1. We start with this South Yorkshire Transport MCW Metrobus fleet number 1940 (battling for Britain), as it departed from the city centre of Sheffield in August 1985 bound for Chesterfield on the route X11.

2. Nine Alexander P bodied Leyland Tigers were delivered to East Midland Motor Services during their last period under the umbrella of the National Bus Company. Number 629 in the green and cream NBC livery departed from Sheffield city centre during August 1985 on a limited stop service X50 bound for Wingerworth.

3. Later during the same month 629 was found sandwiched between two Trent Leyland Nationals in the bus station at Matlock, whilst engaged upon route 17. This picture also manages to illustrate the differences between a Mark I and a series 2 version of the National, along with the nationwide colours of the National Bus Company, basically red or green with a white stripe, although there were some minimal blue and yellow variations around the country. Also just visible was a Bristol RE operated by Silver Service that featured an all over advertisement as regards the demise of bus services.

4. As the National Bus Company’s clutches on East Midland were ended an August 1985 picture found fleet number 330 an Eastern Coachworks bodied Leyland Olympian between duties over at the National Tramway Museum at Crich. This was on a seasonal Summer extension of route 17 up from Matlock and being a coach seated version was painted in this rather fetching livery.

5. Chesterfield Transport was by July 1987 firmly in the hands of the employees and with their liking for the Daimler Fleetline had acquired several of the type made redundant by London Buses. Here former DMS 1421 by now number 167 arrived at Sheffield sporting this overall advertisement for their private hire department. Not so sure that I would have referred to the Fleetline as ‘luxury’. Although that said seating on these was not that bad. Bodywork was provided by two companies, Park Royal of North West London and Birmingham based Metro-Cammell. This was one from the latter builder.

6. A management buyout of the East Midland Motor Services occurred during 1985 and soon a new broom had swept clean. Or rather a new painter had brushed a fresh livery over this Leyland Tiger. Renumbered the previous 630 had become number 30 and put to work on the long route X2 between Sheffield and Nottingham, as shown here at the latter location during June1989.

7. By the end of 1989 though East Midland had been acquired by Stagecoach and different buses were put to work on the long X2 service. Here in full corporate Stagecoach livery Mansfield-based 339, a Leyland Olympian with Alexander bodywork had this East Midland fleetname boldly between the decks as it prepared to depart from the Interchange in Sheffield on a rather damp and dismal day in January 1990.

8. A sister to 339 was 349 seen here repainted into an all-over advertisement for the Four Seasons Shopping Centre in Mansfield. Bit ironic really as it was bound for the Meadowhall Shopping Centre barely four years since it opened in 1990. Overall advertising on buses was probably at its height during this period, with a variety of such images appearing on fleets up and down the country. This one was quite clever as it featured four leaves that illustrated in colour the four different seasons of the year. Here 349 is illustrated as it pulled out of the Interchange onto Sheaf Street beside the Ponds Forge Sports Centre, now an internationally renowned centre of sporting excellence.

9. More modern vehicles were later introduced during the early 1990s onto the X2 in the shape of new Volvo B10M with Plaxton coach bodywork. East Midland 637 is seen here as it departed Chesterfield negotiating the Holywell Cross one-way system and large car parking area, when relatively new in April 1994. The route at that time ran all the way through Sheffield to terminate at the Meadowhall shopping centre.

10. Another variation was the X10 between Chesterfield and Sheffield and was operated by Chesterfield Transport on this occasion safely in the hands of the iconic Leyland National. July 1995 and their fleet number 107 contrasted with the previous coach at the same location, but sported a revision to the fleet livery. This vehicle had originally been delivered new to the East Midland subsidiary of the National Bus Company in 1976 as their fleet number 597.

11. Despite by now being part of the Stagecoach empire, this National 2 version still bore the previous Chesterfield livery as it turned out of Vicar Lane into St.Mary’s Gate in July 1996 with a very straightforward destination and stated on the side below the fleetname that is was still “…employee owned…”.

12. Another Leyland National 2 was number 52 in the Chesterfield fleet and retained this identity upon the renumbering. New Beetwell Street was the Chesterfield departure point for the X10 service to Sheffield as shown in this July 1996 picture.

13. March 1997 and double-deckers had begun to appear on the X10 as illustrated by Stagecoach’s Alexander bodied Leyland Olympian number 149 in much the same place on New Beetwell Street.

14. During the late 1990s the ‘X’ routes gave way to a route revamp and renumbering. Thus the numbers 737 and 747 appeared on the routes between Nottingham and Chesterfield via Mansfield, and extended through to Sheffield. The 747 is illustrated with this Leyland Tiger bearing an Alexander P type body, one of the nine such buses originally delivered to East Midland during their last months within the National Bus Company. Number 431 passed through the Sheffield Interchange back in July 1999 whilst on a return journey to Chesterfield.

15. July 1999 also saw Stagecoach East Midland 673 in service on the 747 arriving here in Chesterfield before the advent of the new coach station along with the upgrade of Markham Road. Four of these new Volvo B10M coaches with Jonckheere Modulo bodies 670-673 were delivered in 1998.

