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Sir:    Norma Roger is my cousin whom we've lost track of.

She told us she worked for a Kirkcaldy bus company.  She lived at 48 Beatty Crescent in Kirkcaldy.  Our last contact with her was in 1994.  She may be retired by now but, may still be in contact with some of the bus company staff or someone in the bus company may know of her whereabouts.  Would you be so kind as to post this message in the hope of someone replying?  My email address is:  doncuham@hotmail.com          Thank you.

 

Good evening hope your well! Was looking at your site very impressive! Was wondering if it was possible to help me? Well I’ve been looking for timetables of Fife Scottish, Eastern Scottish ,and Midland Scottish from the 70's era!!I’m doing a little display in my house for my dad he used work for Fife Scottish in the Dunfermline depot 70's-90's.Was wondering where I could purchase these items!!! Many thanks Hope I’m not annoying you and all the best.    

 Yours faithfully Alistair Munro    

Walter,

Nice site and please keep up the good work! Nice to see some fife stuff on the old internet esp since I currently own FPE139 and FPE 188.
 

Alistair 

Hi, I can't decide where to work so I was after some advice. Should I go to Dunfermline or Cowdenbeath? What are the pros and cons of both? I am used to driving on express coach work and know they do citylink and megabus out of Cowdenbeath but all the express work comes out of Dunfermline. To be honest I'm not sure if I fancy going round in circles on the D5 and D6 all day, is there much variety at Dunfermline? I live in the eastern expansion so both depots are just as easy to get to. I hope you don't mind me asking; I just can't make my mind up and thought I would ask an insider.

By the way I like the site. Some of the buses I remember when I was driving them for Stagecoach in east London.

Take care

Regards

JG

I'm surprised there have been so few recollections of Alexander’s
bearing in mind the vast area covered, the size of the fleet and
the high regard it was held in by the public. To hopefully start the
ball rolling a few of my early recollections.

Although I lived in SMT territory in Musselburgh my grandparents
lived at Brankstone between Dunfermline and Stirling, near to Bogside
Halt station, and my other grandmother lived in Kilmany, between
Cupar and Newport, so holidays were always spent a week at one and
then a week at the other. Kilmany was only once a year, being
awkward to get to, but we used to also go to Brankstone for weekends
as it was easier.

If we didn't get the train to Dunfermline Upper and walk to Carnegie
St. bus station it was a tram to Edinburgh, bus to Queensferry and
over on the ferry. From there it would be a Guy Arab DD on the 66a to
Dunfermline and then we could either wait for a 22c for Stirling via
Blairhall Road End or take a 22d Oakley bus and get off at Blairhall
Road End and walk the rest. (I've checked the route numbers in a copy
of the 1951 timetable I got off Ebay recently!)

After a week it was back to Dunfermline and then on the 325 to Cupar
from where we caught the infrequent (three a day, four on Tuesday)
369 to Kilmany.

As for the vehicles as already mentioned I seem to remember always
Guy deckers on the North Queensferry run while the 22c Dunfermline to
Stirling could produce a variety of single deckers, many of which I
now realise were fairly new post war additions, I'm sure there were
Burlingham bodied ones, possibly the odd Daimler, certainly some
without the roof over the bonnet, as well as the usual Alexander
bodied Leylands. From Dunfermline to Cupar I think was usually a pre-
war Leyland/Alexander or a TS8 special while the Kilmany run was
initially in a late 1920's or early 30's Alexander bodied Leyland
complete with roof rack and folding steps up the back. (Perhaps
someone with knowledge of depot allocations from, say, 1945-1955 will
be able to throw more light on the vehicles.)

Somehow Alexander's buses always seemed more homely than the SMT ones 
I was used to. The conductress always seemed to know most of the
passengers and the journey timings seemed fairly leisurely but it was
the vehicles which stood out. Whatever their age they were always
well turned out, brass fire extinguisher on the bulkhead seemed to
shine and many of them had clocks on the bulkhead - the SMT didn't go
in for that! Fife was fairly self contained before the road bridges
and it did seem like a different world, a step back in time even, to
an under10 youngster and always an adventure. But what I fondly
remember most is these lovely buses and their crews.

I am writing to ask if you would like any photos that I may have of old Fife Scottish/Stagecoach in Fife buses.

 

I am a driver with the Cowdenbeath garage and have been a bus lover for years. My Father-in-law was a mechanic for Fife Scottish in the 60s and I have long been a collector of all things Fife.

