TOPLESS IN SKEGNESS

 

 

In March 1978, the Lincolnshire Road Car Company acquired two Bristol FS6B's from Southdown Motor Services. Both were new in 1962 and registered XPM 41 and XPM 42 which were allocated fleet numbers 2350 and 2351 and named, respectively, the "Lincoln Imp" and "Lincolnshire Poacher". They entered service on May 28th, 1978, on route 93 which operated along the sea front between the North and South Parade (see timetable below). 2351 is seen at the North Parade terminus, wher the conductor stands in fromnt of the bus having a brief chat with the driver.

 

 

 

 

A view of 2350 whilst stood at the bus station in Richmond Drive.

 

 

A rather nice view of 2351 at North Parade when it was presumably used to give some children an outing. Driver Harold Hewson stands in front. After withdrawal, the vehicle was painted orange, re-registeredand to AFE 171A, and used as a driver trainer ! Although both FS's have long vanished from the fleet, the XPM 41 & 42 plates still survive and are currently attached to two Leyland Tiger / Plaxton bodied coaches.

 

 

The following year the service was extended to operate from the bus station in Richmond Drive, where 2352 is illustrated departing, along the sea front, to Winthorpe Avenue.

(Photo : LEYTR archives)

 A view of the same vehicle parked inside the LRCC depot in Grosvenor Road.

 

 

2350 stands at Richmond Drive

 

 

With the former Derbyshire Miners Holiday Centre in the background, 2351 stands at the Winthorpe Avenue terminus prior to returning to Skegness.

 

 

In 1981 the 93 was renumbered 593 and extended to the Richmond Drive Caravan Park. Additionally, route 598 between Skegness and Anchor Lane was also open top and this required two additional vehicles; 602 (XWX 388G) and 603 (XWX 56G), two Bristol VRTSL6G's which were new to West Yorkshire. They were loaned from Amalgamated Passenger Transport. All four are seen at the end of the 1981 season with top decks covered with tarpaulin toprotect against the winter elements. Apologies for the poor quality of this photo - but the subject matter merits its inclusion !

 

 

602 is parked at the layby opposite the Richmond Drive bus station whilst 2352 overtakes en-route to the Richmond Carapark.

 

 

(Above) 603 in APT livery (right) 602.

 

 

Acquired from Trent in 1981 was this Daimler Fleetline with Alexander bodywork. 2352 (HRC 486D) was named the "Coastliner" and is seen whilst parked at Skegness depot and, in the two views below, at Skegness bus station.

 

 

 

 

This Leyland Atlantean PDR1 with Metro-Cammell bodywork was new to Devon General in 1961, and was named "Sir Martin Frobisher. It passed to Western National, then back to Devon General and thence to East Yorkshire Motor Services from where it had a brief spell with the LRCC. The vehicle still exists and is now in the hands of Stagecoach Fife as their fleet number 1102 now being registered ABV 669A.

 

 

Sister vehicle 2253 was repainted into this very attractive colour scheme and named "The Sealiner". It is seen whilst parked at the depot.

 

 

Looking very striking between the two NBC green fleet liveried LRCC VR's, 2253 stands at the layby opposite the bus station awaiting its next duty. Below are four views taken at (top left) Lumley Road, Skegness, (top right) Anchor Lane, Ingoldmells and two views of the top deck whilst at Skegness sea front.

 

 

 

 

Open toppers also regularly participated in the annual Skegness Carnival parade. 2253 and 2352 stand at the playing fields before setting off with the procession.

 

 

An earlier acquisition was another ex Devon General Leyland Atlantean PDR1 / Metro Cammell in 1983. In the Devon General fleet it was named "Sir Richard Grenville". The LRCC allocated it fleet number 2354 (929 GTA - subsequently re-registered AFE 388A). As the livery indicates , it was used for special services in the Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire. However, when redundant in this capacity, it found itself allocated to Skegness working alongside sister 2353. Here it is seen at the Skegness bus station before departing on a service 598 to Ingoldmells. It was

 

 

Unlike all other open toppers which the LRCC has owned, these two vehicles had roofs which were reattached at the end of the summer season and so they were licensed to operate all year.

 

 

(Photo kindly provided by John Nelson)

(Photo kindly provided by John Nelson)

 

 

Bristol VR 1971 (HWJ 924W) was acquired from Yorkshire Traction in 1988 and is seen in that year in red (below) and with all over adverts for pleasure island. It served as an open top for many years and was eventually fitted with the roof fromanother VR and entered back into normal service after its conversion back to closed top !

 

 

1304 (LJA 624P) was one of a batch of Northern Counties bodied Atlanteans acquired from Greater Manchester in 1988. It was subsequently converted to open top, initially painted into the livery shown below before the revised standard open top livery was applied.

 

 

1306 was another ex Greater Manchester Atlantean converted to open top.

 

 

1317 (UBV 87L) was a Leyland Atlantean with East Lancashire bodywork which was acquired from Lancaster City Transport in 1993. Shown below is sister vehicle 1314 (UBV 84L) prior to repainting.

 

 

For the summer 2000 season, Road Car replaced the earlier Atlanteans with four ECW bodied examples. Here, ex Ribble 1389 (TRN 469V) departs on the 99 Skegness - Chapel Point run, the route on whjich open toppers appear most frequently.

 

 

Contents