Western National Kingsbridge 2024

Last Saturday saw the 17th Kingsbridge Vintage Bus Day organised by the Thames Valley & Great Western Omnibus Trust.  Despite a forecast of thunderstorms the weather turned out dry and sunny.  Around 42 buses operated the usual mix of services radiating from Kingsbridge across the South Hams. Mark Bailey sent in some great shots from the day. The first batch concentrates on Western National…

Western National 2015 (HOD 66) Beadle - Bedford / Beadle departing on service 99 to South Pool.

Western National 1056 (OTA 290G) Bristol VRTSL6G / ECW arriving on service 105 from Salcombe.

Western National 600 (672 COD) Bristol SUS4A / ECW having worked service 106 from East Allington and about to head home to Loddiswell on service 103.

Western National 1557 (FDV 787V) Bristol LHS6L / ECW about to work the Coast Path Hopper service 158.

All © Mark Bailey.

Thanks as always to Mark for the photos – another batch to follow over the weekend…

Two for Today: Western National FTT

A reminder of the Kingsbridge Running Day from back in 2011 with a couple of Western National Beauties, both with proper westcountry FTT registrations

1969 Eastern Coach Works bodied Bristol FLF6G, new to Western National in December 1960,

353 FTT 704 353. Bristol K6A new to Western National in 1945 with Strachans utility replaced by ECW lowbridge body in 1955.

Two for Today: Bristol VRs

I must admit its hard to keep motivated at the moment with not a lot going on for obvious reasons and yet loads to catch up on. Working from home is a lot harder than I thought it would be so I have not spent as much time on PT as I would normally.

To keep things going I will now be posting Two for Today – with two connected photos from my archives. It might not be every day but hopefully most of them! If anything interesting does happen at all then there will be other posts in between

1229 First Western National VRT looks quite smart in its North Devon red version of the dumbed down livery which started so promisingly as the Badger & flags livery

Speaking of which the badger may have gone but the flags remain on 1199 which it has to be said looks well past its best, as did many of the fleet at this time (2002).

WN-90=SC

Stagecoach have not wasted much time in getting their ‘new’ Enviro 200 MMCs into service on the Kingsbridge Dartmouth route. I caught 37444 on Friday then Richard Smith captured the same bus on Saturday where he also observed sister 37441 on the same route.

Of course, for many of the the route will always be the 93. A reminder of days gone past on this route is also provided by Richard from the annual Kingsbridge Running Day back in September which I have just belatedly realised I never did publish here.

© Richard Smith: Eastern Coach Works bodied Bristol FLF6G, new to Western National in December 1960

© Richard Smith: ECW Bristol K6A new 1955 as Western National 353

Western National 2017

Just a quickie this morning, but its a worthy cause…

The 2017 Western National Calendar produced by Luke Farley is now available

To order your copy follow this link to this ebay page where it is £7.99 plus £2.99 postage.

Proceeds go to the ongoing restoration of LFJ844W, Torpoint VR that Luke purchased last year.

=

Western National in Kingsbridge

 

Thanks to those who sent in their photos from Kingsbridge. There are far too many to post on the blog but I will present a few of my favourites over the next day or row, to give a flavour of this unique event. We start off with a Western National Double Deck Selection:

© William BJ Spencer - probably my favourite photo if I am honest!

© William BJ Spencer

© William BJ Spencer

© Richard Smith

© Paul Featherstone

Thanks again for all the photos!

Richards View of Bretonside

Another set of photos sent in from the weekend, this time from Richard Smith. All of these were from Saturday at Bretonside

Spot the imposter

Bretonside Variety

Wallace Arnold

Making a very welcome return to Bretonside, this smart Wallace Arnold Leyland Leopard. Superb!

Work In Progress

Perfect Weather for the Beach Bus

Thanks to Richard as ever for the excellent photos. More photos from the weekend during the week ahead

PCTPG Expands its remit

A notice just recently released by the PCTPG. (I cant seem to reproduce the full news letter on the blog)

Dear Member,

75 years ago, 1st October 1942, to be precise, the Plymouth Joint Services agreement was commenced  and this formed a firm, working relationship, between the Western National Omnibus Company and Plymouth City Transport.

This year, 2015, we find our group needing to review its objectives and identity in recognition of the increasing vehicle fleet and interests of our growing membership which is not solely that of the former council undertaking.

Thus formally, on 1st October 2015, we became the Plymouth City Transport Preservation Group. This changes nothing for you, our membership, our interest in vehicles of PCT and PCB has not lessened.

However we now properly cater for the non PCT PCB vehicles in our fleet and look forward to increasing our appeal and welcoming enthusiasts as we grow and cater for their needs.

 

This seems as good a time as any to feature an excellent shot for Plymouth City Transport 103 taken by Andrew Wickham current MD of Go South Coast, formerly of this parish.

103 14 September 1984.

and then this one from the same time of Western National over at Torpoint.

As much as I am fond of the old Atlanteans, they could never compete with the old Bristol VRTs, especially the old flat screen ones like these.

Torpoint 9 September 1984

 

Thank to Andrew for the evocative shots!

Its been an interesting weekend…

Well that was a weekend to remember. Western National / First Devon, Plymouth Torpoint and Tavistock are no more. Stagecoach are now running the street of Plymouth, albeit on just a few routes (at the moment). The official send off was an excellent Celebration of the Buses of Plymouth. Here are just a few photos of the day from me as a taster:

It was nice that this old girl was still around on the final day

Its sights like this that we will miss so much...

This week is going to very much a photo special with lots more photos from the weekend, the last few days of First and also the first few days of Stagecoach. With the whole new Stagecoach fleet incoming we will have a lot to cover. As always, if you have any interesting photos from the weekend, and this coming week and want to send them in, or pass me a link if they are on Flickr / facebook please let me know (dbg@plymothiantransit.com)and I will try to include as many as possible this week. I am also intending to get a few Stagecoach photos this week if the weather is kind at lunchtime.

Its good to get back to the buses!

Five Three Two Seven One Sixes

Managed to get out and about a bit last week and take some photos. Five Photo special of 32716 in all her green splendour…

First Western National Returns!

Thanks to Richard Smith for these great shots of 32716 sporting a nice fresh green livery whilst working for God TV this week. It is nice to see the Western National name back in use even if its prefixed First!

It would be even nicer if this was to be introduced for the rest of the fleet here in Plymouth as it would make more sense than the current mixture of Plymouth Devon & Torpoint names on the national First livery. Note also the God TV stickers!

 

 

Previously this was in green for Western National 80th Anniversary back in 2009. It will be interesting to see if this one gains any more lettering.

Life after Plymouth ODV78M

©BKP550
"This was a prototype VRT3 built in 11/73 but not licensed until 8/74 Converted for use as a bus for spreading the message of Jesus. Whitehaven 6/89"

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