Shearings Bus Routes in Barnsley (Read 1,998 times)

[shearingstigerbus]

Hello!

After operating coaches from 1988 at their newly acquired depot on Wakefield Road, Barnsley, Shearings entered into the local service bus market introducing two new services. Commencing in April 1990 two commercial routes were operated namely the 110 Barnsley Midland Street to Athersley South, Derwent Road and the 111 Kendray, lambert Road - Barnsley - Athersley North, Lindhurst Rd/Kirkby Avenue.

The opening bus allocation were six Mk1 Leyland Nationals drafted in from Bolton Garage and being No's 11-15 & 92 RBU171-173/182/185R & ABA 29T.

A later arrival in November 1990 as a spare vehicle was a Pennine bodied Leyland Leopard No 16 BWU691H. This vehicle had started out with Todmorden JOC and had come to Shearings with the acquisition of the business Archway Motors of Shifnal, Shropshire in April 1989. It had been re-painted at Wigan Garage before moving to Barnsley Garage.

By May 1990, four Mk2 Leyland Nationals arrived in the shape of No's 95-98 ARN895-898Y coming in from the Altrincham Garage. 

During August 1990, four former Portsmouth Alexander bodied Leyland Atlanteans entered service as 136/138-140 HOR316/318/312.313N after increased competition from Yorkshire Traction.

In November 1990, a new service X10 was introduced between Athersley South, Derwent Road via Barnsley and Meadowhall to Sheffield Bus Station. Two dual purpose Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Leyland Tigers were drafted in from Altrincham Garage to operate this and were No's 699/700 F699/700ENE.

April 1991 saw the first new buses arrive in the shape of four Alexander (Belfast) Q Type bodied Volvo D10M-61's 76/77/79/80 H576/77/79/580DVM. Also arriving in the same month were more Plaxton bodied dual purpose vehicles in the shape of Volvo B10M's 570/571 D570/571MVR from Blackpool Garage and Leyland Tiger's 842-844 G842-844RNC from the main Shearings Holidays Pool fleet. New dual purpose vehicles arrived in the shape of Plaxton bodied Leyland Tiger's 905-910 H905-910DRJ.

However! There are some missing bits of information that I was hoping someone on this forum may be able to answer? My thanks go out to you in advance :-)

Another service was operated which I believe was contracted to a local council and was the 339 Barnsley - Hemsworth service. It ended in September 1991 but when did it start?


Regarding vehicles;

Did the Mk2 Nationals replace the Mk1 Nationals in service?
Did the Volvo D10M Alexander Q Types replace the remaining Nationals in service?
When was the Pennine bodied Leopard 16 BWU691H taken out of service?
When did the double decker's come out of service? There was a fifth example No 141 HOR310N which operated here but was later transferred to Llandudno Garage. Similar 138 HOR318N was also transferred but to Shifnal Garage.

Finally, one of the earlier Alexander (Belfast) N type Leyland Tiger buses 61 G61RND briefly operated in Barnsley, I have a photo dated 15th August 1991 but how long did it stay at Barnsley for?

The operation was finally sold off with eight Leyland Lynx buses to Yorkshire Traction in September 1991. The Lynx's although in Shearings livery did not operate in Barnsley for the Shearings company despite the legal lettering being Yorkshire Traction and the window stickers claiming them to be on loan to Shearings!

[DPL233 (33LUG)]

Apr 6, 2015 0:09:03 GMT shearingstigerbus said:

Hello!

After operating coaches from 1988 at their newly acquired depot on Wakefield Road, Barnsley, Shearings entered into the local service bus market introducing two new services. Commencing in April 1990 two commercial routes were operated namely the 110 Barnsley Midland Street to Athersley South, Derwent Road and the 111 Kendray, lambert Road - Barnsley - Athersley North, Lindhurst Rd/Kirkby Avenue.

The opening bus allocation were six Mk1 Leyland Nationals drafted in from Bolton Garage and being No's 11-15 & 92 RBU171-173/182/185R & ABA 29T.

A later arrival in November 1990 as a spare vehicle was a Pennine bodied Leyland Leopard No 16 BWU691H. This vehicle had started out with Todmorden JOC and had come to Shearings with the acquisition of the business Archway Motors of Shifnal, Shropshire in April 1989. It had been re-painted at Wigan Garage before moving to Barnsley Garage.

