Swift Spotlight

Front and Back - first series Swifts pass at Abingdon Street corner. 548 shows how these buses originally had vents below the windscreen.

Blackpool had standardised on Leyland Titans from 1932 to 1968 and by summer 1969 had a relatively homogeneous fleet - 50 PD2s and 90 PD3s, all but five with Metro Cammell bodywork. The last of streamlined centre loader buses were retired earlier in 1969. One Man operation had not been practised since 1964 when the solitary OMO service 18 and the two specially converted buses had been withdrawn.

Traditionally new buses went on the busiest routes, but with economies needed Blackpool followed the industry route of replacing short crew buses seating 63 with long wheelbase single deckers seating 47 with standing room making up the total capacity. The buses could, of course, be worked with a driver only and this achieved economies and saw the unusual practise of the newest buses on the quietest routes.

Blackpool first inspected a Leeds Corporation Swift in January 1967. It chose to order 15 AEC Swift chassis with bodies by Marshall of Cambridge. This was not the departure from Leyland stable that it may have seemed as Leyland by then owned AEC and the Swift shared a common chassis frame with Leyland's Panther. That said it was something of a departure for the conservative operator. The new buses became 541-555 (PFR541-555H) and the first to arrive was 544 which featured in official publicity and was licensed on 20 October 1969. 545 was licensed on 3 November so its likely that these two were used for driver training. 541-3/6-8 were licensed on 1 December. They entered service on Monday 8 December operating service 7C and 25A between Blackpool and Cleveleys that required four buses between them. Service 9 (Blackpool to College) soon followed taking the requirement up to six buses with 549 licensed from 15 January.


Swifts had short lives by Blackpool standards with most withdrawn at between 10 and 14 years. 546 is in its last year seen here on service 11C which used Swifts on Sundays.

The final seven did not arrive until the spring with 550/1/3/5 licensed on 2 April, 554 on 8 April and 552 on 5 May. On 4 May routes 7 and 7A were converted to OMO operating taking the weekday requirement to ten out of the fifteen buses. On a Sunday Swifts could also be seen on route 1 to Poulton - but the Sunday service came to an end later in the year.

Further Swifts were ordered for the 1971/2 programme. AEC quoted £4,150 per bus and Marshall £4,472 for the bodies. Delivery charges were £20 from AEC and £31 from Marshalls. Deliveries started in September with 558/9 licensed on 17th and 557/60 on 21st. 562 followed on 4 October, 556/61/5 on 6 October and 563/4 on 4 November. No further bus routes were converted until 20 December when routes 6A/B (Grange Park to Midgeland Road using two buses), 15A (Bispham to Hospital with five buses) and 16 (Town Centre to Wordsworth Avenue with 4 buses) were converted. 

The second and third batches had higher driving positions and different windscreens compared to 541 to 555. 556 was the first of the 1971 batch of ten seen here in April 1980 on route 12

On Sundays Swift operation also extended to the 11C from December 1971, 6 during 1972, 5 and 23 from February 1973. During 1971 it was decided to replace the remaining PD2s with a batch of 30 further single deckers in 1973/4, though delivery delays meant that the buses did not appear until March 1974! The results of the tendering exercise were interesting:

• 1st Seddon RU - £10, 845
• 2nd AEC/Marshall - £11, 038  (28% higher than 556-565!)
• 3rd Leyland National - £11, 510.50 
• 4th AEC/Willowbrook - £12, 147
• 5th Metro Scania - £12, 774.05 

Note how the AEC/Marshall combination was not the cheapest. It was felt that the Seddon’s floor layout was not to Blackpool’s liking and the fact that 25 Swifts were already owned meant that AEC were awarded the contract as the maintenance savings from standardisation offset the extra purchase cost. The flagship Leyland National and Metro Scania were deemed “not to Blackpool’s specification in numerous ways”. 

566-579 were registered ready for 1st April 1974, 580-586 for May 587-589 in July and 590-595 in August. 6 May 1974 saw routes 2 (Blackpool to Poulton), 15 (Blackpool to Staining) and 12 (Blackpool to Airport) converted. Routes 3 (North Shore to Marton) and 26 (Town Centre  to South Pier) followed on 3 March 1975. 45 out of 55 Swifts were required for the basic service on routes 1, 2, 3/3A, 6B, 7/7A, 7B/7C, 9, 12, 15, 15A, 16, 25A and 26.

Route 25A was one of the first routes to use Swifts. Here 569 complete with original dash vent and Blackpool's added slip board holder. It is seen here on Dickson Road heading against the current one way flow of traffic in 1979

Service reductions during the 1970s saw the vehicle requirement reduce and new Atlanteans took over duties on the 7/7A and 9. Swifts were then used to convert routes 19 South Pier to Mereside (Feb 1976) and 23/23A (Hospital to South Pier and Midgeland Road) to OPO. 

By 1983 the 29 surviving Swifts (and the four Lancets) provided routes:

• 2/2A (Blackpool to Poulton) 3 buses
• 3/3A (Cleveleys to Mereside/Midgeland Road) 4 buses which incorporated the 6B and 25A
• 8 (Blackpool to Whiteholme) 1 bus
• 16 (Blackpool to Wordsworth Avenue) 3 buses
• 19 (South Pier to Mereside) 1 bus
• 23/23A (Hospital to South Pier/Midgeland Road) 6 buses
• 26 (Town Centre to South Pier) 5 buses
• Plus Sunday services 5, 6 and 16B.

