Felly Magic Posted January 12, 2018 Author Share Posted January 12, 2018 Black Prince had many, many issues with their Willowbrook Warrior bodied Leopard, the emergency door had to be closed with the aid of a pry bar, and wouldn't open without a swift, repeated booting, should have kept the Y type body on it tbh, it became a ministry magnet, along with the Ailsas, one Ailsa, the emergency door fell on the minstry man's foot, and broke it, they were called to a PI, and the licence was drastically cut, this coincided with Brian's first cancer battle, and his son David, aka DLT, or Dosy Little Twat as he was known at the time running the company badly, they sneakily got round this by starting Leeds Suburban Buses, with Marshall bodied Scania N112 deckers (sheds), and Wadham Stringer Vanguard N112 single decks from Newport Transport, this op then evolved in to Leeds City Transport, and Brian got in to bother with the council for using the Leeds coat of arms, this was rapidly altered to have a bus in, by then, the N113 Scania was standard, from various sources including TWM. Brian was a well liked bloke, and Black Prince became a well respected op, and cleaned their act up, buying many brand new buses, I remember him buying Merc 0.405s, and deliberately registered a one off X51 to leave Vicar Lane at 0001 on August 1st, so he was the first operator to run a brand new bus in the country, he drove it light from the depot on trade plates, then put it in service. So glad a few dedicated nutters are keeping the name alive, with 2 Prismas, 2 MAN Vectas and the unique lowheight Ailsa wear the BP livery proudly, the ones in livery were actually painted by First Leeds Hunslet Park, authorised by the engineering manager, the one, the only DLT, David Crowther. I miss Brian, and his colourful buses, he decided to sell up when it was getting too much for him, and his health was starting to falter, plus operating costs were getting out of control, his old PD3 is with Dews of Somersham in Cambs, and wears a livery not dissimilar to it's original Black Prince green livery, shame they can't bring it up north for Black Prince running days, I'm sure it would be well recieved, I remember travelling on it on the X51 with Brian driving, and David conducting, it was a beast, and I don't really like halfcabs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cms206 Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 One of the Vectas was ours though I believe one of them'll be restored as a United bus. Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felly Magic Posted January 14, 2018 Author Share Posted January 14, 2018 United Dartised many of theirs IIRC with Cummins/Allison drivetrain, conversion must have cost a few bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoadworkUK Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 Pretty sure that Eastern National National appeared on one of our school contracts in the early 90s. We had a blend of Nats and Nat 2s turn up. I found the differing rear lamp designs and exhaust notes endlessly fascinating. Incidentally Eastern National ran a batch of 'Coastline' liveried Merc L608Ds (van conversions rather than coachbuilts) Registrations were in sequence from C215HJN and up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CreepingJesus Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 Found something I don't ever recall seeing on the road (though I probably did), while trying to work out what particularly woeful buses Fife Scottish used for school buses in the early 80s.One of only two Alexander RVC bodied B10Ms ever made, B176FFS (and its sister B175FFS) did the Kirkcaldy - Glasgow express run. One of them apparently ended up converted to a single deck in S Wales! Western ran them from Killie - Glasgow at one point too.Surprised I don't remember them. willswitchengage and rml2345 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felly Magic Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 FFS sums up the 'styling, brutal to say the least, but looking at the shape, it does have an ALX400 look to the upper deck with the side profile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petermchugh79 Posted January 31, 2018 Share Posted January 31, 2018 Naked Alexander Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk Eddie Honda and CreepingJesus 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Bell Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 Some old local pics. Inspector Morose, Asimo, catsinthewelder and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cms206 Posted February 10, 2018 Share Posted February 10, 2018 United Dartised many of theirs IIRC with Cummins/Allison drivetrain, conversion must have cost a few bob1551 ended up at Arriva Scotland West, it was Cummins/ZF. Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooSavvy Posted February 17, 2018 Share Posted February 17, 2018 This saddo, rumpless POS was rattling disconcertingly just opposite Halifax Borough Market.... TS martc and willswitchengage 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felly Magic Posted February 19, 2018 Author Share Posted February 19, 2018 Enterprise Plasma, finished by Plaxton, go like a stabbed rat, but are a bit fragile Anyhow, doing a test for my new site host, if it works, more buses here http://imgbox.com/g/GJIZUNQt21 Grundig, Yoss, clayts450 and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quicksilver Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 This saddo, rumpless POS was rattling disconcertingly just opposite Halifax Borough Market.... TSPlaxton Primo, yuk! Operator near me had a brand new one for a council contract but the sodding thing spent more time off the road than on it. Could even be that very one as I think it was TJ Walsh who bought it when they finally gave up trying to keep it going. tooSavvy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcitroen Posted February 20, 2018 Share Posted February 20, 2018 Plaxton Primo, yuk! Operator near me had a brand new one for a council contract but the sodding thing spent more time off the road than on it. Could even be that very one as I think it was TJ Walsh who bought it when they finally gave up trying to keep it going. There is one that kicks about round my way. Front suspension looks way too high and it nods and bounces along the road. Been like that for ages, so must be getting through inspections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DVee8 Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 https://www.facebook.com/sunderlandnow/videos/10153045253856427/?t=18 Good old Sunderland bus station 1993 Yoss, rml2345 and tooSavvy 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooSavvy Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 ^^ Under the Crowtree Leisure Centre? Choked-a-Dog fumes & the famous 'my foot slipped' as the driver mowed down an old dearie (head job iirc).... Ah, the memories.. https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/death-crash-bus-gets-all-clear-1-1078662 TS DVee8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busmansholiday Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 Enterprise Plasma, finished by Plaxton, go like a stabbed rat, but are a bit fragile Anyhow, doing a test for my new site host, if it works, more buses here http://imgbox.com/g/GJIZUNQt21 Better pictures of Leyland Nasty Wagons on your site than in the book on them I just bought. Which reminds me that I've a couple of slides to edit out for the film show I'm doing in Sheffield tomorrow night for my fellow saddos. Subject is January to June 1978, buses I photographed. Total of 298, less the two that were taken in December 1977. One of those was Crosville using an LH to tow a National. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayts450 Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 One of those was Crosville using an LH to tow a National. Please share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felly Magic Posted February 25, 2018 Author Share Posted February 25, 2018 Tracky converted a National 2 to a towbus at one point, they'd had some real oddball single deck conversions as tow buses over the years including an ex Scouse Atlantean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busmansholiday Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 We had a Plaxtons bodied Leopard tow bus in the late 70's. It wasn't cut down or anything, full 36' long, fitters just opened the boot and attached the tow bar to the bracket that had been fitted inside it. I remember the delight* of steering a buggered United RE coach behind it from Woodall Services back to our depot in Sheffield one day. Caused me to go a bit white when they pulled out into the traffic on Park Square roundabout (before traffic lights) forgetting the total length. Quite a few motorists had a close encounter with brown underwear. catsinthewelder and rml2345 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felly Magic Posted February 25, 2018 Author Share Posted February 25, 2018 The preserved West Riding PS2 Tiger bus known as 'Ethel' was once used as a tow bus, they just removed a flap on the rear, and attached a rigid bar. I know an ex Kippax & District Leyland PD3 survives as a hacked down towbus that SYPTE used for many many years. It is known as DUGGY due to it's reg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felly Magic Posted February 25, 2018 Author Share Posted February 25, 2018 Naked Plasma. This was how they arrived in the UK to be fitted out at Plaxton Scarborough, once you iron out all the annoying faults, they turn out to be very nimble and fast as foook, still a pile of shite though Asimo and tooSavvy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoss Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 My bus moved to a new home yesterday. Our old yard is being sold for redevelopment but the Southampton and District Transport Heritage Trust (catchy name) have done a deal to use part of the Bursledon Brickworks site. This was the site when I arrived yesterday.The Swift had conveniently broken down where it was parked blocking most of the other buses in but I managed to squeeze mine in on the end. The site isn't finished and more land is slowly being levelled in this little woodland clearing. The hope is to have seven buses either side and maybe one or two runners in the middle that can be easily moved. The trees are a