Added to website 23 April 2011
Photographs from David Gambles taken 22 April 2011
Vehicles are assembling for the Kirkby Stephen & Brough Rally.
We have taken a trip around the display sites and the road run on Cumbria Classic's Bristol Lodekker which has had it's roof removed
for the occasion and the attached photos give a glimpse of what will be on display.
The event takes place over Easter Saturday and Sunday and on Saturday evening there is a road run which takes
about an hour.
More photographs on Focus on Flickr
HERE
More photographs on Focus on Flickr
HERE
Added to website 21 April 2011 (Stephen Read comment added 22 April 2011)
Photographs from Ken Jones taken 16 April 2011
The Tramway and Light Railway Society organised a local event in Taunton on Saturday 16 April. As that's my home town here are
6 pictures from the day. There some 10 layouts operating and all were tram layouts in one form or another
1. Map of Taunton's electric tram system - one of the shortest lived systems in the UK
2. A group from Bristol had their tram layout visible on 3 sides each showing a different scene from Bristol - this is Brislington.
3. A selection of my buses. Anyone wanting to see more should come to the Lutterworth model railway show in May where my layout and
buses will be on display.
4 ABOVE & 5 BELOW. 2 views of OO model buses.
6. Another side of the layout from Bristol.
Comment from Stephen Read, Operations Manager Stagecoach in Chesterfield (20 April 2011):
Just to prove I have interests away from Stagecoach in Chesterfield, the photo's of the Western National models (above) at Taunton on 16 April
are mine! Amongst my interests are The Western National Omnibus Company Ltd and as I am a prominent and indeed passionate member of
the Model Bus Federation I reflect my interest in that company in models. I also model Southern Vectis as well as more local East
Midland and Mansfield District as well as having my own fictional modern day fleets (based in the West Country) of around 450
vehicles and a growing 1970's coach collection.
Stephen Read
Operations Manager Stagecoach in Chesterfield (day job)
and Model Bus nut (real job)
Added to website 30 March 2011
Photographs from Ken Jones taken 26 March 2011
The Statfold Barn Railway held it's spring enthusiasts day on Saturday - by invitation ticket only - the proceeds going to charity. The
railway only holds 3 such events each year - here's a flavour of this event
1. Jatibarang No 9 in dark blue SBR livery made it's first public appearance hauling many trains during the day. It's the latest engine
to be restored by SBR - it formerly was an Indonesian sugar mill "Mallet" articulated locomotive. It is understood to be both the last
Mallet built in Germany and the most powerful 2ft gauge example ever built.
2. 'On your Bike' was also on display and being demonstrated by the man in the picture.
3. Sragi No 14 "Orenstein & Koppel" of 1923 and Jack Lane "Hunslet" of 2005 built by SBR at Oak Tree Halt.
4. Jack Lane working garden railway in the afternoon
More on the Statfold Barn Railway further down this page HERE
More information on the Railway website
HERE
See Ken Jones' railway website
HERE
Added to website 29 March 2011
Photographs from Ken Jones taken 27 March 2011
The Bristol Vintage Bus Group held their spring running day and here are 3 pictures from the event. Other pictures of the event
(including more of mine) may be found on the BVBG website
HERE.
Added to website 16 March 2011
Photograph from Ken Jones. 14 March 2011
Busy at Villa Ground
No football at Aston Villa ground yesterday - hooray - but lots of bus activity including this Coventry City Daimler passing the ground -
in the background PD2 half cab makes a speedy dash away from the area and we lost him - sorry about the car in the picture .
Added to website 15 March 2011
Photographs from Price Save. Captions by Neville Whitmore 13 March 2011.
NCT double deckers in 1999
Spurred on by the photographs of Leyland Lions in Nottingham (on this website
HERE)
Price Save has sent in these pictures of Nottingham City Transport double deckers taken in 1999.
Captions provided by Neville Whitmore.
