It has come to my notice that there is an operator by the name of PEAK BUS & COACH LTD. who has recently (September 2009?) started operating in Derbyshire. An address at Westhouses near Alfreton is given although the operating centre is thought to be at Pinxton at the premises of another operator, Freeway Coaches. Does anyone know if there is any connection between this operator and the infamous operator of the same name who ran in Chesterfield in the 1990s?

Two very interesting vehicles have been reported as being owned, a Leyland - ECW Olympian (MUH 289X) and a Volvo B6 with an East Lancs body (M534 RCW). Any information would be gratefully received.

These two links may (or may not) help solve the mystery: ONE and TWO

These documents from North Western Traffic Area Notices & Proceedings (PDF in new window) may be of interest:
21 August 2009 LICENCE APPLICATION on PAGE 5 and
18 September 2009 LICENCE GRANTED ON PAGE 6.
Note a condition imposed is that "Limousines and Novelty vehicles are not to be used under this operator licence."

Tony Wilson writes on 4 December: I have riffled through my draws and lo and behold have found the attached image of MUH 289X. Originally this Leyland Olympian / ECW was supplied in April 1982 to the National Welsh subsidiary of the National Bus Company as their fleet number HR 8215. I do not know what happened in between but by the mid-90s the bus was in the ownership of Armchair Passenger Transport based in Brentford, Greater London. This was at the height of when some of London's contracted bus routes were in the hands of a number of colourfully-liveried operators. Thus as seen here the bus was run on routes 65 and 237 through the suburbs of south west London. It was the sole Olympian/ECW combination in the fleet and ran alongside other Olympians with a mixture of Alexander, Leyland and Northern Counties bodywork as well as some second-hand Atlanteans from South Yorkshire and another from Ribble.

The other bus owned by Peak Bus: M534 RCW. Built and delivered to Blackburn Transport in August 1994 as their number 534. A Volvo B6 with East Lancs bodywork. The first photograph shows it in Accrington in September 2001, the other in Blackburn in June 2004.

SAD NEWS

When I was on bus duty at school yesterday, I happened to see Mick Pearson who told me that both of his two Leyland Leopards have recently been scrapped, sad news indeed! For the record they were RCW 649X a Plaxton Supreme bodied example and SND 285X a Duple Dominant bodied example. These were certainly the last Leopards in service in the Chesterfield area if not in Derbyshire (unless of course you know differently)

Colin Sellers says (29 November 2009): Here's a picture of a Mick Pearson's Leopard RCW 649X taken on a Transpire evening visit in May 2006 at 21-35

Only photograph found so far of SND 285X (on another website)    CLICK   

ON THE BUSES

Has anyone got a picture of Redferns Leyland Olympian A133 SMA? I have seen this bus today at school (it was the one day in the year when I have to do bus duty) and the driver got very excited when I told him it was the "Jane Hall" bus used in the TV series of the same name about three years ago.

Colin Sellers to the rescue! I was one of the few that photographed this bus in its fake London livery in Chesterfield. Shayne Howarth turned up briefly outside Chesterfield Town Hall on the Chesterfield Running Day (June 2004) with this vehicle that they had fetched from (Stafford Bus???) for use on Aston school contracts. It was still in its fictitious "Jane Hall" livery. He was taking it to Astons yard to remove the vinyls before it entered service. (Look carefully for TRANSPIRE Secretary Chris Corroy)

. . . and one of this bus in earlier days A133 SMA

It now transpires that the other bus used in the TV series "Jane Hall" has also been used on service in Chesterfield. This was a Leyland National "Greenway" (a rebuilding of the basic Leyland National by East Lancs, some people might say rebodying, but can you rebody an integral bus?) registered TIB 4873 owned by Linburg Touring of Sheffield. This was used (although not one of the regular buses) on service 89 on occasions. What a coincidence!

Once again good old Colin comes up with the photographs . . .

I have read with interest the discussion about MAN chassis designations (HERE) and these are some of my thoughts.

It is about time manufacturers started being a bit more imaginative in their chassis designations, perhaps I could suggest some ideas:

Well, it looks as if 2009 could have been the last year for the "Sherwood Forester" network of Sunday services. According to local press reports, Nottinghamshire County Council (control of which recently passed to the Conservatives) is to withdraw funding for the network of summer services based on the Sherwood Forest visitor centre at Edwinstowe. In their heyday (which in the writer's opinion was in the 1980s and early 1990s), this network of special services saw open top double deckers carrying capacity loads (anyone with any pictures?) but the network has been much reduced in recent years meaning that attractions which were once accessible on the network have been cut off. The only services into Chesterfield upon which "Ranger" tickets were accepted in 2009 were the 77 and the "Pronto" (although I stand to be corrected on this). Service 237 (Huchnall-Alfreton-Matlock-Crich) operated by Stagecoach East Midlands did come into Derbyshire and did form part of the network although not serving Edwinstowe. The future of the Sunday only Day Ranger tickets (which are vaild on almost all Sunday buses in Nottinghamshire) was not mentioned but I would hope that they continue.

