Western Nationa Mercedesl Hoppa C981 GCV.

Maybe not enough years have passed yet for us to feel any nostalgia for the 'Minibus Revolution' that swept through the bus industry but I certainly miss that West Country Sunshine down in Plymouth

EBV87S: Blackpool Bank Holiday Sunday

With the prospect of rain imminent it looks like the day trippers are fed-up with Blackpool already and it isn't even lunchtime. In those days Flyde still had it's Atlanteans like smart Northern Counties EBV87S as did Blackpool itself and even a fleet of London Routemasters so even though it might have been a good idea to leave the bucket and spade at home there will still plenty for the transport enthusiast to enjoy and they hardly notice the weather .

The Ambassador Sends his Compliments

By the end of the Eighties the Plaxton bodied Volvo B10M had become the norm for National Express work. Having said that there were a few Scania's too and of course the odd dwindling newer example of the Leyland Tiger like this one G109 HNG belonging to Ambassador leaving Victoria Coach Station for Cromer. Ambassador was by now a dated and meaningless sort of name once embraced by often two-bit coach firms to make their coaches sound posh and luxurious. However I  like the idea of some diplomat's female staff wearing a tight but not too short dress and expensive stockings busy  dishing out champagne and Ferrero Rocher to the pensioners with their boiled sweets or back-packers with their crisps and bottle of pop on the boring journey to Norfolk.

1521: Welcome to Berlin

In the Eighties BVG the Berlin bus operator had a smart blue and gold painted fleet of MAN buses which in theory did most of the journeys on the Number Nine service from the Zoo to Tegal airport. It was not very fast as the business people and tourists had to mingle with others doing a short hop and it could get very congested with all the luggage too. Of course on did mind all that hassle when they were arrival but on the return trip it was annoying.

Midland Red Willowbrook 003 Leyland BVP800V

One of Midland Red's Leyland Leopards with unpopular Willowbrook 003 bodywork was seen at Coventry Pool Meadow with another Leopard of Harry Shaw in the background.

Laurel & Hans in Berlin

There is budget coach travel and then there is real budget coach travel. This firm whose name escapes me with it's collection of elderly ECW bodied Bristol FLF's and then VR's used to do trips to Europe for I imagine young back-packers. Of course having to cross the Channel makes a lot of these capitals like Berlin seem a lot further away than they are but I'm sure I would have a sore bum and be looking forwards to a good nights sleep after a six-hundred mile ride on this old former Eastern Scottish decker LFS 285F.

Driver Training in Steglitz

After Reunification Berlin needed a number of extra buses I expect to replace the BVB East Berlin Ikarus fleet. Tenders were also put out to contractors too which I imagine this Mercedes-Benz belonged as it had a Berlin registration.