To begin at the beginning....On Saturday 8th January
the stranding of Carlisle's buses under 5 feet of water meant
that the only buses in town were four stationed at Penrith, running
a shuttle between the Bus Station and Harraby and Upperby, the only parts
of Carlisle easily accessible. One of these, 20731, is seen just coming
off service at around half past three. It is noticeable how many people
are about (none, other than the bus driver). The whole of Carlisle was
without electricity and those people about were looking at the floods.
Two of the other buses I saw were 20741 and 22804.
The first bus seen on my walk into Carlisle on Monday
10th January was Ribble Volvo Olympian 16635, operating route 61, normally
operated by route branded low floor MANs, of which only one escaped
the deluge. The bus is seen heading towards the city centre, at the foot
of Botchergate.
Further up Botchergate is Cumberland Volvo B10M 20746,
a native bus based at Penrith when the waters came. Behind is Busways(or
is it Tyne and Wear?) Scania 28915 with similar bodywork, a bus which
is depicted further down the page.
Also on Botchergate is Busways 20726, bearing Stagecoach
in South Shields names. It is another B10M, which used to roam around
Carlisle before being displaced by new Darts.
Loading on the Crescent on route 61 is Ribble Olympian
16634.
Waiting at the lights at the top of Botchergate is Western
Volvo B6 30335
Also on The Crescent is Cumberland 10684, an aged Leyland
Titan based at Lancaster.
Laying over on The Crescent prior to it's next duty on
route 685 to Newcastle is Bluebird 52188
A surprise was the appearance of Busways Dennis Dart
32735, wearing Sunderland Corporation livery, and highlighting the
problem with the low winter sun.
On Lonsdale Street is another Western Volvo B6, 30337,
still in the previous Stagecoach livery.
Ribble Olympian 16635 is seen unloading on Lonsdale Street.
This is a photograph taken with my old SLR camera.
On the other side of Lonsdale Street is Busways
Scania N113CRB 28901. The cones were to prevent motorists parking in
the layby when the buses left it unoccupied, as it was needed for returning
buses laying over.
Receiving a bit of attention in the Bus Station is Busways
Dart 32718.
Also in the Bus Station is Busways Scania 28937, still
in the old livery and with Busways fleetnames.
Unloading in Lonsdale Street due to the congestion in
the Bus Station is Bluebird 52139.
Waiting to turn into the Bus Station is Stagecoach Manchester
20904, a standard Alexander bodied Volvo B10M
At the head of a line of buses leaving the Bus Station is
Fife Volvo B6 30651, carrying the prefix D.
Also waiting in Lonsdale Street is another Western B6,
30338.
Waiting on the other side of the street is LAncaster
based Titan 10285, a mere 23 years old!
On Lonsdale Street is Fife Volvo B6 30653, receiving
instructions.
And another bus on Lonsdale Street is Busways Scania 28932.
Leaving the Bus Station on a local journey is Western
Mercedes 709D 40192 in Magic Bus livery.
Also in Magic Bus livery is Western 20718, another which
originated with Cumberland and which lived in Carlisle for a long time.
Only two of the MANs seem to have survived, due to being
at Penrith during the flood. One is 22804, route branded for the 61
and 61A, but used on 10th January on route 67.
Ribble 40398 is another Mercedes 709D, this one carrying
adverts for tickets in the Preston area.
Cumberland 40001 is seen in the Bus Station with a functioning
destination screen, despite being a Kendal based bus (according to
the adverts on the windscreen).
Cumberland operates National Express route 590 (London
to Aberdeen). On 10th January the southbound journey was in the hands
of Bluebird B10M-62 52231, more accustomed to Park and Ride duties.
Something a little different was Western Volvo B6 30342,
with Wright bodywork, which had just arrived form Cockermouth on route
600. I later rode this bus on route 61.
Laying over on Lonsdale Street is 32563, a Dennis Dart
from the Transit part of Stagecoach North East.
Also in evidence were several of the Stagecoach Manchester
Northern Counties bodied Volvo B10s such as 20994, seen here in the
Bus Station.
The bus which took me home (via a heavily diverted route)
was Busways 28915, another Scania. Despite the roller blind, it was
operating on route 76 and is seen on Durranhill Road heading back to
Carlisle.
And so to Saturday 15th January. The journey to the city
centre was made on Stagecoach Manchester 20896, another B10, seen
at Durranhill.
At the foot of Devonshire Street is Ribble 16634, now
with working destination screen.
Awaiting it's next journey, back into Scotland, is Western
20715, nominally in Magicbus livery, but showing the effects of the
weather, and probably a lack of cleaning facilities at the Carlsile depot
(wherever it is at the moment). 20715 is another ex Carlisle bus, come
home to help.
Another native bus to have survived is Leyland Olympian
14232, seen in the Bus Station.
Another view of Stagecoach North East 32735, this time laying
over in the Bus Station. An SLR photo.
Not a great picture, but an oddity! Stagecoach Manchester
20879, not wearing that number but just 879 and with a destination
screen presumably not operational. It is actually operating on route
61 to Harraby East, not 358 to Hayfield in Derbyshire. Another SLR picture.
On 15th January the cross border services to Annan and
Dumfries appeared to be in the charge of buses hired from Western, including
20109. It is seen turning from Rickergate (as seen at the top of the
page) into West Tower Street. The Civic Centre, now back on dry land,
can be seen in the background.
On West Tower Street is Stagecoach Manchester NCME bodied
B10M 20881, en route to Upperby. In the background the underpass seen
under water at the top of the page can just be seen.
Another Western Volvo B6 to appear was 30323, snapped with
the SLR.
