Back in the late 70s and early 80s Ribble got some good publicity for their special rural bus services wending their merry way around the area between Clitheroe and Burnley, in the Ribble valley and around Pendle Hill. Their regular driver, Betty Gray, became a bit of a local celebrity after appearing on local TV in reports showing her at work. She was also as a guest, or rather a subject [if I remember correctly] on “What’s My Line” on ITV. She had her place on a Ribble publicity postcard, feeding the ducks at Downham, which features in my archive.
“Betty’s Bus” even had its own special headboard as seen above. Actually, there were two “Betty’s Buses”, a pair of consecutively-numbered Bristol LHS buses. The Ribble fleet numbers were 271 and 272. Monday to Saturday there were different route variations each day, mostly based on Clitheroe and reaching Burnley four times a week. The Saturday service in my 1983 timetable did not start or end at Clitheroe, apparently being worked from the Burnley end. This, I imagine, because Betty had her weekends off.
The Bristol LHS was perfect for the narrow country lanes and quite photogenic with it. I could have taken hundreds of photos along the route because there were so many scenic compositions to be made. Film cost was a limitation in those days, and obviously there was only so much stopping for photographs that the driver and the posse of regular passengers could tolerate [I made them late!!]. But Mrs Gray was very patient and generous and allowed me to take some really unique photos.
You may be surprised to learn about the early days of the service when a GMPTE Seddon midibus was hired. Before the LHs were received Betty was filmed for a BBC local news report that I remember watching at the time. You can view the footage here.
Crisparmour Transport Archive 
Brings back many happy memories of my many journeys on Betty’s Bus and of trips on Burnley RESL’s all on a Red Rose Rambler Ticket.
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Employed full time as a Cash Clerk at Blackburn Depot,I passed my PSV test in late 1981.I worked part time for Clitheroe Depot, mainly at weekends until mid 1982.Fond memories of driving both Bristol LHS’s on an outer circular route around Clitheroe that took approximately 1 hour.Also, after they were no longer required,I drove one of them on a late evening Manchester express from Blackburn.Where the usual Leyland Leopard would struggle on the return journey up past Bury on the M66, the LHS literally flew up the incline!
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Thanks for the reminiscence, Alan. My experience of the LHS as a driver is just one brief, joyous opportunity but it felt like no other bus I ever drove. I’m quite envious of your chance to play quite extensively with the Ribble pair.
Do you happen to know what the location is for my photo above [the black and white one]? I have traced the route the best I can on Google Street View and can’t find that building on the roads that the diagram in the Ribble publicity leaflet suggests.
[EDIT] sorted that location now…
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I drove 3 LHS’S ‘s when I worked for Solent Blue Line many years ago at Eastleigh. Great fun to drive, although I think I was the only driver that liked them. Remember doing a journey from Eastleigh to Winchester after the desk man pleaded for help as driver’s were dropping like flies due to some flu virus. I agreed providing I could have an LHS’s to which he agreed. Promptly got lost around the dark country lanes & didn’t get back to till hours later. I’d never done the route before & never operated a ticket machine as I was a contract driver so never handled money.
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Cris,I conducted my own search on Google Earth before seeing that you had found the location of 271 turning onto a bridge.I did not recognise it as a Downham location, suggested by someone else.To find it down a road in Gisburn that I have never driven down was quite a surprise!
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