By May 1990, four Mk2 Leyland Nationals arrived in the shape of No's 95-98 ARN895-898Y coming in from the Altrincham Garage. 

During August 1990, four former Portsmouth Alexander bodied Leyland Atlanteans entered service as 136/138-140 HOR316/318/312.313N after increased competition from Yorkshire Traction.

In November 1990, a new service X10 was introduced between Athersley South, Derwent Road via Barnsley and Meadowhall to Sheffield Bus Station. Two dual purpose Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Leyland Tigers were drafted in from Altrincham Garage to operate this and were No's 699/700 F699/700ENE.

April 1991 saw the first new buses arrive in the shape of four Alexander (Belfast) Q Type bodied Volvo D10M-61's 76/77/79/80 H576/77/79/580DVM. Also arriving in the same month were more Plaxton bodied dual purpose vehicles in the shape of Volvo B10M's 570/571 D570/571MVR from Blackpool Garage and Leyland Tiger's 842-844 G842-844RNC from the main Shearings Holidays Pool fleet. New dual purpose vehicles arrived in the shape of Plaxton bodied Leyland Tiger's 905-910 H905-910DRJ.

However! There are some missing bits of information that I was hoping someone on this forum may be able to answer? My thanks go out to you in advance :-)

Another service was operated which I believe was contracted to a local council and was the 339 Barnsley - Hemsworth service. It ended in September 1991 but when did it start?


Regarding vehicles;

Did the Mk2 Nationals replace the Mk1 Nationals in service?
Did the Volvo D10M Alexander Q Types replace the remaining Nationals in service?
When was the Pennine bodied Leopard 16 BWU691H taken out of service?
When did the double decker's come out of service? There was a fifth example No 141 HOR310N which operated here but was later transferred to Llandudno Garage. Similar 138 HOR318N was also transferred but to Shifnal Garage.

Finally, one of the earlier Alexander (Belfast) N type Leyland Tiger buses 61 G61RND briefly operated in Barnsley, I have a photo dated 15th August 1991 but how long did it stay at Barnsley for?

The operation was finally sold off with eight Leyland Lynx buses to Yorkshire Traction in September 1991. The Lynx's although in Shearings livery did not operate in Barnsley for the Shearings company despite the legal lettering being Yorkshire Traction and the window stickers claiming them to be on loan to Shearings!

570/571 were the 2 Blackpool coaches for the Leeds - Blackpool Nat Ex service (usually running on alternate days), where they theoretically ran alongside the 2 Lincoln DAFs (52/53 C628/631PAU), but more often than not, it was 2 of the B10 deckers (64-67 / YTC 901-904) that ran the 2 day diagram Lincoln-Blackpool-Leeds-Blackpool-Lincoln. Where they overnights in Leeds I don't know.

I assume they moved to Barnsley once the Nat Ex service ceased/was revised, as I don't recall the Lincoln coaches/buses appearing after the early 90s.

699/700 ended up in Blackpool with Fylde.

[shearingstigerbus]

That's quite interesting because I never had much dealings with the outstation at Blackpool Airport. 570/571 were part of a small batch (567-571) that were the first coaches delivered to Shearings directly from Plaxtons with Dual Purpose equipment all ready fitted. (I.e destination box, hand rails, cab door, decency shield and ticket machine stands) 570/571 were initially allocated to Altrincham Garage but later moved up to the Blackpool outstation.

699/700 did a stint with the successor to Shearings bus operations, Timeline Travel being based at their Garage at Shifnal (Telford) before they were sold to Seagull Blackpool (Assuming that was under FBT and/or BT ownership by then)

[Arriva Wakefield]

Apr 11, 2015 15:01:20 GMT shearingstigerbus said:

That's quite interesting because I never had much dealings with the outstation at Blackpool Airport. 570/571 were part of a small batch (567-571) that were the first coaches delivered to Shearings directly from Plaxtons with Dual Purpose equipment all ready fitted. (I.e destination box, hand rails, cab door, decency shield and ticket machine stands) 570/571 were initially allocated to Altrincham Garage but later moved up to the Blackpool outstation.

