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Small Cities
The UK has nearly 70 cities many of which have sizable
populations. However a handful have less
than 30,000 residents making them the smallest cities in
the country. These range from Armagh and
Newry in Northern Ireland which are very urban to more
rural examples such as Wells and Ripon.
There are also a couple of unusual cases namely the City
of London and St Davids which is barely a village in
size. As expected these small cities are
served by big operators such as First, Stagecoach,
Transdev and Ulsterbus so although the buildings may be
idyllic and charming, the buses are nothing unusual.
The cathedrals though are impressive, several such as
Ely and Truro absolutely dwarfing the towns themselves.
They are special spires. |
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| Photo Facts (Top to Bottom) |
- First 69225 (MX56AEP), a Wright
bodied Volvo, in Truro in June 2010. First became
the major operator in the city when they bought Truronian a few
years ago, although Western Greyhound also run several services
there.
- The 36 service from Ripon to Leeds is now served
by branded Volvo Gemini's with leather seats from Transdev.
However in August 2003 when this shot was taken, their predecessors
Harrogate & District ran the route with vehicles such as Wright
bodied Volvo B10B, 367 (P367UUG).
- Wells is a delightful little city in rural
Somerset which has bus routes that fan out to Bristol, Yeovil,
Bridgwater and Bath. All are run by First using standard
group Wright bodied Volvos such as 66936 (WX55UAC)
seen in the city in a sweltering day in July 2006.
- Stagecoach 18348 (AE55DKV), an
Alexander boded Dennis, in Ely in a grim day in November 2011.
- Clip: A Northern Counties bodied Olympian from
First leaves Truro bus station in June 2010.
- A streak of Ulsterbus Tigers in Armagh bus
station in August 2006 -357 (DXI3357), 1168
(MXI3168) and 1030 (JXI1031).
Armagh is noteworthy for having not one but two cathedrals.
- Two of the smallest cities in the UK are in
Northern Ireland, the other one being Newry where Ulsterbus
3113 (JAZ3003), an articulated Van Hool/Volvo is seen
heading for Belfast in July 2003. This is one of four
such vehicles delivered to Ulsterbus in the mid 1990's, three of
which remarkably are still in service today.
- Chichester has a cathedral with a majestic
spire and was served for many years by equally majestic vehicles
from Southdown. Stagecoach bought the company in 1990
and now the depot reverberates to the sounds of new Volvos rather
than vintage Leylands. Seen in late evening sun in June
2006 is a collection of then current Stagecoach vehicles.
- Recently Stagecoach has upgraded the trunk
Coastliner service from Brighton to Southsea, and this year the 60
service from Bognor Regis to Midhurst has had an injection of new
Enviro400s such as 19885 (GX11AKN) seen in
unseasonably warm weather in October 2011.
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Cathedrals
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Wells
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Armagh
(Catholic)
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Armagh
(Church of Ireland)
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Ely
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Chichester
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[Click to enlarge] |
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