 |
Left
Entering Aberdeen's bus station is Van Hool-bodied Volvo coach 52006,
which has just arrived on service from Inverurie. This is a somewhat
unusual sight as the Van Hool's are rarely used on such work these
days. Right
Stonehaven depot now uses a handful of MAN single deckers on Services
106/107 to Aberdeen. Here, 22707 is seen in Guild Street, just about
to arrive at the bus station. |
 |
 |
Left
34023 is one of many ex-London Dennis Dart SLF's to arrive at Bluebird
of late. Their arrival has meant a few work the Westhill services
(216/217 etc.) while the MAN's can be displaced to Stoney. It too is
about to end the trip at the bus station, and is seen in Guild Street.
Right Similarly, 33469 is seen in Guild Street not in service.
This was a former Elgin? (IIRC) depot vehicle. |
 |
 |
Left X137 NSS of
First in Aberdeen (Sorry I can't make out the five-digit phone number
on this bus!) is seen in Union Street showing off the "golden
jubilee" livery, the year after. Seen here in Union Street
heading east, but technically heading north to Tillydrone. Right
H35 USO of Kirkpatrick was new to Grampian (as it was then) for Beaver
Bus Service 6 which is now using the same variety of vehicles as the
main network. Anyway, it is seen about to turn from Union Street into
Market Street. |
 |
 |
Left 62127 is
seen on Union Terrace on Service 12 heading for Northfield - but I
managed to snap it as the blind changed... not quite the Northern
Line! Right Mairs ESK 957 is seen turning off Union Terrace
passing the city library and HM Theatre. The blue-based coach livery
replaced the "honey" scheme used on H35 USO (seen above) and
the Mairs coach in the coach version of white/pink/purple (see open
day pics) brings everything up to date. (The pic was actually taken
from the library steps!) |
 |
 |
Left Volvo
B10BLE 62157 is seen passing over the Denburn underpass, and is
working south on Service 5. Right R584 SBA (sorry fleetnumber
partly obscured!) is seen here in Schoolhill on Service 22, which is
somewhat unique in running in a horse-shoe shape - so wherever it is
seen in the city, it is always technically heading (ultimately) west.
(And this is also half destination, and half "The Purple
Line"!) |
 |
 |
Left Another one
which I've chopped the numbers off! R335 GHS is seen in Broad Street,
working "white" but on the Orange Line 16. Note the "localised"
branding on the sides for multi-journey tickets which included various
options of travelling with local names i.e. not the same introduction
page that you get in every timetable in First West & East Central
Scotland! Right How does 62222 relate to W604 RFS? Well I know
it's not meant to have logic but... this bus ran for around a year in
Glasgow on Service 66 before heading north to Aberdeen. Following the
22 picture above, this bus is heading in the opposite direction but it
is still heading west! Snapped in Broad Street. |
 |
 |
Left Two days
ago I snapped N687 WLS running for First from Bannockburn depot. Well,
sister vehicle N689 WLS came north to Mairs a few years ago, and is
being used as a private hire vehicle. This vehicle can be seen on the
Aberdeen City Council staff shuttle which runs between Woodhill House,
Broad Street (St Nicholas House) and the education department in
Summerhill. Right 62155 is seen on the other side of Broad
Street, at Marshall College, and is branded for the Turquoise line,
Service 19. This could have been a better pic but the rain was really
"chucking" it down, so nipped out the shelter for just long
enough to snap the bus... |
 |
 |
Left Mercedes
minibus 50412 is seen at Asda superstore, Bridge of Dee, working
shopper service 24 which once ran (with the 21 running to Bridge of
Dee, and the 24 to Culter/24A to Cults) all day. Now, Service 24
provides most of the links of the old routes three times a day. Right
Back into Union Street, and Leyland Olympian 31532 replaces the
identity of 103 this bus has had since new - and is seen on the
Airport service 27. The vehicle is seen heading towards Guild Street
in this shot, not the Airport. |
 |
_small.jpg) |
Next... a change of
tack, with some photos taken at the Park & Ride sites at both
Bridge of Don & Kingswells. While the BoD Park & Ride is still
attracting huge numbers, the Kingswells site is a little quieter - so
First have recently extended some buses around the houses in
Kingswells to provide a facility for locals - these journeys become
Service 41, and now tickets and passes are valid on this service as
per usual. Left 62176 is seen at Bridge of Don Park & Ride.
Right Almost identical, but 62175 is seen at Bridge of Don. The
41 display flips between Kingswells Park & Ride and Kingswells
Village. |
 |
 |
Left 62197 - not
park & ride branded but used for the peak time extras - is seen at
Kingswells Park & Ride. Right
Rear shot. Kind of ironic to see an advert for a CAR dealer on a park
& ride service, but never mind! |
_small.jpg) |
 |
Back into town to snap
a few more goodies. Left Stagecoach Bluebird won Services
290/291/292 back from Watermill Coaches this month, but ironically
lost the journeys they had on the route (Saturdays) back to Watermill!
Seen at the town house is 52214 (M404 BFG) in Citylink livery... Right
52134 is in usual Stagecoach livery, showing off the Bluebird branding
on a non-route branded vehicle, and is also snapped at the town house.
By this point the weather was starting to brighten up! |
 |
 |
Left 10051, a
Volvo articulated vehicle of First in Aberdeen. is seen heading
westbound in Union Street on the RedLine service 1/2. Right
62183 is "Yellow Line" branded for Service 23, seen here
pulling into the town house stop in Union Street. |
 |
 |
Left 62167 is
seen in Broad Street, about to turn into Union Street. As I mentioned
above, the "Purple line" designation hides that both end
points on this route are heading west! Right 40885 is another
of the ex-Capital Citybus Volvo B6/Alexander Dash midibuses entering
service in Aberdeen. This one has had black vinyl applied over the
destination, limiting its use to schools and private hires. The bus is
seen in Broad Street. |
 |
 |
Left 62141 is
seen also in Broad street, but on Service 17 heading south to Faulds
Gate. This service finishes not long after this pic was taken - in the
early evening - with Service 16 covering Faulds Gate at this time (via
Holburn Street and not Ferryhill), and Service 18 covering more of
Newhills at this time. Right 62162 shows its back end advert
for Northsound1 in Union Street. |
 |
 |
A few final shots from
Aberdeen bus station in the early evening. Left Bluebird 52291
is seen in the bus station with Express Service 10 branding. Right
22701 was working Service 59 during the day - with Service 59 route
branding - but has been allocated to Service 307 for the evening, and
is seen backing off from the bus station. |
 |
 |
Left 33437 was
new to Inverness, being one of three for there with the rest of the
batch going to Perth. As can be seen, it's now working Aberdeen stuff,
and is doing an evening through working of the 220 to Alford -
normally during the day most passengers change at Bucksburn or
Inverurie. Right 33477 is seen at the back of the bus station
with a minibus in between trips. |
 |
 |
Left
52141 is seen leaving the bus station with its Peterhead/Fraserbugh -
Aberdeen branding. Right Olympian 14064 is seen at the bus
station, having worked an Aberdeen depot shift on Stonehaven routes,
which ran back to Aberdeen as an X7. |
 |
.jpg)
.jpg)
