Recent content by quarella

Victoria Coach station's 1960s expansion was planned with underground vehicle parking but increased vehicle dimensions prevented continued use by coaches.

'Shadow Factory' also a destination lasted long after WW2 at a number of locations.. I don't know if it is still used but 'Top of Pigsty Hill' was an unofficial one on Gloucester Road in Bristol. It was on one of the Traws Cymru services the on board next stop announcement was 'Meat Factory'.

Lympstone Commando platform was originally the down platform at Weston Milton (Milton Halt) relocated after the line was singled. Anywhere else with a second hand platform.

Not aware of any cash fares that meet the criteria but 'Tap on, tap off' on First Cymru has some odd amounts on return journeys. https://www.firstbus.co.uk/south-west-wales/tickets/tap-tap In the early years of Badgerline in the mid to late 1980s there was a Dayrider ticket in...

After watching the programme on the S & D I watched an edition of 'Out of Town' from 1981shown on Talking Pictures TV. The presenter, Jack Hargreaves (How! for those of a certain age) was exploring a disused railway line. While not naming it, the story about the canopy identified Shillingstone...

My school bus was whatever was left so we occasionally had an open top. Not all drivers would let us upstairs. I have also had an open top to myself on Rail Replacement from Ealing Broadway direct to Paddington some years ago. I assume the other passengers used the Underground.

For the month of March bus travel in the Rhondda Cynon Taff Council area is free. RCT News item I'm not convinced passenger numbers were greatly increased today but snow yesterday followed by rain and temperatures barely above freezing were not going to bring out the casual traveller.

An unusual historical one that appears to have run in the early 1970s. According to Andrew Wiltshire's "Independent Buses of South & West Wales" R I Davies and Merthyr Tydfil Corporation transport operated a shared service between Merthyr and Cefn Coed for alternating 3 month periods.

SWT had banned smoking around the time of privatisation but in the mid 1990s permitted it again for a while on one route. The Big Red Bus ran on an established route from Swansea City Centre to Blaenymaes.

Never wore long-johns but I well remember the draught up the trouser leg from the pedal holes in the floor in the 15 or so year old Bedford coaches I drove on some bus bus routes. My grandfather was a bus driver in the 1940s and 50s. When I was a child I was allowed to try on his BTCC winter...

There was a Badgerline "Stop and engage first gear" sign albeit a Badgerline sticker on the Bristol Omnibus sign on Rownham Hill between Abbots Leigh and Ashton Gate for buses on the Portishead route. I expect there were others across the area. Bath I would think has a suitable hill or two.

When I was at Bristol Temple Meads last year one of the platforms still had boards on the canopy for the mail train.

I know most will disagree but I did like the combined bus station and depot. It was what I was used to at Bristol and Weston-super-Mare. Seeing new vehicles before they entered service. Withdrawn buses parked for weeks then suddenly gone. The various smells - Diesel, cigarettes, sometimes...

ADD 50Y was the prototype ECW Coach Leyland Olympian for National Express in 1982. 1985 Transferred from Wessex to Badgerline. Painted in Swift Link livery. Luggage capacity reduced with additional seats. Plug door replaced with bus door. 1987 sold and exported to Citybus Hong Kong for Cross...

NAT X7 Traws Hafren Bristol - Chepstow/Magor serves Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire. First Cymru X10 Swansea - Sarn for Cardiff serves Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend. T6 Swansea - Brecon. Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Powys. The T1C had a mention earlier with 1974...