Jake's Bus Pictures
I am the owner of ex East Kent Bristol VRT/SL3/6LXB 7681 (SKL681X) and ex London Transport DMS 550 (MLK550L). I have worked in the industry for over 10 years with positions ranging from driving to operations manager. You are welcome to leave comments about the gallery and I will try to reply to everyone. I hope you enjoy the pictures. PLEASE NOTE, DUE TO A TECHNICAL ERROR FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO ACCESS MY MESSAGES ON FOTOPIC, APPOLOGIES IF YOU LEFT A MESSAGE AND HAD NO REPLY! I WILL BE GETTING IN TOUCH WITH YOU ALL NOW THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN RESOLVED, also I have opened a new webpage soley to deal with 7681 and DMS550. It's more detailed and not just pictures. The address is http://jakesbuses.weebly.com/ . Please pay a visit and let me know what you think- even though its not quite finished yet!!
Top Photographs This Month
PICT1568.JPG   JCK541 is shown having the final touches made before collection on Friday 3rd April 2009.  JCK541  (26)
DSC00446.JPG   The double deckers inside the shed at Shelford Wednesday 22nd July 2009. KPP closest to the camera had a sparrow trapped on the upper deck at this point but this was later freed by 'shooing' it out the energency window!  Caterbury Park & Ride depot move.  (15)
DSC00547.JPG     Toyota Optimo- perfect for preservation?  (13)
DSC00550.JPG     Toyota Optimo- perfect for preservation?  (12)
DSC00621.JPG   One of the double deckers at Husks.  Caterbury Park & Ride depot move.  (11)
DSC00431.JPG   Inside the shed on Tuesday 21st July 2009 with KPV, KPU and KPP (The Nut).  Caterbury Park & Ride depot move.  (11)
DSC00447.JPG   KPY parked up at Shelford.  Caterbury Park & Ride depot move.  (11)
DSC00656.JPG   Ex London General/London Central was on rail replacement for owners Travelmasters when it went under the 13'3" railway bridge at Chesterfield. Luck that nobody was really hurt. Just look at that roof! The notice in the rear window advertises Limo hire. They now have an open top bus they can hire out too.  Whoops!  (11)
DSC00175.JPG     Toyota Optimo- perfect for preservation?  (9)
10 DSC00430.JPG   A view of the yard at Shelford depot on Monday 20th July 2009.  Caterbury Park & Ride depot move.  (8)
11 DSC00548.JPG     Toyota Optimo- perfect for preservation?  (8)
12 DSC00266.JPG   The drivers room window at Husk.  Caterbury Park & Ride depot move.  (8)
13 DSC00432.JPG   KPU outside the new depot at Shelford.  Caterbury Park & Ride depot move.  (8)
14 DSC00554.JPG     Toyota Optimo- perfect for preservation?  (8)
15 DSC00549.JPG     Toyota Optimo- perfect for preservation?  (8)
16 DSC00401.JPG   My Bristol VR 7681 has visited the old depot at Husk after being stabled at Thanet overnight. Her she is seen surrounded by green and silver.  Caterbury Park & Ride depot move.  (7)
17 DSC00657.JPG   From the front XIL9592 has recieved major upper deck damage but note how the two front windows are unbroken. Most double deckers have plastic front upperworks to cut down leaks, ease repair but it also means in an accident like this it becomes a crumple zone. As can be seen the bridge is clearly marked.   Whoops!  (7)
18 DSC00370.JPG   Another shot of the fleet lined up at Husk.  Caterbury Park & Ride depot move.  (7)
19 PC270250.JPG   Rear view of ex East Kent 7754 (E754UKR) now owned by Kent Coastliner of St Nicholas-in-Thanet. She is seen here on 27th December 2006 and will hopefully be the subject of a specially dedicated gallery when she visits her old haunts around Thanet sometime within the new year. Watch this space!!!  Some ex East Kent Road Car Company Limited vehicles at work with new owners.  (7)
20 DSC00552.JPG     Toyota Optimo- perfect for preservation?  (7)
21 DSC00380.JPG   Enviro KX07HEV at Sturry Road.  Caterbury Park & Ride depot move.  (6)
22 DSC00551.JPG     Toyota Optimo- perfect for preservation?  (6)
23 DSC00262.JPG   KRD having a bath at Husk  Caterbury Park & Ride depot move.  (5)
24 DSC00384.JPG   HEV taking fuel at Husk.  Caterbury Park & Ride depot move.  (5)
25 DSC00412.JPG   PO58KPZ encountered the high curb outside the bus station on Wednesday 15th July 2009.  Caterbury Park & Ride depot move.  (5)
Most Recent Collections
Mon 2nd Nov 09Toyota Optimo- perfect for preservation? New
Here is Buzzline's NBZ2248 a 1994 Toyota Optimo with Caetano C18C bodywork. Ok, it'll never be a Bedford OB but it's a lovely little bus to drive and would fit on your driveway! These earlier models are so much better than the newer later ones, NBZ was so much more popular than the likes of SB04BUS and JB04BUZ. These pictures were taken in August 2008.
