Fylde Seddon Survivor

Fylde Seddon 47 poses at Mereside turning circle (probably for the first time) after dark on Friday 25th October. (Philip Higgs)

 

Most enthusiasts can trace their bus preferences back to early childhood influences and this is probably the only rationale explanation for my interest in Seddon RUs. Loved by Darlington and hated by just about every other operator, 274 of these were built generally with in house bodywork by Seddon's Pennine Coachcraft Subsidiary.

The RU was a clone of the relatively successful Bristol RE but with a few particular failings. Most notable was the length of the prop shaft which was too short and led to failures, second was the brakes which were poorly balanced. Most went back to the manufacturers for rectification and by the time Lytham St. Annes bought its six most problems had been solved. However production soon came to an end with just five more for Accrington/Hyndburn, eight for Darlington, two for Morecambe, one for Graham of Paisley and two for West Yorkshire PTE built. Darlington's lasted a full service life - most others were withdrawn prematurely after their seven year certificate of fitness expired. However this was not that uncommon amongst single deckers of that era as operators moved to double deckers.

The largest operator was Crosville with 100 - chosen for them by NBC when Crosville would have prefered more REs! LUT had 50, with Plaxton bodies. Most of the rest (116) went to municipals:

• Accrington/Hyndburn 5 with East Lancs bodies
• Blackburn 6 with East Lancs bodies
• Burnley, Colne & Nelson 20
• Darlington 8
• Doncaster 25
• Halifax 3 (Plaxton bodies)
• Huddersfield 21
• Lytham St. Annes 6
• Morecambe & Heysham 6
• Rotherham 9 (Roe bodies)
• Southampton 5
• West Yorkshire 2 (Plaxton bodies ordered by Huddersfield)

6 ran were new to independents AA, Troon (2) Garelochead (1) Graham, Paisley (1), Reliance, Sutton (2) and two were demonstrators. 

Lytham six (45-50 STJ845-850L) were bought to convert routes 1 (Lytham to St. Annes via Ansdell) and 3 (Lytham to Spring Gardens via Fairhaven and St. Annes) to OMO operation in 1972. They also ran on existing OMO routes 2 (St. Annes to Smithy Lane) and 4 (St. Annes to Lytham Green Drive) and later on the trunk 11/11A (Blackpool to Lytham) routes too. At seven years old they required an overhaul and 46 was the first treated, in early 1979. 49 missed out due to serious accident damage sustained in 1978. 46 received single door conversion from B47D to B51F arrangement. 45, 47, 48 and 50 followed suit with the last not completed until early 1981. These four received a stylish variation of blue white and yellow livery adopted once Lytham St. Annes Corporation had grown into Fylde Borough Council in 1974.

The Seddons saw quite sparse use - Fylde had far too many vehicles for the work required, having built up a coach fleet using bus grant. This required the vehicles to spend six months of the year on bus work so in the winter Leopard coaches stood in for single deck buses and the Panthers, Seddons and REs didn't get much of a look in! That said it was something of a shock to hear that the Panthers and Seddons were to be withdrawn in spring 1982 to cut costs and reduce the losses being sustained. The five Seddon survivors came off in June and were parked up in the yard. Unlike most other Seddons an eager buyer was found for four - 45-47 and 50 headed south to Clydach near Swansea. 48 went to Crosville for spares, 49 was scrapped.

East End Garage of Clydach had acquired several of Burnley's Seddons and snapped up the four Fylde ones plus the operator's stock of spares. In 1991 it bought six of Darlington's eight, replacing several of the Burnley ones. In August 1997 I decided to visit on the off chance two of the Fylde ones were still there (45 and 46 have been disposed of earlier). I was not disappointed as 47 and 50 shared a line up with Darlington 62, 63 and 68 (plus spares donors 66 and 67). The last Burnley example RHG314K was tucked away withdrawn.

