Pink Team Pennine buses are working a 'revitalised' bus route between Keighley and Halifax from this week.
Operator Transdev - which also owns The Keighley Bus Company - says it's bringing 'new standards of comfort and style' to its popular 502 route. which has been renamed the Great Northern Line in honour of the famous old railway which linked the two towns between 1800 and 1955.
On the outside, the smart Great Northern Line buses feature an eye-catching two-tone pink livery with a steam engine in the centre – while inside, there’s comfortable seating in the bus firm’s own ‘All The Colours of Transdev’ design, fast and free Wi-Fi, and USB at-seat device charging points.
Team Pennine General Manager Joy Devine said: “We wanted to pay our own tribute to the great days of steam with our new Great Northern Line branded bus route, as we deliver an exciting upgrade to our buses which follow much of the old railway’s course.
“At a time when the cost of living is an issue, our Great Northern Line buses are a low-cost yet comfortable way to discover the beautiful countryside as well as two amazing towns, especially as a journey now costs no more than £2 one way or £4.50 all day on this and every other bus in West Yorkshire.
“We’re already getting a great reaction to our upgraded Great Northern Line – and we think it’s bright new image will attract more people to choo-choo-choose the bus!”
Information panels on each bus also highlight key landmarks along the route, some with a railway heritage theme – such as Hewenden Viaduct in Cullingworth, open to the public as part of the Great Northern Railway Trail which follows much of the old rail route through glorious Yorkshire scenery.
The buses also serve Ingrow for the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, and the Rail Story Museum, whose Carriage Works houses original Great Northern Line carriages.
Team Pennine’s Great Northern Line route links Keighley and Halifax every hour, six days a week. Full timetable and fare deals are online at: transdevbus.co.uk/teampennine, and on the free to download Transdev Go mobile app.
Picture shows Team Pennine’s new Great Northern Line route bus at Ingrow West station, with (from left) Kashif Mughal, Service Delivery Manager at Team Pennine; Steve Tipton, volunteer Train Guard on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway (KWVR); and Steve Anderson, bus driver on the Great Northern Line route. Steaming in the background is 1899-built Taff Vale Class 02 0-6-2 locomotive number 85, which saw service in the Welsh Valleys and the Durham coalfields before joining the KWVR in 1970.
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