Red and White RC368 (OAX 3F) in Rochdale - Aug 1972

August 1972 – Red and White Services RC368 (OAX 3F), an Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol RELH new in February 1968, parked on the back row of the Rochdale Corporation Transport parking ground (with Baillie Street behind). Coaches for the Saturday 0830 southbound service from Rochdale to Barry Island (arriving 1505) were provided by Red and White and were positioned on the Friday by first operating an Associated Motorways service from South Wales to Cheltenham and then becoming on hire to Yelloway as a duplicate from Cheltenham to Rochdale. Conversely, the Saturday 1000 northbound service from Barry Island to Rochdale was worked by Yelloway with the coach travelling from Rochdale to Cheltenham and then working on hire to Associated Motorways from Cheltenham to Cardiff the previous day (Friday). The destination blind was already set for Barry but the ‘On hire to Yelloway’ label remained from the Friday northbound trip. The company had a most interesting fleet numbering system using two class letters followed by a three digit number, the second and third digits indicating the year the coach was new. The first digit began at 1 each year. This coach carried fleet number RC368. (Bristol RE Coach, the 3rd of 1968).