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Smaller County Durham ops
A thread for smaller operators in County Durham that don't necessarily require a thread of their own

News to start us off is that Cochranes have sold VDL Bova Magiq YJ06GNN to JB Tours, while joining the fleet is DAF SB4000 YJ03PHA

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Service Manager, Coatham Connect

RE: Smaller County Durham ops
(19 Feb 2016, 2:54 pm)biglugs@yahoo.com wrote K do you how many services they run
82 Ramshaw - Bishop Auckland.
http://www.cartogold.co.uk/durham/pdf/DCC_82.pdf

205 Peterlee - Horden.
http://www.cartogold.co.uk/durham/pdf/DCC_205.pdf

215 Westlea - Seaham.
http://www.cartogold.co.uk/durham/pdf/DCC_215.pdf

726 Sacriston - Chester-le-Street.
http://www.cartogold.co.uk/durham/pdf/DCC_726.pdf
RE: Smaller County Durham ops
(19 Feb 2016, 2:57 pm)Jimmi wrote 82 Ramshaw - Bishop Auckland.
http://www.cartogold.co.uk/durham/pdf/DCC_82.pdf

205 Peterlee - Horden.
http://www.cartogold.co.uk/durham/pdf/DCC_205.pdf

215 Westlea - Seaham.
http://www.cartogold.co.uk/durham/pdf/DCC_215.pdf

726 Sacriston - Chester-le-Street.
http://www.cartogold.co.uk/durham/pdf/DCC_726.pdf

Thanks ive done a calculation
The 205/15 interwork
Then 82
And 726
3 buses needed Tuesday and friday
2 monday/Wednesday /Thursday
4842
Best bus ever
RE: Smaller County Durham ops
Another new operator in County Durham is "Doves Coaches"

I'm assuming they are part of the same family as David Dove Travel, given they're from a similar area. There's too much of this family-ism going on in Durham area!

[Image: 26853476753_227c6d0393.jpg]
Doves Coaches of New Harrington (County Durham)  BX13CYZ  King Long XMQ6800 C32FT - new to Jeffs of Hemdon and then operated by various of the now ceased Island Fortitude Group operators. Seen at 04/06/2016 by Alan Magill, on Flickr

Meanwhile, added to the fleet at Cochrane's is Van Hool Alicron WT59WCT
[Image: 26850708034_975bc6c84f.jpg]
A rare wee coach -- WT59WCT  Van Hool T911 Alicron Van Hool C35FT - Cochrane Kelvin Travel, Peterlee.  Seen at Wetherby Services 04/06/2016 by Alan Magill, on Flickr
RE: Smaller County Durham ops
(05 Jun 2016, 12:09 pm)tyresmoke wrote Another new operator in County Durham is "Doves Coaches"

I'm assuming they are part of the same family as David Dove Travel, given they're from a similar area. There's too much of this family-ism going on in Durham area!

[Image: 26853476753_227c6d0393.jpg]
Doves Coaches of New Harrington (County Durham)  BX13CYZ  King Long XMQ6800 C32FT - new to Jeffs of Hemdon and then operated by various of the now ceased Island Fortitude Group operators. Seen at 04/06/2016 by Alan Magill, on Flickr

Meanwhile, added to the fleet at Cochrane's is Van Hool Alicron WT59WCT
[Image: 26850708034_975bc6c84f.jpg]
A rare wee coach -- WT59WCT  Van Hool T911 Alicron Van Hool C35FT - Cochrane Kelvin Travel, Peterlee.  Seen at Wetherby Services 04/06/2016 by Alan Magill, on Flickr

Doves Coaches are indeed the same family as David Dove. They are based in the same yard.

Just to confuse things even more, minibus operator Frederick Dove is the uncle of David Dove jnr. Frederick Dove is also based in the Herrington yard and uses David Dove Travel fleetnames. If you look closely you can tell the Frederick Dove vehicles as they run on an orange restricted o-licence disk.

The Dove family used to be in partnership with the Reekie family who own Whitestar which are based nearby at GNE's old Philadephia garage.

The Reekie family meanwhile are descendants of the late Don Smith who used to be a large independent operator in the 1980s in County Durham. He used to have lot of colliery contracts at Murton and Easington along with National Express work. Don Smith Travel still trades but the family only have a single coach running on that o-licence now.

