Ulsterbus, Northern Ireland

Friday 18 November 1983 - Ulsterbus 3000 (WOI 607) on trial with Ipswich Buses and seen here at Tower Ramparts bus station. It was a Leyland B21 with Alexander (Belfast) bodywork new in February 1982. About nine years later (circa 1991 after continued service in Northern Ireland) Ipswich Buses acquired the vehicle (#148) (later re-registered YBJ 159X).

The Summer 1969 timetable for the joint CIÉ (Córas Iompair Éireann)/Ulsterbus Galway-Belfast express service. A photograph of a CIÉ coach operating on this service may be seen at: www.ipernity.com/doc/davidslater-spoddendale/35158617/in/album/712833 Each company provided one coach each day which in July and August did a round trip otherwise the coaches stayed away from home on alternate nights. When I travelled on the service in May 1969, a day when there was just one trip each way, the drivers changed over at Cavan each returning to their respective home base driving the other company's coach. I recall seeing a photograph in 'Buses' (or 'Buses Illustrated') magazine at some point which showed a CIÉ coach working a late afternoon Ulsterbus local service out of Belfast having been 'borrowed' after arriving from Galway earlier in the day.

Wednesday 5 May 2004 - Ulsterbus operated quite large numbers of Irizar bodied Scania coaches and built up a modern fleet to operate its ‘Goldliner’ express and limited stop services. Two such coaches on stand at the Europa Buscentre in Belfast. On the right is 1682 (TCZ 1682) loading for the 0920 service 273 to Omagh and on the left is 1669 (TCZ 1669) loading as the 0910 service 271 to Athone in the Irish Republic. Which forms part of a connectional hub with Bus Eireann services which takes place at approx 1400-1445. These services are marketed as ‘Interlink Ireland’ and 1669 carries additional lettering showing this name.

Wednesday 5 May 2004 (approx. 0835) – Ulsterbus 1678 (TCZ 1678), an Irizar Century bodied Scania K941B new in January 2004, seen turning from Howard Street into Great Victoria Street in Belfast arriving from Kilkeel and Newcastle, County Down on service 237.

Thursday 26 February 2004 (approx 1135) - Ulsterbus has a small number of coaches based in Stranraer, Scotland to work tours and express services into England and Scotland in partnership with National Express (Eurolines) and Scottish Citylink. The 920 overnight Belfast-London Eurolines service is first worked with a Ulsterbus Belfast based vehicle that provides the transport from the Europa Bus Centre at 1615 to the ferry port (arriving by 1645) to connect with the 1710 P&O ferry that arrives in Stranraer at 1855. A Stranraer based vehicle then leaves at 1930 for the overnight run to London arriving at 0600 the next morning. 109 (SCZ 7109), an Irizar Century bodied Scania, was seen in Victoria Coach Station, London. It was on layover all day before working back at 1830 service this evening. In time to come the coach on this duty covered a National Express London-Dover return trip during the day keeping it gainfully employed. Note the ‘Ulsterbus Tours’ fleetname with Translink logo above it and the ‘brought to you by National Express’ words by the rear wheel.

Wednesday 5 May 2004 (approx 0850) - Ulsterbus 3113 (JAZ 3003), one of the Van Hool Alizée bodied Volvo B10M-55 articulated coaches employed on Goldliner services, was seen at the Europa Buscentre in Belfast. It was new in May 1996 as fleet number 3003 and allocated to Newry (NY) garage.

Wednesday 5 May 2004 - Ulsterbus 3113 (JAZ 3003), one of the Van Hool Alizée bodied Volvo B10M-55 articulated coaches employed on Goldliner services, seen at the Europa Buscentre in Belfast. It was new in May 1996 as fleet number 3003. Allocated to Newry (NY) garage it was about to depart for its home town on service 238 (0900 service I think).

Wednesday 5 May 2004 – Ulsterbus 3112 (JAZ 3002) was one of the Van Hool Alizee bodied Volvo B10M articulated coaches employed on the Belfast-Londonderry ‘Maiden City Flyer’ service 212. It was seen in Great Victoria Street, Belfast having just set out from the nearby Europa Bus Centre bound for Londonderry. New in May 1996 as fleet number 3002.

Wednesday 5 May 2004 – Ulsterbus 3112 (JAZ 3002) was one of the Van Hool Alizee bodied Volvo B10M articulated coaches employed on the Belfast-Londonderry ‘Maiden City Flyer’ service 212. It was seen in Great Victoria Street, Belfast having just set out from the nearby Europa Bus Centre bound for Londonderry, Derry on the window label. Just visible at the back of 3112 is an Irizar Century bodied Scania just waiting to pull out of Glengall Street where the Bus Centre is located. New in May 1996 as fleet number 3002.

