David Slater (Spoddendale)'s photos

The Summer 1972 timetable for the Associated Motorways Cardiff-Blackpool service. Associated Motorways was a consortium of scheduled coach service operators that provided a network of services mainly centred on a connecting hub at Cheltenham Spa although there were a number of other additional services. One of the founding members of Associated Motorways was Red and White Services and their Cardiff-Blackpool service was one of those placed in the pool at formation in 1934. (For those interested in the history of the consortium and how it functioned I can recommend the book published by Venture Publications in its Prestige Series, ‘Associated Motorways’ by Keith Healey published in 2002).

Saturday 20 April 1985 – DJ Coaches (Jeffrey), Fordham Plaxton Panorama Elite bodied Bedford seen on the old A11 road near the Bull Inn, Barton Mills. This section of road still remains as a local road following the opening of the dual carriageway, construction of which had been started and evidenced by the yellow diggers in the background. The house beyond stands on the corner of the road to Tuddenham and can still be identified today and can be seen in the inserted (PiP) photographs taken over 40 years later with the coaches standing on almost the same spot as the coach in this photograph. The slip road to the The Bull Inn car park can be seen in the three photographs.

Saturday 21 March 2026 – Three coaches of the Spauwen Travel Group from The Netherlands were spotted parked near The Bull Inn, Barton Mills, UK. The company is based at Valkenburg a/d Geul about 7 miles/11km east of Maastricht. The six drivers were passing the time in the Springtime sunshine. There was no sign of any passengers either inside or outside The Bull so I think they may have possibly been at one of the USAF bases close by. 209 (52-BRJ-2), a MAN Lion’s Coach (tri-axle, white livery) 254 (BB-507-J), a MAN Lion’s Coach (two axle, silver livery) 172 (77-BHD-6), a VDL Futura (tri-axle, silver livery)

Saturday 21 March 2026 – Three coaches of the Spauwen Travel Group from The Netherlands were spotted parked near The Bull Inn, Barton Mills, UK. The company is based at Valkenburg a/d Geul about 7 miles/11km east of Maastricht. The six drivers were passing the time in the Springtime sunshine. There was no sign of any passengers either inside or outside The Bull so I think they may have possibly been at one of the USAF bases close by. 209 (52-BRJ-2), a MAN Lion’s Coach (tri-axle, white livery) 254 (BB-507-J), a MAN Lion’s Coach (two axle, silver livery) 172 (77-BHD-6), a VDL Futura (tri-axle, silver livery)

Saturday 21 March 2026 – Three coaches of the Spauwen Travel Group from The Netherlands were spotted parked near The Bull Inn, Barton Mills, UK. The company is based at Valkenburg a/d Geul about 7 miles/11km east of Maastricht. The six drivers were passing the time in the Springtime sunshine. There was no sign of any passengers either inside or outside The Bull so I think they may have possibly been at one of the USAF bases close by. 209 (52-BRJ-2), a MAN Lion’s Coach (tri-axle, white livery) 254 (BB-507-J), a MAN Lion’s Coach (two axle, silver livery) 172 (77-BHD-6), a VDL Futura (tri-axle, silver livery)

Saturday 21 March 2026 – Three coaches of the Spauwen Travel Group from The Netherlands were spotted parked near The Bull Inn, Barton Mills, UK. The company is based at Valkenburg a/d Geul about 7 miles/11km east of Maastricht. The six drivers were passing the time in the Springtime sunshine. There was no sign of any passengers either inside or outside The Bull so I think they may have possibly been at one of the USAF bases close by. 209 (52-BRJ-2), a MAN Lion’s Coach (tri-axle, white livery) 254 (BB-507-J), a MAN Lion’s Coach (two axle, silver livery) 172 (77-BHD-6), a VDL Futura (tri-axle, silver livery)

Saturday 21 March 2026 – Three coaches of the Spauwen Travel Group from The Netherlands were spotted parked near The Bull Inn, Barton Mills, UK. The company is based at Valkenburg a/d Geul about 7 miles/11km east of Maastricht. The six drivers were passing the time in the Springtime sunshine. There was no sign of any passengers either inside or outside The Bull so I think they may have possibly been at one of the USAF bases close by. 209 (52-BRJ-2), a MAN Lion’s Coach (tri-axle, white livery) 254 (BB-507-J), a MAN Lion’s Coach (two axle, silver livery) 172 (77-BHD-6), a VDL Futura (tri-axle, silver livery)

