UNITED ENTHUSIASTS CLUB

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1 UNITED ENTHUSIASTS CLUB Established 1984 ISSUE 302 JANUARY 2015 Main Picture: Now listed for disposal and non-dda compliant is DAF DB250/Alexander 7461 (T308 FGN). It is seen in Durham on the 57A to Hartlepool (a route that is most enjoyable from the top deck!) on 30/12/14. (Jeff Tattersall) Upper Picture: Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton 1312 (X534 GGO) is one of six from that batch of 15 which are DDA-compliant and expected to serve the region longer. It is seen in the same location at the same time as the DAF in the main picture, but is working the busy cross-city 64 service, a route with rather less open road than the 57A! (Jeff Tattersall)

2 UNITED ENTHUSIASTS CLUB established 1984 with assistance of United Automobile Services Limited NORTHUMBRIA ENTHUSIASTS CLUB established 1988 with assistance of Northumbria Motor Services Limited Merged as UNITED ENTHUSIASTS CLUB in 2001 with assistance of Arriva Northumbria Limited and Arriva North East Limited, now collectively titled Arriva North East The Newsletter Editor s press date is 10th of each month. The club membership and distribution list is kept on computer and no member s details are divulged without permission. EDITORIAL - by Jeff Tattersall, January2015. DDA and all that... I m sure that most of you will have heard of the Disability Discrimination Act and will be familiar with the concept of making buses accessible to the less ambulant and those in wheelchairs. Indeed, virtually all new buses have been low-floor for many years now. However, it is probably worth looking at some of the less-obvious effects and the key dates, especially in relation to developments in the Arriva North East fleet. Firstly, it is worth noting that just because a bus is low-floor, it is not necessarily DDA compliant. In the early years of the low-floor revolution, manufacturers and operators were effectively still learning and the rules that would govern DDA compliance were still being developed. As such, some vehicles either don t have the required turning space for a wheelchair, don t have a ramp, don t have the correct hand-pole layout or fail the regulations on any one of a long list of critical features and dimensions. Some operators have chosen to make alterations to some of their older low floor vehicles (where this is possible) to make them compliant, but others, like Arriva North East, recognise that these vehicles are due for replacement on the grounds of age or condition anyway and are opting to replace them. Most service buses built in the last 15 years or so were built in line with DDA regulations, so it really is only the very oldest stock that is affected. The first of the key dates requiring certain categories of vehicles to meet the DDAregulations to allow their use on stage service has just passed, this being 01/01/15 for buses (not coaches) with a gross weight of 7.5 Te - e.g. a Mercedes Vario or similar. It is several years since Arriva NE operated anything in this category. Single deck buses above 7.5 Te follow from 01/01/16, double deckers from 01/01/17 and coaches from 01/01/20. Again, the replacement policies of the large operators and many independents mean that these dates are of limited consequence, but some small operators may feel the pinch. At least one enterprising small operator has used the legal definitions of a bus and a coach to his advantage to life extend some late model step-entry Mercedes Varios. The following quotes from the regulations illustrate the difference: bus means a public service vehicle designed and constructed for the carriage of both seated and standing passengers and has a capacity exceeding 22 passengers, in addition to the driver coach means a public service vehicle designed and constructed for the carriage of seated passengers only and has a capacity exceeding 22 passengers, in addition to the driver The operator in question simply had his vehicles re-classified as coaches and, whilst losing the ability to carry standees, gains the the ability to operate them for a further five years! Arriva North East continue to clear-out their non-dda stock, with all step-entry buses now removed and the DAF SB220s and Dennis Dart SLFs now few in number. There are, however, a couple of interesting anomalies which are worth noting. Firstly, the older ex London DLA-class DAF DB250/Alexander ( ) are not DDA compliant but the newer ones ( ) are. Secondly, there is the batch of fifteen Dennis Dart SLFs ( ) that originated in London, but reached the fleet via the sale of Arriva Scotland West. These were refurbished for Arriva Scotland West and, for reasons unclear to your editor, most were refurbished as non-dda 40-seaters, whilst 1304/8/10-2/4 were refurbished as DDA-compliant 38 seaters. It seems these six will go on to live longer lives with Arriva North East. 2

3 Dates for your diary The Omnibus Society, Northern Branch, invites UEC members to attend its meetings. The increasing difficulty with the costs of room hire continues to mean that if you are not an OS member you will be asked to contribute 3 towards expenses. Note some changes of venue this season. Saturday 31st January. Omnibus Society, Northern Branch. Stockton Library, 1.00pm for Stephen Lockwood will present All Our Trolleybuses. Saturday 21st February. Aycliffe & District Bus Preservation Society Annual General Meeting in the welcome building at Locomotion, Shildon. Refreshments will be provided from 12pm, with the meeting starting at 1pm. UEC members are cordially invited to attend. Tuesday 24th February. Joint UEC/500 Group Meeting. Ian Wiggett from the ADBPS will give a presentation on Aycliffe Bus Preservation Society - some history and happenings at this meeting, which will take place at the Malleable Club, Norton Road, Stockton-on-Tees. Meeting starts at 7.30pm. How good is your imagination? Do you have views in your mind which you have never seen in a photograph? And do you keep on searching, in the hope that one day that elusive picture will turn up, perhaps providing proof of something that you have so far never quite managed to pin down? For over thirty years our member Jack Burton cared for the historic but officially redundant church of St Clement in the city of Norwich. He maintained it as a place of prayer and devotion where others would have let it to the highest bidder for any sort of commercial use. It features in his book The Wonder of Buses and Trams, published by our club in Trams, and then buses, have passed the east end of this church since Victorian times. Might there be a picture combining his two great interests? A 1934 view (upper) of the church which included the tramway overhead wires has been the best that could be found - until now. The location is the junction of Fye Bridge Street and Colegate, Norwich, and a recently discovered 1931 picture (lower) at the same spot shows not only the church and the tramway overhead, but also a United bus. On this new picture, the registration number is identifiable as VF 8513, although it is unlikely to be apparent on our printed page. The destination display reads Catton Grove, the outer terminus of United s service 7A introduced in 1922 and discussed in our newsletter 290 (pp5-10) in January VF 8513 was a Leyland TD1 Titan with Leyland lowbridge 48-seat body, and had been new to United in May The United fleet number was A70, but with the transfer to Eastern Counties in the autumn of 1931 it became A84 with that company. The picture was taken by George Plunkett who in 1931 was then aged 18. We are grateful to his son Jonathan for permission to reproduce it and to Jack Burton for sharing his discovery with us. Your Dream Picture? Saturday 28th February. Omnibus Society, Northern Branch. Durham, Shakespeare Hall (Durham Community Centre, North Road, just below and across from the bus station, next to Thomson Travel Agent s), 1.00pm for David Holding and Bob Kell will present their researches on the Express Omnibus Company (Durham) Ltd, one of the constituents of Durham District Services in 1950 and thus the precursor of various United local services. By Philip Battersby 3

