Location: Eastwood Industrial Estate

Last time I saw this, it was in a bit of a state, however a lot of work has clearly gone into getting 114 back up to scratch. It has now recieved its EasyridE vynils and 464 route branding, a sight for sore eyes for us Rossendale fans.

114 is just one of two roadworthy Rossendale Easyride vehicles left, and of two still surviving in the Easyride livery. One of its sisters still remains in the scrap yard from which 114 was rescued, albeit with a tree growing through it. Big cousin 102 also still survives, working out of Elland depot for Team Pennine as 2746, Ive made it my mission to ensure that one day she and 114 will sit together at a rally, some of the few last pieces of a once mighty municipal operator. Fingers crossed.

Sony RX0M2 _ LRM

Nikon F6

Sigma A 35mm f/1.4

Kodak Portra 400

Scotland

February 2020

© ajpscs

Taken with a Nikon D700 and a Nikon 300mm f4

SoCal

Haslingden

Here are some more pics and features of the easyride passenger airspeeder

I just put some decals for the screens and controls

Hope you like it! 😁

A bus which holds a very special place in my heart; being the last vehicle (I think) to sport the Rossendale Transport EasyridE livery. Many memories of riding these as a young lad.

Beautifully preserved by Mancbuses: mancbuses.com/

Location: Eastwood Industrial Estate

The EasyRide passenger airspeeders, also known as Coruscant air taxis were repulsorcraft vehicles that operated on the planet Coruscant. They were used to ferry their passengers from one destination to another and were the most common airspeeders to be found in Coruscant's skylanes. Being allowed "free travel”, these air taxis were able to leave the auto-navigating skylanes in order to take the most direct means to their destination.

Hey everybody here is a poster I made with a moc I did in 2019

The moc has 545 pieces and is 23.5 cm long, 21.5 cm wide and 25.7 cm tall

I’ll post some more pics of the model later

Hope you like it! 😁

Seen at the launch of the Rossendalebus Easyride brand is new Volvo / Wright 216

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Another photograph of Rossendale Transports 'Easyride' livery and 464 branding in 2005 this time carried by a Dennis Dart SLF with East Lancs Spryte body.

A later generation of Rossendale Transport double-decker (and one of its finest), Volvo B7TL / East Lancs Myllennium Vyking 102 in the original 'Easyride' low-floor livery and still sporting its builders badge on the dash panel. An unexpected arrival at the time, having seen a few months of service across the Irish Sea (as 07-KE-5308 with Circle Line), a quirk in the system at the time, meant that Rossendale were able to register this as a brand new vehicle in September 2007, so with some justification, it can lay claim to being the Company's last new double-decker. Seen here in Haslingden, resplendent in the early Spring sunshine and at a time when there was much more variety and interest plying the 464 than can be found today.

This image is copyright and must not be reproduced or downloaded without the permission of the photographer.

Rossendale Transport Limited 107 N107 LCK, a Dennis Dart SLF built 1996 with an East Lancashire Spryte B28F body on Manchester Road in Castleton with the 13:45 Rochdale bus station, Castleton and Rochdale bus station circular 442 service. Monday 18th February 2008

Ref no Olympus E500 - P2184745

Rosso Optare Solo YJ05JWK in the old Easyride livery in Rawtenstall on the 10 to New Hall Hey, 18.11.17.

This is just a sample of the photos from this trip. All my bus photos from this month are here: mkttransportphoto.smugmug.com/2017/November-2017/UK-Bus-N...

Rosso 148 photographed last Saturday in Bury Interchange still wearing its base 'Easyride' livery with mini Rosso sticker under the windscreen. I'm sure this vehicle will have departed by the end of January to be replaced by one of Transdevs many stored vehicles.

Seen on Lowfields Way, next to Elland electricity substation. Many thanks to the Team Pennine staff for bringing her out of the yard for me, exceeded all expectations!

