The Curse of the Small White Coach

[Chris]

I seem to have been followed around by small, white, usually unidentifiable minicoaches recently, and here are three to choose from. 

Caetano Optimo-bodied Toyota ECL 938 is a reminder of a time past, when these seemed to be the small coach of choice (I seem to remember a number of Club-area independents had them?), so was quite a surprise to see it race through Tunbridge Wells on 20th March. Considering it "lost", I was surprised to be able to poke my camera out of the windscreen of the 256 that took me to Kilndown in a small HGV-induced traffic jam at the Sainsbury's stop. With a little bit of help from the internet, and somewhat confusingly returning to a private operator, it is the vehicle in service with the resurrected Emblings Coaches of Guyhirn (Cambs). Unfortunately, it had gone by the time of my return. 

Later the same day (and the visible wingmirror in the Toyota picture), came rather more easily identifiable Abbey Travel Yutong TC9 YH66 VMU. Abbey have somewhat cornered the market in transporting Thamesmead and Woolwich area pupils to Kent Grammar Schools, and this coach was the "bus of the day" for the service to Tunbridge Wells, introduced (I think) at the start of this academic year. 

Finally, a few weeks later, on 29th April, slightly north of Tonbridge Town Centre was similar TC9 YA67 VBC. The Internet again helpfully revealed the operator to be Premier of Biggin Hill, and from other reports can be guessed to be on one of many private school services in the area. 

Chris