double edged sword. They provide shelter in the summer keeping the sun off but hold moisture when it's cold and wet which tends to turn buses green though the Trust have an agreement that we can use nearby Lucketts Travels bus wash. Our old site was similar meaning I had to wash all the moss and algae off every Spring except I used to have to do it by hand, standing on an old shipping container to get to the top deck. That was an all day job. BUT! We have our own railway station!Which is actually an old flatbed wagon planted next to a narrow gauge line that runs round the site. This is the view of the line from the platform. And if you look the other way...A proper integrated transport hub, though I don't know when the next train is. The Brickworks itself is one of these industrial heritage type places with all sorts of old machines lying around.Some parts are still derelict. And there's a shed down the bottom full of traction engines. Some random machines. And there's bits of old buildings just dotted about the place. And bricks of course. Vantman, Exiled_Tat_Gatherer, MarvinsMom and 13 others 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Felly Magic Posted February 26, 2018 Author Share Posted February 26, 2018 A friend of mine has just aquired a second, yes second Optare Citpacer VW LT55, sadly it's failed the MOT on poorly aligned brakes. It's an uber rare coach spec version, with upside down Mk3 Grandad rear lights, will get some photos off em soon, here's a taster dollywobbler, johngarty, Exiled_Tat_Gatherer and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbz2079 Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 I've seen one on the road, it belonged to Blackpool Transport and it was new.They had a few, they didn't persist with them for long though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooSavvy Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Fred Dibnah arrived and announced "Heh, brought too many laddas! eh" TS Yoss 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quicksilver Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 A friend of mine has just aquired a second, yes second Optare Citpacer VW LT55, sadly it's failed the MOT on poorly aligned brakes. It's an uber rare coach spec version, with upside down Mk3 Grandad rear lights, will get some photos off em soon, here's a taster Magic Rider Optare CityPacer D901MWR.JPGThere's a coincidence, I'm currently working on a model of one of these, which were known as the InterCityPacer. That one survives thanks to one of my local operators, who bought it from a scrapyard as a parts donor for their fleet of CityPacer buses but decided it was good enough to rebuild and put into use. I think it went on to a couple more operators afterwards before being preserved. Here it is back in 1999, complete with Granada lights and a bonus beige Richard Bucket-mobile. Felly Magic, johngarty and Six-cylinder 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoss Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Just spotted this at Lordshill Sainsbury's, in Southampton. Last week I saw a Brighton and Hove bus on the 18 in Shirley but was unable to get a picture. It did make me do a double take though. I know they are all part of Go Ahead but it's like the early days of Blue Line when the first batch of buses were painted but as they expanded they were getting old VRs from anywhere and putting them straight in service. They're certainly brightening the place up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisbon_road Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Yoss, I am a member of SDTHT (or lapsed, not sure). Looks like the new site is good. Are First giving up more services in Southampton then? I know they've dropped some schools and also the park and ride service in Chandlers Ford, so presumably the 'heritage' fleet of the step Darts and the Olympian might be gone now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoss Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 I know they chopped the route 12 completely a few weeks ago. This linked the hospital to Shirley via Millbrook and was effectively the old Routemaster route 17A. If you want to go from Millbrook to the hospital now you have to take two buses via Shirley. And yet they increase the frequency of the main routes into town leaving Shirley High street gridlocked half the time. I hardly use them any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83C Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Been putting some pics on Flickr: LHW 504P - Bedford/Plaxton UFJ 229J - Bristol RELH6H/Plaxton HYC 642Y - Ford/Duple Dominant C142 SPB Leyland Tiger - Leyland Tiger/Berkhof Everest 370. Drove this many times for Swanbrook and was a lovely thing to drive. Just had to be aware of the extra height and higher centre of gravity - corners could be a bit hairy if taken too quick! G38 YHJ Leyland Lynx - Pictured here at the Oakeley Arms, Tanybwlch. I owned it at the time, and we took it on a tour of the old Crosville depots (before Arriva it was Crosville Cymru SLC38). johngarty, jon.k, Cleon-Fonte and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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