Transport Illustrated

Dublin '79-'81

2012-02-13T15:39:00.000Z

A major benefit of attending a university in a seaport such as Liverpool was the opportunity for ferry travel, and not necessarily to Birkenhead or the Isle of Man. By the 1970s the great liners had left the Mersey but links to Ireland still existed and the B+I Line's service to Dublin was a tempting getaway from the stresses of academia, taken by me in both February 1979 and again in 1980.

The Irish nationalised transport industry was years away from being split into a railway and two bus operating companies so Coras Iompair Eireann (CIE) was still publicly whole. The Dublin bus livery was changing from blue and cream to a rather bland ochre livery but there were still plenty of half-cabs to give me a glimpse of the declining old order.

As the title picture suggests the old front-engined buses were now joined by Atlanteans, carrying CIE finished bodies or those built by Van Hool McArdle. The days of the screaming Bombardiers had yet to arrive.

This pair of PDR1A/1 Atlanteans show the rather odd lines of their bodywork, built, as with so many Irish buses, by CIE on Metal Sections frames.

On the left is D 381 (381 IK). Many Atlanteans in later life were fitted with DAF engines, causing the rear ends to look even more awkward. It was notable how many advertising spaces were found on these buses.

While the Irish bus scene was highly unified in state bodies both sides of the border there was, as now room for independent operators such as Silverdale of Dublin who were running this Duple Dominant bodied Bedford YRT, 497 FIK.

Another look here at one of the earlier types of Atlantean, this time a PDR1/1 D114 (VZI 114), again with CIE/MS bodywork.

The frontal advertisements are for Murphy's stout which I was told quite firmly by a local drinker later in the day was very much an interloper in the capital since it was from Cork. The conversation went along the lines of "If you look on Heuston Station you'll see a poster for Murphy's right by the public conveniences. Well, it does say 'Join the Murphy's Movement'..."

The older livery was, I believe based on Birmingham Corporation's and was being worn here by D 537 (537 ZU).

The PDR1A/1 body was not by CIE/MS but in fact the first product of the new Van Hool McArdle bodybuilding joint venture, established by the government to promote Irish bus construction, a path that later led to GAC-Bombardier building complete buses, although I'm sure many would suggest they were never q-u-i-t-e complete.

Here's a nearside view of similar D 560 (560 ZU), showing the dual-door arrangement.

So much bus advertising in Dublin seemed to be for food and drink, the latter usually of the stronger variety, as shown by D 675 (675 ZO) showing the more vertical lines of the second, and main Van Hool McArdle body. The Atlantean chassis had also moved on, to the AN68/1R type.

The livery may have been taken from Birmingham but the CIE numbering system was firmly Scottish, being based on that used by Alexander's. R 903 (NZE 612) was one of a number of oddities on the streets at the time.

At first glance you'd just take this as being a Park Royal-bodied Leyland PD3 but these were in fact rebuilds of Leyland Tigers carrying Park Royal bodies completed by CIE themselves in the early sixties.

The dated three window arrangement and seven bay bodies based on the discontinued Leyland design made the CIE PD3s look far older than they were. RA 94 (OYI 859) was in fact a 1960 PD3/2 with CIE/MS bodywork.

I do hope that's a destination, not a mission statement.
The Irish rural bus of the time was the C-class Leyland Leopard, here exemplified by C 61 (EZH 61), a 1965 PSU3/4R with CIE/Metal Sections bodywork like its double deck colleagues.

Here's an offside look of a Van Hool McArdle AN68/1R in the form of 1975's D 712 (712 ZO), with advertising for a product that you couldn't directly consume!

R 903 (NZE 612) is seen again, this time leading one of the PD3s.
and displaying her nearside. Frontally, St.Helens leads Midland Red.

Once known as Amiens Street, by 1979 the main railway station for services to the north had long been renamed Connolly and I headed there for a look at CIE's railway operations, with a trip to Howth at the northern end of Dublin Bay.

First I took a quick look at the terminal platforms which hosted the express service to Belfast. I did get a couple of shots of Northern Ireland railways trains in here but they're sadly unusable.

The main activity seemed to be out on the through lines which hosted the suburban services, then diesel 'push-pull' hauled, now part of the electrified DART system.

Back in 1979 the snow was beginning to fall, much to my later inconvenience as I spent a few hours before the overnight ferry back to Liverpool trying out a few of the city's legendary bars, only to discover that the snow had become so serious that all buses had been taken off the road. It's a long way to walk down the North Wall to the ferry, especially when you'd taken a few pints of Guinness and Smithwick's.

Ahead of that CIE loco 220 waits to take me to Howth. This C-type class 201 loco was one of 34 built by Metropolitan-Vickers in Mancheser to help dieselise CIE in 1956. The original Crossley engines caused serious problems and had to be replaced by General Motors versions.

From 1969 this class had been adapted to run with four-car diesel multiple units in push-pull formation on the Dublin suburban lines.

Up at Howth Junction, where the line to Belfast diverts I took this view of 052, one of the larger Co-Co Metro-Vicks classified 001 and also known as type As.

60 of these were built for major services after the death of steam.

Here's a view of Howth station, looking very unlike anything we'd see in the UK.

Apart from seeing the bay my reason for the visit was Howth's place in tramway history as the former location of the Hill of Howth Tramway, Ireland's last, surviving until 1959, well after the demise of the country's major Dublin United Tramways system.

On my 1980 trip I also took a view of the former tramway bridge. One of the trams survives at Crich and ran at Blackpool in Centenary Year, 1985.

Inside the station B-type 141 class loco 175 was running round its train, right on the bay's shore.

This was one of 37 locos built by General Motors in 1962 and was one of the last to be withdrawn, nearly fifty years later in 2010.

Back in the Dublin in 1979 the service to the airport was in the hands of coaches such as PL 32 (NZO 32), a Plaxton Panorama Elite bodied Leopard PSU3A/4R.

The city's long-distance bus and coach station is called the Busaras where we find M 99 (99 IK), a 12m PSU5/4R with distinctive CIE dual purpose bodywork in the red livery used outside Dublin.

On now to 1980, carrying Expressway livery and bound for Cork was one of the full coach versions, M 26 (26 IK).

Ironically, just as many of CIE's railway locos had been re-engined by General Motors GM also supplied new engines for many of the M-class Leopards.

Outside was another C-class Leopard, C 75 (EZH 75), a PSU3/4R with CIE/MS bodywork.

Passing under what is now an electrified railway was RA 26 (CYI 661), another of the city's venerable PD3/2s.

Following was C 193 (EZH 193), another PSU3A/4R, this time carrying the red livery.

The 30 foot length of the PD3s is exaggerated by the sheer number of bays in the side view of RA82 (OYI 847).

Back at Connolly station C-type loco 232 waits at the head of its train.

As I mentioned earlier the suburban trains comprised of a C-type loco coupled to a former four car diesel electrical multiple unit.

These 2600-class units had been built in the UK by the famous bus combination of AEC and Park Royal. Driving trailer 6112 brings up the rear of the formation here at Connolly.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that steam traction lived-on, given the swirling steam often found on CIE's railway. Much rolling stock was still steam-heated and special boiler cars often had to be marshalled into the trains.

Outside Connolly I took some shots of passing traffic, including this shot of an Ulsterbus coach heading back to the province.

152 (TOI 152) was a Duple Dominant I Express bodied PSU3E/4R, pretty similar to the standard NBC coach at the time.

Down by the River Liffey was Van Hool McArdle bodied PDR1A/1 DF 589 (589 ZU), the 'DF' signifying it had been converted to DAF power.

My final visit in 1980 was to Heuston station, the principal station for the south and west. Taking shelter, and a reminder of how Belfast's trams actually terminated inside one of that city's stations was RA 126 (HZA 251), another PD3/2.

The long-distance expresses serving Heuston included BR-style air-conditioned coaches, the design adapted for Ireland's broad 5'3" gauge.

Leading the way was 080, one of 18 built by GM just four years earlier in 1976 and the principal loco class on CIE at the time.

Finally here's a shot of another 141-class B type 151. The first carriage in its rake was a generating car for the air conditioning system.

I was just about to close this report when I realised that when I went back to Dublin in 1981, this time on business, I did have time to get some photos.

By then the GAC-Bombardier era had begun and I'm adding a few more shots which might be of interest.

At the Busaras and carrying CIE coach tours livery was LVH 45 (AZD 175), a Van Hool rebodied PSU3/4R Leopard on the airport service.

I must have had a better camera for the later trip, giving this sharper view of one of the Atlanteans, D 79 (VZI 79), a PDR1/1-CIE/MS combination.

KE 34 (34 VZJ) was one of the new Bombardier GMTC coaches, here in CIE Tours International livery.

Something tells me it won't make it to Sydney or Auckland. Who said it was lucky to make it to Clontarf?

What can you say about the Bombardier double-decker? A screaming elephant on roller skates? Perhaps I'm being unkind since I'm sure somebody loved them. KD 7 (7 JZL) was a GM DD type. At least the livery was an improvement.

The Expressway fleet had received KE 3 (3 VZJ), a GM IC (Inter City?) type.

To close (again) , here's a more conventional but still distinctive vehicle, DVH 1 (21 HZJ), a Bedford YMT with Van Hool Aragon coachwork.

So much had changed in a year and it looks like I was just in time in 79 & 80 to catch the half-cabs!

Southend Open Top Running Day 1995

2012-02-06T13:38:00.001Z

I reported on a delightful open top running day in Southend in 2009 (here) but this was not the first to be held in the Essex resort for the first took place back in 1995. The twin effects of deregulation and privatisation a decade earlier, plus the decline of Southend as a family holiday resort was threatening the future of the town's long-running seafront service, then in the hands of local operator and dealer, Stephenson's of Rochford.

Indications were that 1995 would be the final year for the open-toppers so a running day was arranged in late summer to mark this. For once I can state that every bus that you see in a report will be roofless.

The event base was in Southchurch Park East, the venue for the annual rally held in June, but this day a much smaller line-up was on offer.

Bristol FLF6G 2300 (RWC 608) started life in 1963 as 2605, one of the famous Lodekka coaches built principally for Eastern National's X10 service from Southend to London Victoria.

That service was later reduced to an express bus service numbered 400 and the Lodekkas were converted to buses. Some ended-up as open-toppers in the late seventies as they replaced the majority of the Bristol KSWs that had been used since the mid-sixties.

2300 arrives at Chalkwell Shelter at the western end of the seafront esplanades. The old 67 and 68 routes would turn inland here, en route to their joint terminus at Highlands - Thames Drive, a location very familiar to those who follow or contribute to Fleet News in Buses Magazine.

The warning painted over the front windows was a very relevant one for the headroom under the pier bridge was extremely limited.

Back on Western Esplanade in Westcliff, Southend 244 (FOP 429) heads west. The former Crosville Lodekka following is passing the point where I took my first-ever photo back in the early sixties, ironically featuring 244. A copy of this appears in my first-ever posting (here).

244 has had a long history since being built as a utility Daimler CWA6 for Birmingham Corporation in 1945. It was brought to Essex by the Bridge family's combined Benfleet & District/Canvey & District business, passing to Westcliff-on-Sea after the family sold-out to the former Tilling Company.

Westcliff was finally absorbed by Eastern National in 1955 and 244, together with several other utilities were sold-on to Southend Corporation who, after a year of service converted them to open-top.

I well remember these buses in my childhood on the 68 service, SCT's half of the joint services which ran from East Beach in Shoebury to Thames Drive, the 68 travelling via Leigh-on-Sea town centre while Eastern National's 67 ran more inland up Chalkwell Avenue and London Road to reach the terminus. Terminals had varied previously and there had briefly been 67A and 68A variants with the 67's inland terminii being later amended to Eastwood Kent Elm and Temple Sutton - Golden Goblet.

The lengthy esplanades were common ground though. As a child I did prefer EN's KSWs if only for the fact that they had upholstered seats whereas SCT's retained their wooden upper-deck seating.

Back in the sixties the last thing I'd ever expect to be working Southend Sea Front was a Crosville bus.

DFG 72 (882 VFM) is a 1962 FSF6G latyer owned by Lloyd-Williams Chartered Surveyors of Fyfield in north west Essex whose advertising it carried. Following its career in the north Wales resorts it had run for Sampsons of Hoddesdon before entering preservation.

Later Southend Fleetlines would serve in north Wales. Symmetry?

The Cliff Lift had just emerged from one of its periods of disuse, as indicated by the sign. This is an oddity, using just one carriage and a counterbalanced weight underneath the line rather than two cars. The run is rather short up to the town's Georgian Royal Terrace and I never knew it to be heavily used.

Walberswick is a village on the Suffolk Coast, I was later to establish but back in '95 I certainly hadn't heard of it before Eastern National 2383 had started running a seasonal service there.

2383 (WNO 479), a 1953 KSW5G was remarkably still with EN, ending-up as First Essex 90230 before eventually retiring to private preservation in north Essex just a few years ago. Apart from Southend EN had open top services in Clacton and 2383 had, like so many of its sisters served in both resorts.

Ten KSWs were converted in the mid-sixties, five each at Chelmsford and Prittlewell works in Southend. 2383 was one of the Chelmsford conversions, highly-identifiable by their upper-deck windshield featuring more curvaceous, ECW-style windows.

2300 recreates the classic view of emerging from under Southend's pier bridge which has been quoted as being the reason for local buses having been mainly lowbridge until the sixties.

This isn't strictly true since only the seafront services ran under it, mainly with open-toppers although I do recall the odd Leopard or lowbridge Titan covering in bad weather.

The main problem bridges were in Southend High Street, which had restricted the town's trams to the northern half of that thoroughfare, plus those at Hockley and Hambro Hill in Rayleigh. All three were on SCT's trunk 7 route to Rayleigh.

Generations of buses had stopped at the bridge as conductors warned top deck passengers to stay seated while going under. I can still remember how frighteningly close those girders were. Now it's been rebuilt and no longer will unwary drivers from out of town lose their (normally red-coloured) roofs under it.

The section between the Pier and Kursaal amusement gardens is known as Marine Parade where we find EN 2380 (WNO 478), another 1953 KSW5G, its ECW body showing the Prittlewell style of conversion.

She is now a vital part of the Castle Point Transport Museum's fleet, based on Canvey Island.

Southend's utility Daimlers were replaced by four of their final batch of lowbridge buses, 1958-built Massey-bodied PD3/6s. 311-314 were converted while 315 and 316 retained their roofs and survived for many years as driver trainers.

315 survives on Canvey while 314 (PHJ 953), seen here, has been based at the Dover Transport Museum for a number of years. 312 is in Germany while I last saw 313 here in Gloucestershire with the London Bus Export Company in Lydney.

Memories of the utilities lived-on with the new generation for their wooden upper deck seats were used on the PD3s, resulting in rather wide gangways on the eight feet wide successors.
A typically thorough destination display is shown.

In more recent times the sea front routes had been reduced to just one tendered example, the 67, running from East Beach to Thames Drive via Leigh old town.

Southend had latterly used Northern Counties bodied Fleetlines while Eastern National had used VRs.

By 1995 the 67 was with Stephenson's who were using VRT3 MBZ 7140, formerly OTO 151R which identifies it as having been new as East Midland 151.

It would be a gross understatement to say that this has a complex history. Courtesy of Rob Sly's fount of Bristol/ECW knowledge http://bcv.robsly.com/oto151r.html her time before the Essex coast was spent in Scotland with various Stagecoach companies, passing from Stephenson's to Southern National, later First Hampshire & Dorset for use in Weymouth, passing through preservation with Terry Partridge, then on to Chepstow Classic Buses before eventual export to Spain!

With the 67 running as a formal service the preserved examples on the day only displayed route number 68 to avoid confusion.

It's seventy years ago this year since Southend lost its tramway network. Main reminders today of this compact, 3'6" gauge system are the town's Liverpool-style reserved track boulevards in Southchurch and Thorpe Bay but until recently this more tangible example existed.

This bleak scene is of the Corporation Loading Stage, a short pier built by the gasworks for the unloading of coal. Southend Corporation's tram lines were laid onto it to allow access to dedicated coal trams. This transport relic has now gone but in 1995 I finally had a chance to make my only exploration of the redundant pier. At least I have been able to stand on Southend tram lines.

Back on dry land 2380 makes its way along the 'Golden Mile' with its pubs and slot arcades. Behind can be seen the dome of the Kursaal.

I said all of the buses were topless. This of course is a coach.

Joining in the fun was 7227 TU, a 1952 AEC Regal IV 9812E with classic Burlingham Seagull bodywork. New to Mulley's of Ixworth in Suffolk as 33 (ECF 111) it is last reported as being based in the Netherlands.

Westcliff-on-Sea had pioneered open top services in the early fifties with a mixed bag of used double-deckers. Between their era and that of the KSWs this was a typical EN servant on the coast.

2102 (LEV 917) was new in 1947 to City Coach Company of Brentwood, operators of the Southend-Wood Green service later numbered 251 by Eastern National after their takeover.

2102 is a Leyland PD1/1 with Alexander bodywork to Leyland design and passed to Eastern National via Westcliff-on-Sea.

DFG 72 makes its stately way out from under the pier bridge. FSFs, and indeed FSs were pretty-well unknown in Essex, EN having preferred FLFs after moving on from the original LD-type Lodekkas.

244 brings my childhood back.

As does 314.

And 2383.

These were precious sights and revived incredibly fond memories. Sadly the pier was no longer carrying my other childhood inspiration, its fine electric pier railway, it having been replaced by a lightweight diesel version in the eighties.

Thanks to all for giving me the chance to catch up on views I was too young to capture in the 60s and 70s, especially to get those pier shots. Hopefully, despite the much-criticised reshaping of Marine Parade there will be another event like this one day.

Now, I feel like an ice cream. A wonderful Rossi's vanilla or a Tomassi's 'Triple-Header' with that amazing lemon water ice? Choices, choices...

The Liverpool Overhead Railway

2012-01-30T16:02:00.001Z

I took a first trip to the new Museum of Liverpool on Saturday but before taking up that story I'd like to introduce the new look to TI. I'm now using Blogger's 'Dynamic Templates' which give the reader the option to view these reports in various formats, selected by the bar below the header. I've got it set to 'magazine' but you can change as you wish.

Clicking on a report header will open that report in its own window which enables me to post larger images than before. As always if you wish to see the photos in full size just click on them. I hope this will help you to enjoy these reports more.

On now to Liverpool. The museum sits on the waterfront by the old Mann Island Crosville bus terminus at the south end of the city's Pier Head. The transport gallery has a handful of large exhibits, supported by what is, for once, a useful and imaginative audio-visual display.

So the large objects are few but there is no doubting the quality. The star exhibit is Liverpool Overhead Railway coach 3 installed at its operating height of sixteen feet above ground level while down at that ground level is the famous locomotive 'Lion', immortalised for many as the "Titfield Thunderbolt" in the classic British film of the fifties in which it played the title tole.

The LOR carriage is imaginatively and impressively displayed on a section of replica overhead track, having been in store for a very long time. Indeed, despite having been involved with the city for nearly forty years this was my first ever sight of it.

The decking on which the railway was laid was waterproofed thus giving the line its nickname of "The Dockers' Umbrella". Eventually this waterproofing was to be part of its downfall with corrosion being a leading reason for the line's closure in 1956 and subsequent demolition.

Setting emotion aside, the docks were dying by then and the declining need for the line was perhaps reflected by light loadings on the replacement bus service than ran right into my student days in the city in the late 70s.

Sharing the Dock Road with the elevated railway was an almost endless supply of traffic, much horse-drawn to the end, augmented by many of these fine machines, Sentinel Steam Wagons, such as KA 6147.

