A trip to come on LFJ 862W

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News has come to me that preserved ex Devon Genaral Bristol VR LFJ 862W owned by James Pratt will soon be doing a trip from Exeter around Devon.

I received news from a friend that James was inviting fellow enfusiasts like ourselves to to come up to Exeter on the 24th of this month to come and have a long distance trip around the country roads of Devon for a Sunday afternoon with a difference. The bus will depart Exeter at 10:00 and will not return for another 7hours and 30 minutes pulling in at approximately 17:30. So a very good trip to look forward to and might turn out very popular. Contact James for further details.

She's away and she can stay away

The Dart of Torpoint 40002 (S764 RNE) is currently away from the depot having her MOT. She has been away since Wednesday meaning that my Thursday evening bus I get was my favourite Leyland Olympian 34812, my favourite bus at Torpoint. She will stay away probably until Wednesday but well in my opinion she can stay away as long as she wants. She is seen here with her new blind and a new driver (well back then he was) in Cremyll on 81B

LFJ 844W replaces OTA 290G

Torpoint's last Bristol VR LFJ 844W/1200/38844 has now replaced OTA 290G/1056 as the main show bus for the Western National Preservation Group. She will now take over many of her duties and shows that she would have gone to and has been doing for many years. This is done as OTA 290G is currently going throught refurbishment and repaint so may become the main bus again when this has been completed. But I would be much happier to see LFJ 844W ay as the main showbus.

Do we need a big yellow bus?

For some time now First have run a scheme trying to get big yellow school buses like seen in America onto the roads of Britain in a campaign to make it safer for children. But I want to pose the question do we really need them? First say that they are much safer and that they are more efficient than a normal school bus while trying to campaign to the government for money to buy them therefore making more money. But I think in this area we don’t need them. They are much bigger than a normal bus like a Volvo Citybus or Leyland Olympian but only carry around half of the people that those buses would. For example the Olympian will take 76 and these will only take around 40 at the most 60 for a bigger one which won’t even fir on the country roads around here which is the whole point of the school bus. To get people who can’t use a bus service or live close to the school they are trying to get too. To extend if they do happen to fit on the roads they use a lot more fuel than a standard bus. It will cost a lot on money to get the buses over to England in the first place which is also very un-environmentally friendly. I have also filled out a questionnaire (which I’m not supposed to do as I am a student) in a manor which goes very against what First are trying to campaign for. I have said that it will force the other companies out of business as school routes play a key part to the success of the companies. I have also put down that the children are always very good which they are on my bus but I know are not on all buses thought around my part they are always well behaved. So hopefully other people in the area have also put them off putting them here but who knows. The campaign bus has already been? So will it come for good.

How hard can it be?

Stagecoach has been asking the nation recently “How do you use a bus?”

They have been surveying the nation about if they know how they should travel on the bus. Their research shows the many members of the UK have no idea on how to use the bus. Therefore with their research they have launched advertising campaign to try and educate the public on how to use a bus service. They say that them not knowing how to use a bus service puts many people off getting the bus and forces them into they’re cars simply because they don’t know when to ding the bell or how to ask to get somewhere. So they have produced the idiots guide to catching a bus to get them onto a bus. But that’s not all they have also had T.V adverts on that you may have seen advertising them as “The bus of Britain”. This advert is there to advertise there new buses (Dennis Enviro 400s) what they can be used for, who uses them and how cheap it is to get the bus. So Stagecoach are pulling all the stops out but will it work?

How hard can it be?

Stagecoach has been asking the nation recently “How do you use a bus?”

They have been surveying the nation about if they know how they should travel on the bus. Their research shows the many members of the UK have no idea on how to use the bus. Therefore with their research they have launched advertising campaign to try and educate the public on how to use a bus service. They say that them not knowing how to use a bus service puts many people off getting the bus and forces them into they’re cars simply because they don’t know when to ding the bell or how to ask to get somewhere. So they have produced the idiots guide to catching a bus to get them onto a bus. But that’s not all they have also had T.V adverts on that you may have seen advertising them as “The bus of Britain”. This advert is there to advertise there new buses (Dennis Enviro 400s) what they can be used for, who uses them and how cheap it is to get the bus. So Stagecoach are pulling all the stops out but will it work?

