Dartmouth Railway

One of the most popular local attractions for visiting coaches staying in Torbay is to the Dartmouth Railway, the preserved line that operates mostly steam hauled trains between the coastal town of Paignton and the town of Kingswear on the edge of the river Dart. Passengers are usually dropping off at Paignton Queen's Park railway station around mid morning, where they then board their train to Kingswear. Some returning to Paignton on the train after enjoying a while in Kingswear, whilst others on 'Round Robin' tickets carry on to Totnes on one of the river cruise boats before boarding one of the open top Volvo B7TLs buses on route 100, which returns them to Paignton Bus Station, which is just across the road from Queen's Park railway station.  Also, the mainline railway station where trains to Newton Abbot, Cornwall & the North can be boarded and alighted is situated right in-between. The Round Robin is a very popular day out, especially to visitors to the area. The Round Robin can also be started from Torquay where passengers start their day on the open top bus to Paignton before boarding the steam train to Kingswear.

 One the Shearings fleet of Setras, BU13ZTJ (517) outside Paignton Queen's Park railway station July 2017.

Kevendys of Wickford, Neoplan Starliner, K50DYS, after dropping off at Queen's Park. July 2017.

Roberts Coaches of Hugglescote tri-axle Mercedes-Benz Tourismo, BF15XOS, was one of a couple of coaches dropping of at Queen's Park railway station on this day in August 2017. British Railways Standard locomotive, 75014 'Braveheart' can be seen to the left of shot, prior to hauling the train filled with coach passengers as well as regular pasengers, to Kingswear.

Belgrave Sands Hotel

After extensive refurbishments the former Kistor Hotel in Torquay re-opened to guests on 14th November 2016 re-named the Belgrave Sands Hotel. The hotel situated on Belgrave Road near the seafront welcomed a pair of visiting coaches for their opening weekend, Robinsons of Burbage Irizar Century bodied Scania K340EB, DT09LCT & Edwards of Llantwit Fardre Setra S416GT-HD, BK08NJU being the historic pair.

Ex Leons of Stafford motor DT09LCT, now with Robinsons of Burbage, alongside Edawards Setra, BK09NJU, which were the first coaches to visit the Belgrave Sands Hotel on their opening weekend. Photo taken 15th November 2016.

The first visit to the Belgrave Sands for operator Leons of Stafford at the end of January 2017. Their Neoplan Starliner 2, AT14LCT, pictured leaving the hotel after its week stay.

 

The start of 2017 and the first pair of Edwards Futura 2 to stay at the Belgrave Sands Hotel. WJ66KCO & WJ16KBO snapped outside the hotel on 7th January 2017.

Brixham College

To go along with their fleet of 2 Alexander Q bodied Volvos Brixham College last year acquired a Van Hool T8 Alizée from Bennett Coach Travel of Newton Abbot, VIL1532, a coach new to Shearings registered J207NNC. The coach is a regular on the College's 'Yellow' service to Preston's Manor Corner.

VIL 1532 at Preston Manor Corner in January 2017 whilst operating the 'Yellow' service to Brixham College.

CM Coaches Take Over Exeter-Torquay Express Service

 From 28th November 2016 CM Coaches of Exeter took over half of Stagecoach's X46 Exeter-Torquay service. Stagecoach reducing their service to 4 journeys each way Monday-Saturday & being re-numbered 46. Although Stagecoach still operate the now 46 with a Gold spec Scania it has reduced the number of buses needed to run the route to only 1 bus. CM Coaches running 4 round trips Monday-Friday of the X46. Leaving no Sunday service at all. With CM Coaches fleet consisting of coaches only no buses are used on their X46 service. Sadly as inter-operator ticketing is not available on this now council funded service, anyone wishing to travel on the X46 must buy CM Coaches single or return tickets, not great value for money wise, but if you want a direct service back to Exeter from Torquay early evening it's your best/only option!

First day of service and CM Coaches Plaxton Cheetah 2 bodied Mercedes 0816D, YN08ZNP, awaits departure with the first CM Coaches run X46 working from Torquay Strand.

 Second day of operation on the X46 and CM Coaches Marcopolo Viaggio bodied DAF SB4000,  FA07XEH, arrives in Torquay from Exeter. (29th November)

28th December and a now regular on the route, T184AUA, a DAF SB3000 bodied Van Hool T8 Alizee, caught departing Torquay for Exeter on the X46.

Cruiseship Visits

In recent years visiting cruiseships have made more numerous stops to Torbay, something that has been encouraged by the local authorities as it is seen as a good way of bringing in extra money to the area. There has been ongoing talk of extending Torquay's Haldon Pier to cater for visiting cruise-liners, time & money will tell if this ever happens! We now get around half a dozen visits by cruiseships per season, usually they'll arrive betwen 06.30-11.00, departing again between 14.00-21.00. 

