Things to see in Canterbury, including Lehane Travel H741WWU!
The Unknown Contributor!
Hi
everyone, as you know I'm from Dover, however I also get to Canterbury fairly
regularly.
Most of you who go to Canterbury focus on modern Stagecoach Buses, but there is
more to Canterbury than just Stagecoach, as Canterbury is also served by
Chalkwells Bus & Coach Hire of Sittingbourne on route 324 from Faversham, Sittingbourne and Sheppey, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and can be
operated almost anything from their Double Decks, and their Darts, to most of
their Coach Fleet: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/28758855326/, and
the vehicle used can usually be found parked up in a side road behind Sturry
Road Asda Store: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/26246955491/,:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/22428086940/, sometimes along with
vehicles from other operators, however in the past I've also seen Chalkwells
parked up in a layby near Sturry Village, Canterbury East and West Rail
Stations, and at Canterbury Kingsmead Coach Park, where lots of other stuff can
be found particularly in summer, but
for those of you who want to take yourself away from Canterbury Bus Station,
just outside of Canterbury in Sturry is the Depot of Lehane Travel on Bredlands Lane just off the A28 near to the Spires Building.
Lehane has always operated a wide selection of vehicles and in May 2016 purchased their first Brand New vehicles since 1984 in the form of 2 very modern Scania Tiger Coaches LT16PEL and LT16TKL: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/27067185741/,: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/30327147070/, and Lehane have also made some recent second hand purchases inclucling 2 Caetino Levante Coaches FJ57KHP still in white, and FJ57KHR which has been painted and is now their New LIW4876: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/30327146990/,and are used on Schools and also Rail Replacements and National Express Duplicates which Lehane now do.
Lehane also operates some older vehicles too, but have been gradually moving away from the Plaxtons Coaches that have always been a part of their fleet especially Premieres including P942EBB/P6CLA, N358WHH, N596BNU and M133TRR, and Paramounts including LIW1552, a Paramount ExpressLiner new as H741WWU, which they still have and can be seen from the public field next door, and can be accessed through a gap in the hedge.
Finally I have attached some shots from some of my visits, including my most recent visit with contributor Brian East of Hythe.
So Enjoy, and remember there's more to Canterbury than just Stagecoach!
The Unknown Contributor!
Hi
everyone, I got to Canterbury again yesterday on my way to Assford, and to add
to the list of places where things can be found, is Dover Road Park and Ride,
where there is a long layby for parking and where I found R&J Coaches of
Smeeth near Assford's Plaxton Panther Volvo NUI5241 new as NA52ECX, and
Poynters Bus and Coach of Wye near Assford's Plaxton Premiere Volvo SIB3932 new
as N762AHP, which much to my surprise they were later using on the afternoon
16:05PM journey from Canterbury on their 667 Service to Challock!
Though I couldn't get a shot from the Stagecoach 1A bus I came back from Assford
on, I saw SIB3932/N762AHP turn out of the lane down from Chartham Hatch and it
had a sign in the front window that read "667 Old Wives Leas,
Challock" when it passed us at the Car Dealerships on the A28 near
Chartham Station, and their FH51LTX could be seen parked up in their Depot at
Wye as we passed by about 15:50PM.
Finally I have attached some more shots showing what else can be found in
Canterbury.
Darryl Meades
D.
The Unknown Contributor!
Finally I have attached some shots of what I saw, so Enjoy, and remember there's more to Canterbury than just Stagecoach!
