The Bee Line 202 F532NRD

Early on a Sunday morning in mid March 1988 an arsonist set alight the Newbury bus depot of The Bee Line. As a result 23 buses were destroyed but many were saved thanks to the prompt actions of fire brigades, staff and neighbours. Services were maintained using buses from other Bee Line depots and a selection of hired in buses from nearby operators.

 

I visited Newbury in late March 1988 and again in May 1989 to capture the bus scene at the depot and bus station.

 

The 23 buses lost in the inferno were:

Leyland National: 306, 320, 330, 337, 345, 357, 376;

Bristol VRT: 506, 514, 515, 527, 528, 537, 538, 571, 572, 573, 574, 575, 576;

Leyland Tiger / Plaxton: 755;

Leyland Olympian / ECW: 804;

Bristol VRT trainer: DT92.

 

Of particular note are VRTs 571-6. These had only just been acquired from Northumbria and were being prepped for service with The Bee Line.

 

As a direct result of the vehicle losses, Newbury received a fleet of Optare StarRiders and, from South Wales, six secondhand VRTs and a Leyland National.

Done