JFO keeps on driving

[JFO]

I went for another more local drive on Saturday 25 of September 2021, and in the villages of Hernehill between Faversham and Whitstable I captured some quite full Stagecoach Darts on KCC Contracted Route 638, with 34646 GX54DWV seen turning into Staplestreet Village on the 09:50AM first 638 of the day into Faversham: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51517428605/, and 34541 GX04EYS seen passing Hernehill St. Micheal's Church on the 13:00PM last trip of the day from Faversham: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51517227154/, while Regents Coaches E200 YX09FNE was seen shortly afterwards passing All Saints Church at nearby Graveney on Route 660: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51516501261/.
I also drove on to Herne Bay, and Stagecoach had quite a lot in their Depot with 3 Ensign vehicles seen from Eddington lane including 2 Red Gemini's 136 BJ11DVV and 137 BJ11DVW: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51516501221/, while Stagecoach were keeping it Red with 4 ex London Scanias, 15032 LX58CGK, 15048 LX09ABO, 15073 LX09AEB plus a 4th example who's just about visible rear end fleetnumber appeared to be 15074, and I assume they may be here to replace Tridents including 17587 LV52HFW, 17585 LV52HFT, 17590 LV52HFZ and recently repainted 17734 SK52USN which were all seen parked up with Dart 34498 KV53NHP and Dover based Solo 47374 GX06JXY.
Finally I also drove through Thanet on the way back, and Stagecoach were painting Thanet Red with even more ex London Scanias, and 15035 LX58CGO, 15033 LX58CGL, 15031 LX58CGG and 15030 LX58CGF were all seen in Westwood: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51515698647/.

[Neil Gow]

History repeats itself... 21 years on.

Neil G.

[JFO]

Thanks Neil, and I do sort of remember some of those Scania's running around in red in about 2000/2001, but to be honest these days when people ask me if I remember stuff like this, I just tell them that I have a Neil for that...
I and a fellow group member also went for another more local drive on Saturday 9th of October 2021, and in Herne Bay Stagecoach still had quite a lot in their Depot, with 4 Ensign vehicles including 2 Red Gemini's and 2 Blue and Silver Gemini's, and the 4 ex London Scanias were still there too along with the Tridents, Dart 34542 GX04EYT and Dover based Solo 47374 GX06JXY, while at Thanet Westwood, 4 more ex London Scanias were still there along with Dart 34410 GX53MVZ and ALX400 18074 WA04CSY.
We also checked out the Southeastern Trains Rail Replacement from Ramsgate and Margate to Faversham too, with YMS Travel V3YMS/KX07HFB: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51569320672/, Travelmasters: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51570364783/, and GO Ahead London: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51571041000/, all seen at Margate Station, while at Faversham in the morning we saw Loyalty Connection Coach Travel of Westwood's recently aquired ALX400 Trident TA328 SN03EAM leaving for Margate: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51570804209/, while Stagecoach Dart 34434 KV53EZL was seen arriving at a foggy Forbes Road on KCC Contracted Route 638: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51571049280/, and then again passing an Oast House and St. Micheal's Church  in the village of Hernehill: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51571049315/.

[Neil Gow]

Glad you liked them but, honestly... there are people in this group with far more extensive knowledge than me!

Neil.

[JFO]

Thanks Neil, and I went for another more local drive on Saturday 16th of October 2021, and started off in the village of Wickambreaux where I capture Stagecoach on Route 11, with 19056 MX56FSF seen outside the Rose Pub: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51596095572/, and 18176 GX54DVV passing a Watermill: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51597127898/, afterwhich I drove on to Thanet where amongst other things I checked out the Southeastern Trains Rail Replacement from Ramsgate and Margate to Canterbury and Deal with GO Ahead London, Travelmasters, YMS Travel: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51597800460/, Crosskeys Coaches, Regents Coaches,  and Loyalty Connection Coach Travel, who's recently aquired ALX400 Trident TA328 SN03EAM was seen outside Ramsgate Station: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51597127923/.
I also saw that Stagecoach had both of their remaining Thanet based Solo's out with 47177 YJ05XMW on Route 48: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51597567319/, and 47175 YJ05XNK seen on Route 33 at Ramsgate's Wellington Cressent: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51596098437/, while Dart 34731 SV55BZF: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51597127818/, and ALX400 18074 WA04CSY: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51596098497/, were seen heading in and out of Ramsgate Royal Harbour.

