Herts (Baldock, Letchworth & Hitchin)

Friday 23 February 2018 (1033) – Landmark Coaches LXZ 3528 seen near Letchworth Railway Station. It is a Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Dart that was first registered in April 2000 although as yet I have to research its pedigree. Very prominent advertising for a local estate agent.

Friday 23 February 2018 (1035) – Landmark Coaches LXZ 3528 seen in Station Place, Letchworth. It is a Plaxton Pointer bodies Dennis Dart that was first registered in April 2000 although as yet I have to research its pedigree. Very prominent advertising for a local estate agent. Letchworth, full title Letchworth Garden City, the world’s first Garden City established in 1903 inspired town planning across the globe. Created as a solution to the squalor and poverty of urban life in Britain in the late 19th Century based on the ideas of Ebenezer Howard as published in his book of 1898 'Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path to Reform'.

Friday 23 February 2018 (1127) – Landmark Coaches LXZ 3528 seen near Letchworth Railway Station. It is a Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Dart that was first registered in April 2000 although as yet I have to research its pedigree. Very prominent advertising for a local estate agent.

Friday 23 February 2018 (1033) – Landmark Coaches LXZ 3528 seen at Letchworth Railway Station. It is a Plaxton Pointer bodies Dennis Dart that was first registered in April 2000 although as yet I have to research its pedigree. Letchworth, full title Letchworth Garden City, the world’s first Garden City established in 1903 inspired town planning across the globe. Created as a solution to the squalor and poverty of urban life in Britain in the late 19th Century based on the ideas of Ebenezer Howard as published in his book of 1898 'Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path to Reform'.

Friday 23 February 2018 (1035) – Landmark Coaches LXZ 3528 seen leaving Letchworth Railway Station. It is a Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Dart that was first registered in April 2000 although as yet I have to research its pedigree. Letchworth, full title Letchworth Garden City, the world’s first Garden City established in 1903 inspired town planning across the globe. Created as a solution to the squalor and poverty of urban life in Britain in the late 19th Century based on the ideas of Ebenezer Howard as published in his book of 1898 ‘Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path to Reform’.

Friday 23 February 2018 (0935) – Richmond’s Coaches YJ65 EVB, an Optare Solo new in December 2015, seen in Baldock when working the 0850 service 386 from Stevenage to Bishops Stortford.

Friday 23 February 2018 (1007) – Richmond’s Coaches YJ65 EVD, an Optare Solo new in December 2015, seen leaving the Tesco Store at Baldock when working the 0925 service from Royston to Letchworth. The grande façade of the store is Grade 1 listed and dates from the 1920s. Although built for a film processing company, that company became insolvent before the building was completed and it was first occupied in 1928 by a hosiery manufacturer. The site included an open air swimming pool where the cars are parked on the right. Tesco opened their store behind the frontage in the early 1980s. A photograph of the building and swimming pool appear in an article which may be seen via this link: www.hertsmemories.org.uk/content/herts-history/towns-and-villages/baldock/bondor_in_baldock

Friday 23 February 2018 (1007) – Richmond’s Coaches YJ65 EVD, an Optare Solo new in December 2015, seen leaving the Tesco Store at Baldock when working the 0925 service from Royston to Letchworth.

Friday 23 February 2018 (1115) – Richmond’s Coaches YJ65 EVD, an Optare Solo new in December 2015, seen on Broadway in Letchworth about to work the 1120 service 91 to Royston. Although it might not seem apparent, the whole backcloth is the Morrisons Supermarket. The portion behind the rear of the bus (with five upper storey windows) was built in the late 1990s and blends in with the portions to its right (above where the middle of the bus is) which is now a façade of the early 20th Century building. The portion on the extreme right was the town’s original police station/magistrates court.. A lovely period photograph of the original building may be seen here: letchworthgardencity.com/heritage/tour/morrisons.htm Letchworth, full title Letchworth Garden City, the world’s first Garden City established in 1903 inspired town planning across the globe. Created as a solution to the squalor and poverty of urban life in Britain in the late 19th Century based on the ideas of Ebenezer Howard as published in his book of 1898 ‘Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path to Reform’.

