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Last day specials


Hjdary

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Over the years Sheffield has seen quite a number of different buses and trams.

But was their passing always celebrated?

Their, famously was the last tram week, and as pictures on this site have shown, there was a bit of a doo when the last AEC single decker ran and also we had the last day of the Dominator....but where there any other events?

Was the Leyland National honnored or the last back loader / last half cab?....what about the last bus to run in Sheffield colours before coffe and cream?

Has their been any such events for other forms of transport like the last steam loco or the last freight carrying canal boat?

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Guest sheffbusman

Yes, in October 1996 there was a celebration when the last of the Leyland Atlanteans were withdrawn, I have a "Roots" Newspaper that has a front page cover story all about it.

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Guest transit

Yes, in October 1996 there was a celebration when the last of the Leyland Atlanteans were withdrawn, I have a "Roots" Newspaper that has a front page cover story all about it.

I went on a farewell evening tour around Dec 1976 to mark the last of the rear-entrance buses in Sheffield. Got newspaper interest as well with it being a major withdrawal (loss) of symbolic Sheffield travel. What would Health & Safety think of them these days! :rolleyes:

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Guest bus man

LASTS;

BUS TYPES

The last Atlatean day was more in the roots report than reality it wasn’t really done at all it more people in the know going out than anything planned.

As mentioned above there was a last day for the Sheffield swifts – this was used on an advertised journey on the 8/9 with boarding passes required - this was as it was expected that the capacity would be reached. Indeed this was been mentioned on another thread.

The bus did make a journey in normal passenger use after the farewell tour – my photo of it on that journey was through a bus window – I wish we had,had mobile phones in those days.

The last swift service bus is of course preserved at the Sheffield Bus Museum @ Aldwarke and the sister of the last regent V 874 can be found at Kimberworth (878 worked the last journey from Commercial St to intake it then ran ECS with passengers to Leadmill was washed refuelled and was used for the tour)

The SYTS/SOES did a Booth and Fisher reliance farewell tour and also the last half cab / CVG in the SYTPE fleet 1206

The last jumbo 660 (although I know technically the phrase jumbo only applied to the early ones with the small windows ) ran with a board the Greenland road open day sadly this bus was scrapped due to a chassis problem.

The last regent/ half cab in Sheffield is mentioned above although little did we realise that Routemasters would be used in Sheffield after dereg - you are right the star did get involved.

The tour consisted of an evening tour using 878 and a Weyman think it was 451 around the city – I was also on the tour.

The last Park Royal/ Fleetline 112 also had a fare well day and head board.

The dominator day as been mentioned.

The other lasts tended to be done only by enthusiasts with the exception of the last bendi’s – the DAB batch was noticeable for the number of members of the public who were out, again because of publicity in the star and local radio

The first batch of bendi buses disappeared over night of course, very few people knew they were going only the arrival of Nottingham Leyland nationals gave the gave away. The old bendis were then parked behind Greenland and then moved to “secret storage” - the Trent Depot at Derby

There was no last day for the National or more importantly the leopard which in my opinion was actually more historic than the national to Sheffield.

Remember that due to dereg there were more nationals in use in Sheffield after production had ceased than during production

SERVICES

More comemeration was done for last services mainly connected with dereg the last High Bradfield and last X48 to Manchester was done with enthusiasts out numbering passengers. Indeed I seem to remember the STD timetable cases been removed en route back to Sheffield

I seem to remember that there were some last rites on some of the services that finished in STD days I was a little too young to be on them

Although I did photograph the last 255 to hill top and the last Ribble working on the X48 to Manchester.

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Guest rick9525

Not in Sheffield although it did visit on the last day I did partake in the last every running of the DMU 101 train which went from Rose Hill Marple to Manchester Picadilly on Dec 24th 2003. North west trains made quite an event out of it e.g. all the blinds were up and when we arrived in Picadilly they set of track bangers which made a heck of a bang.

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SERVICES

More comemeration was done for last services mainly connected with dereg the last High Bradfield and last X48 to Manchester was done with enthusiasts out numbering passengers. Indeed I seem to remember the STD timetable cases been removed en route back to Sheffield

The date of course was 25th October 1986, de-regulation eve. The X48 became the centre of Sheffield enthusiast attention because the route was one of the few in South Yorkshire that was to be withdrawn completely. The High Bradfield (62) was one of a number transferring to the new West Riding subsidiary Sheffield & District the following day although in reality it only ran twice a day on Tuesdays & Saturdays if I recall correctly and because of the need to reverse at High Bradfield it was also still double manned. Because of this quirkiness its final run of the old order also became a focus for Sheffield enthusiasts.

