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A repost and update of a 2014 article to mark 40 years of the last Atlanteans
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| Blackpool's B-reg pair 363 and 364 pose in the depot yard in original condition in March 1986 (Brian Turner) |
| Chassis | Reg | Body | Operator | Number | DOFR | Fate/Current |
| 8400183 | B926KWM | Alexander | Merseyside PTE | 1070 | 10/9/1984 | Preserved 201 Group, |
| 8400199 | B75URN | Northern Counties | Fylde Borough | 75 | 1/10/1984 | Preserved, private |
| 8400200 | B363UBV | East Lancs | Blackpool | 363 | 17/9/1984 | Scrapped 2009 |
| 8400208 | B364UBV | East Lancs | Blackpool | 364 | 17/9/1984 | Blackpool Transport |
| 8400270 | A214MCK | East Lancs | Lancaster | 214 | 10/7/1984 | Scrapped 2000 |
| 8400271 | A223MCK | East Lancs | Lancaster | 223 | 10/7/1984 | Scrapped 1995 |
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| 363 on service 11 during its Squires Gate phase - 6 June 1998 (Brian Turner) |
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| 363's appearance was not enhanced by its modified front upper deck windows - fitted as the originals had been damaged. Less apparent in this 2005 view is the installation of bus seats in the rear half of the top deck - releasing spares to 364 (Brian Turner) |
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| 364 makes a rare appearance on Metro Line 6 on 26 October 2009 - just a month before withdrawal (Brian Turner) |
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| 364 on its first event in September 2017 (Paul Turner) |
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| Fylde 75 in June 1989 operating service 11C passing the old cottage at the end of Squires Gate Lane - a location now transformed with the Progress Way link road to the M55 constructed a few years after this photo (Brian Turner) |
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| In preservation but showing the post 1993 repaint condition. The destination display was modified at refurbishment as were the top deck front windows and the entrance doors. |
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| 445 on Line 11 in 2002 - a repair to the destination display has seen a new smaller glazed aperture fitted. (Brian Turner) |
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| 77 at Happy Mount Park terminus waiting to depart back along the Promenade and onto the Mazuma Stadium. Behind is Lytham Lion 24 and a Cumberland National. Although both 24 and 77 ran for over 20 years in their home town they almost certainly hadn't met before this event. (Paul Turner) |
Sunday 19th May saw Fylde Transport Trust's recently restored Atlantean 77 debut in its Fylde Borough blue, white and mustard livery at the Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust's Morecambe running day. 77 looked splendid and drew many positive comments. It spent the afternoon on the free bus service from Morecambe FC stadium to Happy Mount Park usually with a full load.
As well as the RVPT's own fleet, the Fylde Coast was well represented. I had the pleasure of crewing Lytham PD2 10 and Lion 24 with Keith Severn. Blackpool PD3 512 appeared in its 1970s rich cream and was joined by Blackpool Transport's open top Olympian 857.
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| Lytham 10 worked the "Bare Circular" with three round trips (Paul Turner) |
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| 77 again parked on display - this restoration perfectly captures the era of Fylde Borough just as I remember it. A few finishing touches are planned by FTT (Paul Turner) |
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| 10 and 24 with Blackpool 857 sneaking into the shot. It is 50 years this year since Lytham St. Annes morphed into Fylde Borough (Paul Turner) |
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| One of the 'last nine' of Blackpool's PD3s which survived until 1988, 512 is a regular at Morecambe in its 1970s cream livery and is a credit to its owners (Paul Turner) |
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| It was also 50 years since the end of Morecambe & Heysham Corporation. A pair of Regents was on display, 72 of 1950 in its later livery was in use while 73 on 1951 was on static display. (Paul Turner) |
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| Almost book ends of the half century of Lytham St.Annes Corporation. 1935 Lion 34 and 1970 Atlantean 77 pose with employees at Squires Gate Depot on its closure in April 1999. (Paul Turner) |
1st April 1974 saw the implementation of part of the 1972 local government act. This involved a new structure of county and borough councils and had two main impacts locally:
Blackpool County Borough council became a borough council with Lancashire County Council taking on some functions. Fylde Borough Council was formed to replace Lytham St. Annes Borough, Fylde Rural and Kirkham Urban District councils.
