Turning into Water Street, Coatbridge ? 1970

Image: © Alan Murray-Rust Taken: 18 Sep 1970

Water Street has disappeared completely under a modern retail development along the south side of Main Street. The building behind the bus has shown some interesting development in the years since, as seen in this 2018 Streetview view https://goo.gl/maps/P8WgaoaPhnRgvwuX9 which shows that it has reverted from a painted finish to natural stonework, and more interestingly has had its chimney stacks rebuilt. The north side of Main Street comes within the Blairhill and Dunbeth Conservation Area and this is clearly the result of that. Baxter's buses of Airdrie ran local services in the Airdrie and Coatbridge area, and were an independent family firm until 1962 when they were bought by major operator Eastern Scottish. After an initial period of integration, Eastern Scottish reverted to the Baxter's identity, which clearly had significant local goodwill. No.583 is an Eastern Scottish Bristol Lodekka, new in 1957 and later transferred to Baxter's operations complete with Baxter's livery. It is working the local service to the Townhead area. This is one of a series of views featuring buses in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=137652761

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