Yelloway NDK 166G with Premier Travel OVE 232J and NMU 7 in Rochdale - Apr 1972

April 1972 – Yelloway and Premier Travel had a close working relationship spanning many years notably on the joint services between the North-west and Cambridge/Clacton-on-Sea via the East Midlands. The AEC Reliance chassis served both companies well and this picture shows Yelloway NDK 166G (with Plaxton Panorama Elite body) stood alongside two visiting Premier Travel coaches. NMU 7 with Harrington Cavalier body is on the left and OVE 232J with Alexander ‘Y’ type body is in the centre. The picture was taken on the parking area between Weir Street and Penn Street (later renamed Ink Street when Penn Street was severed with the building of Rochdale’s new bus station - most original but ‘Penn’ was double ‘n’!). Having two Premier Travel coaches parked at Weir Street like this leads me to believe it would have been very close to the Easter weekend when service duplication took place more than usual. NDK 166G sports ‘South West Clipper’ and ‘Bradford’ on the destination blinds. Yelloway was a joint operator on the Yorkshire-West Country services.