The end of an era - Notts & Derby
Saturday 21st July 2018 has been an important day for bus operators and enthusiasts alike, with a number of important services being confined to history books. In this photo I'll explain the background of historical service 11, linking Derby and Ilkeston.
Before I begin, I'd like to thank Daniel Stone for the referencing on the following paragraphs.
Cast your minds back to the 1920s. How old were you then? I bet many people reading this wouldn't have yet been born. One popular song of the time was called Felix Kept on Walking, and that gave local resident Norman Frost the idea on a name for his new transport company. He started off by transporting miners between the old West Hallam colliery whilst providing transport for football supporters at the weekend. Upon starting this service, a couple of Crossley buses and a Dennis bus were bought by Felix and a regular service between Stanley and Derby commenced, with weekend extensions to Ilkeston. By 1926, all services ran between Ilkeston and Derby, which became the service we know today.
1975 saw Trent begin in the Stanley, after Mr Frost's passing, as they acquired the license to operate on this corridor. This was the start of a long battle for Felix Bus Services.
The '80s brought deregulation of bus services, meaning it was easier to compete between operators, and this posed a threat to Felix, who, in 1986, extended their current service to the then new Shipley View estate. This is also the time where the service adopted the 12 number. And by the 90s Felix kept on investing and Leylands were brought into the fleet. By 1995 Volvo B10Bs on Alexander bodies were bought and in 1999 their first low floor bus entered service, in the form of ALX300 bodied Volvo B10BLE S590 KJF.
When the millennium came about competition was still hot and quite soon it was decided that Trent (with their 120 service), and Felix were to join forces to create a Black Cat service which ran half hourly to Ilkeston and hourly to Mansfield. Trent Barton were running brand new Optare Excels leaving Derby at half past the hour, whilst Felix's B10s (and soon Scania L94UBs), left Derby on the hour. Originally passengers were allowed on Felix's services with Trent Barton's day tickets and vice versa, however this was soon brought to an end.
Investment continued in the noughties with Plaxton bodied VDLs being the main choice, and by 2010, their last bus was bought, in the form of Volvo B7RLE FJ10 NFV. In 2011 Trent Barton pounced on the Felix company and operated an extra service 5 minutes in front of the Felix services, and rather strangely, this service only ran for 10 days, with brandless buses and drivers without uniform. During these 12 days, it is thought that these buses weren't cleaned at all, and it was supposedly to 'warn' the passengers with what they'd be in for if Felix continued operating their service. Felix urged customers to stay loyal and keep using the established service, and it seemed to work.
Saturday 28th January 2012 and the last Felix bus returned to the depot, and it was a historical day, as following that, the bus operations in the company were to be taken over by the Wellglade Group, with the Black Cat service being operated by Notts & Derby. Soon after, this became service 11 and it continued running (commonly with former Felix Scanias and Centros), until 21st July 2018, just short of a hundred years, when the service was finally brought to and end, and Felix was put to bed.
Felix also operated Ilkeston Flyer journeys alongside Trent Barton's until Notts & Derby took over that also as a result of the sale in 2012, however Trent Barton took on all journeys in July 2017. The only trace of Felix Bus services nowadays, is the service 59 between Derby and Ilkeston via Breadsall, formerly ran by Felix but now operated by Yourbus.
Here is a link to the song 'Felix Kept on Walking': www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dia8g9q1SdU
766 (YN08 CWX) departs Derby Bus Station on one of the last ever 11 journeys. Although this wasn't a Felix vehicle, 767 (FJ10 NFV) was and I'm sure that also operated one of the final journeys
The end of an era - Notts & Derby
Saturday 21st July 2018 has been an important day for bus operators and enthusiasts alike, with a number of important services being confined to history books. In this photo I'll explain the background of historical service 11, linking Derby and Ilkeston.
Before I begin, I'd like to thank Daniel Stone for the referencing on the following paragraphs.
Cast your minds back to the 1920s. How old were you then? I bet many people reading this wouldn't have yet been born. One popular song of the time was called Felix Kept on Walking, and that gave local resident Norman Frost the idea on a name for his new transport company. He started off by transporting miners between the old West Hallam colliery whilst providing transport for football supporters at the weekend. Upon starting this service, a couple of Crossley buses and a Dennis bus were bought by Felix and a regular service between Stanley and Derby commenced, with weekend extensions to Ilkeston. By 1926, all services ran between Ilkeston and Derby, which became the service we know today.
1975 saw Trent begin in the Stanley, after Mr Frost's passing, as they acquired the license to operate on this corridor. This was the start of a long battle for Felix Bus Services.
The '80s brought deregulation of bus services, meaning it was easier to compete between operators, and this posed a threat to Felix, who, in 1986, extended their current service to the then new Shipley View estate. This is also the time where the service adopted the 12 number. And by the 90s Felix kept on investing and Leylands were brought into the fleet. By 1995 Volvo B10Bs on Alexander bodies were bought and in 1999 their first low floor bus entered service, in the form of ALX300 bodied Volvo B10BLE S590 KJF.
When the millennium came about competition was still hot and quite soon it was decided that Trent (with their 120 service), and Felix were to join forces to create a Black Cat service which ran half hourly to Ilkeston and hourly to Mansfield. Trent Barton were running brand new Optare Excels leaving Derby at half past the hour, whilst Felix's B10s (and soon Scania L94UBs), left Derby on the hour. Originally passengers were allowed on Felix's services with Trent Barton's day tickets and vice versa, however this was soon brought to an end.
Investment continued in the noughties with Plaxton bodied VDLs being the main choice, and by 2010, their last bus was bought, in the form of Volvo B7RLE FJ10 NFV. In 2011 Trent Barton pounced on the Felix company and operated an extra service 5 minutes in front of the Felix services, and rather strangely, this service only ran for 10 days, with brandless buses and drivers without uniform. During these 12 days, it is thought that these buses weren't cleaned at all, and it was supposedly to 'warn' the passengers with what they'd be in for if Felix continued operating their service. Felix urged customers to stay loyal and keep using the established service, and it seemed to work.
Saturday 28th January 2012 and the last Felix bus returned to the depot, and it was a historical day, as following that, the bus operations in the company were to be taken over by the Wellglade Group, with the Black Cat service being operated by Notts & Derby. Soon after, this became service 11 and it continued running (commonly with former Felix Scanias and Centros), until 21st July 2018, just short of a hundred years, when the service was finally brought to and end, and Felix was put to bed.
Felix also operated Ilkeston Flyer journeys alongside Trent Barton's until Notts & Derby took over that also as a result of the sale in 2012, however Trent Barton took on all journeys in July 2017. The only trace of Felix Bus services nowadays, is the service 59 between Derby and Ilkeston via Breadsall, formerly ran by Felix but now operated by Yourbus.
Here is a link to the song 'Felix Kept on Walking': www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dia8g9q1SdU
766 (YN08 CWX) departs Derby Bus Station on one of the last ever 11 journeys. Although this wasn't a Felix vehicle, 767 (FJ10 NFV) was and I'm sure that also operated one of the final journeys