4 The Writing on the Wall - Part 5 By Tony Walshaw 'The Song Remains The Same': The London advertisement continued on the wall at Redcar into the NBC years, as here with Bristol MW5G 2562 (562 LHN). Services 263 & 268 still had the same running times as in 1938, though from Middlesbrough the London coaches had speeded up considerably (Ian Wilson). Goodbye Yellow Brick Road The Redcar bus station advertisement had been around for the duration of the green and cream livery. It had also remained relevant, still looking the part as it watched over the 1971 improvements to vehicles and services. Under the NBC the London services continued to change and develop regularly, becoming a topic of research in itself. From United's north east heartlands, passengers wanted local pick-ups with fast motorway journeys to London. In 1972, only two services (daytime 203 and overnight 202) remained on the A1. The motorway had created a patronage growth, and sped past opposition from the railway, but it also took coaches off the traditional Great North Road. The main London coach allocation and drivers rota remained at Jesmond, with Hartlepool and Ashington involved in their own smaller way. The Hartlepool service had been extended to start from Felling in 1973 and now ran all-year. As the services grew and more pick-ups were introduced, it was notable that other depots, particularly those situated upon the London routes like Gallowgate, Sunderland, Durham, Bishop Auckland, Darlington and Middlesbrough, began to have a few of the newest Plaxton coaches allocated as well. These depots were in position to be called upon for duplication. Only six of the ten REMHs delivered new in 1974 went to Jesmond, with two going to Ashington and one each to Hartlepool and Sunderland. This was quite notable as previously all REMHs had been new to Jesmond, although a small handful of RELHs had been new to Ashington, Hartlepool and Gallowgate. 4 From 1973 all journeys (except the non-stop 205s) began to serve the grandly-titled North London Air Terminal which was en-route at Finchley Road. This was indicative of the popularity of package holidays, with the premises being occupied by the Clarkson's Travel Group as a base to transfer passengers by coach to Luton Airport, from where onward flights were taken by associated company Court Line. As part of their ABTA membership, United's travel offices were booking agents for Clarkson's. This arrangement continued in the summer 1974 National Express guide but Luton Airport was itself added to the services running via Luton at this time. This was before the Clarkson's/Court Line collapse of August 1974, and although the North London Air Terminal remained in the summer 1975 timetable, it would disappear by The National Express summer 1974 guide gives dates of operation as 7th April to 26th October for all services. This suggests that they were all now operating all-year because previous timetables had much shorter summer periods. Hexham and Tyne Valley pick-ups were added to the 203/207 timetables with a new licence granted (TAR353/1103) between Hexham and Newcastle (Gallowgate). The afternoon non-stop service 205 journeys were re-numbered to 201 to tie in with the similar morning journeys. The service number 205 was now commandeered for a new National Travel service from Scarborough to London, which was worked by United. It will be noted that a previous such service had been acquired by United from Phillipson's forty years before, but was sold to the West Yorkshire Road Car Company in The latter provided daily

5 (Left): REMH6G 1320 (SHN 120L) was London-bound on a service 203, in the final days via the A1 throughout. The Southern Bus Station, Doncaster, had replaced Waterdale as the United pick-up point in (Right): the service number 206 was used for daytime and overnight journeys via Teesside by 1976, in which year Middlesbrough-based 1251 (NHN 151E) was smartly presented at Victoria (both: A Walshaw Collection). through facilities but had utilised their stage carriage service 43 from Scarborough to Leeds, a practice that continued until The Scarborough service under National Travel would continue with subsequent variations and re-numberings. Concerning Teesside, night service 206 reverted to using the M1 throughout, i.e. after serving Luton (Castle Street and Airport) it ran direct to Hendon, omitting the former 202 service stops via Stevenage and Barnet. Thus the phasing out of workings on the Great North Road continued. The weekend-only night service 208 was advanced to depart London at 2300hrs, perhaps congenial for passengers wishing to sleep but meaning an arrival at Middlesbrough at 0445hrs, over an hour before the first bus to Redcar. Was there a practical reason for this? A late journey had a risk of drunken passengers being a nuisance around the terminal between last orders and departure. A situation could arise, say, after a north east football team had played a match in London. By advancing departure by an hour, such passengers could swiftly be whisked away into an alcoholic-slumber, or equally the coach may have avoided carrying them. An interesting development in 1974 was a new service 200 (Newcastle - Sunderland - Hartlepool - Middlesbrough - Stockton - Darlington - non-stop via M1 to Luton Airport only). This operated outward at 1200hrs (1350hrs from Middlesbrough) on Friday-Monday, and returned at 0800hrs on Saturday- Tuesday. It was a joint operation by United and Bee-Line, the Hartlepool independent coach operator whose main depot was in Middlesbrough. Although the Plaxton bodies were outwardly similar, the passenger was probably more enamoured with the mellow whine of the United Bristol RE, rather than the wheezing rasp of the Bee-Line Ford R-series. This operation was probably linked with the Clarkson's-Court Line enterprise, especially given that it was discontinued by Day service 209 ran non-stop from Thirsk to Luton by April 1974, reducing the journey time from Middlesbrough to London by forty-five minutes. The downside was that Teesside passengers could only take the longer service 203 to York or Doncaster, which indeed was the only day service to these places during that year. Their omission was perhaps radical and unpopular, because they were re-introduced to service 209 by the 23rd March 1975 timetable. This service was now in effect compatible with night service 206, the running times and stopping places being similar. This was confirmed in 1976 when the night service was changed to start from Felling rather than Newcastle, and both the day and night journeys took the number 206. Day service 203 was the final one remaining on the Great North Road throughout. The cafes, inns and market places of old had been disappearing off the timetable. New bus stations were being built in the ever-busier times, where previous on-street stopping arrangements had become inadequate, especially if rest stops for multiple coaches were involved. Doncaster, Newark, Grantham, Stamford and Stevenage had all gained such facilities, whilst the new Grantham Service Area on the A1 had been used for the refreshment break from This was at Gonerby Moor, where the A1 by-pass diverted off the old road, and in itself indicated how this route was becoming out-dated. In preparing these articles I have been able to access the majority of timetables for the period covered. However, I have not been able to source two crucial timetables of the mid 1970s. (Left): 1319 (SHN 119L) was departing Doncaster on the revised service 203 to Reading via the M1, as featured in the NBC staff newspaper of 24/11/76. It had connected with the West Yorkshire coach behind on service 311 to London via the A1 (Facebook-David Barlow). (Right): 1317 (SHN 117L) was leaving Victoria on a northbound service 206. This particular coach was terminating at South Shields (Martyn Lewis). 5

