Bristol Omnibus, City Line & Badgerline discussion

[83G/84D]

First off a coach and driver training minibus style:-

 

[83G/84D]

Two more including a former Western National Transit.

 

[quarella]

Wells to.....depends which day you're travelling.
View attachment Scan0015.pdf

View attachment Scan0014.pdf

Return tickets before 0900 on the X17(376)!!!

 

[Class 33]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/23095055@N05/16834559683/in/pool-undefined/
Lovely photo here of a Badgerline liveried Bristol VR on service 70 UWE-Centre pictured sometime during 1998. Interesting the destination blind on this bus says City Centre, rather than the normal Centre. I remember seeing all these Bristol VR's on the 70 back then. I think then the 70 was the only Bristol city service still using Bristol VR's.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/58384795@N04/15953767832/in/pool-undefined/
And here's a great shot of a Leyland National in City Line Overground livery on a 71 Filton Church-Centre service. Pictured at the junction of Muller Road and Ralph Road, around 1992. Wish I'd have made more use of these Leyland National's during the early 1990's whilst they were still in use on Bristol city services. They used to be on the 1, 2, & 54 up till early 1990 and then were suddenly replaced with the new Leyland Lynx's. Never got a ride on any more of them on Bristol city services after that. Mind you, back then I wasn't really much of a bus fan.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/58384795@N04/15953767892/in/pool-undefined/
And another shot of a Leyland National on a 71 just arriving into it's terminating destination of Centre. From about the same year.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/58384795@N04/15928640556/in/pool-undefined/
And here's another short of another Leyland National on a 78 Hartcliffe-Southmead service. Also from around 1992. I do remember back around 1992/1993 services 77 & 78 had a number of Leyland National's in use for a while, as well as the Northern Counties Leyland Olympians.

The Leyland Nationals. Much MUCH missed buses!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The Leyland Nationals. Much MUCH missed buses!

Not if you read Fray Bentos' flickr photostream - he hated them (but liked the Mk2s when they finally got the design right)

 

[Class 33]

I had better make a posting on this thread before it gets auto-locked due to inactivity again!

We'll take a look now at some buses on the old services 87 & 88.....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/16735388414/in/pool-576952@N20/
A Bristol Lodekka seen here running along Greystoke Avenue on an 88 to Southmead(Charlton Road lay-by). Doesn't say when this photo was taken, but most likely from either the late 1970's or early 1980's.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/15129278323/in/pool-576952@N20/
Another Bristol Lodekka on an 88 to Park Estate. Seen here at Old Market Street in May 1980.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/13471008035/in/pool-576952@N20/
And another Bristol Lodekka on an 88 soon to depart bound for Warmley. Seen here at the Southmead Charlton Road lay-by in April 1975.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tarquinius_superbus/8382174250/in/pool-576952@N20/
And another Bristol Lodekka on an 88! Just entering the Centre, passing the old SWEB centre. On it's way to it's usual northern terminating point of Southmead. This photo is probably from the early 1980's.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tarquinius_superbus/8381092195/in/pool-576952@N20/
Another Bristol Lodekka! This time on an 88E to Filton West, which was a little way past the Southmead Charlton Road lay-by. The bus is seen here at the Park Estate terminus.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/8044668101/in/pool-576952@N20/
Yes another Bristol Lodekka! This time on an 87 to Filton(Church). Seen here entering Old Market Street in February 1981.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/4876494738/in/album-72157594232293978/
A Bristol Lodekka again. On an 87 to Filton. Just climbing the final stretch of Southmead Road, and very near the end of the journey. Seen here in August 1980.