The 56th Swift

Blackpool owned a 56th Swift from September 1977 in the form of ex Southampton City Transport 2 (MTR420F) with Stachans body which was purchased for spares and spent three years in Rigby Road yard being cannibalised before sale for scrap in July 1980.

Swift Liveries

The Swifts were new in all-over cream with just the wheels in green. This was distinctive but stark. A handful of buses received the later off-white shades from 1977/8 but in early 1979 581 and 582 were outshopped with green roofs following the introduction of Leyland Atlanteans in green/off white. 558 and 559 followed with a green waistband and this was adopted as the new livery. 581/2 were modified to match during 1981.


The first and last of of the 1969/70 batch 541 - in original livery and 555 in the later livery on withdrawal in 1981

All but 12 Swifts received the new livery - early withdrawals 541-7/50/1/3, 561 and 563 being the exceptions. The programme took four years to complete with 562 and then 588 as the last two to be treated. There is some suggestion that 574 and 575 received further repaints in February 1987 but this is not confirmed. The only other Swift repaint was 577 which received an all-over advert to Latusport Shop in July 1984.  

Swift withdrawals
Withdrawals of the Swifts began, surprisingly, with 561 which was parked up in early 1980 after just over eight years use while sister 558 was also parked up with accident damage. Routine withdrawals began, not surprisingly, with the initial batch. 544/5 were delicensed in August 1980 followed by 541-3/7 and 555 in March/April 1981. 552 declared its self redundant on 31 May 1981 while working service 11C when it collided with trees on Regent Road, while youthful 578 at just seven years and six months did likewise due to a collision with the depot doors on 20 September.

Accidents happen. Two 1981 withdrawals were unplanned. 552 on the right collided with trees on Regent Road while 578 hit the depot doors and was withdrawn before its eight birthday

551 - and newer sister 563 were withdrawn in September 1981, 546 came off in December. This left 548-550, 553 and 554 in use during 1982. 549/50 survived until July/August, 553/4 September/October and 548 survived as the last of its batch until April 1983. Four new Dennis Lancets in 1982, new Atlanteans purchased annually and the impact of service reductions saw off the Swifts.

In addition to 548, 1983 dawned with seven of the 1971 batch intact (556/7/9, 560/2/4/5). Inroads were soon made with 557/9/64 off by May and 562 by August along with 567/8 - the first of the final batch to succumb. Withdrawals then slowed with only 566 (of 1974) off in March 1984; 560 (of 1971) in May 1984 and 556 (of 1971) in January 1985. 

Swifts repose in Rigby Road Depot in February 1986 - most of these survived after deregulation

As at January 1986 565 of 1971 and 25 of the 30 1974 buses remained in use. 581 had been parked up in December 1985. The purchase of four second hand Leyland Nationals and six ex London Routemasters saw off 579/80/2/93 in February 1986 while 565/9/86 followed in March/April.

Deregulation saw new routes for the Swifts which appeared on the 4 (Blackpool-Mereside), 33 (Cleveleys-Marton Hypermarket) and revised services 2A, 15, 23-25 and the barely changed 26. 590 heads for the Hypermarket (now Asda on Vicarage Lane) on route 33 in October 1987. (Donald MacRae see his Victory Guy photo albums for more from his collection)

19 remained in use at deregulation (570-577, 583-585, 587-592 and 595). Buses began to be whittled down with 584 off in November 1986, 592 the following month, 595 in January and 577 in March. 572/91 also reached the end of the road in October 1987. The 11 survivors were to be replaced one for one by a batch of ex Strathclyde Buses Leyland Nationals - which were just five years younger. These entered service between December 1987 and February 1988 and 570/4 came off before the end of the year with 573/6/83 in January leaving 571, 585 and 587-590 into the final month. 571 and 590 are believed to have been the last to run, working route 4 on 29 February with 590 working the final 2300 from Bus Station to Mereside.

574 heads for Bispham on route 15 - normally the preserve of Leyland Nationals as the rota included trips to Preston on routes 180/2 (Donald MacRae see his Victory Guy photo albums for more from his collection)  

Swift Disposals

Disposals of the AEC Swifts generally fell into two categorises - pre deregulation sales direct to dealers for scrap and a post deregulation block sale to Wealden Omnibuses from where several buses went for further service.

36 Swifts were sold between 1981 and 1986 (541-569, 578-582, 586 and 593). Dealing with the exceptions first, 554 went for Preservation and 564/7/8 went to Stonier of Tunstall in 1984 via a dealer but did not operate for the firm. They were eventually sent for scrap. 562 went to Blackpool Airport in 1984 for use as part of fire brigade training exercises and was finally destroyed in 1997. 565 went to Lancashire Police for use as an exhibition unit but was out of use by 1989.  The remainder generally went to dealers for scrap. 


