View allAll Photos Tagged wrightbros
In a region that was ripe with independent bus operators, Wright Bros of Nenthead in Cumbria is a remarkable survivor. Untouched and unshaken by the effects of deregulation, it quietly goes about its business from one of the most unlikely bus garages in the country, a former lead mining building located 1500 feet above sea level.
The company's trunk route from Newcastle to Keswick via Hexham, Alston and Penrith is no less remarkable. With a summit of 1,999 feet, it is the highest and one of the most challenging bus routes in the country - little wonder that competition has passed it by. A distinctive feature of Wright Bros coaches for many years was the route branding above the side windows, shown here on a Duple Vista-bodied Bedford OB.
Wright Bros operated a great many Bedford OBs, some bought new and others second-hand. The registration number suggests that the vehicle depicted here was one of the latter (which may not have carried the route branding). This digitally-coloured image is based on a momochrome view of a similar vehicle operated by JH Dowson (Safety Coaches) of Frosterly in Weardale.
The location is Crook market place, which is beyond the sphere of Wright Bros stage carriage services (which did reach as far as St John's Chapel in Weardale for a while) - but it would not be uncommon to see Wright Bros vehicles on private hire workings this far into County Durham. Note the Bedford OST tipper to the right and demobbed military truck (probably a Bedford MW) and Vauxhall Velox in the background (21-Nov-09).
There's been a flurry of interest in the Bedford OWB over the last few days, following word that Oxford Diecast is to produce a 1/76 model. This image isn't quite finished (I need an original registration number and there's some doubt about the fleet name) but it seems an appropriate time to publish it.
Mention 'Bedford OWB' to anyone interested in north-east independents and the fleet that will most likely come to mind is Wright Bros of Nenthead (you'll find more about Wright Bros under the Bedford OB/Duple Vista image). The OWB is a little before my time (quite a lot actually) and the only picture that I've seen of a Wright's OWB was a grainy but very evocative view taken somewhere between Nenthead and Cowshill on the long since abandoned route into Weardale (14-May-11).
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It is always a pleasure to feature vehicles in Wright Bros livery; and I know that my renditions are appreciated by the company, despite my liberal application of artistic licence.
To the best of my knowledge, neither Bristol chassis nor ECW bodies have ever featured in the fleet; but the previously featured RELHs looked so right that I though I'd chance the earlier MW model. This is the vehicle that has previously been featured in (authentic) United Automobile Services and (fictional) Durham District Services liveries. I recall some of the United examples stored awaiting disposal in the early 1970s - still very attractive and comfortable vehicles, but eclipsed by the newer RELHs (10-Jan-11).
I recently had the pleasure of renewing an acquaintance with Ian Wright. Whilst discussing my rendition of the early style ECW-bodied Bristol RELH coach, he mentioned that he rather liked the later Plaxton-style ECW bodies, which I'm delighted to portray here in the company's livery.
By comparison with the earlier vehicle, the light grey has been superseded by pale blue and the lettering is larger and bolder. This style of livery was carried by several Plaxton-bodied coaches. The ECW body is superficially similar to the Plaxtons and actually incorporates Plaxton screens but with flat rather than curved side windows. The overall effect was very pleasing, with a particularly attractive grille.
I was digging through some vintage Jules Verne hardbacks and hidden under the cover sleeve was this old photograph.
Just received these awesome guys from Vinnie, so a quick vintage shot.
Wright Bros of Alston's impressive Burlingham bodied Crossley SD42-7 FUN319 is pictured at The Town stop at the Beamish Open Air Museum, during their Bus Running Day on October 23rd 2021.
- Fleet: —-
- Reg: FJ13 EAC
- Operator: Wright Bros
- Route: 888
- Depot: Nenthead
- Livery: Wright Bros
- Type: Volvo B9R
- Bodywork: Caetano Levante
- Livery New In: National Express
- New to/ Year: Travel de Courcey / 2013
- Location: Newcastle Coach Station
A pair of classic public service vehicles which would have been working hard in the 1950's, standing on the cobbled town street at Beamish Museum.
