David Slater (Spoddendale)'s photos with the keyword: Swiss Post Bus

The bus in the previous three photographs had worked the 1110 PTT (Swiss Post Bus) service from Luzern to Rotkreutz via Udligenswil on which I travelled. My bus ticket was issued from a 'T.I.M.' ticket machine manufactured by Ticket Issuing Machines of Cirencester, England. This particular ticket (number 0867) is valued 7.40 Swiss Francs and was issued on 14 November 1987 for a journey from Luzern (stage number 21) to Rotkreutz on line number 665. The ticket machine number is 917 and the ticket class is shown as 'E' (Einwegfahrkarte - one way journey).My ticket, priced at 7.40 Swiss Francs, is a classic TIM style ticket from a British made machine. On the left is the front of a little fold up timetable card for the service.

Thursday 12 November 1987 (approx. 1200) – Many Swiss Postal Authority services are operated by contractors. LU 15590 is a Ramsier und Jenzer bodied Saurer seen at Inseliquai in Luzern prior to working the 1205 departure to Neuenkirch and the village of Lippenrüti (about 2 minutes beyond Neuenkirch).

Thursday 12 November 1987 (approx. 1200) – Many Swiss Postal Authority services are operated by contractors. Robert Bucheli of Kriens near Luzern was the operator of LU 15543 seen at Inseliquai in Luzern. It had arrived a short time before having worked the 1105 service from Rotkreutz and stands ready to work the 1205 service to Udligenswil on a short trip of the service about 25 minutes along the road towards Rotkreutz. The incoming mail had been taken off the bus and was on its way to the nearby Postal Sorting Office on the mini-train visible at the rear of the bus.

Thursday 12 November 1987 – Many Swiss Postal Authority services are operated by contractors. Robert Bucheli of Kriens near Luzern was the operator of LU 15543 seen at Inseliquai in Luzern. It had arrived a short time before having worked the 1105 service from Rotkreutz and stands ready to work the 1205 service to Udligenswil on a short trip of the service about 25 minutes along the road towards Rotkreutz. A large door for the loading of mail can be seen in the rear panel. Inside the bus there was a fold down bulkhead which can be seen through the rear windows. When mail was carried this was made vertical, the ceiling profile of the bulkhead is visible.

Saturday 14 November 1987 (1105) – Many Swiss Postal Authority services are operated by contractors. Robert Bucheli of Kriens near Luzern was the operator of LU 15550 which was seen loading at Inseliquai in Luzern when working the 1110 service to Rotkreutz, a distance of 19km taking 43 minutes. Chassis is FBW (Franz Brozincevic of Wetzikon). I travelled on this bus for the full route.

Saturday 14 November 1987 (1125) – Many Swiss Postal Authority services are operated by contractors. Robert Bucheli of Kriens near Luzern was the operator of LU 15550 which was seen at Adligenswil Post Office when working the 1110 service from Luzern to Rotkreutz, a distance of 19km taking 43 minutes. Chassis is FBW (Franz Brozincevic of Wetzikon). I travelled on this bus for the full route.

Saturday 14 November 1987 (approx. 1155) – Many Swiss Postal Authority services are operated by contractors. Robert Bucheli of Kriens near Luzern was the operator of LU 15550 which was seen at Rotkreutz having just worked the 1110 service from Luzern, a distance of 19km taking 43 minutes. After arrival at 1153 it then worked the 1157 service to Udligenswil on a short trip of the service about 14 minutes along the road towards Luzern. Chassis is FBW (Franz Brozincevic of Wetzikon). I had travelled from Luzern on this bus. A large door for the loading of mail can be seen in the rear panel. Inside the bus there was a fold down bulkhead which can be seen through the rear windows. When mail was carried this was made vertical, the ceiling profile of the bulkhead is visible. The bulkhead also incorporated what was a fold down rear bench seat.

The bus in the previous three photographs had worked the 1110 PTT service from Luzern to Rotkreutz via Udligenswil. This was the timetable for the service current from 31 May 1987 to 28 May 1988.

Monday 4 May 1981 – Verkhersbetriebe der Stadt Luzern (VBL) employed a small number of contractors to work some of its services. In this view the Mercedes-Benz O 302 in the background carries a blue based livery resembling that of VBL but LU 15646 is unlettered in the colours of PTT, the Swiss Postal Authority. I suspect the contractor (possibly Robert Bucheli or Gottfried Waser) had buses for both VBL and PTT contracts in their fleet and this one had ‘strayed’.

Monday 4 May 1981 – Inseliquai, Luzern alongside the piers on the Vierwaldstättersee (Lake Luzern), a PTT contractor’s bus awaits departure. It was more than likely operated by Robert Bucheli of Kriens. Services to Rotkreutz via Adligenswil and Udligenswil and to Neuenkirch departed from this point.

The cover of the all Switzerland bus timetable book current from 31 May 1987 to 28 May 1988. The book, three centimetres thick, contained full timetables for services operated by Postbus and other bus companies although details for the different networks operated in individual cities were provided in list form only.

Monday 4 May 1981 – Auto AG of Rothenburg (AAGR) 49 (LU 15042) had just departed from the bus station in Luzern bound for its home village, a journey of 7km taking about 19 minutes. Seen during the morning peak the bus is towing a drawbar trailer, a regular practice in Switzerland that enables the doubling of passenger capacity with a much reduced financial outlay. During the day the trailer would be removed and the bus used solo.

Wednesday 29 August 1990 – On the Swiss side of the St. Bernard Pass this Saurer coach of MO (Martigny-Orsieres Railway) was seen at Fontaine Dessous when working an evening trip from Orsieres to Bourg St Pierre, a short run of the Martigny-Orsieres-Grand St Bernard-Aosta (Italy) service worked in conjunction with Italian based SAVDA. (VS 74443?)