| What were you doing 22 years ago today? I imagine that some viewers were not even a thought in their parent's head at this stage. I know what I did....... I witnessed the biggest upheaval in public transport since the 1930's. Gone was the old order of regulated services paid for by the taxpayer, giving cheap fares and quite a plentiful service to most areas unlike today.
From the 26th October 1986 all that was swept away, a new day dawned and we woke up to DE-REGULATION. From this day bus services would have to make a profit or would not run, except for some services which were deemed 'socially necessary'. Overnight services were decimated and bus fares increased dramatically as the new regime took over. MPTE buses became Merseybus ( a new at arms length company) and Ribble on Merseyside became North Western and Crosville became err Crosville!. New bus companies came onto the scene some survived others withered away, even old favourites like Crosville, Ribble, Merseybus/MTL got bought out and the names disappeared, don't get me wrong, I believe the concept was flawed but services could have been more productive than they were and De-Reg certainly made the scene more interesting for the enthusiast. Well 22 years on and were have all the old and interesting buses gone? I feel sorry for the young enthusiast these days, never having travelled on Leyland PD2's, PDR's, AN68, Daimler Fleetlines and Bristol Lodekka's, RE's and MW's in normal service like I did! This changed today, for one day only, friends and guests invited by Mr Morris travelled back in time to 1986, using former MPTE Leyland Atlantean 1003, which was new to Seaview Road Garage in Wallasey, this garage was also one of the casualties of De-Reg having closed it's doors to services for the final time the previous evening. 1003 performed a bit of an impromtu re-enactment of some of the services from that day in operation around Wallasey. The plan was to run from Liverpool to New Brighton as a 429, then route 1 to Woodside, 191 to Seacombe, 15 to Liscard and then via route 146 to Saughall Massie where the final service would be a 45A to Woodside. Unfortunately due to technical difficulties (Railspeak) the lost mileage form had to be thrown in for the 191 and the No1 ran as a 1E as far as Seacombe Ferry to get back on schedule. A splendid day was had by all, with some very spirited driving, to re-live the heady days of our mispent youth. Thanks to The Crow for providing the bus and the friends for the entertainment! |
Four Bridges 1280x960 2008_10260102.JPG |
Four Bridges 1280x960 2008_10260101.JPG |
On what is left of the cobbles at Seacombe Ferry 1280x960 2008_10260099.JPG |
|
Wallasey Village 1280x960 2008_10260098.JPG |
Overchurch Road 1280x960 2008_10260092.JPG |
Sandbrook Estate, Moreton 1280x960 2008_10260086.JPG |
|
Sandbrook Estate, Moreton 1280x960 2008_10260080.JPG |
Cadbury's Factory, Moreton 1280x960 2008_10260068.JPG |
Mossdene Road, Wallasey 1280x960 2008_10260062.JPG |
|
Cliff Road, Wallasey 1280x960 2008_10260052.JPG |
Cliff Road, Wallasey 1280x960 2008_10260048.JPG |
Cliff Road, Wallasey 1280x960 2008_10260046.JPG |
|
Merseytravel Board 1280x960 2008_10260041.JPG |
Earlston Road, Wallasey 1280x960 2008_10260034.JPG |
Earlston Road, Wallasey 1280x960 2008_10260028.JPG |
|
Seacombe Ferry 1280x960 2008_10260023.JPG |
Seacombe Ferry 1280x960 2008_10260022.JPG |
Seacombe Ferry 1280x960 2008_10260011.JPG |
|
Wallasey Village 1280x960 2008_10260002.JPG |