More precisely this is a 1927 Sentinel 10-12 ton Super Steam Tractor. It was supplied to local firm Simmonds, Hunt & Montgomery and, like its compatriots features a compact vertical boiler at the front of the chassis.

Part of the impressive display upstairs is this large version of an LOR map. The railway, the world's first elevated electrical line, was opened in 1893 at the dawn of electric traction and ran initially for six miles along the city's docks from Alexandra to Herculaneum Dock.

By 1896 it ran from Seaforth Sands south to Dingle, the final section being in tunnel.

The map shows the final extension in 1905 over the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway's North Mersey Branch to join that company's Liverpool to Southport line at Seaforth & Litherland Station. Trains worked even further one day a year, to Aintree for the Grand National.

There is also a scale model of the line, using white lights to simulate the progress of trains along the line and incorporation push-button operated display screens which illustrate the main features of the line.

Up on the first floor balcony you are able to take a good view of the carriage, one of only two survivors. The other, a refurbished trailer is now in the Midlands after having been on display in the Steamport Museum in Southport in my younger days.

Carriage 3 shows the lines of the stock in its original form. These lightweight trains, built in Birmingham, ran in three car multiple unit formation, a very early instance of this now commonplace technology, a pair of motor cars being split by a trailer.

Down below is 'Lion', built in 1838 as a luggage locomotive for the pioneering Liverpool & Manchester Railway. The rapid progress of technology is really brought home when you consider that Step[henson's 'Rocket' was barely a decade older. As mentioned earlier, 'Lion' played a starring role in the Ealing Comedy "The Titfield Thunderbolt" as those battling to keep their railway line in the face of villainous bus competition had to haul the loco out of its museum to save the day.

I think after all that and a steaming career that ran right into the eighties (nineteen, that is) she now has a permanent resting place after 174 years.

Back upstairs we get a reminder that the Overhead was a pioneer in colour light signalling.

The cab end of the carriage shows the fine workmanship of the wood and the rather complex window arrangement.

This poster is still used to publicise the LOR, whether it be book, magazine or video covers. It carries the spirit of the railway superbly.

Another example of publicity.

Note that this map also includes tide tables and a suggestion that staff discipline was a problem.

Here are some other souvenirs, including an advertisement for the line's innovative 'moving staircase' (escalator) at Seaforth Sands where for many years passengers could travel down to street level for onward travel into Great Crosby by LOR Company tramcar.

It perhaps sums up the spirit of Liverpool that one end of the Overhead Railway was underground. This station sign serves as a touching reminder.

The signalling diagram also survives.

This undated fare chart is of interest. For younger readers there were twelve pence to a shilling and twenty shillings to a pound, so a shilling fare would now be five pence.

However, taking inflation into account a shilling, even as late as 1956 would buy as much as a pound today. The reference to 'L.M.R.' rather than 'LMS' does date the chart as being from 1948 to 1956.

As someone once said when an old chap boasted about paying two old pence for a pint of beer in his youth, "Ah, but how often did you HAVE tuppence?"

Here's a rearward look at the carriage, posed against a typically spartan station roof. Only the main Pier Head station and the entombed Dingle had any great substance.

Internally, all but the final couple of bays are glazed-off, with dummies representing typical passengers, a mix of dockers, shipping clerks and sightseers.

Traditional leather strapped windows, wooden seats and a route diagram help to bring the past alive.

The public are admitted to the forward section of the carriage, but the cab door is firmly locked.

Inside our driver takes his eternal stance at the controls.

The controller is a substantial version of those adopted by the electrifying tramways while the rest of the equipment's bulk betrays its early stage of development.

There's even a small area for people to have their photos taken, and a set of prop hats for those wishing to really recapture the past.

The balcony gives this chance for a final museum view of 'Lion' from a different angle.

So, you may ask "How much survives apart from the two carriages?" The answer is precious little, bar some supports along the Dock Road. The structure was comprehensively demolished after closure on December 30th, 1956.

Nine months later the great Liverpool tramway breathed its last and the city's proud pioneering transport heritage had died within just one year.

However that southern terminus at Dingle still exists, below a car workshop, and its tunnel still exists.

At the south end of the line the railway crossed what was then a goods yard on a lattice girder bridge and plunged into the sandstone ridge via this portal. While this photo dates from the eighties it is still visible to this day.

People are occasionally allowed into the station on rare formal tours. Sadly when my old University society were able to book a visit I was prevented by work from joining the tour which was thoroughly disappointing since my uni dissertation was on the business history of The Liverpool Overhead Railway Company. Maybe one day I'll get my chance...

The Overhead was propped-up by debentures that it had scant hope of ever repaying, was run by the Mersey Docks & Harbour Board, and rarely made a profit. That's about all I can remember after over thirty years. It's not one of the essential source documents of the railway although it gave me the excuse to work through the company's records.

West Midlands in the Seventies

2012-01-25T12:46:00.002Z

As regular readers will have noticed, my delves into the archives normally go back to the late eighties since that was when my photography really took off but, inspired by my student colleagues in the old Liverpool University Transport Society (LUPTS) I'd made an abortive start ten years earlier, that is until some kind soul stole the camera.

At the time, 1977, the family had just moved up from Essex to Stourbridge on the edge of the Black Country so much of my output at the time was of that fascinating area. To a young man the prospect of plenty of transport, pubs, great beer, speedway and football was a potent mix and I loved my three years in the area. The photos in today's report date from 1977 to 1980, a period when the former municipal and Midland Red buses had yet to be swept away by PTE standardisation, firstly with Fleetlines and latterly Metrobuses.

My first camera didn't have a built-in light meter so the exposures were based on a cumbersome external unit or more usually guesswork so they weren't quite 'spot-on' but I hope the subject matter compensates.

The tour starts in Dudley with former Midland Red D9 5349 (6349 HA) on the trunk 245 service down to Stourbridge, following the old Dudley & Stourbridge tram company's route through Brierley Hill.

This Willowbrook-bodied D9 had been part of the enforced sale of Midland Red's heartland in the Black Country to the PTE just a few years earlier. Indeed I best remember the D9 in these colours, never having really known the area before moving there, apart from travelling through on Standerwick's 'Gay Hostess' Atlantean coaches.

This rather muddy shot shows how mixed-up the West Midlands PTE (WMPTE) fleet was at the time with this Coventry Fleetline running in Dudley, being overtaken by a former Walsall example.

1364 (CRW 364C) was a CRG6LX, with distinctive Willowbrook bodywork. I'd just missed-out on seeing former Birmingham 'Standards' replacing trolleybuses in Walsall but the scene was still very diverse.

Talking of 'Standards' here's one of the first of WMPTE's examples, 4104 (YOX 104K), a Fleetline CRG6LX with the new body design here in its Park Royal form. As the glimpse of the castle suggests we are still in the old Dudley Bus Station.

On now to Stourbridge which at the time had a split bus station, either side of the Town railway station, then served by single car BR railcars on the branch from the Junction station. This service had made the headlines on our arrival by one of the railcars trying to extend its run northwards with the lead bogie falling into the busy road below its embankment.

D9 5438 (EHA 438D) is on the Birmingham side of the station with its driver illustrating the unusual cab arrangement caused by the type's set back front axle. The door's internal colour also gives away the bus' heritage.

On the town side 6363 (KON 363P) prepares for its return to Birmingham on the 130. Now that road is covered by an extended version of former Birmingham Corporation route 9.

6363 was a later FE30ALR Fleetline, this time with MCW bodywork. An early tip on bodywork recognition was that with the WMPTE Standard the most obvious identifier was the offside emergency door rain guttering. On the Park Royal bodies the leading edge turned upwards whereas the MCW version turned downwards, as in this case.

The scene of the railcar's disgrace is just to the left of this view as 5932 (RHA 932G) waits for its trip into Black Country heartland and the speedway town of Cradley Heath.

It was so notable how strong the interest in my sport was in the area, fuelled by the presence of two other tracks within a dozen miles of the Heathens at Wolverhampton and Birmingham.

Add in Banks's and Batham's beers and I was in a 20 year-old's paradise.

Sadly Cradley lost its track to housing in 1995 and is still battling to find a new home.

Oh yes, 5932 was one of Midland Red's last 'own-builds' being a 1969 S23 and quite an attraction in its own right.

Midland Red still served the town from the south. 6395 (YHA 395J) was a Willowbrook-bodied Leyland Leopard PSU3A/2R. The final BMMO-built single-decker was 'H'-registered.

Back in Dudley WMPTE standardisation wasn't total for the Black Country had the delight of the Alexander-bodied Volvo Ailsa B55-10, as shown by 4758 (JOV 758P) back in Dudley.

These front-engined buses were odd in that the staircase emerged on the upper-deck exactly where you'd expect to find the front seats, no doubt to ease front axle loadings.

The 87 Dudley-Birmingham route had been a tram route before the war.

The former municipal vehicles from West Bromwich, Wolverhampton, Walsall and Coventry had on the whole been integrated into the former Birmingham fleet numbering system that formed the core of the WMPTE's by having suffix letters applied.

104L (RDH 104F), a Northern Counties-bodied CRG6LX Fleetline was ex-Walsall and shows one of the many design compromises that had to be made to convert their centre-entrance bodies to dual-doorway.

Coventry had joined WMPTE in 1974 on establishment of the West Midlands Metropolitan County. Like 1364 seen earlier 5518 (KHP 518E) had migrated to Dudley.

This was a Bristol RESL6G with ECW bodywork slightly disguised by the very non-standard destination display, and was one of the first buses sold after Bristol and ECW were allowed to return to selling outside the nationalised sector.

The influx of buses locally had even included Leyland Atlanteans from Hull, such as 1145 (6345 KH), a Metro-Cammell-bodied PDR1/1, formerly Kingston-upon-Hull 145, again seen in Dudley.

Now for a couple of murky, but hopefully interesting views in Wednesbury over in Sandwell which is one of those compromise council names that few outside the area have any idea where it is. It was made up of places such as West Bromwich, Oldbury and Smethwick and takes its name from a river valley that is mainly occupied by the early, elevated section of the M5. Of course in our hobby the name is more familiar due to the Sandwell Rally held in West Bromwich's Dartmouth Park.

Former West Bromwich 107H (KEA 107E) was a Metro-Cammell-bodied Fleetline CRG6LX, hopefully illustrating how much of a move forward the WMPTE 'Standard' of just a few years later was.

4006 (TOC 6H) was a Northern Counties-bodied CRG6LX-33 which was ordered by West Bromwich before the creation of the PTE in 1969.

Wolverhampton played host to a large parking area full of withdrawn buses which sadly was my only opportunity to see the former municipal front-engined double-deckers, except for the few remaining Birmingham 'Standards'.

Alongside a former Walsall Fleetline was former Wolverhampton 82N (7082 UK), a Weymann-bodied Guy Arab V.

The installation of front entrances on the ex-Walsall Fleetlines was a tricky affair, producing some truly odd sights. 26L (BDH 426C) was a short Northern Counties-bodied CRG6LW.

Showing how a Northern Counties design looked when the front entrance wasn't retro-fitted was 4015 (VOH 15J), another CRG6LX seen here in Dudley.

A quick look at Walsall itself here. Sadly I'd missed the trolleybuses by just seven years.

Trying hard to compensate was 117L (XDH 517G).....a Northern Counties-bodied CRG6LX. Sadly the days of Walsall diversity even away from the wires were well over by this time.

The lady in the queue seems curious to see what the photographer was up to. Sadly today, she'd probably have pre-conceived ideas...

Here is Stourbridge Town station in its old faded GWR glory. Some sleepers and an earth bank try to prevent a recurrence of the earlier embarrassment. Today this station is served by Parry People Movers on the short run down to Stourbridge Junction.

That same January day over three decades ago saw me hunting out some snow shots around Stourbridge and this was my best result, 6129 (LHA 629F), a former Midland Red Alexander-bodied CRG6LX Fleetline.

Wolverhampton was still served by the Midland Red proper from Staffordshire and Shropshire depots.

Armed with the cheque from the West Midlands PTE for the sale of its heartland Midland Red spent a small part by buying Harper Brothers of Heath Hayes, near Cannock and gained themselves this Fleetline CRG6, one of a pair I seem to remember and thus gave the odd sight of a ECW bodies in the Midland Red fleet.

6416 (YHA 416J) was another Willowbrook-bodied PSU3A/4R Leopard, this time carrying local 'Tellus' branding for Telford operations. I wonder if anyone did tell them?

The WMPTE livery for Nationals was later spiced-up with blue and gold bands which led to a complaint in the local press that the PTE was 'wasting money putting gold on its buses'.

He would no doubt be less offended by 4526 (TOE 526N), a 11351/1R model.

Back to Stourbridge now and some views around the long-departed former Midland Red garage. 6292 (YHA 292J) was a former Midland Red Alexander-bodied Fleetline.

Undeterred by the new ownership proclaimed by the sign behind it, Midland Red 353 (GOH 353N), a DP Marshall-bodied Leopard PSU3B/2R prepares for the run south to Worcester.

The 'Standard' body was also used on Mark 2 Bristol VRTs such as 4701 (JOV 701P). As can be seen from the presence of passengers the garage itself formed part of the split bus station.

Alexander-bodied Fleetline 6202 (UHA 202H) sets off on a local service.

The Reddibus local identity for Redditch developed from red lettering on a white band to this garish seventies creation, carried here by Midland Red 277 (NHA 277M), another 11351/1R model.

Out in my local suburb of Wollaston 6112 Alexander-bodied Fleetline (LHA 612F) heads back into town on the 250 service, much-used by myself.

Sadly the bus hides a minor local landmark, a concrete bus shelter embossed with the 1951 Festival of Britain logo. Sadly the presence of this transport fossil is now as much a part of history as Kinver Light Railway trams passing through the same point.

Finally, back to Dudley for some views including former Midland Red National 131 (HHA 131L), one of the early examples for the operator, being a 1151/1R/2501 model.

The PTE bought a test batch of five Metrobuses, including 6833 (SDA 833S), a DR102/1 model showing its rather modified livery.

The use of fundamentally Birmingham colours, albeit a shade lighter in the case of the blue did little to repel Black Country fears that their buses had been 'taken-over' by Birmingham. Outsiders are soon informed that this area is most defintely NOT Birmingham...

This problem had been avoided in South East Lancashire and North East Cheshire by SELNEC adopting a neutral orange and white livery rather than a modified Manchester red. I suppose it was different when you had Salford next door...

The PTE was an early adopter of combined rail and bus passes that were vigorously promoted, as seen here with Travelcard-liveried 4083 (YOX 83K), a CRG6LX Fleetline with Park Royal bodywork (note the rain guttering).

ECW bodies were never commonplace in this area dominated by corporations and Midland Red but in its later days West Bromwich bought Fleetlines bodied in Lowestoft, including 121H (TEA 121G).

Finally the 'new order' was on its way as PTE standardisation was moving from the Fleetline to the Metrobus. 2051 (BOK 51V) was a DR102/12 example.

Now even their day has passed.

Moving from the comforts of leafy Leigh-on-Sea to the gritty realities of the Black Country, and soon those of Liverpool was a crucial part of my personal development and I hold those fleeting three years in the West Midlands with great affection. My mother still talks of the day she served Robert Plant with a loaf of bread in Wrights in the Ryemarket. I've never quite found out how she knew who he was. Signs of a mis-spent middle age I think...

I'm trying hard to carry on the family tradition.

Bristol in the Eighties

2012-01-18T16:40:00.001Z

With January providing its usual canvas of unphotogenic light it's time to once more retreat to the archives and that decade of great change, the 1980s. I took my first trip to Bristol in the greatest month of change for the bus industry, October 1986. I must have liked what I have seen because I returned later the same month, just before Deregulation Day on the 26th.

So here is a look into the final days of regulated orthodoxy, although NBC standardisation had already been broken down with the splitting of the Bristol Omnibus Company locally to form City Line and Badgerline. The latter had just two months of state ownership left before it became one of the first NBC operating companies to be sold to the private sector. Expansion turned a company into a group and ultimately a merger with GRT Holdings formed the mighty First Group.

These first two visits concentrated on the Marlborough Street Bus Station, then an enclosed example incorporating a Badgerline garage. Now it is an open and much smaller facility.

Emerging into Whitson Street was Badgerline's 6500 (PPH 461R), a full-height version of the mark 3 VRT that had been part of London Country's sole batch of such buses.

The whole batch, used on Grays area services had a brief life in the south east before being sent to a more appreciative home.

Bristol was and still is a significant coaching hub. Operating the 612 service over the Severn Bridge and into south Wales was National Welsh UC 195 (PKG 106Y), a 12m Leyland Leopard PSU5E/4R with the final design of ECW coach body.

Later registered AAX 563A it went on to serve in Liverpool with Blue Triangle of Bootle.

Inside was this oddity. Many buses have been cut down to recovery vehicles over the years but it was rather odd to see an underfloor-engined vehicle so converted.

W108 (KHU 323P) is a Bristol LH6L that had originated with Bristol as its 373. She has survived into preservation, at one time with my local Stroud RE Group.

The Southampton coaching interests of Hants & Dorset had a brief independence as Pilgrim Coaches on the carving up of the former company.

Pilgrim 5 (EYN 165) was a Duple Laser-bodied Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3R that had originated with Shamrock & Rambler as its 3105 (BPR 105Y).

The Badgerline image really was delightful; a total contrast to the staid, stuffy image of buses so often prevalent in the industry previously.

In addition to the large numbers of REs bought new by Bristol some used versions were also acquired, including 1262 (DAO 295K), an RELL6L that had originated with Cumberland.

A legacy of NBC days survived with the bus' allocation shown in NBC white lettering below the waistrail.

After serving a pair of Welsh independents and Peak Bus in Derbyshire this RE is now in preservation back in Cumbria.

Showing interim livery was native Bristol example 1285 (EHU 382K), another RELL6L which later ran in Lancashire for Pearce of Nelson before its career was ended by an accident after only a few weeks' service.

Bristol's Leyland Olympians were initially built at Brislington and, along with London Country's examples carried fullheight Roe, rather than lowheight ECW bodies.

Badgerline ONLXB/1R 9506 (JHU 905X) heads for Bath, as indicated by its early dot-matrix destination display.

Here's another Pilgrim Coach, this time in National Express livery. Like the previously-pictured 5, 22 (BJT 322T) was another former Shamrock & Rambler coach, in this case new to Hants & Dorset as 3068.

It was a Plaxton Supreme Express-bodied Leopard PSU3E/4R, pretty standard NBC issue in the mid-70s. It later ran for Frontline of Tamworth, a brief First Group incursion into Midland Red North territory.

Part of the NBC's relaxation of its livery standardisation was the use of the local coach 'stripey' livery, known by many as 'venetian blinds'.

When applied to a double-decker it took on quite dramatic proportions, as with Wilts & Dorset's ECW dual-purpose seated ONLXB/1R Olympian 3903 (A903 JPR). This went on to run for Guide Friday.

I did venture out from the Bus Station to get some shots of the rump Bristol Omnibus operation, by then trading as City Line, with some of the older vehicles still retaining NBC green.

This included 5202 (WUF 529K), a dual-door mark 2 VRT that was new as Southdown 529.

The City Line identity was developing, an early departure from green being this predominantly red variant of 'City Rider' identity as the familiar Bristol scroll, which had survived well into NBC days, was finally retired.

9559 (A959 THW) was another Roe-bodied ONLXB/1R.

1466 (XDL 794L), a dual-door Leyland National 1151/1R had originated with Southern Vectis as its 870.

The minibuses wore a brighter, yellow-based scheme that was later adapted for the main fleet.

Branded City Dart (how appropriate THAT name would have been a few years later), 7480 (C480 BHY) was a Mercedes Benz L608D converted for bus use by Reebur.

