Background Shite

[Yoss]

So as I've mentioned elsewhere, been going through a lot of my pictures from thirty years ago. I still can't believe it's that long ago (I know everyone says that but really...thirty years!)

 

So anyway I've got all these photos that really belong in the rail or bus shite (and I will add plenty there when I get round to it) but all have quality Shite in the background which need to be shared with a wider audience (that's you).

 

Basically, what was the original subject of the photo is now less interesting than the stuff that I wasn't even looking at at the time.

 

So if you have any old photos lying around, they're probably not transport related like mine but general holiday or household pictures with top class chod in the background share it here.

 

 

Here's the first lot. Apologies as usual for my shoddy picture transfer method.

 

The famous Hampshire Bus VR YEL 1T. Bet that reg got sold on. In the company of the ultimate taxi.

 

Don't even know what this bus is, some sort of demonstrator with a Volvo badge on. Solent Blue Line were always getting demonstrators in. But Renault 18!

 

Two mk1 Rover 800s. Bet that didn't happen too often even when they were new.

 

And a Jensen Interceptor.

[Junkman]

30 years ay? That was last week.

 

The shite sure was still right in 1987, despite global car design had ended the year before.

I don't think it was tht unusual back then for two 800s sharing the road, they were everywhere IIRC.

But where was the pic taken? For some odd reason I think I passed that house many times at the time.

[Yoss]

A trip to Essex.

 

 

I've no idea what this is (not the RM obviously) but someone will tell me.

[Yoss]

The picture with the two 800s is in Chandlers Ford by the concrete precinct that now has virtually no shops left in it. Used to be a model railway shop in there.

[Split_Pin]

The Volvo bus that you are unsure about is a Volvo Citybus. The registration mark indicates that it is a Nottingham area vehicle although I'm unsure if it operated with that city's fleet.

[Yoss]

Some Hastings based Railshite including two trips down the Weymouth Quay branch. One of which I was on and the other I went to photograph.

 

 

Scottish registered Horizon here, that's a long way from home.

[Yoss]

The Volvo bus that you are unsure about is a Volvo Citybus. The registration mark indicates that it is a Nottingham area vehicle although I'm unsure if it operated with that city's fleet.

Cheers, like I say Blue Line were always getting demonstrators in in the early days. I don't really know how the finances worked but I'm guessing it's basically a free bus for the time you have it on loan. Their own fleet consisted entirely of elderly VRs at this point so it was obvious they weren't going to take up any option on the demonstrators they were using.

[chaseracer]

 

Pontiac Firebird.

[Yoss]

Last lot for tonight.

 

 

This Granada and Ital look abandoned despite probably only being seven or eight years old, though they might not be.

 

And lastly we hit the jackpot. Escort Huntsman! I had a brochure for these until my mum through them all out. Iirc there were 500 Escorts and 300 Cortinas all in this colour. I'm hoping mercrocker will come along and post the brochure I used to have.

Another Escort Huntsman played a part in me buying my own bus, which is featured twice in this very post (I don't just throw these together you know), but that's another story.

[Yoss]

 

Pontiac Firebird.

Is it? What, like what Jim Rockford had? I know what they are but they don't look like that.

[sheffcortinacentre]

Firebird is a 72/3 formula prob a 400 poss 455

[Ghosty]

I really like old bus and train photos - they're often one of the only ways changes in streetscapes were documented. Old buses are pretty confusing to me but the bigger picture is pretty interesting.

[RoadworkUK]

Is it? What, like what Jim Rockford had? I know what they are but they don't look like that.

 

He started with a '75, which was the same car with a different "safety" front end. The later version from '77 on (again based on the same car) had a very different look.

 

[Sir Snipes]

That blue Manta hatch passing the Routemaster is interesting. It's an earlier 'B' (T-plate, single slot grille) but has been dressed up as a later GTE. Pretty sure it's been resprayed as It's a later colour, too.

It could be a later car with an early plate and swapped front end but the nose cones aren't a quick swap.

 

And check out that Toyota dealership with the almost brand new FWD Celica GTs alongside that Celica Supra

 

What's the deal with the trains sharing road space with cars?

