These four images show a couple of buses that might be recalled by some within and maybe others outside of the Transpire Bus Society. They
show two out of possibly four Bedford VAS5 midibuses with Wadham Stringer Vanguard DP18FL bodywork. The buses were apparently first
delivered in 1985 to the Glamorgan Social Services Department in South Wales, hence the registrations.
However, in the images shown they obviously appear in Chesterfield Transport livery and apparently came here in 1989. As to what they were
used on, I do not have any idea, but am sure someone will have the knowledge.
In the meantime I came across two of them (B233 and 236 DCY), in 1994 down in Hertfordshire when they were owned and operated by a
company called Tricolour Coaches of Hatfield. They had a base (of sorts), in a yard adjacent to Welham Green railway station
alongside what we now call the East Coast Main Line. As observed from the images they retained the Chesterfield livery and
their dual-purpose seating. All angles of the vehicles are shown including the rear aspect with the double doors that led to the tail lift.
Three images show them amidst the variety of coaches and other apparel within the yard at Welham Green, whilst the fourth shows 233 in
August 1994 at Borehamwood. Here it was captured as it worked a Mon-Fri return journey commercial service TC1 from Welham Green via
Colney Heath, London Colney and Shenley to the GEC works. Between these journeys (am there and pm back), it also ran a couple of
local town journeys to and from the GEC site. The services commenced in July 1994 but did not last all that long.
The company also ran a number of contracted schools services in the Hatfield area, hence the other vehicles in the images. Operations
are now long since ceased, but the location of their yard still lives on with a bus connection. It has been developed into a service area
for major refurbishment of buses, especially those employed by various operators of London’s contracted route network.
Comment by Andrew Bagshaw (28 February 2011):
Just a note to let everyone know that one of the Bedford PJK buses in Tony Wilson's feature B233 DCY went on to be a travellers home and was
tragically involved in a serious accident pictured here. Andrew Bagshaw collection
