Trivia - Bus companies with (or had) a single type of bus?

[JetBlast]

There can't be many of these? I guess they will all be small companies.

I think Jim Stones only operated the Enviro 200.

 

[TheSel]

Any company with just one vehicle?

But over the years, Jim Stones operated other types, too. Here's a couple of examples - both taken by yours truly.


Leyland DAB A499MHG



Wadham Stringer bodied Leyland Swift F956XCK

 

[cnjb8]

Until recently, would Delaine have counted with Volvo?

 

[swifty]

I think for a period in the late 90s Wessex of Bristol only operated Plaxton Premiere/Expressliner on either the Javelin or B10M (plus 3 B7Rs) chassis

 

[GusB]

I think for a period in the late 90s Wessex of Bristol only operated Plaxton Premiere/Expressliner on either the Javelin or B10M (plus 3 B7Rs) chassis

They're different types, then!

 

[upasalmon]

Depend what you mean by type (chassis/body). During the 1960s Northampton had a fleet composed of Roe bodied Daimler CVG6s. In the late 1960s Blackpool had Leyland Titan PD2/PD3s with synchromesh gearboxes and 0600 engines. Bodywork styles did vary. More recently the now defunct Halton Transport had a fleet of Dennis Dart SLF (Inc Transbus and ADL) but broke the monopoly by buying Scanias . As I write this the anniversary of Halton's closure approaches. Crosville had an all Bristol/ECW fleet briefly in 1964 , and that was only broken by two Commer minibuses and 14 Bedford VAM coaches. Crosville took 100 (unwanted) Seddon RUs in 1970s and the Bristol ECW hold was broken.

 

[dgl]

Didn't Sureline originally only have the Mercedes minibuses and then gained some full size buses later on, of course now they are under South West Coaches ownership and they have all gone.

 

[lkpridgeon]

PC Coaches of Lincoln only uses Optare solos for their service vehicles. (Assuming coaches aren't classed as buses)

 

[swifty]

They're different types, then!

Depends what you class as single type, the OP didn’t clarify, but they all had the Plaxton Expressliner bodywork.

 

[rcro]

Whittles must have come close back when they did wholesale fleet replacement every few years. There’s probably still a couple of thousand of their old Bedfords still on the road somewhere.

 

[upasalmon]

I doubt if there are thousands of Bedfords these days (the last Bedford's were built in 1986) so I would say DOZENS still exist. Apart from the Morris Minor of buses, the venerable Bedford OB.

 

[Romsey]

Southampton Corporation Transport (as it was then) had a fleet in the late 1950's which was just Guy Arabs with Park Royal bodywork. The unified fleet was broken with AEC Regents and Leyland PD2's with very ugly Park Royal box like bodies.

 

[Gloster]

Didn’t Tillingbourne have nothing but ex-LT Guy Arabs in the 1970s? I am no expert on buses.

 

[Simon75]

Arriva Shrewsbury only have Optare buses

 

[Romsey]

Didn’t Tillingbourne have nothing but ex-LT Guy Arabs in the 1970s? I am no expert on buses.

I vaguely remember Tillingbourne using ex LT RF single deckers in the late 1960's. What they were remembered for was the use of ex London Transport Guy Specials (GS class). ( LT were still using them on routes in the area from Guildford and Dorking depots.)

 

[WM Bus]

Discount Travel Solutions and RK Travel only operate Dennis Darts. They operate on the Birmingham 11A/11C outer circle.
Fleet list – Discount Travel Solutions – bustimes.org

Discount Travel Solutions on 11C. RK Travel on 11A.

 

[Gloster]

I vaguely remember Tillingbourne using ex LT RF single deckers in the late 1960's. What they were remembered for was the use of ex London Transport Guy Specials (GS class). ( LT were still using them on routes in the area from Guildford and Dorking depots.)

Yes, sorry. I meant Guy Specials.

 

[Ianno87]

Cumfybus of Southport seem to have a fetish for Optare Solos.

 

[Redmike]

Provincial were 100% Leyland National in the mid 80s.

 

[GusB]

Depends what you class as single type, the OP didn’t clarify, but they all had the Plaxton Expressliner bodywork.

A single type would be the same chassis/body combination. Javelins and B10Ms were very different beasts.