16. The 747 was long route that ran all the way from Meadowhall via Sheffield, Chesterfield and Mansfield to Nottingham and sister coach 672 entered the Sheffield Interchange in September 1999, with the large flats complex providing an interesting backdrop.

17. Mansfield based Volvo Olympian with Northern Counties Palatine bodywork seen here as it passed by St.Mary’s Church in October 2000 as the start of the new century approached (dependant upon of course your interpretation of events). These vehicles had a lively performance and were a favourite of many drivers, but unfortunately were fitted with standard bus seats.

18. And so back to the route 17. For many years a reliable and well patronised service between Chesterfield and Matlock. East Midland Leyland Olympian 342 paused beside the old bus station in April 1994 before taking up the next duty to Matlock. Sixteen years later and similar buses were still giving sterling service on the route.

19. A surprising visitor to the route 17 back in September 1998 was this Leyland Fleetline from the former Tyne & Wear PTE, although by then it had become the Busways operation within the Stagecoach Empire. Transferred with one other similar vehicle, it turned up late one afternoon to do a single return journey to Matlock and back. East Midland 262 departed along New Beetwell Street clearly showing the unique of these vehicles, inasmuch that the staircase was situated on the nearside of the vehicle, hence the blank panelling on the nearside aft of the door and first window.

20. By now and into the new Millennium a fresh corporate identity had been applied to the fleet along with a nationwide revision to fleet numbers. The route numbers had also been changed and the section between Chesterfield and Sheffield had become the 727. With blind already set for the next return journey to Sheffield Alexander bodied Volvo 16495 exited off of the roundabout at the eastern end of Markham Road as it made its way towards the Chesterfield Coach Station terminal point in March 2009. This was one of a batch of thirteen long wheel-based Volvo Olympians that were delivered to East Midland in 1996.

21. The nationwide corporate livery for Stagecoach that was introduced several years earlier was displayed on 52631 a Jonckheere bodied Volvo B10M as it performed a similar manoeuvre during the same month. Like many other limited stop and express services around the country it carried the “Stagecoach Express” branding on the side panels. And for several years have been the mainstay on the 727 service to and from Sheffield.

22. The ‘S’-prefixed Volvo B10Ms looked like they were set for a sideways transfer and occupation when in March 2010 number 52630 passed along New Beetwell Street adorned in this revised livery. Clearly this vehicle had been transferred to the training fleet and one could almost imagine that the paint was still wet as it glistened in the spring sunshine.

23. And it came to pass that notice was given that the two routes 17 and 727 would be merged in early September 2010 to become the X17 and re-introduce an ‘X’-prefixed route to the area. Along with a fleet of new double-deckers this would set the scene for the withdrawal of the fleet of Alexander bodied Volvo Olympians that had regularly served the 17 and on many occasions the 727. Long wheel-based Volvo 16458 is illustrated here in August 2010 as it powered its way up the steep incline of Slack Hill. Kelstedge and the hills towards Chesterfield provided an impressive backdrop.

24. Likewise the backdrop did the same for a shorter Volvo in the shape of 16483 a bit higher up the hill as it passed the yellow grit bin in early September, the week before the changes. This was one of fifteen that were originally supplied to the Grimsby Cleethorpes subsidiary of Stagecoach in 1995 but later transferred over to Chesterfield.

25. Similar vehicle 16492 arrives at the southern end of the old 17 route, as it negotiates The Crown roundabout (or rather the lack of it), in Matlock town centre on the last Wednesday before the changes.

26. And so with the stage set and the ‘new order’ in place…..! Well not exactly as this was the sight that greeted punters and photographers alike for the 1030-ish arrival and departure at Chesterfield on the first Monday of the new service. Here Volvo 16458 still displayed a “727” route number and Sheffield destination.

27. A brand spanking new double-decker would have looked good on the Monday as it motored its way up Slack Hill during the middle of the day. But that was not the case; instead it was Volvo B10M single-decker 52633 that passed before the lens.

28. And likewise the next bus along on the same day was yet another single-decker, in this instant 22644 one of the fleet’s MAN Enviro300s, again as it negotiated the roundabout in Matlock with blinds already set for a quick turnaround for Sheffield. The old 17 could well have the most single-deckers in the first couple of days of the new X17 than for the passed few years, but I could be wrong.

29. By midweek though Scania N230UD with Alexander Dennis Enviro400 body style number 15691 headed up the long incline towards the summit at Spitewinter and with Chesterfield town spread out behind providing the backdrop. On the top deck passengers lounged in the front seats as the sun beamed down between cloudy skies.

30. And finally. 15690 made it on the X17 to Matlock. The rear aspect is shown as a very swift turnaround saw the bus enter the bus station, pick up passengers and depart all in a matter of moments.

31. But really finally, 15695 with wi-fi and X17 route branding applied late in the first week, awaited time and collected passengers in the Chesterfield Coach Station. This stop now caters for buses travelling in both directions, instead of Matlock-bound passengers lining up in New Beetwell Street.