It later ran for Brewers and Midland Red West.

I'm not really sure if this City Rider livery quite suited the classic lines of the ECW body. Posing the question was 5157 (AHW 208V) a VRT3 carrying dual-door bodywork, for a while standard for Bristol's city services.

Many will remember the MCW Metroliners with National Express, or perhaps latterly with sightseeing fleets but two ran on a local express service for North Devon.

1417 (C647 FTT), a DR130/23 example was finishing its long run on the North Devon Expressway from Barnstaple via Somerset. With North Devon adopting the fleetname 'Red Bus' there can't have been many of their fleet that actually carried the company's name.

Rather at the opposite end of the scale to the three-axle giant was the briefly-ubiquitous Ford Transit. 7446 (C446 BHY) had a Dormobile conversion.

Back to Marlborough Street now for this view of Badgerline 3511 (AAE 655V), an NL116L11/1R National 2 which later ran for Eastern Counties.

Liveried for open top use in either Weston or in this case Bath was convertible VRT3 8607 (UFX 859S) which had originated with Hants & Dorset, passing swiftly to Southern Vectis.

Sister vehicle UFX 858S is preserved and featured in my last report on the Winchester New Year Running Day.

Another livery variant was the local coach 'Swiftlink' brand, carried here by National 2 3518 (AAE 662V).

Sharing the National Express run into Wales was South Wales Transport whose 111 (MCY 111X) was a Duple Dominant IV Express-bodied long PSU5E/4R Leopard.

Showing another example of early electronic display was Badgerline 2219 (B219 WEU), a Duple Laser 2-bodied Tiger TRCTL11/3RH. Duple's demise was not a happy one...

Also on the 612 into Wales was SWT-liveried 168 (NCY 476R), a Duple Dominant-bodied PSU3C/4R Leopard.

Another Pilgrim Coaches vehicle was 77 (TPJ 277S), a PSU5B/4R Leopard with Duple Dominant II coachwork which was new to Grant's of Fareham, passing to Pilgrim via Hants & Dorset and Shamrock & Rambler.

There were some RE coach survivors about in 1986, including Southern National's 1468 (RDV 419H), an RELH6G model, downgraded to local coach work.

Later operated by Pioneer of Rochdale, 1468 is now preserved.

A truly different era in coaching was represented by Yelloway SPY 375X, a Neoplan Skyliner that had originated with Cablenote of Grantham.

Badgerline's coach-seated VRTs also carried the Swiftlink livery, as shown by 5544 (EWS 752W) arriving on the 349 from Bath, now an Abus route.

In direct contrast to the exaggerated (bloated?) curves of the Laser was Duple's angular Caribbean, here mounted on a TRCTL11/3R chassis for South Wales as its 124 (MKH 60A). It was new as A124 XEP.

Showing the diversity of National Express workings before the days of leased NatEx-specified coaches was North Western 808 (ANA 108Y), a Plaxton Paramount 3500-bodied Tiger TRCTL11/3R that was new to National Travel West.

Showing Southern National's version of 'venetian blinds' livery was 3507 (SFJ 157R), a Plaxton Supreme-bodied Leopard PSU3E/4R.

Up from the Somerset coast was Weston's RELL6L 1336 (OAE 958M).

Badgerline inherited Bristol's small fleet of MCW Metrobuses, including 6000 (DAE 510W), a dual-purpose DR103/4 variant which later ran for First Southampton.

Bristol had acquired VRTs from several other NBC companies, including 5614 (MUA 873P) from West Riding.

Its season on the Weston-Super-Mare seafront over, complete with bucket and spade-wielding badger, a truly superb use of fleet identity, was convertible Roe-bodied Olympian 8610 (A810 THW).

8610 later served for First in Cornwall.

By contrast to the former Bristol Joint Services fleet the former Country Services VRTs were single-doored, as with 5517 (PEU 512R).

It's not the best-composed view but this one does give a reminder of the days when Green Line briefly took part in National Express operations. NTL 3 (SMY 631X) was with London Country North West.

This Plaxton Supreme V-bodied Tiger had originated with National Travel London.

Finally, a couple of City Line vehicles, beginning with VRT2 5005 (EHU 364K)...

...and concluding with 'City Clipper'-branded Roe-bodied Olympian 9504 (JHU 903X).

So, the scene was already set in Bristol for the diversity that was to follow deregulation, ended by the dull conformity of First Group just over a decade later. They were heady and colourful days.

Winchester Running Day 2012

2012-01-12T23:59:00.003Z

This was going to be "Southend Running Day" but for family illness that stopped us travelling to Essex over the New Year but instead I was once more heading down the A34 to Hampshire for what is a more than acceptable alternative. Sadly both events were under attack from the weather which curtailed photo opportunities so a more basic survey than last year's follows. Still, this is supposed to be the age of the new austerity...

One thing certainly not in short supply was dedication and enthusiasm as the Friends of King Alfred Buses staged their annual extravaganza. With New Year's Day having been a normal shopping (and bus) Saturday the switch to Jan 2nd in 2011 had seen the vintage buses up against a contemporary Sunday service. Back on January 1st for 2012 there wasn't even the usual distraction of Bluestar's service to Southampton.

The title view shows King Alfred's 1964 Park Royal-bodied AEC Renown 596 LCG taking the road behind the current bus station whose replacement's entrance is scheduled to be hereabouts, if, IF the new shopping development ever does go ahead. The Renown carries am American licence plate on its stairwell to commemorate its many years over there before repatriation by FoKAB.

Behind the lovely Dennis makes a welcome return after a mechanically-enforced absence in 2011.

For a few years now we've been expecting our visits to Winchester Bus Station to be the last in its present form but economic realities see it soldier on, its rear yard forming a small layover area once again, and home of these two Burlingham-bodied beauties, CFK 340, the 1948 AEC Regal III that I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of at Warminster in the autumn, and 1949 Leyland Tiger PS2/3 JLJ 401 that was very much the star of the event this year.

(A nasty case of triple alliteration there - does that earn me a 'Press' card?).

Two eras of service to the Hampshire travelling public were represented by this pair, on the left what is claimed to be Stagecoach's first Leyland Olympian, latterly Stagecoach South 14951. Dating from 1988 and carrying Alexander bodywork F601 MSL was only withdrawn from service in 2011 and is now part of the Stagecoach Historic Fleet, and if that doesn't age you, nothing will.

Hampshire Bus had of course been carved from the old Hants & Dorset company, a firmly Tilling green fleet that turned a nasty shade of red during later ownership, it is suggested to compensate for the absorption of Tilling red Wilts & Dorset. Such is the tangled web of modern bus history that 1448 (5677 EL) found itself a W&D bus after partition, as its internal adverts for early 1980s Bournemouth & Poole attractions confirm. Life was so much simpler in 1961 when this FS6G made the long haul from Bristol to the south coast via Lowestoft. Okay, simple can be subjective...

This year's programme, which had the unmistakable stamp of Ray Stenning coursing through its staples not only gave service times and details of the vehicles providing the service but also explanations of the service re-creations.

At the core, naturally there is the FoKAB fleet recalling its youth providing what was termed a 'private enterprise municipal service'. Territorial operators such as Hants & Dorset are recalled by a bevy of Bristol/ECW combinations running mainly to the south of the city, while a couple of former small 'independents' are also represented, in this case the Empress Coaches service out to Stockbridge.

Workings were in the hands of the striking Silver star of Porton Down 42 (1013 MW), the 1962 Weymann semi-lowbridge bodied PDR1/1 Atlantean, complete with distinctive fleet identifier and half a sunken upper-deck gangway. The Guildhall provides an excellent backdrop, and home for the transport bazaar.

The second in FoKAB's pair of Renowns, 595 LCG represents the main King Alfred contingent, back in its home on the Broadway under the statue of their namesake, but only for this one fleeting day per year. It's hard to believe that it's now very nearly forty years since the king sold his crown to NBC.

Making a very welcome return, if not timely given its lack of roof on a dull day that would soon descend into downpours, was one of another pair, HOR 590E, the 1967 Roe-bodied Atlantean PDR1/2.

The lure of an open deck still has its power, even in the very bleak midwinter, well, for a while.

Another welcome return was 'The Eighty Year-Old Bus', OU 9286, the delightful 1931 Short-bodied Dennis 30 cwt (hundredweight for the metrically-converted).

Its place had to be taken by one of Robert Jowitt's vintage Paris buses in 2011 after the early 'minibus' developed mechanical problems, thankfully now resolved and allowing her to perform her usual role of short local tours.

My first trip of the day was a little further afield as I joined a packed Hants & Dorset 1450 as the FS operated part of the old 47 route south, sadly not the through run to Southampton which was reserved for the feeder service.

We got only as far as Otterbourne where the FS, complete with Radio Luxembourg adverts and typical H&D driver's sunshade waits to head back to the city.

Yes it WAS another day of Lodekka appreciation, although I had intended to try out the Aldershot & District Lolines east to Alresford but sadly, as with 2011 they were absentees this year.

Back in the city, a later Bristol/ECW combination turns into the back entry to the bus station. Okay, NBC red didn't look too bad when presented like this but, oh dear, once it started to fade into NBC matt pink it was a very different story.

No such problems with H&D 3377 (UFX 858S), a 1977 VRT3 with a removable roof that. It spent only 18 months with its original owner before being swapped with Southern Vectis for more conventional VRTs.

Mortons of Little London are regulars at Cobham gatherings and they sent former United Counties Olympian H654 VVV south for the day. Little London is a village north of Basingstoke, by the way.

Mortons also sent their own convertible VRT3, former Southdown 623 (UWV 623S) which spent the 2000s (no, I will NOT use 'noughties' - i'm not a lazy DJ ;-) ) a long way from its south coast home in Whitby.

How much longer the faded glory of the bus station arch will remain is still clouded in doubt but thankfully the future is secure for King Alfred CCG 704C, the 1965 Bedford VAL that had to be rebodied by FoKAB after its Plaxton original was converted to carry stock cars, a fate of many coaches.

I headed up to the vehicle display at St. Catherine's Park & Ride early on since I could see the light declining early and had heard the weather forecast promising another 'Weymouth'.

Here I found enthusiast-run Xelabus of Chandlers Ford's T73 KLD, a former Metroline Dennis Trident carrying what would soon become Plaxton but in 1999 was still Northern Counties President bodywork.

Also helping out the vintage stock on route 22 back into the city was Xelabus K891 CSF, a former Lothian Alexander-bodied Olympian that also spent time in Swindon with Thamesdown.

This was a very welcome first encounter for me with CTP 200, the fascinating former Portsmouth wartime (1944) Bedford OWB which was fitted with a replica utility body by Ulsterbus in the early 1990s to represent the sole choice of new single-decker during the majority of the war.

Given their service record in London it's no surprise that there aren't too many AEC Merlins or Swifts preserved but thankfully MB90 (SMM 90F) survives to show how a 'one size fits all' policy saw a lengthy Red Arrow bus design adapted to serve in London's Country.

This was the late-sixties equivalent of deciding to run Citaro artics in, say... Windsor. MB 90 is a 1968 MCW-bodied Merlin, LT's internal name for the original, longer form of Swift.

A rather happier combination was that of Northern Counties full-fronted body on Leyland PD3 chassis, especially when garlanded with Southdown's succulent livery. 278 (BUF 278C), a 1965 PD3/4 reminds me of what might have been my fare in Southend.

Stagecoach in South Wales provided this example of their Megabus fleet in the form of 52567 (Y967 PHL), a Plaxton-bodied Volvo B10M-62, formerly with Stagecoach Midlands and previously the Yorkshire fleet.

Unusually retaining its centre door from its days with Metroline in London was Emsworth & District's Plaxton-bodied Dart SLF R171 VLA.

Entering the site from the city was Southampton 274 (LOW 274Y), one of that city's iconic East Lancs-bodied Atlanteans which were truly radiant in the Hampshire seaport city's livery.

Another evocative colour scheme was that of Eastbourne which always seemed a touch brash for the rather genteel Sussex resort.

42 (AHC 442), a 1950 AEC Regent III is a magnificent travelling advertisement for the town's charms and also, historically carries what is believed to be the last surviving product of Cardiff's Bruce Coachworks, and the penultimate example built.

Vehicle and visitor numbers seemed a little thinner on the ground than in the past but that could just be my own impression. These are difficult times for many financially and the fact that so many can still attend in these days of breathtaking fuel costs is reassuring and very appreciated.

Most journeys still seemed to have pretty full loads, especially in the case of that Burlingham-bodied PS2/3. It should come as no surprise, given that rich yellow livery that JLJ 401 was a Bournemouth vehicle, 44 to be precise.

A westcountry rally stalwart is former Bath Tramways L8515, (969 EHW) a 1959 Lodekka LD6G that was helping out on the Hants & Dorset routes, in this case the 48.

Hants & Dorset's last Lodekka was also in service on the 47 and 48s. 1577 (LLJ 443F) is a 1967 FLF6L, thus indicating that it was one of the rare, late breed that actually were fitted with Leyland engines, following their partial take-over of Bristol and ECW, a move that was to prove ultimately fatal for both.

Another Winchester regular was to give me my next ride in the form of Southern Vectis 563 (SDL 268), a 1959 LD6G that was part of the memorable heritage fleet that ran in service on the Isle of Wight during the 1980s and 1990s.

I was going to get a view at the outer terminus but by then the weather had turned to the promised rain. I wasn't alone in declining the offer of a 'photo opportunity'.

On our return to the city the bus station was awash as Wilts & Dorset (mark 1 version) 824 (MMW 354G), a 1969 RELL6G splashed its way through. The original W&D served far less of Dorset than its modern-day namesake.

Thoughts of photography were suspended as I headed for the dry sanctuary of the King Alfred buses on the local services but the weather picked-up enough at dusk to allow a few views including Tiger Cub WCG 104 whose Weymann body was running with condensation internally as we arrived back at The Broadway.

Former Bristol 461 (AFB 592V) was a stand-in on the city services. It's a 1980 Bristol LH6L which was one of many to swiflty depart BOC after surveys by NBC's Market Analysis Project (MAP) which favoured the use of double-deckers rather than lightweight saloons. Many sought refuge with Hants & Dorset, including 461.

Now preserved, this former Midland Fox Mercedes Benz 709D L328 AUT carries uncommon Leicester Carriage Builders bodywork and the fictional livery of 'Hotten Line' from its days carrying round the characters in TV soap 'Emmerdale', at least when they weren't up to more ratings-grabbing extramarital activity... Should that be Hopper or Swapper Line?

Darkness falls as PD2 POU 494 prepares for my final ride of the day, piloted by the MD of my local operator Stagecoach West. Now that's what I call personal service, Mr.Manning!

The weather didn't really encourage night shots but I did try this hand held snapshot of Panther UOU 417H.

Back in the shelter of the bus station I caught this view of SDL 268. Will this be my final view in this rare survivor of a traditional bus station?

As ever thanks go to FoKAB for their superbly professional curtain-opener to 2012 and my disappointment at not spending my first New Year in Southend since 1975 was mitigated by the news that their weather was even more Weymouth-like. Those of you who were in the lovely Dorset resort for the 2011 running day will understand.

So it was back to Gloucester, to run into a two hour tail-back on the M4, during which my wife told me we would have to make an emergency trip to Cheshire as soon as I got home. I remember sitting in my mother's flat in Runcorn about 1 am going through these views scarcely believing they had been taken only the previous day. 2012 can only get better, unless you are a fan of London artics.

The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum

2012-01-09T00:11:00.002Z

In my last report on the Talyllyn Railway I mentioned the presence of the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum at their Tywyn Wharf terminus. Here's a look round the collection, housed since 2005 in a purpose-built two-floor building which replaced the original, a roofed-over coal yard that had been in use since the 1950s.

Some of the photos were taken during my recent visit but I did take a more thorough survey in 2009 so those views form the majority.

As its title suggests, the museum is about far more than just the Talyllyn and some precious artefacts are to be found within, beginning with 1' 10 3/4" gauge Manning Wardle locomotiove 'Jubilee 1897'. This loco was built for the Cilgwyn Quarry at Nantlle in what was then Carnarvonshire. On closure of that quarry in 1928 it was sold to the Penrhyn Quarry Company where it worked until 1955.

Smaller items abound in the collection, including this selection of notices, most of which are self-explanatory.

The 'L&LS Ry' was the Irish Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway, better known in modern times for its ongoing cross-border bus services. Thankfully the Welsh Highland Railway is no longer just a memory and the Welshpool & Llanfair memorial also records only a temporary loss, commemorating the last day of British Railways operation.

I wonder if a failure to read Welsh enabled certain transgressors to escape punishment in a couple of these cases?

The Snailbeach District Railway operated over the border in Shropshire.

Back to the motive power and the simply-named 'Locomotive No.2' which was built by Kerr Stuart in 1901 for the 1' 11 1/2" gauge Dundee Gas Works network.

Among the models is this representation of a Corris Railway slab wagon, illustrating how slate was carried down from Aberllefenni to Machynlleth on that now partially-revived line.

Those who read my report on my trip to Amberley may recall my illustration of a sister loco to this one for this is number 13 from the Guinness Brewery system in Dublin, a 1' 10" gauge loco built in Dublin in 1895 by William Spence & Company.

There were in fact two networks connected by a tunnel under the street that divided them. The spirals at both end meant that the locos had be very low in height. The cylinders and crank shaft were mounted over the boiler to avoid dirt.

The Welsh narrow gauge lines didn't just carry slate to the sea for loads such as coal had to be brought in the other direction to power steam pumps and winding engines.

This example was used on the Festiniog Railway by Oakeley Slate Quarries in the nineteenth century.

The centre works plate recalls memories of the Leek & Manifold Valley Light Railway in the English North Midlands.

Amongst other lost locos and lines represented are 'Hummy' and 'Peggy' from the nearby Ashover Light Railway, various 3' gauge Irish lines and 'Moel Tryfan', one of the principal locos of the original Welsh Highland.

Another loco from the Penrhyn Quarries near Bethesda was "George Henry", a vertical-boilered product of the De Winton works in Caernarfon, dating from 1877.

Although long closed the buildings can still be seen across the road from the modern WHR terminus.

The other great quarry railway network in north west Wales was that at Dinorwic where the 1' 10 3/4" lines were linked to the coast at Port Dinorwic by the 4' gauge Padarn Railway.

'Rough Pup' was supplied in 1891 by Hunslet.

Several former Dinorwic locos work lines in Wales today but this example is in unmodified quarry condition, principally lacking an enclosed cab.

The Padarn Railway had a superbly simple solution for getting the nominal 2' gauge slate trucks down to the coast - loading them side-by-side on 4' gauge 'Host Wagons' such as this which also carries accommodation for the brake man.

The Padarn closed in the early sixties but not before Ivo Peters captured some wonderful views on film, including a memorable sequence of filming one of these wagons while following in his car.

Today the section of the Padarn alongside Llyn Padarn is used by the nominal 2' gauge Llanberis Lake Railway using locos formerly employed in the quarries.

Going back to an even earlier era is this example of a plateway wagon, with plain wheels running on flanged rails. This slab wagon originated on the 3' 8" Bixslade Quarry Tramroad in Gloucestershire's Forest of Dean where it carried limestone slabs right up to the 1960s.

In my Talyllyn report I mentioned the Bryn Eglwys quarry that was the inspiration for the opening of the line and here is a slab wagon from there, built to 2' 3" gauge to be in common with the Talyllyn.

On now to some excellent advertisements for railways, starting with this for the Corris Railway, closed just after the second world war but now being thankfully rebuilt albeit gradually.

Another line that remarkably has two projects underway to restore it at either end of the line is the Glyn Valley Tramway from Chirk to Glyn Ceiriog.

