Vlad The Impaler
In 1456 Vlad invaded Wallachia (Romania) with Hungarian support. Vlad began a purge among the Wallachian boyars to strengthen his position. He came into conflict with the Transylvanian Saxons, who supported his opponents, Dan and Basarab Laiotă, and Vlad's illegitimate half-brother, Vlad the Monk. Vlad plundered the Saxon villages, taking the captured people to Wallachia where he had them impaled (which inspired his cognomen). Peace was restored in 1460.
So now you know! Maybe not the nicest chap in the fifteenth century?
But here is another Vlad the Impaler with an easier history to understand.
Presumably to recognise its duties as an impaler of overhanging foliage, Vlad's name adorned A174 VFM in the Southern Vectis fleet. But this bus had Welsh Origins being a Crosville vehicle, seen below advertising Coal (?).
It is not stated, in fbb's sources, whether it had a removable top, but certainly the ex Welsh bus later operated in closed top form for Wilts and Dorset ...
... as well as doing open top duty as here at Sandbanks chain ferry terminal en route from Swanage to Poole.
It then emigrated to the Isle of Wight, where it was also used as an open topper service bus, here on the Downs Tour, successor to Westbrook Travel's route 88.
But it soon succumbed to a typical Nelson Road carve-up with a garish back end.
The front end wasn't particularly beautiful either!
Then came Son of Vlad, also named on the front of the ex-bus!
This now warns the general populace of the Isle of Wight that it is the land owners' responsibility to trim the trees down to a prescribed level (up to a prescribed level?) such that double deck buses do not get the front end and or roof bashed to smithereens.
This beauty (?) is registered Y747 TGH and originally ran with Go Ahead in London ...
... who, we assume, bought it new.
Another tree lopper lay between the orange peril (see yesterday's blog) and Vlad the Impaler.
It carried the "cherished" registration of 934 BDL which it wore as am open top from the days when "open toppedness" was marketed as a brand in its own right with different uniforms for the drivers. Known by many as "Sunshine" livery, here is 934 BDL doing its stuff on Isle of Wight Festival duties.
Before that, the reg was worn by a Southern Vectis coach.
And before that? Somewhere in this era, the label was carried by a Moss Motors midi-coach ...
... and after the orange sunshine ...
The orange VR eventually found its way to York, where it worked for a while on York Pullman's city tour carrying it's original uncherished registration mark.
... it appeared on an Ollie with a new "Island Breezer" brand.
When the open top tour "deal" ended, the bus was kept for a while for "heritage" tours.
In York it was still carrying another Stuart Linn (then boss of Southern Vectis) whimsy, namely that the bus (All Vectis buses) would accept Euros (notes only) for fares. 
On the Isle of Wight, canny Vectensians had no truck with such weird currency and the scheme sort of fizzled out. Rumours were rife that the exchange rate was VERY unfavourable!
Stop Press : Bus Industry Saved
Grant's Grant Granted
In a typical treasury last-minute deal it was announced yesterday (1st March) that the Government would continue to provide financial support for the bus and tram/light rail industry from now until October.
Yesterday Grant made a statement to Parliament. Much of it was political guff, but the final paragraph might bring a respite to the near suicidal frustration felt by bus and tram managers.
I can therefore announce that we will provide over £150 million in further financial support to the local transport sector. This will fund bus operators and local authorities responsible for bus and light rail services from April until October and is the final COVID-19 support package the government will provide to the sector. The funding will assist local transport authorities and operators in running services as they develop new, effective, financially sustainable networks that cater for the needs of the local public and their local areas after the pandemic.
This package of funding shows our commitment to the development of effective financial sustainability plans, taking into account user needs. It will maximise public confidence in local transport, whilst aligning with our aims from the national bus strategy, to deliver better bus services.
Does that mean that Metroline's 84 ...
... and Stagecoach 200 ...
... will continue unchanged after all?
Guess?
STOP PRESS : Stagecoach has just announced the withdrawal of Service 41 running between Northampton and Bedford. It was recently reduced from hourly to every 90 minutes and thus, fbb guessed, has lost even more passengers.
And so it goes on!
And That Book Review ...
... coming tomorrow ... possibly!
fbb got the date wrong yesterday! It is correct now.
Next Towers, Tow-ers & Tree-loppers blog : Weds 2nd March
"... develop new, effective, financially sustainable networks that cater for the needs of the local public and their local areas ..."
ReplyDelete"... commitment to the development of effective financial sustainability plans, taking into account user needs ..."
Financially sustainable (twice) . . . well, that gives the lie of the land, doesn't it. A busy time for those network planners coming up . . .
The first picture of A174 VFM as an open-top isn't at Sandbanks Ferry. With the shops in the background it appears to be passing Sandbanks Pavilion which is behind the photographer, about half a mile after it left the ferry.
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