34812 is Back and Black

Believe it or not, this is post number 2750 on Plymothian Transit so its nice that we can report an old favourite is back in Plymouth: Ex Eastern National Leyland Olympian C412 HJN has now passed into the ranks of preservation with Laurence Mayhew, having continued to be used for her original purpose, earning her living right up until last month with the Saint Michael's Entertainers dance troupe, ending her 28 year working life. C412 was new to a newly privatised Eastern National in 1986 and was used on the then premier service X51 linking Southend on Sea with Oxford Circus, London. She continued to work at many depots across Essex including primarily Chelmsford and Clacton, before passing to First Devon and Cornwall upon the withdrawal of Torpoint's last remaining Bristol VRs in 2005 and 2006. This is where she saw out her last years in public service, having been specially modified to operate across the Torpoint Ferry on Rame Peninsula services, meaning she continued to work hard for a living right up until withdrawal in 2009. Since then she has toured the length and breadth of the country with the aforementioned Dance Troupe, and has been well loved and cherished. This will indeed most certainly continue as she starts her new life back in the South West.You can follow her progress on her own Facebook Page
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There is also a potted history of this fine old bus on the PCTPG siteIf you check back on Laurence's Flickr sets you will see he has taken rather a lot of photos of this bus and get the general idea that he always liked this bus! Well done on saving this one and we hope you really enjoy your new bus.
Photo credit: © Jason Beverley

2 January 2003 © Laurence Mayhew

4 November 2006

Photo credit: Nick Rice under Creative Commons Licence.

2 April 2008

In The News

• The Herald: Moves to re-open old railway line near Plymouth a step closer The reinstatement of the railway line is identified as critical infrastructure in the West Devon Core Strategy, which was adopted in 2011. The line, which would provide a direct link between Tavistock and Plymouth, is required to support development in Tavistock, reduce traffic on the A386 and provide greater travel opportunities.

Reading List

• ANDYS BUS BLOG: LVVS Autumn Running Day 2014 - part 1
• DENNIS BASFORD: ‘Scene’ in Rochdale
• FYLDE BUS BLOG: Oakwood Update
• HUMBER TRANSPORT: EYMS Hull-Withernsea Weekday Afternoon Improvement
• HUMBER TRANSPORT: EYMS 174 and 175 withdrawn
• IPSWICH BUS BLOG: END OF THE LINE FOR FIRST'S NATIVE DARTS
• IPSWICH BUS BLOG: 66983 AND 32453 IN SERVICE
• LANCASTER OMNIBUS: Confusion over Stagecoach Christmas Arrangements
• NORFOLK SCENE: Model Railway ~ Update
• NORWICH BUSES: More StreetLite's Spotted
• PUBLIC TRANSPORT EXPERIENCE: Another Ticket Splitter Which Does Returns
• PUBLIC TRANSPORT EXPERIENCE: Stagecoach are Bettering Buses to Kettering [1]
• STEVES BUS AND TRAIN PAGE: First Pics Of More Streetlites
• STEVES BUS AND TRAIN PAGE: Newcastle Metro Special

(no) Life After Plymouth K616LAE

There have been many false reports of the demise of these fine K reg Olympians that have served Plymouth so well over the last few years but it seems at least this one, K616LAE has been observed under tow to the big bus depot in the sky...

April 2012 Royal Parade – my last photo of this one

and a much better photo from a few years ago…
(cc) Nick Rice November 2010

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PT Recommends

• If the architect's sketches are to be believed there is now a pleasant piazza with paved markings, guiding the passenger to the pedestrian crossing; broad and uncluttered access to the adjoining bus station with taxis close by, waiting in a little nibble off the access road to the car park. Public Transport Experience
• But Coastliner is making the conversion to counter changes to North Yorkshire council’s changes to reimbursement rates. Here, then, is perhaps the first test that may see whether older people are content to pay their way. Omnibuses
• Following the fire on board one of Southern Vectis' Omnicity double deckers, two Volvo B7TLs with Plaxton President bodywork have been drafted in to cover Southern England
• This means that buses waiting on the stands adjacent to Woodford Road will have to do one and a half circuits of the bus station tho get in and out. And does the architect really think that buses will be easy to jiggle into and out of the central parking area. Public Transport Experience
• First may get a good second life out of the ex-Jersey Darts. But is the purchase of pre-owned buses sustainable? The fact that few other large operators are doing so would perhaps suggest not Omnibuses
• Easter Sunday saw me able to get away from family duties to catch a glimpse of the final hour of the Merseyside Transport Trust's running day. Transport Illustrated
• Will people be happy to get from their cars to the station via the creepy former car tunnel? How do things like "footbridge to platform 4" (shown from the revised bus station) tie up with ticket barriers and the increasingly overbearing supposed need for "security". Public Transport Experience

