Thank you to all of our contributors!
Bulletins now work on mobile or pc
Papal visit supplement from 1982 now online on bulletins page after 2012 bulletin - Thanks to Geof Dickson for supplying this
FLEETLISTS FOR EX WEST YORKSHIRE ROAD CAR COMPANIES
Email any updates to mail.wyis@yahoo.com
WELCOME TO THE FLEETLIST SECTION
Click on the buttons to view a current fleetlist for the relevant company
In loving memory of Trevor M Leach, who sadly passed away in December 2019. Trevor founded the WYIS website and was the long time editor of the newsletters. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him, a true gent in every aspect. Credit to Adrian Brown for the picture of Trevor.
ABOUT US
History of the WYIS
The West Yorkshire Information Service was formed in 1951 to collate and distribute news regarding the vehicles and operations of the West Yorkshire Road Car Company Limited, based in Harrogate. From the outset a monthly newsletter was produced, and for 40 years the WYIS kept its readers up to date with events concerning the company. In 1989/90, with the privatisation of the National Bus Company, the West Yorkshire company was sold and broken up into a number of separate companies. With the exception of the operations integrated into Yorkshire Rider, the WYIS continued to record developments within the new companies for a further 22 years, by which time the original West Yorkshire operations were no longer recognisable and the successor companies were themselves under new ownership. The changes which had taken place meant that the original WYIS aims could no longer be maintained, as the old West Yorkshire company that it had been following had completely disappeared and the committee therefore took the difficult decision to wind up the organisation, which it did in the Spring of 2012. One of the services that the WYIS provided for members was a detailed annual fleet list and rather than see this consigned to the history books we are continuing to maintain it for as long as it remains reasonably possible to do so with accuracy. This is due in no small part to our contacts within the companies and several former WYIS members who continue to supply details. It provides a way for those interested in the present day Transdev Blazefield and First York operations to keep up to date with fleet changes. We offer no guarantees that the list can be kept up to date indefinitely, but should the time come when regular updates are no longer possible then an announcement will be made on this page. Meanwhile, enjoy this surviving remnant of the WYIS........
A pictorial memory of a great man, Gordon Umpleby. He sadly passed away suddenly on 17th August. A true gent that touched the lives of many and we will always be proud to call him a friend. Our most sincere condolences to Gordon's family at this sad time. Pictured here 29/03/94 doing the job he loved, and was a great asset to WYRCC. Credit to Martin Counter for the image
Photo credit to Matt Burley
SURVIVING VEHICLES
Over the years the West Yorkshire Road Car Company has operated thousands of buses, but with the passage of time the number of survivors has fallen and is now less than 100, many of which are classed as preserved. The list here shows those that are definitely known to survive, along with a number that have been exported, where their continued survival is uncertain. It gives their fleet number when new; registration; type and finally their present ownership and status. We have tried to show the current situation, with reference to the DVLA website with regard to licensing. "SORN", for those who do not know, is "Statutory Off Road Notification", which is a new requirement introduced a few years ago to try to prevent unlicensed vehicles on our roads. It should be noted that anything that has been stored long term (such as the first on the list, TSM 228), is exempt from this requirement, which only affects vehicles that were currently licensed when the scheme was introduced. The fact that someone has taken the trouble to notify DVLA of "SORN" status suggests that the vehicle still exists, but is not firm proof. Otherwise there is no indication on DVLA of whether a vehicle has been scrapped or not – even if it has been notified by the owner as having been scrapped, it simply becomes "unlicensed" on the DVLA database, which for this list has led to assumptions having to be made on whether some vehicles still exist. If a vehicle, other than one known to be preserved, has not been licensed for 3 or 4 years or more, and in the absence of information to the contrary, the assumption is that it has been scrapped, though it may be that a few vehicles not on this list still linger on in scrapyards or elsewhere, in poor condition. A large number of ex WY vehicles have been exported over the years, and, of course, tracing these is even more difficult. Again, we have had to assume that if there has been no sighting for a number of years the chances are it has been scrapped, but there will inevitably be a few errors in this approach – DX 30 had not been seen in Holland for 31 years until it reappeared in 2007, whilst KDX 40 had not been seen for almost 40 years until it resurfaced during 2011! Nevertheless, to have included a large number of vehicles that have in all probability now been scrapped would have made the list much longer, and arguably less accurate.
Any information to update this list would be welcome to the email address below.
CLICK HERE FOR THE LIST
LINKS TO EXTERNAL SOURCES
LINKS TO OTHER SOURCES
The following are official sites for the operators that we study:-
Harrogatebus (covering The Harrogate Bus Company)
Keighleybus (covering The Keighley Bus Company)
First in York
Yorkbus (covering Yorkshire Coastliner at York & Malton, plus York City Sightseeing)
Lancashirebus (covering The Burnley Bus Company and The Blackburn Bus Company)
Transdev UK
You may also find the following sites interesting and useful:-
Bristol Commercial Vehicles Enthusiasts (was Bristol VR Enthusiasts' Society - includes survivors lists of LH, RE, VR and Lodekka)
Bristol chassis types (full details of the type plus plenty of photos):-
Bristol 2 Ton
Bristol 4 Ton
Bristol A
Bristol B
Bristol C
Bristol C40, C45, C50, C60, C65
Bristol D
Bristol E
Bristol G
Bristol H
Bristol J
Bristol K
Bristol L
Bristol LS
Bristol MW
Bristol SC
Bristol SU
Bristol W
Bus Lists on the Web (chassis & body number detail for most types)
Classic Bristol Buses (some items of interest, but not being updated)
India Overland (Swagman Tours/Asian Greyhound ran OWX136 (CUG 19) and SLA 762 (CUG 45/1085) for a while and there are pictures of these and others in remote locations)
Keighley Bus Museum Trust
The Samuel Ledgard Society
The Yorkshire Dales Public Transport Users Group