6 The summer 1975 National Express guide (23rd Match - 25th October 1975) still had service 203 operating the traditional route via the A1 throughout. The next timetable I have is the winter (commencing 26th September 1976) in which every London service was on the motorway. Service 203 itself was now removed from London altogether, and after Doncaster ran via the M1 and cross-country pick-ups to Reading. The NBC staff newspaper (24/11/76) referred to it as 'the new Newcastle - Reading service'. This suggests that it was a recent change that had occurred in the September. Can any reader confirm when this significant event happened? Certainly by the autumn of 1976, there was no more Bawtry or Biggleswade, Baldock or Barnet, Stamford or Stevenage, (East) Retford or Eaton Socon, for the passenger on a United coach to London. Equally, these places only ever had a United service to London because they did. They just happened to be on the direct route. When that route changed, they were discarded as well. Every north east - London service now operated via the motorway. An era of long-distance road services had ended and this was to be confirmed when a certain advertisement was painted out. Off The Wall The extensive image changes of the 1970s were to have their bearing upon the proud old United advertisement on the wall at Redcar. Those who know Redcar bus station, whether passengers or staff, remember that the advertisement was prominent for decades, and also that it was eventually painted out. But no-one can recall when this actually happened. It was there, then it was gone, and people merely ride on by. Just like the drivers on the last day of the service on the Great North Road, they clocked off and did their next shift via the motorway. No-one had a sense of any history being erased. My own memory is of the advertisement being there in the mid 1970s, but it had gone by the early 1980s. If asked, I would have said that it probably disappeared around 1981, during progressive alterations to the bus station including the sale by United of the house upon which it had been painted. Indeed the underlined company fleet name remained above the travel office until this time, when it was finally replaced by an NBC one. However, in reality the advertisement had disappeared a little before this. Thankfully some photographs have emerged to narrow this down to a short time frame. Why did the advertisement disappear? It was the culmination of several events. The underlined United fleet name (which ironically had not been used on dedicated London service coaches since 1938, the year that the advertisement was painted) had been replaced on United service buses in 1964 by a smaller block-lettered version. The wording of the advertisement was one of sedate journeys along the telegraph-poled Great North Road, with luggage on the roof and refreshments at the cafe in the market place. Meanwhile the faster motorway journeys of vending machines and autogrills had been establishing themselves for more than a decade, and the last London service had recently been withdrawn from the old A1 route. The National white livery and brand name had assumed the entire express coach network in the mid 1970s, and indeed the United coach service licences had been transferred centrally to National Travel in the late summer of Through the eyes of the public, United were no longer supposed to be seen as the coach operator to London. The railway and the long-distance coach were no longer merely competing with each other; the term 'travel by road' now referred to car use. And British Rail was always keen to progress because they were now competing with domestic air travel as well. The HST (High Speed Train) had completed its development and was into production. In a modified form from the prototype, it was about to enter regular service on the East Coast Main Line from the summer 1978 timetable with Mark III carriages as the 'Inter-City 125'. At a more local level, NBC imagery had consumed United in the preceding five years, and in 1977 major service changes were introduced in the Teesside Area coinciding with the delivery of the first Leyland Nationals. The direct bus services from Redcar to Middlesbrough now had a more substantial increase in OMO, although crew-operated services remained to quite an extent and still maintained their 39-minute journey time just as they had in A forty-year old hand-painted advertisement, with the parlance of times past, bearing down upon rear-engined OMO vehicles was no longer a current image. It was Neville Chamberlain in the world of Jim Callaghan. To put it further into context, it can be equated to an NBC 'double-n' logo on the frontage of current Arriva premises. And so it was that United climbed the Tilling-bricked wall of the house that they owned, and painted out the dated words to consign them to history. Or so they thought. It should have been the end of the story for the old advertisement. For quite a while, it was, but not forever. 'If You Leave Me Now, You'll Take Away The Very Heart Of Me...' The advertisement proudly remained in October 1976, the occasion being the delivery of brand new 3014 (SGR 114R) to Redcar depot (Ian Wilson). 'We're So Pretty Vacant...' Only a matter of weeks later, when RELL6G 5016 (EHN 616J) was photographed in February 1977, the advertisement had been painted out (Ian Wilson). 6

