'Ipernity HFF

Saturday 7 September 1996 (approx. 1430) – East Yorkshire Motor Services/Scarborough and District 819 (EDS 221A) at work amidst tourists and holidaymakers on Foreshore Road, Scarborough. It is an AEC/Park Royal Routemaster that had been new to London Transport as a normal covered top bus. The Grand Hotel can be seen in the background (left). Completed in 1867, the ‘V’ shaped building pays homage to Queen Victoria and was designed around the theme of time with 4 towers to represent the seasons, 12 floors for the months of the year and 52 chimneys for the weeks. Originally there were 365 bedrooms - one for each day of a non-leap year. Apparently at the time it was opened it was one of the largest hotels in the world and one of the first giant purpose built hotels in Europe.

Monday 26 April 1999 - First Manchester 1148 (N648 CDB), a Northern Counties bodied Dennis Dart new to Greater Manchester North in May 1996, seen in Rochdale town centre. Rochdale has some quite substantial buildings around the Town Hall Square area (perhaps not the modern one beyond Barclays Bank). That dominating the background in this photograph is the former Head Post Office building constructed in the 1920s which also housed the telephone exchange and mail sorting office. The local people always referred to it as ‘The General’. A number of bus services set down passengers outside and along the Esplanade (plus Newgate alongside Barclays) so it was a popular meeting point for boyfriends and girlfriends. Talking of boyfriends and girlfriends, my late mother-in-law worked as a telephonist at The General in the mid 1940s. Her then boyfriend and future husband of 65 years, once broke the rules and climbed in through an open window for an assignation during working hours!

Friday 7 February 1992 – Neal’s Travel H475 HSG seen after setting down in Barton Mills when working the return trip of Suffolk County Council supported service 145 from Mildenhall to Lackford. The service comprised just one trip each way. This return trip departed Mildenhall Health Centre (Chestnut Close) at 1047 calling at King Street at 1050 then travelling via Barton Mills and Icklingham. Neal’s operated quite a number of local stage services at one time that included such market day only runs. Mrs Chapman (in the green coat) and Mrs Brabbin had returned from Mildenhall with their market day shopping. St. Mary’s Church forms the backcloth. The Church dates from around the mid-1300s some parts possibly earlier.

Thursday 21 March 2024 (1103) – Two First Eastern Counties Buses Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 City bodied Scania N250UDs seen in Wisbech bus station working in opposite directions on the Norwich-Peterborough ‘excel’ service. I was waiting to board (left) 36904 (YN69 XZH) which was working the 0840 westbound service C from Norwich to Peterborough. On the right is 36902 (YN69 XZE) working the 1010 eastbound service B from Peterborough to Norwich. Both are due to depart at 1105.

Thursday 21 March 2024 (1007) – Wisbech bus station Stagecoach East (Cambus) 10866 (YX67 VDA), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 bodied Scania N250UD new in December 2019, had worked the 0930 service 46 from March going on to work the 1015 return journey. I had travelled on this bus from Guyhirn. The First Eastern Counties ‘excel’ service covers the journey between Guyhirn and Wisbech in 14 minutes travelling along the A47 (South Brink) however, I fancied travelling on the more local service 46 which takes about 22 minutes travelling via the North Brink and Wisbech St. Mary. The driver (left), possibly a new recruit, appeared to be receiving route tuition from her colleague in the hi-vis jacket. In the background is First Eastern Counties Buses 36903 (YN69 XZG), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 City bodied Scania N250UD, working an eastbound ‘excel’ service to Peterborough.

Monday 15 April 2024 (1013) – Sometimes after patiently waiting to photograph a bus when it does appear something else gets in the way. At least it wasn't a big vehicle this time! Red Eagle Buses 50122 (YX08 MFO) seen turning from Pound Lane to High Street in Marlow when working the 1010 Marlow (Court Garden)-Marlow Bottom-High Wycombe service 160 which is one of a set of local services providing links from small communities into Marlow and High Wycombe. The background is dominated by All Saints Church and Marlow Bridge The bridge crosses the River Thames, the boundary between Buckinghamshire to Berkshire, and has a width and weight limit which precludes buses from crossing. In the early years when buses were smaller and lighter (1920s/1930s) services did cross the bridge. By the late 1950s Thames Valley Traction operated lightweight Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol SC4LK buses across the bridge. The weight limit on the bridge at that time was 5 tons and those buses had an unladen weight of just under 4 tons so passengers so had to cross the bridge empty. Passengers had to alight and walk over the bridge re-joining the bus on the other side. The bus is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 bodied Dart new to London United (SDE1) new in July 2008. This service is one of a set of local services worked by a single bus which provides links from various small communities into Marlow (5 days a week), High Wycombe (4 days a week) and Maidenhead (1 day a week). On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays the working diagram is: 0745 Chinnor Hill-High Wycombe (Royal Grammar School) 0820 (654) 0900 Lane End-Marlow (Court Garden) 0925 (156) 0926 Marlow (Court Garden)-Little Marlow-Marlow Bottom-Marlow (Court Garden) 1005 (160) 1010 Marlow (Court Garden)-Marlow Bottom-High Wycombe 1045 (158) 1125 High Wycombe- Marlow (Court Garden) 1143 (158) 1145 Marlow (Court Garden)-Little Marlow-Marlow Bottom-Marlow (Court Garden) 1223 (160) 1225 Marlow (Court Garden)-Lane End 1249 (156) 1315 High Wycombe-Marlow Bottom- Marlow (Court Garden) 1349 (158) 1400 Marlow (Court Garden)-Little Marlow-Marlow Bottom-Marlow (Court Garden) 1438 (160) 1555 High Wycombe (Royal Grammar School)-Chinnor Hill 1630 (654) On Wednesdays a different route pattern operates with two trips running to Maidenhead rather than those to High Wycombe on service 158.