Originally built as the prototype for the Mk2 B7TL chassis in 2004, with beam suspension at the front and a brand new digital dashboard. It recieved the last Myllennium Vyking body in March 2007 and was then sent off to Circle Line Buses in Dublin, Ireland. Due to financial troubles Circle Line sold on a number of vehicles and 07-KE-5308 found its way to Rossendale in August 2007 and was re-registered as PN57 LGF in September 2007. It was one of three B7TLs to recieve the Rossendale EasyridE scheme, and is the only one to survive out of the three. With Rossendale it carried fleet number 102 and was the first vehicle to recieve their new red and white diagonal livery in 2013. In 2016 it transferred from Haslingden to Rochdale depot and a year later recieved fleet number 150 as part of a fleet wide renumbering scheme. In 2018 it passed to Transdev with the sale of Rosso by Rossendale Council, and was renumbered 2746. In mid 2022 it was then transferred to Team Pennine's Elland depot for school services, and has since only run a single duty of public services. I am currently in the process of trying to secure this vehicle for preservation.

Rochdale Bus Station

New as a Volvo / Wright Demonstrator registered LEZ 3034.

Volvo B7TL / East Lancs Vyking.

Y568LRN and X2JPT new to Walsh, Middleton in2000.

Rossendale Transport - easyride, Haslingden depot.

Rossendale Transport Limited's Dennis/Plaxton Super Pointer Dart 122 (S122KRN) was badly damaged in a collision with a Toyota Corolla on Grane Road, Haslingden while operating service 244 to Blackburn on 4 July 2007. The damaged sustained was so bad that the bus was written off. It was photographed on 28 July 2007 inside Rawtenstall depot at an open day to celebrate 100 years of municipally owned public transport in Rossendale.

Another bus from the same batch, 118 (S118KRN), suffered severe damage and was written off following collision with a car in Walmersley Road, Bury on 10 November 2011.

Four decades ago, low floor, accessible transport was but a pipe dream and transport for the disabled was usually limited to 'welfare' type minibuses operated by local authorities.

In 1981, Crosville converted a Bristol RE to incorporate a rear mounted wheelchair lift and seating for twenty two passengers.

Marketed as 'Easy Ride', the bus was used on private hires and special excursions. It outlived Crosville and continued in use with North Western, finally succumbing in the early nineties.

Rossendale Transport Ltd of Rawtenstall Dennis Dart SLF-East Lancashire Coachbuilders Spryte low floor bus at Bury Interchange. This vehicle was new to this operator as fleet number 112 in June 1997.

Seen here in Burnley working a 483 service to Bury, also to be branded for Bury FC (9/6/15)

Was new in Easyride livery branded for the 464 Mainline service between Accrington and Rochdale

Still in its 'Easyride' livery with just a basic 'Rosso' ID, PO51WEC ambles around Bacup not in service on what could be a historic day - Rossendale councillors were due to decide today on proposals to sell Rossendale Transport to Transdev Blazefield.

Rossendale Transport Limited 135 PO51 WEC, a Dennis Dart SLF built 2001 with an East Lancashire Spryte B37F+21 body departs from Bury Interchange with a 483 service heading for Rawtenstall. Tuesday 5th January 2010

Ref no Canon EOS50D 1st series - IMG_9424

Rossendale Tpt depot, Mandale Park, Rochdale - parked up withdrawn from service

Rochdale Bus Station

Taken in 2004 in the same area as the previous photograph showing how the livery and branding of the 464 trunk route has evolved from the 'Easyride' brand over a period of about 13 years. Time will tell if Transdev comes up with a new identity for the route.

Rossendale Optare Solo 47 (YJ54 BUU) at Bury Bus Station, Manchester 29th May 2011.

It seems like a distant memory, but it is almost 30 years since the first low floor buses heralded the introduction of the Easyride brand with Rossendale Transport. It would be another 11 years before any double-deckers received the treatment - and there were only 3 of them, all East Lancs bodied Volvo B7TLs that were acquired in 2007 and ran in this livery for around 6 years before the another 'refresh' saw them repainted in 'Rosso' livery. First of the trio, the ex Cronins (Ireland) one-time Volvo 'stock build' 101 turns into Lavender Hill on the Balladen Estate service in Rawtenstall.

This image is copyright and must not be reproduced or downloaded without the permission of the photographer.

