• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Operators who adopted/retained the livery of companies they bought buses from

Status
Not open for further replies.

tbtc

Veteran Member
Joined
16 Dec 2008
Messages
17,882
Location
Reston City Centre
Rather than disrupt the discussion about United Coaches by going off-topic, a comment by @user1234 got me thinking...

Has United Coaches ever actually had a livery? Or have they always just left their vehicles in their previous owners livery?

Sheffield Omnibus (the '90s independent who eventually sold out to Yorkshire Traction) had a simple dark blue/cream livery, which was the colour scheme of Preston Bus, who most of the (initial) Sheffield Omnibus fleet came from.

IIRC there was a Birmingham independent who had an orange livery because so much of their fleet came from GM Buses in Manchester.

Are there any other examples though?

(sometimes it's just coincidence - IIRC SUT in Sheffield already had a dark red/white livery before they acquired Atlanteans from LRT in Edinburgh - though buying them from an operator with similar colours saved a few quid on painting!)
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Jordan Adam

Established Member
Joined
12 Sep 2017
Messages
5,514
Location
Aberdeen
When Rapsons was taken over by Stagecoach quite a number of vehicles remained in the Rapsons livery for good while, similarly currently there's a number of former D&E Coaches vehicles with the previous red/grey livery (Very similar to the former Highland Scottish livery) in use with Stagecoach. On the topic of Highland Scottish i'm pretty sure they operated some Ex-Grampian Atlanteans still in the Grampian livery for a short while.

Perhaps this doesn't count but First Aberdeen acquired 8 B7RLEs from First Scotland East last August, 5 of them carried the unique two tone Blue livery, the first of which has just appeared out of the paint shop in the new First Aberdeen two tone green scheme.
 

TheGrandWazoo

Veteran Member
Joined
18 Feb 2013
Messages
19,969
Location
Somerset with international travel (e.g. across th
When Rapsons was taken over by Stagecoach quite a number of vehicles remained in the Rapsons livery for good while, similarly currently there's a number of former D&E Coaches vehicles with the previous red/grey livery (Very similar to the former Highland Scottish livery) in use with Stagecoach. On the topic of Highland Scottish i'm pretty sure they operated some Ex-Grampian Atlanteans still in the Grampian livery for a short while.

Perhaps this doesn't count but First Aberdeen acquired 8 B7RLEs from First Scotland East last August, 5 of them carried the unique two tone Blue livery, the first of which has just appeared out of the paint shop in the new First Aberdeen two tone green scheme.

Don’t think it’s quite what the poster had in mind.

There were a few instances of GM orange forming the basis of a livery.
  • YourBus (Smiths) were a Birmingham firm who did so and later had new Dafs delivered in the same colours.
  • More famously was Chase Bus (Staffs near but not Brum) which is probably what the OP was thinking of.
  • Busways got some ex GM Leopards and adopted the livery for their anti TMS “Favourite” subsidiary.
Toppings of St Helens kept the livery but replaced the brown with blue.

More will come to mind...
 
Last edited:

Non Multi

Member
Joined
11 Dec 2017
Messages
1,117
Plenty of small operators on the outskirts of London unsurprisingly just keep their ex-London vehicles red.

For example - Carousel of High Wycombe.
 

Jordan Adam

Established Member
Joined
12 Sep 2017
Messages
5,514
Location
Aberdeen
Don’t think it’s quite what the poster had in mind.

There were a few instances of GM orange forming the basis of a livery.

YourBus (Smiths) were a Birmingham firm who did so and later had new Dafs delivered in the same colours.

More famously was Chase Bus (Staffs near but not Brum) which is probably what the OP was thinking of.

Busways got some ex GM Leopards and adopted the livery for their anti TMS “Favourite” subsidiary.

Toppings of St Helens kept the livery but replaced the brown with blue.

More will come to mind...

Whoops, helps if i actually read the original post properly! o_O
 

Bletchleyite

Veteran Member
Joined
20 Oct 2014
Messages
97,539
Location
"Marston Vale mafia"
Finglands acquired a bunch of Alexander bodied B10Ms in Manchester in the 1990s. These were supplied new in Stagecoach spec by Stagecoach in response to some kind of anti competition action. These were painted in Stagecoach livery but in Finglands colours and had full Stagecoach interiors.