1. A typical Nottingham Atlantean by the side of a Volvo Citybus.
|
2. Another typical Atlantean with a body style always associated with Nottingham. (The only other operator to take delivery of this
style of body being Burton on Trent Corporation who had a few Daimler Fleetlines with Willowbrook built bodies, which for most of their
lives ran under the auspices of East Staffordshire District Council).
|
3. A Leyland Lion fitted with coach seats.
|
4. A Scania decker with an Alexander body with the standard body outline, the special Nottingham design by this time
having been abandoned. (In fact, Alexander did not build any to Nottingham design, as far as I remember, they were built by East Lancs,
Northern Counties, Willowbrook and Metro Cammell)
|
Added to website 10 March 2011
From Ken Jones. 8 March 2011.
The Statfold Barn Railway
The Statfold Barn Railway [SBR] is a private railway in Staffordshire with only 3 public open days per year and for these tickets
have to be bought in advance.
By chance I was there today - on a private visit and they had the narrow gauge Peckett "Harrogate" in steam. So a good chance to test
out my compact camera and send you some pictures.
More information on the Railway website
HERE.
See Ken Jones' railway website
HERE
Added to website 6 March 2011 (Additional comment/picture 14 March 2011)
Question from Martin Johnson. Answers from Phil G & Tony Wilson. Photographs by Tony Wilson.
Question:
I recently purchased a 1/76 scale model of a Manfield & District Routemaster bus from a model shop. The destination board
shows "Crich via Matlock" route 45. Can anyone at Focus tell me whether this was a route serviced by M&D? Having spent the early
part of my life in the Cromford/Matlock area I don't ever recall seeing double deckers serving villages such as Crich, presumably
because of frequent low bridges in the area. Neither does my memory include seeing the green and white of the M&D in that part
of the world.
Hope you can help!
Regards
Martin Johnson.
Answers:
I assume the model referred to is this one:
CLICK
The 45 pre dates the 95 (as shown in the images below) by 1 year and was one of the first Summer Peak District services which East
Midland ran with Routemasters.
These were introduced in 1989 and ran on Summer Sundays and Wednesdays as follows:
43 - Worksop - Clowne - Chesterfield - Bakewell, then a circular tour via Buxton, Longnor and Hartington
44 - Sutton - Mansfield - Chesterfield, then a circular tour via Castleton, Tideswell and Ashford, Monsal Head and Eyam
45 - Shirebrook - Bolsover - Chesterfield - Matlock - Crich
I believe that all 3 services were Routemaster operated (although I think the open top VR was sometimes used on the 45) and were designed
to link up at Chesterfield to allow passengers to interchange.
By 1990, the services had been extended, re-routed and renumbered 93, 94 and 95.
These pictures were taken after the 1990 renumbering. The second image is at Sheffield Station and the third at Crich.
Additional comment by Phil G (12 March 2011):
Just sorting through some photos and came across this of service 45, taken in between journeys at Crich, presumably in August 1989 at the Transport Extravaganza.
Sorry about the quality of the scan.
See also on the TRANSPIRE website
HERE
and slide 3
HERE
Added to website 5 March 2011
From Ken Jones. Photograph by Garry Luck.
A rare sight
A very rare vehicle in preservation made a journey in the sunshine at the weekend - a green BMMO C5. I like many missed it. It's due to appear in
public again on 1st April.
Webmaster's note: The picture below is of course fictitious as you will see from this website
HERE.
Below is a picture taken of this vehicle by Garry Luck who holds the copyright.
Added to website 3 March 2011
From Tony Wilson
We'd All Miss the Bus
With the financial constraints that are reportedly occurring in County and other Councils up and down the country, the spotlight in part
is falling upon the respective Transport budgets. Thus I recall when similar problems beset the humble bus back in 1985, there was a
concerted effort to highlight the future for the various networks, especially in the more rural areas.
