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James Freeman brought many fresh ideas and innovations to People’s Provincial. Although the Leyland National remained the backbone of the fleet, the welcome re-introduction of the double-decker – both closed top and open-top – plus the proliferation of minibuses ensured there was more variety and interest for the enthusiast then there had been for many years. We hope that the photos selected reflect this. 

Date In

Date Out

Reg

Chassis/Body   

Owner

20.07.87

00.11.92  

HOR 590E 

Leyland Atlantean/Roe O74F

FoKAB

00.08.87 

00.09.87

ERV 249D

Leyland Atlantean/MCW O77F

Portsmouth 8

00.09.87

00.09.87

ERV 254D

Leyland Atlantean/MCW O77F

Portsmouth 7

00.10.87

00.10.87

D67 OVP

Freight Rover Sherpa/Carlyle B21F

Demonstrator

03.03.88

11.03.88

E968 SVP

Iveco 49.10/Carlyle B25F

Demonstrator

30.03.88 

08.04.88

E576 ANE

Renault-Dodge S56/NCME B25F

Demonstrator

30.03.88 

08.04.88

E425 XKU

Renault-Dodge S56/Reeve Burgess B25F

Demonstrator

12.04.88 

24.04.88

E358 KPO 

Iveco 49.10/Robin Hood B21F

Demonstrator

16.04.88

22.04.88

E518 EWF 

Metrorider/MCW B23F    

Demonstrator

12.05.88

22.05.88

E338 KKV  

Talbot-Pullman/Talbot B22F 

Demonstrator

13.05.88

27.05.88

E36 VKP    

Iveco 49.10/Dormobile B25F

Demonstrator

26.05.88 

06.06.88

E70 XKW   

Mercedes 709D/Reeve Burgess B25F

Demonstrator

03.06.88

06.06.88

E949 LAE 

Iveco 49.10/Robin Hood B21

Red Admiral

09.06.88

21.06.88

E952 LAE   

Iveco 49.10/Robin Hood B21F

Red Admiral

21.06.88

28.06.88

E45 KKV   

Talbot-Pullman/Talbot B20F 

Barrow Borough 

29.06.88

07.07.88

E77 TDA     

Metrorider/MCW B25F

Demonstrator

25.07.88

30.07.88

E639 MTP  

Renault-Dodge S56/WSV B25F  

Demonstrator

11.11.88

23.11.88

F369 TVN 

CVE Omni/CVE B22F 

Demonstrator

29.11.88 

05.12.88

E45 KKV    

Talbot-Pullman/Talbot B20F  

Barrow Borough

19.01.89 

25.01.89

F956 XCK   

Leyland Swift/WSV B39F

Demonstrator

23.04.89

17.05.89

F326 PPO    

Mercedes 709D/Robin Hood B29F

Demonstrator

20.06.89

03.09.89

ERV 254D   

Leyland Atlantean/MCW O77F

Portsmouth 7

09.08.89  

11.09.89

SPM 21         

Bristol FS6B/ECW O60R

Brighton & Hove

09.08.89

11.09.89

F326 PPO   

Mercedes 709D/Robin Hood B29F

Demonstrator

19.10.89

20.10.89

RUF 38R      

Leyland National/LN B44D

Brighton & Hove 38

19.10.89

20.10.89

UFG 53S      

Leyland National/LN B44D

Brighton & Hove 53

19.10.89

20.10.89

YCD 80T    

Leyland National /LN B44D

Brighton & Hove 80

02.11.89

09.11.89

F792 DWT   

DAF-Optare Delta/Optare B47F

Demonstrator

02.03.90

00.03.90

G449 LKW  

Iveco 49.10/Reeve Burgess B25F 

Demonstrator

00.03.90

00.03.90

F368 RPO   

Iveco 49.10/Phoenix B26F

Demonstrator

14.06.90

25.06.90

G241 AHP   

Talbot-Pullman/Talbot B22F

Demonstrator

27.07.90 04.08.90 G895 XPX Dennis Dart/Wadham Stringer B33F  Demonstrator  

08.08.90

05.09.90

ERV 249D   

Leyland Atlantean/MCW O77F

Red Ensign 506   

12.02.91 

18.02.91

H908 DTP   

Dennis Dart/Wadham-Stringer B35F

Demonstrator    

