Yorkshire Traction Co Ltd

Thursday 24 September 1992 - Yorkshire Traction Company Limited 650 (A650 OCX), an Eastern Coachworks bodied Leyland Olympian new in March 1984, seen at Meadowhall bus station near Sheffield. In the background are the now demolished Tinsley Power Station cooling towers and the elevated double deck viaduct carrying the M1 Motorway (above) and the A631 (below).

Sunday 25 September 1994 – Yorkshire Traction Company Limited 290 (M290 TWB), a Northern Counties Paladin bodied Scania L113CR new in September 1994, on display at the Showbus Rally, Duxford.

Sunday 22 March 1992 – Yorkshire Traction Company Limited 218 (EDT 218V), a Leyland National 2 new in April 1980, seen at the garage at Waterloo, Huddersfield. YTC operates buses in standard (red) fleet colours as well as in the colours of the ‘local identity’ County Motors, the latter was a company in its own right before the formation of the National Bus Company. The red ‘M’ logo on the buses indicates services supported or contracted by the West Yorkshire Metropolitan Area.

Sunday 22 March 1992 – Yorkshire Traction Company Limited 333 (F703 CWJ), an MCW Metrorider new to SUT, Sheffield in August 1988, seen in Huddersfield bus station. It carries the blue and cream livery used for a number of vehicles operating generally in the Huddersfield area but additionally has ‘Summer Wine Mini-bus’ lettering. The long running BBC television comedy series ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ which ran for 31 series between 1973 and 2010 was filmed in the small town of Holmfirth which is about 6.5 miles south of Huddersfield. Today though it was heading to Denby Dale (about 10 miles south east of Huddersfield) a village with a tradition of baking giant pies which began in 1788. The Bicentenary Pie of 1988 went into the Guinness book of records as the biggest meat and potato pie in the world (My kind of pie!). The final pie to date was the Millennium Pie in September 2000 which was the biggest ever at 40ft long by 9ft wide by 3ft deep (12m long by 2.75m wide by 0.9m deep) and weighed in at 12 tonnes. (A regular type two axle coach has a footprint of 40ft by 8ft 2½ins (12m by 2.5m) but is much higher than the pie (approx. 10ft 6ins or 3.2m)) yorkshiresbestguides.co.uk/denby-dale-and-its-giant-pies

Thursday 6 June 2002 (approx. 1500) – Yorkshire Traction 45 (V345 EKW) was a Mercedes-Benz O 414-15R with Hispano Vito bodywork new in January 2000, I think it is safe to say that it was the only such type to carry the National Express livery. It was seen here at Milton Keynes Coachway when working the 1330 National Express service 560 from London (Victoria) to Rotherham (due 1755).

Thursday 6 June 2002 (approx. 1500) – Yorkshire Traction 45 (V345 EKW) was a Mercedes-Benz O 414-15R with Hispano Vito bodywork new in January 2000, I think it is safe to say that it was the only such type to carry the National Express livery. It was seen here at Milton Keynes Coachway when working the 1330 National Express service 560 from London (Victoria) to Rotherham (due 1755).

Thursday 6 June 2002 (approx. 1500) – Yorkshire Traction 45 (V345 EKW) was a Mercedes-Benz O 414-15R with Hispano Vito bodywork new in January 2000, I think it is safe to say that it was the only such type to carry the National Express livery. It was seen here at Milton Keynes Coachway when working the 1330 National Express service 560 from London (Victoria) to Rotherham (due 1755).

Thursday 6 June 2002 (approx. 1500) – Northbound National Express services from London (Victoria) at 1330 seen at Milton Keynes Coachway. Left is Yorkshire Traction 45 (V345 EKW), a Mercedes-Benz O 414-15R with Hispano Vito bodywork new in January 2000, bound for Rotherham on service 560 (due there 1755). Right: Durham Travel Services 35 (NK51 ORN), a Van Hool Alizeé bodied Volvo B10M new in September 2001, bound for Ripon on service 561 (due there 1905).

