Exeter Nocturnal Event
to mark 40 years since the closing of Exeter City Transport Department
14 November 2010
by Ken Jones. Added to website 17 November 2010
Ken Jones writes:
An evening event was held in Exeter on Sunday 14th November to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the demise of the Exeter City Transport
Department - the end to their Green & Cream buses. Mounting financial loses resulted in a decision by the City Council to sell its Transport
Department in 1970 to the state owned NBC and thus it passed to Devon General on 1st April that year. Fortunately several Exeter City buses
survive and many were at this event.
The weather was wet and cold, but the buses were well patronised particularly in the early part of the evening. Donations etc were all for the
NSPCC and the event was allowed to take place at Exeter City bus station thanks to Stagecoach South West.
This is the first time I've taken night shots of buses - a sharp learning curve for me. Armed with my wife's tripod, an umbrella over the
camera and rigaomortus setting in here are some of the pictures from the event.
Ken Jones
16 November 2010
1. Vehicles start to assemble in the lower yard including Bristol LL6B coach and a Bath Services Lodekka replacing one of the buses unable to
attend [probably due to the weather].
2. By late afternoon some vehicles are already on the stand at the bus station.
3. In railways we would say taken at the buffers - no idea what is equivalent in bus terminology.
4. Stagecoach DD departs - Exeter City SD and DD buses taking up positions and the rain is getting worse.
5. 969 EHW leaving for Crossmead - the rain giving the headlights their own version of spirograph.
6. JFJ 875 1950 Daimler CVD6 departs on City service - the sky is not really that colour - my camera seems to be overcompensating for the bad weather.
7. Old and new departing the bus station.
8. It's cold and wet - look at the condensation in the bus and people hugged together to stay warm.
9. LTA 958 dating from 1951 and operated by Southern National leaves to have a rest between the services. I travel on this later.
10. JFJ 875 on stand on route 65 to Higher Barley Mount.
11. 3 Exeter City buses outside St Davids railway Station - could be 40 years ago.
12. 1956 Guy Arab Mark IV about to depart St Davids Station.
13. Later in the evening it's relatively quiet at the Stagecoach stands.
14. Exeter City stands still busy - people waiting - crews changing destination blinds - people getting on and off buses and me and some other photographers - must be mad.
15. VFJ 995 is 1958 Leyland Titan PD2/40 on route to St Davids Station.
16. UFJ 296 is 1957 Guy Arab Mark IV departing on route 8 to Broadclyst.
17. EFJ 666 is a 1938 Leyland Tiger TS8 and the oldest vehicle in service - I get on to see if it's warmer - drier yes.
18. 86 GFJ is 1963 Leyland Titan PD2A/30 taken at Crossmead. Driver is changing destination sign and upstairs is not in use.