7 'Gone Gone Gone': (Left): From under the blank wall, 612 (WHN 422G) undergoes a crew change in 1980 (Ian Wilson). (Right): 5018 (FHN 18J) awaits departure in January 1983 (Ian Wilson). Don't Believe A Word The new white-walled world of corporate image, and local authority involvement in bus services was current and the old advertisement receded into memory. It was ironic that the forthcoming Transport Act 1980 was to introduce coach deregulation, abolishing the need for licences for long-distance services and therefore any objections from British Rail or any other coach operator. The story of express coaches to London from this period is one all of its own and is out of the scope of this article, but salient points will be touched upon briefly. In the September 1976 timetable service 203 maintained connections with United's London services at Darlington and Doncaster, after which it ran via the M1 to Northampton, Bedford, Luton (incl. airport), and then local A-roads (this being pre-m25) via Watford, Uxbridge, Slough and Maidenhead. Connecting facilities to the southbound A1 were maintained at Doncaster at 1310hrs, where passengers could transfer onto service 311 (Bradford - London). As the 203 had latterly, this had the air of a stage carriage service in that it was constantly diverting off the main A1 to serve the towns en-route which were all by-passed. Indeed, the operator West Yorkshire Road Car Company often used vehicles in NBC dual-purpose livery. In 1977 the NBC established an interchange point for its northern services at Sheffield (Charlotte Road), the former Sheffield United Tours depot that had been assumed by National Travel (North East). United's London services were diverted into here from the M1 for the mass departure at 1430hrs. The 203/311 connection was also now transferred here, but by September 1979 service 311 was diverted after Hatfield to Basildon rather than London. The former United passengers between Retford and North Finchley were now served by Lincolnshire Road Car Company workings. Similarities to how the United services had originally operated were now tenuous. A point to note here is that until this time, LRCCs London services had normally been from Grimsby to London via either Market Rasen - Lincoln - Sleaford - Peterborough, or Louth - Skegness - Boston - Peterborough, before joining the A1 (and the United route) at Norman Cross. Although the Newark to Stamford section of the A1 was in their territory, it was the preserve of London services by United, the Yorkshire Services Pool, Scottish Omnibuses and Western S.M.T. Until the late 1970s LRCC do not appear to have had a regular London service upon it. A fleet of 12m Leyland Leopard PSU5 coaches arrived at United in the late 1970s replacing the RELHs that remained on London work. The small front-line coach allocation at Hartlepool was phased out during this period, this depot's dedicated London service having been integrated into other workings. The Leopards were mostly concentrated at Jesmond, with a very small handful distributed to Ashington, Sunderland and 7 Scarborough. These depots fulfilled the regular London service requirements, other depots had slightly older coaches which could be called upon for duplication in times of need. The Leopard was one of the least glamorous types to be used on the London services, in comparison to what was used at other times. They nevertheless were a benchmark of reliability, had comfortable reclining seats and legroom for the passengers and like the RE were a drivers coach with a good cab layout. They joined the fixed-seat REMHs for a swansong for the traditional London services, where demand increased again amidst a fares battle. This was with the rival consortium British Coachways, who emerged in 1981 under coach deregulation. This led into the introduction of the non-stop Rapide coaches with on-board toilets, entertainment and refreshments and hostess/steward in attendance. New European-built Bova coaches and double-deck MCW Metroliners were purchased for this work. It took the services to a new level, and grew the patronage further enabling an enhanced timetable. The REs and Leopards were phased out by October 1984, when everything except the overnight services became non-stop. From around this time the bus industry behind the scenes was moving as rapidly as on the road, in the run-up to and aftermath of the privatisation process. Having already surrendered their name on coach services to National Express over fifteen years previously, United sold its coaching unit to a buy-out operator, Durham Travel Services, in I'm Talking About A Whole Lotta History... Meanwhile, in being susceptible to weathering, the gable wall at Redcar was over-painted again from time to time after Younger people did not know that the advertisement had been there, older people had forgotten. The years passed and United was sold into new ownership. From 1990 under the North East Bus Group, Redcar depot was part of the new subsidiary Tees & District. By the mid 1990s the house adjoining the bus station had long since been sold by the bus company, who therefore had no obligation to keep painting over the advertisement. It began to be noticeable that something was once beneath the white paint, albeit it was not legible. As the Millenium passed and the 2000s marched onwards in Arriva ownership, the lack of repainting and exposure to North Sea winds enabled the advertisement to re-emerge from obscurity. Hardly noticeable at first, it only became readable again gradually. This meant that it began to attract interest, a testimony to how United meant so much for so long in the lives of people, and to the quality of the paint originally used. It garnered comment from residents of Redcar who remembered it. And so it was that this classic relic from the past began to oversee the new accessible-age of public transport.

8 'Apparently Nothing': (Left): The gable wall in the Tees & District era with 572 (NWR 507P) receiving attention for a flat tyre in 1991 (Ian Wilson). (Right): 283 (G760 UYT) was beneath the wall in the late 1990s (Ian Wilson). (Left): 'You're Irreplaceable...' Redcar bus station on 25th August 2007, the day before it closed in anticipation of redevelopment. The re-emerging advertisement looks down upon the parked cars of employees and an Arriva North East Scania Omnicity (Jeff Tattersall). (Right): 'What Goes Around, Comes All The Way Back Around...' A deputation of pigeons watches over the advertisement, by now legible once more, on 25th August 2007 (Jeff Tattersall). 'Just Somebody That I Used To Know...' overlooking Redcar bus station with 4041 (S341 KHN) and 1435 (NK10 CEO) on 10th April 2014 (Ian Wilson). 8