The act had an impact on many local council transport operations. Some were merged - eg Blackburn and Darwen and also Lancaster with Morecambe and Heysham.
Others were renamed Accrington becoming Hyndburn and Lytham St. Annes becoming Fylde. The impact on Blackpool was less visual but it gave Lancashire and influence especially when money was required. This was perhaps most obvious in the 1983 network review which saw changes to the joint 11/11A and the extension of Blackpool’s 22/22A to Lytham. This reduced duplication and increased coordination. Nothing is forever and in 1986 bus deregulation saw the two council owned companies compete aggressively. Then in April 1998 another reorganisation saw Blackpool become a Unitary Authority taking functions back from Lancashire. Imminently a combined authority will bring everything back into one authority again - until the next change. To muddy things further by 1994 Blackpool Transport owned by Blackpool Council had taken over Fylde Transport once owned by Fylde Council!
So locally the main change in 1974 was the Lytham St. Annes buses became Fylde Borough Council’s Transport Department. Other than an instant application of a simple FYLDE fleet name, before the application of FYLDE BOROUGH and a new crest in 1975 little changed.
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| Five Bristol REs were unusual purchased by Fylde in 1975 but lasted a good life running until 1993. Sadly non survived into preservation. (Paul Turner) |
Two coaches arrived with an avant garde livery variation of a mustard stripe on the traditional blue and white in 1974 and this became the standard livery. Ribble retained responsibility for the services in more rural Fylde - though Blackpool provided a link to Staining. It was in 1978 that the blue buses extended out beyond the Lytham boundary into Fylde when its route 3 (Spring Gardens - StAnnea and Lytham) was merged with Ribble’s bus to Wesham as the 193.
We are fortunate to have a fantastic collection of Lytham St.Annes buses preserved and mostly restored. There are four from the 1930s (3x Lions and 1x Titan), four post war Titans (plus a fifth ex Warrington), six Atlantean double deckers and one single decker plus a Delta from 1991 a Seddon RU from 1972.
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| Fylde 77 on standby at Lowther Gardens as a relief bus for Lytham Club Day |
Fylde Transport Trust has just repainted Atlantean 77 to its 1977 guise in Fylde’s blue white and yellow livery. Many others represent Lytham’s classic blue and white livery while three have the later two tone blue livery.
FTT is also working on bringing back into use Lytham Lion 34, PD1 19 and PD2 70.
Lion 24 restored
Lion 34 restored under attention
Lion 44 awaits restoration
Titan 45 under restoration
Titan 19 restored under attention
Titan 10 restored
Titan 24 restored in Warrington livery
Titan 61 awaiting restoration
Titan 70 restored under attention
Atlantean 77 restored
Seddon 47 under restoration
Atlantean 79 stored
Atlantean 71 restored
Atlantean 96 under restoration
Atlantean 44 under restoration
Atlantean 45 restored
Delta 3 restored as Blackpool 133.
Atlantean single deck 7 restored
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| 346 in cream undercoat alongside the resplendent Fylde 77 at St Helens (FTT) |
With Fylde Atlantean 77 now back in blue, white and mustard - Fylde Transport Trust has taken PD2 346 to Arriva at St. Helens for repaint. 346 is the solve survivor of fifty rear entrance PD2s purchased between 1957 and 1959. Other than 301-305, these were bodied by Metro Cammell to their standard Orion body with four bays. Less common was the full front with a nearside cab door giving somewhat reduced access to the engine v the later half cab St Helens front buses. Blackpool's engineers were no doubt used to this after two decades of Streamlined full fronted Titans.
