Oh dear! (Crich on the afternoon of Friday 26 February 2010)

Richard reports (25 February 2010): There is an unconfirmed rumour that TM have retained the 411 Matlock - Ashbourne contract which will result in 3 buses being garaged at Belper

Below is a Yourbus (note Dunn Motor Traction on the front) leaving Beeston Bus Station on the new commercial 36.

I have put some city centre pics on my blog HERE.

Webmaster's comment: This new company is expanding rapidly and already runs into Derbyshire. I wonder where next?

Andrew Bagshaw adds (1 March 2010): In reply to your heading 'Is Dunn Line back?' the answer is YES! Yourbus was formed by former Dunn Line managing director Bob Dunn.

Nigel Edwards asks (1 March 2010): Can anyone help me to find the location of the Yourbus depot at Hucknall? (Replies from the CONTACT page will be forwarded to Nigel.)

Daniel Shaw writes (22 February 2010): I am pleased to be able to tell you all that ex Chesterfield Leyland National VKU 78S (78) has been acquired from Workington Transport Heritage Trust by the Chesterfield Falcon 40 Preservation Group. For the time being it will be kept at its present location in Cumbria before moving to Sheffield hopefully by the summer. I will keep you all informed as things progress

Dave Kelly reports (21 February 2010): Former demonstrator Van Hool bodied Leyland Tiger FRN 816W has been purchased by myself for preservation yesterday.

A photograph is below with the coach in its current condition.

A question was asked on our forum about talk of Stagecoach East Midlands buses being converted to dual fuel. We are grateful to Gary Nolan, Managing Director of Stagecoach East Midlands, for explaining the situation (19 February 2010):

"We are working with Lincolnshire County Council to operate 11 vehicles on Biomethane and they will run on Lincoln services which pass the Cathedral. It will involve a move around as the Darts chosen are on The Miller (Mansfield depot), 34460-6*. We are having 6 Darts and 5 Solos converted. The X reg Super Pointer Darts previously transferred from Mansfield to Lincoln will find their way back to Mansfield with 3 newer Darts from Hull."

*That is actually seven fleet numbers!

Daniel Sellers has found photographs he has taken of 34464, one of the batch to be converted:

Some of the vehicles at Staveley have been disposed of to Wigley (breaker) Barnsley for scrap
H803 RWJ / D186 FYM on 5/2/10
D191 FYM / G523 VBB on 10/2/10

In addition Excels moved to Langley Mill for disposal
V389 KVY on 4/2/10
R379 DJN on 5/2/10

But Excel P505 OUG has been reinstated on a temporary basis.

In the paintshop this week is R93 LHK to be painted in standard livery

Stagecoach Lincolnshire (Road Car) Volvo B10M / Alexander 20803 N803 DNE. This was one of two vehicles noted on Rail Replacement at Derby Station on Saturday 13th February 2010. The other vehicle R726 RPY (I was unable to get a photo as the bus had pulled off by the time some station staff appeared to allow us through the barriers as I had a Derbyshire Wayfarer)

Stagecoach Bassetlaw Volvo B10M / Alexander 20660 P660 ESO at Chesterfield deputising for a Trident on route 77 to Worksop. This was the 17:45 departure on the 13th February from New Beetwell Street.

Tony Wilson reports (14 February 2010): The Yourbus operation based at Hucknall in Nottinghamshire, who already operate stage services in Nottingham and Derbyshire are set to expand again from the 22nd March. Then they will commence a new service 36 x20mins from the City Centre via QMC and Beeston to Chilwell in competition with establsih Nottingham City Transport service 36.

A number of Scania/Wright single-decks are in the process of acquisition from Arriva. Some are already known as registered RDZ 1708-12/14 and began their working life over fifteeen years ago with London Buses on route 144 as the SLW class. They were amongst some of the first low floor buses to be introduced along with similarly bodied Dennis Lances.

One has already been observed and carries a revised livery, an orange front half with fleet livery to the rear along with a bold "Your City 36" branding below the windows and route detail above.

