David Slater (Spoddendale)'s photos

June 1975 – Norman Fletcher and Sons, like many small operators at the time, took delivery of the flamboyant Caetano bodied coaches entering Britain in the 1970s. WDK 261K seen at their premises in Cinnamon Street, Rochdale. The chassis was a Ford R226 new in March 1972. In later years it became a caravan and was seen around North Wales.

One Saturday evening in July 1973 Northern General Transport 114L (NCN 814L) appeared at Weir Street, Rochdale and was seen here on the fuel pumps. It had Torquay on the destination blind and I believe it had been used as a duplicate on the northbound Yelloway service and was then going to somehow run back to it’s native area of north-east of England. It was a Plaxton Panorama Elite bodied Bristol RELH6G just a couple or so months old new in May 1973.

April 1972 - I don’t know the reason why North Western Road Car Co Ltd 915 (VDB 915) appeared in the ‘top shop’ of the Yelloway garage at Weir Street, Rochdale. North Western was a joint operator on the Blackpool services but their vehicles didn’t work on the X79 and X89 services through Rochdale as a rule. I suspect it was on a private hire job in the vicinity when some mechanical problem occurred. An Alexander bodied Leyland Leopard new in May 1962.

Saturday .. Sept 1973 – Two very rare hired vehicles seen at Rochdale operated by PMT (Potteries Motor Traction Co Ltd). 916 (916 UVT), a 1962 Leyland Leopard with Plaxton Panorama body unusually equipped with a destination blind box (which I managed to almost chop off the picture). This particular Saturday was the start of the Rochdale late summer holiday week which, I believe, coincided the end of the Potteries late summer holiday week. PMT would have sent the vehicles empty from their home depot to North Wales to carry the returning holidaymakers. To help defray the cost, and doubtless to solve a problem for Yelloway who would have been using every possible hired coach in the area, they came empty to Rochdale to work duplicates as far as Rhyl.

Saturday .. Sept 1973 – Two very rare hired vehicles seen at Rochdale operated by PMT (Potteries Motor Traction Co Ltd). 1038 (AEH 138C), was a 1965 AEC Reliance with Weymann dual purpose bodywork. Alongside is 916 (916 UVT), a 1962 Leyland Leopard with Plaxton Panorama body unusually equipped with a destination blind box. This particular Saturday was the start of the Rochdale late summer holiday week which, I believe, coincided the end of the Potteries late summer holiday week. PMT would have sent the vehicles empty from their home depot to North Wales to carry the returning holidaymakers. To help defray the cost, and doubtless to solve a problem for Yelloway who would have been using every possible hired coach in the area, they came empty to Rochdale to work duplicates as far as Rhyl.

Summer 1963 or 1964 – I think it would be 1964 and one of my earliest Yelloway photographs which shows that a varied fleet was operated at this time. Seen under the large Yelloway sign on the front of the coach station and garage at Weir Street, Rochdale are (from right to left): one of the first batch of the shorter 30 foot long Harrington Cavalier bodied AEC Reliances bought in 1961 (YDK 585-590). (From 1962 the longer 36 foot model became standard and the front wheels on those were set further back); a Duple bodied Bedford SB5 (the 1963 and 1964 Bedfords carried this style of body. The 1963 coaches were 4229/4230 DK. The Creams (Lancashire) Limited, a Yelloway subsidiary, operated 4227/4228 DK. In 1964 Yelloway operated 6475/6476 DK and Creams 6477 DK). Under the magnifier it could be 6477 DK which is seen here (new 1964); another Harrington Cavalier; and a Duple Donnington (one of four such coaches new in 1960 registered WDK 950-953). On the extreme edge of the photograph is a Burlingham Seagull. At this time, the first Plaxton bodied coaches (on Bedford SB5 chassis) were operated as were the first of the six wheel Bedford VAL model. The low buildings behind the Duple Donnington were subsequently demolished to provide more covered parking for the coaches.

Saturday 19 September 1970 - A line up of Yelloway Harrington Cavalier bodied AEC Reliances at Rochdale. Weather looks a little murky today. This being the third Saturday in September it would be the last weekend of the summer season when many of the summer weekend holiday services would come to an end notably on the south west and south coast services. The road services licences defined the period of operation as the 'Friday preceeding the Spring Bank Holiday' until the third Saturday in September.

August 1973 – A line up of Harrington Cavalier bodied AEC Reliances in the corner of the Weir Street coach station and garage in Rochdale.

September 1972 - The interior of Yelloway 7076 DK seen on the parking ground along Penn Street, Rochdale. The Harrington Cavalier body was purchased by the company for 5 years and provided a very comfortable travelling environment. For most of its new heavyweight coaches Yelloway would fit Chapman reclining seats with one row less than if conventional rigid coach seats were fitted. Thus in this 36 feet long coach, which was capable of accommodating 49 rigid seats, only 45 Chapman seats were fitted. One feature which has thankfully become redundant nowadays are the ash trays mounted in the rear of each seat. Not only did copious amounts of dust and ash float around during the emptying process but they were also used by passengers to dispose of the remains of the soft fruit conveyed by them on their journeys. A ‘tee key’ or ‘budget key’ was a useful device to rake out the fag ends and debris from the ash trays when cleaning a coach. To nicer things now and a comment on the moquette pattern which Yelloway chose. This was quite easy on the eye and not as garish as some modern patterns which emerged later.

