THE SHOWBUS UK MIDLANDS BUS IMAGE GALLERY
Stratford Blue Motors
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 Another unusual secondhand acquisition by Oxford South Midland was the trio of Stratford Blue Atlanteans, 9-11 (NAC415-417F). Being highbridge they were numbered in Oxford's 900 series for buses that could not fit under the railway bridge on the radial Botley Road, becoming 904-906. They arrived to be painted in Oxford dark red and duck egg green, succombing to poppy red in due course. In this June 2013 view Atlantean 905 is seen at Oxford Bus Museum. |
 A rear view of 905 hints that it might be restored in Stratford Blue livery. |
 A dusk view of one of the Atlanteans in Oxford High Street.
Picture ref H878 |
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 This view in the old Cowley Road depot shows one of the trio after repaint into NBC poppy red.
Picture ref H867 |
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 The small Stratford Blue BET fleet was eventually swallowed by its much larger neighbour, Midland Red resulting in some unusual vehicles acquiring that company's red livery. The Stratford Blue fleetname was revived as a marketing exercise in NBC days, but disappeared again under Stagecoach stripes when its part of Midland Red was sold as Midland Red South. Retrenchment eventually led to Stagecoach pulling out of Stratford and Julian Peddle saved the local independent that had stepped in and used the SB name. When Warwickshire Council awarded key contracts to other operators, including its Countylinks branded Mercedes Citaro operations, the viability of the Peddle Stratford Blue operation was undermined and shut down. Former Chesterfield Leyland National 2 34 (OWB34X), which passed to Stagecoach East Midlands with that city fleet, is seen at Julian Peddle's MK Metro Milton Keynes depot, not long after the Stratford Blue failure where the bus had been operating, still in Stagecoach colours. |
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