Getting set for Plymouth Hoe 2009

The 2009 Plymouth Hoe bus rally is set to be one of the biggest and best ones there has ever been in the Southwest. The rally is already unusual by being done on a two day basis. One on the Saturday for running, and the Sunday for exhibits and short rides. There is also usually 50 buses attending on the exhibit day. This year will be pretty similar held at the start of August but the 2009 rally will be different. This rally will be special as it is celebrating the 80th year since the Western National Omnibus company started off in 1927. And it is the 10th anniversary from when the company moved from there old depot at Laira Bridge to there current depot at The Ride. Well for 2009 it will be either a two or three day event run by the Western National Preservation Group, West Country Historic Omnibus and Transport Trust and First Devon and Cornwall. There will be memorabilia on sale with many treasures from the past. Talks from WNPG and WHOTT. FDC will be copying Stagecoach and putting some of there modern vehicles into old liveries. Buses operating old routes with classic buses. And over 300 buses on display from all the groups and privateers. We all look forward to the 2009 rally.

My photos short listed?

I returned from school today where there was an e-mail for me saying:

Hi Laurence Mayhew

,I am writing to let you know that two of your photos have been short-listed for inclusion in the fourth edition of our Schmap Plymouth Guide, to be published early February2008.http://www.schmap.com/shortlist/p=11717981N02/c=SF1016153Clicking this link will take you to a page where you can:i) See which of your photos have been short-listed.ii) Submit or withdraw your photos from our final selection phase.iii) Learn how we credit photos in our Schmap Guides.iv) Browse online or download the second edition of our Schmap Plymouth Guide.While we offer no payment for publication, many photographers are pleased to submit their photos, as Schmap Guides give their work recognition and wide exposure, and are free of charge to readers. Photos are published at maximum width of 150 pixels, are clearly attributed, and link to high-resolution originals at Flickr.Our submission deadline is Wednesday, January 30. If you happen to be reading this message after this date, please still click on the link above (our Schmap Guides are updated frequently - photos submitted after this deadline will be considered for later releases).

Best regards,Emma Williams,Managing Editor, Schmap Guides

I was obviously very excited about this having my own pictures put into a published guide. This was also helped as Luke Farley being onto me all day about his picture of the Plymouth sound being shortlisted as well. And how brilliant his was compared to my pictures. Well Luke have that I have 2 shortlisted. Pictures below are of my two photos short listed.

Bus driver saves life

News came to me on a morning earlier this week that a bus driver, from Torpoint had saved someone’s life. Bus driver Carl based at the depot was running the first 81C of the day to Cremyll. Well on his way there (is not known where this happened) he came across at first what he thought was a rabbit, them being common at that time of the day. But at a closer glance he found it to be a small baby only around 10 months old. He stopped and got them on board and all I have found out from there is that he did return it to its parents. He may have known the family or someone on the bus knew who it belonged to. I will try and find out more details on this in the coming week. All I can do now is congratulate Carl on this achievement.

"No sorry I'm not going any further."

On Tuesday of last week a Dennis Trident had to be taken out of service because of damaged caused by the severe gales on last week. The bus believed to be 32756 was driving around Whitsand Bay with a Southerly direction force 8 gale blowing on her. Some passengers were upstairs holding the windows closed but this after a while was considered too dangerous so this was abandoned. The wind ripped off the front panel and the rear engine door also came off its hinges. The driver took the decision to call her un-road worthy. Therefore he rang up the depot and asked for another bus to be brought out. That being 34813 as the Leylands are thought to be the most stable as they are just as wide or wider but are not as tall so has a smaller surface area. The mechanic stayed out at the Trident and made her as road worthy as possible so could be driven back to the depot so that full work could be done to her. So after 23 years of service the Olympian still actually stands over the Trident if you want a bus that works in all weathers even better than a Vario or a Dart, that very rarely breaks down if maintained well, can carry most passengers and that people enjoy being on.