To transport the many passengers who disembark onto one of the cruiseship's lifeboats/ferries and cross to land onto Torquay's Becon Quay a number of coaches are always hired in to take those who wish to go further than Torquay itself to locations such as Exeter, Plymouth, Buckfast Abbey. Around 6-9 vehicles usually are required, with Plymouth Citybus, C.J. Down of Mary Tavy, Target Travel of Plymouth being some of the more frequently used operators. The coaches usually arrive at Haldon Pier within an hour or two of the cruiseship anchoring in the Bay. Trips mostly take around 4-5 hours, so early departures around 08.00-09.00 arriving back around lunchtime and when the boat arrives later, coach departures leaving around 11.00-12.00 return around 16.00-17.30.

 

Cruiseship 'Amadea' during its visit to Torbay in May 2015

The rare sight of 2 Cruise Ships on one day in Torbay on 5th August 2016. 'Hamburg' to the far left, 'Sebourn Quest' to the right

 Heading along Torquay Harbourside returning passengers to visiting Cruiseship 'Delphin' in August 2014 is C.J. Down of Mary Tavy Berkhof Axial bodied Volvo B10M-62, 3504CD.

One of 2 Caeatno Levante bodied Volvo B12Bs acquired by C.J. Down of Mary Tavy from Bournemouth, this one being former FJ07DVZ, photographed heading away from Torquay's Haldon Pier whilst transporting passengers from visiting Cruiseliner 'Seabourn Quest' in August 2016.

On one of the wettest cruiseship visiting days back in September 2013 sees a pair of Grey Cars Coaches of Heathfield, Newton Abbot, fronted by Plaxton Première 350 bodied Volvo B10M-62, 2091MX. Former N219HWX.

A glorious day back in August 2014 as Plymouth Citycoach's Plaxton Premiere 350 bodied Volvo B10M-62, JSK264, former W311SDV, heads away from Torquay's Beacon Quay after bring back passengers of cruiseship, 'Delphin'.

A line-up of Plymouth Citycoch Plaxton bodied Volvos arriving back with coach loads of passengers from the 'Europa', seen above in August 2016.

 Plymouth Citybus 313-JSK261, former Y313NYD, a Plaxton Paragon bodied Volvo B10M-62, arrives on Beacon Quay, with Torquay Harbour in view, to take visitors of cruiseliner 'Ocean Majesty' out around the county.

Leons Coaches

Based in Stafford the business started back in 1951 running taxis only which it did for some years until it inherited a pair of coaches after buying Halls Coaches. 30 years after the taxi business had begun Leons acquired their first coaches from new in the early 80s, which were a Caetano bodied Ford, XRE491X in 1982, & Plaxton bodied Ford CRE560Y the following year. These were added to a few years later when in 1989 then acquired a Van Hool bodied Volvo B10M-60, F150SRF & a Plaxton bodied Scania K113CRB, G360XEH. From the early 1990s there were acquisitions of  Volvos, bodied by Plaxton, Jonckheere & Ikarus. Late 90s-early 00s saw batches of Van Hool T8, then T9 bodied Scanias bought, as well as a handful of Irizar bodied Scanias. The start of the next decade saw 3 Berkhof bodied Volvos bought, W300LCT, W400LCT, W500LCT; as well as a pair of Van Hool bodied Scanias.

2001-2 saw 9 more Van Hool T9 Scanias arrive new. This era also saw them try out a small number of Setras, AT03LCT, BT03LCT, CT03LCT, AT04LCT, as well as a slightly larger batch of Bovas, BT04LCT, CT04LCT, AT05LCT, BT05LCT, CT05LCT, AT06LCT. Although this would prove to be the last new Setras bought by the company, they would buy another 4 Bovas BT57LCT, CT57LCT, AT08LCT, BT08LCT in 2007/8 bringing it to 10 new Bovas. During this time 5 more Berkhof Axials entered the fleet, BT06LCT, CT06LCT, DT06LCT, ET06LCT, FT06LCT, which had the Scania K114EB4 chassis.

2007 saw the arrival of what would be Leon's sole Volvo B12B, AT57LCT, which had Van Hool's T9 Alizée bodywork.

2008-9 would see 4 more Van Hool T9s arrive, 2 of them, CT08LCT & CT09LCT would be the last Van Hools with the Scania chassis acquired by then company for 6 years, as Van Hool took their time to make the Scania chassis available with their TX body. 2009 also saw the arrival of 5 Irizar Century bodied Scania K340EB4s, DT09LCT, ET09LCT, FT09LCT, GT09LCT, HT09LCT as well as 1 more, CT10LCT, in 2010.

2010 also saw the arrival of a Van Hool Acron, BT10LCT, 186. 2009/2010 saw them buy 3 Van Hool Astrons, AT09LCT, BT09LCT & AT10LCT.