Thus I have found this image of a former Potteries Motor Traction ECW bodied Bristol RE, repainted into this allover advertisement, part
of a nationwide campaign to highlight the problem. By April 1985 it was in the hands of Derbyshire based Silver Service as their fleet
number 193, and is illustrated here at New Beetwell Street in Chesterfield at the eastern end of the 170 route from Bakewell.
Fortunately a route that has continued since, and hopefully will continue to do so.
Added to website 2 March 2011 (Comment by N Whitmore 3 March 2011)
From Andrew Bagshaw
Mystery AEC
I have had two different photographs of the same coach in my collection for two years but have only recently realised that it is indeed
the same coach! Firstly purchased from Roger Kaye sometime in the early nineties was a view of Plaxton Elite bodied AEC Reliance FDG 468L
pictured in 1987 at Crich whilst working on hire to Maun of Sutton in Ashfield on the 239 Ripley - Belper via Crich. The name Len Guest
can be seen on the frontispiece. Can anyone please let me know more information on Len Guest such as how many coaches he operated and where were
they based? My second photograph was taken at the Toddington road and rail rally a couple of years ago by myself and it appears that the
coach still wears the same livery but with the name removed so in this disguise it has taken me two years to blow its cover! Any
information regarding the history of this coach would be greatly appreciated?
Permission granted by Roger Kaye for the publication of his photograph
Comment by Neville Whitmore (2 March 2011):
Re the AEC Reliance registered FDG 468L.
This vehicle was new to the well respected operator (but sadly no longer with us) Cottrell's of Mitcheldean in 1973. The livery it carries
is it's original colours. Len Guest was a short lived coach operator based in Sutton in Ashfield and this coach was on hire to Maun for
use on their tendered services. At some time it was owned by Rexquote Heritage but there is a picture of the coach in the April 2011
issue of Bus and Coach Preservation taken in May 2009 when its owner is quoted as a Mr. R. Smith of Churchdown, Gloucester. Incidently,
there it is described as a 'pure' coach when in fact it is an Elite II "express" to bus grant specification.
Added to website 22 February 2011
From Ken Jones
Quorn
Testing compact camera at Quorn
1. 37255 under the loading gauge.
2. 25265 and green mould.
3. Green Goddess.
4. Jinty on light engine passing station.
5. 1450 and autocoach arrives from Loughborough.
6. D8098 and train arrives from Leicester North.
Recently updated: Ken Jones railway website
HERE
Added to website 22 February 2011
From Colin Sellers
Chesterfield Sunday Car Boot
Yes, I offered him £2.50 but it's not for sale, It isn't a car and it hasn't a boot, but it attracted the punters on the Chesterfield
car boot this morning. RML 2276 (CUV 276C)
Added to website 18 February 2011
From Tony Wilson
Anniversary of Decimalization
On Tuesday 15th February it was the 40th anniversary since the introduction of decimalization back in 1971.
I am led to believe that buses changed on the 21st in order to allow sufficient of the new coinage to enter circulation. The 6d coin
apparently continued to be legal tender until 1980, largely because of the number of transport operations and vending machines that used
it. This coin had an exact match to new money, whereas the threepenny piece, 1d and 1/2d did not have exact matches.
The old halfpenny was withdrawn in 1969 along with the half crown, whilst the 50p coin was introduced that year to replace the ten bob
note. The 5p and 10p coins had both been brought in during 1968 (Hope you're keeping up with this).
Anyway for a transport theme illustrated are 'before and after' shots of buses with suitable advertising. The first is a fine Leyland
Titan PD3 with a Willowbrook H73RD body operated by Trent. Circa 1958 it is illustrated in that once fine iconic bus station at Derby
and displayed adverts for a fruit sauce that cost 8d in old coinage back in October 1967. The other is of a London bus taken nine years
later in May 1976 at the Ninefields Estate, Upshire. Here a 1948 Saunders bodied AEC Regent, RT 1343 sported an advertisement for the Round
London Sightseeing Tour at a cost of £1.15p in the new money. In 1971 it was 50p for an adult to go on the tour.