699/700 did a stint with the successor to Shearings bus operations, Timeline Travel being based at their Garage at Shifnal (Telford) before they were sold to Seagull Blackpool (Assuming that was under FBT and/or BT ownership by then)

Fylde Borough had taken Seagull Coaches over in the late 80's

They had 5 ex Shearings Tigers - 21-23 F699/700/703ENE & 24/25 G812/813RNC

I recall one got fitted up for service work with Blackpool (as it was by then), but still based at Squires Gate - this seems to have been 21 F699ENE.

[shearingstigerbus]

Yes I remember those vehicles with Fylde. They had all been dual purpose vehicles with Shearings and Timeline save for 812/813 which were only ever tour vehicles with Shearings until their sale to Fylde. 813 had been involved in a serious accident when it was only 6 months old turning over coming off a motorway slip road down south. It was subsequently re-bodied at Plaxtons pretty much straight away after the accident.

[cuthbert]

Apr 6, 2015 0:09:03 GMT shearingstigerbus said:

Hello!

After operating coaches from 1988 at their newly acquired depot on Wakefield Road, Barnsley, Shearings entered into the local service bus market introducing two new services. Commencing in April 1990 two commercial routes were operated namely the 110 Barnsley Midland Street to Athersley South, Derwent Road and the 111 Kendray, lambert Road - Barnsley - Athersley North, Lindhurst Rd/Kirkby Avenue.

The opening bus allocation were six Mk1 Leyland Nationals drafted in from Bolton Garage and being No's 11-15 & 92 RBU171-173/182/185R & ABA 29T.

A later arrival in November 1990 as a spare vehicle was a Pennine bodied Leyland Leopard No 16 BWU691H. This vehicle had started out with Todmorden JOC and had come to Shearings with the acquisition of the business Archway Motors of Shifnal, Shropshire in April 1989. It had been re-painted at Wigan Garage before moving to Barnsley Garage.

By May 1990, four Mk2 Leyland Nationals arrived in the shape of No's 95-98 ARN895-898Y coming in from the Altrincham Garage. 

During August 1990, four former Portsmouth Alexander bodied Leyland Atlanteans entered service as 136/138-140 HOR316/318/312.313N after increased competition from Yorkshire Traction.

In November 1990, a new service X10 was introduced between Athersley South, Derwent Road via Barnsley and Meadowhall to Sheffield Bus Station. Two dual purpose Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Leyland Tigers were drafted in from Altrincham Garage to operate this and were No's 699/700 F699/700ENE.

April 1991 saw the first new buses arrive in the shape of four Alexander (Belfast) Q Type bodied Volvo D10M-61's 76/77/79/80 H576/77/79/580DVM. Also arriving in the same month were more Plaxton bodied dual purpose vehicles in the shape of Volvo B10M's 570/571 D570/571MVR from Blackpool Garage and Leyland Tiger's 842-844 G842-844RNC from the main Shearings Holidays Pool fleet. New dual purpose vehicles arrived in the shape of Plaxton bodied Leyland Tiger's 905-910 H905-910DRJ.

However! There are some missing bits of information that I was hoping someone on this forum may be able to answer? My thanks go out to you in advance :-)

Another service was operated which I believe was contracted to a local council and was the 339 Barnsley - Hemsworth service. It ended in September 1991 but when did it start?


Regarding vehicles;

Did the Mk2 Nationals replace the Mk1 Nationals in service?
Did the Volvo D10M Alexander Q Types replace the remaining Nationals in service?
When was the Pennine bodied Leopard 16 BWU691H taken out of service?
When did the double decker's come out of service? There was a fifth example No 141 HOR310N which operated here but was later transferred to Llandudno Garage. Similar 138 HOR318N was also transferred but to Shifnal Garage.

Finally, one of the earlier Alexander (Belfast) N type Leyland Tiger buses 61 G61RND briefly operated in Barnsley, I have a photo dated 15th August 1991 but how long did it stay at Barnsley for?

The operation was finally sold off with eight Leyland Lynx buses to Yorkshire Traction in September 1991. The Lynx's although in Shearings livery did not operate in Barnsley for the Shearings company despite the legal lettering being Yorkshire Traction and the window stickers claiming them to be on loan to Shearings!

You forgot to mention they also had 4 an hour on the Worsbrough Dale route, (including the x10 ofcourse until it switched to Park rd)...all together there were 9 busesan hour on the Dale route 5 Tracky's 4Shearings... I've heard that route is all but extinct these days.
As for those old but fast double deckers Shearings had, they were a death trap. A culture shock compared to the modern YTC Leylands and MCW's