Thursday 14 November 2013

Holiday Makers Return

Solos 240, 241 and 247 have returned from their six month holiday in Cornwall. They have been on loan to Western Greyhound, who suffered a major depot fire in May.

Trident 318 has followed 317 into the paint shop leaving just 319 to complete the Trident repaints. Excel 221 has been dispatched to Bus and Coach World for DDA compliance modifications.

Disposals of the open top Olympians are expected to start soon with long disused 858 expected to go for scrap shortly.

New DAF Driver trainer 971 is under preparation following repaint, its predecessor Delta 970 is currently still in use.

Fylde Village - Exit Cumfybus, Enter Classic Bus, Stagecoach and Preston Bus

9 December sees changes to the Fylde Villager network stimulated by Classic Bus North West's commercial registration of route 80. Cumfybus appears also to be retrenching from the Fylde Coast and presumably concentrating on its traditional Southport operations plus its recent expansion in the Bolton area. The changes comprise:

  • 74 (Larkholme-Blackpool) - from Cumfybus to Stagecoach
  • 75 (Preston - Blackpool) - from Cumfybus to Preston Bus - re-routed away from Carr Head and Fairfield Road between Poulton and Singleton - now serving Garstang Road and Catlows Corner
  • 76 (St. Annes-Blackpool) - still with Coastal Coaches but most journeys curtailed to run St. Annes to Little Eccleston only.
  • 80 new route Blackpool - Preston with Classic Bus NW, hourly with 2 hourly evening service in partnership wtih LCC. From Blackpool via Layton, Victoria Hospital, Newton Drive, Hardhorn, Carr Head, Poulton, River Wyre Hotel, Catlows Corner, Gt Eccleston, Elswick, Inskip, Catforth
  • 82 reduced to Fleetwood - Poulton every hour (2 hours evenings) and operated by Stagecoach.

Coastal Coaches will no longer provide their peak journeys into Preston on route 75.

Stagecoach will need four buses for routes 74 and 82; Coastal 2 for route 76 and CBNW 3 for route 80. 

Sunday 3 November 2013

Update

Trident 317 has now entered the paint shop for its first ever repaint - ten years after it was delivered. Sisters 318, 319 and Solos 279, 281 and 282 remain in the Metro pool livery. Excel 219 is nearly complete and will shortly return to service.