Stagecoach Scotland

Tuesday 27 March 2001 (approx. 1120) – The main building which formed part of the old Aberdeen bus station housed the various offices of Bluebird Buses Limited (Stagecoach Bluebird). The whole area has been redeveloped as the Union Square complex which includes a new bus station. On the left is the parcel office, the carriage of parcels and newspapers on the rural bus services in northern Scotland playing and important role. On the right is the travel enquiry and booking office. The entrance door between them leads through to the vehicle loading bays and is surmounted by a rather grand Royal Warrant crest, the company being a contractor to the Royal Household at Balmoral. Vehicles travelled from left to right to enter the bus station loading bays which were at the rear of the building. As the drivers passed by they would look to the window of the parcels office to see if a sign was displayed relevant to their service informing if there were parcels for their service. In the window beneath the large ‘EXPRESS PARCELS’ sign there is a smaller sign that reads ‘PARCELS FOR BALLATER’.

Tuesday 27 March 2001 (approx. 1120) – The carriage of parcels and newspapers on the rural bus services in northern Scotland has always played an important role. Staff of Stagecoach Bluebird assist with the unloading of the bundles of the (very) early edition of the ‘Evening Express’ at the old Aberdeen bus station. The bundles would soon be on their way to the far flung parts of the area on the next available service departures thus ensuring they reach the readership by the evening. The railway station stands on the right.

Tuesday 27 March 2001 (approx. 1130) – The driver of Bluebird Buses (Stagecoach Bluebird) 587 (L587 JSA) makes a dash towards his vehicle with a bundle of the (very) early edition of the ‘Evening Express’ newspapers which had only arrived at Aberdeen bus station in the printer’s van about ten minutes earlier. The carriage of parcels and newspapers on the rural bus services in northern Scotland has always played an important role. Note the various bundles on the ground. Presumably the driver has observed the sign that appeared in the front window of the Parcels Office which indicated that there were some parcels for Ballater (see photograph of building next frame but one). The coach, a Plaxton Premiere Interurban bodied Volvo B10M new in September 1993, was bound for Braemar on service 201 – a journey of about 60 miles travelling via Ballater. Midway between Ballater and Braemar is the Royal residence of Balmoral Castle. A number of Bluebird vehicles carry the Royal Warrant crest for the contract work undertaken for the Royal Household. The Interurban model and was bought by the Stagecoach Group for operation on longer distance stage carriage services that had previously been operated with dual purpose vehicles. It featured coach seating but also had fitments relevant for bus service operation.

Tuesday 27 March 2001 (approx. 1110) – Bluebird Buses (Stagecoach Bluebird) 634 (N154 XSA), a Plaxton Premiere Interurban bodied Volvo B10M new in July 1996, seen in the old Aberdeen bus station. It had arrived working the 0700 service from Inverness (due Aberdeen at 1045) and would return on the 1135 departure (due Inverness at 1505). (Approx. 100 miles each way). The Interurban model and was bought by the Stagecoach Group for operation on longer distance stage carriage services that had previously been operated with dual purpose vehicles. It featured coach seating but also had fitments relevant for bus service operation. A number of Bluebird vehicles carry the Royal Warrant crest for the contract work undertaken for the Royal Household at Balmoral. This was meant to be a humorous shot on the theme of ‘a bluebird and a seagull’. Unfortunately the latter creature, as big as it was, didn’t appear obvious as I thought it might. It is on the coach roof just above the lettering ‘Forres’.

Tuesday 27 March 2001 (approx. 1145) – Bluebird Buses (Stagecoach Bluebird) 659 (S659 JSE) vehicles seen leaving the old Aberdeen bus station bound for Peterhead. It was a Jonckheere Modulo bodied Volvo B10M one of a batch of eight such vehicles new in October 1998. A number of Bluebird vehicles carry the Royal Warrant crest for the contract work undertaken for the Royal Household at Balmoral.

Tuesday 27 March 2001 (approx. 1055) – Bluebird Buses (Stagecoach Bluebird) 634 (N154 XSA), a Plaxton Premiere Interurban bodied Volvo B10M new in July 1996, seen in the old Aberdeen bus station. It had arrived working the 0700 service from Inverness (due Aberdeen at 1045) and would return on the 1135 departure (due Inverness at 1505). (Approx. 100 miles each way). The Interurban model and was bought by the Stagecoach Group for operation on longer distance stage carriage services that had previously been operated with dual purpose vehicles. It featured coach seating but also had fitments relevant for bus service operation. A number of Bluebird vehicles carry the Royal Warrant crest for the contract work undertaken for the Royal Household at Balmoral. It can just be seen ahead of the Bluebird fleetname on the side of this vehicle.

Tuesday 27 March 2001 (approx. 1110) – Bluebird Buses (Stagecoach Bluebird) 96 (J196 YSS), an Alexander RL bodied Leyland Olympian new in January 1992, seen in the old Aberdeen bus station. On the right is 502 (J502 FPS), an Alexander Dash bodied Dennis Dart new in December 1991.

Sunday 22 March 1992 – Rossendale Transport 94 (F94 XBV), an East Lancs bodied Leyland Tiger new in February 1989, seen in Rochdale bus station.

Saturday 2 August 1997 – Sweeping out of St. Andrew’s Square bus station in Edinburgh, Fife Scottish 504 (IIL 3504) was bound for Inverness on the 1025 Scottish Citylink service 997. The scheduled arrival time was 1416 for the service coach. It is a Van Hool Alizée bodied Volvo B10M that had been new to Smiths-Shearings in March 1988 registered E626 UNE (fleet number 626).

Saturday 2 August 1997 – Stagecoach owned Fife Scottish Omnibuses Limited 589 (L589 HSG), a Plaxton Première Inter-urban bodied Volvo B10M new in August 1993, in St. Andrew’s Square bus station in Edinburgh. Later this coach worked for Stagecoach Cambus (early 2000s) and later still became a driver training vehicle with Stagecoach Lancashire (mid-2000s)

Saturday 2 August 1997 – Coaches parked at St. Andrew’s Street bus station, Edinburgh prior to working services in quite opposite directions. Within the next four hours they would be about eight hours apart. Left is Fife Scottish 504 (IIL 3504), a Van Hool Alizée bodied Volvo B10M which was new to Smiths-Shearings as E626 UNE in March 1988 (along the way it had also carried registration numbers GIL 2967 and E937 XSB). It went on to work the 1025 Scottish Citylink service 997 to Inverness (due approx 1416). On the right is Durham Travel Services P57 XNL, a 1995 Volvo B10M/Plaxton Expressliner, which was going to work the 1030 National Express service 591 to London (due there 1900).