Of course in the 2010s Stagey got them back.
 

TheGrandWazoo

Veteran Member
Joined
18 Feb 2013
Messages
19,969
Location
Somerset with international travel (e.g. across th
Finglands acquired a bunch of Alexander bodied B10Ms in Manchester in the 1990s. These were supplied new in Stagecoach spec by Stagecoach in response to some kind of anti competition action. These were painted in Stagecoach livery but in Finglands colours and had full Stagecoach interiors.

Of course in the 2010s Stagey got them back.

Not quite. Stagecoach launched a competitive service 192 from Manchester to Stockport against GM Buses South so vehicles in full Stagecoach livery. They then sold said operation to Finglands in order to clear the way for a purchase of GMS! The Volvos passed with Finglands to EYMS Group and had the stripes overpainted in Finglands colours. Many later operated for East Yorkshire in Humberside.
 

Hophead

Established Member
Joined
5 Apr 2013
Messages
1,192
I seem to remember a Leeds-based operator adopted the London Country South West livery rather than repaint a batch of acquired Atlanteans. This would have been back in the late 1980s. My memory may be a little adrift from the reality, but I think I'm pretty close.
 

Busaholic

Veteran Member
Joined
7 Jun 2014
Messages
14,029
The independent Truronian which put the heebie jeebies into First Cornwall in the 1990s before the even more frightening Western Greyhound came along kept the London red of most of their second hand acquisitions.
 

richw

Veteran Member
Joined
10 Jun 2010
Messages
11,213
Location
Liskeard
The independent Truronian which put the heebie jeebies into First Cornwall in the 1990s before the even more frightening Western Greyhound came along kept the London red of most of their second hand acquisitions.

And First kept the Truronian grey for quite some time on coaches.

When Fal River were independent their first 2 Tridents were in RH of Oxfordshire livery, and they then painted a Dart to match.
 

Typhoon

Established Member
Joined
2 Nov 2017
Messages
3,488
Location
Kent
There were a few instances of GM orange forming the basis of a livery.
YourBus (Smiths) were a Birmingham firm who did so and later had new Dafs delivered in the same colours​
Just to amplify this, Smiths of Tysoe (Yourbus) had a pretty decent network at one stage (including routes 37Y, 47Y, 50Y, 53Y, 54Y, 57Y, A6Y and C6Y at various times all running to the city centre - 50Y was pretty regular, about every 10 minutes) and a fleet to match. They had 2nd (3rd?) hand Nationals repainted into the orange and brown as well as new buses in the same livery; besides the Dafs there were Volvos (and, possibly, Leyland Tiger buses). At least initially they ran up from their garage in Alcester (Warks) in service, returning to the garage in service. They sold out to West Midlands who ran them for some time in the same livery with stickers indicating change of ownership (although I think the GM Fleetlines had all gone by then). Later they used a revised version of the West Mids livery (orange replacing red) before fazing the brand out.

More famously was Chase Bus (Staffs near but not Brum) which is probably what the OP was thinking of.
They operated into (the north of) Walsall (quite extensively) and Wolverhampton but, as you say, not Birmingham.

There was also North Birmingham Busways who bought Blackpool double deckers, and used the corporation livery for all future purchases. They used a particularly ornate font, reminiscent of the 40s.
 

Mwanesh

Member
Joined
14 May 2016
Messages
787
Plenty of small operators on the outskirts of London unsurprisingly just keep their ex-London vehicles red.

For example - Carousel of High Wycombe.
Keep it in mind that some of the Carousel buses come from parent COMS in red already .Not all the fleet is ex London.The red Enviro 400s have come from Oxford.
 

TAS

Member
Joined
16 Jul 2005
Messages
246
EOS London (actually based in Rainham) used a livery based on that of Pennine Motor Services, having started with some vehicles acquired when Pennine ceased operation.
 

