National Extress Service 546

We don't see many National Express coaches calling in Stafford any more as they use the M6 as a by-pass and call in at Penkridge before the next main stop Wolverhampton. I recognised this driver as I sat at the front and talked to him when I returned from Stanstead on the 777. At this time in the late Nineties contractors like the Birmingham Coach company were encouraged to buy the standard Plaxton bodied Volvo B10M Expressliner as I think it was called.

Lausanne FBW Trolleybus 747

As it's New Years Day I thought I would post one of my most favourite photos taken in Lausanne. As you might guess obviously I wanted to get the girl in this shot and then she gave me such a lovely smile it made my day.

Maidstone Corporation Daimer CVG6 LKJ 777

When I was at Maidstone Art School in 1967-8 the Corporation had a 100% Massey bodied Leyland fleet apart from three old Daimler CVG6's and Brush bodied 77 was still wearing the much more tasteful and pleasant ginger livery when photographed. By the time I left another three G-Reg Atlanteans had joined the fleet and the old days were gone.

West Midlands Dennis Trident Y754 TOH

Despite Birmingham trying to make the place more people-friendly it is still a city of concrete and draughty tunnels as seen here close to the Bull Ring as a Dennis Trident emerges from the gloom.

Felix of Stanley Lynx in Derby J564 URW

Felix of Stanley was one of the many Independents that avoided the temptation of growth following Deregulation and consequently stayed in business perhaps longer than the more ambitious and more foolhardy operators who either couldn't cope or got swallowed up in the malaise. So still a familiar sight at Derby in the 90's was this interesting later series and rather appropriately for Felix a Lynx, one which had some fame as a well-travelled Leyland demonstrator.

Recent Arriva Mercedes Minibus at Winnington Northwich

For a few years now I have driven through Northwich and never made the time to stop especially as most of the Arriva buses from Winsford that serve the town are familiar types. But just before Christmas I left home slightly early so I could catch this a rare minibus, a Mercedes with some some reason a London registration and it was seen at Winnington with some of what is left of ICI in the background.

Preserved Stagecoach Ribble Volvo Olympian P234 VCK

Taking part in this year's Ribble Running Day at Morecambe was this Northern Counties Volvo Olympian in those once controversial Stagecoach Stripes.

Brisol Omnibus FLF LH 7267

The Bristol FLF never seemed more at home than in the city of Bristol itself and indeed BOC bought over three-hundred of them with a few surviving on a lay service into the early Eighties.

White Christmas! Select Olympian J722 GAP

Snow at Christmas in much of Britain is a reality very often and the concept is just another unwanted import from America where they have much colder winters in the north. Generally here it's even bright and sunny or just as likely to be wet and miserable just like in this view from January 2015 as the well known former Stagecoach Leyland Olympian of Select made it's way through Moss Pit on it's way into Stafford.

DAB Articulated bus to Meandowhall C104 HDT

Articulated single-deck buses have yet to gain popularity in Britain. The Mercedes Citaro buses introduced in London proved so unpopular they had to be quickly sold off and some found their way to places like Malta but  in the Sheffield area South Yorkshire PTE was one operator which saw their virtues and had the only sizable batch of DAB-Leylands to enter service in the UK. They were well suited to the service to Meadowhall which enjoyed good stretches of wide straight roads like this.

Scottish Citylink Metroliner

Despite being being only a year or two apart these two Scottish coaches taking a refreshment break on the long trip south to London look very different. The Eastern Scottish Leyland Tiger on the right wears a familiar looking Duple body but the Northern Citylink coach from Aberdeen was a lot more interesting as only a few of these Metrolines were ever built 

South Lancs Tiger in Leigh F62 SMT

South-Lancs had rather a bright and attractive blue and yellow livery. A Duple bodied Leyland Tiger was seen in Leigh.