On the left is a 1949 Crossley SD42/7 coach with a Burlingham body, registered FUN 319. The coach, with it's 8.6 litre Crossley engine and "crash" gearbox, belongs to Wright Bros Coaches of Nenthead in Upper Weardale who have owned it since 1959.
To the right of it is Beamish Museum's own 1954 ex-Rotherham Corporation Daimler CVG6 (registered KET 220) with it's Weymann body, 8.4 litre Gardner engine and Wilson pre-select gearbox.
Copyright © 2020 Terry Pinnegar Photography. All Rights Reserved. THIS IMAGE IS NOT TO BE USED WITHOUT MY EXPRESS PERMISSION!
Wright Bros. Crossley SD42-7/Burlingham FUN319 is pictured at the NEBPT's Rally at Seaburn on August 31st 2015.
Wright Bros. JRZ 8507 in Blaydon on 08/07/21 - I think it’s Plaxton Profile bodied Volvo B7R, originally registered YN54 DDU.
- Fleet: —-
- Reg: YY63 OEL
- Operator: Wright Bros Coaches
- Route: —-
- Depot: Blucher
- Livery: Wright Bros
- Type: Volvo B9R
- Bodywork: Caetano Levante
- Livery New In: National Express
- New to/ Year: EYMS / 2013
- Location: Stonyflat Bank, Prudhoe
Wright Bros of Alston's Crossley SD-42-7/Burlingham FUN319 is pictured at Beamish during their 'Fares Please!' event on May 6th 2023.
Wright Bros. of Nenthead's Volvo B10M/Plaxton Premiere 3 MJI6405 is pictured on Market Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne, on Panto duty for The Theatre Royal, on December 16th 2016. It was originally registered N289OYE.
Wright Bros Crossley SD42-7/Burlingham FUN319 is pictured by the Bus Depot at the Beamish Open Air Museum during the Bus Running Day there on October 23rd 2021.
The long-standing Newcastle-Alston-Penrith-Keswick route, nowadays the 888, was inaugurated in 1925 with Wrights taking it over the following year. Formerly daily, over recent years it has been summer only which this year has been reduced to just between Fridays and Mondays - it is to be hoped it can continue for another three or four years to see its centenary.
YY63 OEL is a Volvo B9R new to East Yorkshire with its original National Express livery now amended to include Wright's traditional blue/grey, cream, and black colours.
It is pictured on an otherwise bus-less stretch of road south of Greystoke that even local village community operator Fellrunner does not reach.
- Fleet: —-
- Reg: YN09 HSC
- Operator: Wright Bros
- Route: —-
- Depot: Blucher
- Livery: Wright Bros
- Type: Iveco Eurorider
- Bodywork: Plaxton Panther
- Livery New In: Steels Coaches
- New to/ Year: Steels Coaches / 2009
- Location: Stonyflat Bank, Prudhoe
Wright Brothers Memorial Musem. Sculpture representing Orville & Wilbur Wright's first flight at Kitty Hawk, NC.
Making a brief visit to Beamish Museum during their end of season steam weekend (7/8 October 2017) is this beautifully restored 1949 Crossley SD42/7 with it's Burlingham C33F coach body and 6 cylinder Crossley 48.6hp, 8.6-litre diesel engine and "crash" gearbox. It is seen here on the cobbled town street at the park bus stop.
The coach, registered FUN 319 (Chassis No.97893), was new to Peters of Llanarmon in Denbighshire in April 1949. After passing through one other owner it was acquired by Wright Bros. of Nenthead in Upper Weardale in March 1959, and has remained in their ownership since that time. It is one of four similar Crossleys at one time owned by that company.
Wrights used this coach daily on their arduous Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Keswick route across the Pennines until it was withdrawn from service in March 1971. It was then parked up at the Nenthead garage until 1999 when a start was made at restoration, eventually completed in 2012.