21 August 1997 and Fylde 47 and 50 stand next to ex Darlington 66 (in blue) with sisters 62/68 to the right. East End Garage depot at Clydach, South Wales (Paul Turner)

The general manager granted me permission to look round and opened up 47 for me - 15 or more years since I last set foot on one of these. He kindly agreed to keep it to one side when withdrawal came. Two years later a depot fire destroyed Darlington 63, 66 and 67 and badly damaged Fylde 50 - but 47 and the other two Darlingtons survived. By the end of 2000 47 was the only one in use and its MOT expired in January 2001 bringing over 28 years service (albeit quite easy service with 10 years at Fylde and 18 on school runs in South Wales!). True to his word, 47 was kept intact by the manager and was duly bought for preservation by (the then) Lancastrian Transport Trust. It was moved to an operator's yard in Merthyr Tydfil before a planned return to the Fylde in the summer. Unfortunately the journey come was curtailed due to a leak on the fluid flywheel which necessitated a tow to a preservationist's yard in the West Midlands. Here 47 remained until it finally returned to Blackpool in March 2003. 

 

47 then had 19 years in storage at various local sites and a spell in private ownership. It was extracted for assessment of other work in April 2021 and a move to Reliance Bus Works took place. In May the bus was donated back to the Fylde Transport Trust and Reliance undertook mechanical and body work. After a period in store, 47 returned to Blackpool on 25th October and is now awaiting a repaint to its last Fylde livery.

47 should revert to this livery when painted (minus the short lived yellow wheels) as a perfect complement to Fylde 77 (Brian Turner)

Londoner Buses

A weekend in London gave the chance for a ride on Londoner Buses T15 Heritage Routemaster service. This runs every 30 minutes from Tower of London to Trafalgar Square via St Paul’s seeing some of London’s popular sights. A £2.50 single represents great value - it’s outside the TFL ticketing arrangements but there are day tickets for multiple rides. 

Happily this mornings trip was onboard RM1650 which spent over a decade in Blackpool as 525 from 1986 to 1996. Also out was RML887 which ran wit the associated Transpora in Lancashire for many years.

The ride on the t15 is well recommended - it’s just like the old days. Occasionally two other ex Blackpool ones RM1583 and RM1357 - also make appearances, though generally the refurbished examples like RM1650 predominate.

https://londonerbuses.co.uk/

RM1650 at Charing Cross

40 Years on - the Race to be the Last Atlantean

A repost and update of a 2014 article to mark 40 years of the last Atlanteans

Blackpool's B-reg pair 363 and 364 pose in the depot yard in original condition in March 1986 (Brian Turner)

On the face of it the first and last vehicle of a type should be fairly obvious to determine. However 30 years ago home market production of the Leyland Atlantean ceased with a number of candidates vying for the honour of the "last". Such an honour is complicated as Leyland continued to supply Atlanteans for export to Singapore, Indonesia and Kuwait.

Leyland chassis numbering started with the build year and 1984 Atlantean chassis production for the UK comprised 10 for Greater Manchester PTE; 13 for Merseyside PTE, two each for Lancaster and Blackpool and one each for Fylde and Barrow.

The final six chassis built for the UK are shown below. In terms of chassis number, Lancaster 223 was the last - though it entered service in July 1984 - Lancaster clearly not troubled about registering vehicles just before the then 1 August dates for new registrations. Merseyside hung onto 1070 and registered it on 10 September - four months after its previous example, while Blackpool's last pair (intended as A363/4PCK) were registered on 17 September and were certainly in use by the end of that week. This left Fylde who registered 75 on 1 October 1984 giving it the title of the last UK Atlantean to enter service. This blog tells the story of the Fylde coast trio.

Last Atlantean Candidates

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

However, even that accolade is open to challenge. Bizarrely two left hand drive Atlanteans then enter the story. A 1980 built Atlantean with Willowbrook body had failed to sell for export. Intended for Baghdad it was reputedly damaged before delivery and eventually in 1987 it was rebuilt to right hand drive and sold to Whippets of Fenstanton, taxed for the first time in October 1987 as D850AAV. If that was not enough on 3 October 1988 a solitary Neoplan bodied Leyland Atlantean was registered as F212JWV. This retained left hand drive configuration and was used by a religious group as an exhibition vehicle - it was still extant in 2020 and may survive today.

Blackpool 363/364
Blackpool's final pair of Atlanteans, 363/4 differed from the 62 predecessors in featuring coach seats - a new departure for this conservative fleet. They arrived in a bespoke version of the fleet livery, but in December 1988 both gained the standard green and cream of the era. A second identical repaint took place in February 1992 (364) and April (363). 