Today that £1.15p would probably get you a large Mars Bar and the tour for an adult will cost in the region of £25.00p. Mind that
is a hop-on, hop-off all day facility, but nevertheless, my how times and costs have changed.
Added to website 2 February 2011
From Bob Brimley
Bristol Lodekka 869 NHT
Following on from Tony Wilson’s looking back on Scarborough article
(HERE)
you will be pleased to know that 869 NHT, the ex Bristol Omnibus
Company FS6G pictured in Applebys livery, is still alive & well back in it’s home city.
869 NHT was one of four Bristol FS6G-type double deck buses delivered to Bristol Omnibus Company in 1961 with removable roofs for sea
front services at Weston-super-Mare. When delivered she was in an all over cream livery, and at one time carried the Weston-super-Mare
coat of arms on her side panels. She is now part of Martin Curtis & Mike Walker’s Bristol Omnibus Collection and can regularly
be seen at events around the Bristol area.
Here are a couple of photos taken at the Bristol Harbourside Running Day in May 2010, her first public outing following a
comprehensive restoration.
RIGHT: Close up of the Weston-super-Mare coat of arms.
BELOW: 869 NHT dropping off passengers at the Harbourside site.
Added to website 21 January 2011
From Andrew Bagshaw
Identity question?
I have been digging in the misc archives and come across this pair of buses presumably of the same type of vehicle but can anyone please
tell me what the chassis & body is? Not a quiz question because I simply haven't got the answer.
John Young replies (21 January 2011):
The two buses shown are Quest 80s with Loco (whoever they are/were) bodies
new to Merseyside PTE. They were from a batch of six, were very unpopular
and unreliable and had short lives with their original owner and probably
in totality too.
The list below is taken from
www.buslistsontheweb.co.uk
which therefore needs to be credited. It is a very useful reference source with a search facility.
J Viamax C36F /1987 ?,Cyprus
Q GSH158T Africa B&C B59F 2/1982 PUTCO,South Africa 9037
Q CKG497T Africa B&C B59F 6/1983 PUTCO,South Africa 9038
E1 unreg Bus Bodies H84F /1982 Johannesburg,South Africa 801
VM TSN457 Truckoman C57F 8/1989 Xidias,Larnaca,Cyprus
4000/1/1 D A863CAW RB 14199 C33F 3/1984 Quest,Telford
4000/1/2 D A309KDD Locomotors 429P DP30DL 4/1984 National Star Centre,Ullenwood
4000/1/3 D A963CUX Locomotors B32F 5/1984 British Airways, Heathrow
4400/1/4 C C75YVC VH 11560 C49F 3/1986 Tanners Croft, Redditch Ex Ford Brentwood, experimental vehicle new 8/84
4000/1/5 D Otokar B45D 12/1985 ?,Turkey
4200/1/6 B A365DAW Locomotors B28D 5/1984 Ralphs,Longford
4401/1/7 C A582DNT VH 11064 C53F 6/1984 Quest 80,Telford
4???/8-23 Not built/not traced
4404/1/24 C B490GBD Je 18858 C33Ft 11/1983 Quest,Telford
4405/1/25 C A507CUX RB 14669 C25F 5/1984 Telford Development Corporation
4406/1/26 VM A808LEL Pn8412QVP1C01N C53F 3/1984 Excelsior Holidays,Bournemouth
4406/1/27 VM A818LEL Pn8412QVP1C02N C53F 4/1984 Excelsior Holidays,Bournemouth
4406/1/28 VM A814LEL Pn8412QVP1C03N C53F 4/1984 Excelsior Holidays,Bournemouth
4406/1/29 VM A816LEL Pn8412QVP1C04N C53F 4/1984 Excelsior Holidays,Bournemouth