Monday 22 April 2024 (1042) – The Southern section of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway links Cambridge Railway Station with the Trumpington Park & Ride site with a spur to serve the growing Cambridge Biomedical Campus and Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Following two unrelated off bus fatalities on the southern Busway in 2022, one involving a male cyclist and one involving a female pedestrian, the northbound track (running towards the city centre) was closed in early 2022 and remined so for two years whilst the County Council and the Health & Safety Executive decided a course of action (that is perhaps to say faffed about). Temporary safety fencing was put in place to separate the track from the adjacent footpath/cycle path/maintenance track. Instead of positioning the fencing on the latter it was decided to use the northbound Busway track hence why it was closed. During the period of closure buses and their frustrated passengers had to face long delays each morning on the way to the city using already busy roads. Permanent fencing was duly erected and the northbound track re-opened at Easter 2024. The new fencing features yellow opening gates for use in the event of evacuation/emergencies. Also part of the fencing are small openings to allow animals the same option. In this view taken from Hills Road bridge Stagecoach East 21306 (BF65 WKV), a Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B8RLE new in December 2015, was working towards the Trumpington Park & Ride site.

Monday 22 April 2024 (1057) – Whippet Coaches WG116 (MX73 GBZ) seen turning to Hills Road from Brooklands Avenue, Cambridge when working the 1024 Universal service U1 from Eddington to the Biomedical Campus/Addenbrooke’s. The two Universal services U1/U2 are provided by the University of Cambridge and operated by Whippet Coaches. Services run to the Biomedical Campus (a large site to the south of the city which houses Addenbrooke’s Hospital and a growing number of medical institutions) from Eddington (a relatively new community on the north-west side of the city which is still growing). Service U1 extends to/from Girton Corner. The routes pass various academic properties on the west side of the city with Trumpington Street being the closest point served to the core city centre. Having originally commenced in July 2016 these services were upgraded in September 2023 after Whippet Coaches took delivery of nine Mellor Sigma 12 electric buses. This bus initially carried registration MX23 LRU.

Friday 24 May 2019 (1100) – First Manchester buses seen on Hankinson Way, Salford (Salford Shopping Centre). Nearest the camera is 37297 (MX07 BUE), a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL new in July 2007, working service 100 from Manchester to Warrington. From 2 June 2019 First Manchester sold its garage at Queens Road, North Manchester to the Go-Ahead Group which created a new subsidiary named Go North West. The services worked from Queens Road also passed to the new company including service 100. (Almost five years later in March 2024 that situation changed again with the creation of the franchised Bee Network when Queens Road garage and its services passed to Stagecoach Manchester). In the background is 66831 (MX05 CFK), a Wright Eclipse Urban bodied Volvo B7RLE new in June 2005, on which I had just arrived from Salford Quays.

Sunday 12 May 2024 – Mid Norfolk Railway Bus and Coach Day, East Dereham. The rally was based at the MNR station in East Dereham. This view from the station platform shows Dan’s Coach Travel (Dan Trent) T125 OAH, a Wright Renown bodied Volvo B10BLE that was new to Ambassador Travel in March 1999, standing by to take visitors on a ride to Yaxham. As on many preserved railways there are some interesting ancillary artifacts on display around the property. A wheelbarrow containing coal and a porter’s barrow with old suitcases complete this picture.

Monday 22 October 2018 (1216) – Mulleys Motorways Optare Solo AE06 YYU seen in Moulton when working the 1210 Newmarket to Bury St Edmunds service 312. It was new to Dews Coaches of Somersham, Cambridgeshire in August 2006. Quite a warm and clear day. A good day for drying the line of washed clothes.

Tuesday 28 August 2012 (1315) – Pikes Coaches, Andover, Hampshire SF05 XEC seen crossing the river bridge in Wroxham operating a tour under contract to Grand UK Holidays. It is a Jonckheere Mistral bodied Volvo B12M that had been new to Park’s of Hamilton in March 2005 registered LSK 845.

Tuesday 28 August 2012 (1315) – Pikes Coaches, Andover, Hampshire SF05 XEC seen crossing the river bridge in Wroxham operating a tour under contract to Grand UK Holidays. It is a Jonckheere Mistral bodied Volvo B12M that had been new to Park’s of Hamilton in March 2005 registered LSK 845.

Friday 7 June 2024 (0931) – Ambassador Travel 308 (BV72 XGM) leaving Thetford bus station on time when working the 0740 National Express service 727 from Great Yarmouth to Stansted Airport. This is the only ‘short’ trip on service 727, the other seven trips run through to Heathrow Airport. It is a Caetano Levante III bodied Scania K410 new in February 2023. Note the co-ordinated steering of the front axle and rearmost axle.

Thursday 23 April 1987 – Fifteen Leyland Nationals parked in the confines of Gatwick Airport operated by Gatwick Handling I believe on purely airside work. Dan-Air and Monarch Airlines aircraft beyond.

Wednesday 10 August 1994 - Shoreline Suncruiser Buses SS7 (KON 327P) seen on Foreshore Road in Scarborough working their sea front service. It was a Metro-Cammell bodied Leyland Fleetline had been new to West Midlands PTE (6327) as a normal covered top bus in March 1976.

Saturday 30 May 2015 (1436) - Stagecoach (East Kent) 36873 (GN13 EYH), an Alexander Dennis Enviro200 new in May 2013, seen at Ramsgate Harbour. It carries 'The Loop' livery for the circular service linking Margate-Broadstairs-Ramsgate-Westwood-Margate.