Sunday Best: TTT172X

The Wilts and Dorset connection started years ago

As soon as I saw this posting by Ian I knew it had to appear here... ©Ian Kirby Leyland Olympian/East Lancs. Bournemouth Triangle 31st July 1993 Plymouth Citybus had three Olympians but the didn't stay long. All three were sold to Stevensons, Uttoxeter before going to Solent BlueLine and then Wilts and Dorset (at least I think that’s the sequence?). Not sure where they went after that though. Of course the traffic is now more likely to be the other way round with Optare Solos due to come to Plymouth from the Go-Ahead South Coast fleets later this year, although how long before any of these hit the roads remains to be seen... As always, I encourage you to visit Ians Flickr pages to see more great shots like this

Uncle Terry 094 Little hands make light work TGP - the other Terry! Cabin in the sky Omnibuses Looking back and forward: the new economics PTOTPA Railway Tours Swanning around Transport Illustrated Plymouth Local History The Kloof 15 May 2010 CITYBUS: There Are No reported incidents or delays

Olympians' parade

 

 

Olympians' parade was the headline in the news article and I started to get excited. Sadly it wasn't a City wide recognition of the Leyland Olympian and the long term service they have given the City. Something to do with sports people apparently.

Not all is lost though as the 1st November will see an open top bus tour through the City Centre with these sporty types onboard. Will the organisers be smart enough to have their Olympians travel onboard an Olympian?

Olympian

News of more Olympians coming from Somerset, apparently for Torpoint use coincided with this image appearing on one of the many groups I belong to so I am greatful for Kevin Smith for allowing me to post it here.

The same bus with Thamesway

© Peter Horrex

and one of mine as it is now, March 2006, if anything its looking smarter now than it did before

Milk Float?

© Claire Pendrous

Clair has posted this excellent shot tonight of an Olympian in Torquay. As well as a great photo she has posted a comment on the photos which I reproduce below:

Following the deregulation of stage carriage licensing of the British Bus industry in 1986, many former National Bus Company subsidiaries quickly fell into private ownership. As a result, most of the new companies set about changing bus liveries to give their bus fleets a more up to date image, and also to show that the old NBC companies were now part of the past. As regards these liveries, some operators appeared to get it, while others clearly got it wrong.

Sadly, this was the livery chosen by Western National for their fleet, and one that (in my opinion) would have probably looked more at home on a milk float than on a bus

It just goes to show what a personal thing bus liveries are. For me, this livery is one of the better ones carried by Western National. My favourite was the badgers and flags livery but this was a big improvement on the old 'Birds eye' livery.
Plymouth Citybus too has had its share of liveries with the old black red and white being my favourite which I know many people didnt like at all. I dont know that many people who are that keen on the present livery although its an improvement on the previous bland red white and grey.

When a bus preservationist restores a bus one of the big choices they make is the livery they want to keep. This can cause real arguments in the anorak world with some people getting really upset if they dont feel its authentic enough or 'the wrong shade'. Many people got quite 'upset' when James Pratt painted his Bristol LH into a post dereg Devon General livery. The bus looked fantastic and the livery worked really well - but it never actually carried that livery in real life - for some this was a big sin! The truth is of course that the owner of a bus can paint it in any colour they want.

Terry Partridge is currently working on L401VCV the first proper Dart new to Western National and I am really pleased that its going into Badgers and Flags livery. I also think that the Dart would look quite smart in the blue and cream livery of the Olympian above. Presumably Claire wouldnt be so thrilled!
The Bristol VR always looked good in the blue and cream livery as Claire shows here.
Another lady that seems to be aging particularly well here

A750VAF

25658 A750VAF Ld ONLXB/1R ON911 H45/32F 9/1983 Western National 1800

© aecregent
One of two First open top buses plying their trade betweenPaignton and Torquay. This bus was delivered new to Western National in 1983, but recently was deroofed trying to get under a low bridge, and has been converted to a permanent open top bus as seen.