More news on the Olympians

More news comes to me about the Leyland Olympians that were due to come to Torpoint. One of them has been transferred to Camborne depot but this is not been confirmed thought this would make sense as one of the six is missing from Plymouth. Derrick Cuff has now told me they should all be being transferred to Camborne thought some still think that the buses will be coming to Torpoint. As I have said these buses might be replacing the Mercedes Varios and/or our lovely Leyland Olympians with proper engines in them unlike these with there horrible Cummins engines the same as seen in the Dennis Darts and the ultra modern Enviros. We’ll just have to wait to see where they go thought. Many mixed opinions. There are still also rumours about them going to Callinton. Maybe Penzance. Who knows? All I know is I don’t want them here.

Partial repaint scheme

Just to start I apologise for the post the happened that was Luke Farley as he still has the details of my account from when he was posting on the site for those few days.

Anyway on with the post. Plymouth Citybus have recently been painting some of there Dennis Darts on what they are calling the partial repaint scheme. The things done are that the normal grey bottom line going round the bus is repainted into the red that is seen on the top half of the bus. This is being done before the full repaint to save time when they do the whole repaint and most say that the partial livery looks better than the normal livery anyway even when it is partial thought I do not personally agree.

Laurence is rubbish

MPD seen on 34

Dennis Dart MPD 205 saw a rare running on the 34 on Saturday. The MPDs are most often used on the 45. And while we are on teh subject on the 34 the 34B will from Tuesday be run by First Devon and Cornwall where Varios are thought to be used for all the new services that First have taken over with the retendering of the Plymouth Citybus routes.

Northern back on service

Northern Belle returned to service last week following this years refit. She was moored from Voyager for a few days to let the wood swell up before being put into open water as she does leak very badly. Nothing major has been done mostly a genral tidy up and repaint and a few replaced bits here and there. And what was good news to here was that they kept the original name "Armadilo" engraved on the stern so can now be seen. July will see her 82nd birthday.

Attack at Tavistock

On Friday 21st a 49 year old cleaner at Tavistock bus depot was attacked by robbers. The incident happened at 23:30 when the robbers came into the depot and then started hitting him using an iron bar and shouting at him "Where are the keys and the safe?". And man was unable to for fill this as he did not have the keys to the safe. He was then tied up and was left while they broke into the cabin and office at the depot. The man suffered injuries feet and hands from the tying up and injuries to his stomach from the iron bar. The police are appealing for witnesses.

C417 HJN off on her travels again

C417 HJN was off on her travels again on Thursday again. She was spotted opperating the Park and ride duties a couple of weeks back and again in Plymouth last week. On Thursday she was seen opperating the 5 to the Railway Station and the 6 to Elburton. And being I think I'm right in saying the only bus that was probably running in Plymouth with a gear stick she was not driven very well by the Plymouth drivers. She has now returned to Torpoint seen today running 81 and Cremyll school duties.

On the buses

Well what was just an innocent 20 minutes shopping with Mum in the village to Millbrook turned out to be 7 hours onboard Derrick Cuff’s bus.

