Mansfield/Sutton-in-Ashfield - 12 Sep 2018

Thursday 13 September 2018 (1003) – Stagecoach East Midlands 17738 (YM52 UOV), an Alexander ALX400 bodied Dennis Trident new in February 2003, seen passing the ‘Amphitheatre’ sculpture in Church Street, Mansfield. The sculpture created by David Annand was unveiled in February 2007 and was conceived as a contemplative amphitheatre for people to meet and converse.

Wednesday 12 September 2018 (1110) – Sutton-in-Ashfield bus station. Left is Trent Barton (trentbarton) 811 (YJ12 PHV), an Optare Versa new in June 2012, which is branded for ‘the threes’ service that links Mansfield and Nottingham via Sutton-in-Ashfield and Hucknall. It is one of the 17 Versas branded for ‘the threes’ that are allocated to the garage in the town. On the right entering the bus station is Stagecoach East Midlands 27183 (SL64 HXS), an Alexander Dennis Enviro300 new in November 2014. It was working their service 1 from Huthwaite to Mansfield Woodhouse.

Wednesday 12 September 2018 (1156) – Trent Barton (trentbarton) 610 (FJ03 VVY), a Wright Solar bodied Scania L94UB new in April 2003, seen arriving at Mansfield bus station when working the 1110 ‘Pronto’ branded service from Nottingham to Chesterfield. The service is shared by Stagecoach and Trent Barton although the majority of trips are worked by the former. The bus station opened on 31 March 2013 and is linked to the nearby railway station by the glass walkway on the left. The railway line through Mansfield is carried by a 240 metre long 15 arch viaduct which towers high above the rooftops of the town centre at a height of 25 metres.

Wednesday 12 September 2018 (1026) – Mansfield bus station seen from the walkway linking the bus and railway stations. Prominent are two Trent Barton (trentbarton) vehicles. Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC 267 (YX67 VGD) carries branding for ‘the nines’ and Optare Versa 814 (YJ12 PHZ) has branding for ‘the threes’. In the background are three Stagecoach East Midlands vehicles and another Trent Barton bus which is in fleet livery.

Wednesday 12 September 2018 (1151) – Skill’s Coaches of Nottingham W303 MKY seen in Mansfield bus station working a contracted shuttle for Tesco Stores. It is an East Lancs Cityzen bodied Scania N113DRB new in March 2000 to Jones of Pontypridd (Shamrock Coaches etc).

Wednesday 12 September 2018 (1151) – Skill’s Coaches of Nottingham W303 MKY seen in Mansfield bus station working a contracted shuttle for Tesco Stores. It is an East Lancs Cityzen bodied Scania N113DRB new in March 2000 to Jones of Pontypridd (Shamrock Coaches etc).

Wednesday 12 September 2018 (1025) – Skill’s Coaches of Nottingham W303 MKY seen in Mansfield bus station working a contracted shuttle for Tesco Stores. It is an East Lancs Cityzen bodied Scania N113DRB new in March 2000 to Jones of Pontypridd (Shamrock Coaches etc). The view was taken from the walkway linking the bus and railway stations.

Wednesday 12 September 2018 (1120) – Trent Barton (trentbarton) 825 (YJ12 PKN), an Optare Versa new in July 2012, which is branded for ‘the threes’ service that links Nottingham and Mansfield via Hucknall and Sutton-in-Ashfield. It was seen entering the bus station at Sutton-in-Ashfield and is one of the 17 Versas branded for ‘the threes’ that are allocated to the garage in the town. Trent Barton has a penchant for varied brandings and an out of the ordinary way to identify local route variants. Buses on ‘The threes’ display A, B or C to advise the route travelled. In the background is 681 (FJ55 ABK), a Wright Solar bodied Scania L94UB, in Trent Barton fleet livery which was working service 141.

Wednesday 12 September 2018 (1152) – Trent Barton (trentbarton) 672 (FJ55 AAK) seen in Mansfield bus station working service 141 to Sutton-in-Ashfield. It is a Wright Solar bodied Scania L94UB new in September 2005 and wears Trent Barton fleet livery.

Wednesday 12 September 2018 (0914) – Stagecoach East Midlands 18122 (YN04 KGF) seen in Mansfield Road, Blidworth when working service 28 from Newark to Mansfield. Being a schoolday this service would have actually been extended back to start at Farndon at 0750 before leaving Newark at 0810. New in March 2004, the era of Transbus International, it has a Trident (Dennis design) chassis and an ALX400 (Alexander design) body.