Mon 10th Aug 09Herne Bay Bus Rally 9th August 2009
This year this popular event was held at William Street car park in the town and not at the Stagecoach bus garage. It was a fantastic day and congratulations are due to the folks behind it. Well done and we look forward to next year! My Bristol VR SKL681X was on some of the free bus services along with some older visiting vehicles. DON'T FORGET ON 31ST AUGUST 2009 FRIENDS OF THE EAST KENT WILL BE HOLDING THEIR ANNUAL RUNNING DAY AT FOWLMEAD COUNTRY PARK OFF THE A258 BETWEEN DEAL AND SANDWICH. ALL VEHICLE ENTRIES CAN CLAIM FUEL ON BUS SERVICES. MORE INFO AT www.friendsoftheeastkent.weebly.com
Wed 22nd Jul 09Caterbury Park & Ride depot move.
On Monday 20th July 2009 Kent Top Travel moved it's park & Ride operation from Husks of Lydden (just off of the A2 north of Dover) to a site near Broadoak in Canterbury. The new depot (or outstation as it's just parking and no workshops) is known as Shelford. Not only are the park and ride vehicles kept there but also the allocation for the 36 service and the Canterbury Carriers too. The new site offers undercover parking where as at Husk they were parked outside under trees.
Mon 8th Jun 09Whitfield Bus Rally 7th June 2009
This was held at two venues, Dover Transport Museum and the East Kent Light Railway station at Eythorne with a bus service linking the two. The railway was operating a service too. I took my bus 7681 along and AEC Regent PFN867, also owned by a member of FotEK, came along too. More pictures are available on 7681 & DMS550 homepage at http://jakesbuses.weebly.com
Wed 3rd Jun 09JIL8213
JIL is an Alexander bodied Metrobus new to Merseyside PTE in 1982. Now running for Eastonways of Ramsgate she has even survived a lowbridge attack at Herne Bay station! I haven't seen her for a while but I believe she is still in service -just! Ripe for preservation if you want her you better act fast and contact the company! It would be nice t see her preserved, always a popular bus due her warm cab and high seating capacity.
Thu 2nd Apr 09JCK541
Ex Ribble and M&D Leyland Titan PD2 / Burlingham has been acquired by an owner in Belgium. He requested that it be cut down to meet local height restrictions and fitted with platform doors. This work was carried out by OTT buses of Ramsgate who are also restoring a little Bedford J2 / Plaxton for the same owner. More on OTT at later date!
Tue 31st Mar 09Olympian Magic
With more low floor vehicles entering service, Olympians are becoming rarer and rarer in service. As the replacement for the Bristol VRT, the earlier ones had a lot in common with that model. Later updates improved the type (which suffered from corrosion in the early ones) and when it became the Volvo Olympian the chassis was virtually redesigned. Hopefully they will be preserved in large numbers like the Bristol VR's, a number already have found good homes and have been beautifully restored. Here's a look back to when the Olympian was 'king of the road'.
Sun 30th Nov 08Whoops!
On 23rd November I was greeted by the site of Travelmasters Volvo D10M/Northern Counties jammed under the railway bridge at Chesterfield & Swailcliffe railway station. Fortunately it looked like nobody was hurt but the damage to the bus was quite bad.
Mon 25th Aug 08Thanet Open Top Road Run
On 24th August to celebrate the return of open top Willowbrook bodied Bristol VRT RVB977S former 0977- named ' Pride of Thanet', a group of us got together to recreate the service 69 Thanet open top route. The weather left a lot to be desired- not really open top weather- but spirits were high. The run started at Ramsgate passed through Broadstairs, Margate, Westgate and the posher parts of Birchington's seafront before reaching Minnis Bay. We then returned to Westgate for lunch before a photo run around Margate and the run back to Ramsgate.