Saturday 19 September 1970 - Yelloway acquired the business of North Manchester Motor Coaches in 1968. Initially a coach (GNE 941E) which had originally been in the fleet of the acquired business was leased rather than purchased to cover the NMMC work. Subsequently YDK 587, which had been delivered to Yelloway in 1961, was transferred to the NMMC subsidiary and it is shown here carrying North Manchester fleetnames. As this was a one off rather than have transfers made, a local signwriter (Charlie Dalgetty) painted the letters after tracing the outline from GNE 941E. YDK 587 was heading out of the Weir Street garage in Rochdale to take up duties on the North Manchester to Blackpool service. From 1961 Yelloway chose the Harrington Cavalier body for its heavyweight coaches, AEC Reliances of course. 1961 was the only year the short length model was purchased because the law was changed which allowed 36 feet long vehicles and from 1962 the longer type became the norm.

Saturday 19 September 1970 - A pair of Yelloway Harrington Cavalier bodied AEC Reliances travel over the setts of Penn Street as they leave the Rochdale garage. 2921 DK, new in 1962, is leading and is quite likely bound for Oldham to work the 0815 service X79 to Blackpool.

Monday 25 October 1971 – Yelloway 2927 DK seen on the Blackpool stand at the Weir Street coach station and garage in Rochdale when working the last X79 trip of the day to Blackpool. The service originated in Oldham at 1900 and departed Rochdale at 1930. Inspector John Howard is standing on the right. Unfortunately I do not recall the name of the driver. A Harrington Cavalier bodied AEC Reliance new in 1962.

Sunday 26 October 1971 – 2927 DK seen outside the Yelloway garage and coach station in Rochdale when working the 0930 service X79 from Blackpool to Oldham. A Harrington Cavalier bodied AEC Reliance new in 1962.

Saturday 1 June 1968 - Yelloway 2927 DK seen when working the first run of the Rochdale to Barry Island holiday express service jointly licenced with Associated Motorways. This photograph, taken by my old friend the late Gerard Duffy, shows the coach during the refreshment stop on the M5 motorway at Strensham Services I believe. Gerard, a finance man who worked in the Yelloway General Office, was day off today and rode on this inaugural service as a passenger with the two rostered drivers - there were no paying passengers though. For the first season the service was worked by a Yelloway vehicle operating down and back in the same day with two drivers but the format was changed in subsequent years to accommodate the new drivers hours regulations and to give returning passengers a morning departure time from Barry Island rather than a mid-afternoon departure. Under the revised schedule a Yelloway coach would leave Rochdale for Cheltenham on Friday morning and go forward to Cardiff on hire to Associated Motorways so that on Saturday it could work the through express from Barry Island to Rochdale. The Saturday day south express from Rochdale to Barry Island was worked by a Red & White coach which had travelled from South Wales to Rochdale via Cheltenham on the Friday initially on an Associated Motorways service then on hire to Yelloway from Cheltenham to Rochdale. The coach, a Harrington Cavalier bodied AEC Reliance, was new in 1962 - one of the first batch of 36 feet long coaches to enter the fleet. This was the last year that coaches with opening windows entered the fleet as subsequent coaches had forced air ventilation.

Saturday 19 September 1970 - Yelloway 4642 DK, a 1963 Harrington Cavalier bodied AEC Reliance, seen on the parking ground along Penn Street (later creatively renamed Ink Street). The smaller building in the background was the back view of the Yelloway booking and enquiry office. The taller building alongside was Kelsall’s mill which Yelloway subsequently purchased for use as their offices. The booking and enquiry office was moved to the latter and the smaller building was then demolished to expand the parking area. Today this site is occupied by the 'Number One Riverside' complex of Rochdale Borough Council.

Summer 1965 (I think) – The Yelloway ‘Devonian’ service which linked Rochdale with Torquay and later Paignton, was extremely popular at summer holiday periods with hundreds of passengers booked on just one service departure which required something like about forty coaches on one departure alone. Lots of coaches were hired from other, mainly north-west of England, coach operators but these hires also brought the coaches of Devon based operators up to Rochdale (working Friday night north returning either Saturday day south or Saturday night south). Two Harrington bodied AEC Reliances are seen here in the Yelloway garage/coach station at Weir Street, Rochdale. The Yelloway coach is a 1963 Harrington Cavalier and the Grey Cars coach is a Harrington Grenadier dating from 1966 I seem to recall (registration series EOD-D). Grey Cars was the coaching name of ‘Devon General’ (The Devon General Omnibus and Touring Co Ltd).

Circa 1964 - Yelloway 4643 DK. This rather hazy picture is merely self indulgence as it was one of the first pictures I took of a coach. When at the Rochdale Technical School I took it upon myself to organise a number of Saturday day outings. My friend John Lemonofides had started the idea but had gone on to specialise in trips for the school railway club members. This year we went to Windermere and in the afternoon called at Morecambe where this picture was taken. A Harrington Cavalier bodied AEC Reliance new in 1963.

Sunday 16 July 1972 – Yelloway 4643 DK departing the Weir Street coach station and garage in Rochdale at just after 1930 when working the 1900 hours service X79 from Oldham to Blackpool and Fleetwood . A Harrington Cavalier bodied AEC Reliance new in 1963 which was sold in January 1973.