Wednesday 12 September 2018 (0913) – Stagecoach East Midlands 18122 (YN04 KGF) seen in Dale Lane, Blidworth when working service 28 from Newark to Mansfield. Being a schoolday this service would have actually been extended back to start at Farndon at 0750 before leaving Newark at 0810. New in March 2004, the era of Transbus International, it has a Trident (Dennis design) chassis and an ALX400 (Alexander design) body.

Wednesday 12 September 2018 (1035) – Mansfield bus station seen from the walkway linking the bus and railway stations. One Trent Barton (trentbarton) (the Pronto bus) and nine Stagecoach East Midlands buses are present. The National Express liveried coach is Parks of Hamilton BV67 JYX working the 0705 National Express service 537 from Birmingham to Glasgow.

Wednesday 12 September 2018 (1032) – Parks of Hamilton BV67 JYX, a Caetano Levante bodied Volvo B11RT new in January 2018, seen leaving Mansfield bus station when working the 0705 National Express service 537 from Birmingham to Glasgow. The service called at Birmingham Airport (0730), Leicester (0835-0855), Nottingham (0945-0950), Mansfield (1030), Sheffield (1115-1155), Leeds (1250-1300), York (1345), Middlesbrough (1455), Sunderland (1535), Newcastle-upon-Tyne (1610-1630), Edinburgh (1910-1915) arriving Glasgow (2020).

Wednesday 12 September 2018 (1158) – Trent Barton (trentbarton) 611 (FJ03 VVZ), a Wright Solar bodied Scania L94UB new in April 2003, seen entering Mansfield bus station. It carries the livery for the Nottingham-Mansfield-Chesterfield ‘Pronto’ service which is shared by Stagecoach and Trent Barton although the majority of trips are worked by the former. The railway line through Mansfield is carried by a 240 metre long 15 arch viaduct which towers high above the rooftops of the town centre reaching a height of 25 metres.

Wednesday 12 September 2018 (1124) – Trent Barton (trentbarton) buses in Sutton-in-Ashfield bus station. Just visible on the left is 813 (YJ12 PHY), an Optare Versa new in June 2012, branded for ‘the threes’ service that links Mansfield and Nottingham via Sutton-in-Ashfield and Hucknall. Centre is 258 (YX66 WMG), an Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC new in December 2016, branded for ‘the nines’ Derby to Mansfield service. The company has a penchant for varied brandings and an out of the ordinary way to identify local route variants. ‘The nines’ uses a decimal point followed by a further digit. Service 9.1 detours from the main road to serve Kilburn (Elm Tree Avenue) and later serves the East Midlands Designer Outlet at South Normanton. Service 9.3 stays on the main road at Kilburn and after South Normanton travels via Pinxton and Kirby Cross. On the right is 681 (FJ55 ABK), a Wright Solar bodied Scania L94UB, in Trent Barton fleet livery which was working the Sutton-in-Ashfield to Nottingham service 141. This service runs via Skegby, Mansfield, Rainworth, Blidworth and Hucknall. Quicker options exist for a ride to Mansfield (‘the threes’ and ‘the nines’ take 15 minutes compared with around 30 minutes on the 141) and to Nottingham (45 minutes on the direct ‘Pronto’ service compared with 1 hour 59 minutes on the 141). I travelled on 258 to Mansfield and from there on 681 for my return to Blidworth managing to buy a snack between the two rides.

Wednesday 12 September 2018 (1109) – Trent Barton (trentbarton) 811 (YJ12 PHV), an Optare Versa new in June 2012, which is branded for ‘the threes’ service that links Mansfield and Nottingham via Sutton-in-Ashfield and Hucknall. It was seen in the bus station at Sutton-in-Ashfield and is one of the 17 Versas branded for ‘the threes’ that are allocated to the garage in the town.

Wednesday 12 September 2018 (1108) – Trent Barton (trentbarton) 811 (YJ12 PHV), an Optare Versa new in June 2012, which is branded for ‘the threes’ service that links Mansfield and Nottingham via Sutton-in-Ashfield and Hucknall. It was seen in the bus station at Sutton-in-Ashfield and is one of the 17 Versas branded for ‘the threes’ that are allocated to the garage in the town. Trent Barton has a penchant for varied brandings and an out of the ordinary way to identify local route variants. Buses on ‘The threes’ display A, B or C to advise the route travelled.

Wednesday 12 September 2018 (1052) – On board Trent Barton (trentbarton) 811 (YJ12 PHV), an Optare Versa new in June 2012, which is branded for ‘the threes’ service that links Mansfield and Nottingham via Sutton-in-Ashfield and Hucknall.