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Firstly,
before leaving Dundee, snapped up Leask's
Mercedes/Plaxton midicoach P20 JLS, parked up in Dundee's
Bell Street. This Shetland-based operator are seen far
and wide, but this is the first time recently I've seen
one in Dundee. |
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After
stopping briefly in Perth, proceeded to Crieff with one
of the Interurban coaches used on Service 15 - in time to
see the "connecting" lunchtime bus to St
Fillans. Left 20011 (N211 LTN) is seen
here in Crieff High Street. Right Crieff
Travel W511 PSF is seen in Crieff James Square on the
lunchtime break from town service 45. The bus is seen in
the "new" livery which is somewhat inspired by
Docherty's ! (I would imagine). Also of note are the
vehicles all now have names, after various members of the
propreitors family. |
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Speaking
of which, Left here comes an
ex-Docherty's bus! Mercedes Vario S675 ASX is seen also
in James Square running for Sweeny's - who picked up some
ex-Docherty's services at the last re-shuffle last
August. Right Stagecoach 52229 was the
coach that brought us into Crieff, and is now heading
back to Perth - seen in Crieff High Street. |
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Left
Another of the same - Stagecoach 52135 seen in Crieff
High Street, dropping off passengers coming in on the 47,
from Stirling, Braco etc. Right
Tayside's G & N Wishart unit in Froickheim gets far
& wide on coaching work. Here, W300, better known as
R894 TSR, is seen here in Crieff High Street on a hire. |
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Left
Crieff Travel S353 CSF in Crieff High Street - having
just been driven by the owner from Perth. Right
After this, we'd jumped on 52135 again to travel south.
In Stirling, Ferguson's recently arrived Mercedes minibus
G51 BEL was waiting at the bus station. |
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Left
Since the First Stirling area re-shuffle, the 57 has
since once again gone to St Ninans. Seen here en-route is
Dennis Dart SLF 202, nominally backup to the Easyboarder
vehicles. Right Turquoise Line 60 did
not see major changes, just diverted into the Safeway
store in Alloa. Scania 524 is seen in Stirling Bus
Station preparing for a run to Clackmannan via Tullibody
and Alloa. |
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After
Stirling, now onto Dunfermline. We've clocked up quite a
lot of mileage so far, and we're no where near finished! Left
52185 of Fife on a route 55 working - using a spare
express coach. We then proceeded south
to Ferrytoll, to yield this... Right
C797 USG (15297) is now painted into this bold dark blue
advert for Deep Sea World - for which it runs a contract
free bus to/from Edinburgh. |
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Left
Another Volvo/Plaxton - this time 52380 - seen waiting
spare at Ferrytoll. After this point, crossed the forth
into Edinburgh.... Right First 1335
(S935 AKS) is seen in Hope Street on Service 129. In the
new timetables, starting later this month, Service 129
will be trimmed slightly with some Saturday buses turning
back at Charlotte Square due to "lack of
demand" (despite those getting on in this pic!) -
however, a new all-day X29 will be introduced - which, by
the time it runs down The Jewel and onto the A1, saves a
whopping two minutes off the regular 129 via
Portobello. Someone in First HQ must think all routes
being express is a good idea, until you point out the 129
is four buses an hour versus one X29. We will no doubt
see how this works out later in the year. |
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Left
Seen at the west end is Lothian Trident 504 - on a
part-route of the 26 to Eastfield (as they run all day,
and as such are advertised as a 5-minute service on that
section of route, they don't show the fuschia-coloured
"part route" display). Right
Strathtay Blairgowrie-based Volvo Olympian 962 is seen in
Princes Street on a private hire. |
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Left
Mac Tours Ltd. 9 (VLT 242) is seen in Princes Street
Edinburgh. Right Just like this time
last year it was Royal Highland Show weekend. First were
running the 39 to/from St Andrew Square Bus Station with
Volvo Olympians. Just like last year, First were
advertising, selling and accepting their £2.50 day
tickets, and the only shot I got of a First 39 show bus
was Volvo Olympian 1347 in Princes Street is showing the
variability of their electronic destination displays to
"flick" such information. |
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Like
last year (again), Lothian were running the 98 to/from
Waverly Bridge - some with dups to Haymarket. However, as
per last year (again) they were not selling/taking day
tickets, but selling a return ticket at the same price
i.e. £2.50. Anyway, Two of Lothian's 98's in Princes
Street. Left Volvo Olympian 223, and Right
similar 225. |
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Left
This is not the standard vehicle - 683 is a one-off Volvo
B7TL to match 291-5 - but this was intended as an
"experimental" vehicle. Also seen on what is
technically a part-route of the 26. Right
Seen on Service 4 is a more standard batch from a similar
time - Dennis Trident 582. |
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Left
Airlink Trident 656 also seen in Princes Street - one of
the newest batch of these vehicles. These are the
"extra long" wheelbase examples like the single
door buses bought for the 37/37A. Right
Ramsay's of Lochee (Dundee) Mercedes/Autobus R14 MSY gets
away from school work at the weekends - and is seen in
Princes Street Edinburgh on a hire. |
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Left
First Scania/Iziar coach 2120 on Service M9 from Stirling
(on the left) while Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton 204 is seen
on the right. The latter is due for change in the next
reshuffle of changes - gaining 44B variations to
Pencaitland, 44C variations to Haddington, and evening
variations as 44D to Dunbar. Nice and straight-forward
then! To be confirmed just which and when these will run
through to Balerno. Right Lothian Buses
31 is one of the open-top Dennis Trident/Plaxton
Presidents bought for the open top tour, now run under
the City Sightseeing banner. Seen in Princes Street. |
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Left
In the forthcoming Lothian re-shuffle, the remaining
circulars (1, 32/32A) are to disappear. The 1 will be
replaced by the 1 and 21 in a split into two - with the 1
extended to commence at the Gyle. In the meantime Lothian
828 is seen at the foot of Fredrick Street. Right
Lothian 950 seen turning from Princes Street
into Fredrick Street on Service 28. This route will be
cut at St Andrew Square very soon, with the Silverknowes
end to be replaced by the 42 - which will itself be
covered when the 41 goes up to every 15 minutes, with
every 2nd bus running to Craighouse. |
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Left
First 563 seen at Princes Street. Later in July this
route is due to be stripped to three buses an hour
Linlithgow - Edinburgh with 1 bus starting at Stirling.
This will be joined by a 2nd bus every hour from Stirling
to Linlithgow - i.e. losing one bus an hour Linlithgow to
Edinburgh. Right Lothian 165 seen in
Princes Street. Service 24 only runs as far as St Andrew
Square on Saturdays, and Waverly on Sundays, so the
Davidson's Mains destination is not used. |
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Left
Lothian 641 is seen on the 37A from Penicuik/Loanhead
turning into Fredrick Street heading for Muirhouse. This
is one of the "extra long" Tridents bought
early this year for the 37. After this, to (Edinburgh) St
Andrew Square bus station - an X60 takes me almost back
home... Right Fife 20315 seen in St
Andrews bus station, after a day on Service 23. |
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