SYPTE Gallery

Ailsa 369 – LWB369P. This carries the prototype body that was built in Belgium. Note the one piece mid-deck panel. The bus is seen in Pond Street Bus Station, Sheffield. Photo from collection.

Ailsa 370 – LWB370P. A widely available photograph of 370 undergoing certification testing at the Roe works in Leeds. In this photo the bus still has a double seat on the near side at the front – this would be modified to a single seat. Photo copyright Malcolm King.

Ailsa 371 – LWB371P, seen on Pond Street, just having left the bus station. It’s operating the 70/71 Prince of Wales Road circular, which was a regular route to find Greenland Road garage’s allocation of Ailsa’s. Photo from collection.

Ailsa 372 – LWB372P seen on Flat Street, during the final months of its life in Sheffield, in 1986. The SYT sticker on the is the only nod the bus carries to the new South Yorkshire’s Transport livery, shown on the Atlantean behind. Photo copyright Ian Isaacs.

Ailsa 373 – LWB373P. A very worn looking 373 seen parked on layover on the 7th August 1986. 4 days later, on the 11th August, the bus was allocated on the 70 Prince of Wales Road circular service. A very busy route. Click the below link to hear a sound recording of the bus in service on that day, some 38 years ago. Photo and sound recording from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 374 – LWB374P was the only one of the batch to receive full SYT livery. This was to last for only 6 months, with the bus being withdrawn in April 1986, due to body corrosion. Photo taken on 11th February 1986 at Crookes terminus. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 375 – LWB375P. Taken on the 22nd July 1986, the bus is seen on Pond Street, heading out to Rotherham on the 69 service. A little over 10 years old here, 375 would be withdrawn and sold a few months later. It saw further service with London Northern, running from Potters Bar. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 376 – LWB376P seen when new at Christ Church, Doncaster. This was the first Ailsa that was delivered to Doncaster’s Leicester Avenue depot. It remained there for all of it’s life with the SYPTE. Image scanned from a negative in my collection.

Ailsa 377 – LWB377P, seen on the Park Square roundabout on the 18th July 1986. 377 was to be withdrawn from service on the 28th August 1986. It was sold to Ensign Bus(dealer) for £1500 (£4100 in todays money), and was collected on the 1st May 1987. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 378 – LWB378P seen heading out of Sheffield on the Wicker. The date is 7th May 1986. The bus behind is Ailsa 383. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 379 – LWB379P seen parked on layover on the 14th February 1984, featuring a period advert for Wards Bitter. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust. Image enhancement by Steve Barker

Ailsa 380 – LWB380P seen about to head out of the city towards Rotherham on the 69 service. The location is Haymarket and the date 17th July 1986. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 381 – LWB381P. When new 381 spent a period on loan to Leicester as a demonstrator, but around 10 years later this period street scene shows the bus at the bottom of Haymarket on the 20th June 1986. By this time some of the buses had been fitted with the first generation Wayfarer ticket machines, for one man operation. This can be heard during the on board recording made the photographer, Trevor Heaton, in May 1986, when the bus was in service climbing Norfolk Park Road. As you will hear on the recording the buses were worked very hard indeed! Click on the play button on the bar below. Photo and sound recording from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 382 – LWB382P seen in Rotherham Bus Station, about to depart for Sheffield. The date is 23rd August 1986. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 383 – LWB383P, taken on Park Square roundabout, heading into Sheffield, after a high speed run down the Parkway on the X7. Taken mid 1986. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 384 – LWB384P seen on Park Grange Road on the 18th June 1986. A regular place to find an Ailsa during the 10 years they ran in Sheffield. It’s a hot Summer day, so the driving is running with the front door open for added ventilation. An Ailsa in the Summer would have been a very hot place for the driver, sat next to the engine, which will have more than likely just had the living daylights thrashed out of it, making the climb with a heavy load of passengers. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 385 – LWB385P seen at the Woodhouse terminus of the 52 route from Crookes. In this Winter view the bus is still carrying the ‘as delivered’ livery, but the black radiator grille was quickly adopted in favour the cream version as shown on Ailsa’s 370 and 371 earlier in this gallery. The date is 24th February 1979. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 386 – LWB386P, seen heading down High Street, Sheffield. The crew appear to be happy in their work, as they pose for the camera. Photo from collection.

