Non-LCT Buses that ran into Leeds

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Thu 01 Jan, 2009 9:18 pm

BLAKEY wrote: The Gardner manufacturing process for the LW series engines was most clever. they made two and three cylinder blocks. If you wanted a 4 pot engine you got 2 x 2 blocks, a five pot you got a 2 and a 3, and for the 6LW 2 x 3. Clever eh ?? Which is presumably why Caterpillar had them in their research labs. Cat make good engines, but they are notoriously thirsty both for oil and fuel.

simong · Post by **simong** » Thu 01 Jan, 2009 9:37 pm

For the record, South Yorkshire Road Transport weren't South Yorkshire Transport, but a private company based, as you correctly say, in Pontefract. Their main business was services around South Elmsall, Featherstone and Ponte but they also had two Leeds - Doncaster routes and a couple between Doncaster and Selby. The 410 and the 465 (I think) took different routes to Leeds. One was fairly direct and took about an hour and twenty minutes and the other weaved across the A638 and took over two. I took the wrong one once and could hardly walk when I got off.They got taken over by West Riding group and their buses got repainted with a similar, but blue and cream, livery to the parent company, which in turn looked like an updated NBC logo. There doesn't seem to be a direct Doncaster - Leeds service anymore.Blakey - when did B&S have a depot in Doncaster? It must have been before the 70s as I can't remember them - pre '74 the main companies were Doncaster Corporation, South Yorkshire for the north, Leon of Finningley for the east and Felix Motors, Premier and Blue Line in Thorne (I might be a bit biased as that's where I lived as a kid). And do you know if they're the same Bullocks who operate out of Stockport?

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Thu 01 Jan, 2009 10:48 pm

Uno Hoo wrote: Blakey, you may remember whether or not some of the centre-entrance West Ridings were based on the AEC RT chassis rather than the Regent? I fancy I've seen a pic of one, but can't remember where. ......................................................................................................Yes I believe one small batch were on RT chassis, possibly the first ones. Can't find a record just now, but will ask a knowlegeable friend on Saturday. There is no distinction in the fleet list

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Thu 01 Jan, 2009 11:01 pm

simong wrote: For the record, South Yorkshire Road Transport weren't South Yorkshire Transport, but a private company based, as you correctly say, in Pontefract. Their main business was services around South Elmsall, Featherstone and Ponte but they also had two Leeds - Doncaster routes and a couple between Doncaster and Selby. The 410 and the 465 (I think) took different routes to Leeds. One was fairly direct and took about an hour and twenty minutes and the other weaved across the A638 and took over two. I took the wrong one once and could hardly walk when I got off.They got taken over by West Riding group and their buses got repainted with a similar, but blue and cream, livery to the parent company, which in turn looked like an updated NBC logo. There doesn't seem to be a direct Doncaster - Leeds service anymore.Blakey - when did B&S have a depot in Doncaster? It must have been before the 70s as I can't remember them - pre '74 the main companies were Doncaster Corporation, South Yorkshire for the north, Leon of Finningley for the east and Felix Motors, Premier and Blue Line in Thorne (I might be a bit biased as that's where I lived as a kid). And do you know if they're the same Bullocks who operate out of Stockport? Bit of confusion here simon - the 410 was indeed the direct route from Doncaster to Leeds, taking very nearly an hour and a half - it was this one though that weaved off the A638 into Woodlands and Adwick le Street and back on the A638. You are right that all through journeys were recently withdrawn.The other Doncaster - Leeds route though was the 411 (2 hours) via the A19 Bentley/Askern/Knottingley/Pontefract - again no through journeys any more.When you say 465 I perhaps you may be thinking of the 485 Wakefield - Doncaster which was West Riding.Yes, the B & S Doncaster Depot (North end of the North Bridge) was gone a long long time ago - off the cuff I would imagine closed when or even before the firm sold out to West Riding.I'm pretty sure that Bullocks of Cheadle have nothing to do with our local Bullocks/McCloy family.

simong · Post by **simong** » Fri 02 Jan, 2009 10:15 am

BLAKEY wrote: simong wrote: For the record, South Yorkshire Road Transport weren't South Yorkshire Transport, but a private company based, as you correctly say, in Pontefract. Their main business was services around South Elmsall, Featherstone and Ponte but they also had two Leeds - Doncaster routes and a couple between Doncaster and Selby. The 410 and the 465 (I think) took different routes to Leeds. One was fairly direct and took about an hour and twenty minutes and the other weaved across the A638 and took over two. I took the wrong one once and could hardly walk when I got off.They got taken over by West Riding group and their buses got repainted with a similar, but blue and cream, livery to the parent company, which in turn looked like an updated NBC logo. There doesn't seem to be a direct Doncaster - Leeds service anymore.Blakey - when did B&S have a depot in Doncaster? It must have been before the 70s as I can't remember them - pre '74 the main companies were Doncaster Corporation, South Yorkshire for the north, Leon of Finningley for the east and Felix Motors, Premier and Blue Line in Thorne (I might be a bit biased as that's where I lived as a kid). And do you know if they're the same Bullocks who operate out of Stockport? Bit of confusion here simon - the 410 was indeed the direct route from Doncaster to Leeds, taking very nearly an hour and a half - it was this one though that weaved off the A638 into Woodlands and Adwick le Street and back on the A638. You are right that all through journeys were recently withdrawn.The other Doncaster - Leeds route though was the 411 (2 hours) via the A19 Bentley/Askern/Knottingley/Pontefract - again no through journeys any more.When you say 465 I perhaps you may be thinking of the 485 Wakefield - Doncaster which was West Riding.Yes, the B & S Doncaster Depot (North end of the North Bridge) was gone a long long time ago - off the cuff I would imagine closed when or even before the firm sold out to West Riding.I'm pretty sure that Bullocks of Cheadle have nothing to do with our local Bullocks/McCloy family. Thanks Blakey, it's getting on for 25 years since I took that bus and a lot of beer has flowed under the bridge since. To my memory the 410 didn't really weave so much and the annoying aspect of the journey was more the stop in Wakefield than anything else. For a teenager it was far cheaper than the train though, something like 30p each way as opposed to a couple of quid for the train. I only took the 411 once and didn't know where it went until it turned up Bentley Road, and took forever to work up though the West Yorkshire coalfield. Not knowing the area at all I didn't dare get off anywhere in the hope of finding a faster bus.Without getting too bogged down outside Leeds is it right to assume that the 4xx numbering system was a West Yorkshire thing in the same way that Bradford buses are numbered 6xx and Halifax buses are numbered 5xx?

