Kirjahaku

Following deregulation in 1986, the established bus operators suddenly found themselves being challenged by new independent operators, some of whom ultimately disappeared from the scene while others were swallowed up by the larger groups. After Yorkshire Rider, an arm of West Yorkshire PTE was privatised in 1988 and grew following its acquisition of former NBC subsidiary West Yorkshire Road Car Co. It was subsequently purchased by Badgerline/FirstBus, who became the dominant operator in the city. Arriva and Transdev also have a presence in Leeds. This book takes a look at all the transport developments and changes that have taken place within the city between 1986 and 2022 and, with many new liveries and vehicle types, illustrates the ever-fascinating scene.

Explore rare and previously unpublished photographs of the major bus manufacturer of Northern Ireland.

Over the past hundred years, the scrapping of life-expired buses has changed in numerous ways. From being a physically demanding task, it is now undertaken with the use of sophisticated machinery and governed by ever-increasing environmental and health and safety regulations. While bus breaking was initially concentrated in certain areas across the UK, where metal recycling facilities were close at hand, it has ultimately become a nationwide activity. Here Keith Jenkinson remembers those buses that have disappeared from our daily road transport scene, evoking fond memories of bygone eras.

Manchester and its surrounds, such as Bolton, Wigan, Rochdale, Oldham and Stockport, have always been a haven for bus enthusiasts, with a wide variety of operators and liveries to be seen. Deregulation in 1986 changed the scene dramatically with the appearance of numerous independent companies – some of which were short-lived while others survived for many years or were swallowed up by the major national conglomerates such as Arriva, FirstBus and Stagecoach. Added to the mix is the Metrolink tramway system, which continues to grow and now reaches the airport where numerous buses can also be seen. Never failing to fascinate, and a city whose transport continually changes, Manchester is always worthy of a visit and can be recommended to all transport enthusiasts whether their interests are buses, rail or air.

Sheffield has seen an influx of new independent operators with a wide range of new and second-hand buses, diverse liveries, and, of course, trams and trambuses. Looking at Sheffield and its suburbs, this book will provide enthusiasts with an insight into an ever-changing scene, supported by numerous previously unpublished colour photographs.

Since deregulation in 1986, Merseyside has offered a wealth of variety to bus enthusiasts with numerous new independent operators entering the scene, and some soon departing again, while the major companies have gained strength through takeovers and area expansion. The area covered here includes Liverpool, the Wirral, St Helens and Southport, all of which have seen wide changes, particularly in the 1990s, and all are captured with a selection of previously unpublished colour photographs.

Despite all the current hype making people believe that electric and hybrid vehicles are a staggering present-day breakthrough in the quest for a carbon-zero future, both are, in fact, old technology introduced over 100 years ago that has been refined. This book takes a look at how gas, hybrid and electric propulsion has been redeveloped after disappearing during the twentieth century and is now regarded as ‘the future’. Although not intended to be a definitive history of public road transport in the UK, within its pages are several other technological and vehicle design developments that made their debut over a century ago and have made a return in recent years, all of which are illustrated and described to provide a fascinating insight into how things have continued to change.

The origins of Dennis Brothers dates back to the 1890s, when John Dennis moved from his home in Devon to Guildford and began building bicycles. In 1901, he diversified into motor vehicles, at first cars and two years later vans, fire engines, and buses. While car production ceased in 1913, development of the larger vehicles grew and after the First World War the company’s products were to be seen across the whole of the UK and several overseas countries. In 1972, it was sold to the Hestair Group and between 1989 and 2004, when it was purchased by consortium Alexander Dennis, it changed ownership several times. Over the years Dennis has produced a wide and varied range of buses and coaches and is now the UK’s largest manufacturer of passenger transport vehicles. This book will trace the development of Dennis, complimented by a selection of carefully chosen photographs, none of which have ever previously been published.

Starting in October 1980 as a small coach operator with two coaches and a service from Glasgow to London, Stagecoach rapidly developed throughout Scotland in the 1980s and 1990s when it purchased three major Scottish Bus Group companies and a number of smaller independent operators before floating on the stock market as a plc. After initially relying on the second-hand vehicle market, which produced a wide variety of buses, it ultimately began purchasing new vehicles that like their predecessors were painted in the company’s corporate livery. Stagecoach has always been an operator that has attracted a wide enthusiast following and this book traces the development of the company from its humble beginnings to its current major status.