Leaving home - Swift 574 departs Rigby Road for the long journey to Kent in the ownership of Wealden PSV dealership

This left the 19 vehicles that were still in service at deregulation. Progressively withdrawn from service from December 1986 to February 1988 all remained in store at Rigby Road Depot at the start of April 1988. Wealden Omnibuses, a Kent based operator-dealer purchased all 19. It quickly find home for 12 buses -all of which had seen use in the last six months of operation. These were:

• 570 with Blue Saloon Guildford 5/88 - w/d 8/92.  Preserved by 5/96 (Graham Oliver and later LTT) (570 with Blue Saloon front and rear view)
• 571 with Weybus of Weymouth 5/88 then to Anglewish (Seaside Shuttle) of Portland in 10/88 w/d 5/89 and to Davies of Bridport as spares for 589 in 9/89 then scrapped 2/90
• 572/4/6 to Ogdens of St Helens 8/88 (572 briefly loaned to East Surrey Buses before the sale) all w/d summer 1989 and scrapped by end of year
• 573 Wealdens operating arm and loans to East Surrey, sold c3/90 to Raff of Gravesend then scrapped 8/90
• 583 Davies of Bridport, later back to Wealden and to Knotty, Staffs in 1993 - burnt out 1996 (583 with Knotty)
• 585 Bonner, Ongar 5/88 then to Raff Gravesend 12/89 and scrapped 7/90
• 587 to Inverclyde, Greenock 5/88 then by 9/88 to Cumbrae Coaches, Millport w/d 1/90 and scrapped
• 588 to Inverclyde, Greenock 5/88 w/d 11/88 and auctioned 5/89 scrapped 9/89 588 with Inverclyde
• 589 with Weybus of Weymouth 5/88 then to Anglewish (Seaside Shuttle) of Portland in 10/88 to Davies of Bridport 9/89, De Vinci's Nightclub, West Bay 5/90, preserved 1997 but not reported since early c2002 Flickr Picture of 589
• 590 Wealden hire fleet and loaned to East Surrey Buses. Last licensed 10/88

The rest were not fit for further use and Wealden had several moved to Fylde's Squires Gate depot for storage (Wealden used Fylde as a staging post for buses collected from Scotland). 575, 584, 591/2/4/5 all moved to Fylde - as did 583 briefly while at least 572 of the Ogdens trio called in at Fylde on prior to moving to St Helens. The six were gradually disposed of with 591/4 going in November 1988; 575/92 in February 1989, 584 around August 1989 and 595 around August 1990. 595 did move onto Wealden but the rest went straight for scrap. 

Preserved Swift 570 and AEC Routemaster 521 displayed together at the 2010 Blackpool Transport open day

Survivors
Most of the survivors after deregulation had short second lives with their new owners. Swifts were an acquired taste and required gentle nurturing. Knotty for example swore by them (others perhaps swore at them) but modified 583 to use a Leopard style air pedestal gear change to replace the automatic electric unit specified by Blackpool. Those wanting a cheap ready to run vehicle tended to be disappointed and at least one operator ceased due to maintenance problems. 1991 started with the following survivors:

• 554 (PFR554H) -with Wealden who purchased it from Graham Oliver and put it back in to bus service but by this time it had been placed in store. It was bought back by Graham in 1995 and passed to LTT in October 1996. It was restored to original cream in 1998 and but has been stored in recent years awaiting mechanical attention
• 562 (UFR562K) - shell at Blackpool Airport scrapped 1997
• 570 (OFR970M) - Blue Saloon, Guildford w/d 1992 but kept in store until sold in 1995. Preserved by Graham Oliver in 1996 it has since passed to LTT.
• 583 (OFR983M) - Davies of Bridport later to Wealden and to Knotty in 1993. Destroyed by fire in late 1996 as last Blackpool Swift in service
• 589 (OFR989M) - with Da Vinci's nightclub in Bridport, Dorset and for sale in 1995. Later bought by Graham Oliver for preservation but passed to another owner. Was under restoration, but no recent reports.

Today both 554 and 570 are in store with LTT - 554 requiring and overhaul and 570 - displayed at BTS open day in September 2010 - requiring minor mechanical work prior to recommissioning.

PD3s Depart

507 in happer times on route 22A in St. Annes

Tuesday saw the departure of the two former Blackpool PD3s stored in Rigby Road depot for the last three years. First to depart yesterday morning was 507 (HFR507E) which is understood to have gone to Ensignbus for spares. 507's claim to fame arose in February 1985 when it received an approximation of the pre 1933 red and white livery to commemorate the 1985 Tramway Centenary - a livery it just about retains today. It ran alongside its sisters until they were withdrawn in November 1988 but it was kept on for occasional use as a preserved vehicle. While it did put in occasional service duties in 1990/1, it soon saw use as a driver trainer alongside sister bus 516. This became permanent in 1995 but ceased in 1999 shortly before two replacement Atlantean trainers entered service. Sold to Mac Tours in Edinburgh in September 2000 it saw no further active use as it donated a part to another vehicle. Eventually sold to Ensign in 2002 it was stored at their then Stratford upon Avon base. Bought for preservation it then moved back to Blackpool in 2005 for storage but suffered vandalism.

