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For our first Evening Bus Trip of the year, we hired VMP 10G from WJC Coaches. This bus was built with a rare 12-metre long Alexander Y-type body and was new to the Road Transport Industry Training Board in June 1969, where it was used for driver training. After withdrawal, it passed into private ownership for preservation, when it was painted in the livery of Baxter, Airdrie. In 2008, the bus was acquired by WJC Coaches of Chapelhall in 2008 and was painted in its two-tone blue livery, based on the colours of the former Scottish Bus Group company Kelvin Scottish. The bus has regular work carrying fare-paying passengers.
Our trip on the sunny evening took us from the city centre to the coastline from Leith to Seafield, from where we travelled south to Newcraighall, then onto the city bypass and the new A68 road into Midlothian, passing through Dewarton, Newlandrig, Gorebridge and on to Bonnyrigg. The chosen route provided many chances for the owner to demonstrate the turn of the speed and hill climbing (and descending!) powers of his bus. Many thanks to John Carson, the proprietor of WJC Coaches, for the use of his bus.
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