Naming of coaches and buses

[cambsy]

I noticed a really good name On Megabus 54606 YX68 UAD, Bus-ta Rhymes, which made me chuckle, and is one of the best i have seen, I’d like know what other good or funny names people have seen on buses or coaches? And whether people like the recent trend of naming buses and coaches? I personally dont mind it, and if done well can add nice bit of character to bus or coach it is on.

 

[Flange Squeal]

There are a number of named vehicles operating on the Megabus network with bus or 'Mega'-related puns or references in the name. This isn't an exhaustive list of all named vehicles though: Al Bus Dumbledore, Alfred Hitchcoach, Basil Bus, Bertie Bus, Blakey, Bus Lightyear, Bussy Galore, Bussy the Vampire Slayer, Bus-ta Rhymes, Christopher ColumBus, Darcey Bussell, David Attenbus, Jenson Bussen, Lord Bussington, mega Force One, mega mcmegaface, mega ‘n’ Harry, megasaurous, mega-tron, NimBus 2000, PhileBus Fogg, Queen Elizabus II, Road Runner, Road Stewart, Tom Cruiser, Toni Plaxton, Wheely Wonka

 

[WY Bus Spotter]

I noticed a really good name On Megabus 54606 YX68 UAD, Bus-ta Rhymes, which made me chuckle, and is one of the best i have seen, I’d like know what other good or funny names people have seen on buses or coaches? And whether people like the recent trend of naming buses and coaches? I personally dont mind it, and if done well can add nice bit of character to bus or coach it is on.

First in West Yorkshire tend to name them after colleagues/ bus related people who have passed away, which I've always found to be a nice tribute.

Transdev tend to name buses after famous people, but often seems to be done to get media attention.

A controversial one now, but at the time accepted, and someone may correct me here but I'm sure there was a Leeds hybrid named after Jimmy Savile. The odd thing is I can't find any evidence of this on flickr whatsoever.

A lot of the leeds 'Dynamo' hybrids were named after notable local people including Rhinos and LUFC players, but since being repainted (twice) have lost these. It would be nice to see a bus named after Rob Burrows again though.

 

[Busaholic]

Not an amusing one, far from it, but Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 was specially built as a replacement for the bus destroyed by the bomb at Tavistock Square in 2005 which led to the loss of thirteen lives, and was given the name 'Spirit of London'. It often appeared on Stagecoach-operated route 30, the one it had been operating, though on diversion, on the fateful day of 2005. It always gave me a lump in the throat to see it, though I never rode on it.

 

[tbtc]

I like the Megabus ones - I can see the logic, given that I know people with no interest in lorries who pay attention to Eddie Stobart trucks on the motorway - it's a good way to turn heads

In terms of historic names, Andrews had a number of named buses, some were people, some were things (including Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday) - we had some old local heroes like Benjamin Huntsman (from the history of steel, he's since had a Wetherspoons named after him, which is a consolation prize after having a bus named in his honour)

I think there was one with a name that sounded like a James Bond film - No Time To Die?

(Andrews were later taken over by Yorkshire Traction and lived on as "Andrews Sheffield Omnibus" before the entire Yorkshire Traction operation in Sheffield took on the Yorkshire Terrier brand)

First in West Yorkshire tend to name them after colleagues/ bus related people who have passed away, which I've always found to be a nice tribute

Same in South Yorkshire - there are the names of ex-drivers on a number of FSY vehicles (including the retro-liveried ones)

A controversial one now, but at the time accepted, and someone may correct me here but I'm sure there was a Leeds hybrid named after Jimmy Savile

I wouldn't be surprised - Saville seemed nationally adored up to the point that he died (then, when the posthumous fall from grace happened, it was incredibly swift) - I remember a number of people being quite upset at the time of his death

 

[Andyh82]

First in West Yorkshire tend to name them after colleagues/ bus related people who have passed away, which I've always found to be a nice tribute.

Transdev tend to name buses after famous people, but often seems to be done to get media attention.

A controversial one now, but at the time accepted, and someone may correct me here but I'm sure there was a Leeds hybrid named after Jimmy Savile. The odd thing is I can't find any evidence of this on flickr whatsoever.

