CRN124S Farewell Tour and Last Day in Service

14 February 1999 was not just Valentine's Day, it marked the day of a Farewell Tour to CRN organised by the friendly folk of the Chesterfield 123 Preservation Group. Several of the 123 Group's members were no stranger to CRN having worked for Sheffield Omnibus and some with TM Travel so knew CRN well. Accordingly, as CRN's withdrawal was imminent, arrangements were made for this tour to take place.

Sadly, the weather could have been better. So on a dismal Sunday morning, with drizzle in the air we took CRN from her depot at Staveley into Chesterfield to pick-up and then on to Sheffield where CRN ran over some of her old Sheffield Omnibus routes, pausing briefly at the Andrews Sheffield Omnibus depot at Ecclesfield before returning to Chesterfield to meet up with the 123 Group's own 124 a sister vehicle to their 123.

Eleven days later, CRN's certificate of fitness expired and withdrawal from TM's service came and a retirement into preservation after nearly 22 years of passenger service.

I am indebted to Rob Collis of the Chesterfield 123 Group for the photos which appear in this section.