Staying with the GVT there is a replica name plate of loco 'Glyn'. Two of the railway's carriages are owned by the Talyllyn with one running as a first class coach, my favourite on the line.

More publicity. I wonder just how well the term 'toy railway' would be received today.

Beyer Peacock built four diminutive 18" gauge well tank works locos in 1887, three of which were sold to the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway's Horwich works while the fourth, 'Dot' remained in use at Gorton.

Sister loco 'Wren' is part of the National Railway Museum collection.

The Nantlle Tramroad was a horse-drawn line right up until its closure in 1963, a remarkable survivor of a lost age.

The Dorothea Quarry operated this wagon on the line.

In its search for rails in the 1950s the pioneer preservationists secured a supply from the Crich Quarry Railway in Derbyshire and tipped-off the newly-formed Tramway Museum Society that the site might be of use to them.

The name plates from 'Hodder', 'Tommy' and 'Dowie' commemorate the pre-electric era in the Derbyshire hills.

Another project underway is the revival of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway in Devon from which these two carriage boards originated.

There is a major association between the Talyllyn and the Reverend Wilbert Awdry who represented the railway as the "Skarloey Railway" in his famous series of books.

His study has been recreated at the museum, including a relief map of the island of Sodor, sitting neatly between the Cumbrian coast and the Isle of Man, visible on the right.

The length of time that the Talyllyn has been in enthusiast hands is brought home by this coronation headboard dating from 1953.

Finally, here's the headboard from the inaugural train on the Talyllyn's extension to Nant Gwernol in 1976.

So 2011 is now over and with it the Talyllyn's diamond jubilee of enthusiast operation but in just three years the railway will be celebrating its 150th birthday.

I wonder if Tom Rolt and his colleagues could ever have imagined what they had started, not just on the Welsh narrow gauge but on railways worldwide. After the astonishing revival of the Welsh Highland Railway it seems anything can be achieved - apart from those lines mentioned earlier they're even rebuilding the Penrhyn!

Thanks to the efforts of remarkable people over the past six decades we live in remarkable days.

The Talyllyn in Winter

2011-12-31T18:36:00.000Z

One of the treats of the Festive Season is that many heritage railways rise from their slumber, initially to entertain children with their popular and lucrative 'Santa Specials' then to offer a chance to enjoy transport heritage in mid-winter from Boxing Day to New Year.

2011 was a significant year for mid-Wales' historic Talyllyn Railway since it marked the 60th anniversary of the railway's first operation by volunteers, making it the world's first preserved railway and an inspiration to so many schemes subsequently that comprise our great tradition of transport heritage in the UK.

This week finally gave me the late chance to enjoy the railway in its year of celebration.

The railway was opened in 1865 as a steam-operated line from the outset to serve the quarries up at Bryn Eglwys high up in the valley of the Afon Fathew. Primarily built for the purpose of bringing slate down to the Cambrian Railway at Tywyn (then spelt Towyn in more anglicised days) it also ran a passenger service to serve the mines and small communities in the valley.

The coastal terminus is Tywyn Wharf station which since a mid-2000s revamp is now quite substantial.

Part of the original building remains in extended form to serve as the booking office and shop, as seen here. Originally just a goods station to allow the transfer of slate to the main line it began to serve passengers from the early years of the last century.

The station's old name of 'King's' is commemorated in the name of the new restaurant, located in a large modern block at the far end of the platform, which also houses offices and the delightful Narrow Gauge Railway Museum.

Back in 1951 the late Tom Rolt and his enthusiast colleagues who faced the challenge of taking up the reins of the professionals and actually running a railway themselves relied on the sole operational locomotive, number 2 'Dolgoch'.

The way in which the then dilapidated engine somehow kept service over the even more ruinous permanent way was eloquently told in one of the core books of transport history, Tom Rolt's 'Railway Adventure'.

Dolgoch ran on a wing and numerous prayers before finally being relieved by former Corris Railway locos later in the fifties. Today she is still gleaming after her last 1999 overhaul and I was very pleased to see her hauling the empty stock down from Pendre to the terminus in anniversary year.

She is an 0-4-0 with a well and back tank, and was built by Fletcher Jennings of Lowca, near Whitehaven in 1866 to provide support for pioneering loco 'Talyllyn'. Here she runs round her train....

....before setting-back for coaling and watering.

Inside, coach 9 carries her seasonal decorations, like the rest of the four carriage rake.

Her present form as the line's only five-compartment third-class coach dates from a 1968 rebuild, her original form having dated back to adaptation of a pair of former Penrhyn Railway coaches in the fifties.

Coach 19, dating from 1969 has a first class compartment sandwiched between two third class examples.

The surcharge is just £2 single.

At the rear of the rake was coach 16, which incorporates the Guard's compartment.

Despite being built as relatively recently as 1961 she is already half a century old and carries a highly-traditional air.

Dolgoch sets off to take her position at the head of the train....

....sets back past the modern toilet block....

...and takes her place for the 10.30 departure to Nant Gwernol.

The first stop is at Tywyn Pendre, the original passenger terminus, recently rebuilt and situated at the hub of the railway's operations with loco, carriage sheds and the workshop being located here.

The initial services in 1951 ran only to Ryhdyronen for the first few weeks until the rest of the line to Abergynolwyn could be re-opened. Today it forms a very convenient stop for a local caravan site.

Brynglas shows no signs of the devastation caused in the vicinity by the severe floods of 1993 which were described as leaving the area looking 'like a lunar landscape'.

A trip across a viaduct brings the line to Dolgoch, a popular stopping-point for passengers wanting to see the local waterfalls.

It had also served as 'Santa's Grotto' earlier in the month.

Dolgoch is also the point where locos take on water for the final ascent up the valley side.

Since 1976 trains have operated beyond the traditional passenger terminus of Abergynolwyn, of which more later, to traverse the former freight-only extension round into a ravine and the modern terminus of Nant Gwernol.

En route the line passes the remains of a winding drum and its rope-hauled incline that served the village of Abergynolwyn itself, down in the valley.

Nant Gwernol is a remote spot, with no road access.

Beyond stretches the former Allt Wyllt incline down which a further rope-hauled system passed slate wagons to and from the Bryn Eglwys quarries.

Dolgoch exits the head shunt....

.....and reunites with her train.

The facilities here are basic so only a few minutes are spent here before returning down the line.

The east end of Abergynolwyn station features a substantial signal box which controls the colour light signalling of the station and its passing loop.

Here trains normally take a half hour stop to allow passengers to take refreshment in the considerably enlarged station, demonstrating how the railway has matured and adapted to the increasing needs of its visitors over the past six decades.

Alongside the platform is this isolated section of track with turnout, complete with point lever.

As I mentioned earlier, the main sheds and workshops are back at Pendre, as seen here with both of the former Corris locos slumbering in the stone shed on the left.

Back at Wharf station a very useful first floor viewing terrace outside the museum gives an opportunity for views such as this as Dolgoch prepares for her second and final run of the day.

From the terrace you can also see the former exchange sidings alongside the present-day Cambrian Coast line.

Before I returned to the train for the second run I took a look round the museum and that will be the subject of my first report in the New Year.

So, this report closes 2011, a year of mid-summer disturbances that shook my confidence in taking transport photographs rather seriously. The Talyllyn though was a delightful reminder of the heritage transport scene where goodwill and determination replace the modern world of suspicion and antagonism towards those 'pointing cameras where they're not wanted' as one kind soul, employed disappointingly in view of its senior management by Stagecoach, accused me at Lancaster earlier this year.

I hope we can all have a Happy New Year, free from harassment by the ignorant or paranoid and once more I must thank you all for reading my reports which I hope you've enjoyed so far. Thanks for your support.

Christmas in Gloucestershire 2005

2011-12-24T00:36:00.001Z

Last year I recalled a Christmas a long way from home, in then-Communist Budapest, an experience very distant in more ways than miles. This year's festive report is much closer to home though and takes a look at my home county for the past decade.

I was hoping to make this a contemporary report but a combination of factors, notably today's local deluge means that I have to look further back, to 2005 when I set out on a small tour round the county on Christmas Eve itself.

I begin here in Gloucester with Stagecoach West's 14292 (LWS 40Y), one of the early Leyland (licenced as Bristol) Olympians.

Unlike the rest of the NBC order, apart from those for London Country these new to Bristol Omnibus examples were to full height design with the bodies being built at Roe rather than ECW, although the body's origins in the Leyland Titan are apparent despite the BET-inspired windscreen.

In more recent times this bus has served the Medway towns with Nu Venture of Aylesford. Here it prepares for a local run to Podsmead on route 11 with its loading perhaps suggesting why the route was later put out for tendering, being won by Cotswold Green.

At the time route 5 saw a very varied selection of buses operating it, including this Alexander-bodied Olympian. 14961 (G211 SSL) was new to Hampshire Bus and had a couple of years' service left here.

George Young's of Ross-on-Wye are regular visitors to the city on service bus work from Herefordshire as well as coaching. On the 377 service was their Caetano Optimo-bodied Toyota Coaster A10 GYC.

Illustrating the variety on the 5 was Stagecoach 32086 (M86 WBW), one of the 9.8m Plaxton-bodied Darts that had started out as dual-door buses with Thames Transit in Oxford, arriving in Gloucestershire via service with Stagecoach London.

I'm told that B & Q's local store is their biggest. Well, when new they ensured it was also noticed by this rather dreadful contravision livery, making the advertising 'strapline' on the upper deck panels more than a touch ironic.

Underneath was one of three former Stagecoach Cambus Optare-bodied Olympians that spent a few years here with Stagecoach West.

In this case 14501 (E501 LFL) had been Cambus 501 and is seen here reversing out of the bus station on the Cheltenham & Gloucester's Building Society's staff contract link to their offices at Barnwood, otherwise isolated from the local network.

Having moved out here from east London it seemed like I was being followed by a significant part of my old Stagecoach fleet.

32320 (N320 AMC), an Alexander-bodied 9.8m Dart had been DAL 20. Here it's arriving from the village of Sandhurst, located north of the city by the River Severn. The 241 also passed to Cotswold Green on tendering.

Arriving from Ledbury over the border in Herefordshire was another London exile, 34144 (V144 MVX), a Plaxton-bodied SLF Dart, formerly SLD 144.

Six years ago we still had some buses in the older Stagecoach livery, one of the last survivors being 30831 (L831 CDG), an Alexander-bodied Volvo B6-50 that had been new to Cheltenham & Gloucester but had returned from a spell in Wales with Red & White.

These Alexander PS-bodied Volvo B10Ms really have been Stagecoach warhorses for a number of years although their ranks are now beginning to thin.

20818 (N818 DNE) was one of many to have originated with Stagecoach Manchester, seen arriving on the indirect 97 service between Cheltenham & Gloucester, as opposed to the 'Gold' service 94.

Talking of Cheltenham here's another vehicle cascaded south from Manchester. Carrying University of Gloucestershire livery, Alexander-bodied Trident 17722 (MK02 EGD) is seen in the spa town's Pittville Street on the R service to the Park & Ride base at the racecourse.

In the same street, an important terminus for town services was 32963 (N63 MTG), another acquired Plaxton-bodied 9.8m step-entrance Dart, new to Rhondda as its 63.

Many of the lettered town services have been lost by Stagecoach on tendering but the B soldiers on to the smart suburb of Charlton Kings. Despite its reputation as the 'last watering hole of the British Raj' I can assure not all parts of the town are that elegant.

The elegant Promenade boasts some top quality shopping, and the terminus of routes to Gloucester and Stroud. 16080 (R180 VPU), an Alexander-bodied Olympian is another London escapee.

It's waiting to head off on the 46 down the delightful edge of the Cotswolds though Painswick and Stroud to the what must be one of the smallest villages to host senior semi-professional football, Forest Green whose Rovers play just one division below the Football League.

No, Forest Green is not in the Forest of Dean, as some would believe. It's on the other side of the Severn from that fascinating area.

On now to Stroud where many routes had passed from Stagecoach to locally-based Ebley Bus. Carlyle-bodied Dart 3525 (H889 LOX) was originally Warrington 211.

The cinema across the road occupies the former site of Stroud Bus Station with the bus stops now unsatisfactorily relegated to bays either side of the busy Cheltenham-Bath A46.

Also acquired from a north western former municipality was 3520 (H105 VHG), an early Reebur-bodied Dart that had been new to Rossendale.

Alexander-bodied Dart Stagecoach West 32903 (P903 SMR) had been new to the Swindon & District division.

Both the present 'bus station' and its predecessor are located on the edge of Stroud's town centre at the foot of the hill but only a handful of routes serve the centre itself.

One is local route 37 to Cashe's Green which has been retained by Stagecoach, using route-branded Solos such as 47122 (VX54 LMK), an M850 model.

Back downhill at the rather ironically-named Merrywalks was 33812 (R812 YUD), an Alexander ALX200-bodied SLF Dart that was new to Thames Transit.

It's seen here on local trunk route 20 to Stonehouse. This Dart later moved on to work for Stagecoach South East in Hastings.

The south western limit of Stagecoach West's network is Dursley, linked with Gloucester by route 91, here operated by the same Olympian that I opened the report with, Roe-bodied 14292 (LWS 40Y).

Behind the bus is the rather stark library.

Behind the photographer is the rather excellent Old Spot pub.

Dursley now shares its railway station with Cam and the link was being provided by a rather rare member of the Applegates of Newport (Glos.) fleet.

FE52 HFR is an Optare-bodied Irisbus Agora Line with a very gallic look. This is now with Norfolk Green in King's Lynn.

I round the trip off back in Gloucester where low floor double-deckers were just beginning to emerge on the scene. A pioneer was this early Alexander-bodied Dennis Trident 17060 (T660 KPU), formerly Stagecoach London's TA60.

So despite my failing to include many seasonal decorations into these views this really was Christmas Eve in Gloucestershire 2005. I hope that your 2011 version is a happy and peaceful start to the festivities.

Readership of this site has risen by about half in the second half of this year to average well over 300 page views daily. I hope that you're enjoying my efforts.

Thanks to you all, whether new or long-term readers and I hope you all have a very Happy Christmas.

Antwerp In The Eighties

2011-12-15T22:34:00.002Z

Belgium gets a pretty raw deal in the UK. It's dismissed as a boring place whose only famous people were a punk rocker (Plastic Bertrand) and a fictional hero (Tintin). In some ways this is a blessing since it leaves the country free for the rest of us less-dismissive types to explore and enjoy.

As someone who enjoys trams, great beer and most importantly a huge number of bars open round the clock I've always felt at home there, especially in the jewel of the Flemish, northern half of the country, Antwerp, locally Antwerpen, or Anvers if you'ld like to get into a fight with the locals who don't take too kindly to the old, imposed French name.

The use of the word jewel is not accidental for Antwerp is a major centre for the diamond trade. Its other gems, apart from its excellent gothic cathedral, and its characterful and diverse bars consist of its trams. Inspired by Michael Jackson's (no, not that one) "World Guide To Beer" I'd first travelled to Amsterdam in late 1982 to be told in hushed tones of a bar in Antwerp that had one thousand beers. With a substantial tram network too I soon made my first trip in early 1983.

In between my trips to the aforementioned bar which turned out to have the tricky name of 'Het Grote Ongenoegen' and which had to be the first bar I'd visited where the menu was on a computer I set out to discover the delights of local transport operator MIVA's extensive metre-gauge tram system.

I soon discovered that Antwerp had two hubs, the new city by the impressive Central Station and the older quarter down by the River Scheldt. The first view was taken by my hotel in Konigin Astridplein (Queen Astrid's Square), just by the station and shows how MIVA's livery was in transition from cream and brown to red and white.

Almost every sign in sight is for a brand of beer. I'd found a spiritual home.

The main road into the old city, Gemeentestraat was served by three tram lines, the 3, 10 and 11, all of which terminated in the old 'Melkmarkt' (Milk Market) by way of an extensive one-way loop through the narrow streets. Here in the new city the roads were of boulevard proportions.

The trams were standardised at the time on a local interpretation of the American PCC car, built by Brugeoise et Nivelles with equipment by ACEC during the sixties and early seventies, as with early car 2011.

2071 in the older livery heads east out of rthe city on route 11. The tracks in the foreground are those of route 12 which circles Astridplein to serve the station.

MIVA naturally also had an extensive bus network with part of the operation contracted-out to local operator Cars De Polder whose 320 is seen outside the station in full MIVA bus livery.

I believe it to be a Mercedes O.305 with Van Hool bodywork, the latter very prevalent in its home country. My techinical records are far from complete.

Wearing the new livery was MIVA's own 604, a FIAT-Van Hool combination that was pretty much the standard for Belgium at the time.The works in the square were in connection with MIVA's extremely drawn-out Pre-Metro scheme, more of which later.

On now to my second visit in 1987.

A vital part of the Belgian transport scene was the Vicinal, by 1983 already principally a bus operator but once the custodian of thousands of miles of tramway lines that crossed the country, many of which were never electrified.

By the time of my visit the only tram services were on the coast, in the south around Charleroi in Hainaut and a tourist line in the Ardennes at Grottes De Han, the last-mentioned operated by diesel-powered 'Autorails', successors to the earlier steam trams.

The Vicinal network was part directly operated by the state but with substantial operations franchised out to local fleets as with this view of 159111, an integral Van Hool A120.

The first four digits indicate the operator, in this case van Rompaye-de Voecht of nearby Edegem. The fact that just two digits were left for the vehicle itself shows how small these contractors are, 16 buses in this case. Buses in the main Vicinal fleet (NMVB in the north, SNCV in the south) were easily identified by just having four-digit fleet numbers.

The grand shopping street is De Keyserlei, by 1983 only crossed by trams with those formerly running along it now buried in tunnel beneath.

Here at the 'Meir' route 7 ran north to the banks of the river at Tolhuis while the 8 headed west to the delights of Groenplaats.

The translation of Groenplaats is 'Green Place' which is a touch ironic for a cobbled city square. 2087 calls into the stop at the southern end wearing advertising livery for the city's zoo.

The 'Pre-Metro' then consisted of an east-west tunnel from Groenplaats to the Central Station under De Keyserlei, turning south to emerge on a main road south from the city centre. It was used by routes 2 and 15.

Here 2047 on route 2 has is not far from the tunnel ramp as it prepares to cross the semi-orbital 8 route.

Illustrating the use of coloured blinds to identify routes 2086 is on fellow Pre-Metro line 15.

Crossing is 2016 on line 8.

Van Hool bus 627 passes a typical Belgian corner bar. Jupiler is a pilsener-style beer (lager) that more than gave Stella Artois a run for its money in its home territory.

There are far more interesting and stronger beers in the kingdom though. Stella is just an ordinary, relatively weak but extremely popular product there, far from the premium product it's sold as here, but there's far more to Belgian beer than products like that.

Belgian cuisine was once described as "French quality but with German portions". Apart from beer they prize their coffee such as Rombouts, advertised on 2101 on line 11.

Flemish gables grace the background.

Back in the city centre at Franklin Rooseveltplaats we see one of MIVA's then latest deliveries, 1034, a Jonckheere-bodied Mercedes O.305.

Behind, a building advertises the delights of 'Duvel', a seemingly light ale with the taste of pear drops - that is just 8% in strength. Not for nothing was it given the old Flemish name for devil. The first time I left a bar stool after a sampling session I had great difficulty finding the floor.

Another franchised operator for the Vicinal was 1031, Mattheeson & Zoon (son) of St. Job in t'Goor.

One of their fleet carried a local Jonckheere body but beneath was a pure British product, a Leyland Royal Tiger Worldmaster.