Between 2010-2012 5 Van Hool T9 Alicrons were bought, FT10LCT, AT11LCT, AT61LCT, BT61LCT, CT12LCT. 2012 saw them buy their first, and sadly last, interdeck coaches, namely Van Hool T917 Altanos, AT12LCT & BT12LCT.

The company's first Van Hool TX came in the form of  their 4th Van Hool Astron, AT13LCT, 205. This was followed by 6 more Van Hool TXs in 2013-14, albeit of the Alicron variety, regs, BT13LCT, CT13LCT, DT13LCT, CT14LCT, DT14LCT, ET14LCT.

2014 saw the company acquire a pair of the very striking looking Neoplan Starliner 2s, AT14LCT & BT14LCT.

2014 also saw their first King Long join the fleet BX64AEP; the XMQ6130C operates mainly on school work. The following year saw the arrival of their first Yutong, YC15WCP, being one of the TC9 variety.

Later in 2015 their first Van Hool TX bodied Scania, AT65LCT, entered the fleet. Another of these hit the road in 2016, RD16LCT.

As well as the main coaching fleet Leons have maintained a healthy fleet of smaller minibuses for school runs and private hire work. I shan't bore us all with details about those!

The company also runs Dragons International, a business dedicated to running school trips across the UK & Europe.

As well as the main Leons fleet they also own Happy Days, although the fleet has many  older vehicles in it, for working mainly on school runs, as well as day trips & tours, they do also have some newer machines, including new Irizar i6, Neoplan Tourliner & Van Hool have all entered the fleet in recent years.

Finally the Dunwood side of the operations. Dunwood, a holiday organizer, had worked with Leons Coaches for a number of years, Leons branding a number of their own maroon Van Hool fleet with the Dunwod name. However in 2014 Dunwood decided to go it alone and bought 2 brand new blue Irizar i6 bodied Scanias, YN65AOJ, K. The following Spring saw 2 more identical blue coaches join the Dunwood fleet, YN15EHZ, YR15VBD.

The Leon's fleet are regular visitors to Torbay. Staying in Torquay at the Derwent Hotel & Headland Hotel. And in Paignton at the Palace Hotel and the Queens Hotel.

    ET09LCT, 181, heads past Livermead on Christmas Eve 2010. The coach is currently (as of April 2016) with Robnson's Coach Travel of Burbage.

5 Irizar Century bodied Scania K340EB4s were acquired by Leons in 2009, 180-184 DT09LCT, ET09LCT, FT09LCT, GT09LCT, HT09LCT.

 The newest of their 3 T9 variant Astrons, AT10LCT, 185, pictured on Torquay Seafront next to the Abbey Meadows in June 2010 when it was only 3 months old. 185 would be sold on in 2014 to Jewitts Coaches of Humshaugh  and re-registered to 3287EL.

As well as the more standard Van Hools the company has acquired over the years the 2009, 2010 seasons saw them buy 3 of the Astron variety of Van Hools, AT09LCT, BT09LCT & AT10LCT.

Leons Van Hool line-up at Lymington Road Coach Station. T9 Alicron AT11LCT, 211, TX Alicron DT13LCT, 208, T9 Alicron, BT61LCT, 198, TX Alicron, CT13LCT, 207. (December 2013)

One of several Leons Van Hool Alicrons to have the Dunwood branding, BT61LCT, 198 at Abbey Gates, Torquay (August 2014)

2 each of their T9 & TX Alicrons at Lymington Coach Station. CT13LCT, BT61LCT, DT13LCT, AT11LCT. (December 2013)

Between 2010-2012 the company bought 5 new Van Hool T9 Alicrons, 192, 193, 197, 198, 199. These were followed by 4 of the newer TX version of the Van Hool Alicron, BT13LCT, CT13LCT, DT13LCT, CT14LCT, DT14LCT, ET14LCT, 206, 207, 208, 212, 213, 214

BT12LCT, 200 approaches Kingskerswell Arch whilst on a day trip from Torbay. (March 2014)

2012 saw the company acquire 2 brand new Van Hool Altano interdecks, AT12LCT & BT12LCT, 199, 200. Sadly the pair were only to last for 2 years with them before being sold to Ellisons of St Helens, where they remain (as of April 2016)

AT13LCT, 205 loads outside the Derwent Hotel, Torquay, for a day trip. (June 2015)



As well as their 3 T9 Van Hool Astrons, AT09LCT, BT09LCT & AT10LCT, they bought a single newer TX version in 2013, AT13LCT.

