Welcome to the Ebor Buses photo gallery

These nine articulated buses, seating 56, arrived in 2003 from First Bradford; they are used almost exclusively on the 3 and 8 'Park and Ride' services. They originally entered service in Bradford in 2000.

Four coaches arrived in 2006/07 to operate the link to Leeds and Bradford International Airport.

These eleven Wright Streetcars with Volvo B7LA chassis entered service on May 8th 2006 as part of the inaugural FTR route - the number 4 - linking the University, the City Centre and Acomb. According to First and Wright, they are set to revolutionise bus travel in the UK; first impressions from York travellers have not, however, been entirely favourable, with the ticketing system drawing most criticism.

These four double-deckers arrived in October 2006 from First Somerset & Avon to replace the Leyland Olympians. They are intended to cover a wide range of services, and their arrival has ushered in a new era for First York: the fleet is now entirely low-floor.

These twelve low-floor double deckers arrived at the end of 2001 and represent the high capacity backbone of the fleet. Seating 49 on the top deck and 27 on the lower deck, the B7TLs are used predominantly on route 1, and on route 4 before the arrival of the Streetcars.

28 examples of this type operate in the York fleet, having arrived in conjunction with the B7Ls at the end of 2001 / beginning of 2002. Versatile and used on most services, the number 6 being a particular favourite. Slightly smaller and less thirsty than the B7Ls, which tend to be concentrated on busier core routes.

The three minibuses in the First York fleet represent two different types of Optare Solo - fleet nos. 50297 & 50298 are OM904LAs seating 26 people, provided new in 2002, while the odd one out is 50279, which is a M850 seating 27 people, two years older than the others but having only arrived in York from First Bradford in October 2004. They operate route 26 and its subtle variations.

The mainstay of the fleet, with 43 of this design in service as of December 2005. Joined the York fleet new at the end of 2001 / beginning of 2002, and used on a variety of routes, though no longer on the regular haunt of route 4 since the introduction of the Streetcars. Unusually, the engine is encased at the rear of the vehicle on the left hand side; this 'box in the corner' results in the rear seat holding three rather than the traditional five passengers.

These five buses, new to First York in February 2005, seat an extra two people in comparison to their elder brothers, the B7Ls.

These training vehicles arrived in May 2005 to replace 25 year old Leyland Nationals, which were duly withdrawn. 62461 was formerly with First Southern National, and 62725 arrived from First Somerset & Avon. By their nature, this pair are rarely seen out and about.

A silver-liveried Volvo B7L demonstrator with Hispano Habit bodywork was on loan to First York from September 2003 until August 2006. Spotted outside the depot in May 2006 was an articulated Volvo demonstrator.

Vehicles which have now left the First York fleet, shown here in the full glory of their days in York. After the arrival of ftr in May 2006 surplus B7Ls were sent to First South Yorkshire, and the arrival of four Dennis Tridents in October 2006 signalled the end for the Leyland Olympians.

The last day of ordinary bus operation on route 4 - Sunday 7th May 2006 - was gloomy and wet. The next day, FTR launched in a blaze of publicity and sunlight. Let us take a brief look at the last throes of the old order down Heslington Road.

Top Line Travel is an independent company based in Fulford, which operates the sightseeing bus services in York using a combination of second-hand MCW Metrobuses and Leyland Olympians, and the half-hourly 128 'Circle Line' service, which links the University, Fulford, the City Centre, Monk's Cross, Heworth and Tang Hall. The bus fleet totals seventeen, the only single-decker among which being a DAF SB120. Recently seen, though, was an Optare Solo in Top Line livery.

Veolia is an international transport group based in France, which has begun to take an interest in bus operation in the UK. Having completed the takeover of Dunn-Line - the parent company of Alpha Bus and Coach - Veolia found itself with operational capability in the Yorkshire region, and tendered for a number of services in York. The firm will commence operation of routes 14, 20, 24, 26, 27, 128 and 129 (to be renumbered 28 and 29) in February 2007.

Arriva's presence in York is focussed on services to Selby, specifically the numbers 42 and 415, and routes 413 and 414 linking Selby, York and Wetherby. These services are operated under the auspices of Arriva Yorkshire North; routes 141 (Boroughbridge-York), 142 and 146 (Ripon-York) are operated by Arriva Yorkshire (West Riding).

Yorkshire Coastliner operate twenty modern single- and double-deckers out of their Malton depot on services from Leeds and York to Scarborough, Whitby, Pickering, Bridlington and Filey.

East Yorkshire Motor Services (EYMS) operates around 350 buses and coaches throughout East and North Yorkshire. Principal services in York itself are the X46 and X47 to Hull, the 743/744 to Bridlington, 745/747 to Pocklington, and the 746 to Market Weighton. Buses for these services tend to be drawn from the fleets of Hull and Pocklington depots.

Reliance operate a number of bus services in and around York, notably the number 30 between the city centre and Easingwold.

Coach hire firm which also provides local bus services, notably the number 29 from Easingwold to York via Linton-on-Ouse, and the 31 from Kirkbymoorside to York via Easingwold. Depots are at Kirkbymoorside and Tholthorpe.

A local bus and coach company established in 2002 and based in Green Hammerton, just outside York. The managing director, Craig Temple, appears to be a bus enthusiast, for according to the firm's website they are in the process of restoring an Atlantean and an AEC Swift, and affection for buses is clear to see in the fleet descriptions on the site. Services operated are the 142 from Ripon to Boroughbridge, the 143 from Ripon to York, and the C1 from Askham Bar to Tadcaster.

First in York's depot has been at James Street, off of Lawrence Street, since 1995 - before that time, the main bus garage in the city had been on Barbican Road. Yorkshire Coastliner's fleet is maintained at Malton, and Arriva and EYMS buses are kept elsewhere; Top Line Travel keeps its interesting and varied little fleet in a modern depot in Hospital Fields Road, down which one can also find the small garage used by Inglebys.

A coach operator with depots at Hemingborough, north of York, and Horsforth, near Leeds.

An East Riding coach operator based in Hull, but now trading out of Nottingham since being taken over by the Dunn-Line group. Alpha operated some route 747 services more usually associated with East Yorkshire Motor Services, as well as the 812 service between Barmby Moor and All Saints School.

A coach operator based in Hospital Fields Road, Fulford, opposite Top Line Travel's depot.

City of York Council operates a number of Mercedes Benz minibuses.

Marketing the firm as 'York's Premier Luxury Coach Company', K&J Travel are based at Rufforth, just on the outskirts of York, and have a fleet size of 20 vehicles. In 2007 they began operation of the York Pullman City Tour using a small fleet of open-top double-deckers.

Also trading as Silverline, this coach and minibus operator is based at Dalton airfield.

A York operator contracted to a number of school services.

Door to Door - also trading as Piper - operates school services as well as routes linking outlying villages to Askham Bar and York City Centre.

Coaches belonging to far-flung operators, or buses from other fleets, spotted in York.