Wednesday 5 May 2004 (approx. 0830) – Ulsterbus 1602 (JAZ 1602), a Plaxton Premiere bodied Volvo B10M new in January 1996, seen in Great Victoria Street, Belfast on an Airlink 300 service to Belfast City Airport.

Wednesday 5 May 2004 (approx. 0825) – Ulsterbus 1628 (JAZ 1628), a Plaxton Premiere bodied Volvo B10M new in March 1996, seen in Great Victoria Street, Belfast arriving as the 0725 service 215 from Downpatrick. ‘DP’ is the garage code for Downpatrick. Citybus 792 (TCZ 1792), a Wright Solar Urban bodied Scania L941UB, follows in the background.

Wednesday 5 May 2004 - Ulsterbus 1616 (JAZ 1616), a 1996 Plaxton Première 320 bodied Volvo B10M-62, was the coach which brought me from the Belfast Ferry terminal to the Europa Buscentre the previous evening and this was the only daylight photo I managed to get of it! This is the view from the end of the Ulsterbus parcels building (vehicles enter the property from the right) which shows the access to Glengall Street bus garage. This is a totally private site bordered by the Northern Ireland Railways line (a train set can just be seen to the right). I think much of the bus station (behind me) had been built on what were once railway tracks and the Boyne Bridge built to carry road traffic over the site. Buses can use a private roadway (busway) to reach Westlink and the M1 Motorway and thus avoid some traffic delays. The height clearance under the bridge to the garage is about 3 feet higher than that for the busway and this has unfortunately resulted in the decapitation of a small number of double deckers in recent times.

Wednesday 5 May 2004 - Ulsterbus 1654 (BCZ 1654), a Plaxton Excalbur bodied Volvo B10M new in September 1999, seen under Boyne Bridge which spans the combined site of the Europa Buscentre and the Glengall Street bus garage. The southern side of the site is alongside the tracks of Northern Ireland Railway’s Great Victoria Street station. I think the bus station had been built on what were once railway tracks, the bridge built to carry road traffic over them. To the left of the coach a ‘Busway’ sign can be seen. The busway is a private roadway that enables vehicles to reach Westlink and the M1 Motorway and thus avoid some traffic delays. Access to the garage is under the bridge to the right out of shot. The road level is much lower to allow double deckers to pass under whereas only single deckers can get under the section shown in this photograph. 1654 shows ‘920 CROSS CHANNEL SERVICES’ on its destination blind. It had possibly worked the 1615 departure from here to the Stena Lines Ferry terminal as part of the overnight service to London.

Wednesday 5 May 2004 (0845) - Ulsterbus 1649 (BCZ 1649), a Plaxton Excalibur bodied Volvo B10M in Goldliner livery, enters the Europa Buscentre in Glengall Street, Belfast. The Europa Hotel stands behind and the multi-storey car park is built above the passenger waiting area. The blue vertical sign is over one of the passenger entrances. There are 18 vehicle loading bays which run the whole length of the multi-storey car park. The building behind the white gates houses the parcels office. Also part of the site is one of the main Ulsterbus and Citybus garages which is bordered by Great Victoria Street railway station and the rail line. Northern Ireland Railways, Ulsterbus, Citybus and Flexibus are all under the ownership of the nationalised ‘Translink’ company. The terminal was built with financial assistance from the European Union.

Wednesday 5 May 2004 (approx. 0825) – Ulsterbus 1648 (BCZ 1648), a Plaxton Excalibur bodied Volvo B10M new in October 1999, seen in Great Victoria Street, Belfast arriving as the 0705 service 237 from Newcastle, County Down. ‘NC’ is the garage code for Newcastle. Citybus 2955 (TCZ 9955), an Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL, is in the background.

Wednesday 5 May 2004 - Ulsterbus 591 was a Van Hool Alizée bodied Leyland Tiger new in 1984 as Northern Ireland Railways number 1 (OXI 521) for use on rail replacement duties. There were five such vehicles 1-5 (OXI 521-5) which were maintained by Ulsterbus on behalf of NIR. In November 1989 they formally joined the Ulsterbus fleet numbered 591-595. A fine looking 20 year old vehicle now allocated to the driving school.

Monday 5 June 2017 (1201) – Ulsterbus 139 (SFZ 6139) seen arriving in the Cathedral city of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England. It was on a 7 day ‘Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire’ tour from Northern Ireland. This was the second day of the tour that had started out from Walsall after an overnight stay there. After a visit in Ely it would continue to Norwich where it would stay until Friday morning. An Irizar i6 bodied Scania K360 new in May 2014.

Monday 5 June 2017 (1201) – Ulsterbus 139 (SFZ 6139) had just arrived in the Cathedral city of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England during a 7 day ‘Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire’ tour from Northern Ireland. This was the second day of the tour that had started out from Walsall after an overnight stay there. After a visit in Ely it would continue to Norwich where it would stay until Friday morning. An Irizar i6 bodied Scania K360 new in May 2014.