 

If you wish to accept my offer I may also be able to help identify some of the buses that don't have info for.

 

Your website is great and gives me some great memories.

Hi Wattie

 

Just a word to say big thanks for the hours of pleasure I have had looking through your site.  I was also born and brought up in Dunfermline went to St Leonards School then on to Queen Anne, left Dunfermline in 1968 aged 14 mainly due to Fife pit closures and my father being transferred to South Derbyshire  where I still live and now visit Dunfermline occasionally and have had a lifelong fascination with Fife red buses, and I also remember some of the characters in the photos especially Jim Patterson who was a regular driver on the Izatt Avenue to Scott Street ( buses were Alexander Blue) this route later became 4 and travelled to the old rumblingwell terminus via Broomhead when it was first build. Red buses were introduced on the Linburn Rd Beattie Place route (1).  I would often just walk up to the Cottage Inn just to travel on a red bus.  Characters were "Big" Isa and "little " Isa formidable characters. My Personal favourite  bus is Lodekkas both rear and front loading. I remember thinking how impressive almost stately they looked as they chucked up the New Row before all the road changes. I have never worked on them but I always wanted to be a conductor. Instead I became a Registered Mental Health Nurse .  A childhood treat was a bus ride around the coast to Kirkcaldy and then back via Cowdenbeath. Another was route 14 to Glasgow and back via 26.  The mystery tours from the "top stance" were also a big focus of our family life, back then a car was out of the question for many people and it was the only way we saw places like the Trossachs, Braemar Games and hundreds of other places.  Folk thought I was daft then and probably still do but I will continue to check your site regularly. Keep up the good work, much more interesting than television. 

 

PS My other half has just bought me a pre decimalisation setright ticket machine!!  I am a sad F

xxxxxx

 

All the best

 

Walter Campbell

Hello Walter,

Have been enjoying your web site, which has prompted me to contact you. I am trying to trace the history and final disposal detail of Fife Lodekka FS6G no FRD180 registration 3666 FG, and wonder if you are able to help, or alternatively know of anyone who would have this information? Any help will be much appreciated.

Thanks and regards,

David Calver.

Hi Walter

 

Let me congratulate you on your superb Fife Scottish website. I'm not a bus enthusiast as such but I was born in Dunfermline, grew up in Cowdenbeath and have spent most of my adult life in Rosyth and Dalgety Bay. Your bus photos have brought back a huge wealth of memories for me.

 

I'm a keen amateur artist, painting in watercolours. I'd really like to paint a series of paintings of Dunfermline's top and bottom bus stances as they were in the 1970s. My paintings are realistic and authenticity is important to me. I like to get details right.

 

Some of the photos on your site show bits and pieces of the stances around the buses which is fine as they give me some reference material for sketches.

 

But what I'm really looking for is photos that show:

 

1.         The whole (or large parts) of the two bus stances

2.         Bus crews.

 

On the subject of bus crews, and meaning no offence to yourself as a male bus driver, my preference would mostly be for photos showing bus conductresses. It's a strange thing but a painting with female figures always has more appeal for the public (both male and female) than a painting with male figures. I know that uniform styles changed over the years and again my preferred period is 1970-1979. I think conductresses disappeared from the bus scene in Fife about 1980 anyway.

 

I realise that you might not have any photos of the kind I'm looking for but I'd be grateful for any help/advice that you might have to offer.

 

Maybe I should add that I'm aware of my responsibilities under copyright law and I'd also respect personal privacy. For example if you were able to let me have a digital image of a conductress, I'd make sure that the conductress as she appears in my painting wouldn't look anything like the woman in the original photo.

 

I look forwards to hearing from you.

 

Regards

Ken Young.

Hallo, just discovered your website, well pleased. I grew up around Dunfermline and spent many a happy hour around the old Dunfermline bus stands in the 1960s.I used to catch the kelty via Gask bus from Queen Anne High school home or if it was a nice day I walked the other way down  to the toon!.Your website has brought back many long submerged memories especially the 1 of the general view of the stance and the cafe. I too have a connection with Rosyth  dockyard, I was one of the boys in blue! Keep up the good work as there doesn’t seem to be much on the Alexander’s empire considering the size of the fleet. Imagine if the group got the same coverage size for size as London transport. !!!!!!!!.Thanks Regards Les


 

Hi Walter,
              my name is Dave Stewart, not to be confused with the ex driver and former dts at Cowdenbeath, I was wondering if you can help. I, am and have been a massive saloon stock car fan for many years visiting Cowdenbeath stadium on a regular basis and I recall a saloon stock car driven by Cowdenbeath bus driver Rab Gilmour the car was marked up at this time in the 1980,s with the fife Scottish and citylink logos it also had the slogan "safer by bus" I had a photo of this car taken in Cowdenbeath bus garage alongside a couple of coaches, but to my dismay it was destroyed in an accident with a cup of cola and a three year old. I was wondering if you can advise me of where to look or who to contact to attempt to replace this photo. Your help in this matter how ever large or small would be greatly appreciated
kind regards

--
David G Stewart.

