One of the saddest moment I have experienced with the hobby, watching the closure process of the Arriva depot in my hometown of Oswestry. Between the original site on Oswald Road and later the move to Salop Road, I first remember NBC green livery Crosville buses as a young child, particular the double deckers that caught my eye and even had a occasional journey on just prior to deregulation. I have later memories of the green and white of Crosville Wales into deregulation, the takeover by Midland Red North and the evolvement into Arriva. Bristol VR's and Gardner powered, B Series Leyland Nationals particular hold fond memories traveling to and from secondary school in the early 1990's.
I had a look the day of closure and wanted to witness for some kind of milestone and historic moment the last buses were collected by Arriva Cymru, Wrexham depot and then driven out for the last time. The only comfort been these Pulsars still operate into Oswestry on the 2/2A/2C but its still odd.
So Oswestry becomes a town served by Arriva Midlands from Shrewsbury and Arriva Cymru from Wrexham, effectively Arriva North meets Arriva South with the recent reorganisation of Arriva UK Bus into two high level operations.
One lasting memory will be 3788 refusing to move for a number of minutes from the yard, almost like it didn't want to leave.
RIP Arriva Oswestry.
Tags: Arriva Midlands Oswestry depot closure Arriva Midlands
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There was an investment of fresh open top conversions of nine Volvo B9TL, Wright Eclipse Gemini 2's for the 2022 season. These were ironically new to First London and later serving with Metroline, been obtained via Ensign whom managed the conversions. The arrival of these was mainly aimed to update the older stock on the Land's End Coaster.
In reality for 2022 however, only a limited number operated mainly unbranded, and often on other open top routes around Cornwall. The 2023 season finds seven out of the nine branded for the Land's End Coaster with two still in base livery. Notable also three of the older order, Volvo B7TL, Plaxton President's provide cover (the remainder moving over to Dorset for use in Weymouth) and you can even find a few allover Yellow 09 plate B9TL conversions often turning up, aimed at Sunseeker brands.
Anyway 37791 LX59 CXH operates a morning turn that starts at Sennen Cove, calls at Land's End and onto Penzance, found here after calling at Porthcurno. I find it odd the first bus on the other directional flow that carries lots of passengers from previous encounters, a number who work at Land's End, start thirty minutes later, omitting Porthcurno and Land's End, with passengers having to get off nearby and walk down. The previous early morning starting service in 2022 used to start at Sennen (from memory for the clockwise run towards St Ives with the journey from Penzance at 08:30 following for a full loop, 2023 no early Sennen clockwise run, the full clockwise loop starts 09:00 and often gets held up, with the 09:30 working not far behind.
Tags: LK59CXH Volvo B9TL Wright Eclipse Gemini Land's End Coaster Kernow First South West
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A fairly recent addition to the Winsford allocation is this VDL SB200, Wright Pulsar which was a VDL SB120, Wright Cadet replacement in the allocation. Despite the Welsh plate, It was always a Merseyside based vehicle, having sampled it in and around the Bootle area in the past. If you look closely, it carries Merseyside legals still and on hire to Arriva North West in the paper in the side window!
It captured in Tarvin as it operates on a 84 Crewe to Chester. 2928 still carries its original livery with an obvious interurban livery on the front panels, not standard but looks good I think!
I've made numerous Sunday visits over to Chester by starting off in Wrexham over recent years over the winter months, to enjoy a blast through the Cheshire countryside. I've got down to only now requiring two Pulsars remaining in the allocation there for the 84. Now with the announcement of proposed closure of Winsford depot, some extra effort will be made.
This scene was captured whilst sampling them over the day, I decided for a change to have a break in Tarvin for a bit and snapped 2928 in the only tint of sunshine all day. I had enjoyed 2928 that morning then later caught to through to Crewe.
On the Sunday in question, you could see all the once standard Arriva liveries on display on the allocated buses on the 84 as follows:
2670 CX58 EUM, Arriva 'interurban'
2928 CX58 FZK, Cotswold stone / Arriva corporate
2934 MX09 EKO / 3159 MX14 HRN, light blue 'journey mark'
Tags: 2928 CX58FZK VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar Arriva North West Arriva Winsford 84 Chester
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Sunday 2nd July 2023 and Arriva Cymru depot begin their operations on the 2 series of routes between Oswestry - Cefn Mawr and Wrexham, following the sad closure of Arriva Midlands, Oswestry depot whom completed their last day on 1st July.
Pulsars moved over from Oswestry will be the typical default on the main 2/2A/2C runs, Sunday's are scheduled for the moment to be operated by ADL E200's, a bizarre sight on a Sunday with Pulsars been the default for many years.
A capture of the first outbound working from Oswestry to Wrexham on the 2, the 09:30 journey, which operated in as the 08:30 2 from Wrexham. A big thanks to the enthusiast driver for holding the bus to allow a better opportunity on a dull morning, much appreciated. The Shropshire Bus sign in the window was a nice touch to from the driver, something Oswestry depot used to regularly display many years ago often on the buses used on lates were used on Shropshire tendered work in the daytime.
The scene is just outside Gobowen, having served the local hospital and passing the Derwen College, a healthy load too early on the journey.
There is a bonus of E200 2153 DK15 EHH passing on route training for Wrexham drivers on the 2.
Tags: Arriva Cymru Arriva Buses Wales DK15EHD ADL E200
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After a fair bout of snow the previous day, the sun came out into the next day, providing a quick photo opportunity close to home. Here this VDL SB200, Wright Pulsar 2, operates on a 2 Wrexham to Oswestry journey. It come off the Fiveways Roundabout or better known locally as the Orthopaedic Roundabout due to the hospital been close by, joins onto the B5069 for the last section of road into Oswestry.
Tags: 3756 Arriva Midlands VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar 2 Arriva Oswestry
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