The cassette recorder had another outing on Ailsa 386, some time in 1986. A crew operated service, with the bus appearing to be in very good mechanical health. Sound recording from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 387 – LWB387P seen on the 14th February 1979 at Woodhouse terminus. Some members of the Ailsa batch seemed to be quite elusive – with 387 being one. Only 1 photo exists of it in Sheffield, within the Heaton Archives Trust. It did move on for further service to London, where there are many photos of it – but more of that later. Image colour correction my Steve Barker.

Ailsa 388 – LWB388P seen having just arrived in Rotherham town centre on the 23rd August 1986. It was to run in South Yorkshire for another around another 3 months, being withdrawn from service on the 31st November 1986. 388 was the only Ailsa that entered service at Rotherham depot. It spent 2 weeks there on trial, along with Ailsa 372 in July of 1976. They didn’t find favour with the Rotherham crews, so went back to Sheffield’s Greenland Road depot. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 389 – LWB389P seen at Christ Church, Doncaster, with Premier’s Alexander bodied Ailsa NET520R behind. 389 was the second Ailsa new to Doncaster’s depot. Photo from my collection.

Ailsa 390 – LWB390P. Moving to the first of East Bank garage’s allocation of Ailsa’s here’s 390 heading down High Street, bound for Low Edges, on the 76 service. Note the advert on the mid deck, referring to de-regulation. Photo Roy Wilson.

Ailsa 391 – LWB391P. A crew operated service, waiting time before the next service run on a rainy 31st May 1986. Note the blue sticker at the top of the windscreen, saying that revised fares are in operation. I recall the 2p child fare increasing to 5p, which caused outrage at the time! Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 392 – LWB392P. In service on the 75 to Sheffield Lane Top, the bus appears to have called into East Bank garage for either a bus changeover or possibly a crew change – awaiting info confirmation – Photo from my collection.

Ailsa 393 – LWB393P – Seen parked at Sheffield Lap Top on the 12th October 1978. Note the experimental dirt deflector fitted at the bottom of the rear window. In the end, this was not adopted. – with the full width rear mud flap being the chosen solution. At the time the building behind was a Hillards supermarket, with the ‘City Library’ being located upstairs. Historical Information provided by Eric and Roy Wilson. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 394 – LWB394P. Another member of the batch where very few photos seem to exist of it during its service life in Sheffield. Taken by Paul Beardsley, he did manage to capture it parked outside East Bank depot, when the bus was about 9 years old.

Ailsa 395 – LWB395P – Seen on Abbeydale Road, passing the bottom of Carterknowle Road, en-route to Bradway. The bus is carrying a mid deck avert for AIWA – I had a Aiwa Hi-Fi in the 80’s – I thought is was the best thing ever! Photo from collection. Image enhancement by Steve Barker.

Ailsa 396 – LWB396P. Seen turning on to High Street at the top of Haymarket, with the photographer stood in Fitzalen Square. 396 was one of 25 buses from the batch to move on for further service in Edinburgh – more in the ‘Further Service’ Gallery. Photo from collection

Ailsa 397 – LWB397P seen at the Harmer Lane bus park, on the 10th March 1979. By this time the buses had been fitted with the full width rear mud flap. The Alexander bodied Fleetline to the left is 261 – NWA261K. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 398 – LWB398P, seen pulling out of Doncaster’s North bus station, heading out to Woodlands on the 16th August 1986. Still wearing EB depot codes, it would not be long before the bus would be withdrawn from service and sold. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 399 – LWB399P – seen parked on Arundel Gate, with the ROXY nightclub in the background. Looking rather battered, it shows the later PTE livery applied with the black rear bumper. Also note the ‘split’ in the rear end above the rear window – this is so due to the lower part of the glass fibre rear end being removed to repair corroded steel framework. When new the rear glass fibre moulding was in one piece from top to bottom. The date is the 18th July 1986. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 400 – LWB400P, seen at an East Bank Depot open day on the 2nd August 1986. On the day the bus was used to give rides thorough the bus wash. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 401 – LWB401P heading up Church Street during the mid 80’s, with either a service or an inspectors van just in shot. Sheffield Cathedral is behind the photographer. Photo from collection.

