Derby 2 September 2010
Richard Lomas writes:
I paid a brief visit to Derby this afternoon and here are a few pictures. I also saw a Solo in what I assume to be a new Notts & Derby
livery with much more blue but it was just pulling out as I arrived and I didn't see it again.
One of the new Red Arrows in the bus station.
An Optare Solo on The Mickleover service leaving the bus station. This service is usually worked by route branded Volvos.
An Arriva Scania turning into the bus station.
An Indigo is waiting for a 4 to clear the shared stand whilst Arriva waits.
These Ashbourne Road buses have never used the bus staton, terminating in the street outside.
A Unibus branded Excel on Notts & Derby service X17 to Borrowash.
Doyles operate an hourly tendered service to Ilkeston.
Five buses in the exit queue.
A Unibus branded Excel on the 14:35 TrentBarton 6.3 service to Ripley. The slip board in front of the driver is the only clue.
The same bus leaving Ripley an hour later.
Richard Lomas added to website 3 September 2010
Chesterfield and Matlock 1 September 2010
Martin Arrand writes:
A variety of vehicles in a couple of hours in Chesterfield and Matlock on Wednesday. A Red Arrow with an old number (62) receives a heritage plate;
a Johnson on National Express.
Martin Arrand added to website 3 September 2010
Vehicles / timetable update Chesterfield area 1 September 2010
Martyn Bonner writes (1 September 2010):
Just seen 2 more Scanias making their way to Stonegravels at 13.04, again with no fleet numbers or branding and no leather seats.
Robert Smith posted the following on Stagecoach Chesterfield Yahoo
Group (30 August 2010):
The reg no's of the B9R / Elites for National Express work at Chesterfield are: YN60 ABX/ACF/J/O/U fleet numbers allocated are 53712-16, but not
necessarily matching the above Reg No sequence. Also Chesterfield appear to have Ex Stagecoach South East (Dover) B12M / Plaxton
Paragon 53013 (VU03 VVW) on loan for Nat Ex work pending arrival of the Elites. (It has been seen on 465 London-Huddersfield). It will then
go to Plaxtons for refurb before allocation to Megabus.
They certainly have ex Stagecoach South East VU03 VVY, 53014 at Chesterfield, where it carries Chesterfield Transport legal lettering and
National Express livery. This too is due to go Plaxtons for refurb before allocation to Megabus.
Duncan Bingham writes (1 September 2010):
Revised 241 confirmed from the Derbyshire County Council website:
From Sunday 24 October 2010:
Service 241 (Trent Barton):
This will be replaced by a new service called "Spira", which will not serve Mansfield but will also serve Tupton and Chesterfield.
The proposed new timetable may be found on the Trentbarton website
HERE.
The 1400 241 departure from Mansfield (1 September 2010) backed off the stand 8
minutes late, having arrived just a minute earlier. This is often the case on
this tightly timed service since a circuit of Healdswood Estate was added to the timetable
with no additional running time. The section of route from Mansfield to Sutton
is to be replaced with Clay Cross to Chesterfield when 241 becomes Spira on 25
October 2010. On paper, it would appear the proposed new timings will make it
even harder for drivers to run to time. However, we must remember this meandering route must at best be only marginally profitable (the
tendered evening and Sunday journeys have long been withdrawn) so credit must be given to Trentbarton for attempting
to improve takings by targeting those who want a direct run between the centre of Clay Cross (Red Arrow does not serve the main
shops) and Chesterfield, in place of the over bussed Sutton to Mansfield corridor.
Photograph and caption Oliver Foreman
Martyn Bonner, Robert Smith, Duncan Bingham, Oliver Foreman added to website 2 September 2010
Dunn Line (YourBus)
Richard Lomas writes (25 August 2010):
Dunn Motor Traction's registered office is now Delves Road, Heanor Gate Industrial Estate, Heanor, DE75 7SJ. I
don't know how many vehicles are kept here or if the Hucknall premises are still in use.
Richard Lomas added to website 30 August 2010
Chesterfield: Farewell Olympian; welcome Volvo Elite & Scania Enviro 400
Rob Perrins reports that four new Volvo Elite coaches arrived today at Chesterfield Stonegravels depot (Saturday 28 August 2010): YN60 ABX/ACJ/ACO/ACU.
(YN60 ACF already arrived - see pictures below).
Oliver Foreman has been out with his video camera on the 'Farewell to the Volvo Olympian in Chesterfield' day. Also included is a Volvo B10M coach
on the 727 - both the vehicle and the route number soon to be history. If your broadband is fast enough to handle it, you should be
able to click on the menu below the video to go fullscreen and then HD resolution.
