A rather nice East Lancs bodied Dominator of Leicester Citybus loads on the Nether Hall barrier in Humberstone Gate. Behind it lurks some sort of delivery van, garishly painted in it's owner's livery. Perhaps it was delivering towels or fresh linnen to a pub. The British-built Dominator has a throaty sounding Gardner 180 engine and tuneful Voith gearbox. Little did I know that five years later, I would be driving these when Northampton had too many drivers and Leicester not enough. These 'square' Dominators were the best, IMO. They had the wonderful interior, little changed from the PD3s bought in the '60s, whilst East Lancs hadn't got to the parts bin era of the s-type body which was used from the B-reg batch onwards.

I seem to recall resting my camera on a handy litter bin as light was fading fast.

Jan 1994

Pentax ME super/ 50mm
Kodak Gold 400asa

Tags:   tbc51x leicester citybus dennis dominator 51 east lancs humberstone gate grt dusk pentax me super

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Think this was a Saturday 'choose your own bus' bit of overtime. These usually went along the lines of, 'yeah, I'll do 5½ hours of 29s, but not in a Gas Bus'. We were short of drivers every Saturday at this time. Gas Bus reliability was as low as ever, and the 'quality corridor' that Glenda Jackson had launched was a memory. Anyone hoping for a low floor to take their baby buggy, probably laden with shopping bags from Primark and the like, would have to fold their buggies, or wait ten minutes to see if a low-floor turned up. Ho hum.

92 was my favourite Dominator at the time. It had a deep, booming exhaust. Apparently, this was a side effect of the bus having been converted from Cummins L10 to Gardner 6LXB by Leicester Citybus. 92's sonorous tones were best enjoyed prowling through the hitherto quiet streets on the early staff bus. It was possible to set off car alarms if you let the engine labour slightly! Who says I don't know how live it up!!

The damage to the N/S/F corner was caused by the night cleaners driving too fast through the bus washer with their usual lack of care.

92 (E92 HNR) is seen at Kingsthorpe (Acre Lane) terminus in 2002. I bet I'd caught up with the preceding service, having no faffing around with step lowering and such like to hinder my progress!

Tags:   dennis dominator e92hnr 92 leicester citybus first northampton firstgroup acre lane

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GRT's new livery for Northampton was launched at the depot on 24th November 1993. For no particular reason, Volvo Citybus 89 (H289 VRP) was selected to be painted first. The work was carried out by NT's own paintshop. After the ceremony, 89 was put out on service 25, which was a new service to compete with Stagecoach's service 80. Bus 89 is seen in failing light at Holly Lodge Drive terminus.

GRT merged with Badgerline to Form FirstGroup PLC in 1995. Under First ownership, the Northampton operation has been in steady decline, with previously profitable routes ruined then given away to Stagecoach. It is unlikely that First Northampton will see out the summer, Stagecoach have registered over First Northampton's routes from May 12th, 2013. This will give First Northampton and Leicester's bungling manager, Steve Zanker the chance to kill off Northampton Transport for good.

What an utter shambles.

24th November, 1993.

Pentax ME super/ pentacon 50mm
Fujichrome 100

Tags:   northampton transport ltd GRT grampian 89 h289vrp volvo citybus b10md d10m alexander rv steve zanker useless manager shameful

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British Shoe Corporation in Leicester operated a very elderly fleet of buses on staff transport from the Leicester area to the warehouses at Braunstone Frith. Right up to the end, decent loads were carried. After a long association with ex-Southdown buses, sourced through dealer Frank Cowley, BSC moved on to ex-Nottingham City Transport Leyland and Daimler buses, with a small number of WMPTE, Fylde and Leicester vehicles as well.
ETO 183L was a Willowbrook bodied Nottingham Standard Daimler Fleetline CRG6LX, new as no. 183. It is seen in the garage yard at BSC's Braunstone Frith transport workshop, with other Nottingham and WMPTE buses behind. 183 had been at the top of my preservation shortlist, but a supposedly knowledgeable friend thought that anything from Willowbrook was likely to be a poor choice. In the end, I went for a Nottingham Atantean, STO 526H, which turned out to be rotten all the way through.
Other buses in the background are (from r to l): STO 530H, GOG 535N and STO 524H.

July 1995.

Pentax ME super/ 50mm Pentacon lens
Kodak 'Gold' 200.

Tags:   british shoe corporation nottingham city transport daimler fleetline crg6lx willowbrook eto183l 183 staff bus works

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Easter 1999; one year after the Northampton Transport garage was flooded, I arrived for my early shift. At once, I realised something was 'up', as buses were strewn all over the place and the guv'nor was in at six in the morning. It turned out that a lunatic who'd been employed by the contract cleaning company had got into the garage late at night, hidden on a bus until everyone had gone home at around two o'clock in the morning. He'd then gone round every bus in the garage with a sledgehammer, smashing as many windows as he could reach. We were allocated buses as and when they arrived from other operators. Confidence of Leicester helped out with several buses, it being school holidays. KinchBus of Loughborough also lent buses, and provided me with ex-Nottingham City Transport RNU 432X for my 'first half'. I thought that was going to be hard to top, but when the allocated B10L failed with a jammed door - it had been VoR for this fault when the attack happened, I was given Confidence 23. Well, actually, I was asked if I 'minded' having it by our branch Chairman, Paul Steel. He had to ask, because HOR 23N didn't have power steering, but quite correctly, thought I would love it. I have to say it was one of the nicest buses I have ever driven, rattle-free and beautifully presented inside and out.

My shot shows Confidence 23 (HOR 23N) at Southfields terminus. The Atlantean had been new to Portsmouth Corporation in 1975.

April, 1999.

Canon 'SureShot' 35mm compact.
Kodak Gold 400 print film (negative scan).

Tags:   first northampton transport confidence bus coach hire 23 hor23n leyland atlantean alexander canon sureshot kodak gold 400 24

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