Another victim of the cuts will be concessionary pass holders who (unlike their Derbyshire counterparts) have been entitled to half fare on buses before 9.30am on Mondays to Fridays, full fare being charged I suspect from April next year.

It also seems likely that funding for community car and minibus schemes is also going to be withdrawn although it would appear that most other tendered bus services seem safe for the time being. An additioinal saving from the transport budget being however, (according to the newspaper I read) that smaller salt crystals are going to be used when gritting the county's icy roads!

Photographs (Oliver Foreman): First of all, a busy Sunday at Sherwood Forest Visitors' Centre (17 June 2001). The photographer is the driver of Volvo Olympian N131 AET (strangely, and in the photographers's opinion unfortunately, with a Cummins engine) on 7 day a week service 15 (Mansfield to Walesby) but only serving the Visitors' Centre on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays.

Your webmaster Oliver Foreman once worked for Marshall's of Sutton on Trent. The pictures below were taken in May 1993 when he drove Sherwood Forester route 250 Clumber Park - Sherwood Forest Visitors' Centre - Newark - Nottingham. Marshall's Bedford B31 B675 EWE (if ever a vehicle qualified as a workhorse, it was this) stands in the former Nottingham Victoria Bus Station; in the centre of Newark in front of a Pathfinder (yes, this was the main stop as well as the Bus Station); and at Clumber Park (with the photographer's mother apparently the only passenger).

The picture one from the bottom shows Marshall's B30 RAU 642R (found by John Marshall forlorn and unused at the back of Gash's Garage, and renovated to be his first coach) at Sherwood Forest Visitors' Centre, probably on a private hire, though it was used on the Sherwood Forester from time to time.

The bottom picture taken in Marshall's yard shows Bristol VR (with turbo Leyland engine) DD36 BRF 690T and Daimler still in Gash's colours RAL 795 (yes, regularly used often with Mrs Thelma Marshall as conductress - note the SCHOOL BUS sign). Both of these were used occasionally on the Sherwood Forester when the coaches were required for private hire. Another picture HERE.

Neville above comments on full loads to Clumber Park. My experience (admittedly after the open toppers were banned by the National Trust) as a driver for Kettlewell's of Retford, Marshall's of Sutton-on-Trent and Stagecoach East Midland in Mansfield was of poor loadings (especially on wet days). At least in those days Senior Citizens had to pay something for their tickets (and Nottingham City passholders had to pay full fare, which caused many a dispute). Now they will all travel free which I suspect is one reason why the service is likely to be withdrawn.

Tony Wilson writes: Gagg of Bunny's Leyland Titan NHG 732P pulling out of the entrance to Newstead Abbey in April 1994. This was a former Leyland demonstrator vehicle.

On Saturday eight of us travelled to the SELNEC 40 event in Blackpool Atlantean 353, held at Sport City just off Ashton New Road in Manchester. This was a one off event to commemerate the fact that it was 40 years since, on November 1st 1969, that the newly formed South East Lancashire and North East Cheshire (hence SELNEC) Passenger Transport Executive took over the municipal operations in the area. There was a wide variety of vehicles on display, including several interesting ones new to SELNEC, a Seddon Pennine midibus (YDB 453L) and the first of what was to become a huge fleet of "standards", Leyland Atlantean PNF 941J numbered EX1 perhaps warrant special mention. Many were giving rides on the services operated on the day which was blest with fine weather.

On Sunday, torrential rain in the morning did not prevent twenty seven passengers making the trip to Lincoln on board Chesterfield Leyland Panther 93(ENU 93H). It appears that the museum is in the throws of a building programme so that more exhibits can be accommodated under cover. Again there was a wide variety of vehicles on display and being used on the services, some of which were museum residents whilst others were visiting vehicles. One surprise (at least for me!) was a newly acquired Ex Trent Bristol VRT (YRC 125M) still in the livery of its previous owner, Enterprise Cruises from somewhere down in the West Country (near Falmouth) which, according to my sources, has been acquired by Richard Waterhouse of Ripley (already the owner of a very smart Midland General VRT). Other interesting vehicles included a newly acquired Volvo B7RLE with a Wright body now with Delaine of Bourne (BX04 CKV) , a Bedford VAL with Plaxton Panorama body (OOR 320G) used at some time on a Beatles tour in Liverpool and a Leyland Tiger with a Duple "Lookalike" body built by Plaxtons (J25 UNY) of which I believe only twenty five were built as Plaxton used up stocks of Duple parts after taking over the Blackpool coachbuilders. The rain stopped in the afternoon and the weather brightened up so that the free services could be enjoyed all the more.

Unfortunately, it was not possible to take a bus to the 60th birthday party of "Buses" magazine at the Science Museum at Wroughton, but several Transpire members made the journey by car and despite a few problems, felt that the effort had been worthwhile. (PHOTOGRAPHS)

Our car was parked in Swindon and we caught Cheltenham and Gloucester Routemaster RML NML 657E to the airfield at Wroughton. We duly paid our £7.50 admission fee but were disappointed to find that we could not buy a programme (for £2.50) at the gate despite the fact that there was a big sign up advertising them (so I am afraid that none of our party bothered after that!). We were also told that if we wanted to view the exhibits in the hangar, then we needed to get a ticket somewhere else. We did this just before 11 o clock but were somewhat taken aback when we were told that we would be going on the tour at 16.10!. Having said that, I think that we were lucky as it seemed that tickets ran out soon after this and so there must have been some disappointed people!

