Tony Wilson writes (28 April 2010):

Oh no NOT the comfy chair

Those immortal words from the famous Monty Python Spanish Inquisition sketch sprang to mind when I came across yet another unusual Optare Delta to grace the streets of Chesterfield. Seen today in Cavendish Street outside of the Eyres department store was this former Ipswich Buses, being their fleet number 184 and originally acquired in May 1994. For the past couple of years or so it has been in the hands of a Blackburn based furniture firm by the name of Royams, who appear to specialise in comfy chairs for the aged and infirm (I might qualify on both counts), and maybe for that matter anyone who might like the ease of such seating style. It is used to tour the country and is complete with a variety of these chairs for demonstration purposes and was indeed here in Chesterfield for just that purpose. The driver was well pleased with the bus and found it a most impressive, comfortable and easy bus to drive. Well I suppose it would be with all those 'easy' chairs on board. When originally supplied to Ipswich it was to a dual-door B44D seated layout. I suppose now you could say that it has been converted as such to B19FC (Bus 19 Comfy seats Front entrance).

Colin Sellers writes (27 April 2010):

The TM ex Lothian decker is seen at Staveley on the college shuttle.

The ex Trent Dart is seen in the sun this morning on Beetwell Street.

The Solo appeared about 10 days ago and I managed to find it this morning on route 80, sorry about destination it's a cheap tracky blind!

33349 finally appeared on the road in Chesterfield yesterday, it was seen on the 74 in the morning and on 39's in the afternoon. Today it was on route 50.

Tony Wilson writes (26 April 2010): A while ago I reported that the A6 road between Taddington and the south side of Buxton was closed due to a landslip. This resulted in buses on TM Travel routes 65/66 and 218 having to operate on a fairly extensive diversion via the Transpeak route along the A5270 and the A515 to reach Buxton. Furthermore I also said that the intended opening of the A6 was dated the 2nd April. Regrettably this date has passed and the road closure and in turn the diversions were still in place over the weekend 23/24th April.

Now I find that a further road closure is in place, this time to the north of Buxton where a major collapse of the carriageway has occurred on Long Hill the A5004 between Buxton and Whaley Bridge. This has affected Bowers route 61 (Buxton-Glossop), with buses having to make something like a 6-mile detour via Trent Skyline route 199 from Whaley Bridge via Chapel-en-le-Frith to Buxton. In turn this has meant that the through route to Glossop is cut at Hayfield, buses running in two sections Buxton-Hayfield (usually the two green liveried Centros), and Hayfield-Glossop with Optare Solos, in order to maintain the schedules. This is allegedly expected to last for several weeks.

Thus poor old Buxton is suffering on both north and south sides.

Below are two images, one showing the bus station at Hayfield with a busy changeover taking place, the other with one of the Centros departing to Buxton and Solo heading northwards to Glossop. Both were taken last Saturday morning (24 April 2010).

Malcolm Watts reports (18 April 2010): As from Sunday 11th April, ten TM Travel vehicles are based at the Sutton Junction premises of Trentbarton. There are thirteen drivers duties Monday to Friday with slightly less on Saturdays and fewer still on Sundays. There will normally be six single deckers and four double deckers but the allocation will change almost on a daily basis to allow for maintenance etc. The only vehicles unlikely to be allocated there are the Mercedes Benz Vario midibuses with manual gearboxes. At least service 99 (Alfreton - Sutton), some of services 46 and 96 together with some schools work will be operated from Sutton together with some other services including the Mansfield Tesco bus. (The vehicle used on this service was noted working the last journey on service 73 towards Clay Cross on Friday 16th April, but whether this was a one off or is going to be a regular working is unknown)

The following information was added to our website forum by Mark Hayes (19 April 2010):

Mansfield Tesco is still operated by Halfway at the moment.

A list of services that Sutton Junction are operating as of 11th April 2010.

B1-B3 Bolsover Town Service
7.3 Kilburn - Derby
9.3 Sutton - Alfreton
14 Chesterfield - Holmesfield
33 Chesterfield Orbital
46 Chesterfield - Bolsover
66 Chesterfield - Buxton
66A Chesterfield - Tideswell
67 Tideswell - Manchester
70 Chesterfield - Killamarsh
73 Clay Cross - Crystal Peaks
90 Chesterfield - Staveley
95 Royal Hospital - Wingerworth
96 Chesterfield - Alfreton
99 Alfreton - Sutton
119 Chesterfield - Heath
122 Shirebrook Town Service
138 Belper - Heanor

Colin Sellers writes (20 April 2010): 33082 now has a working destination.