The purchase of Fylde in 1994 changed the dynamic of the Blackpool operation. Both coach Atlanteans were mooted for a move to Fylde - joining their coach fleet but only 364 moved on 21 October 1994. It was allocated fleet number 47 and was repainted into Seagull Coaches two tone blue (the only ex Blackpool Atlantean to receive two tone blue) in February/March.

363 on service 11 during its Squires Gate phase - 6 June 1998 (Brian Turner)

47 was restricted to coach work, but 363 continued on bus work at Rigby Road. Fylde was fully absorbed in 1996 and its buses renumbered into the Blackpool fleet. 47 became 447. 363 joined it at Squires Gate in February 1997 but it retained the revised green and cream livery it had gained in September 1995. May 1997 saw 447 repainted to match 363 and regain its original number. It returned to bus work alongside 363 - regularly on the 11/11A.

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)

Squires Gate closed in April 1999 and 363/4 returned to Rigby Road. Both had been retrimmed earlier in the year using an NBC style moquette as used to retrim some former Blackpool Atlanteans sold to North Birmingham Busways. 363 was repainted in July 1999. The Metro era saw 363/4 allocated to Line 14 initially with small stickers from 2001, but the conversion Trident operation saw them move onto Line 11, schools and seasonal work.

As the Atlantean fleet reduced from 2002 onwards, 363/4 were destined to survive until the end which for a while looked like being 2006. A farewell weekend in October saw 363 run on one day and 364 on both - but both returned to schools use the following day! With two others later reinstated, their operation continued. 363 was stood down in July 2008 (with 353 and 358).

364 continued, often working a peak trip on the otherwise minibus operated 2C (Knott End to South Pier). Finally on Monday 30 November 2009, 364 was stood down after a school duty, bringing the curtain down on 32 years of Atlantean operation which started back in July 1977.

364 makes a rare appearance on Metro Line 6 on 26 October 2009 - just a month before withdrawal (Brian Turner)

363 was scrapped on 10 June 2009 at Inglemere Metals, but 364 remains with Blackpool Transport. It was rallied during 2010/1 but was then placed in store. Restoration commenced in 2015. In May and June 2016 it was repainted into original livery and work progressed slowly. By June 2017 it was on static display at a Totally Models.

Saturday 23rd September 2017 saw 364 make its debut post restoration, albeit carrying its new fleet number of 864 (to avoid conflict with DAF double decker 364). As can be seen from the photos the livery doesn't quite match the original but it looks well nevertheless. Since then it has featured on events and the odd private hire. 

364 on its first event in September 2017 (Paul Turner)

Fylde 75 
Fylde adopted coach seating in its last five Atlanteans, purchased in single units from 1981 to 1984. 75 was the last entering service in October 1984. It was one of two to be delivered in the blue and white livery adopted in 1983 (previous ones had a yellow band). In April 1989 it went to GM Buses for a contract repaint into the new two tone blue livery with white band.

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)

It was decided to refurbish the newest two Atlanteans to join the Seagull Coaches fleet to provide extra capacity on busy excursions to Fleetwood Market and Granada Studios. 75 was re-registered NJI5505 in December 1990 ahead of its final month in service. Between February and May 1991 it was refurbished by Northern Counties and returned to use as  Seagull 25 in June in light blue with dark blue skirt. Other than school contracts it was restricted to coach work.

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.

A second renumber from 25 to 45 in March 1992, preceded a repaint in the same livery, albeit with a dark blue roof band matching the new bus livery in June 1993. With Fylde merged into the Blackpool fleet in summer 1996, 45 became 445 and started to appear on bus work. In April 1997 it received Blackpool green and cream and reverted to bus duties. In February 1999 it moved to Rigby Road depot, ending its life at Squires Gate on Saturday 6 Feb on the 11/11A and starting its new life on Rigby Road worked 14/14A - with conductors - two days later. Squires Gate closed in April 1999 so the 11/11A became its occasional domain again.

445 on Line 11 in 2002 - a repair to the destination display has seen a new smaller glazed aperture fitted. (Brian Turner)

Investment in new buses saw the Atlanteans demoted to mainly school work and seasonal services 1 and 21. 445 survived to the last month of ex Fylde Atlanteans but was withdrawn mid May 2004 - a couple of weeks before the last of its sisters.

