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Doubkedecker 902 (SRX945G) was originally delivered to Thames Valley as the second of their first batch of just two Bristol VRs. The bus is seen on the Aylesbury - Wycombe route at Stoke Mandeville and carries Chilternlink branding. Chilternlink was the marketing name used in the Wycombe area on both Alder Valley and London Country vehicles after the local NBC MAP marketing exercise. The bus was later repainted in Beeline colours when Alder Valley was split and can be seen painted yellow in our Beeline gallery. |
In the early days of the National Bus Company vehicles simply received standard format NBC fleetnames colour matched to their exisiting liveries, invariably in cream. Former Thames Valley 516 (DRX102K), another series I Bristol/ECW VR is thus attired and enjoying a chassis steam clean. |
ALDER VALLEY |
A selection of Alder Valley VRs, on the left is Mark I 916 (DRX101K) and on the right is Mark III 936 (MPM391P). The bus in the middle is much more interesting. The triangular destination blind gives it away as one of the Scottish VRs swapped with NBC for late model Bristol Lodekkas. Alder Valley lost its PBL-F registered batch of FLFs for a mix of Eastern Scottish, Western and Central SMT VRs. This is one of the former and is actually a VRTLL6G, which is probably why it sticks out further in this line up. Originally Eastern Scottish AA284 (LFS284F) it is seen here as Alder Valley 893. |
This is a sister vehicle, 894 (LFS285F), seen in Newbury Bus Station and with Kennetbus MAP marketing name. The extra length of former Eastern Scottish AA285 is seen in the elongated upper deck rear most window and the wider body panels around the emergency exit downstairs. |
Freshly painted in NBC livery is 901 (SRX944G), Thames Valley's first VR, 500. It is seen at Newbury with Lodekka 623 (540BBL), TVTC 872, also freshly painted. When new, 500 was used on the London - Reading express services, even though it was a standard bus unlike the Lodekka coaches it ran alongside. |
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