Dublinbusstuff started off with the intention of containing "stuff" about Dublin Bus. However it has become more of a sequence of features with about a 50/50 split between Dublin and non-Dublin. Therefore the feel of the site has become more Europe based rather than just Dublin. This article adds Scotland to the list of places with bus services reviewed. One of our readers Robert Clark reviews his hometown operations in Fife.

Fife, Scotland - October/November 2009:

The picture below shows Stagecoach No. 19544, a September 2009 delivered Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 integral. This is one of 18 such buses delivered then, 6 being allocated to Aberhill, 3 to Dunfermline, 3 to Glenrothes, and 6 to Cowdenbeath, taking on duties on the 7 group, 20, 30, 32, 33 group and 34 group of services. This example, from Aberhill depot, was caught in Links Stret, Kirkcaldy, passing the local landmark of the Stocks Discount Centre carpet warehouse, out of shot to the right.

Stagecoach No. 19544, an Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 integral, on Links Street, Kirkcaldy.

Stagecoach No. 24008, a tri-axel Scania Omnilink on Route 53 (Dalgety Bay - Edinburgh).

Stagecoach's No. 24008, a Scania Omnilink tri axle, delivered in 2008 for routes 53 (Dalgety Bay - Edinburgh) and 55 (dunfermline - Edinburgh). 9 of these buses were delivered, and have air conditioning, leather seating, and plug points to charge up mobile phones or laptops. All are based at Dunfermline.

Next is an Optare Solo, Stagecoach No. 47235, on a 747 duty, from Inverkeithing Station to Edinburgh Airport. The route runs every 20 minutes, and some duties now requier a Dennis Dart SLF. The service, like all others crossing the Forth Road Bridge, calls in at the Ferrytoll Park and Ride, out of shot to the right. It has its own website www.ferrytoll.org

Stagecoach No. 4723, an Optare Solo, on Route 747 to Edinburgh Airport.

Stagecoach No. 53294, a Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B7R at the Ferrytoll.

The shot above is taken at Ferrytoll, and shows a Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B7R, 53294, of Dunfermline depot. These coaches have a lift to take a wheelchair up, though pre booking is recommended. Notice the sign saying Wi-Fi. Though initially only on the 30 B7R's and 9 Scania Omnilinks in this fleet, Stagecoach in Fife, in 2009, became the first Stagecoach company to introduce this feature fleetwide.

The image below is also taken at Ferrytoll, and shows Scania Omnilink 24002 leaving for Edinburgh. These are the first tri axle buses owned by Stagecoach Fife, though not the first Scania buses owned; in 2007, 10 Scania N113DRB's were transfered up from Stagecoach in Newcastle, and gave 1 years service at Fife, before being transfered to Rennies, where they lasted another 6 months.

Tri-Axel Scania Omnilink, No. 24002, at the Ferrytoll.

 Stagecoach Fife received 19 new MAN 18.240 single deckers with Enviro 300 bodywork. Three images of these buses are included, the first showing No. 22872 on Route 19 to Rosyth, the second shows No. 22873,  with the nearside style of branding, while 22875 is seen climbing the hill in Bank Street, passing the old bingo hall (now a building firm workshop). The photos of the people on the nearsides of these buses were winners in a competition, to have their photos adorned on the sides! Although branded for the 19, these vehicles work other routes, especially in the evenings and sundays.

Stagecoach No. 22872 on Route 19 to Rosyth.

Stagecoach MAN 18.240 Enviro 300, No. 22873.

Stagecoach No. 22875 on Bank Street operating Route 19 to Rosyth.

Something a bit different is No. 27603, an ADL Enviro 300 integral new to Aberhill in October 2009. Eleven of these were ordered in 2009, and are replacing 9 Volvo B10M-55s and two step entrance Dennis Darts. In 2009, Stagecoach Fife received 48 new vehicles, 19 MAN 18.240 single deckers, 11 ADL enviro 300 single deckers, and 18 ADL Enviro 400 Double deckers..

Stagecoach Alexander Dennis Enviro 300 integral, No. 22873.

