| Nottingham
Omnibus Remembered |
| In March 1992 a Sheffield-based
firm called Modeldart set up a new Company, trading as
Nottingham Omnibus, to operate services in Nottingham and
so compete with Nottingham City Transport. The operation
was based at a disused airfield at Hucknall. Amidst much controversy and newspaper headlines such as "City set for showdown on the buses", Nottingham Omnibus provided a number of services in the city using mainly second hand Bristol VRs. It turned out to be a short-lived operation as the Company ceased trading on June 16th, 1994, with debts of over £500,000. This feature takes a look at tNottingham Omnibus and its vehicles. Fortunately, I was allowed permission to visit the Hucknall depot on April 25th, 1994, and some of these photographs have been featured below. |
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A 1993 newspaper advertisement for the Company's Bus Card. Unfortunately I don't have any other examples of Nottingham Omnibus publicity - if anyone can help and possibly send a scan opf any items, please e-mail us. Similarly, please contact us if you have any corrections and / or amendments to the list of routes and vehicles at the bottom of this page. |
| Whilst the majority of the fleet were dounble deckers, there were two exceptions. Leyland Leopard / Alexander 267 (GLS 267N) was new to Alexander (Midland). Nottingham Omnibus used it for driver training as the "L" plates at the rear end indicate. |  |
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The only other single decker in the fleet was 662 (KSX 662N) and Alexander bodied Seddon Pennine VI which was new to Eastern Scottish. |
| A general view of the Hucknall premises at 6am on April 25th, 1994, before many of the fleet had departed for the day's workings. The fact that the premises was a former airfield is obvious with the large hangars in the background. |  |
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A large percentage of the fleet was formed of second hand Bristol VRs. Here at Hucknall we see (left to right) OSR 192R, KOU 796P, VDV 600S, VVV 62S and LEU 258P. |
| VR LHG 442T stands outside the hangar at Hucknall. |  |
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FFR 165S with a rather interesting exhaust effect, departs Hucknall depot followed by one of the dual-doored VRs - the middle door was not used on any of these. |
| AFJ 759T differed from the other vehicles in livery in not having a blue roof. It is seen arriving back in the city from the Rise Park Estate passing the Victoria clock tower, all that is left of the Great Central Railway's once impressive Victoria station. |  |
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The vehicles in the fleet came from far and wide as is indicated by the registrations. VDV 115S seen here, and the previous example, were both new to Western National. |
| New to the Bristol Omnibus Company, MOU 746R was one of the dual doored ECW bodied VRs in the fleet. It is seen at Smithy Row in Nottingham prior to working the route 58 tk Killisick. |  |
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Alexander bodied Bristol VR, VVV 68S, was new to Northampton Transport and is seen at Market Street passing a rival Nottingham City Transport vehicle. |
| Once in the Tayside fleet, OSR 204R is seen entering the city centre. |  |
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OSR 192R, another ex Tayside vehicle, prior to departure on route 58 to Killisick. |
| OYJ 69R picks up en-route to St. Anns on service 29. |  |
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Leylad Atlantean OEM 789S passes the Victoria Shopping Centre on route 29 to St. Anns. |
| Finally, despite the demise of Nottingham Omnibus, another Company, Delta Bus, set up competing services in what turned out to be a very short lived venture. Delta's Leyland National TOE 481N is seen at Nottingham's Broadmarsh bus station. |  |
| 29 | St Anns / Bilborough via Beechdale Baths |
| 30 | Westdale Lane via Carlton |
| 31 | Bulwell |
| 58 | Killisick via Arnold |
| 75 | Strelley Estate |
| 89 | Rise Park Estate |
| Fleet No. | Registration | Chassis | Chas. No. | Body | Seating |
| 267 | GLS 267N | Leyland Leopard | 7403192 | Alexander | B49F |
| 662 | KSX 662N | Seddon Pennine VI | 58437 | Alexander | DP49F |
