David Slater (Spoddendale)'s photos

Late 1950s or early 1960s - Framed posters hung on the bars of the Yelloway garage along the passenger walkway. A poster for the Creams North Wales service positioned with one extolling the virtues of ‘Sunny Rhyl’, one of the main holiday resorts on the route.

Mid 1950s - The Creams (Lancashire) Limited was acquired by Yelloway in 1947 and remained a separate subsidiary until 1970. From 1960 to 1970 the policy was to employ lightweight coaches in the Creams fleet replacing them after one or two summer seasons but during the earlier years heavyweight vehicles transferred from the main Yelloway fleet. LDK 382, a Burlingham Seagull bodied AEC Regal, had been delivered to Yelloway in 1954 and in 1957 was transferred to Creams. It remained in the Creams fleet until sold in 1964. The garter scroll on the rear door comprised a ‘C’ in an old English text surrounded by an orange belt. This garter differed from that carried on Yelloway vehicles. The transfer (decal) for the latter was gold lining on clear film and so when applied to the coach the main body colour showed through. Thus the belt was the same colour as the body.

Mid 1950s - The ‘Creams’ fleetname as carried on LDK 382, a Burlingham Seagull bodied AEC Regal, which was delivered to the main Yelloway fleet in 1954. Transferred to Creams in 1957 it remained as a Creams coach until sold in 1964. The Creams (Lancashire) Limited was acquired by Yelloway in 1947 and remained a separate subsidiary until 1970. From 1960 to 1970 the policy was to employ lightweight coaches in the Creams fleet replacing them after one or two summer seasons but during the earlier years heavyweight vehicles transferred from the main Yelloway fleet.

Summer 1969? - Premier Travel and Yelloway enjoyed a close working relationship for many years. This undated photograph shows 195 (LJE 991G), one the first 12 metre long coaches which entered the Premier Travel fleet in May 1969, leaving the Yelloway garage and coach station at Weir Street, Rochdale on a southbound service 77. It was an Alexander ‘Y’ type bodied AEC Reliance. I am not sure but I think it was Harry Law at the wheel. Harry, a charming and imposing man, was one of Premier’s senior drivers (if not the senior driver) and regularly drove on these joint services.

Saturday 19 June 1970 - Premier Travel Services 196 (LJE 992G) seen rumbling along the setts of Milton Street in Rochdale towards the rear entrance of the Yelloway coach station and garage. It was one of a pair (with LJE 991G) of Alexander ‘Y’ type bodied AEC Reliances built to the newly authorised length of 12 metres allowed from 1969 and was working the joint Yelloway/Premier Travel service 77 from Blackburn to Clacton-on-Sea. The destination blind layout was unique to Premier in that it showed the service number in red on a white background - in this case the two service numbers employed on the North West to East Anglia services - 77 from Blackburn and 78 from Blackpool and also two white on black blinds for the destination and intermediate points.

August 1972 – Premier Travel 222 (FMK 129B), a Harrington Cavalier bodied AEC Reliance purchased secondhand, stands inside the Yelloway garage and coach station at Rochdale ready to leave for Felixstowe on a through linking of service 77 from Rochdale to Haverhill (on the joint Yelloway-Premier service) and Premier’s own service 66 from Haverhill to Felixstowe. The slope down which coaches entered the property and the windows and wall of the workshops can be seen in the background. The coach was new to Valiant, London in May 1964.

December 1971 – Premier Travel 196 (LJE 992G) in the darkness of the Weir Street garage and coach station ready to set out on the day south service 77 to Clacton-on-Sea. Service 77 originated at Blackburn and service 78 in Blackpool, both meeting up at Manchester. Premier destination blinds showed the two route numbers on the blind.

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. Two Premier Travel coaches, both on AEC Reliance chassis, are seen on the parking area between Weir Street and Penn Street close to the Yelloway garage in Rochdale. On the left was 217 (NMU 7) with Harrington Cavalier body (new to Valiant, London in April 1963) and on the right 209 (OVE 232J) with Alexander ‘Y’ type body (new to Premier Travel in October 1970). Having two Premier Travel coaches parked at Weir Street like this in the month of April leads me to believe it would have been very close to the Easter weekend when service duplication took place more than usual.

Saturday x August 1974 - Premier Travel Services 240 (BVO 3C) was a Harrington Grenadier bodied AEC Reliance purchased secondhand from Barton Transport. It was seen in the morning sunshine parked on the former Rochdale Corporation (now SELNEC) bus park near the Yelloway garage in Rochdale. Baillie Street runs behind the coach. The previous day it had duplicated the northbound joint Yelloway/Premier Travel service from East Anglia. It would return south in a few hours time

Saturday x August 1973 - Premier Travel Services 240 (BVO 3C), a Harrington Grenadier bodied AEC Reliance purchased secondhand from Barton Transport, pulls out of the Yelloway departure bay of Chorlton Street coach station in Manchester heading south on the joint Yelloway/Premier Travel North West-East Midlands-East Anglia service. Summer Saturday mornings always brought forward a very fine array of Premier Travel coaches, particularly at Manchester where the two different services met (the 77 from Blackburn and the 78 from Blackpool) - the latter swollen by the passenger numbers from the famous coastal resort along with the many travellers between Bolton and Leicester). The Saturday southbound services were covered by Premier Travel who worked the northbound service Friday/southbound Saturday and the northbound service Sunday/southbound Monday. This coach had worked a northbound duplicate to Rochdale the previous day.

