First Kernow Dennis Dart 46235 N235KAE.

The far west of Cornwall is often where old buses see out their final years. As far as First Group fleets (and their predecessors) go, First Kernow has an older than average age for its fleet with new purchases being rare and a lot of vehicles cascaded from other fleets. N235KAE (First 46235) is a Dennis Dart 9.8SDL/Plaxton B40F new in November 1995 to Badgerline as their 235. Transferred from Bristol to Cornwall in 2011, when this photograph was taken on 23rd March 2014 at the First outstation in Helston step entrance buses were already becoming a rarity in the FirstGroup fleets. This bus was placed in reserve during 2013 but returned to traffic in 2014 when various rail replacement contracts put pressure on the fleet. At the time of writing (October 2014) it has been reported that this bus has been stripped of fleet names and prepared for scrap.

Bristol Omnibus Co Bristol RE 1268 EHU369K. Service X8, Yate.

Along with many other NBC subsidiaries, Bristol Omnibus Co implimented a large-scale review of its services in the early 1980's as part of the in-house Market Analysis Project (MAP). Surveys undertook both on and off the bus gave a picture of what the public actually wanted from it's local services and this feedback helped shape the future bus network. The town of Yate (along with its neighbour Chipping Sodbury) were liked to Bristol primarily by service 329 (more direct along the A432) or service 328 via the villages of Iron Acton, Frampton Cotterell and Winterbourne along the B4058. Following MAP a new limited stop service was introduced from Yate to Bristol that took the B4058 but without deviating from the road and then picked up the M32 Motorway at Hambrook for a fast journey into Bristol City Centre. Delivered new to Bristol Omnibus in January 1972 for use on Bristol City services, Bristol RELL3/ECW B44D 1268 EHU369K was converted to single door B50F layout during February 1982 for use on "Country" services and is seen in the short lived Yate outstation on the Yate/Chipping Sodbury border where Station Road Yate meets Bowling Hill Chipping Sodbury. A couple of hundred yards away from here on the Yate side of the border is the confusingly named "Chipping Sodbury" Cottage hospital - Birthplace of Harry Potter author J.K.Rowling. 

First 53402, formerly Truronian, T20TVL.

Truronian was established in Cornwall in 1987 by three former Western National managers. Purchases of other local operators and tendered contract wins saw the company expand eventually to a size of 70 vehicles (50 buses and 20 coaches), becoming a dominant operator in the West of England. The company sold out to First (ironically Western Nationals predecessor) in April 2008. Seen at Lemon Quay Truro on 22nd March 2011 is First Devon and Cornwall Optare Solo M880 B29F 53402 (T20TVL) new to Truronian in September 2004.

Bristol Omnibus Farecards

OK, not a bus - but hopefully an interesting vehicle nonetheless. VHW547H is pictured here in its guise as a publicity vehicle for the Bristol Omnibus Company at the Bristol Bus Rally on 18th August 1981. The livery is an advert for the companies range of ticket savers - launched in late Summer 1979 and running for several years. The range included Fare Cards, Day Out, Off Peak, Rover Card and Week Ender - each with it's own character as part of a family such as Freddie Fare Card and Reggie Rovercard etc. The campaign included on-bus, press and even TV advertising along with some vehicles being painted in an all-over advertising livery such as the five Metrobuses referred to in an earlier post on this site. On a personal note, as a young YTS (Youth Training Scheme) employee with Bristol Omnibus in the early 80's, I clearly remember spending a day dressed casually (as a Student - therefore carrying a large pile of books) on board a Leyland National driving around Bristol being filmed for a TV advert promoting the range of fare saving cards. I did get to see this advert a couple of times, usually on TV around 6:00 to 7:00pm between the local and National news - aimed at the commuter who has just arrived home and switched on the TV for the evening I guess!

Western Greyhound, St Ives

Established in 1998 by former Western National manager Mark Howarth, Western Greyhound has grown into a highly respected multi award winning bus operator - the second largest in Cornwall after First. During the 2000's the company standardised on Mercedes Vario/Plaxton Beaver 2's as their single deck bus of choice. Two examples are seen at the picturesque Malakoff Bus Station in St Ives on 23rd March 2011.