Yes there was

39232 - 7 (Jimmy Saville)

39232 now carries the name of Jammy Saville. First have chosen well out of the votes considering what I've seen & photoed today. Been some nice & exciting surprises popping up on the sides.

www.flickr.com

It was short lived, they’d already removed it before it all came out, talk at the time being because they’d spelt his surname wrong and it should have been prefixed with ‘Sir’ (there were spelling mistakes on other buses, and many never got a name in typical First doing something in a half arsed manner way), although in this case a new vinyl never appeared, so maybe even First bosses had heard the rumours

 

[37114]

Southampton used to name their buses pre first takeover, they were named after ships, from memory one was the "Mauretania' and there was also the "Achille Lauro" which was the cruise ship hijacked and tragically an elderly passenger was killed.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

people with no interest in lorries who pay attention to Eddie Stobart trucks on the motorway - it's a good way to turn heads

Surprised that no one has mentioned the most extensive and Stobart-like examples - National Express WM, and the old GTL business but did it really distract from a fleet of clapped out Titans!

 

[GusB]

A few from the past (Source, Scottish Bus Handbook 1989):

• Clydeside/Western had named some of their Routemasters "xxxxx the Routemaster", with various names that all began with "R"
• Tayside had 4 minibuses named after the DC Thomson characters Beryl the Peril, Korky the Cat, Dennis the Menace and Desperate Dan. They also named their coaches after Glens, Lochs and Straths
• Allander Travel had names like "Highland Princess", "Highland Ambassador" etc.
• Lothian had a few Atlanteans named after Scottish writers, and a coach named after a Councillor
• Mairs of Aberdeen used "Pride of..." on a few of their vehicles

 

[Flange Squeal]

If we are going for names in general, rather than just the funny/humorous, then every new vehicle delivered to Brighton & Hove once 1999 had been named after people who have a significant connection to the local area. More info, and a list of names, can be found at https://www.buses.co.uk/bus-names

Coach operator Bibby’s of Ingleton’s vehicles feature names typically with ‘Dales’ in them, e.g. Dales Magnum, Dales Fantasy, Dales Exquisite, Dales Maverick and Dales Knight, to name but just a few.

 

[RustySpoons]

Coach operator Bibby’s of Ingleton’s vehicles feature names typically with ‘Dales’ in them, e.g. Dales Magnum, Dales Fantasy, Dales Exquisite, Dales Maverick and Dales Knight, to name but just a few.

Hodsons of Clitheroe follow a similar theme, although with Pendle instead of Dales. Pendle Prince, Pendle Wizard, etc etc.

Burnley & Pendle Transport used to have a small fleet of Routemasters running between Burnley and Colne on a route branded 'EastEnders', each bus named after a character from the soap. No idea what the connection between an East Lancashire bus operator and a London based soap was but it seemed popular, though I believe the BBC weren't too impressed when they got wind of it.

Moving People (of Oswaldtwistle) also have most of their fleet named after family members of staff.

There's also some enthusiasts who seem to personally name buses, and then refer to them as their made up name rather than fleet number/reg and talk about them as though they're a real person. Each to their own!

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Not an amusing one, far from it, but Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 was specially built as a replacement for the bus destroyed by the bomb at Tavistock Square in 2005 which led to the loss of thirteen lives, and was given the name 'Spirit of London'. It often appeared on Stagecoach-operated route 30, the one it had been operating, though on diversion, on the fateful day of 2005. It always gave me a lump in the throat to see it, though I never rode on it.

The original is now on long term loan to the London Bus Museum at Brooklands, with the ‘Spirit of London’ name carried on Enviro 11377 which runs normally on routes 25 and 425.

Thamesdown used to name buses, several carried railway style names in a nod to the town’s railway works. IIRC Badgerline named their Guide Friday buses after local notables.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Oct 2021 ==

I wouldn't be surprised - Saville seemed nationally adored up to the point that he died (then, when the posthumous fall from grace happened, it was incredibly swift) - I remember a number of people being quite upset at the time of his death

Coincidentally the latest edition of Rail has an article on HSTs, which Jimmy Saville promoted with the ‘This is the Age of the Train’ adverts. Apparently he was chosen as, at the time, he was the celebrity most trusted by the public, a fact queried by Peter Parker. Unfortunately with hindsight his doubt proved well founded.

