Steven Knight Media & other bus fleetbooks

[ThePannier]

Hi all,

Only stumbled upon it by accident, but about a week ago I came across the following website - http://www.stevenknightmedia.com/

Basically, he makes small fleet handbooks, spanning across several regions and operators. I've only just received my rather large order through the post this morning! - very impressive overall, lots of in-depth descriptions and useful fleet lists in the case of some 'spotting'.

He seems to focus on Stagecoach fleets, however there is an East Yorkshire Motor Services handbook in there, as well as a few others. Also available are postcards.

I strongly advise you to take a look, and see if there are any items that tickle your fancy.

Marcus

 

[theblackwatch]

These books are pocket size (A6, the same as the Platform 5 'Pocket Books' and the old AM Witton Bus 'Fleetbooks' which last appeared in the mid-80s - anyone else remember them?) and looking at the website, there are frequent downloadable updates to the books.

The other firms that covers Stagecoach in a detailed glossy format is British Bus Publishing with its A5 size book covering the whole operation (a bit like a 'combined volume' I suppose!). With their other books, they seem to have most major concerns in the country pretty well covered. Then there are ST Publications who also have a Stagecoach/First book, but it looks more like just a list rather than any background info/pictures as well. I guess it all depends what suits the individual's needs.

The other books, which are geographical and cover all operators rather than based on major companies, are the PSV Circle 'G lists' although they are only updated every 3-4 years.

 

[ThePannier]

It seems Steven Knight's 'Stagecoach North East' (finally my region!) fleet handbook was released a couple of days ago!

 

[David57]

SKM fleetbooks are really useful, and are regularly updated with online changes.

 

[theblackwatch]

It seems Steven Knight's 'Stagecoach North East' (finally my region!) fleet handbook was released a couple of days ago!

I assumed that was one of the books that you'd just purchased!

I notice tha British Bus Publishing have just released a new Go Ahead complete handbook. Plenty of books for people's Christmas lists it seems.

 

[ThePannier]

I assumed that was one of the books that you'd just purchased!

I notice tha British Bus Publishing have just released a new Go Ahead complete handbook. Plenty of books for people's Christmas lists it seems.

*cough* me *cough*

 

[theblackwatch]

One publisher that seems to have disappeared in the past 2-3 years is TAG Publications. Does anyone know if they are still around? They've certainly not done any new books for a good while.

 

[ThePannier]

Can't see any mention of it on here, so - http://www.transportstore.com/index.cfm/page/_books.list.cfm/catid/1741

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

This Steven Knight site is great. I was using it to check where buses were going. In Grimsby we keep seeing buses from Worksop, Mansfield, Hull and the tiny Newark buses. Now Grimsby buses are seen in Scunthorpe and Worksop. Very confusing.

It started happening as soon as Stagecoach said they were to buy new buses. Now all the new buses are branded Simplibus and are nice and ad free.

 

[Boothby97]

This Steven Knight site is great. I was using it to check where buses were going. In Grimsby we keep seeing buses from Worksop, Mansfield, Hull and the tiny Newark buses. Now Grimsby buses are seen in Scunthorpe and Worksop. Very confusing.



It started happening as soon as Stagecoach said they were to buy new buses. Now all the new buses are branded Simplibus and are nice and ad free.

Ads are starting to appear on the Simplibus branded vehicles (37187-209). Some of our vehicles have also moved to Hull (35146-150).
As I live in Cleethorpes, I contribute to the SKM fleet news rambling page

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Ads are starting to appear on the Simplibus branded vehicles (37187-209). Some of our vehicles have also moved to Hull (35146-150).
As I live in Cleethorpes, I contribute to the SKM fleet news rambling page

Interesting, so all the 35xxx buses were just replaced by 37xxx buses. Not as great as I was hoping for. I've heard a rumour that the Skegness style open top buses wikl be used on the 17 next year. Is that true?
Also I'm trying to find out how Humberside airport will be served after January 5th. (Traveline shows the Flyer going to Barrow instead)

 

[Boothby97]

Interesting, so all the 35xxx buses were just replaced by 37xxx buses. Not as great as I was hoping for. I've heard a rumour that the Skegness style open top buses wikl be used on the 17 next year. Is that true?

