Trips & Running Days
Issue 105
This is where I am including events such as Showbus, Buses Festival and readers reports of trips etc.
Gavin Francis made two visits of interest in the past few months. His pictures are recorded below.
Hemel Hempstead & Watford
This visit records services lost by Arriva recently and other operations in those locations. The pictures were taken on May 18th.
Arriva 6043 on the 500 at HEMEL HEMPSTEAD.
Arriva 6461 on route 2 in HEMEL HEMPSTEAD.
Arriva 6468 on the 500 in HEMEL HEMPSTEAD. The livery differences are
interesting.
Arriva 6524 new to the 320 seen in HEMEL HEMPSTEAD. This route has seen quite an
investment.
Arriva GL 4375 on a 758 working in HEMEL HEMPSTEAD.
Mullany YJ13HJK on the 318 in HEMEL HEMPSTEAD. Pity about the poor destination
display.
Arriva DW137 on the 142 in WATFORD. This route is to be lost in January 2018 to
London Sovereign.
The 142 is a quite a loss for the Garage having operated it since first winning it on Tender in 1986, quite a feat for a route to be operated continuous from one garage for 32 years in todays tendering system,
No doubt it will spell the end for the remaining DW DAF
DB250 Wright Gemini, VLA Volvo B7TL ALX, VLW Volvo B7TL Wright Gemini used
across the routes...
Arriva SW4 and VLA165 on the soon to be lost route 258 in WATFORD. Change to
London Sovereign is in February 2018.
Arriva VLA170 on the 142 at Watford Junction.
It is suggested that Watford (Garston) may well close as the loss of tendered routes leaves little else for the depot to run. Well, time will tell.
Another way to view Arriva 6522 on the 320 WATFORD route.
Arriva 6526 on the 320 in WATFORD.
Arriva 3551 KX09GYA Route 301 Hemel Hempstead To Stevenage.
Arriva 3652 on Sapphire branded route 321 leaves Watford Junction.
Arriva 3860 on a 724 working leaves Watford Junction.
Harry Potter operations in Watford.
Mullany's HP05BUS leaves WATFORD Junction.
Mullany's HP06BUS again leaving WATFORD Junction.
Manchester by Gavin Francis - May 4th and 5th.
Arriva Manchester Sapphire 2744 CX58EVT on the 263 is seen leaving Piccadilly
Bus Station for Altrincham.
This brings back memories of the original Altrincham routes, the 47 and 48 (now
263 and 264) which were operated by 41xx Daimler CVG6/MetCam buses.
That was in the days when a single deck was a rarity, even it never happened. I
was of course only a young man and even a schoolboy!
A double decker after all, wonder what thoughts this would bring if one could
time travel back to the'40s when a hired bus
from Blackpool Transport provided great interest at the time.
Arriva 7915 GAS BUS on the 263 leaving Piccadilly on May 4th by Gavin Francis.
Manchester Community Transport YJ61JDU on the 45 to Piccadilly. This was another
double deck route.
First GM 33840 on the 42 leaving Piccadilly. Again the 42 was double deck and
only went to Didsbury!
The route was the haunt of Crossleys and then
Leyland's.
First Manchester 32972 X972HLT ex First London new to London route 27 seen in
Piccadilly, Manchester.
First Manchester 49110 YJ60KDU on Metro Shuttle 3 in Piccadilly.
First Manchester 49921 YJ14BJX on Metro Shuttle 1 in Piccadilly.
Not everywhere that you get free travel - certainly not in London.
Lancashire United 2769 on the long X43 passing Piccadilly. This route was the
haunt of White Lady's many years ago.
In my Ribble days the Blackburn route was not the X41 - Lancashire United's 3606
on the X41 passes Piccadilly.
Manchester METRO 3051 on route to Altrincham passing through Piccadilly.
The view from the MERCURE HOTEL-MANCHESTER. Piccadilly gardens seen here has
always been a focus in Manchester.
Indeed in the days of trams the view would have been quite something.
Healing over as it leaves Piccadilly, SC Manchester 10424 is working the 102.
Many years ago this would have been
a Limited Stop service to the then new Wythenshawe Estate.
10617 on the X50 leaving Piccadilly for the Trafford Centre.
A number of Oxford Hybrids have moved to Manchester and Gavin caught up with a few during his visit.
Three of those buses, 12015, 12016 and 12024.
As you can see from the foregoing pictures Manchester is quite an operating
centre for Hybrids.
The 192 is a very special route which has had great success for Stagecoach in
Manchester.
Magic Bus is a significant operation in Manchester catering for the large
University Campus which produces many passengers.
This has seen various older buses but now enjoys E400s in a striking livery.
Readers will see that Manchester is a fascinating bus hub and worth a visit if you can. Thanks to Gavin for these excellent pictures.
Ashgrove open Day - a London depot with a difference, two major operators.
The CT side of the depot with many new buses.
New 17 plate ADL MMC single decks.
CT Plus BMC Condor 225 BC055 FJ59UYL now a driver
trainer.
Various visitors at the open day.
Arriva RM2217 looking very sparkling,
was the last production RM-
An opportunity see inside Brigits Tea Bus .
Once a BEA airport shuttle, RMA58 was in a latter red
livery.
Friends of King Alfred Running Day reported by Marcus Lapthorn
May 1st and the bus station is STILL there!!!!
The delightful Dennis always a firm favourite at these
events.
A trio of Bristols at the park & ride used on these
running days.
This time a variety of participants.
Not strictly a Scout Leyland but an excellent
representation being passed by King Alfred's Bedford.
Keeping the "stripey" livery alive is this 30ft
Olympian new to Hampshire Bus in 1988.
Some excellent pictures from Marcus giving a nice flavour of these popular events.
North Wales visit by Malcolm Crowe
Arriva 697 in the new livery on the 78 at Bangor y
Cloc on June 24th by Malcolm Crowe.
Eifions CX60AEF on the 47 near Bangor y Cloc on June 24th by Malcolm Crowe.
Eifions YJ54BTX on the 43 near Bangor y Cloc on June
24th by Malcolm Crowe.
Express Motors have T317UOX seen here on the 85 at
Bangor y Cloc heading for Llanberis on June 24th by Malcolm Crowe.
The 9 to Caernarfon is a major route for Express whose
Optare Excel X606XFX came from Damory on the south coast.
Gwynfor have this short Optare Solo MX57UPJ which came
from John Bell in Peterlee.
Finally Steve Thomas has a great a picture of T813CBW ex Oxford 813 which is
used by Express on their Sherpa route to Snowdon.
An Inspector from Express, who I know, says this is a great bus.
Oxford Bus Museum Running Day by Michael Wadman
304KFC at Long Hanborough on May 29th by Michael
Wadman
956AJO at Oxford Parkway on the shuttle to the museum. May 29th by Michael
Wadman
371 in Witney on a service from the Museum on May 29th
by Michael Wadman.
