Trident The Bear 🐻

A couple of archive Yorkshire Coastliner images from June 1996 in Whitby. Then operated by single deck vehicles, Volvo B10M/Wright 452 (N452 HNY) is ready to work the 840 Leeds service while on an X40, which avoided Goathland, was Volvo Olympian/Alexander Royale 422 (M922 UYG)

July 18 2007 and Stagecoach Peterborough's Volvo B10M/Alexander PS 20848 (P848 GND) departs Queensgate Bus Station with an X8 service to Thorney. The bus was new to Stagecoach's Manchester operation

East Yorkshire (Scarborough & District) in Pickering in June 1991 and heading for Helmsley with a 128 service is Mercedes-Benz 709D/Reeve Burgess minibus 439 (F439 GAT) while Scarborough-bound is East Lancs-rebody Leyland Leopard 235 (DDZ 236)

When the destination program was updated at Stagecoach in Peterborough in April 2004, there was an interesting version for the Summer Sunday X98 Seaside service. The display outward from Peterborough was 'Hunstanton X98' but for the return 'back home X98'

July 11 2002 at Penzance and Virgin Trains Class 47/8 47829 in its distinctive 'Police' livery is at the head of the 1M56 08:46 departure to Manchester Piccadilly.

There was an interesting selection of Departmental and stored units at Strawberry Hill depot on March 7 1996. They were photographed during a visit arranged by Eversholt Leasing ahead of the closure of the Research & Development facility at the depot, which closed on March 31 1996

Views from Apex House, overlooking Town Bridge in Peterborough in the mid-1990s. Viscount's all-Leyland Olympian B5 (H475 CEG) is working a 355 service to Chatteris with Morley's NSJ 21R, a Seddon Pennine/Alexander Y Type new to Western SMT with a 701 service to Coates

With Cambridgeshire-based A2B Travel is an Enviro400 registered BU05 JOK. Originally registered MX07 HNF. New to Stagecoach Manchester as its 19164 at mid-life it was transferred to Stagecoach East in Cambridge before moving to Stagecoach East Scotland. Now back in Cambridge.

Took a ride on the Cambridge Busway yesterday - first time since speed limit was reduced. While understanding reasons for the fencing work, bus operators have lost hundreds of passengers to other travel modes as the perception of 30mph limit is that buses are crawling along.

A couple from Cambridge yesterday.

A touch of sun with Daffodils and a Busway Volvo B5L add a splash of colour against the bare trees, while still looking good almost 18 months after repaint is retro-Cambus liveried ADL Enviro400MMC 10802

Strange symbols, resembling an oversize QR-style code have recently appeared on a number of Stagecoach vehicles in Cambridge. I didn't scan for fear of finding I'd bought the bus!
Seriously, its a trial to look at alternatives to the physical transponders that are fitted to activate traffic signals

March 1978 and a new West Midlands PTE East Lancs-bodied Fleetline, 6759 (SDA 759S) was 'borrowed' a few days after delivery for a Sunday afternoon photo session which took it from Coventry into Nuneaton. The bus has a West Midlands PTE-specified body design

The West Midlands PTE had a Leyland Total demonstrator (FHG 592S) on loan during part of 1978 for evaluation prior to delivery of their five prototype vehicles. Issue with production delays saw the PTE cancel its main order for the type. Pictured operating Motor Show shuttles at Birmingham's NEC

Following its transfer to Tyseley depot in January 1993, NSE-liveried Class 119 Power Twin DMU T575 51060+51088 had the red stripe repainted light blue to give it a Regional Railways appearance, although the makeover stopped short of adding a Regional Railways logo. It was pictured at Nuneaton.

This was the only photograph I took of the the the Camp Hill Flyover in Bordesley, Birmingham. It was a temporary traffic solution, becoming a temporary structure that lasted well over 20 years

More from Derby on May 10th 1979.. A pair of Class 45s 45001 and 45123 head south on an unidentified train.
Class 20 20152 hauling a mixed rake of wagons while more Class 20s are stabled on the curve at the south of the station along with a prototype HST (Class 252) power car

Visible through the arch from the car park at Etches Park depot in Derby on May 10 1979 is former Southern Region Class 74 74010. Withdrawn at the end of 1977 it was despatched to Derby on August 18 the following year for a potential departmental use. That didn't happen

The first ten Daimler Fleetlines bought by Birmingham City Transport were unsuitable for conversion during to Driver Operation. However, they provided useful as crew-operated vehicles to alleviate vehicle shortages at other garages. 3245 (245 DOC) is pictured in Sutton Coldfield in the mid-1970s.

A typical Birmingham City Centre scene in 1976. Midland Red 2226 (LRF 993F), provides a touch of red within a sea of blue and cream WMPTE buses. A Leyland PD2 with Northern Counties bodywork, it was new to Harper Bros of Heath Hayes March 1969 acquired by Midland Red Sept 1974 and withdrawn Jan 1977

West Midlands PTE (former Birmingham City Transport) Park Royal-bodied Dainler Fleetline CRG6LX 3743 (KOX 743F) was the first bus with the WMPTE to receive a wrap-round advert between decks. If I recall it was marketed as 'Unibus' by British Transport Advertising.

A correction, should read Dudley garage. And yes it was a garage and not known as a depot ...

A typical 1976 scene at West Midlands PTE's Dufley garage with a pair of BMMO D9s 4900 and 4902 (900KHA, 902KHA) parked up on the rather oily and muddy parking area. Note the slight variation of the cream livery application around the cab and bonnet between vehicles

Latest info I have seen is that 23 TVs due for Mansfield will be diverted to Hull comprising ten Yutong E10s and 13 ADL E400EVs. At a later stage deliveries due for Hull will then be diverted to Mansfield once the depot there has been rebuilt

I believe the Yutongs that were initially destined for Mansfield will top to Hull and that later deliveries planned for Hull will now go to Mansfield

Here it is my photo of East Yorkshire Evoseti 816 that is currently on hire to METROBUS which is seen earlier this week.

In the process of scanning some old negatives, many dating from the 70s and 80s,, and it reminded me what a tough job it was being a railway journalist!

Bath Road's Royal Train locos

Trident wishes all his followers a great Christmas and says he will be back in January. He really liked the special sandwiches he was sent but says he hopes that it is not all he will be getting for Christmas Dinner

Yes, it was the Virgin sponsorship that gave access. Besides the PR benefits the visit was really appreciated by staff at both Virgin and Alstom