The Last Day


As I sit putting this section of the site together in May 2013 it defies belief that the subject matter is from nearly 20 years ago - Saturday 3rd September 1994 saw the long association between Trent Motor Traction and the Derbyshire town of Melbourne come to an end.

During preceding months Trent and Derby City Transport had not entirely seen eye to eye over Derby's operations in the Littleover and Mickleover suburbs resulting in Trent starting competitive services between Derby and Chellaston which were short workings on the already long established route to Melbourne and Swadlincote. The services ran half hourly using recently refurbished Leyland National vehicles equipped with DAF engines with a dedicated panel of drivers. Unusually the normal fanfare surrounding quality services operated by the company did not apply - despite this as time progressed the short workings became very successful.

So successful in fact meetings ensued between Trent and Derby City Transport the end result being Derby giving up their routes to Spondon and in exchange taking on all services to Mebourne and Swadlincote. An unthinkable outcome to many however the deal was arrived at purely for commercial reasons. Following the changeover Trent began their "Spondon Flyer" services running via the A52 and very successful they were and indeed still are. One other side effect however has been the virtual erasure of Ockbrook from the network map - here local residents had enjoyed a frequent service with four buses an hour to Derby via Spondon or Borrowash.

That's the brief background, now for some pictures of the last day at Melbourne...........


Unfortunately not one of the dedicated pool of Leyland Nationals - 324 having just set off with the final 18:25 Chellaston - Derby service


The penultimate Trent operated Derby - Swadlincote service is seen nearing Ticknall with Bristol built Olympian 700 performing the honours.


Celebrity for a day perhaps? Destined to be the last Trent vehicle plying the route Leyland National 489 is seen at Stanton by Bridge with the 17:21 Melbourne to Derby service.


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