Andyh82

Established Member
Joined
19 May 2014
Messages
3,489
I seem to remember a Leeds-based operator adopted the London Country South West livery rather than repaint a batch of acquired Atlanteans. This would have been back in the late 1980s. My memory may be a little adrift from the reality, but I think I'm pretty close.
It was Optional Bus in the mid 90s

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tcd481j/36702606592/

They kept that livery and also used it on other buses not acquired from London & Country
 

TheGrandWazoo

Veteran Member
Joined
18 Feb 2013
Messages
19,969
Location
Somerset with international travel (e.g. across th
Just to amplify this, Smiths of Tysoe (Yourbus) had a pretty decent network at one stage (including routes 37Y, 47Y, 50Y, 53Y, 54Y, 57Y, A6Y and C6Y at various times all running to the city centre - 50Y was pretty regular, about every 10 minutes) and a fleet to match. They had 2nd (3rd?) hand Nationals repainted into the orange and brown as well as new buses in the same livery; besides the Dafs there were Volvos (and, possibly, Leyland Tiger buses). At least initially they ran up from their garage in Alcester (Warks) in service, returning to the garage in service. They sold out to West Midlands who ran them for some time in the same livery with stickers indicating change of ownership (although I think the GM Fleetlines had all gone by then). Later they used a revised version of the West Mids livery (orange replacing red) before fazing the brand out.

There was also North Birmingham Busways who bought Blackpool double deckers, and used the corporation livery for all future purchases. They used a particularly ornate font, reminiscent of the 40s.

I’d forgotten about NBB. Good firm
 

Typhoon

Established Member
Joined
2 Nov 2017
Messages
3,488
Location
Kent
I’d forgotten about NBB. Good firm
Absolutely. Everything about them was professional; uniform, politeness, clean buses, appeared to be well maintained. First (I think) to use the Aston Expressway for Sutton buses - before West Mids pinched the idea. A real loss.
 

Bletchleyite

Veteran Member
Joined
20 Oct 2014
Messages
97,539
Location
"Marston Vale mafia"
Not quite. Stagecoach launched a competitive service 192 from Manchester to Stockport against GM Buses South so vehicles in full Stagecoach livery. They then sold said operation to Finglands in order to clear the way for a purchase of GMS! The Volvos passed with Finglands to EYMS Group and had the stripes overpainted in Finglands colours. Many later operated for East Yorkshire in Humberside.

Ah, thanks for that, I remembered slightly wrongly. That would explain it a bit better, and also why they had different seats (single ones rather than bus benches) than the big fleet of Alexander BM10s Stagecoach Manchester (as GMS) later procured.
 
Joined
9 Apr 2016
Messages
1,909
Travel Express (who operate around the Birmingham area) used to operate a fleet of buses that were all 100% in their previous operators liveries complete with their previous operators fleetnames and logos and branding for almost 20 years. However they have just very recently renamed themselves to Lets Go and now have a livery of all over red buses with yellow Lets Go fleetnames on their entire fleet.
 

alex397

Established Member
Joined
6 Oct 2017
Messages
1,546
Location
UK
EOS London (actually based in Rainham) used a livery based on that of Pennine Motor Services, having started with some vehicles acquired when Pennine ceased operation.

Indeed, EOS London operated commercial and contract routes around south-west Essex (despite the name), until they ceased operations in 2018. Well they haven’t completely ceased operations - their parent company Swallow Coaches took over the contract routes.

They started a few years ago, with some ex-Pennine Darts in their orange and black livery. A very smart livery IMO. The livery was subsequently used on their other vehicles too.
When EOS ceased, a few of their vehicles were kept by Swallow, and they are still being used in the orange and black livery.
 

Andyh82

Established Member
Joined
19 May 2014
Messages
3,489
I know not quite what the OP was asking, but I thought it worth mentioning that Dews Coaches do have a green fleet livery, but that some of their second hand acquisitions do get repainted green but in the style of their former operator.

