I
started my bus career in 1972, driving this 'Bristol' for Blackwell
& Woodcock. 007 on Country Bus service 1973 |
 007 At the Park 1973 |
 Bristol LH on Airport run 1978 |
FDL 842 Vic's Tours Bedford OB 1970 |
CYO
692V
1988. From humble beginnings. Unfortunately, the bank wouldn't give me the loan I wanted. Ford Transit 12 seat. |
 This was a VW LT28 with 15 forward facing seats. I got this in 1989 |
RYP 494Y I kept her for about 2 years but she was very unreliable and uncomfortable for the passengers. |
D872 FHU This was my pride & joy! My first 'proper' minibus. I used to enjoy doing tours in this Leyland 17 seater and did some pretty choice work too. |
 I kept FHU for about 4 years. |
 Outside Harold Wilson's house with Lord & Lady Wilson, Lord & Lady Callaghan in the b/ground. |
F883 XOE My first venture into the realms of 'walk in' access. Acquired from 'Houston Ramm' in 1994 |
 This could have been the ultimate bus for my needs but the 'Carlyle' bodywork was too heavy for the Leyland chassis and prone to rot underneath. |
| FDL 842 (Corgi made a model of this particular coach) |
Vic's Tours was established in 1947 by Vic Trenwith and his nephew, Ronnie Perry. They operated tours around St Marys for many years and when both men died, the business was taken over by Ron's son-in-law, Bruce Maple who ran it for another 7 years until his untimely death in 1997. That's when the business was bought out by myself and incorporated into the name 'Island Rover'. The name 'Vics Tours' was dropped in respect to their memory. | ||
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| "Bertha" PYH 651Y  When I bought Vic's Tours, I inherited the contracts that went with it. My vehicle wasn't up to the job so another visit to the bank and I ended up with this Leyland Cub (Redline) coach which I acquired from 'Ebdon's Coaches' of Sidcup in Feb. 1998 |
 A full compliment of passengers enjoying themselves on 'Bertha'. |
SOLD
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 'Bertha' & 'Ivy' |
 'Ivy' between Fred's 'Ford' bus and Allan's taxi. |
"Ivy
2". H460 HBA 
Another Iveco 49/10 with 25 seats, also acquired from Houston Ramm in 1999 |
 The last thing you see when you cross the road without looking. |
'Bertha' in front of Coastguard tower. |
 A coffee & photo break at the Airport. |
 'Ivy 2' & Me in Holy Vale |
CJH 119V |
WHAT
MIGHT HAVE BEEN! This was the 'Bristol VRT' open topper that I got in 2003 from Andrew & Simon Munden in Bristol. This bus was acquired in order to compete with another open topper that was brought into the Islands in 2002. I decided to have her painted in the original 'Vic's Tours' colours of Cream & Blue. I drove her down from Bristol but by the time I got to Penzance, the weather had changed for the worse and it was 6 weeks before it settled enough to bring her over on 'Mojo Maritime's' landing craft. It was during **this time that I decided that she was just too big for Scilly and that it wasn't fair to the locals, visitors or Islands and sold her to Western Greyhound in Newquay. |
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'Island
Rover' fleet in 1998 'Bertha', Me in front of 'Dora' (Vic's Tours' old Bedford/Duple coach) & 'Ivy' on quiet day. |
'Wilma' WIL 3639  A 1986 Bedford YMP coach with Plaxton Paramount bodywork. Bought from 'Vale Travel' of Nottingham in October 2003 |
 The last thing you see when you cross the road without looking. |
 Inside 'Wilma'
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 Wilma with 2 of our pleasure boats, 'Osprey' & 'Kingfisher' in Falmouth Marina |
 Backing 'Wilma' onto L/Craft in Penzance. |
 All aboard! |
 Entering 'Grand Harbour, St. Marys. |
 Off-loading at Rachabite Slip'. |
 Nearly there |
 Check up before starting work. |
 This was the first tour I did with 'Wilma', Janet Ethorne brought over some Radio Cornwall listeners and stayed at Tregarthen's hotel. I got a couple of bottles of wine and we celebrated the future. |
 About to get out at the Airport. |
 Making the most of a lovely sunny day. The celebrations carried on in Tregarthen's hotel late into the night. |
New
for 2005. This 1957 Titan spent a few years on Jersey. Leyland PD2 arriving in Scilly. April 2005
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 Getting prepared.
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 Inching down the ramp.
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 In her new home at last.
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 With new island Rover sign writing |
 I wasn't going to bother today because of the cold wind, but the feeling amongst the people was 'go for it!'
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 Daisy at Porthlow with 'Shearings' group in good spirits. Surprising what a bit of sunshine does. (I call it 'Daisy' because some days 'e goes out and some days 'e don't)
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 Daisy at the end of Golf Club Lane
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 Waiting for the morning tour to get under way. |
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 Taken by Bob Tuthill |
 Taken by Bob Tuthill |
 Leonardo D'Caprio |
 Island Rover's latest acquisition, 'Katie', a 1948 Austin K2. This coach will be running under it's new banner in 2007 |
Katie covering wedding July 2007
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