Wednesday 15 January 2014

DOYLES DEMISE

Sadly news reaches us that local Derbyshire bus company K&H Doyle of Alfreton has ceased trading as of the 14th January. Buses were observed in service towards the end of the day on the 13th, but nothing operated the following morning, all vehicles held behind the gates of the depot on the Meadow Lane Trading Estate.

The company operated several contracted bus routes for both Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire County Councils. Observations from the 14th indicated that only the Nottingham routes were covered by alternative operators. However, that is not to say that the Derbyshire routes were uncovered, just that no alternatives were seen. 

Derbyshire routes include 148 and 331.



Routes 17 and 18 in the Mansfield area and the 145 were operated by Stagecoach East Midland, whilst Littles of Ilkeston took on the 228.




From today and for the time being, changes to operators take place on the following Nottinghamshire County Council routes.

A&S of Leicester will operate
331/332 (Alfreton & Nottingham) but only between Selston & Phoenix Park/Eastwood

Littles of Ilkeston will operate
228   (Bulwell & Hucknall)

Notts Bus will operate
4      (Mansfield Forest Town & Mansfield Woodhouse)
19    (Mansfield & Berry Hill circular)
Within these are two schoolday-only operations

Stagecoach will operate
17    (Oak Tree & Sutton-in-Ashfield)
18    (Mansfield & OakTree
145  (Blidworth & Sutton)

At the same time changes of operator on Derbyshire County Council routes are

Yourbus will operate
142   (Alfreton & Heage)
143   (Ripley & Belper)
144   (Ripley & Crich)
148   (Codnor & Alfreton)
151   (Alfreton & Peasehill Estate)
152/153 (Alfreton & Somercotes/Birchwood)  

Uncredited images are kindly supplied by Oliver Foreman 

A pictorial view of Doyle's Coaches will be able to be viewed on the Focus Features site in due course