Northerly Connections

60813 S664RNA departing Bradford Interchange

My first real bus photography trip using a Digital Camera was back in 2003, a weekend in April I decided to drive up to Sheffield and meet up with fellow enthusiast Ian, whom I had become friends with via various Bus groups on the internet and he is an expert on the Yorkshire Scene if you follow the Yahoo info groups. Friday was planned to take in South Yorkshire starting in Sheffield before moving on to Rotherham, Doncaster, Barnsley and Wakefield all on a Metro Day Ticket for £4.99 if I recall correctly!

Looking back on the photos now I came across a few familiar faces that have become local to us in the East of England.

Barnsley & District was a subsidiary of Yorkshire Traction and they acquired a batch of former Ambassador Travel Volvo B6's which had operated Park & Ride services in Norwich before heading North.

L74UNG seen in Barnsley Bus Station

Saturday was a mix of bus and train journeys taking in Huddersfield, Halifax, Leeds, Bradford and finally York via a few local Inn's for refuelling of course!

Bradford was home to a few vehicles that have since made the trip to East Anglia such as recently departed 60813 which I photographed and another Lowestoft survivor 30886 which i also managed to get on film, little did I know that quite a few northerners would be coming our way over the next few years!

30886 in Bradford with Sovereign and Overground branding

 Final photo is of Huddersfield liveried Dart 40603 M211VWW which along with sister 40602 arrived at Lowestoft initially in 2008 before heading to Norwich.

40603 M211VWW leaving Huddersfield Bus Station

You may notice my photography skills have improved since the trip but good memories of a weekend of Beer and Buses!