9 'Like The Legend Of The Phoenix, All Ends With Beginnings...' As plans were announced for the closure of the United bus station at Redcar, the advertisement is fully readable as in It was photographed on 20th April 2014 from the bus station canteen (Tony Walshaw). Although the staff buildings had remained in use, the bus station roadway had ceased to be used from August 2007 in the anticipation of eventual sale of the entire site. This plan was later rescinded and the bus station was revamped and re-opened in April 2010 with a layout emphasising safety and accessibility. High above these improvements, an unprecedented interest continued into what had emerged as a real time capsule. During 2012, a new group page named 'Ghost Signs U.K.' appeared on Facebook, the social media website. Members post photographs of old signage and advertisements that remain, to whatever extent, on buildings around the land. For those interested in social history, it is an evocative browse. Remarkably, the very first photo posted on this group features the United advertisement above Redcar bus station. The administrator uses the photograph as the group profile picture and states that it was because of this advertisement that the group was formed. In the original post of 6th September 2012, he/she states: "We believe that this should be preserved somehow. It is magnificent and something of a Redcar icon". And as I reached an advanced state of preparation with this article, John Young submitted a photograph of the advertisement to Buses magazine, whose editor included it in his 'Millar's Tales' column in the June 2014 issue. He explained that long before anyone thought of National Express or Megabus, the advertisement promoted 'the olive green and cream fleet of United Auto which for generations of travellers was part of the moving scenery of the A1 Great North Road'. This all amounts to a remarkable turn of events. The advertisement has now, in theory, been removed for as long as it was ever officially extant. It is many decades since the roar of the Tiger matched the flight of the Mallard. Yet what became outdated by the 1970s is now a classic relic. It has reached a legendary status, in Redcar and beyond, as a United artefact at one of the few remaining original United premises. As people board the present day buses, they see it watching above them and take a journey of good memories into their past. From the eras of wireless radio to wireless internet, its relevance remains to passengers. The heritage of United may be spelled out up above, but it is not something that the present-day operator should be embarrassed about. Service 63 which had a rural air in 1938 is now the most frequent from Redcar to Middlesbrough, having benefitted from the movement southwards of the Teesside population, and now runs up to every 10 minutes. The old direct route between the two towns has changed markedly since 1938 (and indeed since ). The current equivalent is a limited stop service with fifteen-minute headway, and a journey time of thirty minutes. This was upgraded to be one of the Arriva 'Sapphire' operations from September This important service development is also apparently to be joined by a new bus interchange point at Redcar, situated at a prime location between the Regent Walk shopping centre and the Town Clock. Plans were announced by Arriva in the summer of 2014, meaning that the 'writing is on the wall' for the 1938 United bus station. Regarding the London service advertisement; this is upon an adjoining private dwelling - therefore this particular writing should remain on the wall indefinitely. At Middlesbrough, the Tilling-style United bus station was demolished as long ago as 1979, and is now beneath the current local authority-built bus station which offers excellent facilities. From its upper-tier departure lounge the passenger can travel by road upon luxury coach services to London, day or night. They have quite comprehensive options, and it is heartening to know that the frequency and journey-time enhancements first introduced by United as the motorways emerged, and later built upon by the National Travel, have been relatively well maintained, albeit not quite to the extent of 1980s Rapide levels. There are several National Express departures throughout the 24-hour period, including options that involve changing coaches' en-route at e.g. Leeds, and there is also a Megabus service via Leeds and Sheffield. For those wanting a direct journey, this can be achieved in six hours and ten minutes on the 0955hrs National Express service 426 journey. This is almost an hour and a half quicker than the equivalent motorway journey as introduced by United in the November 1971 timetable, and up to four hours quicker than the pre-motorway seasonal day service that Go North East 7108 (BF63 ZPZ) negotiates the roundabout at Middlesbrough bus station on the 0740 service 426 departure to London on 1st July 2014 (Ian Wilson).

10 commenced from West Hartlepool and ran via the Great North Road. Upon leaving Middlesbrough, other than a visit into the 1980s-introduced Milton Keynes Coachway, the 0955 departure has but one stop en-route before London. As a nod to the past this is at Thirsk market place and indeed the 0740 departure otherwise calls only at York. In passing through this city at the peak time the journey time increases by twenty five minutes. For those seeking an experience a little more authentic, the present overnight service by National Express has a six hour journey, around an hour and a half quicker than the November 1971 United journey, two and three quarter hours quicker than the original overnight service via the M1 in 1963, and over five hours quicker than via the Great North Road in Other than Milton Keynes, this makes only two stops en-route before London. Of course, they have to be at York...and Doncaster... ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: In this article, I am hugely indebted to the following: Alan Silcock - provision of Omnibus Society (Northern Branch) timetable collection. Arthur Staddon - compilation of United road service licence information. Additional Information & Assistance from: John Banks Philip Battersby Arthur Bellwood Robert Buckley Steven Hodgson Alan Silcock Ian Wilson Printed: United Part One: The Fleet (Alan Townsin & John Banks, Venture Publications, 2001). United Part Two: The Fleet (Alan Townsin, Philip Groves & John Banks, Venture Publications, 2003). United: A Short History (Nigel Watson, United, 1987). The Prestige Series: United (John Banks, photography by G.H.F. Atkins, Venture Publications, 1999). Tyne-Tees-Mersey (Keith Healey and Philip Battersby, Venture Publications, 2000). Bristol RE: 40 Years of Service (Duncan Roberts, NBC Books, 2002). The Bristol Story: Part Two (Alan Townsin, Venture Publications, 2000). 'Hartlepool Bus Station' by John D. Watson (Omnibus Society Northern Branch newsletter no. 239, December 1993). 'Refreshment Stop' by Philip Battersby (UEC newsletter issue 161, April 2003). 'Mysteries of the United Archive' by Tony Walshaw (UEC newsletter issue 178, September 2004). 'United Digressions Off Newcastle's West Road' by Alan Silcock (UEC newsletter issue 209, April 2007). 'The United Property At South Witham in Lincolnshire' by John Bennett (UEC newsletter issue 213, August 2007). 'Gallowgate Depot and Trutime Deliveries' by Philip Battersby (UEC newsletter issue 217, December 2007). 'Blyth Motor Services and J H T Bell (Bell Brothers)' by Philip Battersby (UEC newsletter issue 220, March 2008). The United Enthusiast Club archive. On-Line: SABRE - The Society For All British & Irish Road Enthusiasts CBRD (Chris's British Road Directory) - information about the Great North Road. Barnet by-pass. - contemporary news items. London coach stations. or-vehicles-speed-limits: information about PSV speed limits. - information about Mallard speed record. information about railways, including 'LNER Class A4 No.4468 Mallard, 'Deltic', 'High Speed Train (HST)' and 'Inter City 125' pages. Signs U.K.: ghost signs page. United Automobile Services page. National Bus Company page. information about railways. - popular culture references. - popular culture references. - popular culture references & 'Great North Road, August 1939' film (Huntley Film Archive). 'We've Come Too Far, To Give Up, Who We Are...' On 10th April 2014 service 63 was departing from beneath the advertisement just as it did decades earlier. The current vehicle pictured is Temsa Avenue 4704 (YJ59 BHV). Meanwhile, Bristol K5G BGL29 (GHN 189), illustrated in part 3, continues in preservation with Aycliffe & District. Could it be photographed beneath the advertisement once more, just as it had been in 1958? (Ian Wilson). 10