Thamesdown Transport DMS Fleetline

 London Transport DMS type Fleetlines withdrawn early on in their London career were a good source of newish second-hand double deckers for many an operator in the early 1980's. After gaining many school contracts in 1983 Thamesdown Transport acquired a variety of second hand 'deckers - many of them ex-LT DMS Fleetlines. Freshly repainted into it's new owners livery, ex London Transport DMS2188 OJD188R (now Thamesdown Transport 132) leaves the depot for a School journey in November 1983.

Anchor Butter, Bristol Omnibus Co 5522, PEU517R

Bristol VRT/SL3 ECW H43/31F PEU517R, 5522 in the Bristol Omnibus fleet, was new in September 1977. Allocated to Swindon in the early 1980's it received an allover advertising livery for Anchor Butter who had their British base in the town and were celebrating their centenary in 1982. During 1982 Swindon bus services underwent a review as part of NBC's Market Analysis project (M.A.P.) which resulted in a redesigned network and the introduction of the Swindon & District fleet name. Made surplus to requirements by M.A.P, 5522 subsequently moved around various other depots within the Bristol Omnibus empire. Seen at Bath Manvers Street Bus Station on 2nd April 1983, 5522 is allocated to Bath Kensington depot (BH).

Crosville Motor Services M246YWM

The Original Crosville Motor Company Ltd was formed in 1906 by George Crosland Taylor and his French business partner Georges de Ville - the company name being a combination of their two names. Originally formed to build motor cars, by 1909 a bus service was being run between Chester and Ellesmere Port. Further routes and expansion by acquisitions and mergers followed and in 1942 the company became part of the UK-wide Tilling group.  The 1968 Transport Act brought Crosville into the ownership of the National Bus Company, sporting NBC Leaf Green livery. By this time the company was serving an area that stretched from Manchester/Liverpool and Chester throughout North, Mid and West Wales. Upon de-regulation Crosville was split in 1986 and eventually the company name disappeared under First and Arriva ownership. In 2005 the dormant name was revived by Jonathan Jones-Pratt who was restoring an ex-Crosville Bristol L5G (KFM767) at the time. By 2011 the newly formed company had expanded into local bus routes and contracted supermarket shoppers services within Weston-super-Mare for which M246YWM was acquired. New in May 1995 to Warrington Borough Transport, as their 246, the bus was sold in Sept 2009 to South Wales Transport where it was re-registered M100SWT. Reverting back to M246YWM it passed to Xelabus, Hants, in Dec 2010 and found its way to Crosville in June 2011 - where it sported traditional block letter fleetnames applied to Xelabus's livery which itself was based on traditional Hants & Dorset colours. The bus remained at Crosville until Nov 2013 at which point it returned to Xelabus, remaining  for a month before being scrapped in December 2013. This view shows M246YWM close to the company depot in Weston-super-Mare on 26th August 2012.

Bristol Omnibus Lodekka's FHW158D and GAE883D

On Saturday 21st July 1984 the last Bristol Lodekka buses in regular service with Bristol Omnibus Company Ltd were withdrawn from service - Bristol Omnibus and Eastern Counties being the last NBC companies to run these vehicles in regular service. To commemorate the occasion B.O.C ran an enthusiasts day on the Sunday where the vehicles acted as duplicates on a variety of city services. 7253 FHW158D is seen here in faded NBC Bristol livery at the start of the day in Bristol City centre alongside 7262 GAE883D freshly repainted for it's last few weeks in service. Or so it was thought - in actual fact 7262 was retained as a company/depot "pet bus" and would see regular service on peak hour routes right up until December 1993. According to the excellent robsly.com, this bus was exported to Germany the following year. 7253 is now a permanent exhibit at the Bristol M-Shed museum whilst 7262 will always hold special memories for me as it was used to transport the guests at my Wedding in 1989!