Cardiff - Feb 2001

Tuesday 27 February 2001 (0750) – Three coaches of Bebb Travel PLC of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales bearing National Express livery seen in Cardiff bus station. On the right is TIL 4035, an S250 model new in August 1997 as R35 AWO (assigned ECZ 4635 at some point also?), loading for London on service 509. Directly behind is X48 CNY, a Plaxton Paragon bodied Volvo B10M also on the London service 509. Coming in on the left is V32 HAX, a Setra S315GT-HD assigned to the 0800 Cardiff to Aberdeen service 536 – although due to bad weather it would not venture north of Birmingham. Heavy snow on Sunday/Monday in Scotland prevented the 536 getting beyond Carlisle the previous day. Today I travelled to Birmingham by coach but not on this service. I had chosen the scenic route starting from Pontypridd via the Heads of the Valleys and Hereford on service 321. Upon arrival at Birmingham at 1315 V32 HAX was parked up. I don’t know what became of it later but I presumed it may have returned to Cardiff at the appointed time that the southbound Aberdeen to Cardiff service 536 departed Birmingham.

Monday 26 February 2001 (approx. 1405) – Bebb Travel PLC of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales was one of a very small number of National Express contractors that used Setra coaches on National Express services. ECZ 4632 was an S250 model new in August 1997 as R32 AWO. It was seen in Cardiff bus station having worked the 0650 National Express service 320 from Bradford (due 1355) and would then work the 1520 service 320 back to Bradford arriving at 2200. Normally this was day 2 of a three day diagram. On day one it would cover the 0855 service 321 from Pontypridd to Bradford and on day 3 the 1030 Bradford to Pontypridd service 321.

Monday 26 February 2001 (approx. 1545) – When I took this photograph in Cardiff bus station of First Cymru Buses 111 (M111 JWN), I didn’t realise I had already seen it at Heathrow Airport earlier in the day. It had worked the 0510 National Express ‘Flightlink’ service 202 from Swansea to Heathrow (Terminal 4) arriving at 1040. It then worked the 1155 service 202 due in Cardiff at 1535. In March 1996 National Express acquired the Manchester-Birmingham-Heathrow-Gatwick express coach services of Birmingham based Flight’s Travel Group which included the ‘Flightlink’ brand name. The branding was expanded to cover a number of National Express services that linked different regions of Britain with key airports including the services from South Wales. A Plaxton Expressliner bodied Dennis Javelin new in 1995.

Monday 26 February 2001 (approx. 1400) – First Cymru Buses 116 (S116 RKG), a Plaxton Expressliner 2 bodied Dennis Javelin new in October 1998, seen in Cardiff bus station when operating the 1225 National Express ‘Flightlink’ service 202 from Swansea to Gatwick Airport. Just in front was Dunn-Line Plaxton Excalibur bodied Volvo B10M W384 PRC acting as duplicate which had arrived in Cardiff as a duplicate for First Cymru 109 (M109 PWN) working the 0730 Gatwick to Swansea service 201.

Monday 26 February 2001 (approx. 1355) – Stagecoach Red and White 763 (M763 LAX), an Alexander PS bodied Volvo B10M new in May 1995, seen leaving Cardiff Bus Station bound for Bargoed on service X38. This model was found throughout most of Britain having been one of the Stagecoach Group’s favoured purchases.

Monday 26 February 2001 (approx. 1550) – Stagecoach Red and White was operating P890 MNE which is seen here leaving Cardiff Bus Station. A Northern Counties Paladin bodied Volvo B10M-55 recently transferred from Stagecoach Manchester in whose fleet is was 890.

Monday 26 February 2001 (approx. 1405) – Islwyn Borough Transport Limited 43 (C43 GKG), an East Lancs bodied Leyland Tiger new in November 1985, seen leaving Cardiff bus station for Blackwood and Tredegar. The Borough of Islwyn was created in the local government reorganisation of April 1 1974 and the council assumed control of the West Monmouthshire Omnibus Board, a partnership that had been created in 1926 by the Urban District Councils of Bedwellty and Mynyddislwyn.