P212DCK Dennis Dart SLF / East Lancs Spryte

Rossendale Transport 112

Rawtenstall Bus Station

www.travelinchucks.com

Rossendale Transport Ltd of Rawtenstall Dennis Dart SLF-East Lancashire Coachbuilders Spryte low floor bus at Bury Interchange. This vehicle was new to this operator as fleet number 139 in January 2002.

Rossendale Transport Limited 168 HV52 WSK, a Dennis Dart SLF built 2002 with a Caetano Nimbus B34F+26 body on Holcombe Road in Greenmount with the 12:15 Bury Interchange to Bolton bus station via Walshaw, Tottington, Hawkshaw and Walves 480 service. Wednesday 23rd March 2011

Note, HV52 WSK was originally operated by Wimco Group Coaches Limited (a Mitcham based operator who traded as Mitcham Belle) as number 071. Wimco Group Coaches Limited was purchased by Centra Bus Limited on 27th August 2004 with HV52 WSK being renumbered DC21 in October 2004. Centra Bus Limited ran its last passenger services on 19th May 2006 and HV52 WSK was acquired by Dawsonrentals Bus and Coach Limited (a Milton Keynes based dealer) in June 2006. It was purchased by Rossendale Transport Limited in June 2007 entering service as number 168 after the seating was altered from B31D by North West Bus and Coach Repairs Limited

Ref no Canon EOS50D 3rd series - IMG_2323

Rossendale Transport Limited 159 CU04 AOP, a MAN 14.220 built 2004 with a MCV Stirling B39F+27 body on Rochdale Road in Bury at the junction with Angouleme Way with the 13:20 Rochdale bus station to Bury Interchange via Greave, Bamford and Fairfield General Hospital 468 service. Friday 30th September 2011

Note, CU04 AOP was originally operated by 2 Travel Limited (a Pentrechwyth based operator) who ceased to trade in May 2005. It was purchased by Rossendale Transport Limited in October 2005 as number 159

Ref no Canon EOS50D 7th series - IMG_2040

Rossendale Transport Limited 47 YJ54 BUU, an Optare Solo Slimline M880SL with a B25F+23 body built 2004 on Haymarket Street in Bury with the 12:42 Bury Interchange to Heywood library via Fairfield, Heywood and Hopwood 475 service. Saturday 11th June 2011

Ref no Canon EOS50D 5th series - IMG_0382

Rossendale Transport Limited 102 PN57 LGF, a Volvo B7TL built 2004 with an East Lancashire Vyking Myllenium CH45/27F+17 body stands in the bus park by Bury Interchange. Saturday 18th April 2009

Note, PN57 LGF’s chassis was manufactured in 2004 and delivered to Wrightbus in Ballymena for bodying that never happened. The chassis was returned to Volvo who had it fitted with an East Lancashire Vyking Myllenium body and it was loaned in 2007 to the Circleline Bus Company Limited in Éire with the registration 07-KE-5308 due to the late delivery of new vehicles from Volvo. It was purchased by Rossendale Transport Limited in August 2007 as number 102, being registered PN57 LGF in September 2007

Ref no Olympus E500 - P4184891

Rossendale Transport Limited 151 PO53 OBM, a Volvo B7RLE built 2003 with a Wright Eclipse Urban B44F+36 body on Whitworth Road in Rochdale with an Accrington bus station to Rochdale bus station via Rawtenstall and Bacup 464 service. Tuesday 23rd March 2010

Ref no Canon EOS50D 2nd series - IMG_3131

Rossendale Transport Limited was awarded a contract to provide Park & Ride buses linking Heaton Park with Sportcity for the duration of the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games. Rossendale Transport ordered eight East Lancashire Spryte bodied Dennis Super Darts with 39 seats to operate this service but only two (141/2) were delivered by the time the Commonwealth Games started in July 2002. These buses were the first in the UK to be fitted with Mobitech LED destination and route number equipment. 141 (PF02XMX) was photographed at Sportcity bus station on 28 July 2002.

To the right of 141 was First Manchester 7032 (G284OGE), a Volvo B10M with Alexander RV 84 seat bodywork that was new to Strathclyde PTE as its AH36 in September 1989.