Ailsa 402 – LWB402P, seen on the 1st May 1986, parked on layover in Doncaster’s South Bus Station. When new, 402 was featured in the Volvo publicity brochure, with the usual Vanhool badge on the front grille being changed to an Ailsa badge. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 403 – LWB403P, seen when brand new, at the top of The Moor in Sheffield, crossing over into Pinstone Street. Photo from collection.

Ailsa 404 – LWB404P. Ailsa 404 seems to be another one of the batch that avoided the camera most of the time, but happily Garry Donnelly managed to capture it parked in Doncaster’s South Bus Station, next to former Doncaster Corporation Daimler Fleetline UDT404L. Which one would you choose? Thanks to Garry for making this photo available.

Ailsa 405 – LWB405P, seen on the 16th August 1986, on College Road, at the side of Doncaster’s South Bus Station, while operating the Moorends service. The route would provide opportunity for a number of higher speed bursts, which the Ailsas were very capable of – 60mph was not uncommon. This, dependant on your view point, could either be a ‘hellfire thrash’, or a fingers in your ears experience! When new 405 went on demonstration to a number of places which included Reading, Portsmouth and Bournemouth. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 406 – LWB406P. On Trevor Heaton’s visit to Doncaster on the 1st May 1986, he managed to capture quite a few of the batch, during their final months in service in South Yorkshire. 406 is seen here, about to head into the North Bus Station, while operating the Woodlands service, a regular haunt for the type. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 407 – LWB407P, seen at Christ Church, awaiting the next departure to Armthorpe. The 181 was the Mercel Avenue service, running up Hatfield Lane. The 182 was the Eastfield Road service, serving the Southern end of the village, down Nutwell Lane. Photo copyright – Ian Wilson

Ailsa 408 – LWB408P, with sister buses 426 and 429 in view. It is parked over at the Doncaster Racecourse, during the construction of the new depot building. Photo from collection.

Ailsa 409 – LWB409P. Taken on the 1st May 1986 at what is a popular vantage point for photographers, about to enter Doncaster’s North bus station. 409 was ‘made famous’ as it was repainted in cameo and brown, ready to receive the red when the new SYT livery was launched, but this never happened. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 410 – LWB410P, seen at the end of Pinstone Street, Sheffield, towards the end of 1978. The colours are not very accurate on this photo, but the Ailsa has a silver grille – a short lived experiment. The Dominator took part in the comparative trials, and was retro fitted with a Rolls Royce Eagle engine. Photo from collection.

Ailsa 411 – NAK411R, seen on the 95 service in Sheffield, turning into the Intake terminus. The bus is almost new at the time, and would be running from Herries Road Garage. It would be transferred to Doncaster after a short time. Photo from collection.

Ailsa 412 – NAK412R. An excellent capture of 412 broken down, running one of the former Blue Line/Reliance services – the 249 to Goole. The former Blue Line Fleetline behind had come to the rescue. The ‘temporary’ destinations in the windscreen of the Ailsa, leave something to be desired! Photo Copyright – Ian Wilson.

Ailsa 413 – NAK413R. 413 was rather elusive when it came to being photographed on its native turf in South Yorkshire. There’s a couple of photographs of it that are on Flickr, but I’m unable to share them on here, as I don’t have permission. Here is a link to a very nice image of 413 taken in 1980 by Keith Wood.

https://flic.kr/p/2n44WjR

Ailsa 414 – NAK414R. Seen on the 3rd May 1986, at the popular vantage point for photographers, on the run up to Doncaster’s North Bus Station. This bus survived until 1996 – more about this in the ‘Life after South Yorkshire’ section…….when I get round to creating it! Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 415 – NAK415R. 415 seen on Pinstone Street, Sheffield, outside the Town Hall and Peace Gardens. At the time of the photo, likely December/January 1979 (there’s a Christmas decoration just above the bus), the gardens were still officially named St. Pauls Gardens. In 1985, their name was changed to the Peace Gardens. Photo from Collection – original photographer not known.