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Fri 02 Jan, 2009 10:26 am

BLAKEY wrote: The other Doncaster - Leeds route though was the 411 (2 hours) via the A19 Bentley/Askern/Knottingley/Pontefract - again no through journeys any more.When you say 465 I perhaps you may be thinking of the 485 Wakefield - Doncaster which was West Riding.Yes, the B & S Doncaster Depot (North end of the North Bridge) was gone a long long time ago - off the cuff I would imagine closed when or even before the firm sold out to West Riding. West Riding certainly operated a Leeds - Hemsworth service, up Dewsbury Road, to Tingley, then left to Wakefield and through to Hemsworth via Crofton, Fitzwilliam to Cross Hills at Hemsworth. We (my mam and I) sometimes used to catch it in Wakefield bus station - much to my displeasure, the United Services travelled passed by my grandma's but it was a ten minute walk from Cross Hills. They also (jointly with Yorkshire Woollen) operated a Leeds - Ossett/Netherton/Overton service from Sovereign Street. The 36 Yorkshire Woollen Elland service also terminated at Sovereign Street.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Fri 02 Jan, 2009 3:50 pm

Trojan wrote: West Riding certainly operated a Leeds - Hemsworth service, up Dewsbury Road, to Tingley, then left to Wakefield and through to Hemsworth via Crofton, Fitzwilliam to Cross Hills at Hemsworth. We (my mam and I) sometimes used to catch it in Wakefield bus station - much to my displeasure, the United Services travelled passed by my grandma's but it was a ten minute walk from Cross Hills. They also (jointly with Yorkshire Woollen) operated a Leeds - Ossett/Netherton/Overton service from Sovereign Street. The 36 Yorkshire Woollen Elland service also terminated at Sovereign Street. .........................................................................................................Yes, Sovereign Street was a hive of WR/YWD activity at one time.Netherton and Overton were 116/117 (forgive me if I'm wrong, but I think these were WR exclusively ??) 36 Elland was a OK for Wide Lane, Morley. There was also YWD number 1 to Dewsbury - and YWD 55 to Bruntcliffe (joint with Leeds City Transport)

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Wed 07 Jan, 2009 9:41 pm

BLAKEY wrote: Trojan wrote: West Riding certainly operated a Leeds - Hemsworth service, up Dewsbury Road, to Tingley, then left to Wakefield and through to Hemsworth via Crofton, Fitzwilliam to Cross Hills at Hemsworth. We (my mam and I) sometimes used to catch it in Wakefield bus station - much to my displeasure, the United Services travelled passed by my grandma's but it was a ten minute walk from Cross Hills. They also (jointly with Yorkshire Woollen) operated a Leeds - Ossett/Netherton/Overton service from Sovereign Street. The 36 Yorkshire Woollen Elland service also terminated at Sovereign Street. .........................................................................................................Yes, Sovereign Street was a hive of WR/YWD activity at one time.Netherton and Overton were 116/117 (forgive me if I'm wrong, but I think these were WR exclusively ??) 36 Elland was a OK for Wide Lane, Morley. There was also YWD number 1 to Dewsbury - and YWD 55 to Bruntcliffe (joint with Leeds City Transport) For once Blakey you are wrong. 116/7 was for the WR bus, 16/17 was for the YWD service. I know, I used to put my wife (girlfriend in those days) on the last one at 10-15 on Friday nights after dancing at the old Mecca.

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Wed 07 Jan, 2009 9:47 pm

BLAKEY wrote: - and YWD 55 to Bruntcliffe (joint with Leeds City Transport) I used to catch this down to Leeds from Morley Townend. It was due at 6-15 pm but usually when I went to the stop it would just be going up to Bruntcliffe and was always 10 minutes late. It was however, on time when it got to Leeds. The bus was supposed to wait at Bruntcliffe for 5 minutes and at Sovereign Street the same, instead it waited at Sovereign Street for ten minutes and didn't wait at Bruntcliffe at all. Presmuably the LCT canteen was the big draw at Sovereign Street

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Thu 08 Jan, 2009 10:29 am

Trojan wrote: For once Blakey you are wrong. 116/7 was for the WR bus, 16/17 was for the YWD service. I know, I used to put my wife (girlfriend in those days) on the last one at 10-15 on Friday nights after dancing at the old Mecca. Well that's most interesting Trojan and our memories do play tricks that's for sure. I really would have put a week's wage on Overton/Netherton being WR only but it seems it was a joint operation after all then - "You live and learn" as they say Incidentally, what a relief it is that they have got this site sorted out - nearly a week without being able to read or post has been wicked - a bit like being locked in a soundproof room unable to converse with friends !!