Undiscovered Scotland

 

Fife Buses: From Alexanders (Fife) to Stagecoach by Walter Burt is one of those books you probably know if you are going to like from the moment you see the cover. The book covers buses used on services in Fife during the period from 1960 to the early 1990s. There is a clear logic to the choice of these dates as they cover a period during which Fife had a relatively independent bus service. Before the starting date buses in Fife were operated by the large Walter Alexander Company, which split in 1961: and after 1991 services were privatised under the Stagecoach umbrella.

There are two further reasons why coverage of this particular three decades is such a good idea. The first is that it covers a time which is wholly or partly within the memory of many of us who are still about and who as a result might want to buy the book. And the second is that it starts well after the point at which colour photography had become well established. As a result the many excellent images within the book are largely in colour, which perhaps makes it a little odd that the header picture on the front cover should replicate one of the handful of monochrome images found between the covers: as a result slightly underselling what you actually get. What you do get is almost wall to wall colour photography of many of the bus types found on Fife's roads during the period covered, complemented by informative and helpful captions, which discuss both the vehicle in the photograph and, in many cases, the setting each is shown in.

The author, Walter Burt, is a bus driver based in Fife, and his passion for his subject comes over well: though never to the point of leaving behind those of us who find buses of interest rather than of fascination. The book begins with a "Brief History", which in two and a half pages helpfully sets the images in context. In his introduction, the author expresses the hope that the book will appeal both to bus enthusiasts and to others interested in seeing how the Kingdom of Fife looked during the period covered. It should certainly help awaken some long forgotten memories among those who travelled on Fife's buses during the period.