[JFO]

For Saturday 23rd's drive I made a return to Sussex, and amongst other things checked out the start of the week long Southeastern Trains Rail Replacement blockade from Hastings and Battle to Tunbridge Wells for which I will do a seperate post as there's alot to report.
Away from the Rail though, I started off in Hastings where Ramblers Bus & Coach UK15RAM, JG07RAM, SDY788/YN55WSV and 06 DDY222/Y222PDY were seen parked up at West Ridge: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51624305405/, while Stagecoach "Hastings Arrows" E200 36506 GN12CMU was seen in scenic Robertsbridge High Street on Route 304: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51622638947/, and Autocar Buses Solo GP55DEC was seen on KCC Contracted Route 255 passing the Royal Oak Pub at Flimwell: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51622634162/, where I also glanced into Hams Travel's Depot across the street whose DW02HAM, MC07HAM, DW05HAM, MC52HAM, MC54HAM, X9HAM, MC06HAM, T70HAM and L6HAM were all present.
Once back in Kent I drove into Tunbridge Wells for the first time (even finding a Free parking space), and saw some variety in the hour or so I was there, with Arriva Solo 2483 YK07BCZ seen Route 281: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51623666273/, Stagecoach 15543 GN59EWS on Route 252: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51624098159/, and Compass Buses of Sussex E200 SN15LWR on KCC Contracted? Route 228 to Crowbrough: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51622618782/, while Hams Travel had Wright R17HAM/YJ54CFN on Route 282: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51624092844/, and Tempo R16HAM on Route 297: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51623671373/.

[JFO]

A fellow group member and I went for another drive on Saturday 6th of November and found ourselves back in Tonbridge, where amongst other things we checked out the SouthEastern Trains Rail Replacement Services to and from Sevenoaks with GO Ahead from Bexleyheath dominating: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51659152652/, in the short time we were there due to heavy traffic, while Arriva had Citaro 3908 BD12DHU on Route 402: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51659958981/, and ALX400 6007 KL52CWU on Route 218: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51659152642/.
We also explored the countryside too and in Five Oak Green we saw Autocar Buses MCV AE06OPF on KCC Contracted Route 205 from Paddock Wood back to Tonbridge: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51659152677/, which is still the only Bus they get on Saturdays following the withdrawl of Saturday journeys on Arriva Route 6A, then on the way home we captured RedRoute Buses Newly aquired E200 SK07DZO passing the George & Dragon Pub in Ightham on Route 306: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51660850620/, while Starline Coaches T9 Volvo ROF462/YJ04GXZ was found in Wateringbury: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51660202448/.
Finally we also passed by a few operators as well, and at Five Oak Green Autocar Buses had ex Southdown PSV DAF's PG53YCT and PM03EHW and an Ex Farleigh Coaches Volvo CityBus visible from Badsell Road, while for our last shots of the day we drove past Brookline Coaches at Ryarsh where in adition to their Coaches and recently aquired Versa MX09YWV, we were surprised to note GO Bus & Coach SoloSR 4501 YJ09MMU and Farliegh Coaches Gemini LEZ9480/BJ11EAM parked in the depot.

[Nicholas King]

Go-Coachhire YJ09 MMU is their 4503.  This is apparently on loan to Brookline for temporary cover of route TW8.

                No information known about the Farleigh Coaches vehicle at Brookline.

 

Nicholas King

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[JFO]

Thanks Nicholas, and I went for another more local drive on Saturday 20th of November 2021, and in Herne Bay Stagecoach still had quite a lot in their Depot, with 4 Ensign vehicles including 3 Gemini's and one Olympus, and the 3 of the 4 ex London Scanias that were there in September and October, plus a selection of 4 stored Dart's including 34625 KX54OOY, while at Thanet Westwood, the other 4 ex London Scanias were still there along with ALX400 17529 LX51FON which was noted being moved around the depot yard.
I also checked out the Southeastern Trains Rail Replacement from Margate to Herne Bay with vehicle's from Crosskeys Coaches: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51692848177/, YMS Travel, Regents Coaches: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51694525755/, Travelmasters, and GO Ahead London: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51694314344/, all seen in Herne Bay, and at Margate Station where Crosskeys PO58NPY was seen arriving from Herne Bay and passing the Bristol VR Bus Cafe WTU487W: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51693644836/, and Stagecoach MMC 15332 YN67YLE was seen arrivng to work the New Route BK1 to Tilmanstone Salads: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51693644826/.
Finally I also managed some scenic shots too and Stagecoach E200 GN13EXZ 36866 was seen at Reculver Roman Fort on Route 7: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51693641971/, while Regents Coaches MX13BCO was seen passing St. Nicholas at Wade Church on the once daily Route 36 journey to serve the village: https://www.flickr.com/photos/69558134@N05/51693913683/.