Surprisingly it passed back into Blackpool Transport hands in April 2008 with a view to returning it to use for the 125th Anniversary of the Tramway in 2010. The work involved would have been considerable and the project did not progress.


506 during its PW career in Thornton Gate Yard

Sister bus 506 (HFR506E) was stored alongside it as a possible donor vehicle, but remains in private hands. After withdrawal in 1985 it was used as a Council track workers mess vehicle (aka Permanent Way Bus) from 1986 until 2000 when it was bought by its current owners as a long terms spares donor. It left Rigby Road on Tuesday afternoon and is likely now to be stripped for spares.

Photo Links: 507 Departs  506 Departs

221 returns

Excel 221 was noted in service on Line 7 this morning and is believed to have returned to use after repaint on Friday. Sister 210 is now in paint alongside Solo 254.

Back on One Site

Withdrawn Atlanteans 444 and 473 sit amongst sisters, the odd Metrorider a coach and a Blackburn Transport school Olympian

On 30 November, withdrawn Olympian 366 was towed out of Jackson's Coaches yard on Burton Road, Marton and was towed to Rigby Road for further storage. For the first time since the absorption of Fylde in 1996, the entire Blackpool Transport fleet was kept on one site. Fylde had been purchased in May 1994 but was fully absorbed into Blackpool Transport in July 1996 but most of its services and vehicles continued to operate from Squires Gate Depot until it closed on 11 April 1999.

With a fleet of 177 buses to accommodated at Rigby Road, Blackpool Transport had demolished the former canteen to make extra space having previously had a fleet of 133 buses prior to the takeover. In addition Blackpool held several other buses in store including six coaches which went for auction in April/May, 14  withdrawn Atlanteans and sundry others. Several withdrawn buses had been stored in Rigby Road yard and these moved to Squires Gate in the week after the closure. Open Toppers 452-455, Atlanteans 465-470, 481, 487, 489 and 492 and single deck Atlanteans 134-137 were kept there, generally in the centre shed. 454 was quickly sold, 134-137 were reinstated in June and 452 and 467 sold from Squires Gate in July. The remainder (453/5, 465/6/8-70, 481, 487/9/92) were removed at the end of July and moved to Blackpool Council Operational Services Department yard at Layton. Some stayed their only briefly - 466/9 returned to use in September 1999, 453, 455, 465, 468, 470 and 481 were all sold by January 2000. This left the three ex Hull buses. 489/92 were sold to Blackpool Council for conversion to Mobile Mess Vehicles for Tramway track workers and remained at Layton until they were converted in Blackpool's workshops and put into use in Autumn 2000 - ironically operating from the same Layton base. This left 487 which remained on site until July 2001 when it returned to Rigby Road to have its engine removed prior to going for scrap.

Atlantean 472 stored amongst Metroriders in June 2004

An alternative storage site had been established in Marton in the spacious yard of Jacksons Coaches. In February 2000 newly withdrawn Atlanteans 466, 469, 475, 478, 479 and 483 moved there along with redundant Optare City Pacers 567/8, 570/1/3/4/6/8/9, 582 

Since then most withdrawn buses have been stored at Marton prior to disposal. Several have escaped back into service, including several of the first Atlanteans stored there. 105 buses are known to have been placed in store at Jacksons comprising:

• At least 28 East Lancs Atlanteans (324-7 329-331 333/4/6/7/9 340/1 347 350-4 356/7/8 360-4) and possibly 343, 345, 355 and 359
• 18 ex Fylde Atlanteans (441-445, 466/9, 471-475, 478-480, 483, 495/6)
• 10 City Pacers 567/8 570/1 573/4 576/8/9/82
• 21 Metroriders 501 504 506/7/11-13/17 584-596
• 
  2 open top Metrobuses 814 and 892
• 5 Olympians 365-367, 401 and 403
• 6 Excels 212-214, 216-218
• 15 Deltas 104, 106-109, 113 115/6, 119, 122/3, 125-127 132/3

Olympians 411 412 413 and 415 await school duties in Jacksons yard in 2008 after takeover from Blackburn Transport

Jacksons was also used as a base for a small number of school contracts operated by Blackburn Transport from September 2000. Typically six or seven buses were kept there, usually second hand Olympians purchased from London or Lothian. Blackburn was taken over by Transdev in 2007 and during summer 2007 they sold the Blackpool operations to Blackpool Transport including seven Olympians which became Blackpool 411 to 417. The staff, unusually for Blackpool Transport, were part timers and they continued to operate out of Jacksons depot though the number of buses soon dropped to four. As staff or contracts ended the operation contracted and by 2010 all service buses were running from Rigby Road once more.

Road Test

SN56AWW - an Enviro 400 bodied Dennis Trident loads in Lytham Square on regular demonstrator haunt of the Metro era - Line 11

Bus manufactures tended to supply bus operators with short term demonstration vehicles to tempt them into placing orders - often with little success it seems given the high number of types tried by Blackpool. Various makers buses were inspected in 1921 prior to the introduction of bus services by Blackpool Corporation. Sometimes new innovations were evaluated with diesel engined buses tested in 1933 and an underfloor engined single decker was tried in 1950.