I'm sure there's also connection here to the owners of former coach operator Dubmire but I've yet to fathom it out!

Charles
RE: Smaller County Durham ops
(07 Jun 2016, 9:08 am)Charles41 wrote Doves Coaches are indeed the same family as David Dove. They are based in the same yard.

Just to confuse things even more, minibus operator Frederick Dove is the uncle of David Dove jnr. Frederick Dove is also based in the Herrington yard and uses David Dove Travel fleetnames. If you look closely you can tell the Frederick Dove vehicles as they run on an orange restricted o-licence disk.

The Dove family used to be in partnership with the Reekie family who own Whitestar which are based nearby at GNE's old Philadephia garage.

The Reekie family meanwhile are descendants of the late Don Smith who used to be a large independent operator in the 1980s in County Durham. He used to have lot of colliery contracts at Murton and Easington along with National Express work. Don Smith Travel still trades but the family only have a single coach running on that o-licence now.

I'm sure there's also connection here to the owners of former coach operator Dubmire but I've yet to fathom it out!

Charles

Thanks Charles, it's amazing when you look into these things.
A similar family arrangement exists between TM Travel and North East Coachways, who also seem to be in partnership with Pygalls Coaches now, and some link exists between Pygalls, Roberts and Ted Wilford as they regular sell stuff to each other Cool
Smaller County Durham ops
Don't know if there's a forum for DCC buses, but service 216 will be withdrawn on December 3rd 2017


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RE: Smaller County Durham ops
(27 Oct 2017, 1:05 pm)cbma06 wrote Don't know if there's a forum for DCC buses, but service 216 will be withdrawn on December 3rd 2017


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Its passenger will be devastated.
RE: Smaller County Durham ops
(27 Oct 2017, 1:05 pm)cbma06 wrote Don't know if there's a forum for DCC buses, but service 216 will be withdrawn on December 3rd 2017


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Where does that go?
Smaller County Durham ops
(28 Nov 2017, 3:35 pm)2bagstew wrote Last Day of operation is this Friday as far as I know only 1 person was a regular on the 216.


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Yea the driver


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RE: Smaller County Durham ops
(28 Nov 2017, 3:38 pm)cbma06 wrote Yea the driver


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He was probably mentally writing shopping lists by his 3rd turn of the day. Not like the 59 where the driver appears to be having a blast. Probably one of the nicest bus driver jobs going, that one!
563891
RE: Smaller County Durham ops
(26 Oct 2021, 11:58 pm)Jimmi wrote John Crake & Sons Mini Buses Ltd will be the operator of the taxibus 239 between Sedgefield and Wingate starting from next week (November 1st)
I don't see why GNE couldn't have used there MB Sprinter
RE: Smaller County Durham ops
(09 Nov 2021, 10:31 am)Keeiajs wrote I don't see why GNE couldn't have used there MB Sprinter
I suspect due to the vandalism that GNE buses suffered in the last few weeks of their operation.
RE: Smaller County Durham ops
The 239 Sedgefield-Wingate is no longer being operated by John Crake and is now being operated by George Elliott according to VOSA.
RE: Smaller County Durham ops
(13 May 2022, 10:42 am)peter wrote The 239 Sedgefield-Wingate is no longer being operated by John Crake and is now being operated by George Elliott according to VOSA.
No change has been made to service 239!

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RE: Smaller County Durham ops
(14 May 2022, 3:23 pm)DRS37419 wrote No change has been made to service 239!

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Perhaps they've just changed to a new license but on VOSA it's been cancelled with John Crake and re-registered with George Elliot.
RE: Smaller County Durham ops
(15 May 2022, 1:27 am)peter wrote Perhaps they've just changed to a new license but on VOSA it's been cancelled with John Crake and re-registered with George Elliot.
Timetable on Durham timetable site says it's now operated by Elliott's of Trimdon.

John Crake have deleted all posts relating to service 239 from their Facebook.
RE: Smaller County Durham ops
(15 May 2022, 6:33 am)Jimmi wrote Timetable on Durham timetable site says it's now operated by Elliott's of Trimdon.

John Crake have deleted all posts relating to service 239 from their Facebook.
Ahhhh thanks for the info

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