Hi,
Just a quick note to say that your brilliant website really brings back some memories!
Fife Scottish buses were an integral part of my childhood. Some of my earliest memories were my mum extracting me from my buggy and climbing the steps into a Leopard Y type on a 36 for the weekly shopping trip to Glenrothes.

As I got older, I would usually accompany my grandmother, who had her OAP pass and liked to use it!
Every Saturday we would use no.36 again to either Perth or Markinch to connect with the train, or even take the bus all the way to Edinburgh on the X59 Cityliner.
The usual turnout was a screaming Ailsa or a Citybus if it was a double decker or a Y or T Leopard.
During high school age I had to get a bus into Bell Baxter at Cupar from Falkland on No. 266. So it was a daily treat of a ride in Ailsa or Citybus. Great Days!

Keep up the good work and I look forward to future updates on the site.

Cheers,
Ross.

Hi Walter, enjoyed looking through your site.

I’m doing an article about transport for a magazine marking the 60th anniversary of Glenrothes.

Would you have any information about early buses in the town and surrounding area, or contacts for former ‘clippies’ who worked on them,

Mike Delaney.

Hello Walter

I have visited your site many times and am interested in the amazing
collection of photos. I lived in Kirkcaldy up to 1974 and a big part of
me and my brothers childhood was watching and riding buses,
particularly between 1956 [when I was 6] until 1966.

I remember quite vividly the routes of the time for town service bus
numbers 1 up to bus no 12A and I am trying to put together a photo file
to sent to my brother in America for his 60th birthday of all those
treasured memories. I have managed to get photos for bus nos. 1, 3, 5,
7, 11, 12 and 12A. I am still trying to get photos of no. 2, 4, 6, 8, 9
and 10 but because they mostly never terminated at the bus station they
are more difficult to find. I am sure that there is a photo of the no.
8 on your site under reg no. YMS 871 but I can't quite find it. Can you
confirm where it is if possible and if you know of anywhere I can get
photos of the remaining numbers if possible.

I know that this is an unusual request but if you could help me I
would appreciate it.

Regards

Bob Glands

Hi there lots of good picas lots of memories been on most of the buses you have on site.   I now work in Alexander Dennis in Falkirk what a change in buses now

Hi Walter

 

Great site! I grew up in Lower Largo and got to know some of the crews of the 310 service which used to run through the village and terminate in Upper Largo. I went to school in Methil every day on one of Aberhills FRDs (often RD176).

I used to covet the Setright ticket machines, and since they've been taken out of use I've been able to buy a few, but I've always wanted to get hold of certain machines and wonder if anyone out there can help. Machine F913 if it still exists?? Also an ex-St Andrews machine, and also a Setright mk1. If anyone has any of the old WAS(F) setright rolls they'd sell to me I'd be happy to buy any they have. My email is jameshey4@aol.com.

 

Cheers

James


 

Hi,

 

My eight year old daughter now thinks I am famous because my photo is on a website!

 

I am the other booking office clerkess, pictured with Vera Miller and the inspector (whose name I can't remember). It was great looking back at the photos and seeing some familiar faces. I worked firstly at Dunfermline Depot before moving to the booking office and I have to say I enjoyed working there. When I first started it was Isa and Anne who worked there and then Jane Reid took over from Isa and then Vera and I started. I remember a few of the drivers and definitely Willie Robertson - he was always popping in to blether. Jock Meldrum was another great guy, when I moved to head office I was sent out with him to do a mileage survey of all the routes but he made sure he did a few checks in between!

 

I have to say I would never have come across this site or picture - it was my husband who found it. He has more of an interest in transport (rail and bus) than I do. He is also an ex Fife Scottish Employee.

 

Thanks for bringing back some good memories. If you are in touch with Vera say Hi to her from me.