4406/1/30 VM A820LEL Pn8412QVP1C05N C53F 4/1984 Excelsior Holidays,Bournemouth
4406/1/31 VM A810LEL Pn8412QVP1C06N C53F 4/1984 Excelsior Holidays,Bournemouth
4406/1/32 VM A812LEL Pn8412QVP1C07N C53F 4/1984 Excelsior Holidays,Bournemouth
4406/1/33 VM A809LEL Pn8412QVP1C08N C53F 5/1984 Excelsior Holidays,Bournemouth
4406/1/34 VM A815LEL Pn8412QVP1C09N C53F 4/1984 Excelsior Holidays,Bournemouth
4406/1/35 VM A813LEL Pn8412QVP1C10N C53F 4/1984 Excelsior Holidays,Bournemouth
4406/1/36 VM A819LEL Pn 8412QVP1C11N C53F 5/1984 Excelsior Holidays,Bournemouth
4406/1/37 VM A817LEL Pn8412QVP1C12N C53F 5/1984 Excelsior Holidays,Bournemouth
4406/1/38 VM A811LEL Pn8412QVP1C13N C53F 4/1984 Excelsior Holidays,Bournemouth
4406/1/39 VM A822LEL Pn8412QVP1C14N C53F 4/1984 Excelsior Holidays,Bournemouth
4406/1/40 VM A823LEL Pn8412QVP1C20N C53F 5/1984 Excelsior Holidays,Bournemouth Destroyed by fire 6/84
4406/1/41 VM A807LEL Pn8412QTP1C01N C53Ft 6/1984 Excelsior Holidays,Bournemouth
4406/1/42 VM Pn Not bodied Abandoned by Plaxton
4406/1/43 VM Pn Not bodied Abandoned by Plaxton
4406/1/44 VM C777CYU Je 19376 C53F /1985 Locomotors To have been bodied by Plaxton but abandoned
4406/1/45 VM A821LEL Pn8412QVP1C15N C53F 5/1984 Excelsior Holidays,Bournemouth
4???/46-56 Not built/not traced
4407/57 VM Not bodied To Excelsior for spares
4407/58 VM Not bodied To Excelsior for spares
4407/59 VM TWZ457 Truk C57F 8/1989 EM Linou,Phlasou & Petra,Cyrpus Initially sold to Excelsior for spares
4407/60 VM Not bodied To Excelsior for spares
4407/61 VM Not bodied To Excelsior for spares
4???/62-65 Not built/not traced
4408/66 J 87CN333 Je 19363 C37F 1/1987 Sillian,Shercock
4408/67 J D322VVV Je 19364 C37F 4/1987 Risk,Plympton
4408/68 J E220GNV Je 19365 C37F 8/1987 Risk,Plympton
4408/69 J E221GNV Je 19366 C37F 8/1987 Budden,Woodfalls
4408/70 J E222YTU Je 19367 C25Ft 1/1988 More Style,East Didsbury
4408/71 C B503CBD Je 19252 C37F 2/1985 Basford,Greens Norton
4408/72 J D331VVV Je 19397 C33Ft 1/1987 Sunstar,NW10
4408/73 J 717AZF Je 19398 C32Ft 3/1985 Barry,Cork
4408/74 J ZG7316 Je 19399 C33Ft 3/1987 Eirebus,Dublin
4408/75 J B512CBD Je 19400 C26Ft 3/1985 Adams,Handley
4408/76 J D327VVV Je 19401 C33Ft 3/1987 Abbott,Blackpool
4408/77 J ?,? Held by Jonckherre
4408/78 J TUZ266 Trukoman C49F 2/1988 Petsas,Nicosia,Cyprus Held by Jonckherre
4408/79 J TUT671 Trukoman C49F 11/1987 Petsas,Nicosia,Cyprus Held by Jonckherre
4408/80 J ?,? Held by Jonckherre
4408/81 J Not bodied
4408/82 J TWA366 Trukoman C49F 12/1988 Petsas,Nicosia,Cyprus
4408/83 J TUT690 Trukoman C49F 11/1987 Petsas,Nicosia,Cyprus
4408/84 J Not bodied
4408/85 J Not bodied
4408/86 J Not bodied
4408/87 J Not bodied
4408/88 J Not bodied
4408/89 J TVB488 Trukoman C49F 3/1988 Petsas,Nicosia,Cyprus
4408/90 J Not bodied
4408/91 J THXX142 Viamax C37F 6/2002 Mallouris,Limassol
4201/92 B B929KWM Loco B23F 4/1985 Merseyside PTE 0084
4201/93 B B928KWM Loco B23F 11/1984 Merseyside PTE 0083
4201/94 B B927KWM Loco B23F 4/1985 Merseyside PTE 0082
4201/95 B B931KWM Loco B23F 4/1985 Merseyside PTE 0086
4201/96 B B930KWM Loco B23F 4/1985 Merseyside PTE 0085
4201/97 B C844OBG Loco B23F 10/1985 Merseyside PTE 0087 Delivered as B932KWM
Duncan Bingham replies (21 January 2011):