Copyright © 2020 Terry Pinnegar Photography. All Rights Reserved. THIS IMAGE IS NOT TO BE USED WITHOUT MY EXPRESS PERMISSION!
Still going strong at 41 years old, same owner since new, is Plaxton bodied Beford YRQ RRM 915M of Wright Bros, Nenthead, Cumbria.
Here it climbs up the narrow main street of Alston, owner Ian Wright at the wheel, whilst performing a school contract.
373 FGB was new to David MacBrayne, Glasgow in 1962 and sold to Wright Bros of Nenthead in 1969, in whose livery it is depicted here. Wright Bros sold it to OK Motor Services of Bishop Auckland in 1980, with whom it lasted long enough to receive post-deregulation OK Travel fleet names. Prior to disposal in 1989, OK re-registered it AEF 471A and subsequently used the original registration on various coaches. It was purchased for conversion to a mobile home but was badly damaged by fire in 1992 and subsequently broken-up (20-Nov-20)
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DSC_8887 - VO10 - YY63 OEL - Volvo B9R/Caetano Levante 2 - Wright Brothers (Ex-East Yorkshire 80) - Newcastle, Neville Street 13/09/25
- Fleet: —-
- Reg: FJ13 EAC
- Operator: Wright Bros Coaches
- Route: —-
- Depot: Nenthead
- Livery: Wright Bros
- Type: Volvo B9R
- Bodywork: Caetano Levante
- Livery New In: National Express
- New to/ Year: Travel de Courcey / 2013
- Location: Wright Bros, Nenthead
Lined up on the cobbled street of Beamish Museum town are two beautifully restored public service vehicles of the past.
On the left is a 1949 Crossley SD42/7 with it's Burlingham C33F coach body and 6 cylinder Crossley 48.6hp, 8.6-litre diesel engine and "crash" gearbox.The coach, registered FUN 319 (Chassis No.97893), was new to Peters of Llanarmon in Denbighshire in April 1949. After passing through one other owner it was acquired by Wright Bros. of Nenthead in Upper Weardale in March 1959, and has remained in their ownership since that time. It is one of four similar Crossleys at one time owned by that company. This coach was making a brief appearance at Beamish in early October 2017.
On the right is Beamish Museum's own 1954 ex-Rotherham Corporation Daimler CVG6 (registered KET 220) with it's Weymann body, 8.4 litre Gardner engine and Wilson pre-select gearbox. This bus can quite often be seen in service at the museum.
Copyright © 2018 Terry Pinnegar Photography. All Rights Reserved. THIS IMAGE IS NOT TO BE USED WITHOUT MY EXPRESS PERMISSION!
DSC_8890 - VO10 - YY63 OEL - Volvo B9R/Caetano Levante 2 - Wright Brothers (Ex-East Yorkshire 80) - Newcastle, Neville Street 13/09/25
This Burlingham bodied Crossley SD42-7 was originally new to Peters, Llanarman in 1949 and has been superbly restored by Wright Bros and is seen in their livery here on display at the North East Bus Preservation Trust's Durham Rally on Sunday 18th June 2017.
- Fleet: —-
- Reg: KIW 989 (KSK 948, NK07 YEB)
- Operator: Wright Bros
- Route: —-
- Depot: Blucher
- Livery: Wright Bros
- Type: Volvo B12M
- Bodywork: Jonckheere JHV
- Livery New In: Parks of Hamilton
- New to/ Year: Parks of Hamilton / 2007
- Location: Corbridge Road, Hexham
Posing for an early morning photo on the cobbles and tram tracks of the town street at Beamish Museum are these two beautifully restored heritage vehicles.
On the left is a 1949 Crossley SD42/7 coach with a Burlingham body, registered FUN 319. The coach, with it's 8.6 litre Crossley engine and "crash" gearbox, belongs to Wright Bros Coaches of Nenthead in Upper Weardale who have owned it since 1959. It was on a brief visit to Beamish on 7/8 October 2017.