 

[Man of Kent]

PC Coaches of Lincoln only uses Optare solos for their service vehicles. (Assuming coaches aren't classed as buses)

Surely they also have a pair of hybrid Enviro400s and some Wright Streetlites?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Provincial were 100% Leyland National in the mid 80s.

Indeed but not for long.

They had the last of their REs until 1984, plus they disposed of 3 Bristol LHs to United about the same time. However, they did have a couple of Leyland Tigers until they were transferred to Shamrock and Rambler in 1985. By the end of 1986, they had received their first Iveco minibuses so less than two years but yeah, 100% National.....just depends if you class Mk1 and Mk2 as separate models

A local independent to me is Frome Bus who run a sizeable network of tendered services for Somerset, Wiltshire and Bath councils. In the past, they've had the odd smaller mini (like a Sprinter) but don't know if they have now. Otherwise, its all Solos of both classic and SR design

 

[GusB]

...just depends if you class Mk1 and Mk2 as separate models

Ooh, controversial

 

[mlambeuk]

York in the early 1990 had a company called Target travel which had Renault bodied, Plaxton beavers until it was taken over by the main operator in York, Another one was Glenn coaches which used Leyland nationals on it's service routes.

 

[MisterWhippy]

Until recently, would Delaine have counted with Volvo?

Yes, all current busses are Volvo, until they recently bought a new single decker ADL last year.

Before that, it was all Leyland's.

 

[rcro]

Now I think about a proper answer, Woodstones of Kidderminster had a wholly Volvo B7/Plaxton Profile fleet for many years until “upgrading” to buy the B8/Leopard when that came onto sale. There’s a bit more variety currently as think they are shifting to Irizar i4s.

Prospect of Lye were similarly standardised on Plaxton Profile coaches at that time - it’s not a fleet I’ve ever been particularly close to to know if all were the same at any point.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

York in the early 1990 had a company called Target travel which had Renault bodied, Plaxton beavers until it was taken over by the main operator in York, Another one was Glenn coaches which used Leyland nationals on it's service routes.

Glenn did use Leopards (I think) as shown on this cracking shot (credit to photographer). Also got your Target Renaults in shot. York was truly something in those days!

wall of spies

2 Transits 1 Renault 1 Iveco 1 Bedford 1 Lynx 1 National 1 Olympian 1 Leopard aaaaanddd a partridge in a pear tree....Merry Christmas to everyone who views, comments, supports, and helps. Ds

www.flickr.com

 

[TR673]

PC Coaches of Lincoln only uses Optare solos for their service vehicles. (Assuming coaches aren't classed as buses)

Surely they also have a pair of hybrid Enviro400s and some Wright Streetlites?

PC Coaches is far from standardised as they've got a whole mix of double and single deckers in the service bus fleet, mostly Optare or Scania. Even the two Streetlites aren't identical as they are different lengths, plus they have a multitude of 'van' type buses for Lincoln county council contracts.

If coaches aren't included, I could possibly suggest St Ives Bus Company on a technicality. In 2016 they certainly appeared to be Solo-only, save for a Vario that must've been registered as a coach to skirt around DDA rules. Don't know about today though; don't even know if they're still going.

 

[lkpridgeon]

Surely they also have a pair of hybrid Enviro400s and some Wright Streetlites?

I stand corrected there then. I'll leave buses to bus people

 

[baza585]

Indeed but not for long.

They had the last of their REs until 1984, plus they disposed of 3 Bristol LHs to United about the same time. However, they did have a couple of Leyland Tigers until they were transferred to Shamrock and Rambler in 1985. By the end of 1986, they had received their first Iveco minibuses so less than two years but yeah, 100% National.....just depends if you class Mk1 and Mk2 as separate models

A local independent to me is Frome Bus who run a sizeable network of tendered services for Somerset, Wiltshire and Bath councils. In the past, they've had the odd smaller mini (like a Sprinter) but don't know if they have now. Otherwise, its all Solos of both classic and SR design

I've always been mystified why Provincial sold off their J&K reg REs prematurely, in favour of
early Leyland Nationals from various sources some of which were absolute sheds (3 x MCN 84*L ex Northern being particularly unpleasant vehicles which often didn't see the day out in my experience). But then not many of the REs saw further service, so that may tell it's own tale.........