01.08.91

07.08.91

J556 GTP     

Dennis Dart/Wadham-Stringer B35F

Demonstrator

10.10.91

25.10.91

H47 NDU    

Leyland Lynx/Leyland B50F 

Nottingham 750 

14.02.92

23.02.92

J348 GKH     

Dennis Dart/Plaxton B40F

Demonstrator

03.04.92

07.05.92 

D736 OOG   

Freight Rover Sherpa/Carlyle B20F

Midland Red(S)484

03.04.92

07.05.92

D271 OOJ    

Freight Rover Sherpa/Carlyle B20F

Midland Red(S)486

03.04.92

01.06.92

D220 SKD    

Mercedes 608D/Alexander B18F

Guildford&W.Surrey  

03.04.92

01.06.92 

D210 SKD    

Mercedes608D/R. Burgess B20F

Guildford&W.Surrey

04.04.92

07.05.92

G115 OGA   

Mercedes 811D/AlexanderB33F

Blythswood (dealer)

07.04.92

05.08.92 

E486 ONX  

Iveco 49.10/CarlyleB25F

West Midlands 8486

07.04.92

05.08.92

E511 TOV   

Iveco 49.10/Carlyle B25F

West Midlands 8511

19.04.92

00.05.92

C310 SPL    

Mercedes 608D/R.Burgess B20F

Guildford&W.Surrey 

12.12.92

15.12.92 

K90 DRH     

Dennis Lance/Wadham Stringer B35F

Eastbourne 14

04.02.93

18.02.93

J228 OKX   

Iveco 59.12/Marshall B29F

Demonstrator

09.06.93

14.07.93

BOK 49V     

Metrobus/MCW H73F 

West Midlands 2049

09.06.93

14.07.93

A741 WVP  

Metrobus/MCW H73F 

West Midlands 2741

09.06.03

15.07.93

BOK 47V     

Metrobus/MCW H73F

West Midlands 2047

09.06.93

15.07.93

A735 UOE 

Metrobus/MCW H73F

West Midlands 2735

10.06.93

14.07.93 

BOK 46V      

Metrobus/MCW H73F 

West Midlands 2046

10.06.93

14.07.93

BOK 66V     

Metrobus/MCW H73F

West Midlands 2066

10.06.93

14.07.93

BOK 48V     

Metrobus/MCW H73F

West Midlands 2048 

10.06.93

14.07.93

A734 UOE   

Metrobus/MCW H73F

West Midlands 2734

07.07.93

11.07.93

MFN 116R   

Leyland National/LN B49F

Redby Travel 

09.07.93

26.07.93

K891 KGS   

Iveco City Turbo 50/Alexander B45F

Demonstrator

19.01.94

02.02.94

J228 OKX    

Iveco 59.12/Marshall B29F

Demonstrator

12.05.94

20.05.94

L416 PAR    

Dennis Dart/Marshall B40F

Demonstrator

28.05.94

20.09.94

ADV 299A   

Leyland Atlantean/MCW O75F

Leisurelink

16.02.95

27.02.95

M822 RCP   

DAF 220/Northern Counties B51F

Demonstrator

25.05.95

19.06.95

D750 SJO     

Metrorider/MCW B25F

City Of Oxford 1750

25.05.95

19.06.95

E751 VJO    

Metrorider/MCW B25F

City Of Oxford 1751

25.05.95

19.06.95

E753 VJO    

Metrorider/MCW B25F

City Of Oxford 1753

25.05.95

19.06.95

E754 VJO     

Metrorider/MCW B25F

City Of Oxford 1754    

  

 

One of the earliest minibus demonstrators to be tried was this Carlyle-bodied Freight Rover Sherpa, D67 OVP   Photo: Kevin Young


Northern Counties-bodied Renault-Dodge S56 E576 ANE at Hoeford. In the background is National 2 49  (BPR 49Y) which had been recently repainted into Ferryport livery.   Photo: Solentslide


MCW Metrorider E77 TDA in Fareham Bus Station.   Photo: Malcolm Audsley


E639 MTP, another Renault-Dodge S56, this time with a Wadham Stringer body, was on loan in late July 1988.   Photo: Bob Gray


Several examples of the Iveco 49.10 were hired in 1988, including E36 VKB which bodywork by Dormobile.   Photo: Solentslide