OK, enough of the Bristol Lodekka's on 87's and 88's for now! May be back to post some other buses on these services later. Will have to check the original thread to see that I don't post any duplicates!
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In the meantime.....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8615623@N04/2092643219/in/pool-1553414@N22/
Love this photo here of a Leyland Olympian in City Rider livery on the 77 to Henbury! Seen here in July 1986. Good ol' days! The original Leyland Olympians on the 77! The bus seen here entering into Temple Way. Having come from Redcliffe Way. From Temple Way the service would be routed via Bond Street(The Horsefair and Penn Street in the other direction), then North Street, Cheltenham Road, etc. The service wasn't routed via the Centre, apart from on Sundays and later evenings as service 77A.
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Some different buses on the 87's and 88's as promised.....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/2518233692/in/pool-576952@N20/
A Bristol VR in all over Climatic Windows livery, on an 87 to Filton. Seen here running through Hill Street in Kingswood in October 1979. During this period there would have been a mix of Bristol VR's and Bristol Lodekka's on the 87's and 88's.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/3839672607/in/pool-576952@N20/
A Bristol VR on an 88 to Southmead. Just pulling out of Lawrence Hill Depot! March 1980. I remember a number of times back in the 80's getting some bus services such as the 87 & 88 and some of them would pull into this depot for a crew change! Of course nowadays, crew changes takes place on the main Lawrence Hill road.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/3834954032/in/pool-576952@N20/
Another Bristol VR on an 88 to Park Estate. Seen here at The Haymarket in March 1980. Alongside it is a Bristol RE on a service 830 to Stroud.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/3833886113/in/pool-576952@N20/
Another Bristol VR! This one on an 88 to Southmead. Seen here at Church Road, Lawrence Hill in February 1980.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ff17285/3944128924/in/pool-576952@N20/
A Leyland Olympian in all over SWEB advertising livery(I particularly remember this livery from the time) on an 87 to Polytechnic(now the UWE). Seen here at College Green during the late spring of 1984. During this period there would be a very interesting mix of buses on the 87's and 88's. Bristol VR's, the newer and very sleek modern looking Leyland Olympians, and still some Bristol Lodekkas in their last remaining days of service!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/7964319@N03/16834416313/in/pool-1553414@N22/
Another Leyland Olympian. This one in City Line's attractive City Rider livery. On an 87 to the very exotic sounding California Farm! Seen here at The Horsefair in either 1985 or 1986.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/6448131607/in/pool-576952@N20/
And an interesting photo here. A single decker Bristol RE on an 88! Seen here at Southmead Charlton Road layby, around the late 1970's or early 1980's. Interesting explaination from Fray Benton in the description as to why single deckers were put on the 88's on evenings and on Sundays.

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Nodding Pig has some interesting stuff on his flickr site

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/15701726621/in/dateposted/ shows one of the relatively rare Bristol FSFs at Bog Island in Bath (for the uninitiated, a FSF is basically a short version of the FLF).


https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/10842771196/in/dateposted/ shows an FLF on the 339 on diversion in his home town of Salford.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/10211820866/in/dateposted/ depicts a FSF on the 339 - I'm pretty sure that this was a one-off as whenever I saw the 339, it was the preserve of FLFs. Six workings from each of Marlborough Street and Bath depots.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/10176455275/in/dateposted/. We now migrate to a 1970s Bristol City Centre and once of Lawrence Hill's early FLFs.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/10174412325/in/dateposted/ Ah, the G prefixes for the Gloucester City fleet (the dedicated Bristol City fleet had C prefixes). I certainly remember the two tone fleetnumber plates with C and G prefixes but not the black ones with the two letter depot code .

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/9921582193/in/dateposted/. Now that's a proper livery for a FLF!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/9101013413/in/dateposted/. If all RE's had been painted this colour. I was brought up on REs and there was only one place to sit - immediately above the rear axle!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/9079732024/in/dateposted/. Equally pretty!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/8122762073/in/dateposted/ Ah, the days when nearly all Bristol City services were either RE or FLF worked - there were a few Leyland Nasties, particularly the troublesome JHU-L batch, which seemed to mainly work out of Staple Hill and Muller Road.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/8122738133/in/dateposted/ Staple Hill allocation plates were comparatively rare as Muller Road was the parent depot and allocations were shared.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/6930351200/in/dateposted/. And so to Bath and one of the former Western National FLFs that came when Bristol took over WN's Trowbridge depot. Ironically, a few year's earlier. BOC had sold some FSFs to WN and a few came back with Trowbridge depot!