11 More on United s Coach Services to London By Philip Battersby Sunday 30th September 1951 was clearly a busy day for United s express services to London when this view of six of the company s drivers was taken during a refreshment break at Stamford. They are standing in front of one of the 1938 Brush-bodied Leyland TS8 coaches DHN 441-9, all by then in United ownership as LLT1-9 after the Orange Brothers operations had been transferred to the parent company the previous year, Matthew Leslie stands at the left. Also of interest is the Bluebird coach on the right, presumably in the fleet of W Alexander & Sons Ltd, Falkirk. (Matthew Leslie) The reference to the Bedfordshire village of Eaton Socon in Tony Walshaw s fourth instalment (December 2014 newsletter, No.301) on the London services prompts several further observations. His review of the timetable dated 19th June 1965 mentions a new stop at Eaton Socon, giving a facility for onward travel to parts of East Anglia. It is worth adding that this stopping point had also been included in the timetable dated 13th September 1964, but not (as far as I can discover) before that. This brings me to a lead provided in 1994 by Mike Hayhoe, whose obituary notice appears on page 2. Through him I met Matthew Leslie, a Newcastle man who had started work with the Emmerson company in 1929 when he was fifteen. He transferred with the business to United in 1930 and in postwar years was driving on long distance services including those between Newcastle and London. That was before his accident. The date was circa and the occasion was a coach journey made to or from Eaton Socon by a Cambridge student. The vehicle was one of the 1937 Burlingham-bodied Leyland TS7 Tiger coaches CHN , which had roof luggage racks. The ladder consisted of pull-out rungs neatly built into the nearside rear corner panelling, an arrangement which put the driver into a very precarious position when loading or unloading luggage. In this instance, the luggage was a particularly heavy suitcase containing books. Matthew was the lower of two men on the job when the case slipped and fell, causing him a serious back injury which plagued him for the rest of his life. He had to give up bus driving, and became an inspector at Newcastle, Haymarket for two or three years, leaving circa 1954 to take a more sedentary job with the National Coal Board until retirement. He died in 1999 aged 86. What does this incident tell us about the operation of United s coach services to London? Looking first at the vehicles, we can note that the AHN and BHN batches of similar coaches had been rebodied as service buses in 1949, and the AEC coaches DHN similarly in It is this factor which limits the coach in our story to one of CHN More significantly, it appears that Eaton Socon was being used as a stopping point for north-east students to and from Cambridge many years before it appeared in the time and faretables. It is not known whether this was authorised by the Traffic Commissioners, perhaps with a separate fare, or whether it was no more than an unofficial (but possibly quite well used) practice. The 1951 timetable showed (consecutive) stopping points at Stamford and Biggleswade; these were respectively 35 miles before and 10 miles after Eaton Socon, figures which show how unsuitable the Newcastle to London services would have been for passengers to Cambridge without the Eaton Socon stop. Cambridge is due east of Eaton Socon, at a distance of 18 miles. Eastern National provided the connecting journeys on their service 29 (Bedford-Cambridge). With a major transfer of 11

12 operating territory on 1st May 1952, the route passed to United Counties who numbered it 149. At a later stage it was absorbed into service 128 (Northampton-Bedford, ex-eastern National 50) to run Northampton-Bedford-Cambridge. The journey from Eaton Socon to Cambridge took just over an hour and the Monday to Friday service was two-hourly, increased to hourly on Saturdays. It seems reasonable to conclude that the provision of a new stop at Eaton Socon to give a facility for onward travel to parts of East Anglia was in practice something rather narrower. The Cambridge student traffic was probably the primary purpose of this stop. Other connections to places in East Anglia would perhaps have been more effectively made at Stamford, or in the case of the more southerly points, at Stevenage, Hatfield or even London itself. In the summer there was of course United s Newcastle-Lowestoft service worked jointly with Eastern Counties. More comprehensive coverage by long distance coaches had to wait for the extensive developments after 1970, culminating in the peak years of National Express - another story. The pull-out rungs for gaining access to the roof luggage rack can be clearly seen in this view of LTO33 (CHN 108) at Newcastle, Haymarket in June The presence of BLO413 (LHN 813), then newly in service, is also of interest. Those were the days when the rear lights (on either side of the number plate) were not required to give any indication of the width of the vehicle, and when red rear reflectors had not yet been introduced; they became a legal requirement in (Alan B Cross 51307) Arriva North East may no longer participate in National Express work to/from London, but a London theme remains with the operation of a good number of vehicles which originated in the capital and which have been cascaded out when replaced by new stock. DAF DB250/Alexander 7474 (W403 VGJ) is one such vehicle, seen at Barras Bridge, Newcastle (Jeff Tattersall). 12

13 Vehicle & Timetable News NEW VEHICLES: None to report. ACQUIRED VEHICLES: None to report. ALLOCATION CHANGES (01/01/15): DAF DB250LF/Alexander: 7460 Disposal - Removed from fleet 7463 Disposal - Removed from fleet DAF DB250LF/Optare: 7482 Disposal - Removed from fleet 7483 Disposal - Removed from fleet VDL DB300/Wright: 7607 Under repair - Blyth 7609 Blyth - Under repair 7618 Reserve - Durham 7619 Under repair - Durham 7620 Under repair - Durham 7626 Under repair - Durham 7627 Under repair - Durham Alexander-Dennis Enviro200: 1324 Acquired - Under repair 1325 Reserve - Under repair 1326 Durham - Reserve 1328 Durham - Reserve Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton: 1311 Durham - Jesmond 1313 Durham - Under repair 1315 Durham - Reserve 1612 Disposal - Removed from fleet 1618 Disposal - Removed from fleet 1636 Blyth - Disposal 1637 Blyth - Disposal 1638 Disposal - Removed from fleet 1639 Blyth - Disposal 1640 Disposal - Removed from fleet 1649 Ashington - Disposal 1650 Disposal - Removed from fleet VDL SB200/Wright: 1443 Under repair - Stockton DAF SB220GS/Plaxton: 4001 Stockton - Disposal 4004 Disposal - Removed from fleet 4030 Disposal - Removed from fleet 4037 Disposal - Removed from fleet 4040 Disposal - Removed from fleet 4044 Disposal - Removed from fleet 4048 Disposal - Removed from fleet 4051 Disposal - Reserve 4052 Disposal - Removed from fleet 4068 Disposal - Removed from fleet 4069 Disposal - Removed from fleet 4080 Disposal - Removed from fleet Volvo B10BLE/Alexander: 4522 Jesmond - Under repair Volvo B6BLE/Wright: Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet The ex Arriva Southern Counties ADL Enviro 200s are starting to enter service (GN10 KWH) leaves Durham bus station on 03/01/15, the single door conversion visible (S Hodgson). The offside view of 1327 (YX10 EBV) emphasises the lack of sympathy to the body lines in the paint application (S Hodgson). A rear view of 1323 (YX10 EBN) on North Road in Durham. These vehicles should be ideal for service 64 (Steven Hodgson). A recent arrival at Jesmond is Volvo B7TL/Wright 7488 (LJ51 DGX) from Whitby, joining sister 7490 (Jeff Tattersall). 13