 

Sharon Thomson (Melville then)

Walter
        Just been browsing your site. A great selection of vehicles and information there.
        The reason for writing is that I have put together a selection of Scottish vehicles on my site, including a few of Fife and Strathtay which you may be interested in.

        If so let me know
       
        Regards
        Bill Young

Hi Walter,

A couple of months back, I e-mailed you regarding the Mark III Fife
Scottish Ailsas, which were then being used by Cardiff Bus. I noticed that
you had expressed an interest in owning an Ailsa on your website, but had
not had any luck in getting in contact.

Well, since then the situation has changed considerably. Cardiff has now
retired all of its Ailsas, a number of which have entered preservation. The
only ex-Fife specimens still with Cardiff Bus at that point were 450 (A970
YSX) and 452 (A972 YSX). Both are still dwelling at the Cardiff Bus depots.
However, the rest seem to have been sold for further use, rather than
scrap. Here are the details regarding all eight:

   FRA67 (A967 YSX) - Currently with Edwards, Llantwit Fardre
   FRA68 (A968 YSX) - At Castell Coaches, Bedwas
   FRA69 (A969 YSX) - With Carousel, High Wycombe
   FRA70 (A970 YSX) - Used by Cardiff Bus as a community bus
   FRA71 (A971 YSX) - With Carousel, High Wycombe
   FRA72 (A972 YSX) - Still with Cardiff Bus. Future to be decided.
   FRA73 (A973 YSX) - With FATTS (still!)
   FRA74 (A974 YSX) - Scrapped

It now seems that High Wycombe, of all places, has become the centre of
Ailsa operation in Britain. All of this information has been supplied by
John Clausen of Yahoo's Ailsa bus group (If you already know about this,
then apologies for cluttering your inbox - this info has been posted on the
group's site). It seems FRA72 is the one in the best shape. I really hope
you go for one - it would be nice to have an alternative R Type to the
preserved ex-Strathclyde PTE examples. Finding a triangular 'SBG-style'
destination unit could be problematic though. Still, best of luck!

Yours,

Calum Aikman

P.S. Website's really improved since I was last on.

Walter

 

In response to the message from David Calver who requests info on FRD180 may I relate a tale about this bus when it was almost new in the early 1960's.  I lived in Rosyth and attended Woodmill Junior High and travelled in an amazing assortment of vehicles to and from school.  However, my pal and I did not tend to use the school buses in the morning, preferring to use the service buses which got us to school early where we could indulge in playground football prior to classes.  At around 8.05 each morning FRD180 would arrive from Upper Largo on its way to Dunfermline.  We would get on and occupy the front two seats upstairs and proceed to indulge in a game of football using a tennis ball.  Naturally the drivers did not take kindly to noisy school kids banging about above their heads and more than once were we told in no uncertain manner to quit our antics.

 

As a result of such memories FRD180 is my second favourite Fife Lodekka after FRD1 on which I travelled when new between Rosyth and Dunfermline.  I would loved to have purchased FRD180 for preservation but the opportunity never presented itself.  I do however jointly own FAC4, FE11 and FRD199.  FRD180 is not totally forgotten as I have one of its cast fleetplates in my vast Alexander buses collection. 

 

Thanks for the opportunity to reminisce.  I may take time later to write about some of the school buses I travelled on in the sixties.

 

Regards

 

Eddie Taylor

Walter.
 
I recently found and enjoyed your site on the web.  I would like to mention two things which you possibly are aware of but, if not, may be of interest to you.
 
1.  You have, on your site, a photograph of the wooden snack bar which used to be situated at the old Dunfermline Bus Station at the side of the Fire Station.  I was born in 1946 and remember in the 1950's that, in the same position, there stood and old single decker bus which was fixed to the spot and was used as a snack bar before the wooden one was built.  As the bus was old and out of commision it must have been about 20-25 years old which would date it from the 1920's at least.  Perhaps some of your viewers remember it.
 
2.  Cowdenbeath Bus Garage.   As you know, this was originally a tram depot built around 1909.  Were you aware that part of the original tram rail can still be seen curving round from Broad Street lining the footpath towards the garage.  It is, as far as I am aware, the only remaining remnant of the tram system in Fife.
 
 
John Carson
Glenrothes

Hi Walter,

 

The revamp of the site is spot on. I watch the site quite a lot and have just been reading the letters. The one from Eddie Taylor about going to school on the RD 's was good.