Saturday 21 March 2026 – Three coaches of the Spauwen Travel Group from The Netherlands were spotted parked near The Bull Inn, Barton Mills, UK. The company is based at Valkenburg a/d Geul about 7 miles/11km east of Maastricht. The six drivers were passing the time in the Springtime sunshine. There was no sign of any passengers either inside or outside The Bull so I think they may have possibly been at one of the USAF bases close by. 209 (52-BRJ-2), a MAN Lion’s Coach (tri-axle, white livery) 254 (BB-507-J), a MAN Lion’s Coach (two axle, silver livery) 172 (77-BHD-6), a VDL Futura (tri-axle, silver livery) (The inserted photograph (PiP) shows a coach passing the same spot in 1985. I have been taking photographs around here for well over 40 years!!)

Saturday 21 March 2026 – Three coaches of the Spauwen Travel Group from The Netherlands were spotted parked near The Bull Inn, Barton Mills, UK. The company is based at Valkenburg a/d Geul about 7 miles/11km east of Maastricht. The six drivers were passing the time in the Springtime sunshine. There was no sign of any passengers either inside or outside The Bull so I think they may have possibly been at one of the USAF bases close by. 209 (52-BRJ-2), a MAN Lion’s Coach (tri-axle, white livery) 254 (BB-507-J), a MAN Lion’s Coach (two axle, silver livery) 172 (77-BHD-6), a VDL Futura (tri-axle, silver livery)

Saturday 21 March 2026 – Three coaches of the Spauwen Travel Group from The Netherlands were spotted parked near The Bull Inn, Barton Mills, UK. The company is based at Valkenburg a/d Geul about 7 miles/11km east of Maastricht. The six drivers were passing the time in the Springtime sunshine. There was no sign of any passengers either inside or outside The Bull so I think they may have possibly been at one of the USAF bases close by. 209 (52-BRJ-2), a MAN Lion’s Coach (tri-axle, white livery) 254 (BB-507-J), a MAN Lion’s Coach (two axle, silver livery) 172 (77-BHD-6), a VDL Futura (tri-axle, silver livery)

Saturday 21 March 2026 – Three coaches of the Spauwen Travel Group from The Netherlands were spotted parked near The Bull Inn, Barton Mills, UK. The company is based at Valkenburg a/d Geul about 7 miles/11km east of Maastricht. The six drivers were passing the time in the Springtime sunshine. There was no sign of any passengers either inside or outside The Bull so I think they may have possibly been at one of the USAF bases close by. 209 (52-BRJ-2), a MAN Lion’s Coach (tri-axle, white livery) 254 (BB-507-J), a MAN Lion’s Coach (two axle, silver livery) 172 (77-BHD-6), a VDL Futura (tri-axle, silver livery)

Saturday 21 March 2026 – Three coaches of the Spauwen Travel Group from The Netherlands were spotted parked near The Bull Inn, Barton Mills, UK. The company is based at Valkenburg a/d Geul about 7 miles/11km east of Maastricht. The six drivers were passing the time in the Springtime sunshine. There was no sign of any passengers either inside or outside The Bull so I think they may have possibly been at one of the USAF bases close by. 209 (52-BRJ-2), a MAN Lion’s Coach (tri-axle, white livery) 254 (BB-507-J), a MAN Lion’s Coach (two axle, silver livery) 172 (77-BHD-6), a VDL Futura (tri-axle, silver livery)

Saturday 21 March 2026 – Three coaches of the Spauwen Travel Group from The Netherlands were spotted parked near The Bull Inn, Barton Mills, UK. The company is based at Valkenburg a/d Geul about 7 miles/11km east of Maastricht. The six drivers were passing the time in the Springtime sunshine. There was no sign of any passengers either inside or outside The Bull so I think they may have possibly been at one of the USAF bases close by. 209 (52-BRJ-2), a MAN Lion’s Coach (tri-axle, white livery) 254 (BB-507-J), a MAN Lion’s Coach (two axle, silver livery) 172 (77-BHD-6), a VDL Futura (tri-axle, silver livery)

Saturday 21 March 2026 – Three coaches of the Spauwen Travel Group from The Netherlands were spotted parked near The Bull Inn, Barton Mills, UK. The company is based at Valkenburg a/d Geul about 7 miles/11km east of Maastricht. The six drivers were passing the time in the Springtime sunshine. There was no sign of any passengers either inside or outside The Bull so I think they may have possibly been at one of the USAF bases close by. 209 (52-BRJ-2), a MAN Lion’s Coach (tri-axle, white livery) 254 (BB-507-J), a MAN Lion’s Coach (two axle, silver livery) 172 (77-BHD-6), a VDL Futura (tri-axle, silver livery) (The inserted photograph (PiP) shows a coach passing the same spot in 1985. I have been taking photographs around here for well over 40 years!!)

