34812 is Back and Black

Believe it or not, this is post number 2750 on Plymothian Transit so its nice that we can report an old favourite is back in Plymouth: Ex Eastern National Leyland Olympian C412 HJN has now passed into the ranks of preservation with Laurence Mayhew, having continued to be used for her original purpose, earning her living right up until last month with the Saint Michael's Entertainers dance troupe, ending her 28 year working life. C412 was new to a newly privatised Eastern National in 1986 and was used on the then premier service X51 linking Southend on Sea with Oxford Circus, London. She continued to work at many depots across Essex including primarily Chelmsford and Clacton, before passing to First Devon and Cornwall upon the withdrawal of Torpoint's last remaining Bristol VRs in 2005 and 2006. This is where she saw out her last years in public service, having been specially modified to operate across the Torpoint Ferry on Rame Peninsula services, meaning she continued to work hard for a living right up until withdrawal in 2009. Since then she has toured the length and breadth of the country with the aforementioned Dance Troupe, and has been well loved and cherished. This will indeed most certainly continue as she starts her new life back in the South West.You can follow her progress on her own Facebook Page
.
There is also a potted history of this fine old bus on the PCTPG siteIf you check back on Laurence's Flickr sets you will see he has taken rather a lot of photos of this bus and get the general idea that he always liked this bus! Well done on saving this one and we hope you really enjoy your new bus.
Photo credit: © Jason Beverley

2 January 2003 © Laurence Mayhew

4 November 2006

Photo credit: Nick Rice under Creative Commons Licence.

2 April 2008

In The News

• The Herald: Moves to re-open old railway line near Plymouth a step closer The reinstatement of the railway line is identified as critical infrastructure in the West Devon Core Strategy, which was adopted in 2011. The line, which would provide a direct link between Tavistock and Plymouth, is required to support development in Tavistock, reduce traffic on the A386 and provide greater travel opportunities.

Reading List

• ANDYS BUS BLOG: LVVS Autumn Running Day 2014 - part 1
• DENNIS BASFORD: ‘Scene’ in Rochdale
• FYLDE BUS BLOG: Oakwood Update
• HUMBER TRANSPORT: EYMS Hull-Withernsea Weekday Afternoon Improvement
• HUMBER TRANSPORT: EYMS 174 and 175 withdrawn
• IPSWICH BUS BLOG: END OF THE LINE FOR FIRST'S NATIVE DARTS
• IPSWICH BUS BLOG: 66983 AND 32453 IN SERVICE
• LANCASTER OMNIBUS: Confusion over Stagecoach Christmas Arrangements
• NORFOLK SCENE: Model Railway ~ Update
• NORWICH BUSES: More StreetLite's Spotted
• PUBLIC TRANSPORT EXPERIENCE: Another Ticket Splitter Which Does Returns
• PUBLIC TRANSPORT EXPERIENCE: Stagecoach are Bettering Buses to Kettering [1]
• STEVES BUS AND TRAIN PAGE: First Pics Of More Streetlites
• STEVES BUS AND TRAIN PAGE: Newcastle Metro Special