Yorkshire Dales - Jun 2016

Saturday 18 June 2016 (1150) – Hunter Bros of Tantobie near Stanley, County Durham was founded in 1918 when the three brothers returned from World War 1 military service. It became one of the oldest family run bus and coach businesses in Britain but closed during August 2016 due to the ill health of the current family member. Its sole bus service ran from Stanley to Flint Hill and qualified as being one of the oldest commercially run bus services run by an original operator. It ran every 30 minutes using the one bus on a journey of 12 minutes each way. Another local operator, Stanley Travel, took over the running of the service. KU52 RXF, an Alexander built Plaxton Pointer style bodied Dennis Dart which had been new to Thames Travel, Wallingford in January 2003, was seen entering Stanley bus station from Flint Hill.

Friday 10 June 2016 (1303) – Pride of the Dales Bus Company is based in Grassington and operates services from there to Skipton and Ilkley. Optare Solo VIA 923, named Joanna, is seen in Grassington Square as it arrived from Skipton on the 1230 service 72R (the ‘R’ signifying that it travelled via Raikes Road on its way out of Skipton). It would terminate at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Centre a few more minutes away. The service number 72 has its origins with the West Yorkshire Road Car Company Limited that served this area for many years and had a small garage and bus station in this quaint little dales village. Much of the filming of the 2020 version of the television drama 'All Creatures Great and Small' was done in the square at Grassington. The house used as Siegfried Farnon's veterinary surgery, Skeldale House, is that with the chimney directly behind the bus. (I believe this bus was previously registered YB06 VOM and new to Dunn-Line in July 2006).

Friday 10 June 2016 (1304) – Pride of the Dales Bus Company is based in Grassington and operates services from there to Skipton and Ilkley. Optare Solo VIA 923, named Joanna, is seen in Grassington Square having arrived from Skipton on the 1230 service 72R (the ‘R’ signifying that it travelled via Raikes Road on its way out of Skipton). It would terminate at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Centre a few more minutes away. The service number 72 has its origins with the West Yorkshire Road Car Company Limited that served this area for many years and had a small garage/bus station in this quaint little dales village. (I believe this bus was previously registered YB06 VOM and new to Dunn-Line in July 2006).

Friday 10 June 2016 (1225) – Three buses used on services in the Yorkshire Dales around Grassington seen parked at the Yorkshire Dales National Park centre in Grassington. That in the middle is Pride of the Dales Bus Company Optare Solo VIA 187 named Lucy. The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter on the right EJ61 CYL was operated by North Yorkshire County Council.

Friday 10 June 2016 (1225) – North Yorkshire County Council Mercedes-Benz Sprinter EJ61 CYL seen parked at the Yorkshire Dales National Park centre in Grassington. It carries a colourful mural of a Yorkshire Dales scene and is used on public service routes around Grassington.

Friday 10 June 2016 (1514) - SF15 JOJ, a Mellor bodied Fiat, operated as the ‘Little White Bus’ by the Upper Wensleydale Community Partnership. It was seen in Hawes having arrived from Leyburn on the ‘Wensleydale Voyager’ service.

Friday 10 June 2016 (1514) - SF15 JOJ, a Mellor bodied Fiat, operated as the ‘Little White Bus’ by the Upper Wensleydale Community Partnership. It was seen in Hawes having arrived from Leyburn on the ‘Wensleydale Voyager’ service.

Friday 10 June 2016 (1514) - SF15 JOJ, a Mellor bodied Fiat, operated as the ‘Little White Bus’ by the Upper Wensleydale Community Partnership. It was seen in Hawes having arrived from Leyburn on the ‘Wensleydale Voyager’ service.

Friday 10 June 2016 (1514) - The Upper Wensleydale Community Partnership operates a range of services using the ‘Little White Bus’ name. This timetable display was outside the Market House in Hawes.

Friday 10 June 2016 (1045) – Thornes Independent Limited of Hemingborough near Selby, Yorkshire VH09 THO seen threading its way down High Street, Pateley Bridge. It had just had to squeeze by the tractor parked outside Kendall’s Butchers shop. Perhaps the farmer was buying one of their delicious glazed top pies for lunch! He made it a bit of a challenge for the coach driver to pass through. A Plaxton Paragon bodied Volvo B12M new in June 2009 to Independent Coachways of Horsforth, near Leeds.

Friday 10 June 2016 (1045) – Thornes Independent Limited of Hemingborough near Selby, Yorkshire VH09 THO seen travelling down High Street, Pateley Bridge. It is a Plaxton Paragon bodied Volvo B12M new in June 2009 to Independent Coachways of Horsforth, near Leeds.

Friday 10 June 2016 (1232) – J & B Travel of Pudsey, Leeds ET56 JBT is a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K340 which is seen in Grassington. It was new to Arriva Fox County in January 2007 registered as FJ56 OBP for use on National Express service work.

Friday 10 June 2016 (1501) – Gardiners NMC Limited, Morpeth, Northumberland UFE 712 seen in Hawes, North Yorkshire when working a ‘Richmond, Hawes and Wensleydale Cheese’ day excursion. A Neoplan N316SHD new as YN03 AWZ to Staintons Coaches of Kendal.

Friday 10 June 2016 (1412) – East Yorkshire Motor Services 73 (787 EYC) seen taking a bend on the A684 just west of Aysgarth in Wensleydale. It is a Volvo B12BT Prestige Plus new in February 2010 as YX59 FSE.

Friday 10 June 2016 (1340) – As I drove between Starbotton and Buckden I encountered Fourway Coaches YN11 FUY. It is a Plaxton Panther bodied Irisbus 397E 12.33 new in July 2011. The company is based in Guiseley near Leeds. Up ahead the roof of the North Yorkshire County Council mini-bus operating the 1307 Grassington to Buckden service 72B can be seen. The mini-bus and the coach had just squeezed past each other as I waited.

Friday 10 June 2016 (1308) – The Royal Mail Delivery Office in Grassington was once the bus garage/bus station of the West Yorkshire Road Car Company Limited that served this area for many years. To see a 1980s photograph of the building with a Leyland National inside go to: www.flickr.com/photos/boxley/1083521983

Friday 10 June 2016 (1309) – The Royal Mail Delivery Office in Grassington was once the bus garage/bus station of the West Yorkshire Road Car Company Limited that served this area for many years.

Saturday 18 June 2016 (1737) – The ‘Little White Bus’, operated by the Upper Wensleydale Community Partnership, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter ET15 NTY, seen in Richmond Market Place waiting to depart as the 1740 service to Reeth (1800) and beyond if advance bookings have been made to Gunnerside (1815), Muker (1820) and Keld (1830).