Carrying on the story of Stagecoach, this volume looks at the company’s continuing growth across the UK and its various overseas ventures, which took it to Hong Kong, mainland Europe, the USA, Canada and New Zealand. In addition to its ongoing expansion and the continual upgrading of its bus and coach fleet, it also introduced numerous innovative ventures including Magicbus, megabus and Stagecoach Gold, all of which heralded new travel concepts across the UK and overseas. No doubt, in the years ahead, Stagecoach will continue to expand whenever, and wherever, opportunities arise, and also continue in its bid to further minimise the impact of its operations on the environment with an increase in alternatively powered buses, including hybrid, gas, hydrogen and electric. Here, Keith A. Jenkinson brings the Stagecoach story up to the present time, leaving no stone unturned and illustrating it fully with colour photography.

Unlike other parts of the world, Britain was slow to start operating bendy buses and, despite the first ones appearing in service in Sheffield in 1978, it was not until 1985 that the next examples made their appearance, again in Sheffield. Somewhat surprisingly it took a further thirteen years before bendy buses gained wider acceptance in the UK and began to appear in other towns and cities, with the largest number being operated in London from 2002. Never reaching their potential, however, their number failed to grow to any extent and only 858 were ever placed in service, with their mass withdrawal commencing as early as 2009. Profusely illustrated in colour, this book takes a detailed look at the bendy buses operated in the UK and their lives since their disposal by major operators.

Formed in 1969, four years later in 1972 the state-owned National Bus Company introduced a corporate livery and identity for all its subsidiary companies and continued as such until the early 1980s, except within the Tyne & Wear and West Yorkshire PTEs where other liveries were used. As a consequence of its Market Analysis Project, several local fleet names made an appearance. After it was announced that the NBC subsidiaries would be sold to the private sector in 1986–88, a number of them began to adopt new liveries in preparation for new ownership. This book explores these transitions through a range of photographs with detailed captions, showcasing the numerous changes that took place in the early to mid-1980s.

Bus builder Optare was formed by some of its employees in 1984 after the closure of old-established coachbuilder Chas H. Roe at Crossgates, Leeds. After establishing itself as a ‘new company’ and introducing a new product range – initially in the minibus field – it purchased the designs of Birmingham-based MCW when that concern took the decision to cease bus building. After being acquired by Dutch bus builder DAF, following the collapse of that company Optare repurchased itself and became independent again. Then, it was acquired by Hungarian manufacturer American Bus Industries but, history repeating itself, it was repurchased by its management to become independent again. Then, it was purchased in a reverse takeover by the Darwen Group, who owned East Lancashire Coachbuilders which, in turn, was acquired by Indian manufacturer Ashok-Leyland, in whose ownership it remains today, albeit still working from its established manufacturing base in Yorkshire. A company with a fascinating story, it is one whose history should be recorded.

The transport scene in the historic city of York has seen numerous changes since 1986, with the breakup of the National Bus Company into a number of separate units whose ownership have since changed several times. In addition, a number of independent operators have served the city, which has a large park and ride network of services, electric-powered open-top sightseeing buses and bendy buses. A constantly changing scene, the comprehensive range of photographs in this book showcase the vast variety of liveries and vehicle types on offer, and will delight enthusiasts.

Following the deregulation of bus services in 1986, West Yorkshire became flooded by small independent operators, some of whom survived while others were swallowed up by larger companies. Only a small handful remain today. The wide variety of liveries and vehicle types will bring memories flooding back, and the wealth of previously unpublished photographs give this book a wide appeal.

In addition to the major operators such as National Welsh, South Wales Transport, First Group and Stagecoach, South Wales boasted a number of municipal bus operators, most of which have since been acquired by the major groups. In addition, South Wales also had (and still has) numerous privately owned companies who have operated bus services across the company. All of these can be seen in the wide variety of photographs featured in this book, which will bring back memories of an interesting period in transport history.