Notes From a Small Island

(Carlton documentary series, 1999)

Adapted from Bill Bryson's book in 1998 and broadcast in 1999. Bryson tours England Scotland and Wales, mostly by public transport. There are six episodes in all, though the narrative style tends to blur the locations into eachother. Episode one has footage of London's Victoria Bus Station, including this red Arrow National Greenway:
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Later two Arriva London AEC Routemasters pass eachother, RML2418 (JJD418D) and RML2266 (CUV266C):
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Bryson travels in a taxi driven by comedian Stephen Fry, followed by a Metrobus and a Dennis Dart/Marshall. Later footage outside Liverpool Lime Street includes the roof of a series B Leyland-National, followed by a MCW Metrorider, a red/yellow singledecker apparently East Lancs-bodied, and two MTL Leyland Titan doubledeckers. A later shot shows two more MTL Titans:
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Scenes in Blackpool feature a distant Leyland Atlantean and inevitably a tram:
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In Cumbria a distant Toyota Coaster appears:
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In Milton Keynes there is a flash of a Stagecoach coach on route X4:
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Stratford upon Avon's contribution is part of an ex Nottingham Guide Friday open topper:
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A barely seen Redwings coach takes a party of tourists to Anne Hathaway's cottage:
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There's a trip on a Royal Mail LDV postbus:
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We return to London and busy streets, including an RML AEC Routemaster with 'General' fleetnames:
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MTL London's RM1971 (ALD971B) jostles with London General Metrobus M466 (GYE466W), while behind are many more Routemasters:
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A visit to the Sellafield nuclear plant includes a ride on the Sellafield Explorer. D362VHH was one of a pair of Duple 425s new to British Nuclear Fuels in 1987:
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A Stagecoach articulated bus flits through the background of a scene in Glasgow:
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In Thurso a group of passengers disembark from a Shearings touring coach:
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Last modified: 2025/07/30 11:19