John Moore sends photographs of Yourbus taken 18 February 2010

Tony Wilson says: One of the Scania/Wrightbus vehicles now with Yourbus. SLW 9 seen here with Leaside Buses as it approached the Muswell Hill terminal point in June 1999

Neville Whitmore writes (10 February 2010): Does anyone know the reason why a green and cream Leyland Olympian with Northern Counties body in the full livery of Springfield Bus and Coach of Wigan should be working on a school service from Tupton Hall on Wednesday 10th February? The registration number is F506 NJE which would indicate that it was new to Cambus and it MAY have been operating on a service operated by M Pearson. If this is so, it is the first time that this operator has operated a double decker, coaches usually being the order of the day. It is believed that this bus has operated for a number of Stagecoach companies in more recent times. Further details are awaited.

Neville answers his own question! (11 February 2010): I can now confirm that the green Olympian noted working an M Pearson school contract yesterday, is owned by DW Coaches of Clay Cross. One of Pearsons coaches was out on a private hire and the Olympian was substituted (as has happened in the past, but with one of DW Coaches Volvo coaches). Further details of this operator to follow.

Andrew Bagshaw writes (10 February 2010): My friend who I have known since schooldays Mark Lancaster runs the Spire Limousines business and has recently added to his fleet of luxury hire vehicles an Optare DAF Delta bus. I am hoping to obtain more details soon regarding the history of this bus and have attached some official views of the bus registered B16 VIP taken outside the Chesterfield Hotel. This bus has a capacity for 30 partygoers and is fitted with a drinks servery, DVD CD sound and visual system and luxury upholstered seating which is possibly leather? Further information will be provided soon.

Comment from Peter Williamson: Re Andy's photo of the luxury Delta, it looks to me as if the reg is actually B16 VJP but the J has been made to look like an I. (I was wondering if we could hire it for the Transpire committee meeting in a couple of weeks!*)

*Hmmmm. Does Chris know the hire rates? See below photographs

Tony Wilson adds (11 February 2010): Re the posting about the DAF Optare, I don't suppose it could be this vehicle. Taken a while back it was operated by McEwens of Mansfield and seen here on their Bingo service. Do they still have it? I do not know. All I know is that it was supplied in May 1991 to British Airways at Heathrow for airside work with the additional offside door feature.

If not I would assume the bus in question would be from a similar airport associated source.

But read below the photograph . . .

Duncan Bingham adds (12 February 2010): With regard to the Luxury DAF.........
I would suggest a possibility as G197 BLM new to British Airways BU0407 as this registration is no longer valid on the DVLA website? B16 VJP was new in 1990, so McEwens former H314 HLB is out of the question as that is a 1991 vehicle.

Then back to Andrew Bagshaw (12 February 2010): More info is now available regarding the Spire Limousines Partybus. B16 VJP was new to British Airways as G197 BLM and has been an airport shuttle bus all its life. It is a DAF 11.6 litre Optare Delta with automatic gearbox with approx 8000 miles on the clock. It has been stored in Belfast, Northern Ireland for the past 18 months. Spire Limousines has reregistered the bus and the full conversion for its new role has cost in excess of 20000 pounds. It is fully licensed for 30 passengers and costs 300 pounds for the first hour to hire with a reduced rate thereafter dependent on the total duration of hire? If any Transpire members are seriously interested in the hire of this vehicle please mention the Transpire Website and Andrew Bagshaw when booking at www.spirelimousines.com and please ask for Mark Lancaster. If you are maybe a bit shy! CONTACT me Andrew Bagshaw (message will be passed on) and I will be happy to make enquiries for you.

The current evolving plan is to allocate 8 of the ex Manchester Darts to Chesterfield, with 2 going to Holbrook. Not sure what Holbrook will get but it will almost certainly not be the ALX200's because of the smaller size.

Chesterfield will lose all remaining 4 step Darts, Olympian's 16496/500 and almost certainly 2 Excel 1's (nos unknown but I heard it was 35016/7, but don't quote me!).

So that's 8 Manchester in; and 8 out. Ah but, you cry, what about 33094, that makes 9 in! Yes, that is right. An extra bus will be required at the end of April - more in due course.

As for entry into service, the words random and sporadic come to mind. Some of the buses require quite alot of work so it may take a while to execute all the work, bearing in mind the day-to-day routine maintenance takes priority of course.

Stephen Read
Operations Manager, Chesterfield

The current plan is 'evolving'. In other words it isn't definite yet and is subject to alteration dependant upon a number a factors both locally in Chesterfield and elsewhere in Yorkshire.