With respect to Andrew bagshaw's latest mysteries, B930 KWM and C844 OBG are both Quest 80 with Locomotors bodywork new to Merseyside PTE
Tony Wilson replies (21 January 2011):
The Quest - ion answered:
I have had another riffle through the archives and come up with the following information and illustrations as regards the rather angular
buses shown by Andrew Bagshaw. These were a Quest 80B chassis and mechanics originally operated by Merseyside PTE, as evidenced by
the door that still had that livery applied. There were six such vehicles produced for the PTE as their fleet numbers 0082-0087 in
1984 and 1985 supplied by the company based in Telford, Shropshire. Bodywork was supplied by a company called Locomotors (of
which I know no more), and had a seating capacity for 23 passengers. Herewith attached are a couple more of one of the buses
in action back in the early 1990s, when operated by Lucketts of Watford, Hertfordshire. Both near and offside aspects are
shown of these (in my humble opinion), rather untidy looking vehicles. The up and down window arrangement was not easy on
the eye and having been on one, the ride was not easy on other parts of the anatomy. I do not recall them being a raging
success, maybe more of a blunder bus, but I may of course be doing them a dis-service. Bit ironic that Lucketts chose to
market their operations as 'Luckybus', as some while later they were taken over by what later became Arriva the Shires.
The second bus shown in the picture was operated briefly by the Sovereign Bus & Coach company also based in Hertfordhsire.
Seventeen further Quest 80 chassis with Plaxton 53-seater coach bodies were supplied in 1984 to the Excelsior coach company.
One example (as illustrated), was registered A818 LEL, the offside aspect shown here at the company's depot in February
1985. I do recall that at least one of these burst into flames whilst out in service on the open road, but fortunately there were no
casualties. After that few other of the type were allegedly produced.
My final Quest is taken in St. Helens Bus Station in September 1994 when operated by a company the name of Tamar, again of which I have
little knowledge.
Hope this helps.
Added to website 21 January 2011
From Ken Jones
FTT 704 in Hawkesbury Upton
The Bristol Vintage Bus Group used former Western National Bristol K number FTT 704 to take members to lunch in
Hawkesbury Upton.
Visit the Bristol Vintage Bus Group website
HERE.
Find out more about FTT 704 on the BVBG website
HERE.
Ken's pictures below show the bus entering the village, reversing into the car park, and setting off for home.
Added to website 20 January 2011
From Ken Jones (chairman of the Club)
WEST MIDLANDS N GAUGE CLUB
First meeting of the club each year allows members and guests to try out their Xmas presents on our 20ft N gauge exhibition
layout "Waterstock", and this year was no exception.
Visit the Club website
HERE.
1. Steam locomotive testing out snow ploughs recently commissioned by N Gauge Society.
2. Chairman's new class 14 "teddybear" locomotive.
3. Blue Deltic speeds through the station.
4. Tomytec 2 car unit visiting the branch line.
5. Canadian Pacific Baldwin locomotive gets signal to enter station.