Adrian Morton visits a relatively new but uniquely formed independent bus operator in Shrewsbury
Not so long ago a post on Facebook caught my eye regarding a 1979 Leyland National single-deck bus being bought back to use as an active PSV. Being an avid fan of the type, there came the inspiration to find out more. The operator of said vehicle is Regional Transport of Shrewsbury, a sole trader entity headed by Robert Thompson. I’ve known Robert, to a degree, for the past 10 years, since the formation of his company, so thought it prudent that I make contact and put a date in the diary to meet.
The last day of April was chosen, and it was decided we would meet at Shrewsbury railway station, where Robert would be waiting for me in the Leyland National. I opted to travel there by train, as even with a connection in Crewe, it is a journey that can be made much quicker when compared with driving. To my amazement, both services were on-time but I was somewhat disappointed that the Transport for Wales loco-hauled service had been replaced by a class 197 unit. I’ve always found that many of us interested in bus and coach also have a passion for the railways, so hopefully most of you will understand what I mean by a class 197. I’m not an avid fan of the type I hasten to say!After an hour’s wait Robert finally arrived. What is normally a 20-minute journey from his depot to the station took over an hour and a half, due to an accident and the closure of one of the main arteries to the town. That said, there was still time to get some photographs and Robert generously offered for me to have a stint behind the wheel. I can’t say it bought back many fond memories as I have Leyland Nationals of my own in active preservation, a Mk1 and a Mk2. What I will say though is that it was an absolute pleasure to drive and a mightily fine example, even though it is not totally authentic, more of which later… Brakes and steering were positive and exactly how they should be, and a wonderfully smooth gearchange was achievable, with the engine spritely and making all the right noises.
It was then time to sample Regional Transport’s T1 Shrewsbury and Ironbridge sightseeing tour with Robert at the helm of his Scania N94UD/OmniCity open-top. It is one of a batch of the only low height examples built for the UK and was originally new to Lothian with dual purpose seating for its 100 service linking the centre of Edinburgh with the airport. It was then converted by Lothian for its East Coast Buses division and laterally saw service with First West of England on the Exmoor Coaster service between Minehead, Lynton and Lynmouth.
The history
The tour is how it all started for Robert and Regional Transport, just over 10 years ago, so before I digress into too much detail about the route, I think it poignant to go back even further to trace how Robert first found his passion, as it’s not only a business, it’s also a hobby. Before buses, it was trains and what little boy doesn’t like trains? Trains still figure heavily in Robert’s day to day life though, as not only does he carry out rail replacement work with his fleet, he also designs and manufactures rolling stock kits and detailing parts for model railways. This is something he started in 2009 and trades as RT models. The kits are produced in lost wax brass, etched brass and white metal; there is no 3D printing here! Robert produces his own drawings and artwork and hand makes the patterns from his research, and he can often be seen at heritage railways with his measuring implements, clambering inside and over locomotives and wagons! Secondary school is where the interest in buses began, as to get to his school in south London necessitated a daily commute by bus. This was the 315 between West Norwood and Balham; the operator at the time was Londonlinks, previously London & Country, using an assortment of Dennis Darts, Metroriders and Mercedes 709Ds.
Once he’d finished education at 18, Robert began working as a Rail Replacement Coordinator for Sullivan Buses throughout Greater London. He later moved companies and did the same but for National Express when it held rail franchises. That role took him beyond London where he grew an affection for the West Midlands. With that and a desire for a more permanent role with a guaranteed income, he moved to National Express-owned West Midlands Travel which put him through his PCV licence. By now it was 2007 and Robert stayed for just over a year before joining his friend Dave Brundit at RML Travel in Stoke-on-Trent. This gave Robert the opportunity to drive a number of different vehicle types, some fairly elderly. Also in the business, Robert would help in other roles such as maintenance, cleaning and a small bit of publicity. RML Travel sold out to D&G Bus in 2010 and this prompted Robert to join Arriva at Oswestry. He was already living in Shrewsbury and commuting to RML Travel, so once D&G had taken the reins moving operations to its depot further north, it was a logical step to find work closer to home.
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