Saturday 28 June 2003
Angus Show today - and for the first time, a special service provided by JP Mini Coaches. The trip also included a hurl to Brechin, Laurencekirk (as far as the Strathtay network goes north/east on Saturdays), then Stonehaven, Montrose, and back to Dundee. Most enjoyable run!

	Forfar first... Left Meffan's Coaches Mercedes/PMT H223 MSX is not usually out in service on Saturdays - only really being used during the week on college service 34, or non-college equivilent journey on the 27. Seen at Forfar East High Street. Right VLT 45, or 438, of the Strathtay fleet, is running around as you can see with a black bumper. This was obtained from First following a lack of spares at Alexanders, scrapyards, or anyone else. The bus went into service as A328 BSC until the correct registration number replaced it! Also seen at Forfar East High Street about to do the six-minute Easterbank loop before continuing to Dundee city centre.
	Left Strathtay 412 is seen in Forfar East High Street after doing a run on (partly) rural-bus funded Service 27 from Arbroath. Right Last week I snapped ex-Tillingbourne MetroRider 219 in Montrose. Here is 218 in Forfar, working the town service 23/23A/23B group.
	The Angus Show service used two buses to run between Kirriemuir, Forfar, Brechin Castle Centre (for the show) and Brechin city centre. Two Mercedes minibuses were used for the run, both Reeve Burgess bodied despite VIL having an Alexander body badge! Left VIL 6350 and Right GKZ 8850, both seen in Forfar East High Street.
	Left Leyland Tiger 421 of Strathtay seen in Brechin Clerk Street after running on the year-round service from Forfar. Right G&N Wishart's unit of Tayside provide Service 140 through the east half of Angus, from the Auchmithie coasts to Stracathro Hospital at the foot of the glens. One of the two Optare Solos used for this work is T307 UOX (W308) which is seen at Brechin St Ninian's Square.
	From there, via Strathtay 29C service to Laurencekirk via Fettercairn. Left M W Nicoll's new-ish Mercedes Vario from the 8/9 keeps eluding me, and on the last two occasions I've nabbed it, the photo has somehow always screwed up! Anyway, SK 52 OCD is the main vehicle for the 8/9 service from Laurencekirk to Montrose via Marykirk, Craigo, and Hillside, and is seen in Laurencekirk Main Street. Right Despite the cutting of the Montrose - Laurencekirk - Brechin service into two over the years (with placing journeys ran in service however) following increased commercial provision on the 28 - latterly 8/9 - the tenderd journeys are still timed at Laurencekirk to meet up with buses heading for Montrose via Craigo. Strathtay 164 is seen on a 29A back to Brechin and Montrose - C for Clockwise circle, A for Anticlockwise circle.
	From there, took the 24 to Stonehaven town centre... Left M W Nicoll Mercedes Vario W463 RSX is now used, alongside the Solo (most of the time anyway) on the 113 coastal route between Montrose and Stonehaven. The service includes some journeys won on tender ex-Bluebird, which display 101 as the Bluebird service number. Both services are identical, and there is now only one 113 starting/ending a Laurencekirk which is an evening "rural bus fund"-ed service. Right Similar X675 USX is the regular bus on Service 24 - usually with a dup or bigger bus on schooldays at least from Drumlithie to Mackie Academy. Both seen in Stonehaven Barclay Street.
	Left Following last weeks shots of MAN's and Plaxton Paramounts on Serrvice 106/107, here is a shot of a PS type working the route! 20144 - which was spotted last week at Stonehaven depot - is seen in Barclay Street. Right I mentioned above that M W Nicoll run some 101 journeys on tender won from Bluebird, Well, this Service 101 is operated by Bluebird on tender, to replace a 113 journey withdrawn by M W Nicoll ! Well - not quite - as the bus runs down commercial and back subsidised (and reverse on the way back). 20108 is seen in Barclay Street.
	Left LDV Convoy Y361 XAG of Glenesk Travel, acquired last year just before Armstrong of Inverkething closed, is seen in Montrose Somerfield store. Right Strathtay's 219, R507 WRV, was out on service this week on the 48's - unlike last week when it was parked in the yard. Seen in Montrose High Street.
	Left Montrose Murray Street - into High street - is the location for Wright-bodied Dennis Dart 305 of Strathtay. Right Caught on the hop betwen blind changes (from 39 Montrose to 30 Brechin) is Montrose depot Volvo Olympian 953.