Yelloway and Yelloway-Trathen (ATL) vehicles at Rochdale – 11 Sep 1988 (74-41)

Sunday 11 September 1988 – In July 1985 the Yelloway business which had been managed by the Allen family for more than 50 years was sold to a new owner, Carlton PSV (ATL Holdings). Changes ensued which might have portrayed an air of an optimistic future that sadly was not going to be.

Amongst the changes made by the new management was the decision to branch out into bus service operation and to hand over the long distance coach services to National Express for which Yelloway then became a contracted operator. Vehicles would wear National Express livery resulting in the famous Yelloway colours and name no longer being seen countrywide.

Initially buses appeared in the old Yelloway colours but gradually a livery style and layout used by other businesses in ATL Group ownership came to be which no longer reflected the glorious past of the Yelloway company.

A cross section of vehicles seen on the parking ground between the garage/coach station and offices in Rochdale.

Left, representing the new owner’s aberrations, is XRR 127M, an Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol VR new to Mansfield District as their 127 in December 1973.

Centre, representing the proud past, CTD 131V, a Plaxton Supreme Express bodied Leyland Leopard, one of the four coaches new to Yelloway in July 1980. This one was fitted with folding doors rather than a coach door and was a front line vehicle used on the services from the North West to Cambridge/Clacton-on-Sea. Now demoted to local stage work showing service 567 on the destination display.

Right, the new order for long distance express services which were now operated from Plymouth rather than Rochdale under the name of Yelloway-Trathen Express is A308 XHE, a Jonckheere Deauville bodied Volvo B10M new to National Travel (East) in November 1983. National Travel East, Yelloway and Trathens Travel had all come under ATL ownership.

All the buildings in the background have now gone. The new bus station stands on the opposite bank of the River Roch (left). The Yelloway offices on the right, the parking ground and garage, all became the site of the new Council building (Number One Riverside) which replaced the now demolished former ‘black box’ Council building and the old bus station adjacent to it.