Saturday x August 1974 - An unidentified Premier Travel services Alexander Y type bodied AEC Reliance sets out from Chorlton Street Coach Station in Manchester on the joint Yelloway/Premier Travel service to East Anglia. The Saturday day south service was assigned to Premier (as were the Friday and Sunday day north and Monday day south services).

Monday 5 March 1973 - Premier Travel Services 195 (LGE 991G) seen at the Yelloway garage in Rochdale awaiting attention by the workshop team. The Alexander Y type bodied AEC Reliance, new in early 1969, had suffered a mechanical problem over the weekend so unexpectedly spent some extra time in Lancashire until the repair was carried out. This coach was one of the first 12 metre long vehicles delivered to Premier in the spring of 1969 and, in addition to the very informative destination blind layout carried by most of the company’s coaches, also displays a window bill showing the logos of the two operating companies and the words ‘Joint service Lancashire East Midlands East Anglia’.

Monday 5 March 1973 - The interior of Premier Travel Services 195 (LGE 991G), an Alexander Y type bodied AEC Reliance, seen at the Yelloway garage in Rochdale. This was one of the first 12 metre coaches which was delivered to Premier in the spring of 1969 just after the law changed to allow these longer vehicles. Both Yelloway and Premier Travel were quick in seizing the opportunity to buy the longer models with an increased seating capacity. Each seat features a headrest cover (antimacassar) displaying the company name.

Monday 5 March 1973 - Premier Travel Services 195 (LGE 991G) seen on the pits at the at the Yelloway garage in Rochdale receiving attention by the workshop team. The Alexander Y type bodied AEC Reliance, new in 1969, had suffered a mechanical problem over the weekend so spent a few days unexpectedly in Rochdale until the repair was carried out. This coach was one of the first 12 metre long vehicles delivered to Premier in the spring of 1969 and, in addition to the very informative destination blind layout carried by most of the company’s coaches, also displays a window bill showing the logos of the two operating companies and the words ‘Joint service Lancashire East Midlands East Anglia’.

Monday 5 March 1973 - The layout of the destination blinds on the coaches of Premier Travel Services comprised a red on white service number blind with two white on black blinds showing places served. The joint services between the North-West and East Anglia carried service numbers 77 (Blackburn-Rochdale-Manchester-Cambridge-Clacton-on-Sea) and service 78 (Blackpool-Bolton-Manchester-Cambridge-Clacton-on-Sea). When loadings were light the services were combined south of Manchester. Unlike the coaches of Yelloway that only displayed one service number, Premier displayed both. This coach, 195 (LGE 991G), an Alexander Y type bodied AEC Reliance - one of the first 12 metre long vehicles delivered to Premier in the spring of 1969, also displays a window bill showing the logos of the two operating companies and the words ‘Joint service Lancashire East Midlands East Anglia’.

Saturday x August 1973 - Premier Travel Services 210 (OVE 233J), an Alexander Y type bodied AEC Reliance new in 1971, pulls out of the Yelloway departure bay of Chorlton Street coach station in Manchester heading south on the joint Yelloway/Premier Travel North West-East Midlands-East Anglia service. Summer Saturday mornings always brought forward a very fine array of Premier Travel coaches, particularly at Manchester where the two different services met (the 77 from Blackburn and the 78 from Blackpool) - the latter swollen by the passenger numbers from the famous coastal resort along with the many travellers between Bolton and Leicester). The Saturday southbound services were covered by Premier Travel who worked the northbound service Friday/southbound Saturday and the northbound service Sunday/southbound Monday.

Saturday x August 1973 - Premier Travel Services 232 (VER 262L), an Alexander Y type bodied AEC Reliance new in 1973, moves out of the Yelloway departure bay of Chorlton Street coach station in Manchester heading south on the joint Yelloway/Premier Travel North West-East Midlands-East Anglia service. Summer Saturday mornings always brought forward a very fine array of Premier Travel coaches, particularly at Manchester where the two different services met (the 77 from Blackburn and the 78 from Blackpool) - the latter swollen by the passenger numbers from the famous coastal resort along with the many travellers between Bolton and Leicester). The Saturday southbound services were covered by Premier Travel who worked the northbound service Friday/southbound Saturday and the northbound service Sunday/southbound Monday. This coach carries a colour scheme which was replaced by one featuring two shades of blue.

A Vehicle Journey Sheet dated Friday 26 February 1971 for the drivers of Premier Travel LJE 992G, a 1969 Alexander Y type bodied AEC Reliance. Geoff Sparrow started the day by driving from Littleport (0610) to Ten Mile Bank out on the Cambridgeshire Fens to operate a contract into Cambridge for the employees of Pye Electrical. Forty-two passengers were carried arriving Haig Road at 0745. At 0800 he took the coach to 'TVT' which was part of the Pye organisation (0810) and from there empty to Fulbourn to operate a service 44/45 duplicate at 0820 arriving in Drummer Street at 0855. The coach was taken to the Cattle Market for re-fuelling and later returned to Drummer Street for 1025 in order to duplicate the joint Premier Travel/Yelloway services 77/78 to the north west of England. Geoff drove as far as Derby (1510) that day where he was relieved by another driver who then took the coach through to Blackpool (2000). (The columns on the far right were added by me and show the driving time and non-driving time).