It was sold to the Blackpool Transport Omnibus Group - an informal group of mainly BTS drivers - a few weeks later and was re-registered back to B75URN in early 2005. It debuted on the rally scene in green and cream in March. During 2007/8 it was restored to Seagull Colours debuting at the Atlantean 50 event at Manchester Museum of Transport on 19 October 2008. It was been a regular rally attender up to 2018. It changed hands in 2019 and after a period stored in the tram depot is now stored elsewhere.

September changes

September 1st sees some service changes at Blackpool Transport with funding from the Blackpool Bus Service Improvement Plan.

Route 1 will now run every 30 mins Fleetwood to North Pier via North Station on inbound trips. It was diverted via Pleasant Street, Dickson Road, North Station and Talbot Road on 16th June. 4 buses will be required. Sister service 1A Cleveleys to St. Annes will end - this releases the two buses for service 1 and deprives the Promenade south of Manchester Square of a bus service.

Route 18 is diverted and extended. The diversion is from St. Annes Road/Highfield Road junction with the bus now running on St. Annes Road to the Enterprise Zone on Amy Johnson Way and back to St. Annes Road/ Highfield Road junction 11 minutes later! 

After Tesco it extends to Victoria Hospital via Clifton Drive, Preston New Road, South Park Drive and East Park Drive. PVR increases from 2 to 3.

Also route 12 is revised. The current school buses to Baines become the 12A and an all day 12 is introduced running from Poulton via Castle Gardens, Norcross, Faraday Way, Bispham Road, Plymouth Road. Here it deviates from the 12A to run via St Walburgas Road to Victoria Hospital. It then continues via East Park Drive (six minutes behind the 18!), South Park Drive, Whitegate Drive and Church Street to the Town Centre. 

Two buses are needed Mon-Sat, with the 12A using one bus.

Overall this increases requirements by 3 buses, however the end of the 74/75 on Saturday 17th took out eight workings. One addition school bus is introduced with the award of service 523 by Lancashire County Council - this links Carleton with St.Aidans at Preesall.

Archway has commenced its new contract for the 74/75 using a fleet of brand new Enviro 200s in a branded white based livery. 

Transpora has taken delivery of two new Volvo B8RLEs with MCV Evora bodywork 1306/7 BV24LNA/C

Fylde 77 debuts at Morecambe

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.

Lytham 10 worked the "Bare Circular" with three round trips (Paul Turner)

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)

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)

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)

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)

50 years of Fylde

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.

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.

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

Full front PD2 346 for repaint

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. 

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.

Fylde 77 ready for repaint.

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

77 from the rear - in the Arriva paint shop

77 started the day at the North West Museum of Road Transport in St Helens

77 on arrival at Arriva.

77 in the Arriva paint shop

77 from the rear - in the Arriva paint shop

'Reimagined Routes'

 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. 

Spring Round Up

 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:

• 422/423 have recently lost their Platinum Jubilee adornments
• Citaro 554 was converted to a driver trainer late last year and is now numbered 974
• Sisters 550/1 have been sold, the former is under conversion as a exhibition bus, 551 is now with Lyles of Batley trading as Longstaffs as WIL3619 and can often be found on its 205 Dewsbury to Mirfield road

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. 

Survivors Update

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

Autumn Round up

 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:

• YT09ZCJ - ex RATP London Scania Omnicity (2902)
• YR59FYW - ex RATP London Scania (2903)
• BX56XBY - at National Express West Midlands B7RLE (1301)
• YX68URG - ex Powells, Rotherham Enviro 200MMC (1298)
• YW68PDV - ex Stuarts, Carluke Enviro 200MMC (1296)

Stagecoach

From 28 November, with Lancashire County Council Bus Service Improvement Plan funding, Stagecoach reintroduced evening buses on the 42 to Lancaster. 

Electroliner trial

 

With plans to renew the Blackpool Transport fleet with electric buses, they entertained a trial of Wrightbus’s Streetdeck Electroliner last week. It ran on the 1 as a dupe to the 935 and 1335 trips with a conductor taking fares and collecting feedback. Many thanks to Paul Wigan for the photo.

In other news it is understood Enviro 400s 403-10 have been withdrawn and sold to Vision Bus of Bolton. 

Service Changes

 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.