The three main surface routes into the old city operated an elongated loop en route to their Melkmarkt terminus from where 2102 on the 11 emerges from Sint Jakobsmarkt to cross over the westbound tracks along Lange Nieuwstraat.

I could watch the trams all day here - and all night as I once did from the comfort of a nearby bar.

2137 is seen on the 7's terminal loop by the Scheldt at Tolhuis. I think you can guess the translation.

On the subject of names the city is reputed to have been named after a legendary fight. The story goes that the river was controlled by a greedy giant called 'Antigoon' whose power was challenged by a hero called 'Brabo' who cut the giant's hand off and cast it in to the river.

The story is that the local name of Antwerpen is a corruption of the Flemish to throw a hand. Indeed the hand is very much the city's emblem, the finest example of which is in chocolate form, white, dark or milk.

A less romantic story claims that it derives from "An't werfen" - or "on the wharf". There is a statue of Brabo throwing the hand. There is no statue of the person who provided the latter derivation.

Here's a view from my hotel window. The 3, 10 and 11 routes cross west-east through the middle of the view while the tracks in the foreground carry route 12 round Astridplein to the station.

Since 1996 this area is now also served by Pre-Metro station 'Astrid', the site offices for the construction of which can be seen here nine years before.

The light made this a tricky shot but it gives an idea of the grandeur of the city's Central Station, more of a cathedral than even London's St.Pancras. The greenery in the corner marks the entrance to the city's zoo.

The lines branching off to the right had been replaced by the tram tunnels by the time of my visits.

Out into the suburbs now and the district of Hoboken, a name taken by a place in New Jersey that was later to be the birthplace of one Francis Albert Sinatra.

The Belgian original though boasts a rather lovely lake as well as the terminus of route 2 and 4 trams.

Both the 2 and 4 operated between the same two terminal points. The 2 would enter Groenplaats via tunnel however. All of the city's trams are single-ended.

The 2 makes its own way to the Pre-Metro tunnels.

Both termini at Groenplaats were of interest, routes 2 and 15 on their underground turning loop, while the 4 and 8 enjoyed the delights of the square. 2070 passes by the cathedral and will pass within touching distance of my cafe table where I was waiting for a glass of Kriek - a bitter-sweet wild yeast beer partly made from wheat with hops replaced by whole cherries.

Have I sold the city yet?

Just a few metres away is Melkmarkt where the 3, 10 and 11 speed round tight curves on their way back to the modern city.

2010 had just passed a building that would later play host to 'Bierland' a bar with a mere 1,250 beers, but sadly not for long. It was a touch over-ambitious.

2016 makes the turn on the 10.

Back at Central Station MIVA Van Hool 649 gives us another look at the contemporary Belgian bus.

One evening peak I discovered that not all route 10 trams went through to Melkmarkt. 2091 waits outside Central Station for its return to Deurne.

Finally, the Pre-Metro. The idea was to build tram tunnels that could eventually be upgraded into full metro lines. This has been achieved over several sections in Brussels but in Antwerp the trams still occupy tunnels and platforms intended eventually for trains.

Groenplaats terminal loop was about to see a spur lead off under the river in tunnel to serve the western suburb of Linkeroever. This contractor's plan gives an idea of the layout with the future river tunnel leading off to the left.

On the surface section of routes 2 &15 the location of trams in the tunnels was indicated in this predecessor to 'Countdown'.

2002 emerges from the southern portal.

On later trips with better cameras I was able to get clearer views of the tunnel section. Here 2006 waits at Groenplaats (I think). I hope you can see the length of the platform.

You enter the system via wide tunnels, huge mezzanine floors and descend grand escalators to find....a tram, or maybe two....

I hope this has given a flavour of one of my favourite cities. I made many more trips there including a week where I ended up sleeping from 6 am to noon, riding trams in the afternoon before heading for the bars, ending-up with a craving for vegetables after maybe one or two too many 'steack & frites', or 'kip aan't spit', the latter spit-roasted chicken being amongst the finest I've ever found.

Apologies to any Belgians reading for any spelling errors and the lack of technical data on the vehicles of the city. To me it was all about experiencing a subtly sophisticated way of life, worshipping beer, chocolate, chips, coffee, and quite enjoying the trams, oh and mussels.

As one local said to me "Of course we have few famous Belgians - we're too busy enjoying ourselves."

Bangor, Caernarfon and Holyhead

2011-12-08T23:20:00.000Z

After a month's break from photography I found myself with a day spare on a trip to Cheshire last weekend so I headed for a part of the world I've rarely seen let alone photographed in the form of north west Wales.

I got some shots in Caernarfon a few years back when I visited the remarkable Welsh Highland Railway but this was to be a first-time trip to Bangor and Anglesey, apart from passing through by train en route to Ireland.

The cathedral city of Bangor was my first call where the days of Crosville's dominance in the area are long gone.

Padarn Bus is based in Llanberis and grew enormously by taking over the majority of erstwhile neighbour KMP's vehicles and services.

Seen here laying over in Bangor is 410 (M921 PKN), a Northern Counties-bodied Volvo Olympian that was new to Maidstone and District as their 5921, later serving with Arriva North West.

The Bangor bus terminus, labelled 'Bangor Clock' actually consists of a series of shelters in a side road just down from the actual clock tower which stands in the city's main street a short distance away.

Round the corner is a parking area where taking a break from city circular route 78 was Arriva Cymru 912 (X243 PGT), another vehicle to transfer up from south east England, in this case London where this Mini Pointer Dart first ran for Arriva London North as PDL 43.

Showing how their logo bears a few similarities to that of a certain transport giant based in Perth, Padarn's Solo M880SL 321 (CH60 CDH) was waiting to return over the Menai Bridge to Penmon on the Isle of Anglesey.

Arriva's 'main line' in this part of Wales is the combined 5 and X5 services from Caernarfon to Llandudno via Bangor, operated here by 2795 (CX04 HRP), a Wright-bodied Volvo B7RLE carrying appropriate route branding.

On more local duties to Bethesda on the 7C was Arriva's Solo M950SL 684 (CX09 BFP), named like others of the batch locally after Welsh rugby heroes, in this case Ieuan Evans.

The southern heartland of Welsh rugby seems an enormous distance from this corner of the principality though.

Eifion's Coaches are based far into Anglesey at Bodffordd, near Holyhead but their 47 route operates just over the Menai Straits to the famous village of (here goes!) Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

Okay, copy and paste does come in useful. Known to some more simply as Llanfair P.G. a compromise to fit the available destination space is shown by CX60 AEF, an Enviro 200 that was new to the operator.

HDA Travel of Gaerwen operates from the Isle on occasional route 63, and I was lucky to catch a shot of Solo M850 N10 HDA.

While many services come to Bangor from Anglesey in the hands of smaller operators Arriva has the major long-distance services such as the long Traws Cambria service X32 down the coast to Aberystwyth, operated here by 2504 (CX54 EPJ), a Wright-bodied VDL SB200.

Much of the Padarn fleet was new to the operator in recent years. Indeed it was striking how many local operators' buses had been bought new.

Not all acquisitions have been successful though and a batch of Wright StreetLites has been returned and replaced by Enviro 200s such as 324 (MX11 JYP).

Arriva's Plaxton-bodied Dart 2134 (S634 KHN) came from Arriva North East. Here it waits to head off on the lengthy 62 run to Amlwch on Anglesey's north coast.

301 (CX58 AUA) is Padarn's solitary Optare Versa, a V1110 model.

Gwynedd is very much a Welsh language stronghold, as shown by the side advert for tickets on Padarn's share of the Snowdon Sherpa services. Solo M880SL 304 (CX56 AHK) is however on route 76.

Moving on to Caernarfon, Padarn Bus was once more much in evidence.

Loading for a run on route 8 back to home territory of Llanberis in deepest Snowdonia, Alexander-bodied Dart 311 (S377 MCC) was one of the vehicles acquired from KMP.

Another local operator that has built a fairly substantial network of routes is Express Motors of Pen-y-Groes. Operating the 1A back to Bangor was Mini Pointer Dart CX04 CVF.

Arriva's route 5 runs as 5C on the Caernarfon to Bangor leg, but curiously only in that direction. 2797 (CX55 FAJ) is a Wright-bodied Volvo B7RLE that was one of seven that was Arriva's share of the KMP business.

Express Motors' Solo M920SL carries an apt registration of CY56 MRU and a variant of standard yellow and white livery.....

......carried by former First Glasgow M920 Solo SH51 MKN.

Express also were using Optare Solo demonstrator YJ10 EZB.

Showing a truly bilingual destination display was Padarn's former KMP Plaxton-bodied Dart 310 (T72 JCC).

A long-established local operator is Clynnog & Trefor who were operating this rather anonymous Dart, new to them, on the run across the Llyn peninsula to the resort of Pwllheli.

Arriva's X5 along the north coast to Llandudno was represented by 2662 (CX07 CVB), a Wright-bodied VDL SB200.

On now to Anglesey itself and I caught this view of Arriva 2505 (CX54 EPK), an SB200 with older Wright bodywork on Thomas Telford's historic London to Holyhead road, now the A5.

The modern dual carriageway A55, seen in the background, has taken its role across the island as the crucial link towards Ireland.

Both roads reach Holyhead via causeways over to Holy Island. The town is dominated by the ferry port and its connection to Dun Laoghaire but more local links are maintained by Arriva.

Route 4 to Llangefni is here operated by Wright-bodied SB120 2485 (CX04 AYC).

Also serving the port is local operator Goodsir who were running this former London General Dart P736 RYL, formerly LDP 36 in the capital.

It later ran for Diamond Bus' Black Diamond fleet in the West Midlands, hence the black livery.

Equally anonymous was Goodsir's M710SE Solo YJ10 MHN.

Having travelled so far to a ferry port Stena's mammoth HSS catamaran 'Stena Explorer' was a very welcome sight, even if its lines are pretty much as far from a traditional ship as possible.

From Holyhead the plan was to tour Anglesey's coast for the first time but sadly the gathering gloom made it a trip in light just too poor for decent photography.

I did get to see a former Crosville VR in a very light green livery and a former Travel West Midlands Metrobus in its former operator's colours but sadly I wasn't able to get photos. While the island's countryside was rather flat, especially by comparison to the stunning hills of the mainland the coastal bays seemed rather delightful and I look forward to heading back in better weather sometime in the New Year.

Sorry about the length of time between postings. As I explained previously my new job is taking up a great part of my time but I'm hoping to resume more regular reports soon. Another raid on the archives is probably coming up next, probably with a distinct Belgian flavour.

Gloucestershire 1986

2011-11-29T22:51:00.000Z

It's time to raid the archives again and take another trip into the eighties. So far I've covered various places in the South and West so it's about time that I covered the county that's been home for me for the past decade.

Ironically until the few years before actually moving here in 2001 I'd only visited once before, back in 1986 to see the still relatively new Cheltenham & Gloucester Omnibus Company's operations, especially the break from Bristol's NBC green livery, well except for the Stroud Valleys.

The tour started in Cheltenham (well, I WAS new to the area...) and a view in Clarence Street of a VR that is most definitely still with us, in the form of Cheltenham District 5030 (JOU 160P), a 1975-vintage dual-door VRT/SL3/501 which is now part of Stagecoach's heritage fleet in Hampshire.

It usually returns each March to take part in the Stagecoach Reserve Fleet and New Delivery Running Day, which is cunningly disguised as the shuttle service to racing's Cheltenham Festival at Prestbury, the village that it was heading a quarter of a century ago.

At this point I must apologise for the quality of some of these scans which really need to be re-made at some point. Hopefully the content will compensate.

The vast majority of C&G buses were naturally enough formerly with Bristol Omnibus whose standard double-decker at the time of the 1983 split was the Leyland Olympian, unusually with Roe bodywork, as with London Country, rather than ECW.

9519 (LWS 35Y) was a 1982 ONLXB/1R model, as typical a chassis choice for NBC as the Roe body for it wasn't.

Over in the Royal Well Bus Station was the typical NBC single-decker of the day, 3505 (AAE 649V), a 1980 Mark 2 Leyland National NL116L11/1R model.

Cheltenham had reverted to NBC poppy red on regaining its identity on C&G's formation after a near decade's break in green with Bristol fleetnames. As can be seen behind it the new Swindon & District operation also shared the red livery.

Bristol had acquired a number of VR transfers from within NBC and several made the switch to C&G as with 1975 VRT2 5605 (HPT 83N), formerly United 665.

The other Cheltenjham & Gloucester, then still a building society shared the branding of the 'C&G Flyer' which I see provided a link right through to Dursley, no longer served direct from the spa town.

3058 (UHW 101T)'s identity as a City of Gloucester bus was rather lost in the branding/advert although I suspect the skirt colour was a clue. It's a 1978 National 11351A/1R that later ran for Trent.

Cheltenham's town routes are now exclusively lettered but back in 1986 their use was confined to the new 'Metro' minibuses.

New to C&G in 1985, 636 (C636 SFH)'s Ford Transit panel van had been converted for bus use, in this case not by the usual Dormobile or Carlyle Works but by Alexander.

Another second-hand VR was 5603 (JNU 139N), a Mark 2 VR that had joined Bristol from East Midland, having started out with Mansfield District in 1975.

For those NBC fleets wanting more than sixteen seats in their minis the Mercedes Benz L608D was an option, as with 650 (C650 XDF), again with an Alexander conversion.

This one actually had a second career with Bennett's of Chieveley in Berkshire.

Over now to Gloucester and a subtle reversal of the coloured bands on 614 (C614 SFH) gave priority to Gloucester blue. Today the 1 to Matson is the haunt of SLF Darts, in 1986 it was Alexander-converted Transits.

I now use these stops in Clarence Street constantly.

In the early days of NBC blue had been a livery option taken up by East Yorkshire, Midland General and the small Jones of Aberbeeg fllet in south Wales. 1983 saw a different shade arrive, referred to as 'Gloucester Aircraft Blue' if my memory serves me rightly, Gloucester having a proud aviation history.

3081 (YFB 972V) was a 1979 11351A/1R National waiting for a turn on the long-lost Painswick route in the city's bus station, once the cattle market.

Indeed when the bays were rebuilt this century to install stronger barriers traces of the original pens were found.

9513 (JHU 912X) was another 1982 Roe-bodied Olympian and looking very smart in the blue. The X2 was gone before my permanent arrival here.

9513 later ran for Southlands of Polhill, Grant Palmer of Dunstable and Nu-Venture of Aylesford, not necessarily in that order.

Circle Line was a thorn in C&G's side until it was finally taken-over. Southgate Street has become pedestrianised, as with the majority of the other 'gate' streets in the city and has lost the pedestrian bridge in the intervening years.

Also long gone is NFA 12M, a Daimler Fleetline CRG6LX that was new to Buton-upon-Trent in 1973, just before it was renamed East Staffordshire in 1974.

The bodywork was by Willowbrook to the unconventional Nottingham specification. The half-timbered building in the background, now a pub, was once the home of Robert Raikes who is credited with the creation of Sunday Schools.

A long-lost city route was the 20 to Hucclecote, here operated by 5092 (NWS 289R), a 1977 dual-door VRT3 that later worked for Circle Line.

This stop outside the bus station in Station Road is now used by the Lower Tuffley-Cheltenham 10 service but here was in use by another lost route, the 4 to Innsworth, the number now being used for the service through Abbeymead to Brockworth.

3049 (SAE 752S) was a 1978 11351A/1R.

Today I commute daily on the hour-long route 31 to Coleford, a thought inconceivable to me in 1986 as I returned to the daily London commute after three years making cable television. (No, I'm not the Rob McCaffery who worked for Sky. He arrived on the media scene just as I quit my channel, Screen Sport.)

Back in 1986 the Forest of Dean operations, now part of Stagecoach West were with National Welsh, who wisely used the old Red & White name for their English operations in border country.

VRT3 LR729 (GTX 753W)'s lack of the white band over the windscreen gives away the fact that this was one of the ultra low-height VRs.

Swanbrook of Cheltenham are still significant players in the local bus market although they have had losses in the recent tendered bus route awards.

JKN 59N was an early example of Maidstone Borough Council's unusual switch to lightweight Bedfords being a 1975 YRQ with Willowbrook bodywork.

I do wish we still had an X73 link to Cardiff. When I arrived here the 73 was run by Stagecoach Wales from Newport into Gloucester. It was cut back to Chepstow, then Lydney and switched to Stagecoach West before more recently being extended over the old 721 route through the Forest of Dean to Coleford as the 23.

In 1986 National Welsh were using ND411 (KDW 357P), a 1975 dual-purpose National 11351/1R/SC in Red & White red and blue 'venetian blind' livery. The dark years of bland NBC livery standardisation were beginning to give way to a new future that was to hit the industry head-on later in the year.

The link to the south once provided by Badgerline has also gone, as has the run north to Worcester formerly provided by Midland Red West. Now we have to save our pennies to be allowed on First's trains instead, or more likely get the car out.

In happier times Badgerline 2075 (GHY 137K), a 1972 DP-seated Bristol RELH6L carrying Swift Link livery arrives at the city's bus station. Sister bus GHY 135K is preserved by Simon Smart.

As I mentioned earlier the Stroud fleet retained the NBC leaf green of BOC. 1975 VR 5616 (MUA 875P) originated with West Riding.

The break-up of National Travel West saw the historic name of Black and White revived briefly. By 1986 it was a fleetname of Cheltenham & Gloucester seen here in the days when the opertor's name still had a place on National Express coaches.

2409 (C423 WFH) was a Plaxton Paramount 3500 II-bodied Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3RZ seen on the 512 Rapide service to London.

The final view from Gloucester is of National Welsh/Red and White's N617 (SKG 921S), a 1977 National 11351A/1R, new as N3977.You have to change in Ross-on-Wye or Coleford now to reach Monmouth.

On now to Stroud and the former Merrywalks bus station, now buried under a cinema with the buses now relegated to bays on either side of the busy A46 Bath-Cheltenham trunk road.

The local former Bristol operation was dubbed 'Stroud Valleys' under C&G whose 3057 (TAE 639S) was a 1978 11351A/1R and was arriving on the still-extant route 40.

This National later ran for North Bank Travel in Hull.

The 26 still makes the steep climb up from the Golden Valley to France Lynch but not using 713 (XEU 861T), a 1979 'no frills' B-series National 10351B/1R.

Proving that there was more than one shade of NBC's leaf green livery was 5535 (EWS 743W), a 1981 Leyland 680-engined VRT3 which later ran for Yeomans of Hereford and Clynnog & Trefor in north Wales.

3035 (NFB 603R), a 1977 11351A/1R National arrives on the 21.

Finally the Forest Green-Cheltenham 46 is now interworked with the Forest Green-Gloucester 93 with joint route-branding. In 1986 Cheltenham District B-series National 703 (VAE 502T) of 1979 headed north back to Cheltenham.

Soon this interim NBC phase was to come to an end for Cheltenham & Gloucester with privatisation under the umbrella of Western Travel. By the time I returned over a decade later Stagecoach was king and I was beginning to think that there was a better life than commuting from east London into the city...

Stockport 5 at Heaton Park

2011-11-19T20:53:00.002Z

This trip to Manchester's Heaton Park Tramway was supposed to be a short one before heading onto the Manchester Museum of Transport for their 25th Anniversary of Deregulation event but such was the hospitality offered by the MTMS that I spent the whole afternoon there.

The star of the show on the day was Stockport 5, recently liberated from the Blackpool Tramway where its sparse appearances out on the line had dwindled to virtually nothing before its departure for a three year loan to Heaton Park.

Apart from my first sighting of a double-decker in the park I was also there to see the short extension to the Boating Lake, only a journey of about 100 yards but a vital one as it brings the trams into view of the many visitors to the park's lake and cafe.

Here's a view of the new terminus with the intended site of the new depot being at the end of the right-hand siding.

