xPLORE Dundee's Route 27 (discontinued)

In the 1950s Dundee Corporation Transport operated a city tour which was briefly resurrected in the in the 1990s by Guide Friday and Tayside Regional Council.  Although a normal service bus, Route 27 which runs cross city from Ardler Village through the City Centre to Douglas is perhaps a reasonable substitute.

xPLORE Dundee's Fleet No 7001 arriving in the Seagate from Douglas to operate Route 27 from Commercial Street on to Ardler Village.  The Wright Eclipse Gemini is finished in Dundee Corporation Transport 1948 livery - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
As we depart Commercial Street on a Number 27, a Number 15 arrives.  The Albert Institute has become the McManus and a restaurant has replaced the stuffed animals that were a common feature of the Museum in the 1950s - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Victoria Chambers, once home to J K Mearns in the 1940s  - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Traffic again flows two ways in Victoria Road which had been one way for several years in the 1970s and 80s.  Trees replace the shops that once stood on the south side - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Even the single deck trams of the 1920s and the single deck buses that replaced them were never routed up Hilltown like the double deckers employed on Route 27 - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Some of the east side remains, but the entire west side of Hilltown below Ann Street has been swept away - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Modern buildings on the approach to Alexander Street where traffic lights control the junction - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Traditional shops and tenement buildings at Hilltown's junction with Constitution Street - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Constitution Street at Rose Lane approaching Constitution Street - The "Conshie" - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Tree branches obscure the view in Drummond Street leading to Macauly Street seen here at its junction with Upper Constitution Street - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Macauly Street at Stirling Avenue.  The houses in Stirling Park were fitted with central heating with the water being heated by a massive boiler house at the head of Stirling Avenue across from the High Kirk in Kinghorn Road.  Macauly Street leads on to Carmichael Street  - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Stirling Park seen heading up Carmichael Street to cross Kinghorn Road into Bruce Street.  The High Kirk is just visible behind the houses - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Hill Street looking north and Mortimer Street at Fraser Street - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Rockwell School viewed from Byron Street.  Byron Street looking towards Loon's Road - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Loon's Road approaching Cobden Street - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Cobden Street at Gordon Street before turning into Kilberry Street - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Cox's Stack at over 280 feet high and fashioned after an Italian campanile viewed from Harefield Road near Marchbanks - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Entering Kingsway Retail Park - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Kingsway Retail Park between West Kingsway and Clepington Road  - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Dreams and parking bays at Kingsway Retail Park - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
DCT liveried Fleet Number 7001 operating Route 27 - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Ardler Village Centre from where the number 27 service commences its return journey to the City Centre and thence on to Douglas - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Craigowl viewed from Kingsway and Kingsway Farm restaurant viewed fro, Kings Cross Road - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Fleet Number 7001 of xPLORE Dundee is finished in the 1940s livery of Dundee Corporation Transport to promote the Dundee Museum of Transport.  A recently out-shopped Wright Eclipse Gemini in the new livery which bears a resemblance to Dundee Corporation's last livery of two-tone green in the late 1960s and early 1970s - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Changing images - the last remnants of North Tay Works viewed from Lawside Road.  Trees encroaching on the top of the Law seen from Byron Street on the return to the City Centre - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Many of the houses on Dundee's numerous housing estates are being given colourful face lifts like those in Byron Street - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Heading back down Hill Street we catch a glimpse of the Hilltown Clock - originally back but now dark red.  Dens Road school is seen in the background - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
A glimpse of the former DRI (Dundee Royal Infirmary) in Dudhope Terrace has been converted into flats as the bus turns into and heads back along Constitution Street - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Foods from Eastern Europe at Alexander Street on Hilltown - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Descending Hilltown for Victoria Road - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
The Wellgate Centre and perhaps how buses could still have looked in Dundee.  Only Edinburgh City Council in Scotland still owns and operates its own buses in the traditional livery which has changed little over seventy years - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Most traffic now heads off Victoria Road west for the Ladywell Roundabout rather than sweeping round left into Meadowside - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Old and new liveries in Meadowside on xPLORE Dundee buses operated by National Express - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Almost a Dundee tram, but actually a fast food outlet straddling the tramlines in the High Street beneath an ornate lamp that could have carried the overhead outside what was once D M Brown - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Fleet Number 7001 operated Route 27 on Monday 22 August 2016 and is seen here departing Commercial Street for Douglas - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Tayside Today