Now a poser for you Bristol bus historians - in the 1970s, my local routes were mainly part of the Hanham local services (383, 387 & 388). Is anyone aware of photos of these three routes out there. The 383 would have been REs while the 387 & 388 were the preserve of FLFs (they had to be crew operated because of the turn on the 388 at Bitton village). Once Hanham closed, the routes were modified and became the 58 and 59 with the 383 disappearing (I think). This is the only one that I have seen

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Nodding Pig has some interesting stuff on his flickr site

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/15701726621/in/dateposted/ shows one of the relatively rare Bristol FSFs at Bog Island in Bath (for the uninitiated, a FSF is basically a short version of the FLF).


https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/10842771196/in/dateposted/ shows an FLF on the 339 on diversion in his home town of Salford.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/10211820866/in/dateposted/ depicts a FSF on the 339 - I'm pretty sure that this was a one-off as whenever I saw the 339, it was the preserve of FLFs. Six workings from each of Marlborough Street and Bath depots.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/10176455275/in/dateposted/. We now migrate to a 1970s Bristol City Centre and once of Lawrence Hill's early FLFs.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/10174412325/in/dateposted/ Ah, the G prefixes for the Gloucester City fleet (the dedicated Bristol City fleet had C prefixes). I certainly remember the two tone fleetnumber plates with C and G prefixes but not the black ones with the two letter depot code .

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/9921582193/in/dateposted/. Now that's a proper livery for a FLF!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/9101013413/in/dateposted/. If all RE's had been painted this colour. I was brought up on REs and there was only one place to sit - immediately above the rear axle!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/9079732024/in/dateposted/. Equally pretty!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/8122762073/in/dateposted/ Ah, the days when nearly all Bristol City services were either RE or FLF worked - there were a few Leyland Nasties, particularly the troublesome JHU-L batch, which seemed to mainly work out of Staple Hill and Muller Road.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/8122738133/in/dateposted/ Staple Hill allocation plates were comparatively rare as Muller Road was the parent depot and allocations were shared.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/6930351200/in/dateposted/. And so to Bath and one of the former Western National FLFs that came when Bristol took over WN's Trowbridge depot. Ironically, a few year's earlier. BOC had sold some FSFs to WN and a few came back with Trowbridge depot!

Now a poser for you Bristol bus historians - in the 1970s, my local routes were mainly part of the Hanham local services (383, 387 & 388). Is anyone aware of photos of these three routes out there. The 383 would have been REs while the 387 & 388 were the preserve of FLFs (they had to be crew operated because of the turn on the 388 at Bitton village). Once Hanham closed, the routes were modified and became the 58 and 59 with the 383 disappearing (I think). This is the only one that I have seen

Hanham locals..... Ta dah https://flic.kr/p/bxiTYz

 

[Class 33]

Now a poser for you Bristol bus historians - in the 1970s, my local routes were mainly part of the Hanham local services (383, 387 & 388). Is anyone aware of photos of these three routes out there. The 383 would have been REs while the 387 & 388 were the preserve of FLFs (they had to be crew operated because of the turn on the 388 at Bitton village). Once Hanham closed, the routes were modified and became the 58 and 59 with the 383 disappearing (I think). This is the only one that I have seen

Not services that I will remember. I would have been too young. But found some photos of these services on FlickR....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/16559664647/in/pool-576952@N20/
A Bristol RE on a 383 to Keynsham. Seen here at Park Estate on a snowy Wintery day in February 1979.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/211365652/in/album-72157594232293978/
A Bristol Lodekka on a 388 to Bristol(Bus Station). Seen here at Clarence Road sometime back in 1976.

EDIT: Removed the same photo of a 388 that TheGrandWazzoo kindly posted just before me.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
.......

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/9226935403/in/album-72157594232293978/
Here's an 88 seen here at Filton West back in November 1975. I allways wondered what this place looked like! I remember a number of times around the mid 1980's seeing some 88E's, 77E's and 78E's to Filton West at certain times. I had planned to one day get on one of these services to Filton West. But I never did!

 

[carlberry]

Nodding Pig has some interesting stuff on his flickr site

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nodding_pig/8122738133/in/dateposted/ Staple Hill allocation plates were comparatively rare as Muller Road was the parent depot and allocations were shared.

The allocation plate always refered to the depot the vehicle was maintained at. Avonmouth and Staple Hill had no heavy maintenance facilities so didnt have a proper allocation. This suddenly changed for Staple Hill when new facilities were built in the depot and the SH codes appeared. This was about two years before the depot closed however!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The allocation plate always refered to the depot the vehicle was maintained at. Avonmouth and Staple Hill had no heavy maintenance facilities so didnt have a proper allocation. This suddenly changed for Staple Hill when new facilities were built in the depot and the SH codes appeared. This was about two years before the depot closed however!

I seem to recall from one of Fray's excellent captions that the yard at Staple Hill was resurfaced not long before closure was announced. Such profligate spending wasn't unknown in NBC times!

