PICTURES and videos taken throughout yesterday captured the final day of trading for Yellow Buses after 120 years in service.
For the most part, the day’s operations were business as usual. Buses came and passengers were transported.
Smiles were raised by PCSO Carl of Bournemouth Police, a former Yellow Buses driver who handed out sweets and chocolates to some of his former colleagues.
There were even some passengers, like Josh Faramus, who decided to take one final ride on a Yellow Buses vehicle in recognition of their service to him and his family for more than 20 years. “It’s been a pleasure,” he said.
Later in the afternoon and into the evening, operations slowly but surely came to an end with dozens of buses making their final voyage into the depot at Yeomans Way in Bournemouth.
As the various buses made their way through the depot grounds they were clapped and cheered by fellow colleagues, friends and family.
Irene Bishop, Yellow Buses’ longest serving female driver, told the Echo: “Yellow Buses is not just about the buses, in our working environment away from the public it’s a family. We’re not just colleagues, we’re family and that has been the comfort my whole way through working here.
“We were a family, and that family has been broken up tonight. 120 years and it’s all gone away.”
As well as the present day fleet, a vintage Yellow Buses vehicle was brought back to the depot by its private owner to mark the occasion.
Whatever the bus model, each was driven into the depot with the same message on its board – “Not in service”.
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