Well... I been me didn't want to miss the action surronding the Olympic Torch Relay... Not Botherd about the Olympics mind but the Torch Relay is something that i probably will never see again so i took the change to go and see it, Not only because of those Stagecoach Streetlites surronding it. The plan was to go to college on the morning and then go see the torch in my lunch brake, Before any of this could happen i with eye spotted Streetlite 3 a good 4 hours before anything kicked off sat in the work/ delivery entrance to College. It then became stuck in the car park but apart from that it was a plesent suprise for me. The photo to the Right shows the aforementioned Streetlite in Colleges Delivery entrance car park, This really did impress me getting a Streetlite before the event had even reached Barnsley, Two hours before the expected arrival of the torch i took my place, On the wall across from the Shop and Barnsley Chronicals offices. Here i waited not seeing 1 vehicle until a South Yorkshire Police Interceptors Vaxhall Insignia passed (As seen on TV). This was followed by a South Yorkshire Police BMW X5 type Vehicle. As time went on it became very apparent more and more people we're arriving, Out of College, Schools among other places. Then more and more people got onto and sat on the wall i was sat on, With a little help from me telling them to go around and up the steps onto the grass, So i had my camera and a bottle of Coka Cola and after a few texts to Adam Barber and also the one known as Ian Wiseman it was about time for the Olympic convoy to start up, So as South Yorkshires Police Helicopter (SY99) was spotted overhead the tention started to build, Just after i throught Mmmmmm could get a good shot from here a group of School Children changed that and stood under the wall i was sat on, So that was clear shots out the window. Anyway as the Convoy approched i managed to get another Streetlite, This time number 2 and then that was followed by the first of the two Kent Based, Buzzlines Travel Van Hool T911 Alicrons which are smaller then the normal T911s showed up, This been BT08BUZ. There are two in the convoy, The other been BT11BUZ. Both the
Buzzlines T9 Alicrons are to a small (Not sure on the correct lenth) however both we're new to Cronin, Cork and carred Irish Registration Marks BT08BUZ (08 C 2911) and BT11BUZ (11 C 2911) respectivly. The Vehicles we're turned out extreamly well and i was impressed with both of these BT08BUZ is seen in Barnsley outside Barnsley Chronicals Offices moving with the torch and its team towards Barnsley College, Best shot i got of ether T911 but even with the people in the path, I was happy with the photo shown on the Right, Also in the convoy after the Police bikers and the Met Polices BMW Patrol Cars where some Olympic Torch liveried BMWs, A Coka Cola branded truck and a Samsung branded vehicle, Another intresting addition was the Press Truck, A Makeshift vehicle converted to seat members of the Press and TV Camera crews. This was the vehicle before the running and the torch.
After enjoying the relay in Barnsley i decided to head over to Sheffield to see the torch there. I finished college and went down to get the Train, Northern Rail provided, To my releaf after missing 158860 in hope of one, Class 144 Pacer 144010 on the Leeds- Sheffield Stopper Service, After arriving in Sheffield i waited to photo both units on offer that hour from First Transpennine Express, Those been 185126 towards Cleethorpes and 185119 towards Manchester Airport. After this i met Adam and Tom and we went onto Arundal Gate (AG) To see the Olympic Torch Relay, Ofcourse some bus spotted and photoage was in order first. As the torch got closer people kept arriving and getting into the sprit, I myself was still photoing buses right up until the road closed, Finally getting shots of the Scanias and M.A.Ns branded from Ecclesfield Depot. This i was very happy with, Above is a photo of the Coca Cola Iveco with all its lights on running down AG. This was the location we we're photoing buses before the relay and stood there to photo the relay too. This was another excerlant idea from Mr Barber as perfect shots we're easily on hand. So After about 100 odd bus photos, The Olympic Torch was back, Is had passed throught Chapletown, South Yorkshire as my Train (144010) went over the viaduct. With the crowds blocking roads buses we're stuck, 4 87s we're down there, a 265, the 35A and about 3 75s. Our driver gave a 4 tone on the viaduct and now it was about to arrive in Sheffield. The next two Photos show Olympic Streetlites 4 & 5, Both In Sheffeld, 4 On Arundal Gate and 5 up near the somewhere. I chased this around Sheffield with Thomas Cousins and he made me run about Sheffield covering about 1
and Half Mile we caught up with 5 and after this had another walk around Shefield looking for the other Streetlites. We didn't manage to find but i still managed to get 5 (1-5) in the day. The Stagecoach owned Wright Bus Stretlites (Wheel Fowards) Are heading to Stagecoach South Wales after the Olympics and will be the first of there kind at Stagecoach Group anywhere appart from an allover white Demonstartor vehicle of the same type that is been used allongside the relay just incase one of the branded Streetlites changes its mind about been famous. The vehicles are the first ive noticed Stagecoach purchase without the Blue coloured Stagecoach Standard interior. These have dealer spec interiors apart from the seating as far as i know. Maybe its just a Wright Bus Thing. The plan for these interesting vehicles in to have them repainted into beachball 'Wounders how the will look in beachball'. Personally i like the Olympic Livery for the Torch relay and it looks good on the Streetlites, And the BMWs The Stagecoach Streetlites have been the stars of the Relay so far transporting the Torch Team and also the runners themselfs on the day.
The Olympic Torch its self passed in a flash, And apperntly if you blinked you would miss it but tbh i manged to photo it so not sure how that would work... Anyway the runners stood out a mile in the White tracksuits, Well they wouldn't in the snow but it wasn't snowing. As it wasn't snowing the event saw massive crowds and the atmosphere around the full route was livly. I must say i realy enjoyed to torch relay, Or i wouldn't have gone back out to Sheffield to see it again, Probably would have... Wanted as many streetlites as i could get. Overall i enjoyed my day, And got Class 144 Pacer 144014 on the Sheffield-Leeds express home, A Pacer doing 60, Mmmmm not the Class 158 Express DMU i really expected to be sat on but never the less i enjoyed it very much and the day was great, Below is a series of photos taken on the day to try and show the most of the day, The article sort of ends now so for now, I'm out and all that (Yes i did add Bus Photos taken on AG into the mix :D
Allover Red Optare Solo M920 KX04HRJ is in use here, As i understand it this vehicle isn't carring fleet numbers. It was noted in service operating route 4 (Barnsley-Kexborough-Barnsley). Duel Doored allover White Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spryte 8402 (S402HVV) has been reinstated, Simaler Single Doored 8551 (S551BNV) has appred for sale on ebay. This operate i understand has moved to an new depot in Shafton, Formally the Stagecoach Storage Depot, I understand this still has Stagecoach signage and Stagecoach sold this to a building merchant. Can't see them been too happy at the big beachball bus company.
Tate's Travel/ South Yorkshire Rider Ltd:
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