After viewing and photographing the exhibits (and I personally thought that there would be more buses there, although there were some very interesting ones), we then enjoyed a run around the airfield in Thamesdown UMR 199T an ECW bodied Daimler Fleetline. (I am sorry but I refuse to call Fleetlines anything other than Daimler). After this we returned on NML 657E to Swindon to get some lunch. We then returned in the car to Wroughton as we had noted that the last bus back to Swindon was at 5 o'clock. Interestingly, anyone arriving at this time (about 3 o clock) could have got into the site for free as the pay booth was deserted!

At 16.10 we boarded Ex London Transport RF MXX 8 with a three bells load as the 16.10 slot had been double booked. A short ride later we arrived at the hangar and after a brief talk had to put on a hard hat just to go through the door! This was the cause of the limit on numbers as concrete could apparently fall off the front of the hangar. One suggestion from a member of our party for future reference would be to put a piece of scaffolding up over the door to catch any falling pieces of concrete. However there was a treasure trove of vehicles inside and it had been worth the wait some of these are illustrated HERE.

All in all however, I thoroughly enjoyed the day.

Unfortuntely, I was unable to go on the trip to Bolton Abbey last Sunday, but Dennis Vickers tells me that all went well. The transport was provided by Leyland Leopard 306 (PRA 109R) and about 30 buses were present. The Leopard did one round trip on the free bus services, working out to Gargrave. Sixteen members and friends travelling made for a very successful trip.

Twenty six people travelled on ex Blackpool Atlantean 353 (part of the Chesterfield 123 Group collection) to Birkenhead on Sunday 4th October for the annual Wirral Bus and Tram Show held around the Pacific Road and Taylor Street musems. Three of us alighted in Liverpool in order to meet Nathan Cartwright off his train from Preston and after having lunch, Nathan and two of the party caught an underground train from Lime Street station to Birkenhead.

I decided to make use of my bus pass and duly caught First Potteries(!) service 1 back to Birkenhead through the Mersey tunnel. Interestingly, I was given a CHESHIRE OAP ticket. I always believed that if a ticket was issued it showed the authority where one BOARDED the bus, although the day before I had boarded a bus in Mansfield and asked which authority it was issued by and was given a Derbyshire ticket, (and that on a service which does not leave Nottinghamshire). I wonder what the driver would have done if I had said East Devon, would the ticket have said this? Perhaps the driver of the First bus knew something I didn't but I wonder what the population of Liverpool would think about being transferred to Cheshire. (Another thought, I believe that Cheshire no longer exists as a local authority so it is even more confusing!) Anyhow it was a good rally, the weather was kind and there are not many rallies where you can ride on a tram in the middle of the street.

Showbus, this year, was blessed with beautiful weather, which for me, made such a difference in getting round the vast site. Several vehicles went from the Chesterfield area, I personally travelled on Redferns' Bristol VR LVL 804V, which has just been completely refurbished by its operator (and in fact won an award for the best 1970's double decker from a small operator, being new in December 1979!). After operating one of the tours to Duxford village it joined a small display of other vehicles from the Johnsons/Redferns fleet which once again were a credit to this operator! Other vehicles attending from our area included Leyland Panther 93, Leyland National 2, 55 and TM Travel Q723 GHG, the unique rear engined ECW bodied Leyland Tiger. There was also a Pronto liveried MAN from Stagecoach in Mansfield (sorry I didn't note the number!) Two ex Trent vehicles present were Bristol VR BRC 837T in Trent NBC livery and Leyland National FRA 534V in the livery of its last (now defunct) operator, Palaeobus. A vehicle which had just been freshly painted in an attractive two tone green livery was Ex Stagecoach in Mansfield Leyland Olympian J350 XET with Nu Venture of Maidstone, and if this is a new livery for them it is a big improvement on the one I have seen before which was white and blue. I also noticed an Ex Yorkshire Traction Wright bodied Dennis Dart (L422 LET) now with Emblings of Guyhirn who did not seem to muster a single Bristol VR this year, after several years of having a display of several of this marque. I was quite impressed with the Stagecoach display which included one unique vehicle for the group, A Wright bodied DAF (or VDL if you like) YJ04 HLC recently transferred from Stagecoach Highland to Yorkshire. All in all it was a very good day.

There was a good turnout at the Meadowhall rally of vehicles with a Chesterfield connection including Leyland Titan 225, Daimler Fleetline 123 and Leyland Leopard 306. In addition TM Travel sent several vehicles (including one used as the control bus) and Johnsons/Redfern has a display of several of their preserved vehicles together with a couple from the current fleet which were a credit to their operator. One interesting bus also present was N196 FLR an integral low floor airport type bus built by Van Hool (a Van Hool A308?).