35 History Bus Guide gets national publicity

The April 2019 edition of Buses (www.busesmag.com), 'the World's biggest selling bus magazine', includes a two-page spread by me about how the 35 History Bus Guide came about.

I wrote the article last November and it was accepted by Alan Millar, the Editor of Buses, by return, then it was just a case of me waiting my turn in the queue to be published.

You can find copies of Buses magazine in W. H. Smith shops, price £4.80 (I have been a reader since 1955 and still have some copies from the late-1950s and 60s). 

This is the article and the layout as shown here is the copyright of Buses. As you can see Alan and his colleagues have done a good job. There is one little mistake but you'll have to travel on a 35 bus and then I suspect you won't notice anyway. I mention it because there is always someone who wants to nitpick.

I am hoping that will lead to more publicity and more passengers for Nottingham City Transport and it's no.10 and no.35 bus routes, as I give a passing reference to the No.10 Ruddy Day Out booklet.

Ruddington with its museums and Transport Heritage Centre, which includes the Great Central Railway's Nottingham branch, will be directly linked to the Loughborough – North Leicester branch once the bridge presently under construction is complete and able to take passenger trains. 

Visit Ruddington.info for more information.

Another 35 bus named. I'm in such good company!

One of the things I love about Nottingham City Transport (NCT) is its engagement with the communities it serves and how it finds the remarkable in everyday people.

Yesterday NCT named a 35 History Bus after Kenneth Alan Taylor, whose 35th Nottingham Playhouse Pantomime - Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood - has been sponsored by NCT. 

Kenneth Alan Taylor joins twenty-six other people to have had buses named after them by NCT (Click here to see a list of names) including me, I'm proud to say. Looking at the list I love the fact that it celebrates achievement and tenacity across all classes and groups and I love it for that.

Commenting on  having a bus named after him, Kenneth said, “I am so thrilled by this honour. Other people may get OBE's etc. but how many get a bus named after them. Many thanks to Nottingham City Transport.”

An Orange Line 35 bus – the same number of pantomimes Kenneth has written and directed at Nottingham Playhouse – now proudly displays “Kenneth Alan Taylor” on the front along with an internal panel citing his achievements. The 35 bus passes Nottingham Playhouse as well as University Park Campus, where Kenneth was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters by the University of Nottingham in 2011.

Anthony Carver-Smith, NCT Marketing Manager added, “As proud Playhouse Panto sponsors, NCT couldn’t miss the opportunity to recognise the milestone of the 35th pantomime written and directed by Kenneth. The arts play such an important role in enabling people to express and enjoy themselves and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Nottingham Playhouse to maximise the opportunities for people in our city to enjoy great performances in the years to come”.

As well as writing and directing Playhouse Panto for the last 35 years, Kenneth was Artistic Director of Nottingham Playhouse for seven years. His theatre and television credits are vast, including The Cherry Orchard, The Father, Noises Off on stage and Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Cold Feet on screen. He received the MTA award for Best Supporting Actor in The Price (Octagon Theatre Bolton).

A full list of Nottingham City Transport named buses is online at www.nctx.co.uk/busnames and tickets for Kenneth’s 36th Playhouse Panto – Sleeping Beauty – are on sale now, with Easyrider cardholders able to enjoy a 10% discount off prices on selected shows.