268 Premier Travel Services PCE 602R at Huntingdon - Sat 29 June 1985 (Ref 22-06)

Saturday 29 June 1985 - Premier Travel Services 268 (PCE 602R), a Plaxton Supreme bodied AEC Reliance, seen in Huntingdon bus station having worked a feeder service from Luton, Bedford, Goldington, St. Neots and Godmanchester. This feeder connected with services to Cromer via Hunstanton (service 40) and Skegness (service 3) although Luton was limited to the latter only. Originally it was Premier’s service 34 that operated between Bedford and Skegness/Mablethorpe covering similar points now covered by the feeder service. Service 3 had been one of Premier’s earliest ventures worked starting from Cambridge but now it first started from Haverhill travelling to which was now covered by the feeder service. The Skegness service coach had originated at Haverhill. The Cromer service was now co-ordinated with the Northampton-Cromer service of York’s Coaches. Originally Premier’s service 40 operated from Bedford to Hunstanton but in later years the joint working was established with York’s in order to expand the range of destinations available whilst reducing costs.

Arriving at Cambridge garage with plenty of time to spare there was some reason, and I can’t recall what it now was, that I didn’t get away promptly to drive empty from Cambridge to work the feeder service due out of Luton at 0840. It was to be 0900 when I departed. This was only my third Saturday driving solo. I was on unchartered territory, driving a different vehicle, driving an express coach service, running late through no fault of my own - and just plain flustered. I arrived in Huntingdon at 1027 - the advertised departure time was 1000! The awaiting drivers were not at all pleased.

As the dust settled I made a more leisurely journey back to Cambridge garage. My next assignment was to take over 296 (VAV 258X) to do an afternoon private hire to Anglesey Abbey taking a party of Cunard guests from a hotel at Bar Hill. At the end of that job I took the coach to Haverhill to operate the Cambridge bingo contract. Unlike the previous occasions I was not required to wait in order to cover the return trip so was able to run empty back to the Cambridge garage.

There are three other vehicles in the background of this photograph. On the right is a Trent Motor Traction Plaxton Supreme in National Express livery (possibly working a holiday coastal service from the East Midlands to East Anglia) and on the left is OUC 123R, a former London Buses MCW Metropolitan now operated by Whippet Coaches and NPV 442W, a Duple Dominant bodied Bedford (operated by Allan of Keyston? - not sure if that is the actual trading name) which shows Huntingdon on the small destination blind. (Ref 22-06)