Cornwall and Devon - June 2013

Tuesday 4 June 2013 (1426) – Western Greyhound Optare Solo 955 (YJ06 FZM) (new April 2006) seen in Bude, Cornwall. It had just arrived as the 1220 service 599 from Exeter and having unloaded at the bus shelter on the right it was going to park up for a break. The two hour trip operates twice daily competing with Stagecoach’s service X9 which operates six times a day but only six days a week.

Thursday 6 June 2013 (0949) – Western Greyhound Optare Solo 914 (PL06 TFX) seen in Cliff Road, Newquay working the 0945 service 527 to St. Austell and the Eden Project site. New in April 2011.

Thursday 6 June 2013 (0845) – Western Greyhound Optare Solo 983 (WK11 APO) seen in East Street, Newquay working the 0845 service 527 to St. Austell and the Eden Project site. New in April 2011.

Thursday 6 June 2013 (1357) – Western Greyhound 986 (WK11 APX), a new style Optate Solo, seen at Newquay bus station prior to working the 1405 service 593 to Plymouth, a journey of 2 hours 19 minutes.

Thursday 6 June 2013 (1402) – Western Greyhound 986 (WK11 APX), a newer style Optare Solo new in April 2011, seen at Newquay bus station about to work the 1405 service 593 to Plymouth, a journey of 2 hours 19 minutes.

Saturday 8 June 2013 (1355) – The only Western Greyhound double decker I managed to photograph was 441 (WK51 CAF) which is seen here from inside 560 (WK02 BUS) when the two buses passed at the bottom of St. Buryan Hill near Treen. 441 is a Plaxton President bodied Dennis Trident new to City of Oxford in November 2001 as their number 5 which carried registration number R5 OXF (a number re-used by Oxford a few times since). 560 is a Plaxton Beaver bodied Mercedes-Benz Vario new in May 2002 to Mitchell Coaches of Plean, Stirlingshire, Scotland registered SL02 COU. We were travelling to Sennen Cove on the 1310 service 504 (Penzance-St. Just) and the double decker was working the 1330 Lands End-Penznce service 501.

Thursday 6 June 2013 (1409) – As a result of a disastrous fire at the depot of Western Greyhound in Summercourt near Newquay, Cornwall on 13 May 2013, various operators far and wide loaned buses to WG to help the company maintain its services. Blackpool Transport’s Optare Solo 247 (YJ08 PFK) was seen a long way from home in Newquay bus station.

Thursday 6 June 2013 (1409) – As a result of a disastrous fire at the depot of Western Greyhound in Summercourt near Newquay, Cornwall on 13 May 2013, various operators far and wide loaned buses to WG to help the company maintain its services. Blackpool Transport’s Optare Solo 247 (YJ08 PFK) was seen a long way from home in Newquay bus station.

Thursday 6 June 2013 (0945) – As a result of a disastrous fire at the depot of Western Greyhound in Summercourt near Newquay, Cornwall on 13 May 2013, various operators far and wide loaned buses to WG to help the company maintain its services. Blackpool Transport Optare Solo 247 (YJ08 PFK) was working in another holiday resort, albeit more than 350 miles further south than home, when seen on Narrowcliff, Newquay. A friendly and polite driver. We travelled on one of his trips later in the day.

Thursday 6 June 2013 (0946) – As a result of a disastrous fire at the depot of Western Greyhound in Summercourt near Newquay, Cornwall on 13 May 2013, various operators far and wide loaned buses to WG to help the company maintain its services. Blackpool Transport Optare Solo 247 (YJ08 PFK) was working in another holiday resort, albeit more than 350 miles further south than home, when seen on Narrowcliff, Newquay. Looks like someone has had a go at the lower side panels!

Thursday 6 June 2013 (0949) – Summercourt Travel of Summercourt near Newquay, Cornwall WDZ 1033 seen in Cliff Road, Newquay working on hire to Western Greyhound following their disasterous fire on May 13 2013. This was the 0945 circular service 559 to Towan, Trencreek and back - a 33 minute local circular. An Alexander Strider bodied Dennis Lance new in December 1993 as Yorkshire Woollen 815 (L815 NNW)

Thursday 6 June 2013 (1417) – As a result of a disastrous fire at the depot of Western Greyhound in Summercourt near Newquay, Cornwall on 13 May 2013, various operators far and wide loaned buses to WG to help the company maintain its services. Summercourt Coaches WDZ 1033 seen at Newquay bus station picking up passengers for the 1420 Western Greyhound circular service 558 to Pentire and back. An Alexander Strider bodied Dennis Lance new in December 1993 as Yorkshire Woollen 815 (L815 NNW). We travelled out to Fistral Bay on this bus. A courteous and polite driver but the bus was a rattler!

Friday 7 June 2013 (0824) – As a result of a disastrous fire at the depot of Western Greyhound in Summercourt near Newquay, Cornwall on 13 May 2013, buses were loaned by various operators far and wide. Optare Solo W604 PTO , was new to Nottingham City Transport as their #124 in April 2000. It was appropriate to be green though – a close match to WG livery. Seen in Cliff Road, Newquay.

Wednesday 12 June 2013 (1213) – First Devon and Cornwall 32758 (WA54 OLT), an East Lancs bodied Dennis Trident new in February 2005, leaving the Torpoint (Cornwall) to Devonport (Devon) ferry at Devonport. It was operating on the ‘Tamar Link’ service 81, a cross river link from Plymouth to HMS Raleigh (with some buses continuing to Whitesand Bay, Millbrook and Insworke Quay on the Rame Peninsula). HMS Raleigh is the largest Royal Navy training establishment in the south west located 1.5 miles west of the Torpoint ferry. Taken from inside our car as we waited to leave the ferry. This was the wettest day of the holiday - the day we travelled from Polperro, Cornwall to Dartmouth, Devon

Wednesday 12 June 2013 (1358) – First Devon and Cornwall 32716 (W716 RHT), an East Lancs Lolyne bodied Dennis Trident new as First Bristol 9716 in August 2000, sporting a commemorative livery of the former Tilling Group subsidiary Western National Omnibus Company. Note the decorative foliage near the front upper deck window!

Wednesday 12 June 2013 (1400) – First Devon and Cornwall 32716 (W716 RHT), an East Lancs Lolyne bodied Dennis Trident new as First Bristol 9716 in August 2000, sporting a commemorative livery of the former Tilling Group subsidiary Western National Omnibus Company.

Wednesday 12 June 2013 (1408) – First Devon and Cornwall 33667 (SN12 AEK), an ADL (Alexander Enviro400 bodied Dennis Trident) new in March 2012, seen in Royal Parade, Plymouth working ‘Park and Ride’ service PR1. This is the more recent First livery format which includes a local or regional identity – in this case ‘Devon’. The fleetname also includes ‘Devon’.

Wednesday 12 June 2013 (1532) – First Devon and Cornwall 33174 (LR02 LYT), a Plaxton President bodied Dennis Trident new in July 2002 as Centrewest London Buses (First Group) as TN1174, seen in Kingsbridge when working the 1530 Kingsbridge (School) to Plymouth ‘Mayflower Link’ service 93. Cascaded from London to Devon.