THE SHOWBUS UK MIDLANDS BUS IMAGE GALLERY
Trent Motor Traction | Pre Barton merger
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 In common with several NBC fleets at the time, Trent had an all over advertisement for London & Manchester Assurance. This pair of photos was supplied to SHOWBUS by L&M when they were involved in supplying London Country AN96 to act as the free bus plying between Uxbridge Station and the Hillingdon Showground in the mid seventies in the early days of SHOWBUS. |
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Another view of 786 (ORC258N).
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For some years Trent's Harrington bodied coaches (AEC Reliances) were a familiar sight on their tours
around the country - this one is seen in Scotland in summer 1967.
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After Harringtons stopped coach building, Trent switched to Plaxton coachwork. Leyland Leopard 14 (VCH14G) is seen parked on the A4 at Langley in Bucks for some obscure reason when quite new.
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 In the mirk of the Derby depot in early NBC days are two standard Trent Fleetline/Alexanders with an NBC liveried new Bristol VRTSL6G.
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 True NBC days and all bar one of Trent's fleet of Bedford YRQs with Plaxton Elite bodies are lined up alongside some Duple Dominant bodied Leopards. Here we see 83-87 (ERC883-7J). |
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 ECW bodied Daimler Fleetlines were something of a novelty, but NBC had several in the early seventies with Trent taking a batch to run alongside their Alexander bodied examples. Here is 564 (OCH564L) in Derby Bus Station with the Derby City fleet's Plaxton Supreme coach behind. |
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 Tragedy beset some of the fleet in the Derby depot fire and Fleetline/ECW 569 (OCH569L) was one of several buses destroyed by flames. The bus alongside is unidentifiable, but the position of the filler portals below the driver's offside screen suggest it is not another of the same batch as 569. |
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 This Derby depot view shows what a mix the Trent fleet became, the Chief Engineer must have had several headaches! Two Lodekkas can be seen and a billeted NBC standard early Leyland National. There are three Daimler Fleetlines, two with native bodies by ECW and Alexander, but in the middle of the doubledeck line up is an Alexander bodied example transferred in from Midland Red, no doubt with dual door bodywork. Two National liveried Leyland Leopards are on the left, one with the lass than successful Willowbrook Spacecar inspired body and the back of another Willowbrook bodied Leopard from an earlier era, in NBC DP livery, 249 (ECH249C). |
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 The advent of the National Bus Company brought about some rationalisation with former Tilling companies merging with former BET ones. Trent was affected in several ways. The trio of closely associated Tilling companies - Notts & Derby, Midland General and Mansfield District, with their quirky liveries - was disbanded. Mansfield District was merged with BET East Midland, whilst the other pair with their blue and cream livery applied in Brighton, Hove & District style, was merged with Trent. This brought standard Tilling buses like this Bristol Lodekka FLF6G, 741 (TRB571F), into the Trent fleet and NBC poppy red livery. |
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 Another Midland General bus was this more modern typical Bristol RELL6G with ECW bodywork, 357 (FRB209H) seen in Derby Bus Station. |
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 When NBC sold the Manchester operations of former BET company North Western to Greater Manchester PTE, the remnants of the once proud company were divided amongst neighbouring NBC companies. Derbyshire area operations passed to Trent. North Western was a keen buyer of Bristol vehicles before and after World War II, but was barred from purchasing them when the manufacturer was nationalised. When restrictions were lifted the company bought many Bristol REs, including batches with the more unusual Marshall body, though standard ECW models joined the fleet too. Here is Marshall bodied 354 (SJA354K) which had passed to Trent as its 339. |
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 The unmistakeable location of Victoria Coach Station and a newly delivered Brsitol RELH6L, 270 (PCH270L) prepares for an evening run north. The modern ECW body was a classy design and suited the restrained traditional Trent coach livery well. Sadly the coach would soon be repainted in National white with red and blue insignia and the merest mention of the long standing Trent company.
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 Fresh from the paint shop is Bristol RELH6L ECW 20 (PCH420L), a member of the touring fleet. The NBC National Holidays brand had clearly not been established and Trent had paid lip service to NBC's corporate identity by using white and poppy red, but applying the traditional Trent fleetname. |
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 Bristol RELH6L 268 (PCH268L) is seen a few years later wearing NBC poppy red and white in full corporate style and relegated to more mundane duties. |
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 Destined neither for long service or preservation, this unidentified Leyland National was buckled and burnt beyond recognition in the Derby depot fire alongside a less valuable loss in the shape of 1964 Leyland Leopard 303 (ACH303B). |
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Illustrating post National deliveries in the Trent fleet is this Northern Counties Paladin bodied Volvo B10M heading north from Nottingham to Mansfield.
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 From the lightweight Ford and Bedford NBC purchases, Trent Ford R1114 Willowbrook 397 (NNN397P). |
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 Bespoke lightweight buses in the form of this Bristol LHS6L, destined for Matlock were also acquired. This one 388 (PNU388R) is seen at the 1976 Commercial Motor Show. |
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A lightweight vehicle of a different era was the Optare Solo. At Millennium Showbus 426 (W426RTO) won the prize for the best low floor bus.
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An offside view of the same vehicle.
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 Some of the Northern Counties bodied Volvo B10B buses had an extended life as driver trainers. As part of the May 2013 Centenary Day celebrations at Langley Mill depot 130 (M130PRA) was displayed on hoists. |
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 Sister, 131 (M131PRA), was still going strong when seen in May 2017.
Picture ref B6249 |
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