Miscellaneous: A to H

Sunday 3 June 2012 (1328) - Howden Park Hotel, Torquay, Devon operates WA06 NBM, a VDL Bova Magiq new June 2006, which was seen in Evesham (Worcestershire) on this rather damp day. Flags to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II are carried. In 2021 the Howden Park Hotel website shows details of this coach and the pick-up service offered starting in Sheffield and picking up at various places en route including Evesham (at 1330) where this photograph was taken some nine years earlier www.howdencourthotel.co.uk/coach

Sunday 8 August 2021 – Hamiltons Coaches of Desborough (near Rothwell near Kettering), Northamptonshire is a business owned by Minesh Uka and the fleet contains various coaches with registrations containing the letters UKA. AA66 UKA was resuming its journey after taking a break at Cambridge Services on the A14. It is a Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B8R new in January 2017 registered YX66 WPD.

Sunday 8 August 2021 – Hamiltons Coaches of Desborough (near Rothwell near Kettering), Northamptonshire is a business owned by Minesh Uka. These three coaches seen taking a break at Cambridge Services on the A14 all have UKA registration numbers. From left to right: TU18 UKA, a Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B8R new in March 2018 H19 UKA, a Jonckheere bodied Volvo B11R that had been new to Parks of Hamilton in March 2016 registered LSK 824 (Registered SA16 RRL prior to becoming H19 UKA) H13 UKA, a Caetano Levante bodied Volvo B9R new circa April 2013 (previous registration(s) unknown) A fourth coach had just departed ahead of the others (AA66 UKA, a Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B8R new in January 2017 registered YX66 WPD)

Sunday 8 August 2021 – Hamiltons Coaches of Desborough (near Rothwell near Kettering), Northamptonshire is a business owned by Minesh Uka. These four coaches seen taking a break at Cambridge Services on the A14 all have UKA registration numbers. From left to right: H13 UKA, a Caetano Levante bodied Volvo B9R new circa April 2013 (previous registration(s) unknown) H19 UKA, a Jonckheere bodied Volvo B11R that had been new to Parks of Hamilton in March 2016 registered LSK 824 (Registered SA16 RRL prior to becoming H19 UKA) TU18 UKA, a Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B8R new in March 2018 AA66 UKA, a Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B8R new in January 2017 registered YX66 WPD

August 1995 – Holmeswood Coaches from Rufford near Ormskirk D517 KNX, a Leyland Royal Tiger Doyen new in July 1987, seen in Southwold, Suffolk. (Photograph taken with a disposable camera).

August 1995 – Holmeswood Coaches from Rufford near Ormskirk D517 KNX, a Leyland Royal Tiger Doyen new in July 1987, seen in Southwold, Suffolk. (Photograph taken with a disposable camera).

Saturday 23 May 1998 – Two double deck coaches of Holmeswood Coaches from Rufford near Ormskirk seen at the Air Fete at RAF Mildenhall. Left is H2 HWD, a Van Hool Astrobel bodied Scania K113TRB (may have been new to Busways registered H134 HCU) Right is K4 HWD a Berkhof Excellence bodied Scania K113TRA which remained in the livery of its previous owner The Kings Ferry. It was new to Kings Ferry in February 1993 registered K15 KFC.

Saturday 11 December 2021 (1048) – Shearings Holidays is a name that has been around for decades and became one of the largest coach tour operators in Britain having absorbed Wallace Arnold Tours and acquired the privatised National Holidays business. On 22 May 2020 the company then owned by SLG (Specialist Leisure Group) appointed an administrator as a result of the Covid-19 Coronavirus epidemic affecting leisure travel but within a month it was announced that Leger Holidays had acquired the Shearings brand. This Setra S416GT-HD, wearing the livery style of the new ownership, appears to be operated by Chiltern Travel (Boorman) of Blunham near Bedford. Chiltern Travel operates K21 HCC and N21 HCC. I think this may be the former and if so it had been new to Shearings as their 631 in January 2014 registered BX63 BFA. (N21 HCC was also new to Shearings at the same time as their 632 (BG63 VVN). Seen heading westbound on the A11 at Barton Mills. In the background is a VDL Futura 2 of Hythe and Waterside Coaches from Hythe near Southampton. Chiltern Travel (Shearings contractor) K21 HCC(?)