 

[Strathclyder]

Perhaps the most poignant example barring the already-mentioned Spirit of London E400 - a bit surprised it hasn't been mentioned already tbh - is Nottingham's experimental Northern Counties-bodied Leyland Atlantean ARC 666T (666; new Nov. 1978), which was named after Andrew Pickering, a gravely ill local lad with a interest in buses; 666 was his favourite. After he tragically passed away in 1994 aged 8, Nottingham City Transport arranged for 666 to take part in his funeral procession. It emerged from it's refurbishment the following year (1995) named in his memory; a name it retains in preservation. While the 'styling' of this particular Atlantean is noteworthy in and of itself, the name and it's backstory are significantly more notable, at least in my view.

Linked photos below from the Tony Wilson & Alan Smith Flickr streams respectively showing 666 in service and in preservation with it's name:

ARC666T Nottingham City Transport NCT 666

Leyland Atlantean with experimental front end Northern Counties design in Nottingham March 1998

www.flickr.com

Nottingham City Transport.1978 Leyland Atlantean AN68A/1R.ARC666T 666.with Northern Counties Body.

Explore themonitor47's 52549 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

 

[Busaholic]

Perhaps the most poignant example barring the already-mentioned Spirit of London E400 - a bit surprised it hasn't been mentioned already tbh - is Nottingham's experimental Northern Counties-bodied Leyland Atlantean ARC 666T (666; new Nov. 1978), which was named after Andrew Pickering, a gravely ill local lad with a interest in buses; 666 was his favourite. After he tragically passed away in 1994 aged 8, Nottingham City Transport arranged for 666 to take part in his funeral procession. It emerged from it's refurbishment the following year named in his memory; a name it retains in preservation. While the 'styling' of this particular Atlantean is noteworthy in and of itself, the name and it's backstory are significantly more notable, at least in my view.

Linked photos below from the Tony Wilson & Alan Smith Flickr streams respectively showing 666 in service and in preservation with it's name:

ARC666T Nottingham City Transport NCT 666

Leyland Atlantean with experimental front end Northern Counties design in Nottingham March 1998

www.flickr.com

Nottingham City Transport.1978 Leyland Atlantean AN68A/1R.ARC666T 666.with Northern Counties Body.

Explore themonitor47's 52549 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

Thanks for posting that - I hadn't previously been aware of the situation.

 

[DunsBus]

A few from the past (Source, Scottish Bus Handbook 1989):

• Clydeside/Western had named some of their Routemasters "xxxxx the Routemaster", with various names that all began with "R"
• Tayside had 4 minibuses named after the DC Thomson characters Beryl the Peril, Korky the Cat, Dennis the Menace and Desperate Dan. They also named their coaches after Glens, Lochs and Straths
• Allander Travel had names like "Highland Princess", "Highland Ambassador" etc.
• Lothian had a few Atlanteans named after Scottish writers, and a coach named after a Councillor
• Mairs of Aberdeen used "Pride of..." on a few of their vehicles

Lothian also had open-toppers with names. To start with there were two Atlantean open-toppers (one of which was deliberately converted, the other one was converted after a bridge strike) but when Guide Friday arrived in Edinburgh, more Atlanteans were quickly converted for the new Classic Tour and given names. The practice also spread to the ventures which Lothian started in Oxford, York and Cambridge.

The named coach, a Tiger, honoured a prominent local councillor who had passed away prematurely.

One bus, Atlantean 635, was deroofed under a low bridge near Lasswade in October 1989. When it appeared in Shrubhill for repairs (it got the roof from a scrapper), it was thereafter known by staff as Lasswade Star.

 

[Brooke]

Not an amusing one, far from it, but Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 was specially built as a replacement for the bus destroyed by the bomb at Tavistock Square in 2005 which led to the loss of thirteen lives, and was given the name 'Spirit of London'. It often appeared on Stagecoach-operated route 30, the one it had been operating, though on diversion, on the fateful day of 2005. It always gave me a lump in the throat to see it, though I never rode on it.