14 45028 Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet Disposal - Removed from fleet Dennis Mini Pointer Dart/Plaxton: 1755 Disposal - Removed from fleet 1797 Disposal - Removed from fleet ADL Mini Pointer Dart: 1773 Under repair - Blyth 1774 Under repair - Blyth 1775 Under repair - Blyth 1792 Under repair- Ashington Ancillary vehicles: 9932 Blyth - Removed from fleet 9939 Darlington - Removed from fleet 9941 Added to fleet - Durham 9942 Added to fleet - Durham 9943 Jesmond - Darlington 9944 Redcar - Removed from fleet 9947 Durham - Redcar 9949 Ashington - Redcar 9951 Added to fleet - Jesmond 9954 Jesmond - Stockton Added to fleet - Blyth Added to fleet - Durham Durham - Removed from fleet Scania Omnicity 4643 (CX05 EOV) stands in Middlesbrough, wearing MAX livery with the generic branding (Alex Kennedy). DAF DB250/East Lancs 7455 (YJ57 BVF) is seen on the recently renumbered X12 (ex X1) at Teesdale, filling-in for a vehicle away for MAX refurbishment (Alex Kennedy). INTO SERVICE: Alexander-Dennis Enviro200: 1320 (GN10 KWH) at Durham 03/01/ (GN10 KWJ) at Durham by 13/01/ (YX10 EBN) at Durham 03/01/ (YX10 EBV) at Durham 03/01/15. NOTES: Further refurbishments to have occurred over the past month have included the first vehicles for MAX services X12/X2 (previously X1/X2), with VDL SB200/Wright 1443 (NK10 CFF) ready for return to Stockton by 09/01/15 and 1416 (NK09 EJE) for Durham by 16/01/15. Durham's VDL DB300/Wright double deckers have yet to depart for refurbishment, and the vehicles have reappeared 'in service' on the January allocation sheet, though the batch of VDL DB250/East Lancs recently transferred from Ashington have been seeing regular use on these routes. Also recently refurbished to MAX specification is Blyth's 7609 (NK59 DMO). A launch event for service X93 is expected to be held at Whitby Abbey on 21/01/15 using the batch of new MAX Volvo B9TL/Wright, to be followed by their entry into service. Following the return of repainted Mini Pointer Darts (NK05 GWU-W) to Blyth depot, their borrowed Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton 1636/7/9 (S636/7/9 KHN) have been withdrawn. Sister 1611 (S611 KHN) had arrived at Jesmond ex-darlington by 29/12/14 and saw limited service. Stockton DAF SB220GS/Plaxton 4001 (S868 ONL) was also inactive once more by 16/01/15 following the return of MAX Pulsar The ex-park & Ride Optare Solos working for Jesmond in allover white, 2852/3 (YJ59 GJK/O), departed for repaint last Ex Durham P&R Optare Solo 2861 (YJ59 GKF) is now in Arriva livery and was being used by Jesmond on 24/12/14 (SH). Sister 2857 (YJ59 GKA) has also seen use at Jesmond and is seen leaving Newcastle for Whitley Bay on the 51 (Ian Wilson). 14

15 month and had been replaced by repainted 2857/9/61 (YJ59 GKA/D/F) by 24/12/14. Several others as listed below have also been repainted and were en route to Darlington around the time of writing. Ashington depot had the use of Blyth VDL SB200/Wright 1500 (NK12 FLM) for several days in mid-december, including operation on Sapphire service X22 on 11/12/14. Recently repainted is Alexander Dennis MPD 1773 (NK05 GWU), seen on the short X14 in Newcastle (S Hodgson). One of the DAF SB220GS/Plaxton reinstated at Stockton is 4007 (S893 ONL), seen on Boathouse Lane, Stockton (Alex Kennedy). Another still in use is 4039 (R439 RPY). It is seen leaving Middlesbrough for Nunthorpe on 07/01/15 (Ian Wilson). Also reinstated, 4038 (R438 PRY) had stretched its legs and reached Peterlee on 30/12/14, when it was seen on service 21A (Ian Wilson). REPAINTS/ROUTE BRANDING: VDL DB250/East Lancs: 7454 (YJ57 BVE) 'Coast & Castles' route branding removed by 29/12/ (YJ57 BVF) 'Coast & Castles' route branding removed by 03/01/15. VDL DB300/Wright: 7609 (NK59 DMO) repainted into MAX livery by 16/01/15. Alexander-Dennis Enviro400: 7513 (NK57 GXF) branded for service X15 on MAX livery by 03/01/ (NK09 FMZ) branded for service X14 on MAX livery by 03/01/ (NK09 FNC) branded for service X14 on MAX livery by 03/01/15. Scania OmniCity (revised MAX info from last month): 4643/4/50 (CX05 EOV/W, NK05 GXD) generic MAX branding for X26/X27/X (CX05 EOY, NK05 GWZ-XB) branding for X26/X /51/5-7 (NK05 GXC/E/J/L/M) branding for X /9 (NK05 GXG/O) branding for X15 VDL SB200/Wright: 1416 (NK09 EJE) repainted into MAX livery by 16/01/ (NK10 CFF) repainted into MAX livery by 09/01/15. Optare Solo: 2852 (YJ59 GJK) Durham Park & Ride branding removed by 24/11/ (YJ59 GJO) Durham Park & Ride branding removed by 24/11/14, repainted by 09/01/ (YJ59 GJV) repainted from Durham Park & Ride livery by 15/01/ (YJ59 GJX) repainted from Durham Park & Ride livery by 15/01/ (YJ59 GKA) repainted from Durham Park & Ride livery by 24/12/ (YJ59 GKC) repainted from Durham Park & Ride livery by 15/01/ (YJ59 GKD) repainted from Durham Park & Ride livery by 24/12/ (YJ59 GKE) repainted from Durham Park & Ride livery by 09/01/ (YJ59 GKF) repainted from Durham Park & Ride livery by 24/12/14. Alexander-Dennis Mini Pointer Dart: 1773 (NK05 GWU) repainted by 27/12/ (NK05 GWV) repainted by 29/12/ (NK05 GWW) repainted by 31/12/14. UNUSUAL WORKINGS: 18/12/14: Darlington had Mini Pointer Dart 1760 (NK05 GVX) on 'Sapphire' service 7 (Darlington - Durham), with Sapphire VDL SB200/Wright 1519 (NL63 VPT) working service X26 (Darlington - Colburn). 24/12/14: Darlington Sapphire VDL SB200/Wright 1513 (NL63 VRG) was used on services 21/X21 (Peterlee - Darlington/Sunderland) in place of a MAN EcoCity/Caetano. Stockton briefly had Scania OmniCity 4652 (NK05 GXF) on Sapphire service 5 (Middlesbrough - 15

