AEC RELIANCE GUP 647H O.K. Motor Services Plaxton Derwent DING ! DING ! 'On The Bishop Buses' #bus

Yesterbus organised Ding ! Ding ! On the Bishop Buses event 2025 We travel on the newly acquired by Yesterbus delivered 4 days before to participate in events such as this and specialist private trips as well as being another survivor vehicle that was owned by north east operators. New to O.K. Motor Services in 1969 GUP 647H was the last ever AEC Reliance to be bought by Wade Emmerson senior, with a Plaxton Derwent body to be used as service bus on local routes. I remember at my time at the OK this was only used by a dedicated driver for a school contract and was always parked at West Auckland Depot during the day and Evenwood garage on a night. I remember the engine suffered big end failure and maybe spun a bearing ? (so long ago) and was going to be sold to Knottys Coaches but ended up still within the north east operated by Calvary Coaches of Concord Washington, before heading south in preservation. I only ever saw GUPPY at Bishop Auckland depot when it was due an inspection or it was having a ride to Bishop to collect parts as the engineers vehicle till they finally got a transit flatbed pickup truck. I remember one Saturday afternoon it was laden with bus enthusiasts as Charles Marshall (Managing Director) was showing them around the depot and they where all taking photos of it having a mechanical wash and then going for a trip out, for more photo opportunities around County Durham. Getting back to Saturday 23rd August Ding ! Ding ! On The Bishop Buses. So here we capture a brief ride and experience the ride upon on this AEC Reliance and hear the sounds and watch the owner Graeme Scarlett working hard at the wheel as we head up Park Head bank along to Binchester and return back to Bishop Auckland. Edited to 12 minutes Hope you enjoy. Hold Tight Please ! Catch you all on the next one ............ Comments welcome below