Also on West Tower Street is Cumberland 22813, one
of two MANs bought for the X50 and given a special livery, but which
has now been repainted in corporate livery. I have seen only two of the
low floor buses of Carlisle, the 11 Darts received in 2004 for routes
62, 67 and 68 presumably being victims of the flooding, along with the
rest of the MANs.
On the other side of West Tower Street is 20425, a Western
Volvo B10 with East Lancs bodywork and in MagicBus livery. 
This time I was taken home in one of Manchester's NCME
bodied Volvos, 20894, seen at Durranhill. The journey to and from
the city is very depressing, passing through some of the worst affected
areas, where every front garden has a huge pile of ruined furniture,
carpets, electrical goods etc awaiting collection. I was lucky: my
house stayed dry and my electricity was only off for a day and a half.
On 22nd January I had little time for photography, but managed
to snap Midland Red South 32704 at Durranhill terminus.
Seen at the Durranhill terminus of route 76 is Midland Red South
32705.
Returning to Carlisle on 22nd January I was taken aback to
see Dennis Darts in London red, and got to ride on one. On 29th they
were still around, including 34101, a single door example. As low-floor
buses, these Darts spend most of their time on routes 67 & 68, which
had nice new Dart SLFs in 2004.
Another of the ex-London Darts is single door variety 34083,
seen at The Courts on 29th January.
And another is 34088, seen at the foot of Devonshire Street.
Stagecoach Manchester 20943 is seen laying over on The Crescent,
wearing a nice coaitng of grime. The bus behind is one of the Busways
Scanias with the same style of bodywork.
On Lowther Street, nearing the end of a journey from Keswick is
ex Greater Manchester Northern Counties bodied Olympian 13297, now in the
Stagecoach North West fleet, but not normally at Carlisle.
Seen on West Tower Street is Stagecoach in Hartlepool 32124
(legally a Busways vehicle), a Plaxton bodied Dennis Dart which started
life in London.
Also on West Tower Street is Rhondda 32989, a Dennis Dart with
a less stylish Wright body than the current products.
A more unusual bus is Busways 21001, a Volvo B10B with Alexander
Strider bodywork, one of only two in the Busways fleet, and seen on The
Crescent on route 61. 
It was only on this day that I noticed that several of the Manchester
buses were carrying adverts for the Environment Agency floodline! 20881
is one, seen on English Street. I am informed by Gary Mitchelhill that
this ad was to be seen on some Carlisle buses prior to the flooding, but
I had never noticed them. I guess the adverts on a bus are of little relevance
to me, as I tend to concentrate on what the bus is and where it is going.
Another Dennis Dart with Alexander Dash bodywork is 32604, this
one from the East Kent fleet.
Brought in to replace some of the Bluebird Volvos is 52027,
a Fife B10M-62 with Berkhof bodywork, of 1995 vintage, and recently re-registered.
It is seen laying over in the Bus Station. Behind is elderly Leyland Titan
10278.
Seen on West Tower Street on 4th February is Stagecoach London
34140, with the centre doors not in use and adverts for the Bromley Park
and Ride!. Judging from the interiors of these buses, with almost all
TfL signs removed and the lack of blinds I assume they were bound for
pastures new before the intervention of Carlisle's emergency. Which Travelcard
Zone is Carlisle in? 
On a strangely quiet Lowther Street is ex London Titan 10728. If
only the trafffic was always like this! 
On 24th March Western Volvo B6 30342 was snapped on The Crescent.
On 2nd April a walking wexpedition involved travelling to Keswick on
21001, not abus used to long periods of high speed running as experienced
on route 555. Photo by Steve MItchell.
On 9th April another walking excursion involved waiting at the Bus
Station, which yielded a line up of three buses: Stagecoach Manchester
B10M 20944, Busways Scania 28937 and Stagecoach London Dart 34083.
Waiting at The Courts on 9th April is Hartlepool 20291, which I
missed snapping several times because from a distance I just assumed it
was one of the Manchester Northern Counties bodied B10Ms. This time I got
it right.
Fife Volvo B6 30653 was seen on 9th April, havimg a rest in the Bus
Station.
The journey home after a good tramp was in Red & White 20407,
a Volvo B10M with East LAncs body, one of a pair which defied good photography
for a long time.
On the evening of 23rd April stagecoach in Darlington (ex Greater
Manchester) Leyland Olympian 13022 was pictured on Durranhill Road by Steve
Mitchell.
The other of the pair of Red & White B10Ms, 20408, was photographed
on The Crescent on an unknown date by Steve Mitchell
Also in April (I think), Steve Mitchell got a hurried snap of what
Buses magazine described as the indestructible Bristol VR 15731, in Devonshire
Street. 
Later the same day he got another picture of 15731, waiting for
departure time on English Street.
On 30th April Mercedes Benz Vario 0814/ Plaxton 42559 was seen by
Steve Mitchell on Botchergate, painted up for the AD122 Hadrian's Wall Bus
service, but without the lettering, and operatring a City service. 
The back of 42559 is equipped with a bike rack, as seen here. Photo
by Steve Mitchell.
On an un-noted date (my mistake), elderly Leyland Tiger 52196 is
seen unloading after arriving in Carlisle on a 685 journey, wearing an
uninspiring livery.
The other Hadrian's Wall Bus is 42545, seen here in wet Hexham on
1st May, also without the lettering. The two Varios replaced two Volvo B6s
which presumably perished in the floods.
Also in May a chance encounter was with Ribble 34680, a newish Dart
with route branding for route 109 (Preston to Chorley), Numerically
it is the last of this batch, the next number being used for the first of
Carlisle's new Darts, seen on the Carlisle Now
page.