Tuesday 17 March 2026 (1215) - A2B Travel Group operates service 9 from Littleport to Cambridge via Ely and service to Little Downham (Downham-in-the-Isle). This bus shelter in Market Street, Ely features very clearly printed timetables for the services. In the background is YX74 OGK, an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400D MMC new in September 2024, which carries an all-over advert livery for Cambridge Vehicle Wrap. It was seen in Market Street, Ely when working service 9 from Littleport to Cambridge.

Tuesday 17 March 2026 (1215) - A2B Travel Group operates service 9 from Littleport to Cambridge via Ely and service to Little Downham (Downham-in-the-Isle). This bus shelter in Market Street, Ely features very clearly printed timetables for the services. At the shelter is YX74 OGK, an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400D MMC new in September 2024, which carries an all-over advert livery for Cambridge Vehicle Wrap. It was working service 9 from Littleport to Cambridge. Note the London address in the legal lettering on the bus.

Tuesday 17 March 2026 (1223) - Dew’s Coaches Limited BL24 GYP, an MCV eVoRa bodied Volvo B8RLE new in June 2024, seen in Market Street, Ely having arrived from Chatteris on Zipper service 3.

Tuesday 17 March 2026 (approx. 1227) – Two MCV eVoRa bodied Volvo B8RLE buses of Dew’s Coaches Limited seen in Market Street, Ely. BL24 GYP, new in June 2024, was between trips on Ely Zipper services. The Bus Times website showed it as working the following runs today: 1005 Huntingdon-Chatteris 1122 (303) 1127 Chatteris-Ely 1215 (Zipper 3) 1255 Ely-March 1357 (Zipper 2) 1408 March-Ely 1522 (Zipper 2) 1540 Ely-Chatteris 1635 (Zipper 3) 1635 Chatteris-Huntingdon 1755 (303) 1830 Huntingdon-Chatteris 1945 (303) BU52 ELY, new in April 2023, was working the Zipper service 1. This bus has carried this registration from new, a registration previously carried by another bus employed on the Zipper service and is a play on ‘Bus to Ely’. The Bus Times website showed it as working the following runs today: 0527 Chatteris to Ely 0617 (Zipper 2) 0625 Ely to Lancaster Way 0635 (Zipper 2) 0725 Ely-Witcham-Haddenham-Stretham-Ely 0820 (Zipper 1) 0825 Ely-Witcham-Haddenham-Stretham-Ely 0920 (Zipper 1) 0925 Ely-Witcham-Haddenham-Stretham-Ely 1020 (Zipper 1) 1025 Ely-Witcham-Haddenham-Stretham-Ely 1120 (Zipper 1) 1125 Ely-Witcham-Haddenham-Stretham-Ely 1220 (Zipper 1) 1225 Ely-Witcham-Haddenham-Stretham-Ely 1320 (Zipper 1) 1325 Ely-Stretham-Haddenham-Witcham-Ely 1420 (Zipper 1) 1425 Ely-Stretham-Haddenham-Witcham-Ely 1520 (Zipper 1) 1555 Ely-Stretham-Haddenham-Witcham-Ely 1650 (Zipper 1) 1655 Ely-Stretham-Haddenham-Witcham-Ely 1750 (Zipper 1) 1755 Ely-Stretham-Haddenham-Witcham-Ely 1850 (Zipper 1) 1855 Ely-Stretham-Haddenham 1918 (Zipper 1) The three Zipper services are: Zip 1: Ely-Lancaster Way-Witcham-Haddenham-(Aldreth on Thursdays)-Wilburton-Stretham-Ely (morning schedule, operates in the opposite direction in the afternoons) Zip 2: Ely-Witchford-Sutton-Mepal-Chatteris-Doddington-Wimblington-March Zip 3: Ely-Lancaster Way-Witchford-Sutton-Mepal-Chatteris-Ramsey Forty Foot-Ramsey