Maybe slightly off topic, but is there a new Spirit of London bus? I live on its regular route and it currently looks very shiny! I think it’s an E400 MMC.

 

[Flange Squeal]

Maybe slightly off topic, but is there a new Spirit of London bus? I live on its regular route and it currently looks very shiny! I think it’s an E400 MMC.

Yes - as @ANDREW_D_WEBB mentioned in his post, the name is now carried by Enviro 400 SK20 BBF (fleet number 11377) following the withdrawal of original LX55 HGC (19000).

Stagecoach London (Bow) - 11377 - SK20 BBF - 25 City Thameslink

Explore KL Transport's 1742 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

 

[Brooke]

Yes - as @ANDREW_D_WEBB mentioned in his post, the name is now carried by Enviro 400 SK20 BBF (fleet number 11377) following the withdrawal of original LX55 HGC (19000).

Stagecoach London (Bow) - 11377 - SK20 BBF - 25 City Thameslink

Explore KL Transport's 1742 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

Apologies, with the 20 registration I hadn’t figured this was the new one - thanks for setting me straight.

Pleased to see Stagecoach keeping up what is becoming a respectful tradition.

 

[Busaholic]

Apologies, with the 20 registration I hadn’t figured this was the new one - thanks for setting me straight.

Pleased to see Stagecoach keeping up what is becoming a respectful tradition.

The driver of the bus that was destroyed continued working for Stagecoach at West Ham, still driving but away from mainstream activities I believe, for many years and I'd imagine there was a bond between him and many working for Stagecoach, probably right up to Brian Souter. Everyone will have wanted to do the right, respectful thing, which was why the original Spirit of London bus was fully refurbished after an arson attack that would normally have seen off a bus of that age. I suspect everyone, even the insurance company, ditched the usual parameters, completely the right decision imo.

 

[Flange Squeal]

Saw on the Hants & Surrey Bus Blog Facebook page today that Bluestar have very recently named one of their vehicles after Solent Blue Line co-founder John Chadwick, who later went on to found Countywide Travel.

Bluestar have named route 18 Enviro 400MMC 1237 (HF68 DYB) ‘John Chadwick’. Alongside Peter Shelley, he set up the Solent Blue Line business (now Go Ahead-owned Bluestar) around Southampton in 1987.

He later went on to set up Countywide Travel in the mid-90s, which went on to operate local routes to us centred on Fleet, within a year or so of Tillingbourne’s demise in 2001. Route numbers were generally given a 7-prefix which became a common feature of the operation, with the 12 and 13 becoming the 72 and 73, and the Farnborough to Farnham 40/80 becoming the 71. The early days also saw a town route 74 and rail links 76/77/78, and later a 79 to Yateley. The network was rejigged over subsequent years with numbers added, removed or reused, but the basic 72 and 73 remained largely recognisable throughout much of John’s charge.

In 2007 the coaching side and name was acquired by Weavaway, with the bus fleet moving to Crondall as ‘Fleet Buzz’. The operation was sold to Stagecoach in 2011, who retained the name as a low cost unit until the large scale cuts to Fleet services in early 2015, when the name was dropped (although Stagecoach-liveried vehicles were by then already a common sight in the fleet).

John sadly passed away earlier this year. As well as what is now Bluestar still going strong, another smaller legacy that will continue comes in the form of AE51 VFV. While this Dart only joined the fleet post-Stagecoach takeover, it did gain the yellow and black Fleet Buzz colours and is now in the care of the Southdown Preservation Group. The Fleet Buzz identity is being retained, with fresh fleet names, promotional graphics and MOT put on it in recent weeks.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/handsbusblog

 

[6Gman]

Mikro Coaches of Crewe name most of their vehicles, though it's a pretty mixed bunch. My local Enviro 200 is named Bella; sometimes Buzz covers the work. Tank works a schools contract.

The Shropshire operator Birch has a Volvo coach (P 99 HMC) named Molly; managed to photograph it yesterday.

 

[Eyersey468]

East Yorkshire have named vehicles after deceased members of staff.

 

[asb]

The megabus named Eiffel 65 makes some people rather confused, I believe....

 

[GusB]

The megabus named Eiffel 65 makes some people rather confused, I believe....

