It's Now No More, The X84 (Part 1)

Carols In't Pub!

All over Yorkshire, pubs will be welcoming their clientele to an evening of Carols and "refreshment". To what extent the combatants will give any thought to the real meaning of the Christmas Story is highly doubtful, but the tradition will continue none the ;ess.

Often the songs become more secular and one that is compulsory, particularly in West Yorkshire, concerns a wanderer on the moors wearing no headgear. Death ensues eventually and the consumption of the human remains by lumbricos terrestris adds to the tragedy.

But already this year a different song is being sung in Leeds, Headingley, Weetwood, Otley and Ilkley. 

fbb can safely publish these words with a lower asperity threshold than some versions!

Where ‘as tha bin since I saw thee,

I saw thee!

Where ‘as tha bin since I saw thee,

I saw thee!

To Ilkley town by bus,

To Ilkley town by bus,

To Ilkley town by bus.

They’ve changed the timings, you will see,

You will see.

They’ve changed the timings, you will see,

You will see.

For Ilkley town on’t’ bus,

For Ilkley town on’t’ bus,

For Ilkley town on’t’ bus.

It serves all stops from Leeds to Wee-

-twood Libree.

It serves all stops from Leeds to Wee-

-twood Libree.

Now folk will fume and cuss,

Now folk will fume and cuss,

Now folk will fume and cuss.

Readers may be aware that there is no Library (Libree) at Weetwood; but why let a geographical nicety get in the way of a truly awful rhyme?

T'were grand when t'were an AEC,

AEC,

T'were grand when t'were an AEC,

AEC,

A comfy Ledgard bus,

A comfy Ledgard bus,

A comfy Ledgard bus.

New numbers? Daft if thee ask me,

Thee ask me.

New numbers? Daft if thee ask me,

Thee ask me.

They're just confusing us,

They're just confusing us,

They're just confusing us!

First’s boss is such a silly “B”…

Silly “B”!

First’s boss is such a silly “B”…

Silly “B”!

Shan’t use their bloomin' bus,

Shan’t use their bloomin' bus,

Shan’t use their bloomin' bus.

Some explanation may be necessary!

In 1896 Samuel Ledgard became the licencee of the Nelson Hotel on Armley Road, Leeds.

After closure it was refurbished ...

... and is now the Grand Valley Bar and Kitchen. "Grand" might not be a totally appropriate adjective!

A blue plaque commemorates Sam's lengthy residence there.

Round the back of the pub, Sam had a bottling plant; he soon had a haulage business and owned a quarry. In 1924 he began his first bus route. By the time his buses ceased operation he had a fleet of approximately 100 vehicles.

Note that he was a "sole trader" and none of his many enterprises was  a "limited" company.

In 1967 his executors sold the business to the West Yorkshire Road Car Company.

 

West Yorkshire only took over a dozen of the vehicles, the rest were sold.

At least one preserved vehicle seems to be in a brighter blue livery than photos show and fbb remembers!

It would appear that the livery was always blue, but its older style was much more complex.

The company's main line route was between Leeds and Otley via the A65.

They had a very comprehensive depot and offices in Otley.

Although Sam never felt the need for route numbers, his former routes were soon numbered in the West Yorkshire Road Car scheme e.g. 783 and 784.

This decker is showing just 84, but  that might be a busted blind bodge!

So 784/84 (?) eventually begat X84, presumably after the original West Yorkshire PTE ...

... privatised as Yorkshire Rider, bought the West Yorkshire Road Car operations in 1989.

Below is a First Bus in Heritage livery on the present X84 by way of (possible?) explanation.

Confusing is it not?

Whatever the complex history, the Great Britain Bus Timetable in year 2000 showed the X84 as running every 30 minures ...

... between Leeds and Ilkley with an hourly service on to Skipton.

Join fbb on  Wednesday  for the next exciting instalment.

In tomorrow's mini blog we take a further look at Directors' Saloons a k a Inspectors'' Saloons. Plus a picturesque watercourse on the Isle of Wight.

 Next Pricing Pottiness blog : Tues 19 Nov