Makes me chuckle when I see First Bristol 42711 still displaying its old number and WE code. Think the codes used were

GR - Gloucester **
SD - Stroud
CM - Cheltenham **
SN - Swindon **
DS - Devizes (Think it had a code)
TE - Trowbridge
BH - Bath
WM - Weston
WS - Wells **
SH - Staple Hill $
WE - Winterstoke Road
MR - Muller Road $
LH - Lawrence Hill **
MH - Marlborough Street
HN - Hanham $

Don't think Avonmouth $, Wotton under Edge, Highbridge or Cirencester $ had codes? Other depots (Eastville $, Brislington $, Westbury $) are a bit before my time so don't know about them - any further info??

As an aside, depots still in use ** and still standing in other guises $, and I see that Stagecoach will be replacing the old Swindon depot with a new facility

 

[carlberry]

I seem to recall from one of Fray's excellent captions that the yard at Staple Hill was resurfaced not long before closure was announced. Such profligate spending wasn't unknown in NBC times!

Makes me chuckle when I see First Bristol 42711 still displaying its old number and WE code. Think the codes used were

GR - Gloucester **
SD - Stroud
CM - Cheltenham **
SN - Swindon **
DS - Devizes (Think it had a code)
TE - Trowbridge
BH - Bath
WM - Weston
WS - Wells **
SH - Staple Hill $
WE - Winterstoke Road
MR - Muller Road $
LH - Lawrence Hill **
MH - Marlborough Street
HN - Hanham $

Don't think Avonmouth $, Wotton under Edge, Highbridge or Cirencester $ had codes? Other depots (Eastville $, Brislington $, Westbury $) are a bit before my time so don't know about them - any further info??

As an aside, depots still in use ** and still standing in other guises $, and I see that Stagecoach will be replacing the old Swindon depot with a new facility

Avonmouth was AV but nothing carried it because it had no facilities. The codes, and the blue colour for the training fleets, were both introduced by a new General Manager who'd come from Eastern National and the other depots were closed before codes were use. I believe the codes were out of use by the time the darts were introduced and somebody at Hengrove has added them on recently.

The codes above were engineering codes, the traffic department also used two letter codes but some were different Winterstoke was WS for example and all duty and bus details refered to this. Devizes didnt have an engineering code, however it would have had a traffic code. Brislington is still involved with bus MOTs as several local owners take preserved ones there for the class V test!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Avonmouth was AV but nothing carried it because it had no facilities. The codes, and the blue colour for the training fleets, were both introduced by a new General Manager who'd come from Eastern National and the other depots were closed before codes were use. I believe the codes were out of use by the time the darts were introduced and somebody at Hengrove has added them on recently.

The codes above were engineering codes, the traffic department also used two letter codes but some were different Winterstoke was WS for example and all duty and bus details refered to this. Devizes didnt have an engineering code, however it would have had a traffic code. Brislington is still involved with bus MOTs as several local owners take preserved ones there for the class V test!

Hi Carl

42711 still has the original 1711 WE plates on the rear. Think those MPDs and the R-NHY Olympians were the last to get those plates.

By the time I moved to the area in 2005, the application of depot codes (in vinyl) had ceased but you could still see a few on vehicles

 

[g4mby]

Don't think Avonmouth $, Wotton under Edge, Highbridge or Cirencester $ had codes? Other depots (Eastville $, Brislington $, Westbury $) are a bit before my time so don't know about them - any further info??

I lived in Wotton-under-Edge in the late 70s and remember that a bus was exchanged with Gloucester late at night at Dursley. I've posted about it elsewhere but passengers would stay on the bus but drivers swapped vehicles meaning a bus out-stationed at Wotton would be returned to Gloucester each day. So Wotton wouldn't have needed a code as vehicles were only out-stationed there for a day or so but they were always allocated to Gloucester.

I then moved to Yate and there was a similar arrangement with Marlborough Street for the short lived out-station which I think was in what is now the car park of A. Nichols (Cowmills) at the foot of Bowling Hill in Chipping Sodbury, or is that in Yate? From memory there were three buses and three minibuses (that operated the local Yate town services) based there. Anyway, duty cards at that time were definitely prefixed YS, Yate/Sodbury (???)