 

AT14LCT-210 heads along the coast at Livermead bound for home after its week stay at Paignton's Palace Hotel. (October 2015)

The pairs first time staying at a hotel together, pictured outside the Headland Hotel, Torquay. (January 2015) 

Left:

Interior of their Starliner, AT14LCT. (December 2014)

Right:

Rear view of AT14LCT at Plymouth's Bretonside Coach Station. (October 2015)

Starliner logo on AT14LCT

Starliner number 2, fleet number 211, BT14LCT, outside Torquay's Derwent Hotel. Firstly (June 2014) Before heading out on a day trip, then in the rain as night falls after arriving back from a day out. (November 2014)

                                                

                                   

BT14LCT & AT14LCT at the Headland Hotel (January 2015)

BT14LCT at the Headland Hotel shortly after its re-paint. (April 2015)

Spring 2015 saw both Leon's Neoplan Starliners get re-sprayed into a slightly lighter shade of red, also minor modifications such as the mirrors be painted red and Starliner stickers added. 

BT14LCT & AT14LCT next to the Grand Hotel on Torquay Seafront head of on a day excursion. (January 2016)

Happy Days Irizar i6 Integral, LC15HDC, 230 at Torquay's Lymington Coach Station (December 2015) 

         Daish's Holidays

Part of the Daish's Group. The company has continued to grow over the past 30+ years from its humbler routes, the company now owns 7 hotels, based in Bournemouth, Eastbourne, Isle of White, Llandudno, Newquay, Torquay & Weymouth. Over 20 years after the first coach was acquired Daish's now operate a fleet of around 20 coaches which are used to transport their guests to their hotels and also on day trips.

Torquay's Devonshire Hotel was acquired by Daish's back in 2001 and is their Torbay base.

Their fleet of coaches in recent times has been heavily Volvo based, with a large number of these being of the B12B variety. Bodyworks have varied more, from Caeatano Enigma, Jonckheere Mistral, Plaxton/Transbus Paragon, Plaxton Panther, Van Hool Alizée. Since 2013 the company has bought only Jonckheere 'SHV' bodied Volvos, culminating in the company's first brand new acquisitions at the start of 2015 when they bought a pair of Jonckheere bodied Volvo B11Rs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictured outside Torquay's Devonshire Hotel shortly before Christmas 2014 

 

From left to right: New to Linkline Coaches of Harlesdon (London) registered GB033LLC, this was one of a pair of Caetano Enigma bodied Volvos that ran with the fleet. This one was acquired by Daish's in April 2009, getting re-registered to the reg it held when pictured here, SUI 8197, in November 2010. It was later sold on and joined Hednesford Travel of Cannock fleet.

 

In the middle of shot is FJ60EJE, one of a pair of Volvo 9700s, the other being FJ60EJG, acquired from P&J Ellis of Acton Plain at the end of 2013. They also own an earlier version of the 9700, WJ55TVP, which was acquired from Callinan, formerly registered 06-G-602.

 

To right of shot is FJ08BZY, one of 11 Jonckheere bodied Volvos with Daish's.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Seen at Torquay's Cary Parade (November 2010) 

 

The company currently still own this their other Caetano Enigma bodied Volvo B10M-62, CC03HOL, which they bought from Classic of Annfield Plain in September 2010. 

 

 

Pictured heading along Meadfoot Seafront (April 2012)

 

One of a pair of Van Hools T9 Alizée bodied Volvo B12Bs, YJ05XXB, acquired from Mills S&S of Barnsley, this one in August 2010, the other YJ06BRZ, in August 2012.

 

 

 

A pair of 'SHVs' BN64CTU & BX11GUG are pictured behind the Devonshire Hotel shortly after arrival with Daish's and before they had had their company names applied.

 

The start of 2015 saw the first brand new coaches arrive at the fleet, BN64CTK & BN64CTU. The Jonckheere 'SHV' body based on a Volvo B11R chassis. They also brought in 3 more Jonckheere 'SHVs', this time based on the Volvo B9Rs chassis. BX11GUG, H, J were acquired from P&J Ellis of Acton that entered the Daish's fleet also in January 2015.

  

 

 

For many years Daish's Torquay based fleet had used their garage in Zion Road for regular checks and repairs. The garage was based in a former Zion Methodist Church. Sadly by the end of 2015 the garage was closed up and put of for sale.

Left: Jonckheere Mistal bodied Volvo B12B, WA04ZNR, pictured poking out of the former Church on Zion Road awaiting a check over. (June 2015)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top & Above: Jonckheere 'SHV' bodied Volvo B11R, BN64CTU, on jacks for its checks inside the former church. (December 2015)

Thanks to the guys in the garage for letting me have a look around and getting a few shots, little did I know at the time it was very soon to close down.

 

 

Pictured on the day that the new South Devon Highway was opened, Jonckheere 'SHV' bodied B12B, FJ10DPE heads along the bypass at Kingskerswell towards Torquay on 15 December 2015