Rob Perrins / Oliver Foreman added to website 29 August 2010
Chesterfield: 1 Volvo Elite AND 3 Scania Enviro deckers arrive!
Colin Sellers writes (27 August 2010):
At Scania, Worksop tonight there are only 2 Scania Stagecoach double deckers left outside, all with moquette seating, so where are the other 3? Are they leather seated?
Are they liveried for the X17? Notice from today's pictures on the three that have arrived so far that there are no Stagecoach branding or fleet numbers.
Doesn't the coach look good?
I didn't like the Levante when it first entered service but the Elite looks good from the start. The coaches are fitted with Alcolock technology
so that the driver has to blow into a machine before the vehicle can be started! (Website
HERE)
Webmaster's note: We are grateful to Stagecoach for allowing us to publish photographs taken inside Stonegravels depot at approximately
1.45pm Friday 27 August 2010
Colin Sellers added to website 28 August 2010
Chesterfield 25 August 2010
Colin Sellers saw two Volvo's working hard: that newly repainted Red Arrow old timer and a tow wagon helping
a Worksop based Stagecoach East Midlands Dennis in trouble.
P.S. A reliable source says that the Volvo Elite coach reported yesterday is still in Stonegravels and is being inspected by all sorts of people. It seems
there is a good chance it is one of Chesterfield's allocation. Now where are these eagerly anticipated Scania deckers?????? Don't forget Chesterfield Farewell
to the Olympian on Saturday 28 August. Details on TRANSPIRE website
HERE.
Reliable source & Colin Sellers added to website 26 August 2010
Old Red Arrow & new Nat Ex
A reliable source reports that a Volvo Plaxton Elite allocated to Chesterfield arrived at Stonegravels depot today (24 August 2010).
Dennis Basford writes:
Seen today on the 16.00 departure from Ripley towards Derby is the Red Arrow 'spare' R62 RAU.
It is interesting to see it in the 'new' livery as opposed to the 'old' which it lost approximately 6 years ago.
Reliable source & Dennis Basford added to website 25 August 2010
In Chesterfield today (23 August 2010)
Colin Sellers writes (23 August 2010):
Three visiting coaches and an unvinyled TM Travel Solo
Colin Sellers added to website 24 August 2010
All change on 23 August 2010
Today YourBus took over Nottinghamshire services 228 (Hucknall - QMC - Beeston) and 229 (Eastwood - QMC) from Doyles.
There have been some timetable changes but there is broadly an hourly weekday daytime service on each route and it looks as though the number
of buses required has increased from 4 to 5. All the pictures were taken in Eastwood.
Doyles on 25th February 2010.
Doyles on 30th June 2010.
YourBus 1102 arriving in Eastwood on 23rd August 2010.
The same bus leaving for the QMC.
Doyles still operate the Eastwood local services.
Richard Lomas added to website 24 August 2010
New Stagecoach in Chesterfield Scania deckers seen
I'm told by one of my colleagues that 2 Enviro 400's in Stagecoach livery and 60 registration plates were seen passing through Sheffield
on Thursday presumably on their way to Chesterfield for the X17 in standard livery. I just hope they're not going to plaster silly messy stickers on them
like the Excels on the 44 which in my opinion look a total mess.
Webmaster's comment: Not all the new Scanias are for the X17 so just because those seen were in standard livery, it does not mean that
others for the X17 will not arrive in Chesterfield in a striking livery. Remember, the service does not launch until 5 September. There are
unconfirmed rumours that buses on the X17 will have leather seats with drivers wearing a special uniform! We will have to wait and see.
Webmaster's update: I have infomation from a very reliable source that on Friday 20 August there were NO SCANIAS IN STONEGRAVELS DEPOT.
Where they have gone is a mystery! We must be patient. In the meantime take a look at this Flickr link to see what they will look like (scroll down the page)
HERE.
Here is a similar Scania of Stagecoach Lincolnshire photographed in Lincoln Bus Station on 9 June 2010:
Ian Moorcroft with further comment from Oliver Foreman and photograph added to website 22 August 2010
National Express in abundance: Chesterfield Coach Station 18/19 August 2010
Colin Sellers writes (19 August 2010):
Two of Chesterfield's Nat Ex swap passengers yesterday at the coach station, good comparison of front styling.
Nat Ex take over the coach station today with 4 dropping, picking up and swapping passengers.
No sign of the new Chesterfield Excels yet (though one was seen refuelling at Stonegravels today on its way to somewhere else).
Colin Sellers added to website 20 August 2010