To the right of it is Beamish Museum's own 1954 ex-Rotherham Corporation Daimler CVG6 (registered KET 220) with it's Weymann body, 8.4 litre Gardner engine and Wilson pre-select gearbox.
Copyright © 2017 Terry Pinnegar Photography. All Rights Reserved. THIS IMAGE IS NOT TO BE USED WITHOUT MY EXPRESS PERMISSION!
- Fleet: —-
- Reg: JRZ 8507 (YN54 DDU)
- Operator: Wright Bros Coaches
- Route: —-
- Depot: Blucher
- Livery: Wright Bros
- Type: Volvo B7R
- Bodywork: Plaxton Profile
- Livery New In: Cerbydau Cenarth
- New to/ Year: Cerbydau Cenarth / 2004
- Location: Stonyflat Bank, Prudhoe
Company: Wright Bros.
Fleetnumber: N/A
Registration: A431ESO
Chassis: Volvo B10M
Bodywork: Plaxton
Location of Photo: Haymarket, Newcastle
Previous Registrations: N/A
New to: Cadger, Balmedie
Other Notes: N/A
This Burlingham bodied Crossley SD42-7 was originally new to Peters, Llanarman in 1949 and has been superbly restored by Wright Bros and is seen in their livery here on display at the North East Bus Preservation Trust's Durham Rally on Sunday 19th June 2016.
This is a simple re-livery of the vehicle previously published in Tyne Valley Coaches and Durham & District liveries. The nature of Wright Bros operations has changed over the years such that it is now primarily a coach operator, with a much reduced need for service buses. In terms of size, the Optare Solo is perhaps the modern day successor to the much loved Bedford OB and, with a variety of length and width options, can be found on a an equally diverse range of duties (01-Jan-13).
See also Tyne Valley Coaches version:
www.flickr.com/photos/northernblue109/8026220938/in/set-7...
Strictly Copyright: You are encouraged to provide links to this image but it would be an offence to post it elsewhere without the express permission of the copyright owner
Standing in the afternoon sun at Beamish Museum is this fine pair of classic buses.
On the left is beautifully restored ex-London Transport AEC Routemaster RM378 of 1960, registered WLT 378. No expense has been spared on this restoration and the bus is absolutely gleaming inside and out!
After finishing it's time in London this bus was re-registered and worked for Southend Transport in the 1990's. In preservation the livery has been returned to the original and, incredibly, the original registration has been recovered and re-applied. The bus is now owned by Weardale Motor Services of County Durham.
On the right is a 1949 Crossley SD42/7 coach with a Burlingham C33F body, registered FUN 319. The coach, with it's 8.6 litre Crossley engine and "crash" gearbox, belongs to Wright Bros Coaches of Nenthead in Upper Weardale who have owned it since 1959.
These buses were at Beamish Museum as part of their Pedal and Bus Power event on 24/25 March 2018.
Copyright © 2019 Terry Pinnegar Photography. All Rights Reserved. THIS IMAGE IS NOT TO BE USED WITHOUT MY EXPRESS PERMISSION!
A pair of lovely old girls, straddling the tram tracks at Beamish Museum and, arguably, letting the trams know exactly who is in charge!
On the left is the beautifully restored ex-London Transport AEC Routemaster RM378 of 1960, registered WLT 378. No expense has been spared on this restoration and the bus is absolutely gleaming inside and out! After finishing it's time in London this bus was re-registered and worked for Southend Transport in the 1990's. In preservation the livery has been returned to the original and, incredibly, the original registration has been recovered and re-applied. The bus is now owned by Weardale Motor Services of County Durham.
On the right is a 1949 Crossley SD42/7 coach with a Burlingham C33F body, registered FUN 319. The coach, with it's 8.6 litre Crossley engine and "crash" gearbox, belongs to Wright Bros Coaches of Nenthead in Upper Weardale who have owned it since 1959.
The buses were at Beamish Museum as part of their Pedal and Bus Power event on 24/25 March 2018.