Friday 23 February 2018 (1121) – Richmond’s Coaches YJ65 EVD, an Optare Solo new in December 2015, seen on Broadway in Letchworth having just pulled away from a nearby bus stop when working the 1120 service 91 to Royston. Letchworth, full title Letchworth Garden City, the world’s first Garden City established in 1903 inspired town planning across the globe. Created as a solution to the squalor and poverty of urban life in Britain in the late 19th Century based on the ideas of Ebenezer Howard as published in his book of 1898 ‘Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path to Reform’. The building in the background is the Broadway Hotel which was built in a Georgian style in 1961. It was the first licensed premises establishment to be opened in the town following the lifting of the ban of selling alcohol in the town in 1958.

Friday 23 February 2018 (1230) – Arriva 3552 (KX09 GYB), an Alexander Dennis Enviro300 new in July 2009, seen in Hermitage Road, Hitchin working service 101 from Stevenage to Luton. The UPS delivery van on the right is a specialised design that is based on the Mercedes-Benz Vario chassis so often found on smaller buses in the past. Sounds just like a Vario bus.

Friday 23 February 2018 (1127) – Arriva 3563 (KX09 GYP), an Alexander Dennis Enviro300 new in July 2009, seen in Station Place, Letchworth when working the 1113 service 98 from Baldock to Hitchin. Letchworth, full title Letchworth Garden City, the world’s first Garden City established in 1903 inspired town planning across the globe. Created as a solution to the squalor and poverty of urban life in Britain in the late 19th Century based on the ideas of Ebenezer Howard as published in his book of 1898 ‘Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path to Reform’.

Friday 23 February 2018 (1128) – Arriva 3563 (KX09 GYP), an Alexander Dennis Enviro300 new in July 2009, seen in (Station Place?) Letchworth when working the 1113 service 98 from Baldock to Hitchin. Letchworth, full title Letchworth Garden City, the world’s first Garden City established in 1903 inspired town planning across the globe. Created as a solution to the squalor and poverty of urban life in Britain in the late 19th Century based on the ideas of Ebenezer Howard as published in his book of 1898 ‘Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path to Reform’.

Friday 23 February 2018 (1026) – Arriva the Shires 3809 (SN54 GPO), an Alexander (Plaxton Pointer style) bodied Dennis Dart new in October 2004 to Sovereign Bus and Coach, seen in Station Road, Letchworth when working the 1013 service 98 from Baldock to Hitchin. Letchworth, full title Letchworth Garden City, the world’s first Garden City established in 1903 inspired town planning across the globe. Created as a solution to the squalor and poverty of urban life in Britain in the late 19th Century based on the ideas of Ebenezer Howard as published in his book of 1898 Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path to Reform.

Friday 23 February 2018 (1027) – Arriva the Shires 3809 (SN54 GPO), an Alexander (Plaxton Pointer style) bodied Dennis Dart new in October 2004 to Sovereign Bus and Coach, seen in Station Road, Letchworth when working the 1013 service 98 from Baldock to Hitchin. Letchworth, full title Letchworth Garden City, the world’s first Garden City established in 1903 inspired town planning across the globe. Created as a solution to the squalor and poverty of urban life in Britain in the late 19th Century based on the ideas of Ebenezer Howard as published in his book of 1898 Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path to Reform.

Friday 23 February 2018 (1013) – On board Arriva 3809 (SN54 GPO), an Alexander (Plaxton Pointer style) bodied Dennis Dart new in October 2004 to Sovereign Bus and Coach, seen in High Street, Baldock when working service 98 from Baldock to Hitchin.

Friday 23 February 2018 (1223) – Arriva 3879 (KX11 PUY), a Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B7RLE new in August 2011, seen making the turn from Hermitage Road to Bancroft in Hitchin town centre when working service 100 from Stevenage to Luton..

Friday 23 February 2018 (1059) – Centrebus 304 (FJ08 MBF), an Optare Solo M950 new in March 2008, seen passing the original Town Hall building in Letchworth Garden City. It had worked the 1000 circular service via Arlesley and Stotfold which had arrived back at Letchworth Railway Station at 1055. The bus and driver were now coming in to take a break. The building was completed in 1935 but in the 1970s the North Hertfordshire District Council moved to a newer purpose built facility. The Town Hall became the administrative centre for North Hertfordshire College. Letchworth, full title Letchworth Garden City, the world’s first Garden City established in 1903 inspired town planning across the globe. Created as a solution to the squalor and poverty of urban life in Britain in the late 19th Century based on the ideas of Ebenezer Howard as published in his book of 1898 ‘Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path to Reform’.