Colin Sellers writes (15 April 2010): I received a text from Chris Corroy this morning to tell me that 33082 was on route 2. This is I believe to be it's first appearance on the road with passengers in Chesterfield, having arrived at Stonegravels on 19th January.

It didn't last long as its heaters didn't work and had no working destination.

According to my jottings this is the 7th of the 8 buses for Chesterfield. How long before we get the 8th?

1. TM Travel from Managing Director Paul Hopkinson 12 April 2010

Acquired:
S939 UAL (Dart/Plaxton) collected 9/4/07, now undergoing repaint

For Disposal
YN55 YSC (Primo)

Sold for Scrap, collected last week
Tigers A784 YGL, KSP 352X, BSG 550W, KGS 489Y, G472 EKV.

Sold for preservation to Workington Transport Heritage Trust (but not yet collected)
CBV 775Y (Doyen)

2. Significant ex-Trent vehicle for sale for preservation
from Kyle Testo, Technical Engineer, Trentbarton 12 April 2010

Our fleet number 17, which is the old fleet number 23, has recently been released for sale. I would like to advertise this particular vehicle on this website. Reason being that this vehicle is the last that was purchased by Trent before it merged with Barton - therefore, this vehicle in particular could be of interest to the people that view the website. The vehicle is a Leyland Olympian, with Gardner engine. Registration number C723 NNN. The vehicle is in a drive-able state, however the engine is smoking a bit, so is on its way out. We are after £3500 for it.

Genuine enquiries to ktesto@trentbarton.co.uk

Photograph on Fototopic website HERE

Photographs by Ian Moorcroft & Colin Sellers as stated beneath each photograph

Ian also comments (nothing to do with Hulleys) that he has noticed the TM Travel legal lettering now uses the Heanor address used by Trentbarton vehicles

This is the last of the ex Blue Bus DART SLF / MCV EVOLUTION to enter service number 18 (PL06 TGF) which was originally numbered 22, seen here at the Middleton by Youlgreave terminus of route 171 from Bakewell this morning. Ian Moorcroft 17 April 2010

A spring shot of a Hulley's at work Colin Sellers 14 April 2010

Hulley's 10 on the 89 route. Note the signpost with two of Derbyshire's smallest and most unusually named hamlets Ian Moorcroft 13 April 2010

One of the latest deliveries to Hulley's is Dennis Dart SLF / MCV 19 (PL06 TFZ) seen here at Ogston Reservoir Ian Moorcroft 10 April 2010

Hulley's Dart 2 on the 171 in Bakewell Ian Moorcroft 8 April 2010

Hulley's Dennis Lance 15 on the 272 in Castleton Ian Moorcroft 8 April 2010

Hulley's Vecta 17 on the 171 at Hartington Ian Moorcroft 8 April 2010

Managing Director of TM Travel Paul Hopkinson writes (3 April 2010):

We now have an extra double deck commitment from May 4th, so I have acquired ex Lothian P274 PSX from Ensignbus (see my photographs below [added 7 April 2010]). It is a Volvo Olympian/Alexander Royale converted to single door. It is likely to be repainted before it enters service, now W214 PRB is nearing completion.

We still have the 3 Paladins (105/117/127) on loan, otherwise all is quiet.

Incidentally time is running out for the remaining Tigers at Staveley. I have had an offer on Doyen CBV 775Y and hope the sale will go through, the rest have all been priced for scrap, and will probably be gone in the next few weeks.

Neville Whitmore writes (6 April 2010): On Easter Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday 4th and 5th of April, TM Travel were using on the 96 afternoon and evening workings 924 (R924 RAU) a Plaxton Pointer Dennis Dart SLF in what appeared to be almost full Kinchbus Service 2 livery.
For a photograph further down this page of 924 in Kinchbus livery CLICK

Daniel Sellers writes (3 April 2010): I've found a few more photos of TM Travel. The TM Travel Excel is now withdrawn. 214 was originally a Cotgrave Connection bus new in 2000 (see second photograph by Colin Sellers).