Looking back, Stockport 5 makes its way through the old terminus.

5 really makes a huge contribution to Heaton Park's 'red' fleet, complementing single-deck Manchester 765 and the newly-repainted former Blackpool replica 'Vanguard'.

The upper-deck decency boards had to be raised in height while at the seaside due to fears that some of the resort's more dubious visitors might be tempted to go over the side of the original versions.

Built in 1901 her restoration began at Southport's former Steamport Transport Museum where I took this early view in her recovery in the late seventies.

Behind is the Birkenhead Park Starbuck double-deck horse tram that later went on display, fully-restored, for a few years at the Woodside ferry terminal in its home town. Sadly, it's now back in storage.

Back in Manchester you can see the traditional construction of 5's open top deck.

Her controllers had to be augmented by an air brake during her time on the coast.

Here the car heads off the track laid along the park's path to approach the current depot and the original track.

The line's depot was converted from a spacious shelter built at the original line's terminus to serve the throngs who packed the park during the early 20th century.

With the revival of the branch it was converted into a depot able to house three trams in time for the re-opening in 1980.

Stabled on the depot approach was the line's original car, Manchester 765, with the remains of Rawtenstall 23 sheeted-over in the background.

Complete with a family from north Manchester's extensive Orthodox Jewish community, 5 heads along the original 1903 siding to the park gates.

It was quite bizarre sitting on a vintage tram in Manchester with the sounds of Yiddish floating on the breeze.

The eastern terminus is at Middleton Road Gates where the siding joined the main line into the city.

Following the closure of the original Manchester Tramway in 1948 the siding survived under a tarmac coating until being restored for re-opening in 1980 and subsequent extensions well into the park.

No, the cobwebs aren't the result of years of storage at Rigby Road. Hallowe'en was over a week away but like so many other 'festivals' in our calendar it seems to grow in length every year. Still, if it brings in customers...

Back at the depot 5 takes a pause in the company of suitably-attired crews.

Manchester 765 was one of a number of cars built for service on routes plagued by low bridges, in this case the famous 53 route that almost circled the city, ending at a place that once raised the pace of many a Mancunian heart, Belle Vue.

For many it was a zoo, for others a major amusement park but for those of us who follow one of the less-famous sports it was simply the home of British Speedway, and the finest track in the country, if not the world.

The whole complex was well on its way to becoming a housing estate and car auction site by the time this 1914 'California' car, so named by its configuration of open seating and saloon deriving from west coast american ideas, was returning to service in the mid seventies after being discovered in the hills above Huddersfield.

Since then 765 has run at Crich, Blackpool and Beamish as well here on its home metals.

Asking if the shop was open I was told I could reach it on the day through the running shed so I approached the 'business-end' of the tramway.

Inside, apart from the models and artefacts I received a very warm welcome and a guided tour of the depot along with a lengthy and fascinating conversation with MTMS members over the exciting future plans for the line, including extension through to the western side of the park to the Heaton Park Metrolink stop and the constuction of the badly-needed new depot to house the extended collection.

This now includes two Blackpool Balloons and Brush cars, one of each are already in Manchester, albeit in storage after display in the ill-fated 'Museum of Museums' in Trafford Park. You can see them in my report Manchester Museums .

Also out on loan are Blackpool works car 752 at the East Lancs Railway, Manchester horse car L53 at the Bury Museum, as seen in my last report, and former Leeds 6/Hull 96 up at Beamish.

Among the several models on display was this maker's model of Blackpool replica 'Vanguard' 619 which was converted from an omo car 7 in 1987. Originally it had been English Electric Railcoach 282, later 619.

The actual tram is now a resident at Heaton Park where it has gained fleet number 7 and a red livery to fit in with the other residents.

Several teething problems have prevented the car becoming a regular in service yet.

Another superb maker's model is that of a Manchester horse car, one of which, L.53 is of course part of the MTMS collection. As can be seen the cars were single-ended but built to the Eades Patent Reversible design in which the body could be turned on the truck to face the opposite direction.

During the restoration of L.53 the MTMS came into contact with the descendents of John Eades which led to them receiving on loan his original tool box.

Another model depicts a typical Manchester four-wheel car with suitable route boards.

To those of you unfamiliar with the old term 'Night Soil' the original Bury tram represented by this model served to remove, errr, 'human waste' shall we say in the days before effective sewerage had reached all parts of the Edwardian world.

Back outside Stockport 5 passes through the trees on its way from the new lakeside terminus....

.....and passes through the old terminus on its way back to Middleton Road.

Seeing Stockport 5 away from Blackpool brought home how the last original British Tramway was shedding so much of its heritage as it hurtles into a brave new world of trams that, well, will look to untrained eyes like anything they could see in Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham, The West Midlands, or south London.

While its wonderful to see 5 available to the public it was a sobering reminder.

I chose not to visit Blackpool for the closure, preferring to remember the traditional line in its maturity, not dotage, so this was my final transport visit of the 2011 heritage season. My collection of archive views is already being dusted-down to see us through the winter.

Before closing, if you would like to see my previous visit to Heaton Park and the visit of Oporto 196 from Beamish you can find it here, Oporto 196.

A final note of tribute to the Manchester Transport Museum Society (MTMS) is that just five days prior to my visit metal thieves had stolen the overhead wiring which initially saw the society announce the closure of the line for an extended period. Somehow they managed not only to replace it but also to re-erect it, test it and be ready for re-opening on the day of my visit, just fiove days later. That is a truly remarkable achievement. The line is open on Sunday afternoons through the winter and is very well worth a visit.

Metrolink is not the only Manchester tramway that faces an exciting future.

Bury Transport Museum: Lancashire Municipals Day

2011-11-15T21:41:00.001Z

Re-opened in the spring of 2010 after a multi-million pound refurbishment that saw the site closed for sevven years the Bury Transport Museum recently staged a Lancashire Municipal running day.

Arriving at the museum which is part of the East Lancashire Railway's Bury base there was an interesting selection of buses representing the subject of the day, as can be seen above.

Once a bastion of local authority bus operation the arrival of PTEs and later the days of deregulation and privatisation saw the historic county of Lancashire reduced to just four, just two, Blackpool and Rossendale in the post-1974 county and two which are now politically in Cheshire in the form of Warrington and Halton..

Recalling more diverse days was the theme of the day and a tour round the museum's yard starts with Rawtenstall 58 (466 FTJ), featuring a staunch local municipal combination of East Lancs bodywork and Leyland chassis, in this case a 1958 Tiger Cub PSUC1/5.

Rawtenstall lost its independence in the late sixties through merger with Haslingden to form Rossendale, although both had previously shared the same general manager with Ramsbottom which was instead swallowed-up by SELNEC.

Alongside was older fellow Rawtenstall vehicle, 55 (MTB 848), a 1950 Leyland Tiger PS2/1, again with East Lancs bodywork.

Rochdale's striking livery is superbly evoked by their former 280 (NDK 980), a rather more southerly combination of AEC Regent V and Weymann bodywork, dating from 1956.

Representing Liverpool's brave attempt to bring some identity and style to bodies for the new Leyland Atlantean is their former L501 (501 KD), a 1962 PDR1/1 with Metro-Cammell bodywork to a design also bought locally by Bolton and Bury corporations.

Wigan was absorbed by the GMPTE in 1974 and was represented by a pair of Leylands, both with bodies built in the town. On the right is 139 (DEK 2D), a 1966 Titan PD2/37 with Massey bodywork.

Alongside was 115 (DJP 754), a 1958 PD2/30, this time with Northern Counties bodywork.

Manchester was represented by 3496 (TNA 496), a 1958 Burlingham-bodied PD2/40, another all-Lancastrian combination.

Tucked away in a corner but still just about photographable was the historic Ramsbottom 11 (TTD 386H), the very last traditional front-engined bus built by Leyland for the home market, in 1969.

The body, almost inevitably was built by East Lancs in Blackburn.

Next I took the chance to pay my first visit to the museum itself, based in the historic 1848 Castlecroft Goods Warehouse.

Inside the emphasis was most definitely away from passenger transport with lorries, tractors and steam locos prominent. Only one of the latter was a rail vehicle.

To be fair, two of the bus exhibits were out on the road in service but the balance wasn't quite to my taste, although the effort and expense put in to modernise the building was quite impressive, and of course it's not my personal taste that matters in the wider scheme of things.

I was a touch disappointed though, especially when my shoulder bag was grabbed by a museum volunteer who accused me of having passed the entry desk without paying when in fact all I had done was walk back down the stairs from the galleries into the main hall. There are better ways to enforce payment than chasing someone and grabbing them and perhaps the entry arrangements need a very careful re-assessment.

It was a shame because otherwise it was a very enjoyable day with excellent breakfast baps being served by a charming team of ladies in the museum's refreshment coach.

Back to the happier subject of the exhibits and the sole bus on display inside the museum on the day was Stockport 91 (MJA 891G), a delightful 1969 East Lancs-bodied PD3/14.

The sole railway loco was this former Burnley Gas Works example.

This Dart must have been reversing at a heck of a lick....

The cab of former Stagecoach North East L749 VNL lives on as a chance for children (and I'm sure some older 'kiddies') to play at being a bus driver. It took some time to get a clear shot, such was the popularity, especially when one little angel found the windscreen wiper controls.

The whole bus once appeared at Showbus after Stagecoach painted it into the old South Shields colours. I can't recall if it ever did run as Rossendale 149.

Until its ambitious expansion plans see a new depot being constructed space at the Heaton Park Tramway is at a premium and so Manchester horse car L53 is on loan to the Bury museum.

This is an extremely rare example of an Eades Patent Reversible tramcar, in which a single-ended body was turned on its underframe to face the opposite direction at termini and its restoration is an excellent achievement by the Manchester Tramway museum Society.

The end wall contains a very impressive display of railway station totems.

Among the small exhibits was this fascinating model of a Lancashire & Yorkshire e.m.u. carriage from the Manchester-Bury line, now part of Metrolink.

Up at street level and outside the impressive entrance to the ELR's main Bury Bolton Street terminus was one of the pair of buses sharing the service to Ramsbottom.

Salford 281 (JRJ 281E) is a 1967 Metro-Cammell-bodied PD2/40 and was a very welcome choice for the run up the Irwell Valley.

I do enjoy forward entrance buses for the way they have almost a rear 'lounge' area. Perhaps I remember too many jaunts from Liverpool with LUPTS on their annual bus tours with various vehicles of similar layout giving a very sociable journey.

Upstairs the clean functionality of the Met-Cam body is very evident.

281 makes its exit from the charming northern terminus of Ramsbottom (no sniggering at the back there!) back to Bury.

Back at Bury was its partner for the day, Bolton 185 (UWH 185) of 1963, its PDR1/1 chassis carrying another attempt to bring style to rear-engined bodies.

This East Lancs version was designed for Bolton manager Ralph Bennett who went on to commission the Mancunian for Manchester and SELNEC before carrying the design concept on to London Transport and their DMS class.

Inside 185 could be easily mistaken for a bus ten years younger, so far ahead of its time was the design.

Despite the unsavoury incident it was a very enjoyable day and a great chance to see a different part of the world on classic buses. As ever, my appreciation goes out to all involved, even the more over-zealous ones.

With the Manchester Museum staging its 25 years of Deregulation event over the same weekend I was originally going to split the day between both but the joys of the run up to Ramsbottom saw me shift plans to visit Boyle Street to the Sunday.

Before that, I was just going to spend a short while at Heaton Park. How Sunday actually panned-out will be the subject of the next report, my last from the main vintage vehicle operating season. The archives are being studied already for my 'close season' work.

Warminster Running Day 2011

2011-11-09T20:42:00.000Z

The final day of our south coast trip featured calling into Warminster for a first view for several years of the running day. After a few years' absence from the rally calendar it was re-launched as a mini event but seems to have swiftly rebuilt most of its previous scale, which was really quite considerable.

Nearly twenty routes and tours were operated by nearly forty buses and coaches connecting the Wiltshire town with many charming villages and the neighbouring towns of Westbury and Frome.

The vehicle line-up included many favourites from the western rally circuits with one or two spectacular extras to the fare on offer.

One of these was this open-top Bristol K5G which was supplied to Southern Vectis in 1939 and has stayed with them for the successive 72 years.

She still puts in occasional stints on the various Isle of Wight open-top services.

602 (CDL 899) carries an ECW body and a sample of its prewar styling can still be seen in this lower deck interior view.

Upstairs is where the money is made though. To many of those disembarking from the nearby FLF it's just another roofless bus, I suspect.

Here are the two open-toppers together. The Lodekka, Brighton & Hove 91 (KPM 91E) is a 1967 FLF6G which lives about three miles from me in Stagecoach's Gloucester garage, it being owned by Ian Manning and Sholto Thomas of Stagecoach West.

It was never an open-topper in England, having been decapitated by Eastern Scottish after being received as part of the great NBC-SBG FLF-VRT swap of the early 70s. That's enough initials for now, I suspect.

I was going to say 'on to the more regular fare' at this point but you can't call a rear-engined Foden coach in any way 'ordinary'.

OLG 855 is another Gloucestershire resident (I presume, as the owner's from Stroud) and is a 1951 PVRF6. Its Plaxton coachwork provided comfort for the famous Foden works brass band.

Rather more commonplace was Rally Control, housed in this Tourist Coaches Optare Solo M850 2661 (V661 DFX) that had been cascaded from Wilts & Dorset.

Most definitely a Gloucestershire resident is the Stroud RE Group's former Southern National 1457 (LDV 467F). It's a 1968 RELH6G painted in Royal Blue livery so that it could help preserve corporate identity when being transferred from tours and excursion work to assist with express work.

With group leader Mike Ede at the wheel it heads out on a rather truncated Associated Motorways service.

There was a time when non-London enthusiasts would despair at lengthy unbroken ranks of the RT family at rallies. A couple of decades on and its the Routemaster that carries the same tag while natural wastage has trimmed the ranks of the older generation to the point where seeing them is, as it really should be, a delight.

The Leyland alternative is represented here by RTL 1163 (LYF 104) heading not for King's Cross but the more charming Codford, as shown by the slipboard in the bulkhead window.

Western Scottish DL756 carries the registration mark WDS 291V but originally was GCS 56V, the reason for the change presumably being due to its time in Ireland with the Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway Company, which hasn't run a train for many a year.

It's a 1980 PSU3E/4R Leopard with typical SBG Alexander Y-type bodywork.

Returning to Crosville's fine coach livery for the 2011 season after a few years presented as a Bristol Greyhound vehicle, CRG 103 (AFM 103G), a 1969 RELH6G takes another pretty full load out into rural Wilts.

This really was quite a Bristol RE gathering.

This one, North Western 413 (JMA 413L), a 1972 example carries the updated ECW coach body that in pursuing the design styles of Plaxton and Duple rather lost its way.

The coach dates from the period immediately after the carve-up of the firm's bus routes between SELNEC, Trent and Crosville which left NWRCC just a coach operator. Worse was to come in 1974 when its identity was lost in a sea of white as it became National Travel (North West).

A few years ago this coach gave my old student society LUPTS a rather fine tour round Cumbria for our annual tour. Now, as its blind confirms it's a resident of west Wales.

Enthusiast-run North Somerset Coaches of Nailsea run YHY 592J in their vintage fleet and recently this 1971 former Bristol Omnibus RELL6L has shed a pseudo-LT livery in favour of green once more.

A very surprise addition to the latter part of the rally season has been the Bristol Omnibus Vehicle Collection's latest 'coup', the importation from New Zealand of former Christchurch RELL6L, now registered XOU 396T.

The RE was available for export long after it had been killed-off in the UK (except Northern Ireland of course) in order to promote the Leyland National and this Hess-bodied example dates from 1979. I never thought I'd ever see a Kiwi RE.

Roger Burdett always seems to bring something fascinating down from from the Midlands for events in the West and this time it was CFK 340, a magnificent 1948 Burlingham-bodied AEC Regal III that was new to Burnham of Worcester. It was in fact a late replacement for a dorsal fin-bodied Leyland PS1 but was no less of a thrill to ride on.

The Wylye Valley Tour duly deposited us outside the church in Wylye where a local gentleman was most nonplussed that we turned-down his kind offer of a guided tour of the church in favour of photographing our transport 'en masse', and yes, it would be appreciated if he could possibly move away from the front of the coach, please.

Our patience, and his to be honest, was rewarded with views such as this.

Now, if only we could have had the Chelsea tractor, bin and aerial removed from shot as well...

Can someone tell me why modern seats can't be as comfortable as this?

Talking of comfort and elegance, it's sights like this that would catch the gaze of even the most blase of passers-by as the simply-beautiful Royal Blue Bristol L leaves the Warminster terminus.

Often at rallies I find myself thinking of the line "A thing of beauty is a joy forever" and that sentiment was strong as 1250 (LTA 729) headed out in service.

Less romantically, she's a 1951 Duple-bodied LL6B supplied to the Western National half of the Royal Blue partnership.

The Leyland Panther has a lesser following but when in the colours of Chisnell's of Winchester, alias King Alfred Motor Services the appeal swiftly grows.

UOU 417H is a 1970 Plaxton-bodied PSUR1A/1R survivor of one of Leyland's less happy phases.

Close to home territory at Porton Down out on nearby Salisbury Plain was former Silver Star 1013 MW, a 1962 Weymann-bodied PDR1/1 Atlantean with more than a hint of the styling of Ribble's contemporary 'Gay Hostess' motorway coaches of my fond childhood memory.

Try telling the younger generation you grew up riding on a Gay Hostess and you soon find out who your friends are.

This though features semi-lowbridge bodywork, hence the higher faces at the back of the upper deck.

I never saw a Bristol SU in service since my main Tilling Group memories are of Eastern National and Crosville. (You can work out how I got between both from the previous comments), but nevertheless I find them quite charming from a passenger point of view, especially this Western National example which now lives here in Gloucestershire.

603 (675 COD) is a 1960 SUS4A.

A surprisingly regular sight this year in the West has been this Yorkshire-based SU.

West Yorkshire SMA5 (811 BWR) is a longer SUL4A model seen here in the lovely village of Sutton Veny.

The chassis may be an assemblage of proprietary parts but the body is thoroughbred ECW, even if on the dated side by the 1960s, and on the small scale.

The comparative lengths of the SUs can be seen here in the company of the 'Old Gal' as Vectis people affectionately refer to the company's heirloom.

Another design at the latter end of its long life was this East Lancs single-decker styling carried here on former Islwyn 41 (C41 GKG) which dates from 1985, some two decades after the design first saw the light of day.

It's even late enough to be borne not by a Leyland Leopard but by a TRBTL11/2R Tiger.

Delivered just days too late for its intended debut at the Bristol Harbourside Rally, Somerbus' AE11 BDF was also in service.

It's an interesting combination of Mercedes Benz OC500LE with MCV Evolution bodywork and was putting its programmable destination display to good use, albeit not quite as amusing as that shown on one of their Solos at a Harbourside rally of "Apologies, no room on board due to militant pensioners".

You can see the Merc's normal duty on the side.

My last run of the day was out over the Somerset border to Frome and its historic and rather pink station.

The bus is one of my favourites, the Bristol Vintage Bus Group's former Western National 353 (FTT 704), a 1945 Bristol K6A with a 1955 replacement ECW body which must have been one of the last built for a basic K, rather than KS or KSW.

The running day includes many potential connections and at Corsley Heath we had the option to travel back to Warminster on a different ECW-rebodied Bristol, in this case ex-Hants & Dorset 677 (KEL 405).

Its L-type chassis was extended to LL6B proportions and fitted with this full-fronted body in 1961.