[mercrocker]

Excellent stuff, Yoss.  Naturally, I also like to see the Southampton area backdrops as well!    Sadly, I have no Escort Huntsman brochure to post - you have now reminded me of a potentially expensive gap in my collection!

[Yoss]

He started with a '75, which was the same car with a different "safety" front end. The later version from '77 on (again based on the same car) had a very different look.

 

Yep, that's the one I remember. Had a Matchbox one of those.

[Yoss]

The Weymouth Quay branch, sadly now long closed, although the rails are still in place. In fact I think it was on the news recently that Weymouth has now lost it Channel Island ferry service completely to Poole.

 

Boat trains used to run twice daily along the streets to the quay but even they had stopped when I took these pictures. In a nod to Victorian times the trains ran at walking pace, literally with two blokes walking in front. You can see the yellow hatched area which is already fading by this point. There were signs telling you not to park within them at any cost which were frequently ignored by those who didn't understand the circumstances. On of the jobs of the two blokes in front was to physically bump any cars out of the way. In one picture you can see them inspecting a Transit which would have been mach harder to move but I think they just got away with it.

 

And yes I was thinking the same about that Toyota dealership in Catford. 99% of people would go in wanting a Starlet or Corolla but to drive past you'd think they were a sports car manufacturer.

[Yoss]

This was the brochure, just pinched this off t'internet. It was very thin, may have just been a single sheet folded in half as they were basically standard cars painted a different colour.

[mercrocker]

£22 posted from US of A.   Think I will wait a while!

[kinkersaab]

Daihatsu Charmant?

[Yoss]

I assume you mean behind the two Minis in which case well done, I would never have known that. To be fair no one should know that.

[adw1977]

And lastly we hit the jackpot. Escort Huntsman! I had a brochure for these until my mum through them all out. Iirc there were 500 Escorts and 300 Cortinas all in this colour.

350 Escorts and 150 Cortinas.

 

There's a scan of an advert on Flickr, which I can't link because I only have my phone on me at the moment.

[Yoss]

I knew they were rare. Ive seen a few Escorts over the years but don't ever remember seeing a Cortina. Not surprising if they were that rare.

[dougiefourspeed]

Brilliant shots here. I'm no bus expert, but I was parked in the street in the second Hastings photo not two days ago. Aside from the cars, it looks the same.

[sheffcortinacentre]

Far as i know there's 1 cortina huntsman est (minter) plus I think 3 escorts survive.

[Yoss]

So I've gone through some more of my pics. These are around Southampton circa 1986-87. I really should put some of these on the Bus Shite thread and I will at some point. The Southampton bus wars were a very interesting period, maybe not quite up there with Glasgow but there was a lot more going on than just Citybus v Blueline. But these have been picked for what's going on around them.

 

Mirafiori

[Yoss]

Just as a little aside, I've put these two together not just for the cars but because the buses have hand painted adverts. In those days if you were a small business and wanted a one off advert the most cost effective way was to hand paint it. Citybus had their own in house signwriter, another lost art.

 

Who was also responsible for this.

FD Victor and mint looking Acclaim but I'm still wondering what the Acclaim is up to, it seems to be in a rather odd position in the road.

And here you can see the Victor in the background with some other choice chod. The Southampton City Tour was short lived, and whilst we obviously don't have as much to look at as London doing a lap of the Sports Centre car park really smacks of desparation.

 

Nice brown Capri. The adverts on this Regent are hand painted too. They read 'Southampton City Transports last rear platform bus 1981' with hand painted crests but when they bought Routemasters to fight Blueline they also reinstated this, so this is 1987. The Atlantean behind is another hand painted advert. I really need to get some of this on Bus Shite don't I?

[sheffcortinacentre]

The mk2 Capri looks green to me appears to be a 3.0 ghia too.

[mercrocker]

The mk2 Capri looks green to me appears to be a 3.0 ghia too.

 

And possibly has that lush combination of green velour interior too..... 

 

 

These are great pics, Yoss - some memories there.    "Sperrings" shops really pinpoint a period in time to Sotonians!    I remember his Rollers with "07" number plate.....

[DavieW]

 

The famous Hampshire Bus VR YEL 1T. Bet that reg got sold on. In the company of the ultimate taxi.

 

YEL 1T was on one of the Stagecoach family's car at one time but I haven't seen it for a while.