In 1967 Leeds Corporation GUM451D an AEC Swift was inspected prior to the orders for 55 examples which arrived between 1969 and 1975. Attention turned to double deckers and in August 1975 HUP441N - an ECW bodied Bristol VR of Northern General and KBU911P - a GMPTE Leyland Atlantean were tested - the latter at least on route 22. Use of demonstrators really took off in the 1980s as several established models were replaced or upgraded.

Double Deckers

Scania EMJ560Y contrasts with Atlantean 310 in Talbot Road Bus Station in March 1983

As the Atlantean came to the end of its life this prompted new models which operates evaluated. Blackpool tried Scania BR112DH MUT265W  owned by Leicester City Transport but used initially as a Scania demonstrator. It ran from 16 to 27 March 1981 on routes 22/22A and featured an East Lancs body and featured a blue livery with yellow, orange and red stripes. A second Scania - EMJ560Y - arrived in March 1983 operated on route 12 between Blackpool and Airport. An early digital destination display featured - as it had on the Fishwicks Nationals. They contrasted with ECW bodied Leyland Olympian A33MRN (owned by Preston Corporation) which ran on route 12 in May 1984 before a period with Fylde. A third Scania came on 21 January 1988 when A1 Service of Ardrossan E200WHS arrived for use on routes 22/22A until 3rd February.


A33MRN is seen with Fylde operating route 11A (despite the blind) having previously run on Blackpool's 12. Although used by Leyland as a demonstrator it was part of the Preston fleet and is now preserved

Perhaps the most unusual demonstrator was Routemaster RM1583 which arrived in January 1986 to evaluate the type and became the first of six purchased in the spring.

A handful of other double deckers visited on loan over the years. East Staffs Dennis Dominator FBF129T visited in August 1979 while Bus and Coach Council events saw proportionally liveried West Midlands Metrobus POG515Y and Greater Manchester Olympian B36PJA in use in September 1982 and September 1984 respectively - the latter saw two weeks service on crew routes 14 and 22. Then in September 1988 South Yorkshire Transport B361HDT - another Dennis Dominator - visited for a week to demonstrate their split step entrance layout, SYT enjoyed the delights of Blackpool Olympian 367 (UWW15X) in exchange.

Double decker demonstrators didn't bear fruit for many years with just a solitary batch of Leyland Olympians purchased in 1989 after the last Atlanteans arrived in 1984. 1994 was to see a further small batch of Olympians arrive but not before two demonstrators visited in 1993. March saw the visit of K170FYG an Optare Spectra on a DAF chassis - something of a double deck Delta - while L8YCL was an Alexander Royale bodied Volvo Olympian from Yorkshire Coastliner which stayed for a fortnight in December.

In the low floor era there have been four double deck demonstrators. January 2000 saw V929FMS - an Alexander bodied Dennis Trident evaluated, followed by X645RDA, an East Lancs bodied Volvo B7. Both influenced the eventual order as the 2002-2006 delivery featured East Lancs bodies on Dennis Trident chassis. Since then Alexander Dennis has supplied two Enviro 400 bodied Trident demonstrators - SN56AWW in June 2007 and SN59AWX in August 2010. The former normally ran on route 11, the latter on the 14.

Single Deckers

National GCK430W was one of five Mark 2s evaluated between 1980 and 1988

Leyland's National was a joint venture with the National Bus Company and didn't live up to ambitious targets set by Leyland. Its makers were persistent in attempting to capture new markets. Blackpool tried demonstrator RRM128M for a few days in June 1975. No orders were forthcoming, partly because Blackpool chose to focus on double deckers for future orders having stocked up on AEC Swifts.

The new Mark 2 National made its first appearance with Blackpool in October 1980 when the first of no less than five arrived on loan - prompting an order for four in 1984 just prior to the end of production - providing that persistence is sometimes worthwhile. Leyland had an arrangement with Fishwick to use new Nationals intended for its operation as demonstrators and WRN413V spent a couple of weeks mainly on route 26 in October 1980, followed by GCK430W in March/April 1981 which primarily ran on the 2/2A. 1983 saw visits from two National 2s from the Halton Transport fleet - EWM630Y in April and CKC929X in May - the former normally operating on the 2/2A but the latter was not used. The final demonstrator (South Wales Transport KEP829X) visited in February 1988 to demonstrate its kneeling suspension which had been retrofitted by its owner to reduce step heights. It spent a few days on route 3. Quite surprising was the demonstration of GMB387T - a 1979 built mark1 National refitted with Gardner engine by Crosville. This was to test the suitability of the repower package for Blackpool who duly acquired four similarly modified buses from the Crosville fleet. Eventually 19 Nationals were owned - 15 purchased second hand - which is poor return from no less than seven demonstrators!

Ipswich Falcon YDX100Y poses alongside typical Blackpool bus stop infrastructure on Newton Drive while operating route 2.

The National 2s were measured against other single decker market offerings. Dennis arranged for two of its Gardner engine Falcons to visit Blackpool with Ipswich YDX100Y arriving in June 1983, followed by TWJ341Y from Chesterfield in July. Prior to this a Duple bodied Leyland Tiger KUS244Y was borrowed from Hutchinson of Overtown, Scotland in May. All three ran on routes 2/2A to Poulton.