 

[Class 33]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/7393458914/in/pool-576952@N20/
Another photo of a bus on service 87! This one a bit of a rare one. As unusually on this day back in 1978 a single decker Bristol MW5G Saloon from the late 1950's(or maybe early 1960's) was on serivce 87! Passengers must have been quite surprised to see one of these turn up instead of one of the usual double decker Bristol Lodekkas! Seen here at Hill Street in Kingswood.
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Another little update. This update taking a look at a few different bus services from the year 1970(before my time!).

https://www.flickr.com/photos/buses-international/17066665056/
Lovely shot here of a Bristol Lodekka on a service 2A to Shirehampton. Not sure where exactly this location is here though. The 2A in 1970 was a Lockleaze-Shirehampton service. Via Centre, Whiteladies Road, and Sea Mills. It was renumbered service 23 from 25th October 1970.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/buses-international/16906376049/
A Bristol Lodekka on service 7 to Hartcliffe. Seen here at Temple Way. Service 7 was a Henbury-Hartcliffe service. It was renumbered service 77 from 25th October 1970. It's sister service 7A Southmead-Hartcliffe was also renumbered to 78.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/buses-international/17091895331/
Another Bristol Lodekka. Seen here on the Centre, outside the old Bristol & West building. This bus on service 98C to the Centre. Service 98 in 1970 was a Patchway-Knowle(St. Giles Estate(??) service, via Gloucester Road, and Centre. Appears to run a similar route to the old 74 Patchway-Knowle West service that was introduced in 1981. By 1980, the 98 had become a Centre-Polytechnic service via Cheltenham Road, Gloucester Road and Filton Avenue, along with the 99 via Whiteladies Road, Redland, Gloucester Road and Filton Avenue.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/buses-international/17091893681/
Temple Meads station. And a Bristol RE on a service 41 to Bristol Zoo.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/buses-international/17092590605/
Colston Avenue, Centre. And a Bristol RE on a service 15 to Shirehampton. To the left of the bus is the old public toilets building, and the old Bristol & West building.


Great shots. Looks like a great year to be out and about on the buses back in 1970!

 

[Class 33]

Thought I'd better post a quick update, before this thread gets auto-locked due to inactivity like the first thread was. Keep the thread alive to some extent, rather than it being locked and having to start a Bristol Omnibus, Cityline and Badgerline no. 3 thread!

Just a couple of pics in this update.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/28431353@N02/22246794599/
Great photo here from about 1972 to 1975. Southmead Arnside Road terminus, and a Bristol VR on a 78 about to turn around to work it's way back to Hartcliffe. I didn't know nor remember there being any Bristol VR's being on the 77 & 78 back in those years, mind you I would have been VERY young back then anyway! So back in those years, an interesting mix of buses would have been on the 77 & 78. Bristol K Type's from the early 1950's. Bristol Lodekka's from the 1950's and 1960's, and some of these newer Bristol VR's from the early 1970's! To the right of the bus is Southmead Library, which is still there today.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8615623@N04/3389053587/
And here's another Bristol VR. This one a flat fronted Bristol VR on a 26 Centre-Shirehampton service. Seen here on the Centre back in June 1986. The then service 26 would have been routed via basically the same route as the current(November 2015!) service 77 route as far as Westbury via Marlborough Street, Kingsdown, Cotham, Cranbrook Road, Henleaze, and Wellington Hill West, then from Westbury through to Henbury(via Henbury Hill, not Crow Lane), Lawrence Weston, and Shirehampton. A bus service I sadly didn't get round to ever going on as far as I'm aware!

That's all for the time being. I'll be back again with more material sometime within the next few months to ensure this thread doesn't get auto-locked due to inactivity. Feel free though to contribute any material yourself if you wish, either photos or memories.

 

[Class 33]

Thought it was time to post a quick update before this thread goes and gets auto-locked again!

This time a few Badgerline memories.....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tcd481j/15636446422/
A Leyland Olympian on an X39 just leaving Bristol Bus Station on it's way to Bath. October 1997.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/britishbuses/16794780721/
And at Bath Bus Station, a Bristol VR on a 332 about to leave for Bristol. August 1992.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/britishbuses/16794778121/
And also at Bath Bus Station in August 1992, a Leyland National on an X3 to Bristol.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/britishbuses/16588607817/
Still at Bath Bus Station in August 1992, here's a Volvo Olympian on an X39 about to leave for Bristol.

And that's it for the time being!

