77. The penultimate day. Dawn had been and gone (and so had Morpheus), by the time these two were engaged in what they do best, although one could be forgiven in thinking that the leading vehicle was promoting some sort of political party. That said I suspect that it could more describe the current Maltese bus fleet, that despite their appearance, they are a real and able way to get around the island. Like many others this vehicle has origins from our own island’s shores being as it began life with the Aberdare Urban District Council in South Wales as their fleet number 5 in 1968.

78. This was to be another day of culture with time spent at Mdina Rabat. However, before that it was a run down to Mosta, our journey yet another experience in one of the islands wonderful buses. By the time we left the southern outskirts of Mellieha all seats were occupied and it was soon standing room only. The popular front bench seat was full……………

79. ………….and it would not be long before even the open entrance was occupied, no doors here as on many of the buses.

80. Off the bus at Mosta where we began the cultural bit with a visit to the famous Cathedral. However, whilst Mrs. W first took in the Monday street market I wasted my time exercising the Box Brownie once more. This time another “Reliance” passes before the lens, but as an AEC Mercury with local built Barbara bodywork dating from 1969. Note the bus stop to the right of the image; unlike most others that were blue, this one is red to denote a fare stage.

81. The origins of this Leyland Royal Tiger PSU1 lay even earlier being as it was originally supplied to Bournemouth Corporation in 1954 as their fleet number 270. Back then it sported bodywork by Burlingham, by now replaced with a newer Caruana body in 1979.

82. And so on to our main destination of the day, Mdina Rabat and the Silent City, although quite why Mrs. W would wish to visit here was beyond me (I fear time in the Naughty Corner for me beckons). As mentioned earlier, public transport is provided by rubber shod horse power to maintain the tranquillity of the area, as indicated by the adjacent signpost.

83. Some rather sleek Italian bodywork caught my eye within the confines of the walled area of the ‘city’ and contrasted rather markedly with the next car observed outside the walls……………

84. ……………… a 1960s Ford Anglia Estate. Although I must say that both vehicles appeared in immaculate condition, the smiling driver of the latter more than happy to have his picture taken with what seemed to be his pride and joy. However, this did jog the little grey cells as I had learned to drive on a saloon version of the same.

85. Back to public transport (sort of), and the only ‘Dotto’ type tourist land train on the island. One more or less expects this sort of transport to be associated with the seaside, not a culturally dominated location. However, this did pass before the lens and one felt obliged to waste at least one blink of the shutter as it wandered along.

86. Two regular bus routes operate between Mosta and Mdina, the 86 which we arrived on and the 65 that transported us back by slightly different roads. As mentioned earlier there are several AEC Swift buses on the island that once served many parts of the London route network back in the 1970s; this being one of them as it climbed the steep hill up into the city. The Marshall bodywork was still recognisable on what was SMS 202, although the power pack beneath remains a mystery.

87. I thought there was a problem with the double-door facility on this bus, but I was wrong. Whilst the right-hand side was kept open at all times, the left-hand side was permanently closed so as to provide an area for baggage and baby buggies as became evident later in our journey back to Mosta.

88. Which brings me onto the subject of Health & Safety, or rather the lack of it. The majority of buses, especially those that were built before the 1970s, have no doors, passengers boarding and alighting through the gap in the bodywork. Even later buses with doors kept them permanently in the open position. However, the current Chinese built King Long buses do appear to use them and I suspect the new regime will insist that this is the case in the future.

89. Yes well. I suppose H&S has insisted that at least the operatives wear hi-viz jackets!

90. And a scene not seen by me for a long time, dustmen (oops sorry refuse disposal operatives), hanging off the back of the dustcart. Maintaining the bus interest, the little red vehicle on the right is one of the many midibuses that provide shuttle and feeder type services around the island.

91. I am told that the best way to buy fruit and vegetables on the island is not from the supermarkets, but direct from the many wayside sellers, although in this case I am not so sure. Whilst we need fuel for our bodies and our vehicles, I fear that mixing the two may not be a good idea.

92. Returning to the plot. As already indicated our transport of delight from Mdina back to Mosta recalled memories of the 1970s as we each used the London AEC Swift fleet to get around the north west suburbs. And internally this vehicle did not appear to be much changed from when it was originally produced! As to what the pronouncement on the rear of the destination blind box was for……………….

93. Back in Mosta and waiting for our return to Mellieha the Box Brownie captured a few more images. Like these two, their design reminding me of a joke about wide mouth frogs, although the one on the right was more akin to a presenter’s mouth on the BBC TV Top Gear programme, when he test-drove an open topped sports car at a very high speed around their track. On the left a locally sourced Barbara bodied Maltese Docks vehicle from 1968, whilst on the right I am reliably informed, one of the oldest vehicles being a Leyland TS dating from 1939. However, in 1958 the original bodywork was replaced by one from the Aquilina company.

94. Our steed back to Mellieha a 1958 Bedford with Tonna bodywork pauses on the Fare Stage stop in the centre of Mosta. However, what you cannot see is a group standing around that stop. Question: How many people does it take to discuss the adjustments necessary for that stop in order to accommodate the ‘new order’ of buses? Well, I counted at least twenty when I went and eavesdropped on their conversation.

95. Final bus related picture of the day before we retired to the roof garden and swimming pool at the hotel for the remainder of the afternoon. A Barbara bodied Maltese Zammit circa 1967 despite what it purported to be.

96. The last day and by now my regular wake-up call had brought me out onto the balcony with the sun glistening on the other side of Mellieha Bay.