| 1026 | PKA 726S | Leyland Atlantean AN68A/1R | 7801034 | Metro Cammell | H43/32F |
| 1028 | PKA 728S | Leyland Atlantean AN68A/1R | 7801158 | Metro Cammell | H43/32F |
| 1065 | OYJ 65R | ||||
| 1066 | OYJ 66R | ||||
| 1069 | OYJ 69R | ||||
| 1071 | OYJ 71R | ||||
| 1076 | OEM 776S | Leyland Atlantean AN68A/1R | 7800050 | Metro Cammell | H43/32F |
| 1085 | OEM 785S | Leyland Atlantean AN68A/1R | 7800452 | Metro Cammell | H43/32F |
| 1087 | OEM 787S | Leyland Atlantean AN68A/1R | 7800320 | Metro Cammell | H43/32F |
| 1093 | OEM 793S | Leyland Atlantean AN68A/1R | 7800195 | Metro Cammell | H43/32F |
| 1094 | OEM 794S | Leyland Atlantean AN68A/1R | 7800054 | Metro Cammell | H43/32F |
| 1098 | OEM 798S | Leyland Atlantean AN68A/1R | 7800194 | Metro Cammell | H43/32F |
| 1099 | OEM 799S | Leyland Atlantean AN68A/1R | 7801053 | Metro Cammell | H43/32F |
| 1500 | VDV 600S | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 1408 | ECW | L43/27F |
| 1504 | OSR 204R | Bristol VRT/LL3/G | 138 | Alexander | H49/34F |
| 1506 | MOU 746R | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 447 | ECW | L43/38D |
| 1510 | RHT 510S | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 108 | ECW | L43/28F |
| 1515 | CJH 115V | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 1086 | ECW | L43/31F |
| 1516 | JHW 116P | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 157 | ECW | L43/27F |
| 1517 | NFB 117R | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 481 | ECW | L43/27F |
| 1524 | MOU 742R | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 443 | ECW | L43/28F |
| 1525 | PHY 695S | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 894 | ECW | L43/28F |
| 1526 | KOU 796P | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 249 | ECW | H39/31F |
| 1538 | VRP 38S | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 375 | Alexander | H45/27D |
| 1539 | LHG 439T | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 1572 | ECW | L43/28F |
| 1541 | CJH 141V | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 2439 | ECW | L43/31F |
| 1542 | LHG 442T | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 1611 | ECW | H43/31F |
| 1543 | LHG 443T | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 1612 | ECW | H43/31F |
| 1544 | LHG 444T | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 1613 | ECW | H43/31F |
| 1545 | VDV 115S | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 1058 | ECW | L43/27F |
| 1546 | CNH 46T | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 440 | Alexander | H45/27D |
| 1549 | FFR 169S | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 1133 | ECW | L43/29F |
| 1553 | AFJ 753T | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 1834 | ECW | L43/27F |
| 1554 | LEU 254P | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 258 | ECW | L43/27F |
| 1555 | LEU 255P | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 259 | ECW | L43/27F |
| 1556 | PHY 696S | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 895 | ECW | L43/28F |
| 1558 | LEU 258P | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 262 | ECW | L43/27F |
| 1559 | AFJ 759T | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 1955 | ECW | L43/27F |
| 1561 | PHY 701S | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 922 | ECW | L43/28F |
| 1562 | VVV 62S | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 957 | Alexander | H45/27D |
| 1564 | NTC 574R | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 621 | ECW | L43/27F |
| 1565 | FFR 165S | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 1205 | ECW | L43/28F |
| 1566 | RHT 506S | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 107 | ECW | L43/28F |
| 1567 | VVV 67S | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 986 | Alexander | H45/27D |
| 1568 | VVV 68S | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 987 | Alexander | H45/27D |
| 1569 | VVV 69S | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 993 | Alexander | H45/27D |
| 1586 | LHG 446T | Bristol VRT/SL3/G | 1818 | ECW | H43/31F |
| 1592 | OSR 192R | Bristol VRT/LL3/G | 126 | Alexander | H49/34D |
| 1594 | OSR 194R | Bristol VRT/LL3/G | 128 | Alexander | H49/34D |
| A letter which illustrated the demise of Nottingham Omnibus |
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