Back at Warminster was fellow ex-H&D vehicle 3048 (UEL 564J), a1971 RELL6G preserved in its owners late version of Tilling dual-purpose livery, soon to be part of a forest of bland leaf green.

Finally ex-Wilts & Dorset 4448 (KRU 848W), a 1980 VRTSL3 that was also new to Hants & Dorset before its split and which was back in former territory after moving to a life of preservation in north Essex last year.

And with that, after another fine running day in the west and my last of the season it was time to finally head home to Gloucester.

Thanks again to all for their efforts in making this happen and its good to have the Warminster event back.

From the south and west it was back to my native north west for the next reports on a busy weekend in Greater Manchester.

It's looking like I'll have to run reports on a weekly basis for now since my new day job is taking up a great deal of my time presently. With winter approaching it'll soon be time to start raiding the library for some older shots again.

Amberley Museum

2011-11-01T22:18:00.000Z

Located under ten miles from the West Sussex coast just north of Arundel, the Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre represents the many industries of the south east of England. It's not an area necessarily noted for industrialisation in the modern sense but many industries and trades flourished in its countryside and towns, including at the museum site which was a a chalk pit used primarily for the production of industrial lime.

Today it plays host to numerous displays, some of them professionally sponsored, covering many topics. Obviously the main interests for me were the Southdown bus collection, a sample of which can be seen above and that of narrow gauge railways.

This was my first visit to Amberley and I had read great things about both collections and I wasn't disappointed. As a young enthusiast I'd read, enthralled, a book by the late David Kaye entitled "Freighters on the Front" which described how curious buses had been used in a handful of seaside resorts, based on the Shelvoke & Drewry lorry chassis, primarily used for dustcarts.

Famously used in Rhyl on the north Wales coast, latterly by Crosville themselves the concept had its origins in Worthing with the 'Tramocar' company where these diminutive buses plied their way along the Sussex seafront during the 1920s and 30s.

Despite the livery BP 9822 wasn't one of the fleet since it's a former dustcart dating from 1929 and carrying a replica body built at Amberley.

I was delighted to find this unique vehicle parked by the museum entrance ready for service through the site.

It has detachable plastic windshields which had been furled just before this view. I believe it is standing outside a former Brighton tram shelter.

A close-up of the driver's seat shows how the tram association was made, with accelerator and steering both lever-controlled. As the presence of a radiator suggests the driver sits over the small engine.

The Tramocar soon took us through the site to the superb replica Southdown garage, flanked by a smaller 'dormy' shed and booking office which houses a museum packed with all kinds of fascinating Southdown memorabilia.

Here's a closer view of the shed, complete with vintage van and two surprising exhibits within.

I really wasn't expecting to find a Sunderland Leyland Lion here in deepest Sussex.

BR 7132 is a 1929 all-Leyland Lion LT1, numbered 2 by the north east municipality.

Its survival was aided by being exported to Jersey in 1935 to join the fleet of Tantivy Motors, later becoming part of Jersey Motor Transport's antique bus fleet years after the type was withdrawn in the UK. It was J9008 with JMT with whom it served from 1949 to as late as 1959.

Of course a thirty year service life, while quite remarkable then, isn't that uncommon today, such is progress.

Alongside was another remarkable survivor, for under the framework of a replica open-top double-deck body is a 1925 Tilling-Stevens petrol electric chassis. Hybrid buses aren't that new an idea...

KL 7796 is a TS6 which originally ran with a Short body for Maidstone & District as its 73 and promises to be a truly memorable sight in due course.

Here's a closer view of that van, a 1928 Morris, registered KR 1765 and which represents the type of van used by Southdown for its support services.

On now to the main display and another Tilling-Stevens.

By 1930 the firm had converted to conventional petrol chassis with gearboxes as with Southdown 1205 (UF 6805), an Express B10A2 model with Short bodywork.

The manufacturer had a secure foundation only for a few more years until part-parent Tilling Group began to favour its newer acquisition of Bristol for its bus orders instead.

On the other side of the entrance was 873 (UF 6473), a 1930 all-Leyland Titan TD1 which later served in Scotland with Greenock Motor Services until 1952.

It says something when a pioneering TD1 isn't the highlight of a collection.

Fellow TD1 928 (UF 7428) dates from a year later, 1931 and carries a Short body. It was restored over a five year period from 1988.

The gem of gems in the Southdown Omnibus Trust's collection is another Tilling-Stevens, this time though a 1914 TS3 example, IB 552 which was supplied to Southdown's predecessor, Worthing Motor Services.

The Newman body is even older, dating from 1909. Companies that bought these petrol-electrics were to reap a surprise boon during World War I as the army frowned on their complications and failed to requisition them for war service unlike their pure petrol counterparts, most of which never returned from the horrors of the front.

As the display board confirms 517 (UF 1517) is a 1927 Dennis 30cwt (hundredweight to those not of a 'certain age') fitted with an early example of an aluminium body by Short.

125 (CD 5125) is another true veteran, being a 1920 Leyland N which carries a later 1928 Short body.

The Tramocar passes the garage on its way back to the museum entrance. Remarkably despite its top speed of 12 mph and wheels which are little more than rollers it participated in the 1998 HCVS London to Brighton run.

A sight that has greeted many a preservationist over the years is a fascinating relic buried edeep in woodland. In this case this is the bus collection's mess room.

More formally JG 663 is another 1930 Tilling-Stevens Express that ran for East Kent.

On now to the narrow gauge railway exhibits, although we will be seeing more buses later in the report.

The Amberley railway collection is based on the collection formerly at Brockham near Dorking in Surrey which had to find a new base in 1982.

While the main collection is of two-foot gauge outside their main display hall sits a 3 ft gauge Peckett from the Scaldwell Ironstone Quarries in Northamptonshire, representing a rare use in the UK of a gauge more common in Ireland, and of course the Isle of Man, where it is arguably 'standard gauge' with both the Isle of Man Railway and Manx Electric Railway laid to this gauge, as well as the Douglas Horse Tramway.

The best-known English example was the Southwold Railway in Suffolk, a baggage van of which was in my Carlton Colville report.

Inside is an oddity in the form of one of the 1' 10" gauge steam locos from the Guinness Brewery in Dublin, another example of which is in the Narrow Gauge Muserum at Tywyn on the Talyllyn Railway.

An excellent article on this railway appeared in the last issue of Narrow Gauge World magazine.

With its boiler certificate having expired in 2007 this 1947 French Decauville loco "Barbouilleur" is sadly now a static exhibit.

With my love of the Isle of Man, a priority was to see the Groudle Glen Railway collection. Sadly I was only expecting to see the coaches since loco Polar Bear is having its boiler renewed in order to prevent it also becoming a static exhibit.

This rake of coaches had to suffice. Any student of Manx transport will immediately recognise the distinctive Milnes window styling which is shared by many of the MER trams and of course those of the Snaefell Mountain Railway.

Coach 8 was supplied to the railway in 1905 along with Polar Bear by which the pleasure line was nine years old. One other coach in this rake is original, the other two being modern replicas. The originals, along with the worn out loco were rescued from the abandoned Manx line in the early 60s. Nobody then could envisage the rebuilding of the line years later.

The roundel gives away this set's history on the RAF ranges at Lydd in Kent.

This odd-looking van was used to carry works of art into wartime storage in the Manod mines in north Wales, a tale dramatised by the BBC a few years ago, starring Trevor Eve as the curator.

This wasn't a sight that I was expecting to see. A museum worker very kindly invited us to visit the workshop and there was Polar Bear after all, still awaiting her boiler. I'd only ever seen this lovely Bagnall loco on its returns to the island to run with original loco Sea Lion and it was so touching to see her so far from both of our homes.

In case you don't know the history of the delightful Groudle Glen line it was built from the Groudle Hotel on the newly-opened MER in 1896 to link to a nearby headland where a very odd zoo was constructed housing pens for sea lions and polar bears until the privations of World War Two forced the an imals' unfortunate release into the wild, a long way from their natural habitats. This odd piece of history lives on with the remains of the pens and in the names of the locos that took passengers to see what were then wonders.

Sharing the building was another Bagnall, "Peter", dating from 1917 and which ran in Leicestershire.

Also present was a 1956 petrol-engined Motor Rail loco formerly with the London Brick Company in Peterborough.

Back in the main display area was this diminutive Hibberd 'Planet' loco that ran in North Bierley Sewage works in Bradford.

Another Manx connection is that another 'Planet' worked the Ramsey Pier Tramway and is now preserved on the island.

(I can see some Manx postings coming up in the winter nostalgic reports...)

Key parts of narrow gauge industrial railway history were the north Wales quarry systems, and appropriately the Amberley collection includes Dinorwic Quarry Hunslet "Cloister", dating from 1891.

Finally for the railway collection this unusual sight is of a 1918 petrol-engined 'Simplex' loco in armoured condition for use overseas in the First World War.

Outside the Tramocar reached its terminus amongst the chalk cliffs.

Returning to buses this 'dormy' shed served as Storrington outstation, having been re-erected in the museum, a fair way from the main collection's garage.

Inside were a couple more Southdown vehicles, including EUF 184, a 1938 Leyland TD5, one of several converted to recovery vehicles by Southdown.

Four survive in this condition and I pictured EUF 182 in my Winkleigh report.

Again the board tells all as the final gem discovered on the day was this 1937 Park Royal-bodied Leyland Cub, ECD 524, Southdown 24.

I think you'll agree that it completes an exciting and truly remarkable collection of pre-war buses that the Southdown Omnibus Trust are no doubt rightly proud of, along with the very appropriate buildings erected to house them.

Sadly there was one disappointment. I don't get the chance to visit this part of the world very often so it was very disappointing to see that the museum's railway had closed by lunchtime due to a defective loco. I did hear that an electric loco had been used which had run out of charge but I didn't have this confirmed.

Well, the railway collection made up for that frustration, especially being allowed to visit Polar Bear, for which I am extremely grateful.

On the bus side it was a magnificent experience, especially getting the chance after many, many years to ride on an actual Tramocar after my young imagination was fired by David Kaye who sadly passed away earlier this year.

I never met the gentleman him but I was thinking of his writings as we trundled through history.

There's so much more to see at Amberley and I especially enjoyed the TV and radio exhibition as well but that falls rather outside the remit of these reports ;-)

I hope to get back and see the railway operating properly as a bonus and I really recommend a visit.

Day four of our south coast trip featured us call into the Warminster Running Day on the way home and a report on that event will follow, probably over the weekend

Isle of Wight

2011-10-27T22:44:00.000+01:00

At last I have the time to report on day two of our south coast trip with apologies for the wait.

Now, I've been to the lovely Isle of Wight many times over the past forty years but never until now have I taken a car so this was going to be a chance to explore a little more than usual, especially along the coast.

I'm very aware of how much attention my reports on the island in the eighties attracted in the island's buses' e-group, and part 1 is my second most-read report so I'm keeping it fairly basic this time around since I suspect the majority of readers will know far more about the island's transport than myself.

For those not in the know here's a map of the Southern Vectis network, as displayed on the wall of Ryde Bus Station. As ever, just click on the image to take a closer look.

Ironically I had planned to make this trip as a foot passenger and had all of my timings ready before Mrs McCaffery suggested she bring herself and the car along. The novelty of wandering freely without being tied to timetables for once did rather appeal although I do enjoy riding the Southern Vectis network.

We left Portsmouth before first light but dawn was breaking as we approached Fishbourne.

It felt very odd not heading for Ryde Pier... Heading back across Spithead was Wightlink's St.Helen, dating from 1983 and the second 'Saint' class vessel in the fleet.

After a very easy crossing old habits took hold and we headed to Ryde to begin our tour.

Taking position on the footbridge over the island's railway gave excellent views of the town's bus station, including Southern Vectis' Alexander-bodied Dart 3363 (HW54 DCU).

This was acquired with the Isle of Wight Council's former Wight Bus undertaking and is seen here after arrival from Havenstreet on the very occasional 33 route.

Hmm, a bus with Aberdare, Pontypridd and Cardiff heading for Newport...

This Newport though is of course the island's capital and the 9 route was mainly being operated by these loaned Optare Tempos such as YJ06 FXW, apparently on the island to cover for Scanias helping fellow Go South Coast fleet Damory cope with its new Dorset school contracts.

Vectis perpetuates the memory of acquired coach fleets such as Fountain Coaches, its orange livery a reminder of Shamrock & Rambler's former involvement in West Wight.

Carrying the colours is 597 (ODL 447), a former Oxford Bus Co. Plaxton Excalibur-bodied Volvo B10M-62 that also spent time with Wilts & Dorset.

Originally registered R809 NUD it was later re-registered R6 OXF.

Also very much 'pre-owned' is the island's railway stock. Originally electrified in the mid-60s with former London Transport 'standard' tube stock from the 1920s the second generation is equally antique but thoroughly characterful 1938 tube stock.

This operates from the distant pier head where it meets the passenger ferry service from Portsmouth, keeping the bus station and hoverport separate before heading south to Shanklin.

On this p[articular trip this was to be my only view of the railway, but there's always the next trip to rectify that.

Another old name revived by Southern Vectis is former Sandown firm Moss Motors. Here the memory is recalled by 202 (M845 LFP), a former Marchwood Motorways Caetano-bodied Toyota Coaster.

Having seen Go Ahead and First battling it out on the streets of Southampton it's a little odd to see this combined livery promoting the joint venture run by both in partnership with Hovertravel which includes bus travel to Ryde, a hovercraft to Southsea then the Greyhound service to London.

190 (HW52 EPK) is a Plaxton-bodied Volvo B7TL that was formerly numbered 100, seen here sharing the 9 with the welsh visitors.

The middle section of the journey involves the use of Britain's last hovercraft service by a company that is stated be the world's oldest operator of the craft.

Having thrilled at the technology of the SRN-4s on the old Hoverspeed cross-channel services, albeit at the risk of losing lunch, it was great to see and hear a relic of 'the future' once again.

That reminds me, whatever happened to the future? Weren't we all supposed to be flying with jet packs by now? Ah well, we have Facebook instead.

Island Express is a British Hovercraft Corporation AP1-88 which dates from as recently as 2002, seen here about to whisk another group of commuters across to Southsea.

Staying with ferries for a moment, one of Wightlink's passenger catamarans arrives at Ryde Pier Head from Portsmouth.

Back on dry land and carrying the dedicated livery for the Island Coaster service round to Yarmouth is 590 (XXI 8502), another former Oxford Volvo B10M-62, this time with a Plaxton Premiere 350 body.

Previously registered R4 OXF and R811 NUD it also served with Damory.

A priority of my planned bus riding was to have been the 8 round the east coast to Bembridge so we took the route by car instead, thus giving me this chance to get a passing shot in the charming village of St.Helens.

191 (HW52 EPL) is a sister Plaxton-bodied B7TL to 190 seen in part Greyhound livery back in Ryde.

It's good to see the island's buses back in green after the experimentation of recent years such as "Route Rouge".

Despite showing Bembridge as its destination in the previous shot 191 carried on through to Newport.

Presumably the method is used to encourage Newport-bound passengers to get the direct service from Ryde. Here 191 is seen in Sandown, complete with an 'Island Thinker' on its offside.

Vectis showed great enterprise when the County Council remarkably closed its Tourist Information Centres (on a holiday island!) by combining the function with its own enquiry offices, supplemented by mobile versions such as P247 VDL seen here at Shanklin.

This Marshall-bodied Iveco 59.12 was originally 247 in the main Southern Vectis fleet.

Still described as Shanklin's bus station, one of the stops outside the modern occupant of that site, the Co-Op, is served here by another Plaxton-bodied B7TL in the form of 196 (HW52 EPV).

This is on the main 2 service that connects the resort with both Ryde and Newport.

Taking an alternative route to the capital is the twice-daily 23 route, operated here, like many of the island's minor routes by a former Wilts & Dorset Optare Solo, 2621 (R621 NFX) in this case.

Those of you who read my reports on the this year's Showbus will have seen the main vehicle used on the 'Shanklin Steamer' service, a semi-open former London General Northern Counties-bodied Volvo B10B.

Sadly this unique bus was replaced on this early October day by one of the open-top double-decker 'Island Breezer' fleet, 638 (R738 XRV), a former Solent Blue Line Northern Counties-bodied Volvo Olympian.

I remember fondly riding down to the esplanade in the eighties on board the old 'Shanklin's Pony', a rare Bristol RE open-topper, but I sadly missed-out on the days of the Bristol Ks on the 44, but there was a compensation at Warminster later on in the trip.

On now to the narrow and often very steep streets of Ventnor to see Scania Omnicity 1110 (HW58 ASV) passing through en route from Newport to Ryde on service 3.

Most island bus services are run now by Vectis but an exception is the Ventnor town service run by the Island Minibus Service, which does pretty much what it says on the tin, if that's not being too unkind to an Iveco Ford such as M948 MKO, seen here on the 31.

A famous island attraction is Blackgang Chine, a theme park in a south coast ravine....and closed on autumn Fridays so Dart 3361 (HW54 DCF) faces thin pickings on the Newport-Ventnor 6 route. This is another former Wight Bus vehicle.

Well, that's a different way to promote an open-top bus service. Yarmouth bus station gives you time to smell the flowers.

And here's the real thing in the form of Northern Counties-bodied Olympian 643 (K743 ODL) waiting for custom on the 'Needles Breezer' service to Freshwater, Alum Bay and up the spectacular road to the island's westernmost attraction, the Needles themselves.

It's remarkable that the island's open-top services appear to be scheduled right through to the end of October.

The main route from Newport to West Wight is the 7 seen here operated by another Omnicity, 1111 HW58 ASX) seen passing Yarmouth Bus Station.

Here the Island Coaster coach slumbers after its outward run round the south coast and along the military road from Ryde, awaiting its afternoon return.

Yarmouth also has a Wightlink ferry connection to the mainland, Lymington on this case. It's currently battling with conservationists over the introduction of its new larger trio of 'Wight' class ferries. It's claimed that the wash of these ships is causing increased coastal erosion by opponents who are seeking to restrict sailings with Wightlink threatening to cut night services in response.

Away from the controversy the third of the trio Wight Sun, introduced only in 2009, heads for the New Forest.

After the coastal tranquility the streets of Newport seemed quite bustling, and a long way from the holiday charms of its surroundings. A group of abusive teenagers by the bus station didn't help with the relaxation either.

Heading into the much-reduced facility is another former Oxford Volvo B10M, 3233 (R807 NUD) carrying Moss Motors livery.

Sister Volvo 594 (R812 NUD) wears West Wight identity in the bus station.

Omnicity 1101 (HW08 AOP) makes an impressive entrance into Newport town centre on the 9.

Following on the 5 from East Cowes is former Veolia Tempo 2509 (YJ56 WVV).

Moss Motors livery is also carried by 4832 (R832 MFR), an East Lancs-bodied Olympian new to Metrobus and notably still carrying its second doorway.

With evening approaching it was time to head north up the west bank of the River Medina to Cowes, base of the Red Funnel Line's services to Southampton.

The conventional vehicle ferries depart from East Cowes on the far side of the Medina from which one of the three vessel Raptor class 'Red Eagle', dating from 1996 heads out into the Solent.

The fast craft run from Cowes itself, again with a three vessel fleet, the middle member of which is Tasmanian-built star of Ship Simulator 2008 'Red Jet 4' which entered service in 2003.

The Red Funnel terminal in Cowes is served by Southern Vectis route 1 from Newport.

The arch in the rear leading into the terminal explains the use of single-deckers such as Mini Pointer Dart 309 (HW54 BUH) with its front dash panel recalling a former Southern Vectis branding.

The crossing of the Medina is by chain ferry, referred to locally as a 'floating bridge' which leads to the timetable notice oddity of "The next bridge leaves at...."