Fri 28th Dec 07Isle of Wight Holiday 2007
During July/August 2007 we took our annual family holiday, this year we went to somewhere close to my heart -the Isle of Wight. It was great to be back and catch up. It's been nearly six years but the Island had changed very little. My former London bosses at Go-Ahead had acquired Southern Vectis and have introduced a fantastic new green livery much more worthy of Vectis than the miss match of colours they were using before. Hopefully these summer pictures will chase the winter blues away and remind us of whats to come in the summer of 2008. Happy New Year!
Sun 26th Aug 07Stagecoach East Kent's Bristol VRT/SL3/6LXB 7664 XJJ664V.
I acquired 7681 in early 2001 and had hoped her to be ready for the rally season that year, this was to be optimistic! With her problems with the broken engine mount then the gearbox not playing the game then me working all the time put pay to this. About May/June 2001 after all of our native Thanet VR's had gone, 7664 (XJJ664V) was sent up from Dover garage for a few weeks. I asked if I could used her to take to the Southsea Spectacular on the 10th June and Stagecoach said 'yes'. I spent most of my spare time on the Saturday before the show cleaning her, I also painted the wheels blue- boy was I popular with the Thanet engineering manager! We left Thanet at 7am and arrived at Southsea for about 10.30, after a day at the show we left about 5pm travelling back via the A27 and got back about 10pm! A week after her day out 7664 was returned to Dover where she was withdrawn in the July. I managed to swap to get the job to drive her back. 7664 is now with Clynnog and Trefor and still going strong in their attractive red and cream livery.
Sun 17th Jun 07Eastonway's Bristols
These are some older pictures I have rescanned to a higher quality. They are of the two Eastonway's Bristol VR's, ex Maidstone and District WKO139S and ex Crosville VCA461W- both of which have since been broken up. The pictures are taken from 2000 onwards when WKO was first layed up with seized engine and VCA was plying her trade to Sandwich Tech School every day and on rail replacement every night. A third VR was operated at some point earlier - I believe it was a United Counties or a Yorkshire example but the number of it I do not know.
Fri 16th Mar 07Isle of Wight Bristol's
Between 1991 and 1997 I lived on the Isle of Wight but had spent holidays there since the early 80's. During this time Southern Vectis, the Island's main bus operator, ran a healthy fleet of Bristols- everything from VR's to Lodekka's and even a Bristol K5G too! Their highly active vintage fleet operated firstly on the 1A Ryde- Newport- Cowes service but later gravitated to the 8A circular from Ryde- Bembridge- Sandown- Shanklin- Godshill- Havenstreet- Ryde. Also at that time the famous 42 service from Yarmouth to Alum Bay and The Needles was Lodekka operated. Here are some of the highlights of what I would personally call the 'swansong' of the Bristol's. All the pictures (except one) were taken between 1990 and 1997.
Sun 4th Feb 07Ramsgate 1994
The bus scene in Ramsgate, Kent around this time was really rather interesting. Eastonways were running the shuttles between the port and the railway station with various (mainly ex London) vehicles, East Kent had just been taken over by Stagecoach and most of the fleet was still in the 'EK' maroon and cream livery and J & J Coaches were running an ex LT DMS on a contract service. I lived on the Isle of Wight at the time but did manage to pop back for a short while. This gallery has been put up before but I have rescanned all of the pictures at a better quality and added a few that you haven't seen before.
Mon 3rd Apr 06Some ex East Kent Road Car Company Limited vehicles at work with new owners.
Here are some former East Kent vehicles that now have new owners and in some cases new careers. Some are still based here in Kent but others have moved across the the country.
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JCK541 is shown having the final touches made before collection on Friday 3rd April 2009.
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JCK541
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  • 7681 & DMS550 HOMEPAGE
  • Bristol Commercial Vehicle Enthusiasts .
  • Bristol VR Enthusiasts Society
  • Bristol VR Preservation
  • Bristol VR Southwest Bus News.
  • Codski's Holiday Camp
  • Friends of the East Kent
  • Thanet and beyond....
  • The Unofficial Southern Vectis webpage.
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