 

[co-tr-paul]

Kingswood had KD. Only 24 plates were made initially for the M reg mercs. Some transferred to the N plates when they came (tacho fitted). l Have 5 of them !

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Kingswood had KD. Only 24 plates were made initially for the M reg mercs. Some transferred to the N plates when they came (tacho fitted). l Have 5 of them !

Missed off KD - didn't stick in the head as it wasn't a historic BOC depot. Can't quite remember the history (was it a Wessex depot and then to National Travel SW?) before then to Bristol OC for the former NTSW coaching ops then to Cityline?

Also, who now has the former Wessex depot in Sussex Street? Is it Turners? I only ever remember going there once c.1996 but just can't place it

Oh, and C33, that's not a Volvo Olympian. It's a Citybus but one of the three that began life with Western National and were then allocated to MH, rather than the native ones that were based at WM.

 

[Class 33]

Oh, and C33, that's not a Volvo Olympian. It's a Citybus but one of the three that began life with Western National and were then allocated to MH, rather than the native ones that were based at WM.

Yep thanks for pointing that out. I realised a while afterwards that I should have posted it was actually a Volvo Citybus and not an Olympian. But left it too late to edit my posting. These forums only give you about half hour after a posting to edit it.

Oh and whilst I'm here, a couple more photo memories again. Staying with Badgerline in Bath.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/britishbuses/16108164659/
A Bristol VR in all over advertising Portman Homes livery on a 331 to Bristol. Pictured shortly after leaving Bath Bus Station in 1991. I don't remember a service 331 myself. Though upon looking it up, it ran from Bath to Bristol via Bitton, Oldland, Warmley, Kingswood, Downend, Frenchay, and UWE. Quite a long round the houses route!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/7964319@N03/7585628688/
Another Bristol VR. This one on a limited stop X3 to Bristol. Probably in the early 1990's again. A reminder the X3 was a Frome-Bristol limited stop service via (very) basically Midford, Bath, and Saltford.

 

[co-tr-paul]

Re Kingswood. This belonged to zkingswood Queen ( Feltham's) and was originally hard standing. By 1956, a single storey building and 2 ex aircraft hangers were on site. Upon takeover by Wessex on z61, the building had another storey added. Around 74, the front hanger was demolished and a smaller fuelling shed erected. The site closed after the 83 summer season when Wessex, by now National Travel West moved to LH. BOC moved in in 86 until 95. When sold, it became a wood distribution yard as it is today still untouched structurally. The building has been slightly altered and o think owned by social services. Photos on Flickr can be found by doing the relevant searches etc. including my stream. The site in St. Phillips is seperate from Turners and used after privatisation until takeover by First.
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Correction, Badgerline Holdongs !

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Re Kingswood. This belonged to zkingswood Queen ( Feltham's) and was originally hard standing. By 1956, a single storey building and 2 ex aircraft hangers were on site. Upon takeover by Wessex on z61, the building had another storey added. Around 74, the front hanger was demolished and a smaller fuelling shed erected. The site closed after the 83 summer season when Wessex, by now National Travel West moved to LH. BOC moved in in 86 until 95. When sold, it became a wood distribution yard as it is today still untouched structurally. The building has been slightly altered and o think owned by social services. Photos on Flickr can be found by doing the relevant searches etc. including my stream. The site in St. Phillips is seperate from Turners and used after privatisation until takeover by First.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Correction, Badgerline Holdongs !

A mate of mine lives on Bright Street so I'm familiar with it now but missed its bus and coach heyday. Thanks for that detailed history. Didn't know it had a 3 yr break in use

Who currently uses Sussex St? I remember seeing it c.1996 as a Wessex depot but I can't seem to identify where it was nowadays.

 

[co-tr-paul]

Moved 2007 so only visit now but belive a transport firm ??

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Moved 2007 so only visit now but belive a transport firm ??

Ta muchly

I do wish I'd bothered doing some exploring of Bristol in the early 1990s but I tended to focus on Badgerline and wandering round Somerset and Wiltshire. To think only about 10 years later, I'd end up living just down the road from Kingswood in Hanham!

