As acquired SMA
I can't really say that I'm a great advocate of using an acquired bus in the livery of the previous operator, even as here, in an amalgamation of those of the previous two, but sometimes needs must.
Back in the mid 1990s I bought this former London Country SMA class AEC Swift for my Knotty Bus & Coach operation. It arrived from Blue Triangle on Merseyside (the folk who'd added the blue skirt), but the remainder of the livery was the previous operator to that, Bowman's of Carlisle who'd dabbled briefly in bus work.
JPF 103K was quite one of the most pleasant machines I'd purchased and unlike the Marshall bodied Swifts I'd owned, this Alexander 'W Type' was just about rattle free. Mechanically and bodily it was sweet as a nut. It's only vice was a slight tendency to overheat, but that was an issue we quickly sorted with a radiator change.
SMA3 (as it once was with London Country) is seen here at the rear of Longton Bus Station, Stoke on Trent one afternoon when about to operate a Staffs County Council tendered journey to Stone via the back roads. Not long afterwards we managed to get it re-painted into our fleet colours and I have to say, I thought it looked fabulous . . . but then I perhaps would!
As acquired SMA
I can't really say that I'm a great advocate of using an acquired bus in the livery of the previous operator, even as here, in an amalgamation of those of the previous two, but sometimes needs must.
Back in the mid 1990s I bought this former London Country SMA class AEC Swift for my Knotty Bus & Coach operation. It arrived from Blue Triangle on Merseyside (the folk who'd added the blue skirt), but the remainder of the livery was the previous operator to that, Bowman's of Carlisle who'd dabbled briefly in bus work.
JPF 103K was quite one of the most pleasant machines I'd purchased and unlike the Marshall bodied Swifts I'd owned, this Alexander 'W Type' was just about rattle free. Mechanically and bodily it was sweet as a nut. It's only vice was a slight tendency to overheat, but that was an issue we quickly sorted with a radiator change.
SMA3 (as it once was with London Country) is seen here at the rear of Longton Bus Station, Stoke on Trent one afternoon when about to operate a Staffs County Council tendered journey to Stone via the back roads. Not long afterwards we managed to get it re-painted into our fleet colours and I have to say, I thought it looked fabulous . . . but then I perhaps would!