This is the 750th posting on Plymothian Transit so I thought it would be good to celebrate with a few photos of A750VAF the first of Western Nationals batch of Olympians.

(The Jeff Lloyd collection - used with permission)


August 2002 (one of mine!)


© Simon Coates November 2006

Other photos:
Nigel Hall - Western National blue and cream livery - nice)

Blue and white:

Mark Amis February 2004
Mine October 2004
Bristolvr - November 2004

Barbie
Peter Wearne February 2005
Chris Martin May 2006
The Depot September 2006

A750VAF on this blog: December 2006

and finally
perhaps the most bizarre page to feature A750VAF... (you cant trust computers to select your content!)

Transformation

If one picture could sum up the transformation of the First fleet in Plymouth these days its this one.
Over twenty years old and towards the end of its life, but looking immaculate. It has even been fitted with the new destination equipment which has been rolled out across the fleet. If the VR fleet had been treated this good in the last few years they could still be going strong!
This is one of the Torpoint fleet. For another great set of Torpoint buses over the years try Terry's blog.

Visitor

I have just spent a third afternoon taking photographs down at Marsh Mills which is a great place to stay as its the main route into Plymouth and the footbridge gives a decent view of all traffic. With the nearby Sainsburys store being useful for toilet breaks etc!
During the past three days I have taken over 1000 photos which I now need to go through and sort out the best ones to upload to Flickr.

One big suprise for me today was this elderly Olympian which has come up from Cornwall I belive. B115MSO is one of several ex Aberdeen Olympians based down in Cornwall. You might notice the large dents in the top right. Not sure what its doing up this way, but I am fairly sure it wont see service up here!

New front on the battle field?

First Devon and Cornwall are now running open top buses on the X80 'shorts' between Totnes and Torbay as part of their 'batlle' with Stagecoach. 34750 A750VAF is one of the buses in use on the route, seen here in Plymouth back on 19th May. Reports from 'the field' indicated that the extra X80s were often running empty with Stagecoach loadings seemingly little affected. With the arrival at last of summer - maybe the open tops might be more popular. Stagecoach of course already run open toppers along the Torbay sea front.

Blast from the past!

© aecregent (Flickr blog this) October 1993 at Winkleigh.

A751VAF when brand new carried this unusual version of NBC Green livery which was part of the joint services with Plymouth Citybus and carries large Western National Citybus logos.

These buses have served the area very well over the years and although now under threat and one or two have already gone, you can still see one or two around with one of them expected to survive a bit longer as its been deroofed for open top services. Expect to see it this weekend on the Hoe

X80 Blast from the past

With all the news of the forthcoming 'bus war', if thats what it is, its nice to have a look back at this route.

Phil Doddridge provides this excellent photo of Olympian A752VAF in what has to be my favourite livery carried by these fine buses.

Behind it you can see one of the awful Mercedes Bread Vans which Devon General was running on the X38 - hideous uncomfortable machines!

Very comfortable indeed - although a bit on the slow side!

Olympian Advert

A752VAF-200605-dbg, originally uploaded by didbygraham.

Another of the 1983 batch of Olympians still working hard in the Plymouth area is 34752 or 1752 in old money (752 before that!) A752VAF.
Seen here in May 2006 it is still in this advert livery.

This bus has appeared in this blog before in the original form of this advert - you will notice that the front has changed to Barbie livery

Accidents

34750 A750VAF First Devon and Cornwall., originally uploaded by didbygraham.

On the news tonight that a number 93 bus has been involved in an accident with a lorry somewhere near Kingsbridge. While looking through my photos on Flickr I came across this bus - 34750 A750VAF on the 93. I then realised that this bus has itself just been withdrawn from service following a nasty accident down in Cornwall at the end of November.
This batch of Olympians has lasted really well and have been part of the Plymouth scene for over 23 years now. I get the feeling that not many of these will see next Christmas!

X38 going Mega

Surprise news from Stagecoach Devon is that three ex Megabus Olympians are due shortly for use on the X38 Plymouth to Exeter service!

The buses expected shortly comprise of
13621 H724KDY Photo
13622 H725KDY Photo
13623 H494LNA Photo

If these buses do turn up and are used on the X38 it would certainly raise the profile of the service as I would expect them to be suitable liveried and well presented as the rest of the SCD fleet. It will certainly be interesting riding on them through Ashburton!