Post Deregulation Single Deckers

Delta G785PWL was one of two tested in 1989 prior to the order for eight buses for 1990 delivery

Leyland's successor to the National - the Lynx was first seen in April 1987 when D573LSJ of AA Motor Services but it failed after a few days. Leyland's Lynx demonstrator D634BBV paid a visit in August 1987 but the desire to replace the second hand Nationals led to a beauty parade of single deckers in 1989 operating mainly on routes 3/3A (Bispham-Mereside) with evening duties on the 12 to Squires Gate. Optare's stylish Delta was first  with F792DWT visting in July 1989 and alternative spec G785PWL in August and November. Leyland Lynx F74DCW which carried West Midlands Travel colours (but was not their's) arrived in September and similar F210YHG of Preston Bus in November. The final contender was Duple bodied Dennis Dart G541JBV which visited at the start of November. The result was an order for eight Deltas for 1990 delivery.

August 1990 saw the inspection of H220TCP - an Ikarus bodied DAF SB220 (the same chassis as the Delta) while a third Delta demonstrator arrived in February 1991 as G837LWR which covered for new Delta 116 which was representing Optare at the launch event for their new Vecta single decker. The Vecta (a shorter single decker on the MAN chassis) was tried in the form of H846UUA in May 1991 and M957VMY in August 1995.

Low Floor Single Deckers

Excel P447SWX was one of several provided by Optare while it repaired faults on the pre-production batch 201-208

 Blackpool was an early conversion to the low floor bus, buying the first Excels in 1996. It didn't precede this with demonstrators - and judging by the performance of the first Excels it might have regretted this. Several Excel demonstrators later appeared, mainly to cover rectification work for the Blackpool batch. N330EUG arrived in February 1998 and lasted until May sustaining accident damage towards the end of its stay.
R98HUA visited briefly in July 1998 while P446SWX accompanied N330EUG in February 1998. P447SWX spent July to September 1998 on hire. In February 2001, damaged Excel 210 was deputised for with T790KNW which gave Blackpool example of the Mercedes engined variant. Finally in May 2003 Mark 2 Excel YA02YRP operated alongside the native examples on Line 5. With six demonstrators, the Excel gave the National a run for its money.

Route 26 saw several demonstrators including minibuses and big buses over the years. This is R739TMO a Super Pointer Dart.

Other low floor demonstrators included P10LPG, a gas powered DAF SB220 with Plaxton Prestige bodywork which ran on route 26 in October/November 1997. The same service saw R739TMO - a Dennis Dart SLF with Plaxton bodywork in August 1998.

The short lived East Lancs Esteem body on the Scania was evaluated in December 2006 (YN06TGE)

In addition to the Excel 2, 2003 saw BX03BKU - a Wright bodied Volvo B7 used on Line 11 in August. From 2005 to 2009 a procession of potential Delta replacements visited Blackpool for evaluation - without luck as Blackpool eventually settled for the Plaxton bodied Volvo B7 in 2010 because of a favourable deal. December 2005 saw the Enviro 300 SN54HXG evaluated on Line 7. June 2006 saw the first of two Optare Tempos YJ55BLX operate on Line 11 which now became the test ground for single deck demonstrators. Sister YJ06FZK replaced its sister at the end of the month and stayed into July.


Tempo YJ55BLX operating Line 11 in Bispham

 Mercedes Citaro BX05UVX visited in early November 2006, followed by MCV Evolution bodied MAN AE06OPG later in the month, YN06TGE - an East Lancs bodied Scania 230UB in December. January 207 saw SN56AYB a Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 completed the quintet in January 2007. August 2007 saw Wright bodied Volvo B7 BX07AXJ tested some time before five similar buses were purchased from Anglian Buses in 2010. A second Citaro (BN09FWS) was tested in September 2009 also on Line 11.

The MCV Evolution AE06OPG in Lytham Square in November 2006

Minibuses

D898NUA on arrival in August 1987 in demonstrator guise before purchase when it became Handybus liveried 566

Blackpool did not road test the market prior to adopting the Optare City Pacer but did make use of a few demonstrators later. Its second batch of City Pacers were delayed so demonstrators D854MUA and D898NUA were supplied by Optare in August 1987 and later purchased as 565/6. When service 26 started at the beginning of September, sister D81NWW was also on short term hire. A further City Pacer demonstrator arrived in July 1988 as E749CWT while January 1989 saw F934AWW on loan. The latter returned in December 1989 having been purchased as 583.


E749CWT spent time on hire in July 1988

 Other makers included Iveco with Carlyle bodied E485ONX in December 1987, followed by an unidentified Star Rider Optare's Mercedes Benz based longer minibus later in the month. A further Star Rider E216UWT visited in July 1988. PMT Ami bodied Merecedes G495FFA was reported on hire on routes 9 and 26 in July 1990 and also visited in November when it ran on the 26. Optare's Metrorider H844UUA was used on the 26 in May 1991 before a period with Fylde.