The fifty PD2s arrived in three batches of 10 (1957), 20 (1958) and 20 (1959). 346 was part of the latter, first registered on 25th March 1959. Interestingly records show an order for 20 buses for due in October 1957 and 10 in October 1958 with chassis costing £2,430 each and the bodies at £2,685. Metro Cammell were outbid by Crossley - who offered £25 less, but MC were chosen to match the last five of the 1957 deliveries. Local firm Burlingham was the most expensive at £2,914. In October 1957 the order was increased by a further ten buses - at the same price. March to May 1958 saw the arrival of the first of the new buses (311-330) - somewhat later than the October 1957 date promised. Likewise 331-350 were delayed to 1959 - arriving in the last couple of weeks of March.
Anecdotally 331-350 were noisier than the previous batch - as picked up by a couple of Gazette letter writers: "They are cold and draughty, and the seating is very utilitarian and uncomfortable. One point in particular is that while we can have a very expensive material on the interior roof, where normally paintwork would suffice, we have to suffer by reason of economy, I suppose, the lack of insulation-no inside panels on some of these machines. With regard to the noise factor, it appears that the exhaust system may differ from the old vehicles. This seems to be the primary fault."
The 50 rear loaders replaced the pre-war Titans giving a fleet of 150 PD2s (100 Burlingham Centre loaders of 1949-51 completed this), 3 1940 open top Titans and just nine single deckers. As was the norm the new buses entered services on the busiest routes, such as the 11/11A to Lytham, 14 to Fleetwood and 22/22A Cleveleys to Halfway House. Older buses were cascaded to quieter routes.
346 was first registered on 25th March 1959. Like its sisters it seated 63 v 52/54 of the post war Streamliners and just 48 on the pre-war ones. All 50 were painted cream with a green band above the lower deck windows and green mudguards. In later life many gained the plain cream livery adopted with the 1969 Swifts and applied to PD2s/PD3s from 1972. 346 was never so treated lasting in the original scheme to the end of service life in March 1975 after 16 years.
Since 1959, 90 longer 71 seat PD3s had entered service. 20 full fronted similar to the PD2s in 1962, 10 more but with St Helens fronts and asymmetrical windscreens in 1964 then sixty half cabs between 1965 and 1968. These replaced the 100 centre entrance PD2s - plus some trams. To replace the PD2s, Blackpool turned to the one man operated AEC Swift single decker, placing 55 into service from 1969 to 1975.
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| 346 in slightly faded original cream and green livery poses at reversing bay at Thornton Social Club, terminus of the 14A (FTT Collection) |
The 50 PD2s had a split future after withdrawal. Some went for scrap, others saw use with new operators while some had an ancilliary role. This included 334 and 337 which were used by the tram track gang as mess buses from 1975 to 1986/7 in a vivid orange livery, while 346 also went bright, painted all-over yellow and was used by the Council's Illuminations department as a mess bus, replacing older 310. It was last so used in 1982, and by 1985 was windowless having suffered a vandal attack at the Illuminations department yard. It was purchased by what became the St Helens Transport Museum and moved to Burtonwood in December 1985, then St Helens itself soon after when the new museum opened in the town's old bus depot. It was reglazed using parts from 334 which was broken for spares.
346 was kept on display in yellow for several years before moving into the museums workshops, but work did not commence. A collection review saw it purchased by the Lancastrian Transport Trust (now Fylde Transport Trust) in August 2005, it returned to Blackpool on 10th December. After some time in store, restoration commenced in 2014 and has progressed in stages. After a recent hiatus work has resumed and the bus was moved to St Helens (this time to the bus depot which replaced the one which became the museum) on 20th March.
Today the Fylde Transport Trust's Atlantean 77 moved to Arriva's St Helens paint shop for a full repaint into the Fylde Borough blue, white and mustard. This was first applied in 1977 - when the bus was seven years old and had a 'mid life' overhaul (though it managed 19 more years in service!). It was 1986 before a further repaint saw it outshopped in a blue and white variant. The mustard band livery was a characteristic 70s livery as the operation tried to evolve from its traditional style. Fylde Borough was formed 50 years ago this year, from Lytham St. Annes, Fylde Rural and Kirkham Urban councils. FTT hope to celebrate this with an event later in the year at which the newly painted 77 will star.