 

[Class 33]

Some more photo memories again. And we're back in Bristol again.....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/24098831980/
Colston Avenue, The Centre. Back in 1981. A Bristol Lodekka on an 88 to Southmead. Behind it on the other bus stop is a much new bus, a Leyland Olympian in the original City Clipper livery about to work an X67 to North Common.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/24098830360/
The old Bristol Bus Station back in 1984. A few Bristol RE's in view here. Not sure exactly what the coach is there, a Leyland Leopard?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/52971760@N05/24416598345/
The Haymarket/Rupert Street. 20th August 1984. And a flat fronted Bristol VR on a 71 to Hartcliffe Wills!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/28431353@N02/23579739986/
Sea Mills Square. 25th September 1971. And a Bristol KSW on a 23 to Lockleaze.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/40511259@N03/22656530553/
The junction of Pen Park Road and Southmead Road here. Back in 1983. And a Bristol Lodekka on a 77 to Hartcliffe.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/55286387@N05/22821896103/
Baldwin Street. Just outside out the old Gaumont Cinema, a Leyland National on a 53 to Blackhorse!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8821741@N04/18686632041/#
Rupert Street. February 1981. And a Bristol Lodekka on a 75 to Little Stoke.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8821741@N04/18061661644/
And in the same location, probably on the same day. A flat fronted Bristol VR on a 74 to Patchway Estate.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/aptisman/22869601703/
And finally, for the time being. The Centre. Sometime back in the late 1980's or very early 1990's. And a smashing shot here of a Leyland Olympian in the later City Clipper livery, on an X65 just arrived on it's service from Cribbs Causeway. I absolutely love this livery! In my opinion the best bus livery I've ever seen!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Some more photo memories again. And we're back in Bristol again.....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/24098831980/
Colston Avenue, The Centre. Back in 1981. A Bristol Lodekka on an 88 to Southmead. Behind it on the other bus stop is a much new bus, a Leyland Olympian in the original City Clipper livery about to work an X67 to North Common.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/24098830360/
The old Bristol Bus Station back in 1984. A few Bristol RE's in view here. Not sure exactly what the coach is there, a Leyland Leopard?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/52971760@N05/24416598345/
The Haymarket/Rupert Street. 20th August 1984. And a flat fronted Bristol VR on a 71 to Hartcliffe Wills!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/28431353@N02/23579739986/
Sea Mills Square. 25th September 1971. And a Bristol KSW on a 23 to Lockleaze.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/40511259@N03/22656530553/
The junction of Pen Park Road and Southmead Road here. Back in 1983. And a Bristol Lodekka on a 77 to Hartcliffe.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/55286387@N05/22821896103/
Baldwin Street. Just outside out the old Gaumont Cinema, a Leyland National on a 53 to Blackhorse!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8821741@N04/18686632041/#
Rupert Street. February 1981. And a Bristol Lodekka on a 75 to Little Stoke.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8821741@N04/18061661644/
And in the same location, probably on the same day. A flat fronted Bristol VR on a 74 to Patchway Estate.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/aptisman/22869601703/
And finally, for the time being. The Centre. Sometime back in the late 1980's or very early 1990's. And a smashing shot here of a Leyland Olympian in the later City Clipper livery, on an X65 just arrived on it's service from Cribbs Causeway. I absolutely love this livery! In my opinion the best bus livery I've ever seen!

The coach in the bus station is indeed a Leopard. It was South Wales example on an ExpressWest working. Only two REs there; the other vehicle is an LH (lovely)

City Clipper livery was a really bold break from the drab leaf green. My fave of the local liveries was the Badgerline livery as per 66726. For a true acid trip, the Southern National Venetian blind mustard and cinnamon takes some beating

 

[quarella]

Selection of Weston bus tickets.



A 1s 2d Bristol Omnibus ticket dated August 20th,
Reverse of 11p single Bristol Omnibus ticket from 21/07. I expect The telephone box Milton Brow to Worlebury Golf Club child ticket as that was a journey I made fairly often.
25p single Bakers Coaches ticket from April 25th. Probably 1988 on the 813 Worlebury to Priory School.
£1.00 Adult Special (Dayrider?) from 27 Nov 87.
A child Badgerline/Cityline Day Rambler used on 4 April 1986.
My Rovercard from October 1987. Cost for one week's unlimited travel £4.25 (child).
A later Badgerline ticket slightly out of Weston. Slimbridge X Roads -Gloucester on 13 May 96 costing £2.05.

 

[quarella]

Badgerline Avon Gorge Expressway leaflet. Proposed guided busway from a Park and Ride nearM5 Jct 19 to Wapping Wharf along the then redundant Portbury Rail line.

