New To: Barton Buses

Chassis: Volvo B10B-58 YV3R13F17RA000687

Body: Northern Counties Paladin NC4604 B49F

Delivered in January 1994, 127 entered service with Barton Buses Limited as one of 28 similar vehicles supplied to the Wellglade Group. The bus is built on a Volvo B10B chassis and fitted with a front-entrance Northern Counties Paladin body seating 49 passengers. In this configuration, 127 represented a modern and high-capacity step-entrance single-decker typical of the mid-1990s, combining proven Volvo engineering with one of the most recognisable British single-deck body designs of the era.

The Volvo B10B was a rear-engined chassis produced between 1993 and 1997. Although reliable and well regarded, its production life was relatively short due to the rapid introduction of the low-floor Volvo B10BLE, which provided step-free access and quickly became the industry standard as accessibility requirements evolved. As a result, the B10B represents the final generation of traditional step-entrance single-deck Volvo chassis — effectively the end of an era before low-floor designs became universal.

127 was supplied to Barton Buses, the company formed by the Wellglade Group in 1989 to take over the operations of Barton Transport when that long-established company withdrew from direct bus operation. Wellglade itself had been established in 1987 by the then directors of Trent Motor Traction Company to purchase the company from the National Bus Company and operate it independently. Over time, Wellglade expanded its portfolio and today its subsidiaries include Barton Buses, Trent Motor Traction, TM Travel of Sheffield, Midland General, Notts & Derby, and Kinchbus of Loughborough, with Barton and Trent services now operating under the unified Trentbarton brand. Vehicle 127 therefore forms part of the story of the independent revival of bus operations in the East Midlands during the late 20th century.

When new, 127 was allocated to Ilkeston depot alongside four sister vehicles of the same type. These buses were primarily intended for operation of the R15 Rainbow Route between Ilkeston and Old Sawley, a key corridor requiring dependable and comfortable vehicles. In its original form, 127 carried the distinctive Red and Cream livery with Barton fleetnames, a colour scheme closely associated with the Barton identity of the period. The Paladin body, with its large windows and clean lines, gave the vehicle a smart and contemporary appearance suited to both local services and longer inter-urban work.

In later years, 127 was repainted and received Trent fleetnames as branding within the group evolved. It subsequently operated more widely across the Trent network before transferring to Notts & Derby, Wellglade’s lower-cost subsidiary established to operate contracted stage carriage services and school journeys. This later phase of its career reflects the operational flexibility of the B10B/Paladin combination, which proved capable of adapting to a range of duties across the group.

127 was withdrawn from service at the end of 2016 and subsequently passed into preservation with Nottingham Heritage Vehicles Charity, ensuring that an example of this increasingly uncommon chassis and body combination would be retained locally. Since entering the collection, it has undergone mechanical attention, including welding repairs to the front suspension mounts — a critical structural area on this chassis type.

More recently, 127 has returned from a comprehensive body and chassis repaint following a full body rebuild. During this process, exterior panels were removed and refurbished or replaced as required, corrosion addressed, and the structure prepared to secure the vehicle’s long-term future. Once complete, 127 will carry Trent Buses fleetnames rather than Barton Buses, reflecting the later and perhaps more widely recognised phase of its operating life.

There is still a considerable amount of work to be completed before 127 can return fully to the road. A full interior refurbishment is planned, which will include attention to seating, flooring, and interior trim to bring the saloon back to a high standard. In addition, several underframe components require inspection and remedial work to ensure reliability and safety in operation. Although the restoration is ongoing, steady progress is being made, and 127 is well on its way to once again representing the mid-1990s Wellglade fleet in preserved condition.