Photos thanks to Philip Higgs
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| 77 from the rear - in the Arriva paint shop |
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| 77 started the day at the North West Museum of Road Transport in St Helens |
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| 77 on arrival at Arriva. |
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| 77 in the Arriva paint shop |
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| 77 from the rear - in the Arriva paint shop |
This blog has ground to a halt simply because there is little worthy of reporting on however its worth a post to record a curious network change to Blackpool Transport's services from Sunday 7th January.
Why curious? Well the change is being promoted as "Your Routes Reimagined" and there is both lots changing, yet little changing at the same time. After over 20 years of a simple straightforward network with little variation, the change introduces several suffices and route variations.
In an exercise representative of an ill-fated change in Bournemouth many routes are renumbered without change and corridors grouped, sometimes having to change numbers midway to complete this. Sometimes the groupings are tenuous - eg the 5C having little in common with the 5, 5A, 5B and the 11B likewise with 11/11A. The 5 gets different suffixes for different termini, the 6 gets three southern termini but no suffixes! Long standing routes 2 and 9 disappear, not for the first time.
Changes are summarised by existing route number:
1 (Fleetwood to Blackpool) minor route cut back to North Pier rather than Tower. Presumably this means it can turn via Market Street rather than Central Drive/Chapel Street. It will run hourly daily with 2 buses. During the summer extra hourly buses will run from Cleveleys to St. Annes Square as they did this year but will be numbered 1A. This makes a 30 minute Cleveleys to North Pier service. Oddly this appears in the new timetables as starting 7th January but the accompanying news item says its summer only.
2 (Poulton to Blackpool). This is withdrawn and replaced by an extended 5 between Hospital and Poulton. Route 5C (the current 2C) will be the only BTS service along Newton Drive from Devonshire Square to Hospital with one bus every 40 minutes, rather than four per hour as present. On school days an "X2" bus will run over the current 2 route at 8am from Abingdon Street and 3pm from Poulton.
2C (Knott End to Blackpool). Renumbered 5C and cut down to every 40 minutes from every 30 minutes. PVR=4. The renumbering is to "group" the service with the 5s, with a selling point that any 5 goes to the Hospital from Blackpool. All well and good, but from the Hospitals, 5s could take you in multiple directions! The logic of grouping the 5C with the 5/A/B is flimsy as there is no route section in common - it takes a different route Blackpool to Hospital and Hospital to Poulton. There is no hope of co-ordination of the 40 minute with the 15 minute 5/A/B.
3 and 4 (Cleveleys to Mereside). The 4 is renumbered 3A, despite having very little commonality with the 3. The Cleveleys to Cleveleys Park loop switches from the 3 to 3A. Only Bispham Hotel to Gynn Square and the last few stops at Mereside are common yet the pair of half hourly services are timed such as they leave Bispham with alternate 10/20 minute intervals! The 3 loses its evening services, though the 3A keeps it. That means there is no service on Park Road in the evening, despite Whitegate Drive also having Stagecoach's 61 operating. 10 buses are required. An 11th bus works a 3A at 809 Bispham to Mereside and 324pm back from the Saddle to Cleveleys Park.
5 (Halfway House to Hospital). A rare good news is the increase of the 5 to every 15 minutes between Halfway House and Victoria Hospital from every 20 minutes. However the simplicity of this service - a 2001 Metro creation, then every 10 minutes is eroded by the creation of sub routes 5A and 5B. The 5 itself will extend over the current 2 route every 30 minutes (Mon-Sat daytime) and hourly (Sunday daytimes). Curiously it runs every 30 minutes through to Poulton on weekday evenings, meaning this section gets a better Sunday evening service than in the day. The 5A runs hourly Mon-Sat daytime only replacing the 15 to Staining, while the new 5B, with shades of the prederegulation 23/23A runs hourly beyond the Hospital to the Zoo hourly every day - daytime only.
Collectively 9 buses are needed.
6 (Grange Park to Mereside) happily this gains an increase from the remarkably poor half hourly service this one high frequency service currently endures. It runs every 20 mins from 9am to 6pm, remaining half hourly in the morning peak - though there is an extra 730am Mereside to Aspire Academy bus with a 1508 return.