I can remember going to Inverkeithing high from Dalgety bay in the mid 80's. At first we had RF's but early on we started getting RA21 and RA57 regularly. At night we were supposed to get 6 deckers but most of the time we would have 5 deckers and a short PN or Leopard!

Quite often i would wait in the morning for the 8:15 no 7 coming off the coast as the then new MK3 Ailsa's were regular performers! One morning there had been a breakdown and the RA had been substituted by FPE173. By the time it got to my stop it was bursting at the seems. I was the last to get on and as i was about to put my foot on the stop the driver shouted at me that the bus was full and shut the door in my face!!!

I was only 14 and fuming and had to run all the way to school. I got the bus the next day and had a go at the driver. Im Glad i did as we got talking and have been firm friends since. You know him as well Walter. Innes Cameron.

I worked in Dunfermline from 87 to 92 when i served my time as a mechanic and then was a driver from May 92 to 99 when i went to Lothian with all the rest of the deserters LOL.

I remember working with you when we were on the express. Good times.

I am now working for a coach holiday company. I have reached the dizzy heights of Assistant Transport Manager. I live in a wee village called Tyndrum with Izelle and harvey the dog.

I have got lots of photos of buses and drivers i worked with at Dunfermline including some good guys that are not with us now. I will scan them and email them on to you.

 

Take care

 

Andy Shaw

Walter

 

I wrote a while back about travelling on FRD180 to Woodmill School from Rosyth and at the time offered to write about some of the gems we used to travel on from Woodmill School.  Well here goes, I hope many of your readers will know which type of vehicle I am talking about.

 

I only attended Woodmill for two years in the early sixties before going onto the High School for 'O' Levels and Highers.

 

Four buses, all single deckers, were rostered on the Rosyth and beyond school runs from Woodmill in the afternoon.  Generally they were an assortment of the older stuff at Dunfermline depot. The various bodied Guy Arabs were the mainstay including FG68 and 69. My favourite bus had to be 1950 Leyland Tiger PS1 FPA215 with full front Burlingham body.  I saw this bus in Gallatown works in 1965 having been painted all over dark green for use with the Civil Defence (does anyone know what happened to it after that?).  Occasionally we got some Alexander bodied FPAs on the run such as FPA78 or 153.  I recall one time when only three buses turned up and everyone squeezed into them. My mate and I, however, waited and much to our delight what turned up, albeit somewhat late, but one of the high numbered and fairly new Leyland Tiger Cubs FPD225 or 234.  As this bus was late for its next Dockyard run it sped down the Rosyth dual carriageway reaching in excess of 60 mph!!  The conductor wanted us to get off at Rosyth Halt so they could take the short cut to the Dockyard via Kings Road. We were having none of it and insisted they went via the Palace, which they did! 

 

Sometimes an Alexander bodied centre entrance Leyland Royal Tiger (FPC) arrived when there would be an almighty scramble and fight to get the front two seats by the driver.

 

I never used the school buses from the High School, preferring instead to make a mad dash across the busy main road to catch the Middlebank Street bus which took me right to my door.  FPB18,an Alexander bodied Leyland OPS2, was the normal bus on this route for many years until replaced with Leyland Tiger Cub FPD156.

 

Interestingly I have on record all the buses on which I have travelled and all the buses I have driven, how sad is that?

 

Regards  

Eddie Taylor

I remember when I was a nipper in the 1950's going to the pictures in Leven. Our jouney home to Markinch was by bus and I used to pester my Mum & Dad to get the Markinch via Star bus. This was because it was,to me, a bit special. It was a single decker and where the rear wheels were located there was only a single seat on either side of the passage. The remaining space taken up with the wheel arch.

Can you tell me please what type of bus this was and have any survived.

 

Thank you

 

Bill McLaren

 

Hi Walter,
 
I've just been looking at your excellent site with great interest.
 
Could you tell me if there is a photograph of Rennie's Albion Victor Duple 'Firefly' C41F - BDM382B? I'm interested in vehicles which carried the old Flintshire County Council issued 'DM' registration as part of a local history project.
 
Also could I make a slight correction to the Rennie's list? Leyland Leopards 750TJ and 7587TF are listed as having Duple 'Firefly' bodies as fitted to the abovementioned C41F Albion, whereas in fact, they carried the similar fashioned but  more rarer  'Dragonfly' bodywork which Duples nominated  for their C49C bodywork of this design. 
 
Hope this helps?
 
Any advice on BDM382B would be appreciated.
 
Many thanks.
 
Regards - Rob Richardson, (Chester). 

 

 

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