David Slater (Spoddendale)'s photos

Saturday 25 May 2013 (1933) - M & J Minibus Hire is the business of Mike and Jackie Woodhouse based in Bury St. Edmunds. EU05 FXJ is an Iveco mini-coach which is employed on school contracts and private hire work. www.mjminibus.co.uk (also see album on Facebook: ‘MJ Minibus hire Bury St Edmunds’)

Saturday 25 May 2013 (1933) - M & J Minibus Hire is the business of Mike and Jackie Woodhouse based in Bury St. Edmunds. EU05 FXJ is an Iveco mini-coach which is employed on school contracts and private hire work. www.mjminibus.co.uk (also see album on Facebook: ‘MJ Minibus hire Bury St Edmunds’)

May 1969 - CIÉ (Córas Iompair Éireann) touring coach WT1 (HZD 580) seen at Galway. This was the first of a number of Leyland Royal Tiger Worldmaster ERT2/1 with very attractive CIÉ coach bodywork. WT1 was new in 1962 and the rest followed in 1963. WT1 was rebodied by Van Hool in June 1970 and it became fleet number WVH1.

May 1969 - CIÉ (Córas Iompair Éireann) C140 (EZH 140) and C235 (EZH 235) at Ennis. Both are CIÉ/Metsec bodied Leyland Leopard PSU3/4R. C140, with a 30 foot long 45 seat bus body, was working the 0930 service from Limerick to Galway (due Ennis 1026/1032 and Galway 1210). (I travelled on this bus from Bunratty Castle to Galway). C235, with a 36 foot long 45 seat coach body, was working the 0845 service from Galway to Limerick (due Ennis 1023/1030 and Limerick 1126). (The following day I travelled on C235 as it worked the Galway-Belfast express service). The timetables for all these services are included in this album.

May 1969 - CIÉ (Córas Iompair Éireann) C235 (EZH 235), a CIÉ/Metsec bodied Leyland Leopard PSU3/4R new in 1966, seen at the Middletown Customs when working the 0845 Galway to Belfast express - a service worked jointly with Ulsterbus. (The previous day I had seen C235 at Ennis working the 0845 service from Galway to Limerick). The timetables for all these services are included in this album.

May 1969 - CIÉ (Córas Iompair Éireann) C235 (EZH 235), a CIÉ/Metsec bodied Leyland Leopard PSU3/4R new in 1966, was seen at Cavan during the lunch stop on the 0845 Galway to Belfast express (due in Cavan at1140/1215 and Belfast 1450) which was worked jointly with Ulsterbus. The departure time of the Belfast to Galway service was 0915 (due Cavan 1150/1220) worked by an Ulsterbus coach today although the drivers exchanged vehicles here and returned to their respective starting point. (The previous day I had seen C235 at Ennis working the 0845 service from Galway to Limerick). The timetables for all these services are included in this album.

Satrday 9 March 1991 (approx 1830) - Bus Éireann EVH2 (SI 3002), a 1986 Van Hool T815 Alizee, seen loading at Victoria Coach Station, London for the overnight run to Ireland. Bus Éireann 'Expressway' livery is carried together with the 'Supabus' name which was also used for the marketing of the services between England and Ireland jointly operated by Bus Éireann and National Express. The services also formed part of the Eurolines network (service number 171). On the right edge of the photograph is sister vehicle EVH3 (SI 3003) (in the new Bus Éireann livery).

Saturday 11 May 1996 (approx 0935) - Two Plaxton bodied coaches seen at Busáras in Dublin. Left is Ulsterbus 1600 (EAZ 2600), a 320 model loading as the 1000 hrs service to Belfast. Right is Bus Éireann VP11 (96 D 25727), a 350 model. Both are on Volvo chassis.

Saturday 11 May 1996 (approx 0950) - The joint Ulsterbus/Bus Éireann service linking Dublin with Belfast has proved very popular and over the years has been expanded significantly. In this view at Busáras in Dublin, Ulsterbus 1600 (EAZ 2600) (on the right) was the service vehicle for the 1000 hrs departure to Belfast. On the left Bus Éireann PL79 (90 D 43687) poised ready to duplicate. They are a Plaxton Premiere 320 bodied Volvo and a Plaxton Paramount bodied Leyland Tiger respectively. The Bus Éireann coach was new to Shearings Holidays (England) as G815 RNC in 1986.

Saturday 29 November 1997 (approx 0900) - KMP Coaches of Llanberis, North Wales was a contractor to Bus Éireann operating on the services from London (England) via Holyhead to Ireland. 7 CCH, a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Volvo B10M, seen in Elizabeth Street near Victoria Coach Station, London having arrived on an overnight run.

Tuesday 11 June 1996 - KMP Coaches of Llanberis, North Wales was a contractor to Bus Éireann operating on the Eurolines branded services linking England and Ireland via the port of Holyhead in North Wales. J117 NJT is seen leaving the old National Express coach station at Digbeth, Birmingham when working the 0800 service 875 from London to Dublin. Eurolines livery and Bus Eireann fleetnames are carried.

Tuesday 11 June 1996 (approx 1030) - KMP Coaches of Llanberis, North Wales was a contractor to Bus Éireann operating on the Eurolines branded services linking England and Ireland via the port of Holyhead in North Wales. J117 NJT is seen loading in the old National Express coach station at Digbeth in Birmingham when working the 0800 service 875 from London to Dublin.

Saturday 11 May 1996 (approx 0855) - This secondhand acquisition by Bus Éireann is particularly interesting. It is the solitary GAC/CIÉ bus built in 1980 for United Automobile Services in England (Fleet number 1501 (C529 XEF))

Saturday 11 May 1996 (approx 0905) - Bus Éireann KR145 (PZV 145), a GAC RB service bus, leaving Busáras in Dublin. The destination blind reads Galway. In the main coaches would normally work this service - perhaps it was a duplicate?

Saturday 11 May 1996 (approx 1440) - Bus Éireann KR220 (87 D 2220), a GAC RB service bus, seen parked near Connolly railway station close to Busáras in Dublin.

Saturday 11 May 1996 (approx 0950) - Once part of the CIÉ (Córas Iompair Éireann) fleet of Leyland Leopard PSU5/4R buses, Bus Éireann MD159 (159 IK) dated from April 1972 and was seen here a mere 24 years later in Busáras, Dublin having worked the service from Dundalk via Drogheda.

Saturday 11 May 1996 (1430) - Two Bus Éireann vehicles seen in Store Street, Dublin just outside the main coach station (Busáras). Left KR163 (PZV 163), a 1985 GAC RB service bus carrying all over advertising for Coca Cola. Right is PL90 (90 D 45725), a Plaxton Paramount bodied Leyland Tiger which had been new to Shearings Holidays (England) as G821 GNC) in 1986.

Tuesday 24 September 1991 (approx 1930) - KMP Coaches of Llanberis, North Wales was a contractor to Bus Éireann operating on the services from London (England) via Holyhead to Ireland. 7 CCH, a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Tiger, was seen loading at Victoria Coach Station, London for the overnight run. This vehicle may have been new as B254 AMG in August 1984 and, according to 'Bus Lists on the Web', that vehicle was first registered to Leyland Motors - a demonstrator. The service coach running through to Galway was Bus Bus Éireann PD38 (91 D 10038) and I believe this coach may have been a duplicate.