Originally 7 of the 10 were for Chesterfield, but it may be that all 10 now will be allocated here. As the amount of work required varies they are to enter service randomly as each is prepared. The first was a Marshall bodied one but this was hurried into service to meet a shortfall at the time and thus did not have a working destination (Manchester had hacked through the wires when disabling other equipment!).

As for what they will replace, as I have already said it is not definite. Certainly the last step Darts will go. They are 32352/9; 32930/3. Also earmarked are 2 Olympians, which are currently 16496/500, BUT that may yet change, especially as 2 other Oly's have suffered serious failures in the last few days and that might affect the decision. There is nothing else certain yet, but it might (fingers crossed!) be that a start will be made on the Excel 1's (we live in hope!).

One extra bus expected, from Ecclesfield, is 33094*, which I believe is due to service changes in Yorkshire this weekend.

Hope that helps - but remember, all of this is subject to change!

* . . . and here is 33094 (T63 AUA), current fleetname Stagecoach in Sheffield, on the road on 1 February, photographed by Colin Sellers. 33346 was noted on the same day on service 51 by Neville Whitmore

Ian Moorcroft reports: (13 January 2010): The other Dennis Dart SLF / MCV EVOLUTION from North West Bus Rentals aka Blue Bus is PL06 TGF which was collected from the paintshops today 13th January. It will enter service early next week after inspection and servicing (I hope its warmer than sister 19 which is one of the draughtiest buses I've driven).

Ironically the only Hulleys bus to sustain any accident damage in the bad weather is 19 which has a scuffed front offside after a coming together with a wall in Elton after sliding on ice.

It will be numbered 21 on a temporary basis to allow DAF number 7 and then Dennis 15 to have bodywork repairs at CSG in Chesterfield (both after separate accidents in December which resulted in panel damage). It will then be renumbered either 14 or 18 depending on whether Optare Vecta 14 or Dennis Lance 18 is sold, both having been advertised for sale.

Update by Dennis Vickers (17 January 2010): Further to Ian Moorcroft's notes on the new Dart/Evolution, this bus (temporary fleet no. 21) entered service yesterday (Saturday 16th January) when MAN/Evolution no. 16 came into depot while working svc. 170 with a slight defect. 21's first journey was 1325 Baslow to Bakewell svc. 170, then working the 1425 Bakewell to Youlgrave svc. 171, 1500 Bakewell to Matlock svc. 172 and 1715 Bakewell to Castleton svc. 173.

With all the excitement over TM Travel's disposal of their preseved fleet (HERE) we nearly overlooked this information from Managing Director Paul Hopkinson concerning R921 / 923 RAU, the two Dennis Darts from Kinchbus, acquired before Christmas and already repainted into the "Maroon Roof" TM Travel livery.

Paul Hopkinson writes (12 January 2010): Both of these vehicles are at Staveley at the moment, still undergoing rectification work.

Although we physically got the vehicles and started to repaint them before the official takeover date, they are in fact an inter company transfer.

I intend to fit Bright-Tech LED blinds to both vehicles before they enter service (probably 1st February). One vehicle has already been fitted (but I can't remember which one).

Photographed by Colin Sellers on the bleak afternoon of Monday 11 January 2010 in Chesterfield Coach Station, the coach in the top photograph displayed a paper destination of 350 LIVERPOOL. This National Express service has in recent times been worked by Stagecoach in Mansfield. Can anybody explain why this North Star Travel coach is operating this working today?

No doubt caused by the dodgy weather, TWO Pronto buses, timetabled every 30 minutes, leave together for Nottingham.

Colin Sellers writes (8 January 2010): As the chill continues, Worksop appear to be using saloons on their workings of the route 77

Today, I managed through gaps in the traffic to get pix of two vehicles, a Volvo B10M / Plaxton Paladin, & a MAN / Alexander ALX300

To Johnsons of Hodthorpe Leyland Olympians / Northern Counties L826-830 BKK formerly East Kent 7826-7830 in October 1993

To Linburg of Sheffield Volvo Olympian / Northern Counties L682 HNV formerly United Counties 682 in August 1993

All supplied through Ensighbus of Purfleet, Essex