THE HOME COUNTIES BUS IMAGE GALLERY
ALDER VALLEY Fords
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 An odd collection of vehicles in the Reading yard. On the left is Bristol LD6G 543 (OCY955) originally United Welsh 308 and sold to Thames Valley as their 620 in 1969. Centre, still bearing the Thames Valley fleetname in gold below the windscreen and in Thames Valley's South Midland livery used for coaches, is 59 (BJB883J), originally TV400, a Plaxton Panorama Elite Express bodied Bristol RELH6G. The final vehicle shows we are in NBC days, 706 (TRD706M) is one of the batch of 25 Ford R1014s with ECW bodies. |
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 Ford 724 (TRD724N) - yes, the suffix letter on the batch changed from M to N from 720 to 725 - is seen towards the end of its days. Look closely and you will see that someone has taken an axe to it and chopped a bit out of the middle and renumbered the bus 798. Midland Red also shortened several of its 100 Plaxton bodied Fords to create midibuses. |
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 The ECW bodied Fords were followed by a batch of ten more two years later, with Plaxton Derwent bodies, which, as the registrations suggest, were diverted from Maidstone & District. Ford 728 (LPK983P) is seen in service in Guildford where its non-ECW body looked less out of place. |
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 Derwent 728 again with London Country narrow LHS BN31 (GPD299N) in Guildford Bus Station. Now its the ECW body that looks odd in the LCBS fleet. These days Guildford is awash with aquamarine as both Alder Valley's and London Country's operations in the area have ended up with Arriva. |
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 This ECW bodied R1014 died in service on Windsor local 48A. The advantage of the lightweight chassis is that it can be towed by the Bedford CF van, 20 (VAA324N). A newer Bristol LH is bringing up the rear. |
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