 

[Class 33]

A short update for you...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidmoth3106/5556451133/in/pool-1553414@N22/
This scene of a Bristol FLF Lodekka at the Henbury Tomarton Crescent terminus looks as though it could be the 1970's or early 1980's. But in fact it's from September 1993! It has 0 as the service number blind and blank on the destination blind. But it would have just worked a service 1 Broomhill-Henbury. Presumably it was just about to run back to the depot.

After four or five years of these Lodekka's being taken out of service in Bristol, I was amazed one day in November 1989 when waiting for a 1 bus to travel back home from work on the Bath Road to Henbury, when one of these turned up on the 1. I could not believe it! One of these old fashioned buses in service back then in old fashioned green livery(very different compared to the yellow, red, and blue City Line livery!), complete with a conductor taking fares with those old fashioned ticket machines and issueing those old fashioned yellow tickets! Plus the old fashioned dim yellow lighting inside too. Incredible! Even back then I found this amazing and very nostalgic! It was the very late 1980's, but being onboard this bus I felt like I was back in the 1970's or early 1980's! For some reason City Line brought this Lodekka back into service from either 1988 or 1989 through to sometime in late 1993. I remember getting on this near enough every weekday from work for a couple of months, untill I left that job in February 1990! I then didn't end up getting on this bus again untill about mid 1991. Got in a handful of times after that during 1991 and early 1992, but sadly not after that before it was withdrawn from service in late 1993.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidmoth3106/5610214966/in/pool-1553414@N22/
Another photo of this bus in the same location from October 4th 1993.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidmoth3106/5557035452/in/pool-1553414@N22/
And on the very same day, here's a photo of it at Broomhill's Whitmore Avenue terminus. About to depart on a 2 to Southmead.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidmoth3106/5556450827/in/pool-1553414@N22/
And again on the same day, here it is at the Polytechnic. It's got 000 as the service number on the rear blind, and obviously we can't see what the service number and destination are on the front blinds. But I would imagine that the only service this could be back then, would have been the 70 Centre-Polytechnic service.

Bristol Lodekka's. Very much missed buses!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

A short update for you...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidmoth3106/5556451133/in/pool-1553414@N22/
This scene of a Bristol FLF Lodekka at the Henbury Tomarton Crescent terminus looks as though it could be the 1970's or early 1980's. But in fact it's from September 1993! It has 0 as the service number blind and blank on the destination blind. But it would have just worked a service 1 Broomhill-Henbury. Presumably it was just about to run back to the depot.

After four or five years of these Lodekka's being taken out of service in Bristol, I was amazed one day in November 1989 when waiting for a 1 bus to travel back home from work on the Bath Road to Henbury, when one of these turned up on the 1. I could not believe it! One of these old fashioned buses in service back then in old fashioned green livery(very different compared to the yellow, red, and blue City Line livery!), complete with a conductor taking fares with those old fashioned ticket machines and issueing those old fashioned yellow tickets! Plus the old fashioned dim yellow lighting inside too. Incredible! Even back then I found this amazing and very nostalgic! It was the very late 1980's, but being onboard this bus I felt like I was back in the 1970's or early 1980's! For some reason City Line brought this Lodekka back into service from either 1988 or 1989 through to sometime in late 1993. I remember getting on this near enough every weekday from work for a couple of months, untill I left that job in February 1990! I then didn't end up getting on this bus again untill about mid 1991. Got in a handful of times after that during 1991 and early 1992, but sadly not after that before it was withdrawn from service in late 1993.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidmoth3106/5610214966/in/pool-1553414@N22/
Another photo of this bus in the same location from October 4th 1993.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidmoth3106/5557035452/in/pool-1553414@N22/
And on the very same day, here's a photo of it at Broomhill's Whitmore Avenue terminus. About to depart on a 2 to Southmead.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidmoth3106/5556450827/in/pool-1553414@N22/
And again on the same day, here it is at the Polytechnic. It's got 000 as the service number on the rear blind, and obviously we can't see what the service number and destination are on the front blinds. But I would imagine that the only service this could be back then, would have been the 70 Centre-Polytechnic service.

Bristol Lodekka's. Very much missed buses!

You can always go to the M Shed and see one!!!

As for 7262, that's now in Germany http://bcv.robsly.com/gae883d.html