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visitors since 11 March 2002 - counter by digits.com

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Saturday 10 August 2002
Had a look around Angus & The Mearns today. Travelled via Arbroath - including snapping up Strathtay's "school bus" fleet in summer slumber, Friockheim - G&N Wishart unit of Tayside/Travel Dundee, Forfar, Brechin, Laurencekirk, Montrose, and back to Dundee.

	Left Mercedes minibus 181 L825 KKR, one of three acquired by Strathtay during 2000. The vehicle has a "go-faster" set of stripes, which constituited the livery of the last owner. Right Leyland Olympian 921 looks like it is in the SBG livery version - from the front! It was in coach livery, but has had the blue lower panels repainted substantially - as can be seen here in Arbroath depot.
	Left Mercedes 104 is one of the "reserve" status vehicles to still be relativly intact! Is it just me or is the right-hand head-lamp a bit out? Right Travel Dundee's G&N Wishart unit at Froickheim keeps one double decker bus for a school contract. Angus schools resume a week on Tuesday. 105 (G105 PES) will no doubt become W105 if it is allocated here for long enough.
	Left Another vehicle in the Wisharts yard, Dennis Javelin PSU 340, is now the only Javelin in the fleet. Four were bought during 1987/1988 by Tayside PTC, and PSU 339 was fitted with a lift for its last years. Right Strathtay Leyland Olympian 903 is seen at Forfar Cross on town service 23.
	Two vehicles now from the M W Nicoll fleet. In 1997 Nicoll's won several routes around the Mearns. With retender in 2002, they have retained most of these for another five years. Left In 1998, S137 JSO was bought, and put out in service on 1 August. The vehicle is generally used on Service 113/114 during the school term nowadays, but while the schools are off, the vehicle has been working on Service 24 once again. The operator extended the servie to commence at Brechin Castle Centre during the summer, and as such the vehicle is seen in Swan Street, Brechin. Right I've shown the minibuses and minicoaches on Service 262 Laurencekirk - Ninewells Hospital often enough lately - at the Ninewells end... Here, V502 FSF loads up at South Esk Street, Brechin, en-route for Ninewells Hospital.
	Left Strathtay have retained Service 29 Brechin - Laurencekirk for another five (IIRC) years, together with the Nicolls school runs formerly known as 29A. Regardless of route, the service will be 29A Anti-clockwise or 29C Clockwise.. However, the daytime service will be revised, retimed and reduced, to better match demand. Here, Metrordier 164 is seen in Laurencekirk Main Street. Right Following a revision of vehicle needs, a reshuffle is to occur with Darts around Strathtay. Low-floor 313 has moved to Dundee - not yet in service - and for the meantime, 312 works town service 47 in Montrose, with one double decker - such as 904, as shown in Montrose High Street.
	The two 1700 buses from Montrose Station up the A92. Left Nicolls Vario X675 USX is ready for a run on the 113/114 as far as Inverbervie, where it runs inland via Arbuthnott, to Laurencekirk. Right About to run all the way up the coast, is Stagecoach Bluebird Buses Volvo B10M/Alexander PS type 592, seen again in Montrose High Street on Route 101. This runs all the way up the A92, to where the A90 meets the A92 at Stonehaven.

Friday 9 August 2002
Perth today - and a browse around one or two of the new things to be found.

	Left Finally got one of the (repainted) ex-Wales/Cheltenham/Aberdeen/etc. Mercedes 811D's with Stagecoach Perth to sit still long enough! 258 is seen at Tesco Crieff Road on Service 13. Right Earlier in the year, Stagecoach Perth commenced the very short Service 54B between Perth South Street and Walnut Grove. This followed Stagecoach - and then, a few months later, Strathtay - withdrawing the 16 away from loop-the-loop to serve Walnut Grove - based on very low useage, and roviding passengers towards Errol etc. with a faster service. However, having said that, the 54B did have around 3 people boarding it, so worthwhile nonetheless.
	Left Following losses of school contract work, and planned reductions in local service work, within Moray and Aberdeenshire, a re-shuffle of Olympians has occured. Finally, the aeging almost-prototype X and Y-reg Olympians have left Perth, so the oldest of the type is coach-seated 44, A44 FRS. Arriving south have been buses from elsewhere in Bluebird, like 86 which arrived from Inverness - have a look at the fleetnames! Right No, Crieff Travel's standards have not slipped - S353 CSF has a blank yellow bit uo, because it is about to work a new additional journey on the 155 (1640) Mon-Fri) from Perth Bus Station to Ruthvenfield & Almondgrove. This started Monday past - so until a blind inser etc. is made up, the bus has to display blank.
	Left You wait years for a Cadet, then four turn up at once! Docherty, Auchterader have purchased a dealer-registered DAF SB120/Wright Cadet, seen here in Perth Bus Station. Impressed by Smith & Sons new DAF's then? Right Stagecoach Service 17 Perth - Dunning has been extended from Dunning to Glenealges Hotel - meaning more blank yellows for just now, I'm afraid! Again this started on Monday past.

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