Ailsa 416 – NAK416R. Seen parked at Herries Road garage, with a Bristol VR just in shot in the background. The Ailsa would be transferred to Doncaster, likely not long after this photo was taken. Photo from collection – original photographer not known.

Ailsa 417 – NAK417R. This bus was made famous for the wrong reason – a fire at the back of the upper deck. It was rebuilt and received a modified rear dome and an emergency door from a Park Royal bodied Atlantean. The date is 14th October 1980. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 418 – NAK418R. Photographed on the 3rd September 1985 at the Doncaster depot, with the Racecourse in the background. Almost 18 months on, the bus is still sporting a mid-deck advert for the 10th Anniversary on the SYPTE. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 419 – NAK419R. Another rear view so as to compare with the rebuilt 417 above. In this shot the fuel cap is open. There’s also tell tale rusty water marks on the bottom of the rear window. Featured also are period adverts for Ringways Ford and Gold Label larger. Photo from collection – original photographer not known.

Ailsa 420 – NAK420R. – Peering out of what always was a very dark and generally uninviting North Bus Station on the 16th August 1986, sat on the Woodlands stand, C1. This is towards the very end of its career in South Yorkshire, with only weeks to go before heading off to London for further service. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 421 – NAK421R. 421 seen at the Christ Church terminus, ready to take another load of passengers to Moorends. I recall, one day whist riding home on a Fleetline to Armthorpe being overtaken by an Ailsa on Thorne Road. The Fleetline was, in all fairness being driven rather slowly, but the speed at which the Ailsa overtook I think can fairly be described as being blown away! Photo from collection – original photographer not known.

Ailsa 422 – NAK422R, seen in the 14th August 1986, as it powers away, pulling out of the end of St Sepulchure Gate, on to Trafford Way. At this time Wayfarer ticket machines were in use. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 423 – NAK423R. An unusual capture of 423, as it heads back to depot, turning into Town Moore Avenue. The date is 14th October 1980. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 424 – NAK424R. Seen at the Christ Church terminus in Doncaster, with a Reliance Fleetline behind. There’s an advert for Bramhams Furnishings on the mid – deck. Another long gone retailer in Doncaster. Photo Copyright Ian Wilson.

Ailsa 425 – NAK425R. Seen parked in Doncaster’s South bus station on layover. The date is 13th May 1985. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 426 – NAK426R. Seen parked over the road from the depot at Doncaster Racecourse alongside sister bus 408. Roe bodied Atlantean 1674 is just visible to the far left. 8th September 1985. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.

Ailsa 427 – NAK427R. 427 seen exiting Doncaster’s North bus station heading out to Woodlands. The bus looks to have had a ‘tidy up’ partial repaint here, as it has lost the original fleet name on the lower deck, but still retains the original ‘flying duck’ on the mid deck. Photo from collection. Original photographer not known.

Ailsa 428 – NAK428R. 428 was another of the batch that did well to avoid the camera. I currently don’t have a photo of it in my collection that I’m able to use on here, but if click on the link below, you will find an excellent photo of it in the snow, heading over Thorne Bridge.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dubdee/4001220273

Ailsa 429 – NAK429R, seen leaving Doncaster’s South bus station, on the Edlington service. 429 is numerically the last of the mark 1 Ailsa’s that the SYPTE had. Leon’s 101, a Leyland Fleetline – HKU361W is just visible on the Finningley stand. Photo from collection – original photographer not known.

Ailsa 430 – SHL930S. The first Mark 2 Ailsa to be built was delivered to the SYPTE in January 1978. Its seen here outside Halfway Depot, when less than a month old on the 14th February. The most visual difference was the higher driving position. Mechanically, the main difference was the fitting of a 3 speed Voith fully automatic gearbox. Photo from the Heaton Archives Trust.