Monday 2 June 1997 (approx. 1440) – Milton Keynes Coachway stands close to junction 14 of the M1 Motorway in Buckinghamshire. On the left is Yorkshire Traction 59 (P59 NWG), a 1997 Plaxton Expressliner 2 bodied Volvo B10M, working the 1105 Halifax to London National Express service 564. On the right is East Midland Motor Services 659 (J420 HAS) operating the 1245 National Express ‘Air Link’ service 230 from Nottingham to Gatwick Airport. It had only recently been transferred to East Midland from Busways of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, both companies owned by Stagecoach, and still carried lettering for the ‘Air Link’ services from the North East. It is a Plaxton Excalibur bodied Volvo B10M new to Parks of Hamilton in March 1992 which I believe had carried registration KSU 462 during its time at Busways.

Monday 2 June 1997 (approx. 1450) – Two Yorkshire Traction coaches working northbound National Express services ex London (Victoria) at 1330 seen at Milton Keynes Coachway (near junction 14 of the M1 Motorway in Buckinghamshire). Left is 58 (P58 NWG), a 1997 Plaxton Expressliner 2 bodied Volvo B10M, working service 564 to Halifax. Right is 81 (N281 CAK), a 1996 Van Hool Alizeé bodied Scania K113CRB, working service 560 to Barnsley. Next stop for 81 is Chesterfield and for 58 is Wakefield.

Tuesday 24 September 1991 – Only three MCW Metroliner 400GT models were built, two going to Central Coachways owned by West Midland Travel and the third going to Yorkshire Traction as their number 99 originally delivered in 1988 as E99 AAK it was re-registered HE 8899. Seen in Victoria Coach Station, London it was getting ready to work the 1930 National Express ‘Rapide’ service 560 to Barnsley. Alongside was a German coach loading for the ‘Eurolines’ service to Athens, Greece.

Saturday 8 July 1995 (approx. 1115) – Yorkshire Traction Company 75 (OHE 50), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Scania K93CRB new in 1991 as J964 YWJ, seen in the Rookery bus station in Newmarket when working the 0850 National Express service 350 from Clacton-on-Sea to Liverpool.

Sunday 28 October 1990 – Yorkshire Traction Company 79 (E69 WWF) seen at Drummer Street, Cambridge when working the 0910 National Express service 350 from Clacton-on-Sea to Chester, a new link started this very day with the commencement of the Winter 1990/1 schedules. Destination information is carried for both directions! A smartly turned out Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Scania K112CR new in October 1987.

Saturday 8 May 1993 – Yorkshire Traction Company 16 (6341 HE), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Tiger, seen in St. Andrew’s Street North, Bury St. Edmunds when working the 0850 National Express service 350 from Clacton-on-Sea to Liverpool. Prior to the construction of the bus station across the street from the Library (in the background), buses and coaches picked up at various bus stops and shelters on both sides of the street. It was one of three such coaches (E213-5 RDW) new in March 1998 to Hills of Tredegar that Tracky acquired which were given registrations from their select series of plates which were 15 (RHE 353), 16 (6341 HE) and 17 (6087 HE).

Saturday 8 May 1993 – Yorkshire Traction Company 16 (6341 HE), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Tiger, seen turning from St. Andrew’s Street North into Risbygate Street, Bury St. Edmunds when working the 0850 National Express service 350 from Clacton-on-Sea to Liverpool.

Saturday 2 March 1991 - Yorkshire Traction Company 14 (1619 HE), a Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3R new in June 1983 as VET 54Y, seen loading in St. Andrew’s Street North, Bury St. Edmunds when working the 0910 National Express service 350 from Clacton-on-Sea to Manchester. This was prior to the construction of the bus station a little further along the street (to the left of the camera). Note the bus stop signs for Cambus and Eastern Counties.

Saturday 15 July 1989 – A very pristine Yorkshire Traction Company Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Royal Tiger eases off Bay 19 at Peterborough bus station when working the 0930 National Express service 350 from Liverpool to Clacton-on-Sea. 74 (374 YTC) was delivered as A74 YDT in April 1984.

Saturday 15 July 1989 – The driver of Yorkshire Traction Company 74 (374 YTC) loads luggage at Peterborough bus station when working the 0930 National Express service 350 from Liverpool to Clacton-on-Sea. A very pristine Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Royal Tiger that was delivered as A74 YDT in April 1984.