Unō 365 (LF18 AWP) and 370 (BG14 OPC) in St. Albans - 8 Sep 2023 (P1160369)

Friday 8 September 2023 (1124) – Two Unō (Universitybus Limited) service 653 buses passing in Victoria Street, St. Albans.

The Universitybus premises are located on an industrial estate that was once the de Havilland Aircraft Company airfield at Hatfield and the roads on the site have names reflecting that heritage. Universitybus is based on Gypsy Moth Avenue. The names from that heritage are also used on some of Universitybus brandings that include famous aircraft types like ‘Tiger Moth’, ‘Comet’ and ‘Dragonfly’.

Service 653 is branded ‘Tigermoth’ but 365 (LF18 AWP), an MCV eVoRa bodied Volvo B8RLE new in May 2018, carries ‘Dragonfly’ branding for the Luton-Cockfosters service 610. It was working the 1057 trip from New Greens Estate to Welwyn Garden City.

On the right, working the 0955 trip from Welwyn Garden City to New Greens is 370 (BG14 OPC). It is a Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B7RLE that had been new to Malta Public Transport registered BUS 362. This bus is named ‘Joan Hughes’. In January 1940 at Hatfield aerodrome, eight women pilots joined the ranks of Air Transport Auxiliary, a civilian organisation which ferried planes between factories and front-line RAF airfields during World War II.

The Unō website includes a page listing the eight pilots:
www.unobus.info/tigermoth-girls/?region=