Southwestbus.

Southwestbus. New page for Southwestbus. A model bus fleet based in Bridgwater, Somerset, UK.

It's the end of the 124 today as we head into the Autumn and Winter. Conceived as one of those ideas to occupy college b...
05/09/2026

It's the end of the 124 today as we head into the Autumn and Winter. Conceived as one of those ideas to occupy college bus drivers in the 'off season' we have been pleasantly surprised with passenger numbers over our last 8 weeks.
So much so, we will be back for 2027 with an extended operating season.
Two of the final four buses out today are shown here. RTH931S has been VOR for some time and has been recently returned to use.
ABV has Jurassic Coast connections, having been new as 927 GTA and based at Weymouth during the late 1970s. She might well get to do what she did 50 years ago next year on the very same route between Bridport and Weymouth.
You may ask why have we got four buses out when we only need three? Essentially the operation is a self contained one and 'help' will be over an hour distant if a vehicle decides to go down. Therefore we have an additional bus out with a leading driver/controller managing the operation to ensure we run our timetable.

After some time being prepared for use here, a second former JM Coaches Van Hool Alizee T9 is ready for the new school y...
30/08/2026

After some time being prepared for use here, a second former JM Coaches Van Hool Alizee T9 is ready for the new school year.

Please enjoy it's immaculate condition, by mid October it should be caked in mud! 🤣😂😅

Some from Cragievar Castle. Inspiration for something from Disney.Yesterday the coaches travelled up the Highland Touris...
25/08/2026

Some from Cragievar Castle.
Inspiration for something from Disney.
Yesterday the coaches travelled up the Highland Tourist Route to Findhorn via Tomintoul.

a few more from the last couple of days
20/08/2026

a few more from the last couple of days

a few more from the last couple of days.
20/08/2026

a few more from the last couple of days.

A coach nobody wanted beside the coach that set us up in coaching in the early 2000s.
17/08/2026

A coach nobody wanted beside the coach that set us up in coaching in the early 2000s.

New deliveries here are two 11 seat Mercedes Sprinters. WU26PYA/C join two 2021 examples which have received a repaint....
15/08/2026

New deliveries here are two 11 seat Mercedes Sprinters. WU26PYA/C join two 2021 examples which have received a repaint. They can be quickly converted to 8 seater when need arises for use on tour feeder work.

A new arrival here is Neoplan Cityliner EYD1T. It joins four other examples already in fleet.This coach had been bought ...
04/08/2026

A new arrival here is Neoplan Cityliner EYD1T. It joins four other examples already in fleet.

This coach had been bought on a spares and repairs offer with others. It was discovered to be in excellent condition and thus prepared for service.

Despite their age they're capable of doing front line coach work, and they still look modern.

One year on from "an email " where a so called friend decided to criticise me, the life that I live, the choices I made...
31/07/2026

One year on from "an email " where a so called friend decided to criticise me, the life that I live, the choices I made closing the email with a lie, severing a 19 year working relationship.

We see one product to come out of that.

The classic end of the Exmoor Explorer fleet posed for this group shot. Four are needed for service plus two Volvo single deckers. Given the age of the vehicles additional spare cover is factored in.

There's two closed top Routemaster buses retained as wet weather spares and also because we respond to increased loadings by providing the capacity required to move people..... except there hasn't been much rain but lots of passengers.

It's proving to be a busy summer for projects being completed here. The most recent is an open top MCW bodied Leyland At...
28/07/2026

It's proving to be a busy summer for projects being completed here. The most recent is an open top MCW bodied Leyland Atlantean which joins a sister vehicle bought in 2020.

ERV 252D was new to Portsmouth City Transport, and in the 1970s was one of five buses converted to open top configuration. By the late 1980s this and sister 249 were working for Southampton Citybus coach unit - a further sale saw them join Bournemouth Heritage. They then ran a sightseeing tour of Southampton for 1992 before being used in Bournemouth with the Routemaster operation. That operation became Vintage Yellow Buses.

That's the livery 249 runs in (as it's also green and cream, so fits in nicely around here). In 1997 the pair were hired to Southern National for use at Weymouth - they having four open top Bristol VRTs for their Portland - Weymouth - Bowleaze Cove 501 service.

Our lady and mistress spent many hours going back and forwards on the pair that summer. They were reacquainted with 249 in 2000 on a town tour of Bournemouth. In 2001 VYB was closed down and the Atlanteans were sold to Plainglobe in Bath. 249 and 252 were then exported to Canada in 2004.

Which is where we come into the story. 252 is our latest 'impossible' vehicle rescue - photos exist of the real bus in need of TLC and no doubt work. The finished bus will run in 2027 alongside 249 down in Weymouth - celebrating 30 years since it's summer holiday there. This summer it's down there too, but won't be out as often as we plan.

VYB fleetnames need adding to the bus to complete the look - the 'Southern Belle' logos were applied to this and 249 by Southern National for their stay in the resort. 249 has been back into the workshops to be tidied up after six years use with us. A winter job will see the restoration of a rear destination box.

The final shot shows 252 with a pair of MCW bodied Leyland PDs. I think that's a story for another time.

The model is an EFE MCW Leyland Atlantean which has been converted in house. Replacement window pillars have been added into the glazing unit. It's a similar method of conversion to our existing 249 though that was purchased as an open top vehicle and our work involved an external repaint.

Address

Unit 9 Waddington Way Aldwarke
Rotherham
S65 3SH

Telephone

+441234567890

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