It is half hourly on Sundays, hourly in the evening. Not previously noted here is that from sometime in 2022 evening buses were routed via Devonshire Road and Church Street rather than the section of Caunce Street between Devonshire Road and the Town Centre.
The daytime service pattern sees 2bph extend from Tesco to Peel Park and the other extends to Whitehills Park. All buses show 6 regardless of which of the three Marton termini they serve.
7 (Cleveleys to Lytham). The 7 is split cosmetically with the Cleveleys to Blackpool section continuing as the 7 every 30 minutes (hourly evenings/Sundays). The southern section is renumbered 11A and extends beyond St. Annes over the same route as the 11 to Lytham Hospital.
9 (Cleveleys to Blackpool). Despite having little in common with the 7, the 9 turns into the 7A. It runs every 15 minutes at peaks, 20 minutes off peak and hourly evenings/Sundays. 5 buses run through the day, 2 extra in the peak. Evenings there is some interworking at Cleveleys with the 7.
11 (Blackpool to Lytham). A mixed pattern here - the current 11 reduces from 20 minutes to 30 minutes - certainly the worst (covid lockdown excluded) service ever along the length of Lytham Road). The 'reimagined 7' becomes the 11A but runs along St. Annes Road and extends to Lytham. It makes an almost 15 minute service from Starr Gate through to Lytham Hospital but not quite with 12/18 minute gaps the main pattern. Even Sundays end up 20/40 minutes appart.
The main pattern is for an 11 Blackpool to Lytham, 11A Lytham to Blackpool, 7 Blackpool to Cleveleys then the reverse back.11 buses are needed. A 12th works an 11 at 715 from Lytham to Blackpool Sixth college, returning at 415pm
12 (Blackpool to Poulton schools) no change - one bus runs mornings, 2 afternoons.
14 (Blackpool to Fleetwood) a basic 7 PVR 20 minute service is provided reducing to half hourly evenings/Sundays and hourly after 9pm. Peak services increase to 15 minutes using 2 extra buses.
15 (Blackpool to Staining) replaced by 5A.
17 (Blackpool to Lytham Saltcotes). Renumbered 11B, despite little in common with either the 11 and 11A and a longer journey time. Frequency drops to every 40 minutes with 4 PVR. Sundays is hourly with the 5C and 11B interworking.
18 (Blackpool to Mereside) minor timing changes.
There are no changes to the 74/75. Total core PVR is still 75 on top of which are seven school extras determined from the timetables and the two buses used on Myrescough contract work. Looking back PVR was 97 in summer 2018. The July 2010 network reductions saw a PVR reduction from 113 to 104.
Current fleet is 102 buses, 49 E400s, 26 long and 22 short E200s and 5 Citaros. The much vaunted electric bus project has reduces from 115 to 90 buses given the reduced network currently provided. Little progress seems to have been realised on this, with recent stakeholder board meeting minutes suggesting it is still far from clear cut and awaits tender results for buses and infrastructure before a final decision is taken. Planning permission was granted which involved demolishing the bus depot and bus/tram workshops, but these plans appear now dropped for economy reasons.
Since our last post, Citaros 552 and 553 have left the fleet with 552 now at Howards Travel, Warrington and 553 at Baileys of Southsea used as a Shuttle Bus for Portsmouth International Port. Long term stored accident damaged Centro 532 has finally gone for scrap as has the last Trident ex trainer 973 which left in May.
Blackpool Transport
Service changes from Sunday 16th April saw a change of heart for Staining where in December the former service 20 was cancelled as it was no longer commercially viable. Transpora won a short term contract for a replacement service numbered 72 which ran via Layton rather than the Zoo. Inspired, Blackpool Transport has now registered a commercial replacement over the same route numbered 15. It runs hourly Monday to Saturday daytimes.
Also from the same date most journeys on service 1 were diverted via The Stand, Marine Parade and Chatsworth Avenue- school time buses still follow the old route. Not previously reported was the ending of the late night buses introduced in July - presumably at the December change.
