Independent transport videos welcome you to this 2017 special edition of the Merseyside Transport Trust's annual “Liverpool Buses Running Day” DVD programme. This time we have also included the “Lightnight” event that took place on the evening of Friday 19th May 2017, which is not a bus enthusiasts event as such, but equally as enjoyable! We start our programme with the annual Running Day on Sunday 10th September 2017. This year the event was centred on Mann Island at Liverpool Pier Head, Aigburth Vale, Penny Lane and Walton. Our filming opens with usual back drop of the “Three Graces” buildings and we see a very modern bus, one of the brand new MAN EcoCity gas buses in the latest Arriva ‘hybrid’ livery as well as the latest offering of new double-deckers from Stagecoach and Arriva. Getting back to the main subject of this programme, our cameras take up their positions at various parts of the city to see the preserved buses in action. We capture some early morning feeder services on Prescot Street and Daulby Street before taking up our position at Penny Lane to see a good number of arrivals and departures. Further filming locations include Smithdown Road, Prescot Road and Aigburth Vale. From here we ride on ‘Jumbo’ Leyland Atlantean 1162 (XKC 789J) to the Pier Head in a heavy rainstorm. Our Running Day filming is concluded where the day started at Mann Island, where we see the buses on the feeder services leaving and others turning to take up their final duties and then departing to the depot after a most enjoyable event. Well done to all in organising this excellent Running Day. The second part of this programme features the “Lightnight” event that is described as ‘The Free One-Night Arts & Culture Festival’. Nine vehicles were used this year comprising six Atlanteans, L501, L835, 1111, 1236, 1836 and 1003 alongside three rear loaders, AEC Regents A36, A267 and Leyland Titan L227. Filming took place from 18.00 hours to midnight and our cameras were on hand to capture the atmospheric action!
We begin at Mann Island, Pier Head and see the initial departures and then board L227 (SKB 224) for the journey to the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral at Mount Pleasant. Here we see the action on Hope Street before catching Leyland Atlantean L501 (501 KD) to Lime Street. The next location is Mann Island to catch AEC Regent A36 to Albert Dock where the sun is starting to get low in the sky. We see plenty of the preserved buses in action running along Strand Street, entering and leaving Liverpool One Bus Station. Upper Duke Street is the location as the sunsets and we see the buses climbing the hill with the Liver Buildings silhouetted in the setting sun. People fill the streets and the buses as the event continues. Another brief ride on L501 takes us to Hope Street where it is now dark, and we see the buses lit up full with happy passengers! Our last ride is on L227’s final journey to Mann Island. The buses leave for home as midnight approaches – the end to a brilliant event. To end this programme we see four fabulous buses – 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of pop group ‘The Beatles’ record ‘Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band’. Arriva have painted four current double-deckers in psychedelic liveries named after the Fab 4 – John, Paul, George and Ringo! Enjoy.
Produced by - Independent Transport Videos
Running time - 80 minutes (approx)
Format - 16:9 Widescreen
DVD only
Release date - September 2017
Brighton & Hove Buses 2017
It is some six years since the independent transport videos cameras visited the Sussex coastal resort of Brighton to record the bus scene. A good deal has changed making the contemporary bus scene just as enjoyable in 2017 as it was in 2011. In 2017 the bus services are still chiefly in the hands of the Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company which is part of the GoAhead group. We also see buses from Stagecoach, Compass Bus, The Big Lemon and Metrobus, as each company operate services into and out of the city. This programme covers two visits our cameras made to the city, the first in April and the second in July 2017. We begin filming at Old Steine where we see the spectacular lime green and mid-blue liveried, Wrightbus StreetDeck double-deckers operating the frequent route 12 group of services that run along the coast connecting Brighton with Eastbourne. We continue filming around Old Steine and view most types of the contemporary Brighton & Hove fleet as well as the Enviro400 double-deckers of Stagecoach on the frequent 700 Coastliner service that links Brighton with Portsmouth to the west. Our cameras then move to Castle Square, North Street and the busy Churchill Square. Look out for the new low-height Wrightbus StreetDeck double-deckers on service 1 and the silver liveried Wrightbus StreetDeck demonstrator, numbered 293 (SN64 CTU). We also see the Volvo B9TL Wrightbus Gemini 2 double-deckers in the smart purple/maroon and buff livery that operate on the Regency route linking Tunbridge Wells with the city. Filming continues along Queens Road and York Place to the Railway Station to catch up with the action at this busy interchange. St George’s Place, Gloucester Place and Grand Parade are our next locations where we view the buses as they go about their business. Further filming along Pavilion Parade and Old Steine takes us to Marine Parade where we catch up with the action here. We see the Coasters running alongside the red and cream liveried buses in the Brighton & Hove fleet. Our April visit concludes with filming on Eastern Road and Edward Street as well as catching up with the evening rush at Old Steine, North Street and Churchill Square. Look out for the former GHA Coaches Volvo B7RLE, a Wrightbus Eclipse Urban, registered BA58 GHA now with Compass Bus. Our cameras return to the city on a hot day in July 2017. Again our locations are similar to the April visit taking in Old Steine, Castle Square, North Street, the Railway Station area and Churchill Square. Now it is time to sample the Coaster service! We board 940 (BX15 ONS) a Wrightbus StreetDeck with a H81F body for a ride along the coast to Seaford Library on service 12X. We pass a number of similar vehicles as they head towards Brighton. At Seaford we film the action on Sutton Park Road, Station Approach and Clinton Place. Our cameras then return to Brighton on board 925 (BX15 OMY) arriving at Marine Parade. Our final scenes are at Old Steine where we also see the solar powered Optare Solo of the Big Lemon company, YK55 ENM, together with buses from Stagecoach and of course Brighton & Hove buses. We hope you enjoy your visit.