Also I'm trying to find out how Humberside airport will be served after January 5th. (Traveline shows the Flyer going to Barrow instead)

Well, what did you expect. The Enviro 200s (37187-209) are an improvement over the Darts (35128-150), with 35128-150 being 56 reg (2006 build). They are also low mileage and are useful for other EM depots which still have non-DDA compliant single deckers (Worksop, Scunthorpe, Hull, Skegness, Gainsborough).
To be far, Grimsby has been lucky this year. Our old Tridents (built 1999) have transferred to Hull and Lincoln, with some/all of their Enviro 400s (built 2006) moving the other way. And the remaining step entrance vehicles have been replaced as well.
And I doubt that the Skegness open tops are moving to Grimsby, we'll probably see a similar marketing initiative (with existing standard double Deckers converted to open tops).
From what I've heard, the Humber Flyer change may not go ahead. Take what has appeared on Traveline as a pinch of salt, until anything appears on the Stagecoach website. And if is diverted via Ulceby/Thirnton/Barrow, it won't be a permanent change.

 

[mbonwick]

http://mbonwick.cu.cc/SCNW/Fleetcards

For the main source of Steven Knight's info (I should add that I'm not his source, just have similar contacts!)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

To be far, Grimsby has been lucky this year. Our old Tridents (built 1999) have transferred to Hull and Lincoln, with some/all of their Enviro 400s (built 2006) moving the other way. And the remaining step entrance vehicles have been replaced as well.

Indeed, all part of the initative for the Simplibus network - rebranding of services and the fleet given a common look.
Depending how things go in Grimsby, similar things could happen elsewhere in East Midlands.

 

[Boothby97]

Indeed, all part of the initative for the Simplibus network - rebranding of services and the fleet given a common look.
Depending how things go in Grimsby, similar things could happen elsewhere in East Midlands.

Unfortunately, it's only been the new E200s that have been branded up (so far), although I would assume that other vehicles will be treated in the new year. A lot of our Double Deckers have been repainted (E400s/Tridents), and three of our B7s (16905-907) have also had a seat retrim.
Something has been said that Hull could be next for the network rebrand....

 

[mbonwick]

Don't think the plan was to brand the E400s as they're not meant for the 'core' services - but as they're on other town services it was decided to go for similar looking vehicles.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

It looks like Peterborough has got ''Citi'' rebranded stagecoach buses of the same type.

 

[mbonwick]

Peterborough has had the Citi brand since 2008...their E200 deliveries are just a simple fleet update there with no change in branding.

 

[Boothby97]

Don't think the plan was to brand the E400s as they're not meant for the 'core' services - but as they're on other town services it was decided to go for similar looking vehicles.

The core services I would have thought would be routes 1-10 (which are shown on the Simplibus map) with the E400s, Tridents and B7 Vykings mainly used on the 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

 

[ThePannier]

In the latest issue of Buses Magazine....

For just £6.99 - a complete collection of Leyland Nationals (in colour)....coincidentally called 'Leyland Nationals In Colour'.

This 100-page publication takes a pictoral look at the many liveries worn by the Leyland National. Initially a joint project between Leyland and the National Bus Company, entering service in 1972, the National caught the attention of London Transport, the Passenger Transport Executives and several municipal operators as well as a number of independants.

Leyland Nationals In Colour look at the early days before exploring the de-regulation scheme in depth. Variations such as the National 2 (my personal favourite - the grills on the front looked nicest to me!), the greenway, the Urban Bus and the Volvo-powered refits are all covered.

Marcus

 

[theblackwatch]

In the latest issue of Buses Magazine....

For just £6.99 - a complete collection of Leyland Nationals (in colour)....coincidentally called 'Leyland Nationals In Colour'.

This 100-page publication takes a pictoral look at the many liveries worn by the Leyland National. Initially a joint project between Leyland and the National Bus Company, entering service in 1972, the National caught the attention of London Transport, the Passenger Transport Executives and several municipal operators as well as a number of independants.

Leyland Nationals In Colour look at the early days before exploring the de-regulation scheme in depth. Variations such as the National 2 (my personal favourite - the grills on the front looked nicest to me!), the greenway, the Urban Bus and the Volvo-powered refits are all covered.

Marcus

I picked this up in the Ian Allan bookshop at Birmingham a few weeks ago. An interesting read with a good variation of pictures, particulaly when people think of them as being NBC vehicles in red or green.

 

[theblackwatch]

Having mentioned the Ian Allan bookshop at Birmingham in the previous post on this thread, I was rather saddened to read on the thread at http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=110568 that the firm is closing its stores. I've been visiting their shops since the 1980s, the Birmingham shop was particularly good for the DJS Stockbooks, which were 'no frills' fleetlists and fantastic value for money. It was probably those books that got my interest in buses - a full National Bus Company book for about £3, bargain!