Minor changes were made to the 2 and 18, while the 3 was diverted on journeys back form Cleveleys Park via Cleveleys Avenue and West Drive rather than Cumberland Avenue and Rossall Road. On Sundays the 11 and 14 interwork during the day sharing nine buses.
Current fleet requirements are:
1 - 2 PVR usually SD in the week, DD weekends
2 - 1 bus daily with a 2nd at peak times. DD M-F, SD Sat, Midi Sundays
2C - 5 buses MS with a 6th at school times, 2 Sundays. DD MF, SD Sat, Midi Suns
3 - 6 buses MS, 5 shared with 4 on Sundays. Daytime usually Citaros, Eves/Suns Midis
4 - 5 buses (5 shared with 3 on Sundays). Midis. On school days an extra bus works an 0804 Bispham to Mereside and a 1521 from the Saddle to Cleveleys.
5 - 5 buses (4 Sats, 3 Suns). DD M-S, SD Suns
6 - 5 buses (4 Sats, 4 Suns), mixed M-S, SD Suns. A sixth bus runs school times.
7 - 5 buses - DD M-S, SD Suns
9 - 4 buses MF with 2 extra at peaks, 4 Sats, 3 Suns. DD M-S SD Suns
11 - 6 buses MF, 5 Sats, 9 shared with 14 Suns. Usually DDs
12 - usually 1DD AM and 2 SD PM schooldays only
14 - 8 vehicles MF, 9 in the AM peak, 6 Sats and 9 shared with 11 on Sundays usually DD
15 - 1 bus Midi
17 - 5 MF, 3 Sat/Sun. Mixed M-F, SD weekends
18 - 2 Daily SD M-S, Midis Sun
74 - 4 MS, 2 Sundays Midis
75 - 4 MS, 2 Sundays Midis
With 2 buses for Myrescough College that means a total PVR of 79, of which 11 are peak only - often just one single or return trip. 104 buses are currently in the active fleet - 49 E400s, 26 long E200s, 22 short E200s and 7 Citaros.
In other fleet news:
Recently construction work has commenced to ready the depot for electric buses with the work focused on the East Shed which will become the new maintenance shop. 115 buses are expected, which will provide 45% spare cover for the current service levels.
No orders have been publicised, though a further Wright Electroliner has visited the resort recently LY71GHZ which ran in London as a seed vehicle but is now back with Wrightbus.
Transpora North West
Recent service changes include the end of the short lived 72 as noted above. The 24 was extended to Blackpool via the Hospital on 12th February with 1 bus per hour Fleetwood to Blackpool (3 buses Mon-Sat) and a 2nd working shorts Poulton-Cleveleys (4th bus Mon-Fri). 1 bus runs hourly Poulton to Cleveleys on Sundays.
The 22 resumed linking Tower with the Zoo from 7th April. It runs five days per week (not Mondays or Fridays). The 26 Beach Bus from Marton Mere restarted at the start of April.
Blackpool Survivors Update
Trident 304 (later trainer 974) was advertised for sale in Essex, part converted to a catering vehicle.
342 has passed from Dews to Southern Coachlines. Powell's ceased trading last year, 294 has passed to Smiths, Marple.
257 has passed from Archway to "the Baz Stop" a mobile diner based in Fleetwood.
Tridents
307-309 have passed from Coach Travel Solutions to Davies, Ruithin (dlr) probably for scrap
334 and 337 have passed from Stockdale Selby, to Sweyne Goole - joining ex Blackpool 322 and 325
345 is now with Linburg Travel ex Lodges in white.
DAF
Dekkabus sold 354 (now Y346HAA) to Xelabus who are believed to have sold it on to an unknown owner.