It started out at 13:19 in Millbrook where I was just getting the camera out to take a picture of the bus but he pulled away. So then we went to Cawsand to get a picture of the bus in Cawsand but who was driving but Derrick Cuff. So I flagged the 32759 down and jumped aboard the bus. “A Child first Day Plymouth Plus” I said to him. “Oh so you’ve been missing me then have you.” And well I had to reply yes. So I asked him where he’s been for his 3 weeks. And he replied that he’d been on his Honeymoon in Gambia. He said that he was hoping to see just a few old bangers or really rare buses but there was absolutely nothing. So we went off on the route talking about things. Then what cropped up (which also has its own article) was that the new Olympians that were coming to Torpoint to replace our Varios are now not going to come here and will be going to Callington which is a real shame because we were all looking forward to getting them but well can’t do anything about that. I just hope that doesn’t mean he will be returning back to Callington just so he can drive them but I know I would. STOP PRESS: This is not true they are still coming to Torpoint. So we went on to Torpoint where we waited there for 30 minutes while I had a look round the depot and Derrick was having a brake. It was then back on the bus this time on the 81 into Plymouth sadly the Dart was the bus that turned up. So I reluctantly boarded 40002 and we were off. Nothing much cropped up except his fascination with his phone. He was talking about all the different T.V programs that he watches when he’s on the ferry or running early etc. We got to Bretonside at 14:58 dead on time and went and parked the Dart up and I went to take a few pictures until going out on the 1523 81C. While there Gerald turned up with 34813. We had a chat with him and he asks Derrick “So how’s married life then” Then Nick turns up and says “You asked that yesterday” Gerald says “Well it can’t be very good because he hasn’t said anything about it” “And he’s on the half past one tonight. And we all laughed. Then Gerald starting going on about “So why do people like you do bus spotting?” So then Derrick started going on about “You know the other day I showed you those pictures of the depot back in the 60’s” “Well that’s why we do it to remember times like that” So then we left and went on all the way back to Cremyll where we met Chris who was on his ½ hour brake before the last ferry. Had a chat with him for a while and a play with the bus blinds until it was time to get going back to Cawsand. And on the way back who did we meet but Luke Farley. Who came on to go to go to Cawsand who started bringing up how much he like the bus we were on however much we hate it. Well a very good afternoon and all that for just £2.60. “Cheaper than you think with a First Day Ticket”

The Paxman Valenta farewell

So here we are. 31 years on from when the first two Class 43s 43002 and 43003 first set off as there number of 253001.

The train was developed in the early 70s as there would soon be high demand for a new faster locomotive. The train needed to be cheap, reliable, comfortable and fast. For this they came up with the prototype class 41. The train used the brand new Paxman Valenta engine able to develop 2,250 hp. The train used all the latest technology and was aero dynamically shaped and could be driven at both ends to make shunting easier. The two prototypes emerged as 41001 and 41002. The ends did trials on the Eastern Region and Western region lines but the trains were withdrawn shortly after. But they put in a bid for a similar design which would run on all the high speed lines in the UK. So then after the Class 43 Intercity 125 was born. The trains were built from 1976 to 1982 numbered 43002-43198. Maximum speed before the train was 100mph. But because of the 125’s rapid acceleration and deceleration this was therefore increased to 125mph. This slashed journey times across the country and a top speed of 148mph means that the train still holds the record today. The southwest got the third batch of trains.
The trains were set out in a 2+8 format. 2 being the power cars and 8 the carriages. First Great Western was by far the largest buyer of the train with 117 operating last November. During the early 90s most of the fleet received newer versions of the Paxman engine in a bid to reduce emissions and fuel costs for the trains though the engine proved fairly unreliable and did not prove to be much more efficient that the older engine therefore this project was scrapped. And so the date of December 1st 2007 came round on the calendar. This would mark the day of the last ever running of the Paxman Valenta engined Class 43 Intercity 125 31 years on from when they first started. Many many enthusiasts came to witness the final running of them. The train many us have grown up with would have a set farewell tour of the Western Region railway.

At 0640, renumbered 253001 which was the prototype number 43002 and 43003 departed Exeter for London Paddington. At 1005 she would become the London Paddington to Exeter. Then onto the 1300 to depart Exeter for the last time to Paddington. Then after the 1600 Paddington to Bristol. She then left Bristol for the last time at 1830 to head back up to Paddington. And then for her last time she left Paddington for Swansea. She came into Swansea dead on time. There after final tributes were made to the most successful HST ever made now to be replaced by the horrible sounding MTU which by I would say all enthusiasts views not even a shadow on the Valenta. And so we leave the station to where they first set off 31 years ago. Will it ever be the same again? The triumph of 20th Centaury engineering comes to a close. The Paxman Valenta. Serving us from 1976-2007. R.I.P

First sailing for Bretagne

Sunday 26th saw the first reported sailing of the Bretagne the old flagship ferry of Brittany Ferries. The boat has now replaced Pont Avon on her sailings between Plymouth and Santander while Pont Avon goes on for her refit. The boat will also run at times in tandem with Pont L’Abbe until Pont Avon’s return early next year.

Should read 'Aven'

Sorry Farley