Monday 26 February 2001 (approx. 1540) – The driver of First Cymru Buses Limited 134 (F134 DEP) kindly held back for this photograph taken in Wood Street, Cardiff. The Hestair-Duple 425 coach was most striking in its time and this one was new in March 1989 to South Wales Transport. It carried branding for the Cardiff to Swansea Shuttle service 100 and was seen here just having recently left Cardiff bus station en route to Swansea.

Monday 26 February 2001 (approx. 1630) – Shamrock (Alison Jones) of Pontypridd R190 TKU, a Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Dart SLF that had been new in late 1997 or early 1998 possibly as a Plaxton demonstrator. It was seen turning from Kingsway to Duke Street as it was heading towards Cardiff city centre. The tower of the city hall stands in the background.

Tuesday 27 February 2001 (0833) – Shamrock (Alison Jones) S58 BTX, a Marshall bodied Dennis Dart SLF new in January 1999, seen in Pontypridd bus station working the 0755 Cardiff-Aberdare service X5. The company was based in Pontypridd. I travelled on this bus from Cardiff on what was the day I returned home. Rather than travel back via London as I had done on my outward journey I booked on the 0855 National Express service 321 from Pontypridd to Birmingham which travelled via the Heads of the Valleys.

Monday 26 February 2001 (approx. 1550) – Shamrock (Alison Jones) of Pontypridd V674 FPO seen leaving Cardiff Bus Station. It is a Caetano Nimbus bodied Dennis Dart which was first registered by the Caetano distributor SC of Waterlooville in December 1999 as a demonstrator.

Monday 26 February 2001 (approx. 1405) – Wood Street, Cardiff. The main bus station stood behind the building in the background which has been demolished and redeveloped. The double decker is Cardiff Bus/Bws Caerdydd 434 (A434 VNY), a Northern Counties bodied Volvo/Ailsa B55-10 new in February 1984. The engine on this model was located at the front thus requiring the driver’s cab to have its own entrance door. Standing behind is 250 (G250 HUH), a Leyland Lynx 2 new in January 1990. Both carry versions of the old livery colours which were in course of being replaced with the colours carried by the unidentified Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Dart behind the Lynx.

Monday 26 February 2001 (approx. 1545) - Cardiff Bus/Bws Caerdydd 277 (J277 JWO) seen in Cardiff Bus Station. It is a Plaxton Verde bodied Scania N113CRB new in February 1992.

Monday 26 February 2001 (approx. 1545) - Cardiff Bus/Bws Caerdydd 262 (J262 UDW), a Leyland Lynx 2 new in October 1991, seen in Cardiff Bus Station.

Monday 26 February 2001 (approx. 1440) - Cardiff Bus/Bus Caerdydd 171 (W171 EAX), a Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Dart new in August 2000, seen in Windsor Road, Penarth working service P2. I had rode on this bus from Cardiff city centre.

Monday 26 February 2001 (1621) - Cardiff Bus/Bus Caerdydd 154 (V154 JKG), a Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Dart new in October 1999, seen under the ornate clock tower of Cardiff Castle when working the 1602 Llandaff to Pentwyn service 25.

Monday 26 February 2001 (approx. 1550) - Cardiff Bus/Bws Caerdydd 456 (A968 YSX) seen in Cardiff Bus Station. It is an Alexander bodied Volvo/Ailsa B55-10 which had been new to W Alexander (Fife) Limited (FRA68) in March 1984. The engine on this model was located at the front thus requiring the driver’s cab to have its own entrance door which is visible in this photograph. Cardiff operated around 59 of this chassis type from new and this bus was one of small a number acquired secondhand from Fife Scottish (as Alexander Fife had become) in the late 1990s.

Monday 26 February 2001 (1550) - Cardiff Bus/Bus Caerdydd buses seen leaving the bus station. Left is 363 (W363 VHB), a Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Dart new in July 2000, and right is 291 (L291 ETG), an Alexander Strider bodied Scania N113CRB new in May 1994. The orange, brown and white based livery as carried by 291 was in course of being replaced with the colours carried 363. The domed building in the background is Cardiff Central railway station.