Former Brighton & Hove
https://flic.kr/p/2bca3uX

Former Delaine Buses
https://flic.kr/p/J8YxrU

Former Safeguard Coaches
https://flic.kr/p/2cvuP9E
Connexions Buses in Harrogate do that as well. With green buses in the style of Newport Transport and Stagecoach curves
 

Volvo142

Member
Joined
28 Aug 2013
Messages
72
Western Greyhound bought a number of Volvo Olympians (and a couple of Solos after the catastrophic fire) from Nottingham City Transport, which didn't need repainting as the NCT base colour was virtually the same shade of green as WG's base colour
 

Flange Squeal

Established Member
Joined
17 Jul 2012
Messages
1,251
Taf Valley Coaches have a mainly white with blue pattern livery for their coach fleet, but for their bus fleet they acquired some Enviro 200s wearing Weavaway’s red and black Newbury & District ‘Kennetbus’ or Thames Valley livery. They acquired three (YX63 ZVK/L/O) which retained the base Weavaway black and red livery, but with Taf Valley Coaches fleet names. This was then adopted as the new bus fleet livery, now also carried by non-former Weavaway vehicles (Solos YK04 KWD and YN04 LXK, and Enviros YX62 FDG, YX17 NDV and YX18 KNU.

ZVK with Weavaway: https://flic.kr/p/NZ2Fg9

ZVK with Taf Valley: https://flic.kr/p/WNVq3L

Interestingly, other vehicles from the same original batch (YX63 ZVJ/N) ended up with D&E Coaches (now Stagecoach) and retained the same livery style but with black replaced by silver.

ZVJ with D&E Coaches: https://flic.kr/p/U1uLj2
 

fgwrich

Established Member
Joined
15 Apr 2009
Messages
9,250
Location
Between Edinburgh and Exeter
Sticking with the West Country for a moment, another operator to adopt a previous operators livery is Rail River Link - Who, after purchasing vehicles from East Yorkshire Motor Services, then went on to adopt and adapt the EYMS livery into their own. In fact, RRL has since gone on to modify ex London and Ex Plymouth tridents into their livery retaining the red but adding the cream bands

For example, here is Olympian K575RRH in East Yorkshire.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/thesp...b5QSdb-23Zi1mC-28P3P4U-KhHFEs-22LacM4-26cVgsE.

Then Paignton.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bltc3...YC-N1wH4X-GWZSJw-JBNDoJ-wqeru6-wUwJdP-2793uPE

Which since acquiring a DDA complaint fleet, has led to vehicles such as ex London...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/trans...9CU-LU5A6B-LySUUP-N7J4gX-LQNMLG-LoYVzd-KKsycY

... and ex Plymouth vehicles receiving modifications into the RRL / EYMS livery.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/76598...Ns-jrsTtk-ntetix-JquHfi-r7d2MF-296dJis-Lp8LkS

Of course the Oly's weren't the first ex EYMS vehicle to arrive into the RRL fleet though, that was Ex Devon General Bristol VR VDV138S which managed to go full circle in it's lifetime, having been new to South Devon in the first place.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bltc3...1dr-YbLVS6-LWpsom-S7wMun-f2KpAT-SpCs5M-zJN1B9
 

fgwrich

Established Member
Joined
15 Apr 2009
Messages
9,250
Location
Between Edinburgh and Exeter
Western Greyhound bought a number of Volvo Olympians (and a couple of Solos after the catastrophic fire) from Nottingham City Transport, which didn't need repainting as the NCT base colour was virtually the same shade of green as WG's base colour

During the equally disastrous Smith era of Western Greyhound, they also ended up closing the Velvet business and transferred some of those vehicles down to Cornwall. Rather than repaint most of the fleet, they just stuck the Greyhound sticker onto the vehicles and let them out into service.
 

Yorks185

Member
Joined
23 Aug 2018
Messages
34
Maghull Coaches adopted the Brighton & Hove Red/Cream livery after gaining a number of East Lancs Cityzens from Brighton,with a number of vehicles gained from elsewhere now in the livery. Think Maghulls are the also the only ones to adopt a tagline as well as the livery,with them using the "Essential Travel for our City" that Brighton & Hove used during the 00`s
 

radamfi

Established Member
Joined
29 Oct 2009
Messages
9,267
In some parts of eastern Europe, they buy a lot of buses from western Europe. Typically they don't bother repainting the buses and leave in network maps and branding from the old operator. They sometimes don't even bother to change the LED display, so they could be running around continuously showing "Bahnhof".
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top