Added to website 13 August 2010

An invitation from Bob Brimley:

Added to website 11 August 2010

Tony Wilson writes:

These photographs should be looked at in conjunction with the slideshow on the TRANSPIRE website HERE.

Should they be any use in respect of the Bexley article on the TRANSPIRE website I have attached a couple of type in their original condition. Sadly I do not have any of the batch that came to our local Stagecoach depots.

The image from 1989 shows the bus sporting the original fleet number 15, whilst the one from 1990 has L 280 when the operation was absorbed in the Selkent subsidiary of London Buses.

Have attached two images of the vehicles mentioned in Shaynes "Bexley" text in previous employment with Stagecoach. 901 at Sunderland in August 1984 and 922 in Hull in August 2000.

These photographs should be looked at in conjunction with the slideshow on the TRANSPIRE website HERE.

Added to website 4 August 2010

Paul Smith writes:

I was staying recently at RAF St. Mawgan near Newquay, part of which is now used as Newquay Airport, and was involved with some of the music and events at the base's Officers' Mess for the Cornwall Forces Cadet week celebrations.

Away from public view however is the base's gate guardian (not so much a 'gate' guardian as it is so big it has to be situated about 200 yards from the main gate!), a vintage Avro Shackleton which is preserved by the Cornish Aviation Society who meet at the base every month and who promote and preserve all aspects of the area's aviation heritage. The Shackleton is an impressive beast close up, having been developed from the Avro heavy bomber lineage of the Manchester, Lancaster and Lincoln (it has the same airframe as the Lancaster) and, having recently read Leo McKinstry's full history of the Lancaster and its variants I was pleased to be able to get so close to this machine.

The Shackleton (unlike it predecessors named, not after a northern city, but the Arctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton) first flew in 1949 and was developed as a submarine hunter and airborne early warning platform in the dark days of the Cold War before being later employed on maritime search and rescue missions. It was replaced by the Nimrod jet from 1969 but the last survivors remained in RAF service until 1991. A number also flew into the mid-90s with the South African Air Force.

This particular aircraft, WL795, was originally an AEW2 (Airborne Early Warning) variant but is preserved as an MR2 (Maritime Reconnaisance) version. The unique twin reverse screw propellers, which apparently gave the Shackleton its distinct engine note, are clearly seen. WL795 will remain at St. Mawgan as long as there is a military presence at the base.

Added to website 2 August 2010

Richard Lomas writes:

Matlock Bridge has been closed for road works from time to time recently. South bound buses have had to leave the town northwards and then cross the river on the new bridge near Sainsburys. In 1961 things were better organised and traffic was controlled by a man with a stop/go board (left).

Duple coachbuilders moved to HERE

Added to website 27 July 2010

David Hargraves writes:

Here is something of a local oddity that might be a suitable contribution to the site. It is a photo of ATV 182T a Bedford YMT with Willowbrook bodywork that was new to the National Coal Board Nottingham area. I seem to remember that the NCB also ran a couple of Fords as well. Here it sits stripped of anything of value in the wood behind the depot of Village Green in Shobdon, Herefordshire. This little wood is a fascinating place stuffed full of decaying hulks gradually disappearing in to the undergrowth.

Preservation candidate anybody? Perhaps not.

Added to website 27 July 2010

Bob Brimley writes:

You might like this picture of JG 9938, an ex East Kent 1938 Leyland Tiger TS8/Park Royal coach in wedding mode. I am trying to arrange a photoshoot to get this coach and DUF 179 a 1937 ex Southdown Leyland Tiger TS7/Harrington coach together as they would have been in the late 30's & 40's. Will let you know if I manage to achieve this.

For more of Bob's photographs on Fototopic CLICK.