LEICESTER - A WMPTE OUTPOST?
A recent Leicester group meeting highlighted the increasing number of former West Midlands PTE vehicles now in the Leicester area. For the benefit of our Birmingham colleagues wishing to see or photograph these vehicles, the following guide might be of use.
The biggest collection of WMPTE vehicles is operated by Centrebus, which provides a variety of Monday - Saturday services based on Charles Street in central Leicester, as well as schools services. Its fleet livery is in the process of being changed from red, cream and orange to blue, orange and white. Twelve former WMPTE buses are in the fleet:- MCW Metrobus POG498/522/548Y, A683/ 719UOE, A113WVP, B794AOC and D944NDA, plus Scania/Alexander H227/231/ 233/242LOM.
Powell & Watson of Thurmaston, trading as Thurmaston Bus, used to operate Monday - Friday services from Charles Street, but these were withdrawn in December. They now run only schools services. Their fleet includes three of WMPTE’s MCW Metrobus vehicles:- BOK53V, LOA342/346X.
Ausden Clark of Leciester has five former WMPTE Scania/Alexander vehicles that it uses on schools services in the Leicester and Lutterworth areas:-
H202/206/211/212/221LOM.
Clarke of Hinckley, trading as Wide Horizon, uses Leyland Fleetline WDA951T on schools services around Hinckley.
Jackson of Leicester operates MCW Metrobus GOG263W on schools services between Barrow-on-Soar and Loughborough.
Keeber of Leicester, trading as G.H.Watts, provides schools services around Desford and Market Bosworth using MCW Metrobus LOA400X and NOA466X plus elderly Daimler Fleetline GOG535N.
To complete the list, UK Coaches of Countesthorpe, trading as Atlantis, uses MCW Metrobus KJW278W on schools services in the Lutterworth area.
This information is believed to be current at the turn of 2003-2004. Happy hunting!
Adrian Rodgers
Chapel Lane, Wythall, Worcs B47 6JX
Tel : 01564 826471 e-mail us
A registered educational charity no 507191