371/2 passed from Coach Solutions, Blackburn to Andybus, Easton Grey and since have moved to Cotswold Green, Nailsworth
B7RLEs
523 has passed from Paul Winson to Greaves, Nottingham reverting to its original registration. Sister 524 has moved to Redline Penwortham as YIL6984
Blackpool Transport
From Sunday 18th December BTS withdrew service 20 and reduced the 1 to run from Affinity Fleetwood to Blackpool Tower. The 20 is replaced by a new LCC contract numbered 72 from Staining to Blackpool via Hospital and Layton operated by Transport North West every hour. Other than a brief spell in 1995/6 when Town Bus and the Fylde ran the 15, Blackpool Transport has provided the Staining to Blackpool link since 1927.
An earlier change was the 74 which has been extended to serve Rossall Point via Affinity and Fleetwood Esplanade. A new 74/75 timetable has increased PVR from 7 to 8.
Enviro 428 has recently been adorned with stickers as a ‘festive’ bus.
Coastliner Buses becomes Transpora North West
Earlier this year the Transpora group which includes operations in Bristol, Hampshire, Manchester and London. It has now started to trade as Transpora North West and has introduced a fleet numbering system. The fleet list on this page is being updated to reflect this.
Recent fleet additions include:
Stagecoach
From 28 November, with Lancashire County Council Bus Service Improvement Plan funding, Stagecoach reintroduced evening buses on the 42 to Lancaster.
In other news it is understood Enviro 400s 403-10 have been withdrawn and sold to Vision Bus of Bolton.
Blackpool Transport
As is common at this time of year, 12 June sees some timetable changes for Blackpool Transport's buses.
1 - extra bus added to cycle at weekends- no change to frequency but new night journeys 2330 and 0130 from Starr Gate to Fleetwood and 0030 and 0230 from Fleetwood - the latter to Manchester Square only. This is slightly curious given the lack of evening service.
2 - 0730 from Blackpool, 800 and 1500 from Poulton will run year round rather than just school terms. The service remains hourly other than these weekday extras.
6 - a second journey runs to Peel Park. A 5th bus added to cycle to extend running times. Still only every 30 minutes
5, 7, 9, 11 and 14 are retimed.
All services are retaining their current frequencies and the daytime PVR will be 69 buses with some peak extras. Not previously reported is Blackpool operating the 400 (Fleetwood-Blackpool-Poulton-Myrescough College) and 853 (St. Annes-Lytham-Kirkham-Myrescough College) buses on behalf of Preston Bus.
76 and 78
Coastal Coaches has recently lost the contract to operate these buses (on behalf of LCC) to Preston Bus. Minor changes have been made, notably a Sunday service on the 78 and some later evening trips to Lytham. The 78 now serves Derby Road in Wesham too. The 76 runs Blackpool-Poulton-Weeton-Kirkham-Wrea Green-Warton-Lytham- St. Annes and the 78 Great Eccleston-Wesham-Kirkham-Warton-Lytham-Ansdell-Heyhouses-St. Annes. Both interwork at St. Annes and use six buses with 2018/2019 Mellor Stratas in use.
Preston Bus use a two tone blue livery, replacing Coastal's blue and white buses. With the 78 evolving from a former Fylde service it is ironic that its current and previous operators are using similar liveries to Fylde's 80s and 90's schemes.
Coastal is still operating three LCC schools - two of which use coaches and one 813 (Hambleton to Garstang High) uses one of the two Stratas.
Blackpool Transport has outshopped two of its Enviro 400s in a commemorative livery for the Queens Platinum jubilee. 422/3 have both had some purple vinyls over most of the yellow bits on their liveries and suitable messaging in the advert panels. 423 entered service yesterday and was capture on camera by Mike Wilson:
Blackpool Council’s bid for 115 electric buses for its wholly owned operator Blackpool Transport is one of 12 Zero Emission Bus Regional Area projects announced this morning. It is understood 57 double deckers (like for like replacements for the E400s) and 58 single deckers replacing the 48 E200s and ten Citaros) are to be purchased 2022-2024. Significant work is also expected to make Rigby Road depot suitable for electric buses including a refurbished and extended east shed, demolition of the body, paint and tram fitting shops. By 2025 it is also possible that the bus depot will be demolished in favour of hard standing as most facilities will be accommodated in the East Shed.