97. Over breakfast Mrs. W had suggested a return visit to Valletta as she wished to purchase a piece of glassware that she had seen there on our first full day. And who am I to refuse her. By 0900 hours the sun was creeping ever higher as two of the less interesting vehicles plied their trade below the hotel. And if you are wondering how, the hotel was situated on both sides of the road, linked by an underground tunnel. And not just any old tunnel, but a marble floor and walled tunnel that you could drive a Mini through. Ah shades of the “Italian Job”.

98. Thus by 1000 hours we were back in Valletta, and whilst Mrs. W sought out her glassware I took the Box Brownie for some more exercise. Be not deceived by this one. It may well look like one of those cheap plastic toys one can pick up in a holiday nick-nack shop, but this could well be one of the oldest still around, the unique Reo Speedwagon built in 1938. However, the original Aquilina bodywork was rebuilt by the Sammit company in 1955.

99. Back to the roundabout outside the bus station and Bedford SB from 1954 with bodywork that dates from 1975 departs with a healthy loading.

100. The 1962 Temsa bodywork on this Ford V8 disguises the age of the vehicle originally built with a Sultana body, yet another oldie this time from 1939. Fortunately it survived the misery and mayhem that ensued over the following years.

101. And they just kept coming at me, this one a Barbara bodied Bedford from 1963………….

102. Followed by a Maltese Baileys from 1964 with a Brincat body. A feature of the Maltese buses is there are no destinations displayed, just route numbers. One has to rely upon knowing where the respective number will take you. But I suspect all that will change under the new regime.

103. And lastly in this selection of buses a locally built Scarnif bodied MAN 14.220 and along with most others already illustrated almost all have another aspect in common. No doors, or at least if they do, they are permanently in the open position.

104. Two operators provide open top deck bus tours of Malta marketed as MaltaSighteeing by Cancu Supreme and CitySightseeing by the Garden of Eden company. The former also run a similar tour on Gozo. Whilst both use modern purpose built vehicles, they also have one or two with a few years behind them that previously ran in the United Kingdom on normal stage services.

105. The modern face of CitySightseeing is seen here with one of their Ayats Bravo bodied Volvo B7TLs, one seen here passing across the bows of another of the ex. London Swifts. The large and imposing Phoenicia hotel provides a backdrop.

106. Many years older though a Leyland Fleetline that began life in 1977 as fleet number 190 with the Thamesdown company in Swindon. This also bears the standard allover livery of the franchise agreement.

107. The less modern image of MaltaSightseeing is provided by an Alexander bodied Volvo B10M previously operated by Strathclyde PTE as their number AH 53. Unlike CitySightseeing the buses carry livery for specific tours of the island. Here it is red for the South Tour. I am reliably informed that further examples of the modern Optare Visionaire bodied Scania are due later this year.

108. Blue is the base livery for the North Tour and here it is applied to a former London all-Leyland Titan T 808 from 1983, as it enters the large roundabout with the Upper Barrakka Gardens to the right of the image. I mention that because on this visit……………

109. ……………we were present for the tradition daily firing of the Noonday Cannon, fortunately with blank ammunition.

110. Although that said, for my part a shame a live shell was not used aimed at this rather less than pretty vehicle. Possibly the ugliest bus on the island, and looking like one of those insects with prominent eyes on the top of their head. But of course that is only my humble opinion. For the purists the bodywork is provided by Ramco on a 1988 Ford Cargo, which sounds suspiciously like a lorry chassis and mechanicals.

111. Not looking much better though, one of the existing modern Chinese built King Long buses soon to be joined by many more. Even many of these with their electrically powered doors ran with them in the open position. Here one leads a regular line-up of buses onto the roundabout out from the bus station. One suspects that this regular snakelike parade will be gone by the summer, replaced with a different sort of bendibus type snakelike parade.

112. The current position with the main roadway into and out of the bus station as major work progresses to prepare the new infrastructure. Both buses here are from the AEC stable but poles apart. Well actually not really though, as one might think, in age the Swift on the left is only around three years younger than the locally built Brincat body supplied to the Mercury type on the right.

113. Gone too will be the general milling around of passengers as they wait for buses to their respective destinations as slowly new platforms will transform the bus station.

114. And from the inside of our last bus trip back to Mellieha the general mayhem of the bus station is viewed as passengers mingle with buses.

115. Here I enjoy the run back to Mellieha on my favourite bench seat, not the most comfortable I will admit but it provides an opportunity to grab some final images of buses through what remains of the windscreen. The Almex ticket machine and drivers cash tray can also be viewed. And all without the addition of an assault screen.

116. Yet another ex.London Swift, a Park Royal bodied version once SMS 268, is seen as we speed out of Valletta through the northern suburbs.

117. In Mosta pedestrians mingle with the busy afternoon traffic as the driver of a bus coming in the opposite direction beckons to have a chat with our driver, although to be fair he did warn of a vehicle prang further up the road. We have seen this one before, but surely being one of the oldest it is worth another glimpse of the 1939 Leyland TS.

118. And passing through St.Pauls Bay with typical modern development as a backdrop, an AEC Mercury with Daina bodywork from 1967.

119. Back at our destination of Mellieha one of better kept buses gave me a farewell last chance of a photograph, a Maltese Docks with Barbara body from 1968 looking resplendent in the afternoon sunshine.

120. One last look at the double hairpin bend which could be interesting when the bendibuses take over. On this occasion it was a Bedford SBG from 1956, although rebodied by Brincat in 1974.

121. And whilst Mrs. W returned home clutching a rather expensive bit of local glassware, what did I get? A tea towel! Mind you it is a rather nice one.