I'm surprised it's only confusion that they're experiencing

 

[Ianigsy]

Transdev tend to name buses after famous people, but often seems to be done to get media attention.

A controversial one now, but at the time accepted, and someone may correct me here but I'm sure there was a Leeds hybrid named after Jimmy Savile. The odd thing is I can't find any evidence of this on flickr whatsoever.

A lot of the leeds 'Dynamo' hybrids were named after notable local people including Rhinos and LUFC players, but since being repainted (twice) have lost these. It would be nice to see a bus named after Rob Burrows again though.

The 662 Shuttle branded Keighley buses have astronomical names like Mercury and Orion, which reminds me that the pre-Transdev Keighley and District named a number of its buses “… Star”.

As regards the misspelled names on the First Leeds Dynamo buses, I think there was an Alan Bennet (missing a T) and only the other day I saw the Jimi Heseldene OBE (should be Heselden).

 

[Strathclyder]

Thanks for posting that - I hadn't previously been aware of the situation.

Not a problem. Should I ever attend a rally in that part of the country, I'd personally be on the lookout for 666; one of the preserved buses I want to 'tick off' so to speak.

 

[GusB]

Lothian also had open-toppers with names. To start with there were two Atlantean open-toppers (one of which was deliberately converted, the other one was converted after a bridge strike) but when Guide Friday arrived in Edinburgh, more Atlanteans were quickly converted for the new Classic Tour and given names. The practice also spread to the ventures which Lothian started in Oxford, York and Cambridge.

The named coach, a Tiger, honoured a prominent local councillor who had passed away prematurely.

One bus, Atlantean 635, was deroofed under a low bridge near Lasswade in October 1989. When it appeared in Shrubhill for repairs (it got the roof from a scrapper), it was thereafter known by staff as Lasswade Star.

Apologies for the somewhat late reply. I had forgotten about the open-toppers. That particular book had 4 listed as being named:

40	Edinburgh Star
41	Scottish Star
42	Highland Star
43	Lowland Star

A later edition of the book has a few additional named examples, and this was obviously published after they started the Oxford operation:

14	The Oxford Student
34	The Oxford Graduate
39	Dunedin Star
40-43	As above
44	Gaelic Star
45	Celtic Star
48	The Oxford Professor
49	The Oxford Don
50	The Oxford Blue
583	Caledonian Star
900	Northern Star
939	The Oxford Bulldog
942	Pentland Star

 

[DunsBus]

Apologies for the somewhat late reply. I had forgotten about the open-toppers. That particular book had 4 listed as being named:

40	Edinburgh Star
41	Scottish Star
42	Highland Star
43	Lowland Star

A later edition of the book has a few additional named examples, and this was obviously published after they started the Oxford operation:

14	The Oxford Student
34	The Oxford Graduate
39	Dunedin Star
40-43	As above
44	Gaelic Star
45	Celtic Star
48	The Oxford Professor
49	The Oxford Don
50	The Oxford Blue
583	Caledonian Star
900	Northern Star
939	The Oxford Bulldog
942	Pentland Star

That's them. 900 was the first to be converted, in 1983. 583 followed suit in 1986 after striking the low bridge at Newcraighall whilst on a 14.
IIRC, the Atlanteans allocated to the York and the short-lived Cambridge operations also had locally-appropriate names.

 

[Typhoon]

YMS Travel (based in the Canterbury area, mainly rail replacement and private hire) have buses with the names of cartoon characters (not all current)

Florence, Zebedee and Dougal
Zippy, Bungle, and George
Nemo
Dastardley and Mutley
Popeye and Olive

When National Express West Midlands or its predecessor introduced double decker buses to Birmingham route 33 they were named after signs of the zodiac, needless to say the buses were Wright Geminis. There were 13 buses named, so one name was used twice - the obvious one. I've sometimes wondered whether these two were photographed in service with their names showing.

 

[Whisky Papa]

East Yorkshire have named vehicles after deceased members of staff.

First West Yorkshire has done the same on occasion, with one at Todmorden I can recall a few years back named after a former colleague I knew quite well. There is a named bus I see occasionally see nowadays which I assume is similar, but the name is not familiar to me (it's 18 years since I left).