Route 76

I am sorry there have been no postings for last two days - I have been having to sort out my photos and get them off my hard drive as its too full and causing problems - only the CD recorder has also failed! This means a massive uploading to my Flickr account is in progress - which takes a lot of time. It does mean I have easier access to my photos so should make blogging easier in the long run!

Route 76 is the main Plymouth - Callington (and beyond) and has seen many route versions over the years. It is also one of those routes which can see just about any current member of FDC fleet. The 16th September saw this fine beast TJI4838 which must have been a treat for ths passengers.

15th October and we see something totally different - Ex Hong Kong aircondtioned Dart 40688 S337TJX.

Back in March 2005 another Dart - this time ex London R177TLM with Marshall bodywork.

December 2005 and another Olympian - this time a native one - A752VAF. These buses have served Plymouth very well for over twenty years now although it does seem that their time is coming to and end shortly.

And finally - a case of leaving the best to last - LFJ847W in National Bus Company standard issue green livery. No date but seems to have been early 1980s.
Photos from Jeff Lloyds collection - used with permission - original copyright not known.

FDC NEWS - Olympians coming South?

A batch of Volvo Olympians that were working up at Barnstable have now appeared at The Ride. 31457-61 N968-973SOS are now spare as the contact they were working on has ended. It remains to be seen if they are staying at Plymouth or just passing through. FDC are pulling quite a lot of routes in North Devon later this year so expect quite a lot of fleet movements.

Also I see tonight that I am just about to get my 5000th hit - wow! Thanks to all who visit - especially those who leave comments. Its nice to know someout out there is interested!
Graham

Ski Plymouth

Having posted the Olympian from back in the late 1980's here is an up to date photo of one of the sisters. A752VAF currently carries this all over advert for Plymouth Ski Centre. Well, its almost an all over advert - notice the panel around the front wheel arch in base coat white!
It is noted that First usually keep the front of their advert buses in Barbie colours whereas Citybus are quite happy to plaster the advert all over - including the windows!
Previous blog entry

Cornwall Express - in Devon

Thanks to Jeff Lloyd who sent this photo from his collection of one of Plymouth's long serving Leyland Olympians in one of the many liveries carried by this batch of buses. A750VAF is in the colourful Cornwall Express livery from around 1986/1987 known by many as the Captain Birdseye livery. These were always comfortable buses and worked well on the longer runs like the X80. The livery carried was for the excellent Cornwall Express services which meant a ride on one of these fine buses all the way down into deepest Cornwall. Sadly its less easy these days.
[Copyright unknown - no details written on back of photo purchased by Jeff Lloyd. If its yours then please let me know!)

Soapbox Monday - Marketing

"A soapbox is a raised, improvised platform on which one stands to make an impromptu speech, often about a political subject. Alternately, the word may be used to describe the box that soap comes in." Wikipedia

The 11 is one of the bus routes which sees quite major changes this weekend. By major changes I mean cuts. Or at least thats how I see it being a potential passenger from Derriford as the route is reduced to hourly. There do seem to be some improvements made to the rest of the service though - but this is of little use to me. This does illustrate how difficult it is for the bus companies when making changes like this. Any publicity for route changes always focuses on those that loose out. The passengers who benefit with more services wont make headlines. Those who complain about loosing services will. But of course those if us that loose services (the Citybus 46/47 no longer comes down my road for much of the day) have every right to complain when we keep hearing people tell us we should be using the bus more! Ever increasing bus fares and ever reducing services is not a good way to increase passenger numbers!
I am sure the bus companies could and should do more to market their services better though. The 11 is a good case in point. First D&C actually made a good stab at decent marketing with the Overground Network. Each of the main routes were allocated a colour which appeared on timetables and buses and marked out the route and made life easier for passengers. It is clearly not quite so easy for the bus companies to keep the right buses on the right 'Lines' but for a while FDC did at least make an effort. Sadly these days they seem to have all but given up. According to the timetables the 11 is 'Brown Line' It has been for a while. However, there never has been any Brown Line dedicated buses out there! Most services in Plymouth are run by plain Barbie buses with no branding at all. A few red line and blue line buses are still running around - but can appear on any routes. I really do hope that the new management makes up their minds - either make an effort to have the coloured lines properly publicised with branded buses running on designated routes for at least most of the time - or just give up - and stop pretending they still are coloured lines.
Mind you - below we see Plymouth Citybus using all their creative might on route branding the 152 service.