September 1993 saw London Buses Dennis Dart K112SRH evaluated on route 26. Optare's Metrorider had been the preferred choice for replacing City Pacers and ex Fylde Renaults after the success of seed vehicle 584 (M924TYG) in summer 1995. A long wheelbase demonstrator P507NWU operated on routes 2/2A/2B in January 1997 but the next order was for more short wheelbase examples. In March 1999 Optare's new low floor Solo minibus S794XUG spent a few weeks on route 26 and this lead to orders for 57 examples between 2000 and 2009. A second demonstrator YJ56APY ran on the 2C in January 2007.

Other visitors have been SN03LGA - a Mini Pointer Dart which ran on Line 5 in November 2003 and MX60GXB a Wright Streetlite which spent some time in March 2011 operating service 10 (see here)

Very few of these loans have generated orders, but they continue to generate interest amongst enthusiasts.


16 November 2006 saw the first Citaro demonstrator (BX05UVZ)



BX07AZJ - a Wright bodied Volvo leaving Starr Gate on Line 11 in August 2007

Enviro 300 SN54HXG operating Line 7 in St. Annes on 21 December 2005

More Tridents and Christmas services

Two Isle of Man Tridents have been noted at Bus and Coach World in Blackburn, one confirmed as 51 (EMN51Y) and the other is believed to be 48 (EMN48Y).

Blackpool Transport Boxing Day and New Year's Day timetables are now out and appear similar to last year save for the operation of service 1 through from Starr Gate to Cleveleys rather than last year's split operation. The services comprise:

1 Starr Gate to Cleveleys every 30 minutes (4 buses)
5 Hospital to Halfway House, hourly (2 buses)
7 Cleveleys to Lytham hourly (2 buses)
9 Blackpool to Cleveleys every 30 minutes (3 buses)
11 St. Annes to Grange Park every 60 minutes (2 buses)
14 Mereside to Fleetwood every 30 minutes (5 buses)

343 or is it 131?

Ex Isle of Man Dennis Trident 343 was noted at Rigby Road today displaying registration H1FBT! This was the cherished plate carried by Delta 131 (new as Fylde 1) and held on retention after it was burnt out in 2004.

Excel 222 has returned to use following repaint as has Solo 253. Excel 221 is the current paint shop project. Olympian 406 has been withdrawn following accident damage.

Baths Bus

Solo 285 waits time on route 4 as Olympian 377 awaits passengers from Stanley School on the Baths Contract duties for which these buses have been fitted with seatbelts.

Introducing 343

Trident 343 was noted outside Bus & Coach World at Blackburn this afternoon following refurbishment and repaint. This is understood to be former Bus Vannin 53 (EMN53Y), though 343 has the newer style front end and it is understood this has been fitted at Blackburn. 53 was the first of up to 11 from this source to arrive. Sister bus 50 (EMN50Y) was noted at Heysham Harbour earlier this month and is understood to be the vehicle involved in an incident with a low bridge in Laxey which has prompted its early withdrawal. Further new buses are expected in the Isle of Man before the remainder are to be released.

Volvo Olympian 374 has returned to use as the final example of its batch to be repainted in the new livery. [correction it retains Metro pool livery!]

Adverts - Just the Ticket

304, the first all-over advert Atlantean in 1982 and carried this attractive scheme for Hounds Hill

Blackpool's trams are (in)famous for their varied all-over adverts. The first was applied in 1975 and to date around 200 have been applied. Perhaps less well known is that Blackpool Corporation's first all-over advert was on a bus, with PD3 398 painted for Greenall Whitley in May 1972 and lasted until February 1973. Two further PD3s followed in 1973 (537 for WH Smith and 521 for Empire Pools)- and a fourth (507) received a wrap round advert on the upper deck for a year in May 1974. A total of 49 all-over adverts have featured in the Blackpool fleet, on 41 buses. 16 new to Blackpool and 11 ex Fylde Atlanteans carried the majority of schemes with 3 PD3s, 3 Routemasters, 3 Olympians and solitary Swift, National, Metrorider, Renault and Delta make up the numbers.

The Red Rose Rambler bus pass was valid across Lancashire and each participating operator painted a bus to promote it - most used Atlanteans apart from Preston which chose a single decker

35 schemes were for commercial customers, 14 for transport related schemes - mainly tickets but also including Lancashire County Council's Travelwise scheme and Seagull Coaches. All-over adverts returned to the bus fleet in May 1982 when Atlantean 304 was repainted for Hounds Hill Shopping Centre. It was soon joined in July by 314 which promoted the Red Rose Rambler bus ticket.

The Fylde Coast Rover was a leisure ticket valid on Blackpool and Fylde buses and was promoted by Atlantean 312.

 

Y-Fronts sponsored 326 which was painted in base white with vinyl "Y"s covering the bulk of the bus with a simple message in the normal advertising space. 314 and 312 are behind it.

 Further new adverts appeared in 1984 326 was outshopped in March 1984 for Y-Fronts, followed by 312 for the Fylde Coast Rover ticket. July saw 314 repainted in a revised scheme for the rebranded Lancashire Bus Pass. The fourth advert outshopped was Swift 577 for Latusport - the only one of the 55 Swifts so treated.

