+419.24.jpg) |
| Excel 206 in relatively happier times on 4 June 1998 on the 44B - note the now demolished church in the background |
Last month saw the disposal of former Blackpool Excels 201 and 206 to a Barnsley breaker for scrap from GHA, Wrexham. Both had been disused for some time. This ends the troubled life of these vehicles with operators. The have followed 203, 204, 207 and 208 to scrap yards. 202 and 205 may still survive, 205 having become a spares donor with Richards or Cardigan in 2010 while 202 was stored in Northfleet around the same time. Neither has been licensed since 2007.
These eight Excels were new - technically to Fylde - in June/July 1996 shortly before the operation was finally absorbed into its parent, Blackpool Transport. They served for just three years with Optare replacing them with nine new examples between July and September 1999.
