As the Olympics kick off in London, this week's picture is from Tuesday as the Olympic Torch Relay around Britain gasps into its final stages. Stagecoach has been responsible for carrying the torch and its accompanying party around the nation with the aid of several new Wright Streetlites, which will subsequently go into service in South Wales. While most people will think the torch has been carried by athletes, celebrities and the like on its journey around the country, the reality is that most of the journey has been by bus! Here the torch is arriving at Bisham Abbey, training ground of the English Football Team and a host of other sports are accommodated and practiced there. Earlier the torch was in Henley being banded about by Sir Steve Redgrave. The police escort stop the traffic for appropriately named Streetlite 5 (CN12ARX). Even the registration is appropriate for its short stay in Berkshire! The fleetnumber of 5 is surely temporary. A short Van Hool T911, BT08BUZ, in Olympic Torch colours accompanied the Streetlite, as well as the Lloyds TSB Maltese bus accompanying the flame. They didn't warrant the police stopping the traffic for them. Other Olympic preparations this week included the sight of several Stagecoach liveried buses, full of drivers, but devoid of fleetnames on Olympic shuttle route learning around London. They were joined by a similarly incognito Red Rose Enviro200, its names safely hidden least the glare of publicity meant it would divert sales from McDonalds, Coca-Cola, et al! |