After a base coat repaint in the Paint Shop, buses tended to be sign written by Bryan Hamer at the back of the depot. Here he has two together with 577 being transformed for Latusport while 314 gains a revised livery for Lancashire Bus Pass (the former Red Rose Rambler) with a hint of fleet livery on the upper deck.

1985 dawned with the appearance of six month old Leyland National 2 541 in a scheme for Agri Electrics. August saw 326 return to fleet livery while September saw 358 promote Allied Carpets. The year concluded with 304 receive its second advert - for the Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Health Authority. 312 lost its Fylde Coast Rover livery in April 1986 in favour of a scheme for Louis Tussauds Waxworks.


304's Health Authority livery was very vibrant and was the forerunner of sister schemes carried by 331, 472 and 495

 

312's Tussaud's scheme matched a livery on a Brush tram and it is seen alongside 358 in its Allied Carpet scheme



541 was a surprise choice for an all-over advert as it was only six months old at the time of its repaint. Agri Electrics sponsored this blue and white scheme.

Deregulation dawned with six all-over advert buses; Atlanteans 304 (Health Authority), 312 (Tussauds), 314 (Lancashire Bus Pass), 358 (Allied) and single deckers 541 (Agri Electrics) and 577 (Latusport).

Volvo Olympians Return

Volvo Olympians 376 and 379 returned to use for the first time yesterday after the fitting of seat belts and were used on School Baths contracts. Solo 253 has now joined sister 252 in the paint shop for a full repaint. Once completed this will mean that 15 carry the new livery (250-253, 255, 284-293). Of the 51 Solos:

• ten remain in Line 2 green (240-247, 249, 294)
• six remain in Line 3 blue (258-260, 295-297)
• five remain in Line 4 Cadbury Blue (267-269, 271/2)
• four remain in Line 5 red (248, 254, 256/7)
• eleven remain in the old pool Black/yellow (273-283)

Excel 222 has left the paint shop - the fourth Excel treated and the first to lose pool livery. Eight retain Line 7 livery, five retain pool livery

New Route for 2C

A surprising change from Monday 31 October sees route 2C re-routed between Poulton and Victoria Hospital via Blackpool Old Road (serving Sixth Form College and Collegiate School), Garstang Road, Dinmore Avenue, Gateside Drive, Chepstow Road, Fulwood Avenue and St Walburgas Road. While this reinstates the link between Over Wyre and the School/College from the former Ribble 85, it reduces the frequency via Normoss Road to every 30 minutes - a far cry from the six buses per hour on this corridor in 2009. It also re-introduces regular Blackpool Transport operation to Blackpool Old Road (previously evening/Sunday services to Knott End on the 58 served this route) and seems to be a response to Stagecoach's diversion of route 84 to Victoria Hospital.

The 2 and 2C continue to provide a 15 minute frequency service between Blackpool and Hospital, but from Poulton the 2/2C now run at 10 then 20 minute intervals. Saturday times have been revised to largely match weekday times (increasing the Saturday vehicle requirement to seven) and the 2 now runs hourly between Blackpool and Poulton in the evening. 5 workings use Solos, the other two use big buses with a Trident now a regular on one working.

In other news Solo 252 is currently under repaint - the latest Line 5 one to be treated after 255, 250 and 251. Excel 222 is nearly finished in the new livery while 221 remains in the body shop for refurbishment and 226 is away for its engine change. Olympian 374 is now out of use for seat belt fitting, presently all six Volvo Olympians are inactive.

Former Optare Excel 208 has been sold to a Barnsley dealer from Stagecoach Chesterfield and sisters 201/206 are believed delicensed by GHA, Wrexham. These were the last of the batch to operate.


Former Blackpool 208 (centre) awaits its fate at Stagecoach Chesterfield Depot on 14 August. (M Crisp)



Looks like the back of a bus

The traditional rear end of 1946 built Lytham St. Annes Leyland Titan PD1 19 seen in St. Annes on Seafront 12 in 2007

The stereotypically aesthetically challenged backs of buses have evolved over the generations. Rarely captured by photographers, these pictures illustrate some of the variations.

By contrast with 19, Blackpool's post war PD2s were centre entrance and had this unusual appearance at the rear - few double deck bodied look comfortable with neither a rear entrance or rear engine




Blackpool's later PD2s and all PD3s featured traditional rear entrances as seen here on 379



PD3 512 enters Rigby Road yard passing Atlantean 317 showing the family 'bustle' effect of the rear engine. To the left of 512 is underfloor engined Lancet 598 with the unusual Marshall rear profile with a patterned upper half and plain lower half.



Another Atlantean rear end - on Blackpool's last 364

The backs are in the background  - with a Swift and newly purchased ex Crosville National and an Atlantean

Optare products have had a family feel with moulded patterns around the rear window and a plain engine cover. Delta 104 passes through the now pedestrianised St John Square.



The Optare look again on Metrorider 586 - these front engined buses omit the rear engine cover

Solos are rear engined and lack a rear window - the 'glazing' is false. Early Solos and Excels were modified to remove the 'step' affect below the engine housing which tended to attract unwanted unofficial passengers

 

The end of the Atlantean in 1984 saw off the 'bustle' - its replacement the Olympian and most buses since have had flush rear ends - often of plain style like this East Lancs Trident