Mind you I was born in the town that once boasted a similar irony and timetable statement through having the longest transporter bridge (Widnes), well until 1961 at least.

After the literal short-haul to East Cowes it was time to catch a couple of shots at dusk at the unprepossessing terminal outside a new supermarket.

Another bus on loan is YN06 CJE, a former Beeston's of Hadleigh single-deck Omnicity seen loading for the 5 route down the east side of the Medina to Newport.

Also on the 5 was Scania Omnidekka (East Lancs-bodied N94UD) 1053 (YU52 XVN), another former Metrobus vehicle.

The final shot is of route 4 to Ryde here in the hands of the former Veolia Optare Tempo that I'd previously photographed at Ryde in the morning, YJ06 FXW.

So it was back to Fishbourne for the crossing back to Portsmouth. I hope you've enjoyed this island tour and I haven't made too many errors this time. Apologies to Southern Vectis for the lack of custom this time.

On next to the somewhat safer territory of Amberley Museum, home of Southdowns, a Tramocar and even a Polar Bear. I hope it won't be too long before I get the time to post it...

Southampton

2011-10-18T22:23:00.000+01:00

I commented earlier this year on how much I'd seen of Hampshire this year, mainly through circumstance rather than outright choice but my wife's need to be in Chichester to watch Michael Ball savagely dispatch various people in a barber's chair (thankfully on stage) the other week saw us head south yet again for a few days.

Day one saw us call into Southampton, a city I've long enjoyed. After my years in Liverpool I do enjoy the atmosphere of a good port and its southern rival sees its streets shared between First and also Go-Ahead, in the form of their Go South Coast fleets.

The Solent Blue Line and Marchwood fleets previously ran combined services under the former identity, even when the latter was independently owned. Now they both run as Bluestar, as shown by 556 (YG52 CEN), a Wright Cadet-bodied DAF SB120 that originated with the Marchwood side.

556 waits to depart on a city service in Bargate Street, with the Bargate itself in the background. When you look at this arch you can only wonder at how they squeezed closed-top double deck trams through it.

Also on the 18 was 3402 (Y292 HUA), a recent transfer from Go North East where it was 8275.

This Wright Cadet originated with K-Line of Honley in Yorkshire.

Mercedes Benz Citaro 178 (HF06 FTZ) is a recent transfer from fellow Go South Coast fleet Wilts & Dorset whose livery it still carries.

A notable exception to the 'big group' dominance of the city is Brijan Tours who run in from their home base of Bishop's Waltham on route 7.

Here it's being run by Marshall-bodied Dart 9.8SDL XAZ 1346 which turns out to have originated in the town of my birth, albeit several years later, Widnes, as Halton 68 - a lucky find!

First orthodoxy such as this Plaxton-bodied Dart doesn't have all its own way in the city where Bluestar seem as numerous on the streets as the former municipal, now part of First's Hampshire & Dorset operation, or maybe I was just paying more attention to the blue buses in their eye-catching livery.

41517 (R417 WPX) is a survivor from Southampton Citybus days, having been their 417.

First's 40961 (S474 TJX) is a more exotic, air-conditioned Plaxton-bodied Dart that was imported from New World First Bus in Hong Kong, arriving on the south coast via First Huddersfield, Edinburgh, and more recently Devon & Cornwall.

Here it's working in from Fareham on the 80.

Another Southampton Citybus survivor is 66153 (S353 NPO), a Wright-bodied Volvo B10BLE.

37163 (HY07 FSZ) is a Wright-bodied Volvo B7TL, pretty much standard First Bus double deck fare in recent years.

One of Stagecoach's more colourful moments came in Southampton when after buying Hampshire Bus from the NBC, one of the few that they directly privatised.

It is suggested in certain quarters that they earned back the purchase price by merely selling the local former Hants & Dorset bus station.

Whether or not this is true they also sold their local services to Solent Blue Line, then a mainland offshoot of Isle of Wight-based Southern Vectis.

The result of those post-privatisation moves is that Stagecoach South now enter the city only occasionally from Winchester on the 46 group of services, here with 20829 (P829 FVU), an Alexander-bodied Volvo B10M-55 which was one of many cascaded through the group from their Manchester fleet.

First's route 16 to Hamble carries route branding, as displayed by Enviro 200 Dart 44507 (YX58 HWF).

32033 (W803 EOW) is one of 15 Alexander-bodied Volvo B7TLs delivered to First Hampshire for service in the city.

A recent transfer from Go-Ahead London's London General fleet is their former Plaxton-bodied Dart LDP 37 (P737 RYL), now Bluestar 3237.

Sharing First's double-deck duties with the local W-EOW batch of Alexander-bodied B7TLs are transfers from First London such as 32251 (LT52 WVO).

It's notable how much the omission of the dividing strip down the upstairs front window modifies the look of these Alexander-bodied B7TLs

The local practice of a little more black in the livery than elsewhere in the group and the rather cumbersone adaptation of the London destination screen add to the distinctiveness.

Promoting a ticket deal for travel to Southampton FC's matches is (Redwhite)Bluestar's 780 (HX51 ZRA), also a Volvo B7TL but with East Lancs bodywork.

858 (SN56 AWX) is yet another B7TL but Bluestar's solitary example with Alexander Enviro 400 bodywork.

Wright-bodied SB120 3414 (NK04 FPA) is another transfer south from Go North East's northern heartland.

Another operator to add to local variety is Velvet of nearby Eastleigh, here operating another migrant from the north east, YJ55 YGN, formerly with Scarlet Band of West Cornforth in County Durham.

First's introduction of the famous Greyhound brand is still limited to London to south coast runs, I believe.

This was thus my first sighting of a coach in the livery, but not this particular coach for 23323 (YN06 CGU) was one of the Irizar-bodied Scania K114EBs that First Coaches based here in Gloucestershire when they won National Express' 412 London-Gloucester contract from Stagecoach West.

Away from Above Bar Street now and to the less traditional shopping of the major West Quay development, which I see cheekily advertises itself in south coast rival Portsmouth's local paper.

Outside is a busy street for buses serving the centre including First's 66886 (MX55 LHL), a Wright-bodied Volvo B7RLE that was cascaded from First Manchester via Devon & Cornwall.

The local Uni-Link services were first operated by an outsider in the bus industry Accord Southern, later Enterprise. Now Bluestar are the incumbents, here using 1302 (HF58 GZG), a Scania Omnicity N230UD.

Formerly with Southern Vectis was Citaro 454 (HW07 CXU).

The old trunk Hants & Dorset service 47 to Winchester, revived each new year by the Friends of King Alfred Buses is now with Bluestar as its route 1, being operated here by another Omnicity, 1126 (HF58 KCA).

The 6 out to Lymington in the New Forest was being partly run by this Mini Pointer Dart 573 (SN03 EBV).

Go Ahead London PVL 77 (W477 WGH) is now Bluestar's 1311 (YSU 875). It's yet another Volvo B7TL but this time with Plaxton bodywork.

Wilts & Dorset run into the city from Salisbury on the X7 with a typical bus for their fleet, 3158 (T158 ALJ), an Optare Spectra.

There are Dennis Tridents in the city, as shown by Bluestar's 779 (T749 JPO), an East Lancs-bodied example.

1035 (YN55 NFP), an East Lancs-bodied Scania N94UD was inherited from Enterprise....

....as was SCC-bodied Dart 3344 (HX51 LPN).

Another transfer yet to be repainted into Bluestar livery is former Go-Ahead London PVL 242 (Y742 TGH), a Plaxton-bodied B7TL.

2634 (T634 AJT) is one of the many Optare Solos bought originally by Wilts & Dorset.

Uni-Link-liveried 2003 (HF58 HTJ) is another Scania Omnicity, this time a single deck N230UB.

The free city centre service is now also with Bluestar, here with former Enterprise 3352 (PE55 WSU), an East Lancs-bodied Dart.

Finally we start where we began, in Bargate Street but this time with Brijan's N318 AMC, originally East London's DAL 18, an Alexander-bodied step entrance 9.8m Dart.

So it was on to West Sussex to drop Mrs McCaffery at her show and to prepare for my first ever trip to the Isle of Wight by car - with the help of a ferry, of course.

This posting completes TI's second year, shortly after the site received its 100,000th recorded page hit. I hope you've all enjoyed at least some of the over 150 reports made so far.

Ironically I started this project on my own birthday which leads me to wonder why I didn't have anything better to do on October 19th 2009. This year I have so this second anniversary edition appears a day earlier ;-)

Bournemouth Heritage Transport Collection

2011-10-15T00:10:00.000+01:00

A major extra attraction at this year's revived West of England Transport Collection open day at Winkleigh in Devon was the first public appearance for nearly twenty years of a major collection.

The Bournemouth Heritage Transport Collection (BHTC) grew out of the Bournemouth Passenger Transport Association which was set up in 1969 to preserve one of the town's trolleybuses. As the collection grew it went on public display at Bournemouth Transport's Mallard Road garage from 1977 but had to retreat into storage at Hurn Airport in 1992.

In 2000 came a move to further storage in the first of two sites in Poole before being dispersed in 2007. Now the collection has found a new place of safety at Winkleigh, albeit a long way from its home town.

As you will see, not all of the vehicles are from Bournemouth and not all of the town's buses at Winkleigh were part of the collection but here's a look at most of the BHTC gems plus other Bournemouth buses on site on the day. Let's take a look roughly in order of age. I'm no expert on Bournemouth (or most other places) so the descriptions will be fairly brief, unlike this introduction.

46 (JLJ 403) is a 1949 Leyland Tiger PS2/3 with characterful Burlingham full-fronted coachwork.

It gives a hint on the side panels and windows of the beauty to come with the firm's Seagull product of just a few years later, once the engine and radiator had been displaced from the front of course.

Most of the buses were sited in a clearing off the long entrance road into the site after their hurried evacuation from Dorchester.

110 (KEL 110) is a 1950 Leyland Titan PD2/3 with Weymann bodywork, again full-fronted and with dual staircases and doorways, characteristic of Bournemouth's buses for many years.

127 (KEL 127) is a similar vehicle which was hidden away behind the main hangar.

131 (KEL 131) was on display along the main access road.

Completing a quartet and showing the rear entrance/front exit arrangement is 247 (KEL 133), renumbered from 133.

Similar Weymann bodywork was also carried by the 1950 trolleybuses, of which 212 (KLJ 346), mounted on a BUT 9641T chassis survives in the collection.

258 (NLJ 268) is a 1954 Burlingham-bodied Leyland Royal Tiger PSU1/13.

Leyland soon switched to a lighter weight chassis design in the form of the Tiger Cub.

267 (RRU 904) is a 1955 PSUC1/1 with Park Royal bodywork that appears to have served as the 'Boscombe Beach Bus'.

147 (YLJ 147) is a 1959 Leyland PD3/1, again with lightweight Weymann dual-doorway bodywork, and 'Midland Red' front.

Similar 154 (8154 EL) dates from 1960.

Wearing a later livery and looking very smart is 159 (8159 EL) from the same batch.

Here's the trolleybus that started the whole project, 301 (301 LJ) which was the last trolleybus produced for the British market, if you exclude the speculative, experimental Alexander-bodied Dennis Dominator troilleybus built for South Yorkshire PTE in the 1980s.

301 is a 1962 Sunbeam MF2B with Weymann bodywork that until recently was on display at the British Commercial Vehicle Museum in Leyland.

162 (6162 RU) was one of several to migrate to the Isle of Man, initially with Road Services, then Isle of Man National Transport after nationalisation of the owning railway company and a merger of the bus fleet with that of Douglas Corporation.

It still carries the remains of Road Services livery where it was 73 (LMN 73).

40 (ALJ 340B) of 1964 is a true rarity, being a Daimler Fleetline CRG6LX fitted with MH Cars bodywork, built in Belfast and normally only supplied to the local corporation. Later it would become Alexander's Belfast plant.

Dating from the same year is more conventionally-bodied 170 (AEL 170B), a Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1 with, more typically for Bournemouth, Weymann bodywork albeit rather a copy of Alexander's radical style.

On to 1965 now and 103 (CRU 103C), a Leyland Leopard PSU3/2R carries...Weymann bodywork.

Weymann's Addlestone factory closed in 1966 so 55 (KRU 55F) had Willowbrook bodywork instead, mounted on a Daimler Roadliner SRC6 chassis. With that combination its survival is remarkable to say the least.

A far happier and successful combination was the Alexander body on Leyland Atlantean chassis such as 1969's 230 (ORU 230G), a PDR1A/1 model.

Similar 277 (XRU 277K) dates from 1972 and carries the fleetnames of the collection's former commercial arm, Vintage Yellow Buses.

Part of the collection is the museum's tow-truck, BOW 162, converted from a Hants & Dorset 1938 Bristol L5G.

The collection also includes trolleybuses from other towns, including a rare former Notts & Derby vehicle, 353 (NNU 234), a 1949 Weymann-bodied BUT 9611T.

There's also a pair of rebodied Bradford 1944 Karrier W trolleybuses, 712 (DKY 712) and 703 (DKY 703), like so many of that city's trolleybuses carrying replacement East Lancs bodies.

It was good to see 703 again since our paths don't seem to have crossed since I was a volunteer at the Steamport Museum in Southport in the late 1970s.

So the collection has a safe home after worrying times. It's remarkable though how many similar vehicles it contains and although the collection has reduced in size it can't be easy keeping all of these vehicles together. Hopefully they can one day return to a museum with regular public access in their home town. In the meantime it made a fascinating day at Winkleigh a truly memorable one.

The next few reports will stay with a south coast theme, since I spent three nights near Chichester recently so coming up over the next couple of weeks will be reports on trips to Southampton, the Isle of Wight, Amberley Museum, including a ride on a Tramocar, and finally the Warminster running day. I hope you'll join me.

Winkleigh 2011

2011-10-10T23:22:00.000+01:00

The West of England Transport Collection held its first open day for a couple of years at their base on the old Winkleigh airfield in mid Devon recently. I'd only visited once before, back in 2006 and a report on that trip can be found here (Winkleigh 2006).

An extra draw this year was the arrival of the Bournemouth Passenger Transport Association's large collection of buses and trolleybuses. With so much to see I'm splitting the report with the Bournemouth collection to follow in part two.

Cars parked on another part of the former airfield so a connecting vintage bus service was provided with several journeys also visiting the local village and cider mill.

My ride into the site was on Alexander RB161 (DWG 917), a 1953 Leyland PD2/12 with bodywork by the operator's former subsidiary, the operator and manufacturer having been split on nationalisation of the former in the late 1940s.

It's been part of David Hoare's Chepstow Classic Buses fleet for many years, many of which now appear to be based at Winkleigh.

This weekend bathed in a very unseasonal late burst of summer for the first weekend of October, as Crosville's KG131 (KFM 893) shows.

This delightful ECW dual-purpose-bodied Bristol L5G dates from 1950 and is part of the Quantock Motor Services vintage fleet.

Another Chepstow Classic Buses vehicle is this oddity which until recently was a resident at far-away Lathalmond in Scotland. Gearless Leyland Titan TD7c HF 9126 started life with Wallasey as their number 74 in 1940, its Metro-Cammell body having been cut down to this 'half-decker' state after its withdrawal in 1952 to serve with Liverpool police as a control room.

The c suffix to its TD7 chassis code indicates that it was fitted with a torque converter rather than a conventional gearbox, giving it that 'gearless' tag.

The main hangar is once more a real treasure trove. The first view is of Devon General SR474 (DOD 474), a 1940 Weymann-bodied AEC Regal O662.

This recovery vehicle was one of several 1938 Leyland TD5s converted by Southdown, four of which are preserved along with one unconverted version. This was 182 (EUF 182).

OD 5868 is a 1933 Leyland Lion LT5 that was Devon General 68. The bodywork was by Weymann.

Southern National 373 (GTA 395) is a 1942 Bristol L that was lengthened to the later LL5G configuration and fitted with a Bristol body in 1954.

This apparent Bristol undergoing restoration is JY 124, in fact a 1932 Tilling Stevens Express B39A7 which was 3379 with Western National who fitted this Beadle body in 1947, along with a Gardner 4LW engine and Bristol radiator.

Despite the red livery this 1957 Bristol SC4LK was new to United Counties as its 125 (ONV 425). It later indeed carried Tilling red in service with Red & White.

Outside, some of the relics are sadly reaching surely critical condition, as with this Duple-bodied Bedford SB.

Also in the undergrowth was Devon General 991 (991 MDV), a 1963 Marshall-bodied AEC Reliance 2MU3RV.

I wasn't able to identify this late 20s/early 30s Leyland chassis but it made an interesting sight, having been towed onto site mid-morning.

Onto more modern fare and amidst the line-up of visiting vehicles was this latest acquisition by North Somerset Coaches in the shape of former Bluestar/Marchwood 505 (L510 EHD), an Ikarus-bodied DAF SB220 that also spent time on the Isle of Wight with Southern Vectis.

Painted in the livery of King Harry Coaches was former Greenslades AFJ 77B, a 1964 Harrington-bodied AEC Reliance 2MU4RA.

The lightweight rural ECW--bodied Bristol SU had a coach variant, represented here by Western National 402 (336 EDV), a 1961 SUL4A.

The SU's successor was the more popular LH, most bus versions of which carried ECW bodywork but some for NBC companies were Marshall-bodied, complete with angular windscreens that had a matching set at the rear. Western National 1254 (VOD 124K) is a 1972 LH6L.

I initially had this one down as a former North Western bus but in fact it was Stockport 191 (JA 7591).

It's a 1937 Leyland Tiger TS7 with English Electric half canopy bodywork which appeared in the 1999 film Angeka's Ashes, set in Ireland which probably explains its guise as a Great Southern Railway (GSR) bus.

More appropriately-attired is former Exeter 60 (VFJ 995), a 1958 Weymann-bodied Leyland PD2/40, one of several Exeter buses in service on the day.

Popular on this hot day was Quantock's veteran of its Exmoor tour, 'Admiral Boscawen' VDV 752, formerly Western National 1935 and a rare 1957 LDL6G, one of the first 30 foot Lodekkas.

Another Chepstow Classic Bus is LDX 75G, formerly Eastbourne 65 but originally Ipswich 75.

It's a rare example outside certain NBC fleets of an ECW-bodied Atlantean, in this case a 1968 PDR1/1 dating from the early days of ECW's return to the open market after Leyland took an ultimately fatal 25% share in it and Bristol Commercial Vehicles.

Another Exeter bus making a rare appearance in service was 50 (TFJ 808), a 1956 Guy Arab IV with stylish Massey bodywork.

With my love of the Isle of Man this Douglas AEC was a delightful additional surprise.

Carrying registration MSL 294 for use 'across', this was Douglas 63 (JMN 727), a 1948 AEC Regent IIII with sturdy-looking Northern Counties bodywork.

An unusual sight was this Reebur-bodied Leyland Tiger LUI 9955 of Caradon Riviera Tours in Cornwall.

Calling in by the car park entrance was the delightful Southern National 1324 (LTA 958), a 1950 Duple-bodied Bristol LL6B.

Finally, seen in the same spot was Exeter 66 (EFJ 666). I suspect it would be no revelation to say that registration number would be in demand with certain people...

This 1938 Cravens-bodied Leyland Tiger TS8 is certainly an impressive beast.

It is remarkable to look back over this report and consider just how many buses shown are pre-war or of wartime vintage. The Winkleigh open day is a stunning experience and one to be savoured. If only it didn't clash with the Wirral show!

Due to new arrangements in my work life time is now at a premium so reports may not be quite to such a regular pattern for a while but I still have much to report on as we head into the quiet months for rallies. I hope to update again later this week with the impressive Bournemouth collection on display at Winkleigh.