Stagecoach No. 19556, a recently delivered Enviro 400 integral is shown below. 18 of these vehicles were delivered in 2009, 6 each to Aberhill and Cowdenbeath depots, 3 each to Dunfermline and Glenrothes. Also notice the lack of side fleetnames. Numerous Stagecoach Fife vehicles are like this.

Brand new No. 19556, an Enviro400 integral.

Stagecoach 18098 with branding for the route 7, operating Route 30 ( Dunfermline - Cowdenbeath - Ballingry - Glenrothes). This bus now operates from Cowdenbeath, which doesn't provide buses for route 7. Route 7 requires 12 double deckers, and with the new integral Enviro400s arrived, Dunfermline has 6 low floor deckers and Aberhill has 9, more than enough for this service. Three of the 6 Dennis Tridents delivered to Aberhill in 2004, including 18098, were moved to other depots when the new Enviro 400s arrived, 18098 and 18100 to Cowdenbeath, 18099 to Glenrothes. 18099 actually replaced a single decker.

Stagecoach No 18098, an ALX400 bodied Dennis Trident on Route 30 to Dunfermline.

The next picture is of a 2004 Alexander ALX400 bodied Dennis trident, working a Kirkclady town service. New to Aberhill depot, it was moved to Glenrothes in September 2009, when the 18 new Enviro 400s were received.

An Alexander ALX400 bodied Dennis trident working a Kirkclady town service.

Stagecoach No. 16319 represents an older order. S319CCD is an Alexander RL bodied Volvo Olympian, new to Stagecoach Oxford, but transfered in 2004 to Fife. The vehicle has the long wheelbase chassis, which was popular in the 1988-1991 era with Stagecoach, as a Leyland Olympian. When Stagecoach owned two firms in London for a period, some long wheebase Volvo Olympians were purchased. This vehicle was part of the only order for long wheelbase Olympians placed by Stagecoach, for operations OUTSIDE London.

Stagecoach No. 16319, an Alexander Rl bodied Volvo Olympian.

The image below shows a 1994 Plaxton bodied Volvo B10M-62. 52230 (M530 RSO) which was actually new to Stagecoach Inverness, and was transfered to Fife in 2002, when the service it worked, the 25X was converted to Double deck operation. In 2006, when Fife received its first Volvo B7R's, with wheelchair lifts, this vehicle was converted to a driver trainer, hence the different livery, which is Stagecoach Group Corporate driver training livery.

The vehicle dates from 1994, and at the same time, both Ulsterbus, and Bus Eireann, received identical coaches. The Stagecoach group examples differed in that they had electronic destination screens, those for Bus Eireann and Ulsterbus used roller blinds.

Stagecoach No. 52230 operating as a Driver Trainer.

In March 2008, Stagecoach Fife bought Rennies of Dunfermline, whose depot is in the north of that city, at Wellwood. It was decided to maintain the Rennies identity, though a new logo and livery was devised. A16 RNY, a Jocknheere bodied B10M-62, new to Lothian Buses, carries the new livery and logo. The unidentified vehicle behind, carries the old logo, and a lighter shade of blue for the skirt!

The vehicles are parked on Station Road, Cardenden, on layover, near Wallsgreen Park, awaiting their duty on the afternoon return journey, on a temporary school contract, from Denend Primary school, the biggest in cardenden, to the site of Cardenden primary school. In January 2009, structural problems were discovered in Cardenden Primary school, which is located on Carden Castle Park, and it was confirmed the building would have to be demolished and rebuilt. The new structure will not be ready until August 2010.

In the meantime, Rennies were awarded a temporary contract to bus pupils from the site of Cardenden Primary, to Denend Primary. Portakabins have been set up in the playground at Denend, to act as classrooms for those at Cardenden primary.

Incidentally, Stagecoach Fife provides the buses for the school contracts from Denend primary to the Bowhill, Balgreggie, Quarryvale, and Woodend areas of the town, using a double decker, and a cotract from St Ninians roman cathoilc primary, to all areas, using an Optare Solo.

Rennies coaches operating a school service.