16 Wright Streetlite 1574 (NK64 EEJ) passes through Blackhall in some bright winter sunshine on 29/12/14 whilst working service 23 Sunderland - Hartlepool (Jeff Tattersall). Easington). 02/01/15: Ashington had MAX Scania OmniCity 4659 (NK05 GXO) on service 57 (Ashington - Whitley Bay) in place of a Mini Pointer Dart. 07/01/15: Darlington Sapphire VDL SB200/Wright 1521 (NL63 VPV) was used on service X66 (Middlesbrough - Darlington) in place of a MAX Scania OmniCity. Blyth Mini Pointer Dart 1775 (NK05 GWW) appeared on MAX services X10/X11 (Newcastle - Blyth). 08/01/15: Whitby briefly used Dennis Dart SLF/Alexander 1104 (W468 XKX) on service X93 (Middlesbrough - Scarborough) in place of a Volvo B7TL/Wright. 09/01/15: Darlington Sapphire VDL SB200/Wright 1514 (NL63 VRJ) was used on services 1/5 (Darlington - Bishop Auckland). 13/01/15: Darlington Mini Pointer Dart 1794 (W631 RNP) and Optare Solo 2849 (YJ58 CBO) were used on services 1/5 (Darlington - Bishop Auckland) in place of VDL SB200/Wright. 16/01/15: Darlington had Optare Solo 2863 (YJ11 OHY) on services 1/5 (Darlington - Bishop Auckland) in place of a VDL SB200/Wright. INITIAL DISPOSALS: DAF DB250/Optare: 7482 (V640 KVH) to Alpha, Weetslade for scrap by 17/01/ (V641 KVH) to Alpha, Weetslade for scrap by 17/01/15. DAF DB250LF/Alexander: 7460 (T307 FGN) to Alpha, Weetslade for scrap by 17/01/15. Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton: 1612 (S612 KHN) to Alpha, Weetslade for scrap by 17/01/ (R425 COO) to Alpha, Weetslade for scrap 22/12/14. DAF SB220GS/Plaxton: 4030 (R430 RPY) to Alpha, Weetslade for scrap by 17/01/ (R437 RPY) to Alpha, Weetslade for scrap by 17/01/ (R440 RPY) to Alpha, Weetslade for scrap by 17/01/ (S352 KHN) to Alpha, Weetslade for scrap by 17/01/ (S711 KFT) to Alpha, Weetslade for scrap by 17/01/ (T81 AUA) to Alpha, Weetslade for scrap by 17/01/15. Dennis MiniDart/Plaxton MPD: 1755 (W757 SBR) to Alpha, Weetslade for scrap by 17/01/15. SUBSEQUENT DISPOSALS: We are grateful to the PSV Circle for the following: Scania N113/NCME: 7251 (L160 GYL as TIL 5637) re-registered L160 GYL with Roselyn, Par by 07/ (M178 LYP as TIL 5704) re-registered M178 LYP with Roselyn, Par by 07/14. DAF SB4000/Van Hool: 146 (NL52 XZW) re-registered Y123 HOW) with Howards Travel, Warrington by 11/14. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Thanks for the news in this month's pages are due to Arriva North East, Mark Gibbon, Gary Hunter, David Allen, Ian Wilson, Scott Cooper, Steven Hodgson, Neil Wise, Matt Williamson, Chris Redpath, Bryn McGloin, Daniel Duffy, Andrew Scott, Stuart Gray, and the contributors to various internet news groups TIMETABLE NEWS The following new leaflets have been noted this month. Christmas and New Year leaflets were produced for the Newcastle/Northumberland/North Tyneside and County Durham/Richmond/Darlington areas. Additionally a leaflet has been produced to explain the renumbering of service X1 to X12. 16

17 Early January has seen several parts of the region affected by snow at various times. This has included the hilly parts of East Cleveland where Sapphire service 5 operates and has caused some disruption. Wright Streetlite 1556 (NK14 GGO) is seen above at Carlin How, about to descend towards Skinningrove, and below at Tocketts Mill, with snow-covered fields in the background. (Both: Alex Kennedy) 17

18 Temsa Avenue 4710 (YJ10 DHE) is seen short-lived service RC4 for Redcar College. From 26/01/15 it will be integrated into service X4 (Ian Wilson). The final Dennis Trident/Alexander in use is disposal-listed 7435 (W501 RBB). It is seen in Durham on the 64 on 30/12/14 (Jeff Tattersall). Although branded for the 308, traffic problems often see the Volvo B5LH/Wright hybrids juggled on to other Blyth services to ensure punctual operation. Here 7804 (NK13 AZD) is seen in Cramlington on the X13 (Jeff Tattersall). 18