Thurs. 16 Feb. 1978 and recently acquired from Vale of Llangollen Coaches (Roberts of Cefn Mawr) XDH 56G runs up the top of Cemetery Hill on the old Nottingham Road in Derby, on her way back to Borrowash on a school contract. She had not been with Mick Quigley's Luxicoaches very long at this stage.

Still bearing its VLL logo and livery, Quigley's "monster" as I knicknamed her whilst with Luxicoaches at Borrowash, barnstorms round The Cock Pitt island by Derby Bus Station, a scene barely recognisable in 2008. Note Tinkler & Hudsons hardware store in Bridgewater Buildings, which sat next to the long gone Derby Canal bed. This view dates from around February 1978.

My first sighting of XDH, as she departs from Luxicoaches premises in Borrowash, bound for Friesland Comprehensive School in Sandiacre, on the regular school run, Fri. 3 February 1978. Note she is displaying Dudley via Quarry Bank, still retaining her old Walsall / WMPTE destination blinds!

XDH 56G and myself at Wythall Museum, soon after 56 arrived there in her last operator's livery, that of Hale Brothers Coaches, Bishop's Stortford, Herts..

XDH 56G showing off the auxiliaries on the Cummins power unit

XDH 56G is seen at Warren House Garage, Hadham Road, Bishop's Stortford, during my visit to Hale Brothers Coaches in 1985

XDH 56G in Bishop's Stortford during my roadrun in 1985, when I secured a nice taping of its sound effects!

Snug as a bug in a rug. The V6-200 Cummins, which Ian Hale managed to keep running with some TLC

XDH 56G, more akin to a Daimler Roadliner than a Fleetline. One can see the rise of the rear staircase (there were two) over the engine compartment in this view at Bishop's Stortford

The boot door opened up on 56 to show the Cummins V6-200 engine position

A rather poor quality shot of 56 but showing its original non-standard livery, parked up at Walsall Corporation's Birchills depot but already with West Midlands logo on the sides, dating this to 1969 or soon after