The last night of the Dominator

[andyrad]

Some great pics of Dominators on here...

http://first-bus-photos.fotopic.net/c1795044.html

[oldrowley]

Like many others in the 1970's and 1980's, I found the coffee and cream livery quite depressing and uninspiring. I recall driving between Hoyland and Wentworth probably in mid 1985 when I noticed a bus approaching from the Rotherham direction. The livery was the very pleasing Cameo with chestnut brown skirt with thin red stripes below the windows. As it was before the SYT takeover date, there was no branding at all and recognition of the bus was basically by the registration. I was very impressed with this livery and felt it was very classy and the best since STD days by far. I must admit to being rather disappointed when on privatisation, the blocks of red were added to the lower panels especially as these seemed to become very scruffy in a relatively short time, but this is purely a personal preference. I assume that the bus I saw would have been 2194 but somebody may recall if more buses were similarly treated and ran in service as such. Who knows perhaps one day if funds permit, the SYTT may consider this experimental livery as suitable for one of the Dominators in their care.

http://regionalbusphotosyork.fotopic.net/p65984009.html

[Guest gareth388]

Like many others in the 1970's and 1980's, I found the coffee and cream livery quite depressing and uninspiring. I recall driving between Hoyland and Wentworth probably in mid 1985 when I noticed a bus approaching from the Rotherham direction. The livery was the very pleasing Cameo with chestnut brown skirt with thin red stripes below the windows. As it was before the SYT takeover date, there was no branding at all and recognition of the bus was basically by the registration. I was very impressed with this livery and felt it was very classy and the best since STD days by far. I must admit to being rather disappointed when on privatisation, the blocks of red were added to the lower panels especially as these seemed to become very scruffy in a relatively short time, but this is purely a personal preference. I assume that the bus I saw would have been 2194 but somebody may recall if more buses were similarly treated and ran in service as such. Who knows perhaps one day if funds permit, the SYTT may consider this experimental livery as suitable for one of the Dominators in their care.

http://regionalbusphotosyork.fotopic.net/p65984009.html

I think that there were 2 buses treated in this way. I can't remember which one this was though. (over to Bus Man?) I personally think they look quite smart. Thinking about what we have in the ranks of preserved Dominators, there are a few which could be candidates for this livery. The first one out in full SYPTE livery will most likely be 2414, but after that I would be happy to see one in this experimental livery. An excellent suggestion!

[andyrad]

I think that there were 2 buses treated in this way. I can't remember which one this was though. (over to Bus Man?) I personally think they look quite smart. Thinking about what we have in the ranks of preserved Dominators, there are a few which could be candidates for this livery. The first one out in full SYPTE livery will most likely be 2414, but after that I would be happy to see one in this experimental livery. An excellent suggestion!

not before one is done in "SYT Standard" Gareth

imagine one looking like this again!

(thats me in the cab by the way!) lol

[Guest seanybaby]

I know this is very recent history but it is now history no the less.

South Yorkshire PTE, in the seventies tried out many different types of double Decker but in the early eighties they finally settled on two basic types.

The Metrobus and the Dominator.

They were also running so Atlanteans from the sixties and seventies but started to take huge numbers of these new vehicles.

While the Metrobus found homes all over the country the Dominator really only saw service in Sheffield and Leicester(I think)

While the Metrobus's died out years ago the Dominators soldiered on until last year, when owing to the need for more low floor vehicles, and their age I suppose, First South Yorkshire (FSY) decided to retire them.

It has to be said that while the Routemaster was synominous with London, the Dominator was a Sheffield bus.

On the last day FSY ran the remaining five "Domos" all day on the 82 to Bents Green and Stannington.

The day was organized by Andy Metcalf at Olive Grove and he got First Group to donate all the takings on that route that day to the Childrens Hospital. What stars!!

At about half one in the morning a small group of us were waiting at Olive Grove for the last one to come home...then finally we heard a loud roar as the last one came flying over the bridge.

They were all lined up inside the depot for a handful of photos to be taken and then that was it. The drivers left and that was it... another part of Sheffields transport dispached to history.

Here are some of the shots my son and I took that day.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/hjdary/P6256886.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/hjdary/P6256870.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/hjd...TANNINGTON2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/hjd...RLIESMIRROR.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/hjd...ROMTOPDECK1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/hjdary/BENTSAM2.jpg

Hj

Brilliant photos. Brings back some good old memories, hard to believe this was over 4 years ago now!!! How time flies...