Of all the minibuses, CVE Omni F369 TVN was probably the most strikingly original vehicle to operate for Provincial since the Guy-Deutz rebuilds.   Photo: Solentslide


People's Provincial also looked at 3 examples of the Talbot-Pullman six-wheeler between 1988-90, with E45 KKV paying two visits. It is seen here in Fareham sporting the livery of Barrow Borough Transport.   Photo: Bob Gray


As well as minibuses, Provincial were also looking at possible long-term replacements for their Leyland National fleet. One such example being this Wadham Stringer-bodied Leyland Swift F956 XCK, seen at Hoeford in January 1989.  Photo: Stephen Didymus collection


Over the weekend of 19/20 October 1989, Provincial borrowed three Mk.1 Leyland Nationals, including UFG 53S, from Brighton & Hove for use as shuttle buses in connection with 'Operation Minotaur' - the removal of WW2 bombs discovered in the vicinity of HMS Daedalus. Photo: Gordon McGregor collection


This very smart DAF-Optare Delta, F792 DWT, was inspected in November 1989 as another possible Leyland National replacement.   Photo: Stephen Didymus collection


Iveco demonstrator F368 RPO, with Phoenix body almost identical to those delivered to Provincial in 1989, captured in March 1990 leaving Gosport Bus Station.   Photo: Malcolm Audsley


The elegant lines of Nottingham's Leyland Lynx 750 (H47 NDU) shown to good effect at Portsmouth Hard on 24 October 1991. Photo: Mal Saltmarsh


Plaxton-bodied Dennis Dart J348 GKH in Fareham West Street on 19 February 1992.  Photo: Mal Saltmarsh


A combination of the late delivery of new Ivecos and the start of new services in Spring 1992 meant that Provincial had to hire in a number of minibuses from various sources, one such was Midland Red(S)486 (D271 OOJ), a Freight Rover Sherpa with Carlyle body.   Photo: Stephen Didymus collection


Guildford & West Surrey provided 3 Mercedes 608Ds including this Reeve Burgess bodied example, D210 SKD, seen alongside Provincial's own 138 in Fareham Bus Station.   Photo: Stephen Didymus


A further Mercedes, this time the larger 811D model with Alexander body, was hired from a dealer.   Photo:Mal Saltmarsh


The award of a major contract to supply rail replacement vehicles in 1993, led to Provincial hiring 8 MCW Metrobuses from West MidlandsTravel. These were superb machines, what a pity none of them stayed permanently as they would have looked wonderful in Green & Cream. 2066 is seen here in Elm Lane, Havant.   Photo: Stephen Didymus collection


Eastbourne's Wadham Stringer-bodied Dennis Lance at Hoeford on 13 December 1992.  Photo: Roy Jetten


This former East Kent Leyland National was hired from Redby Travel during July 1993.   Photo: Roy Jetten


Another 'big bus' on loan in July 1993 was this Alexander-bodied Iveco Turbo City 50, K891 XGS, which was surprisingly comfortable to travel on.  Photo: Mal Saltmarsh


Nicely proportioned DAF demonstrator M822 RCP at Hoeford on 21 February 1995.   Photo: Mal Saltmarsh


Marshall-bodied Dennis Dart L416 PAR leaving a rather damp Fareham Bus Station on 14 May1995.   Photo: Mal Saltmarsh


To conclude, here is a small selection of photos of vehicles that have visited the Company since the take-over by First. 

Dennis Dart/UVG demonstrator, N804 GRV, was on loan during July 1996 and again in 1997.   Photo: Malcolm Audsley


Volvo engined Leyland National EUM 888T outside the Church Of The Good Shepherd, Crookhorn, in September 1996.   Photo: Stephen Didymus


The Festival Of The Sea celebrations in Portsmouth over the 1998 August bank holiday brought a huge influx of vehicles for Park And Ride duties - including this Badgerline Olympian A757 VAF, which subsequently became First H&D 34757.   Photo: Robert Smith


Centre West Dennis Lance K329 VJA, with Northern Counties body, in Crookhorn Lane during December 1998. This bus was being trialled as a possible replacement for the remaining Leyland Nationals.   Photo: Stephen Didymus


A 'short' Dennis Dart demonstrator in Bridgemary on January 10, 1999.   Photo: Terry Lawson


Optare Solo demonstrator W427 CWX in Fareham Bus Station.  Photo: Fred York

 

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