Copyright © 2018 Terry Pinnegar Photography. All Rights Reserved. THIS IMAGE IS NOT TO BE USED WITHOUT MY EXPRESS PERMISSION!
Making a brief visit to Beamish Museum during their end of season steam weekend (7/8 October 2017) is this beautifully restored 1949 Crossley SD42/7 with it's Burlingham C33F coach body and 6 cylinder Crossley 48.6hp, 8.6-litre diesel engine and "crash" gearbox.
The coach, registered FUN 319 (Chassis No.97893), was new to Peters of Llanarmon in Denbighshire in April 1949. After passing through one other owner it was acquired by Wright Bros. of Nenthead in Upper Weardale in March 1959, and has remained in their ownership since that time. It is one of four similar Crossleys at one time owned by that company.
Wrights used this coach daily on their arduous Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Keswick route across the Pennines until it was withdrawn from service in March 1971. It was then parked up at the Nenthead garage until 1999 when a start was made at restoration, eventually completed in 2012.
Copyright © 2017 Terry Pinnegar Photography. All Rights Reserved. THIS IMAGE IS NOT TO BE USED WITHOUT MY EXPRESS PERMISSION!
Waiting to pick up passengers on Beamish Museum's town street are these two beautifully restored classic buses.
In front is a 1949 Crossley SD42/7 coach with a Burlingham body, registered FUN 319. The coach, with it's 8.6 litre Crossley engine and "crash" gearbox, belongs to Wright Bros Coaches of Nenthead in Upper Weardale who have owned it since 1959. It was on a brief visit to Beamish on 7/8 October 2017.
Bringing up the rear is Beamish Museum's own 1954 ex-Rotherham Corporation Daimler CVG6 (registered KET 220) with it's Weymann body, 8.4 litre Gardner engine and Wilson pre-select gearbox.
Copyright © 2019 Terry Pinnegar Photography. All Rights Reserved. THIS IMAGE IS NOT TO BE USED WITHOUT MY EXPRESS PERMISSION!
This fictional image is only possible because of the superb restoration of Venture Transport 6249 UP undertaken by Gardiners of Spennymoor for present owners Dave Herron and Gordon Noble. Venture buses of this style were so common in the North East that it looks instinctively right (no pun intended) in the livery of Wright Bros of Nenthead, for whom it would have been an ideal workhorse on the company's long-haul Trans Pennine route from Newcastle to Keswick. Best Wishes to Dave and Gordon, and also to Ian Wright, whom I know looks in occasionally (15-Mar-13).
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Parish Magazine of St John the Baptist, Moordown (with St Birinus, Malvern Road), September, 1939 (29/36).
James F Templeton, Carlton Galleries, pictures and framing, 883 Wimborne Road, Moordown.
C H Sparshott, cabinet maker and upholsterer, 25 Edgehill Road and Stanfield Road, Winton.
Ernest B Field, butcher, 8 The Parade, Talbot Park.
R Parker, newsagent and tobacconist, 75 Withermoor Road, Winton.
E and A Loader, builders and decorators, 126 Malvern Road.
Wright Bros, ironmongers, 537-9 Wimborne Road, Peter's Hill, Winton.
R P Singleton, signwriter, 30 Victoria Avenue and 15a Alma Road, Winton.
Ronald Smith, gentlemen's outfitter, 685 Wimborne Road, Winton.
Seen loading at Keswick for the homeward journey to Newcastle was Wright Bros (of Nenthead, Alston Moor, Cumbria) Volvo B9R/Caetano Levante 2 (YY63 OEL). The 100 year old North Pennines based operator runs this summer only limited stage carriage service 888 over the Pennines from Newcastle and the Tyne Valley via Alston and Penrith to Keswick on the shores of Derwentwater. 2024 operation was limited to one round trip from Newcastle on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from 19 July to 29 September so while this year’s season ends, let’s hope it will continue in 2025 and beyond as I would rather like to sample it myself.