The Flickr Omnibuses Image Generatr

EWS 168D, Bristol RE Alexander Y-type by miledorcha

EWS 168D is a Bristol RELH6G with Alexander Y-type C38Ft coachwork.
It was new as Scottish Omnibuses Ltd, XA168 in February 1966 for use on their daily Edinburgh to London service.
Now preserved , it is seen here at the GVVT, Bridgeton open weekend in October 2024.

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Finglands, Rusholme 1725 (NRG 168M) by Martha R Hogwash

An oddity in the Finglands fleet, because it wasn't originally a GMT standard, was this well-travelled Atlantean from Aberdeen, which had come via Highland Omnibuses at Inverness and Lancaster City Transport. It arrived in 1992, only a few months before the firm sold out to the EYMS group.

By mid 1994, its time was up, and it was sent to the Belle Vue auction in August for disposal. Its final operator was Riverside Coachways in Telford, who ran it until 1999.

Princess Street, Manchester, 15/4/94

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A & S Travel, Belle Isle A333 BSC by Martha R Hogwash

Here was an operator that I had never heard of, and would never hear of again, as this was the firm's one and only coach - what a choice to make !

A & S Travel (Ann & Stan) from Leeds had only bought this Metroliner in July, and it was still more or less in its previous SMT coach livery from Eastern Scottish. It had done well to run with them for nearly 10 years (or more likely, be on tow or awaiting repair), but it was never going to match that here. It was sold after just a year here, and one wonders if they had lost the will to run another coach, or just didn't have any money left to fund one ....

Central coach park, Blackpool, 8/10/94

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Kenmargra, Linthwaite YSC 443K by Martha R Hogwash

Not a great shot, I admit, but the vehicle is not prolific on Flickr, and the Scottish viewers might like it !

I was just pleased to finally catch up with it, as it had passed through the fleet of Goodwin's in Stockport in 1983, along with 434 and 441 from the same batch. 441 was used for spares only, but I think both 434 and 443 were painted and lettered, but they managed to avoid my camera for the 4-5 months they were there. Alan sold 443 to Graham Smith at Kenmargra in December 1983, and Graham sold it on to Eynon's of Trimsaran later this month, so this might have been its final trip to Blackpool, on a typical NX weekend duplicate, when anything with four wheels was deemed acceptable !

I did get a picture of it with Eynon's in 1986, but I don't think it was much better than this effort ....

Coliseum coach station, Blackpool, 8/9/84

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Eastern Scottish XCM333 (A333 BSC) by Martha R Hogwash

I don't know if Eastern Scottish were having a road race down the M1 to the rally, or if they were just providing a duplicate, but they sent along two coaches - a Royal Tiger Doyen (XL563), and this Metroliner. This was one of a pair new in April 1984, with the other one being scrapped after an accident when only 18 months old.

333 did rather better, staying here for nearly 10 years, and being sold at the end of 1993. In fact, it far outlasted all the fleet's double-deck Metroliners, which were dispatched in early 1990, when some were not even 3 years old. This one saw a little use with operators in West Yorkshire, but last saw service in 1996.

Showbus, Woburn Abbey, 2/9/84

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Stonier, Tunstall CST 707N by Martha R Hogwash

Just repainted and into service with Stoniers was this Ford R1114 which had recently arrived from Highland Omnibuses, and rather splendid it looked too.

Sadly, it wasn't to last - 10 years with Highland turned into 10 months with Stoniers, as it was involved in an accident in April 1985, in which it sustained terminal front-end damage. I was glad of my one shot of it !

Showbus, Woburn Abbey 2/9/84

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Preserved Scottish Omnibuses BFS 471L (ZC471) | 2024 SVBM Open Weekend | SVBM, Fife by Strathclyder 2.0

Catching the late afternoon sun is the latest restoration project at Lathalmond: this rare Y Type-bodied Bedford YRQ, one of 15 delivered to Scottish Omnibuses (as it was then) in October/November 1972.

Having only seen it up on stilts in the main engineering shed being worked on (the one closest to the site entrance) every time I've visited, edging closer to (external at least) completion, it was a real nice surprise seeing it out in the open this year, looking better than new. The quality of this restoration is top-notch, as is the norm from the Lathalmond lads. No doubt in my mind that it will look stunning when fully restored.

Photo Date: 18th August 2024

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Thomas, Tonypandy A331 VHB by Martha R Hogwash

I don't remember WG Thomas & Son being an operator who appeared regularly on holiday work in Manchester, but I suppose I would need to have been there all day, every day (and probably night !) to be able to see what turned up. Other than doing that, Sunday afternoons would always provide a good handful.

Thomas was one of the first operators to put a Jonckheere-bodied Tiger on the road - in fact, they did it twice with this one ! It initially ran as RTG 331Y from April 1983, but the plate was changed to A331 RTG in August. No doubt the 'Tax applied for' card in the windscreen was starting to fade in the sun by that time ....

It left the fleet in 1986, and spent most of its life with operators in Essex, including Hedingham and Lodges, but in 2004 it returned to Manchester, and had a final few months with a driving school in Sale.

Chorlton Street, Manchester, 26/8/84

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METRO CENTRE 050524 JSF928T by SIMON A W BEESTON

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BROUGH 300324 JSF928T by SIMON A W BEESTON

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BROUGH 300324 JSF928T 1 by SIMON A W BEESTON

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Horsedrawn Streetcars -- 1853 by JFGryphon

Released to the public domain

Advertisement in the New York Crystal Palace
-- Collection of the Museum of the City of New York

The London Crystal Palace inspired New York City to plan
its own international exhibition built in the current location of
Bryant Park, closed in 1854 it was ravaged by fire in 1858.
-- Visualizing NYC. Org.

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Highland Omnibuses . HJS245 . Torridon , Scotland by AndrewHAs

Austin J2 - Kennex M12

New to Achnasheeh Hotel in 1960 , joining Highland Omnibuses In March-1965 .

I'm fairly confident that this is the Torridon P.O. HJS 245 belonged to Highland Omnibuses and here is operating the Kinlochewe to Diabaig service, I would think.

Above comments copied from another shot of this vehicle

Date of shot unknown

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Hedingham & District L115 (FEV 115Y) by Martha R Hogwash

Another coach to evoke memories of Geoff Mills is this fine Hedingham Leopard, which he would no doubt have driven on a number of occasions. Was this a cheap buy of unsold dealer stock, or had they had it in store for a couple of years ? I have an idea they used to do that sort of thing, as it is a 1979 chassis and 1980 body, but not registered until August 1982.

It served them well for 23 years, and remained in the area with Venturer Coachways for a further 8 years, until being bought for preservation in 2013.

Central coach park, Blackpool, 28/9/85

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