single-deck orders like this one for some Dennis Falcons for Ipswich.

First Badgerline L133 TFB

Perhaps the worst livery ever from the major groups was Barbi2 often not helped by it's hurried application which blanked out any cheerful brightwork including badges which make a bus look loved. As part of the First Group Midland Red West bought a fleet of Plaxton bodied  Dennis Lances but this example later moved on to Badgerline at Bristol where it was seen heading down the Gloucester Road in the golden tinted autumn sunshine.

The Success of Norfolk Green V909 SEG

When I went there in about 2002 Independents as elsewhere in rural Britain were not only helping to keep bus services going Norfolk Green was an award winning example of what can be done with a bit of love and attention to detail. First Group was still hanging on but since then they have pulled out and even Stagecoach who have well practised ways to make things work finally ditched what they inherited when they took over Norfolk Green. All very sad and local authorities and the government should take funding public transport seriously because the true cost of neglect breaks up communities and creates more havoc on the roads. I rather like Harrod's smart Plaxton bodied Dennis and the neat Javeline badge looked just right.  Those van based Mercedes mini-buses might not have been very advanced but they were very reliable compared to the low-floor midi's we see today like the Solo and much better in country lanes.

Stagecoach P603 PBU in Manchester

In the 1990's Manchester was awash with operators big and small, indeed in this view each of the vehicles has a different owner. As well as a Stagecoach Plaxton bodied Volvo and a First Manchester MCW metrobus Mk2 new to West Yorkshire PTE there is one of Dennis's Dennis Darts and tucked in behind it a Maynes.

Hvide Busser at Klampenborg St.

Denmark used to be awash with independent bus operators and this included within the Copenhagen area where some were quite big. Those the biggest however found themselves taken over by HT their 'PTE' but others remained with a decent sized fleet of buses. Hvide Busser was an example of this and it ran some AEC's when I first visited it in 1982 but by the time I took this they were running newer more normal Volvo B10M's like this example at Klampenborg Station.  Often operators were known by the colour of it's buses and hvide is as you can probably guess white.