Post by sharksmith on Jun 23, 2022 8:00:28 GMT 1
You sometimes notice in this hobby that routes can fall in and out of favour over time.
One example would be the old WYPTE version of the 640 which was the Bradford Corporation 40.
This route originally ran from Hall Ings to Saltaire roundabout via Bolton Junction, Five Lane Ends, Thackley & Shipley.
When I was young back in the 1970's this route always seemed to get brand new buses allocated. It had the first twenty Scania Metropolitan's (2601-2620) allocated from new and also received the first fifteen Roe Olympians (5001-5015) when new.
Over time the PTE and Rider started to tinker with it. First there was the diversion into Shipley Market Place then it was turned into a cross city route and linked to Buttershaw. Night buses started to be routed via Greengates along the route of the 642 and at some point some services were routed through West Royd estate, probably around the time the WYRCC 678 route was removed. Also around the same time it was curtailed to terminate in Shipley instead of Saltaire.
By now the route had lost it's new Olympians in favour of more elderly Atlanteans. Then came the ultimate kick in the teeth when the route lost it's well established number to the current 640 route and became the 610, 611 & 612.
By the time I took any interest in the route again it was mainly allocated elderly Volvo B10BLE's and even worse to follow with the ghastly B7L's.
Renumbered again to the current 612, 613 & 614 the route seemed to be allocated whatever rubbish was left in the depot, it provided a home for the final days of the ALX400's.
The route seems to have bounced back a little in recent times to at least receive a mish mash of new and old buses, with more deckers also being allocated, but it's a far cry from it's better days.
There are many examples of this I can think of around the country but has anyone else got any tales of West Yorkshire routes falling spectacularly from grace?
One example would be the old WYPTE version of the 640 which was the Bradford Corporation 40.
This route originally ran from Hall Ings to Saltaire roundabout via Bolton Junction, Five Lane Ends, Thackley & Shipley.
When I was young back in the 1970's this route always seemed to get brand new buses allocated. It had the first twenty Scania Metropolitan's (2601-2620) allocated from new and also received the first fifteen Roe Olympians (5001-5015) when new.
Over time the PTE and Rider started to tinker with it. First there was the diversion into Shipley Market Place then it was turned into a cross city route and linked to Buttershaw. Night buses started to be routed via Greengates along the route of the 642 and at some point some services were routed through West Royd estate, probably around the time the WYRCC 678 route was removed. Also around the same time it was curtailed to terminate in Shipley instead of Saltaire.
By now the route had lost it's new Olympians in favour of more elderly Atlanteans. Then came the ultimate kick in the teeth when the route lost it's well established number to the current 640 route and became the 610, 611 & 612.
By the time I took any interest in the route again it was mainly allocated elderly Volvo B10BLE's and even worse to follow with the ghastly B7L's.
Renumbered again to the current 612, 613 & 614 the route seemed to be allocated whatever rubbish was left in the depot, it provided a home for the final days of the ALX400's.
The route seems to have bounced back a little in recent times to at least receive a mish mash of new and old buses, with more deckers also being allocated, but it's a far cry from it's better days.
There are many examples of this I can think of around the country but has anyone else got any tales of West Yorkshire routes falling spectacularly from grace?