I could certainly write a lengthy article of what I and an increasing number of friends as the day went on, often referred to as 'The Railway Children', experienced on de-regulation eve travelling on routes to be abolished, substantialy changed, or passing to new operators. However, for now and briefly, a few words on the final eight or so ours of the old order.

Having arrive back in Sheffield after observing the last rites on Rotherham service 145 the intention was to do a trip to Marchwood on service 87 before switching to the last 62 outside the 'Infirmary'. Enquiries made of an inspector in Angel Street/Snig Hill revealed that the service had already ceased as the remaining clippies who were being made redundant that day had vanished! Thus, it was a visit to the CBS Cafe instead before the 62. Quite a group were waiting for the 62 but no bus appeared at departure time. A diplomat was sent to consult with the CBS inspectorate who revealed that no crew were available for this service either. Fortunately a spare driver, from Greenland if I recall correctly, was available who was willing to work the service one man provided the passengers showed him the way and supervised the High Bradfield reverse. Thus Leopard 66 was extracted from the bus park and all was well. There was at least one genuine passenger, an elderly lady laden with shopping picked up at Shalesmoor who could not understand why 'her' bus was so full!

It was then straight onto Leopard 68 for the last X48. No problem about this not running, PB had been on the case to make sure it would. Bus man is quite correct, the STD bus cases were removed on the return trip and the rather full bus did have a few genuine passengers aboard.

Arrival back in Sheffield was followed by a 'last night tour' arranged by SYTS/SOES, special thanks must be given to PB in particular for this memorable tour, using Leyland PD3 904. This, if I remember correctly followed the 61 route to Low Bradfield, back to Malin Bridge, the 86 route to Dungworth, a deviation to the Marchwood 87 terminus being a last minute insertion, back to Malin Bridge, the 54 route to the Norfolk Arms, Rivelin. Here a quick beer break was made before returning to Sheffield in time for 'last orders' and the last 'whistle'.

With regard to the original query about vehicle types passing

Their, famously was the last tram week, and as pictures on this site have shown, there was a bit of a doo when the last AEC single decker ran and also we had the last day of the Dominator....but where there any other events?

by de-regulation eve the Ailsa's had almost been eliminated but a very few survived at Greenland and were being one-manned! It was not expected that any would be in use on de-regulation eve but 388 apeared in the morning on Svc 71 causing a slight re-scheduling in order to fit it in. I am not sure if this was the last day of Ailsa's or whether any were used in the following days but that journey from Flat Street to Darnall was my last on one in Sheffield. Probably their passing just got lost in the mayhem of everything else that was happening then. If it was the last day then I can also claim to have been there on the first day, having travelled on 370 on 23rd April 1976, the first day (if the 1974 prototype trials are excluded) of Ailsa operation in Sheffield. I must admit to always having a soft spot for the Ailsas and of course they were very much associated with the SYPTE (1974-1986) operating era.

Incidently the day before the Ailsa's started was the last day of Leyland PD3 back loaders operating in Sheffield. Similar to the last day of AEC Regent operation the last one in servce 475 (4475 WE) last worked from Lowedges to Sheffield Lane Top on Svc 76. Then out of service, with passengers paying the garage fare, to Eastbank for fuel and wash. A tour was then run via Fox House, Grindleford, Bakewell, Rowsley, Matlock, Chesterfield and Dronfield back to Sheffield.

Last days at the time were predicatble as M&T News was publishing certificate of fitness expiry dates and pressures then on the fleet meant buses were running up to the wire. Thus, although 475 was the then the last PD3 left in service, provided it did not suffer a major breakdown it would be available for a tour on its last day. The last AEC Regent/back loaders in Sheffield tour I record as taking place on 30th December 1976. My records show 439, 451, 458, 460 and 878 still being then in ticket. If I recall correctly some of these still had a few months left on their tickets but at short notice it was decided to take them out of service early and a hastily arranged tour set up.

I recall the last day of Swift 54 and Fleetline 112, where the last journeys were more jamboreeic than for the back loaders, but not any others in Sheffield. There were certainly similar in other parts of South Yorkshire though.

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