Saturday 11 December 2021 (1048) – Shearings Holidays is a name that has been around for decades and became one of the largest coach tour operators in Britain having absorbed Wallace Arnold Tours and acquired the privatised National Holidays business. On 22 May 2020 the company then owned by SLG (Specialist Leisure Group) appointed an administrator as a result of the Covid-19 Coronavirus epidemic affecting leisure travel but within a month it was announced that Leger Holidays had acquired the Shearings brand. This Setra S416GT-HD, wearing the livery style of the new ownership, appears to be operated by Chiltern Travel (Boorman) of Blunham near Bedford. Chiltern Travel operates K21 HCC and N21 HCC. I think this may be the former and if so it had been new to Shearings as their 631 in January 2014 registered BX63 BFA. (N21 HCC was also new to Shearings at the same time as their 632 (BG63 VVN). Seen heading westbound on the A11 at Barton Mills.

Saturday 11 December 2021 (1048) – Shearings Holidays is a name that has been around for decades and became one of the largest coach tour operators in Britain having absorbed Wallace Arnold Tours and acquired the privatised National Holidays business. On 22 May 2020 the company then owned by SLG (Specialist Leisure Group) appointed an administrator as a result of the Covid-19 Coronavirus epidemic affecting leisure travel but within a month it was announced that Leger Holidays had acquired the Shearings brand. This Setra S416GT-HD, wearing the livery style of the new ownership, appears to be operated by Chiltern Travel (Boorman) of Blunham near Bedford. Chiltern Travel operates K21 HCC and N21 HCC. I think this may be the former and if so it had been new to Shearings as their 631 in January 2014 registered BX63 BFA. (N21 HCC was also new to Shearings at the same time as their 632 (BG63 VVN). Seen heading westbound on the A11 at Barton Mills.

Saturday 11 December 2021 (1049) – A very poor photograph. A VDL Futura 2 of Hythe and Waterside Coaches from Hythe near Southampton seen heading westbound on the A11 at Barton Mills. I believe this is HY17 THE (spelling HYTHE) which was new to the company in May 2017. The company’s website showed a three day tour the Thursford Christmas Spectacular departing Thursday 9 December so I imagine this was the homeward bound third day of that tour.

Monday 13 December 2021 (1407) – Alfa Travel 118 (BV20 HNB) seen negotiating Fiveways, Barton Mills bound for Great Yarmouth on one of the company’s tours. It is a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo new in March 2020.

Monday 13 December 2021 (1407) – Alfa Travel 118 (BV20 HNB) seen negotiating Fiveways, Barton Mills bound for Great Yarmouth on one of the company’s tours. It is a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo new in March 2020.

Sunday 27 January 2019 (0959) - Daish's Coaches BF68 ZDS, a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo Base new in September 2018, seen heading westbound on the A11 near Kennett east of Newmarket. (Day two of my new camera training)

Saturday 23 August 2014 (1914) - Daish's Coaches FJ08 BYO, a Jonckheere bodied Volvo B12B, seen at the Travelodge, Barton Mills, Suffolk. New in March 2008 to Ellis of North Acton, London.

Thursday 6 July 2017 (1638) – Daish’s Coaches BN64 CTK, a Jonckheere bodied Volvo B11R new in January 2015, seen at Shanklin Old Village, Isle of Wight.

Thursday 23 December 2021 (0925) – Daish’s Coaches BF68 ZDW seen in Newmarket picking up passengers that were to spend Christmas at the Imperial Hotel in Eastbourne. The Daish Group operates twelve hotels as well as its own coach fleet. This Mercedes-Benz Tourismo was new in November 2018.

Thursday 23 December 2021 (0929) – Daish’s Coaches BF68 ZDW seen beneath the Christmas lights in Newmarket High Street just after picking up passengers that were to spend Christmas at the Imperial Hotel in Eastbourne. The Daish Group operates twelve hotels as well as its own coach fleet. This Mercedes-Benz Tourismo was new in November 2018.