Buses
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Demonstration, Trial and Experimental Buses by Malcolm Batten
This book looks at a variety of demonstration vehicles, on display, in use, and after being sold off, as well as vehicles that were bought experimentally or modified extensively during their service life. Seen outside Earls Court at the 1972 Commercial Motor Show is Seddon Motors GBU 196K. (Demonstration, Trial and Experimental Buses, Amberley Publishing) I have always had an...Read More -
London Transport Buses, Trams and Trolleybuses in Preservation by Malcolm Batten
Nowadays there are many thousands of buses, trams and trolleybuses preserved in the United Kingdom. These exist in private hands, as heritage vehicles retained by bus operators and in a large number of museum collections open to the public. There are regular bus rallies, road runs and bus running days where heritage vehicles once again carry passengers over former routes...Read More -
Berks Bucks Buses and Beyond by Matt Cooper
Having lived in both counties during the 1980s and 1990s I got to know the area and operators within it very well and our ‘Buzz-About’ through both counties will begin in Reading. Privatisation of the bus industry in 1986 allowed the former subsidiaries of the National Bus Company (NBC) much greater flexibility and freedom to run their operation as well...Read More -
Rail Replacement Buses by Malcolm Batten
The railways play a vital role in transporting passengers and freight around the country. But they require maintenance and upgrades which will often mean closure of lines for the work to take place. This will normally take place at weekends and Bank Holidays, to minimalize the disruption to commuters. Sometimes, trains can be diverted by an alternative route, but usually...Read More -
The London to Brighton Historic Commercial Vehicle Run by Malcolm Batten
Although the preservation and rallying of old cars and motorbikes was by then well established, it was not until the mid-1950s that the private preservation of buses and other commercial vehicles took off. A few vehicles had been retained by some operators out of sentiment or historic interest but were not on public display. However, the Historic Commercial Vehicle Club...Read More -
West and East Yorkshire Buses and Trolleybuses in 1962 by Philip Wallis
I became interested in buses and trolleybuses at an early age. In my teenage years I started visiting different parts of the country to see and photograph operators and vehicles. Great variety existed across the UK bus scene in 1962. The West and East Ridings of Yorkshire alone featured nine municipal operators, five of which ran trolleybuses, six British Electric...Read More -
Minibus Mania by Malcolm Batten
For bus operators and enthusiasts alike, the 1970s to 1990s were turbulent times. First there was the creation of the National Bus Company which saw the end of many famous company names as companies were merged into bigger groups. Favourite liveries were swept aside to be replaced with the bland standardised NBC green or red. Many of the municipal fleets...Read More -
The Final Years of First Northampton by Matt Cooper
Prior to living in Northampton frequent visits were made to see family as well as the buses, for me at least! In early 1993 the transport scene was one which had changed very little over the preceding years. Council-owned Northampton Transport’s smart red buses dominated the town services using a standardised fleet which later favoured products by Volvo. Its routes...Read More -
Scania Double-Deckers by David Barrow
Scania AB is Sweden’s second largest, (next to Volvo), manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks and buses. It was formed in 1911 through the merger of Sodertalje company Vabis, and Malmö based Maskinfrabiks-Aktiebolaget Scania. In September 1969 Scania merged with car manufacturers Saab, and the new company became Saab-Scania AB. The company has manufacturing and assembling facilities in fifteen countries. With a...Read More -
Leyland Atlanteans by Howard Wilde
In my latest book I feature that stalwart of the UK bus industry, the Leyland Atlanteans. Entering production in 1958, the Atlantean became an established figure for the best part of thirty years, with over 15,000 examples entering service worldwide. It was the first double-deck bus on the UK market to feature the now familiar layout of rear-engine, with the...Read More