Jeff’s Bus Lane Awards 2005

Maintaining the precedent set last year, I have put together some awards to review the happenings of the last year. Again, you may not (probably won’t!) agree with these, but they are purely my opinions and are presented for your entertainment.

Best Performing Large Company

Quite hard to decide this year, as none of the big groups have done anything too exciting, though there have been interesting new arrivals (and the odd sad departure) at all three. That said, one group has had a major increase in Leyland Olympian numbers of late, whereas the other two have further thinned them out – so the winner, therefore, is again Go North East.

Best Performing Small Company

For taking a (very successful) chance with new route 45 and the introduction of some very smart new Optare Solos (with all-important XG registrations) it has to be Leven Valley. They continue to set standards that Stagecoach could only dream of.

Most Improved Company

A difficult one to call this year as very few operators were bad in the first place! So it’s best to go for a company that has grown from almost nothing into a proper small independent, one with new commercial services and a well presented selection of vehicles. Yes, the winner is Alrite Travel of Middlesbrough.

Most Under-whelming Company

Probably Green Bus. It was sad to see this operator gradually loose its tidy image and eventually fold.

The Most Impressive New Purchase by a North East Company

For me, I think it’s the new Scania Omnicities that Arriva had bought for Durham. The superb performance and tuneful driveline maker for a really enjoyable ride.

The Most Impressive Second Hand Purchase by a North East Company

Purely on the basis of rarity value it must be Mercedes OH1416 / Wright 3027 (N750LUS) that Arriva Tees & District now have at Redcar ex Arriva Scotland West – well worth a ride, if only for the novelty value!

The Most Missed Withdrawal of the Year

Hope this isn’t getting boring, but it’s another Arriva bus – or in fact pair of buses! It’s Leyland Olympians 7301/2 (C263/4XEF), which for much of their lives worked hard on the Great North Road routes. Wonderful and popular machines.

The Least Missed Withdrawal of the Year

An excellent nomination by Gary Mitchelhill is Go North East’s Transbus Enviro 300 long term demonstrator 4977 (SN04EGF). This proved to be a truly underwhelming bus, with the badly matched combination of Cummins ISB engine and ZF gearbox and iffy build quality. It must be said, however, that Stagecoach’s Enviro 300s are a whole different (and much better) kettle of fish!