Sunday 16 December 2018

Catching Up - Blackpool Transport

Driver Trainers
Trident 339 has now entered service as a trainer, numbered 975, after passing its MOT in early December. Solo 292 has been relicensed for use as a route learning bus.

Christmas Market Trips
Blackpool Transport has operated some excursions to Christmas Markets with 5 to Manchester, 2 to Skipton and 1 to Garstang markets. The Manchester trips have used Enviro 400s, while Enviro 200 238 was noted on the Skipton run on 2nd December.

Christmas Bus
The newest Enviro 400, 455, has been decorated for Christmas with rear end and lower side panel greetings. Sister 401 had an updated advert for Blackpool Better start applied during late October or early November.
455's offside decorations (Richard Hughes)

455's nearside decorations at Cleveleys (Richard Hughes) 
455's rear end decorations (Richard Hughes)

Boxing Day and New Years Day Services

The usual Boxing Day and New Years Day services are planned by Blackpool Transport. There are some changes to the established pattern reflecting route changes with 25 buses required

  • 1 Fleetwood Freeport to Blackpool Queen St every 30 minutes (4 buses)
  • 5 every 30 minutes (increased from hourly) (3 buses)
  • 6 every 30 minutes (4 buses)
  • 7 Cleveleys to St. Annes every 60 minutes (3 buses)
  • 9 every 30 minutes (3 buses)
  • 11 Blackpool to Lytham every 30 minutes (4 buses) - extended from St. Annes 
  • 14 every 30 mintues (4 buses)

Preservation
Solo 276 has recently been privately preserved, ex Halton and has regained its original registration (V276HEC). It now lives at the Town and District Transport Trust premises near Accrington alongside Excel 225, Olympian 374 and Atlanteans 444 and 496.

Dekka Bus Update
November saw former Blackpool 354 receive its interior makeover as shown in the photos below. Its similar to 358 but with a different interior. It is due for repaint in January with 359 to be refurbished in the new year too. 354 will become F5ELF and 359 F5HDN. Accident damaged 362 is now a spares donor. Thanks again to Mark Self for sending updated.
354 new upper deck (Mark Self)
354 new lower deck (Mark Self)

The sad end for 362 the extent of its accident damage is clear here. It is now a spares donor (Mark Self)