Coastliner Solos

Coastliner Buses has acquired its first two Optare Solos, both from Stagecoach North West. PX04DLV, was Stagecoach 47055 and was latterly at Kendal. It was new to Fleetwood depot in May 2004 branded for the Fylde Villager. Sister PX54EPF (47146) was new in November 2004 and has been based in Cumbria. It has already gone for repaint into Coastliner livery. (photos Philip Higgs)

Rigby Road Remodel

Blackpool Transport has submitted a planning application to remodel the 1980s built East Shed - the maintenance bay which backs onto coach park. Originally used for maintenance of the council refuse fleet on closure of their own facility on the opposite side of Rigby Road, this became part of the BTS facility when refuse was outsourced. 

The remodelled building will include a paint bay, a 2 bay body shop, tyre bay, two pits and six bay maintenance area plus stored and staff area. This will replace the existing paint and body shops and the stores - though no plans have been submitted to demolish these. Likewise the pit area in the bus depot will be redundant. The plans are viewable here 

Coming Soon - The Blue Buses of Lytham St. Annes

Early 2021 will see BLUE BUSES OF LYTHAM ST. ANNES published. Researched and written over 25 years, this tells the story of the introduction of buses by Lytham St. Annes Corporation in 1923 right through the Fylde era to the final takeover by Blackpool Transport in 1996. It is 248 pages, 350 photos (250 in colour) and will sell for £45. It will be available from the author (signed and numbered) with other retailers to be confirmed. If you want to know when it goes on sale, please use the contact form on the blog, or message me through Facebook. 

Round Up

Blackpool Transport has announced a route change to service 3 form 3rd January to allow larger buses to operate. The 3 will now run direct along Dickson Road from Gynn to the Town Centre rather than service Claremont and will use Sevenoaks Drive rather than The Spinney in Anchorsholme. It is understood the shorter Enviro 200s from the 3 will now move onto the 74/5 where the larger Enviros have been suffering accident damage on the tighter sections of these routes.

Enviro 459 has received an all-over advert for Heart FM, unusual treatment for the newest double decker. Transdev has returned 525, 531/3 but extended the loan of 526, 529 and 530 to Easter.

New Ticketer ticket machines are due to be rolled out in the new year. Buses have started to be fitted with 'tap on tap off' card readers with the main ticket machines to be rolled out on mass. 

 

Centro Trainer

Centro 527 has recently been rebranded as a driver trainer and now carries number 977 with sister bus 528 to become 978. 975 has passed to Archway and was MOTd recently and may be for onward sale. It is likely either 973 or 4 or both will be replaced by 978. 

Meanwhile Coastliner buses Versa YJ10MGU returned to use on the 21 on Saturday 21st November after a long period disused following engine failure. 

Happy Birthday 77 - 50 years young

Fylde 77 in 1978 after its first overhaul heading onto South Park in Lytham (Brian Turner)

50 years ago on 2nd November three brand new double deckers entered service with Lytham St. Annes Corporation. This was noteworthy for a few reasons. They were the Corporation’s first new double deckers since 1964, and their last before morphing into Fylde Borough in 1974. More significantly they were the first municipal Atlanteans on the Fylde - forerunners of 85 purchased new by Blackpool Lytham and Fylde combined over 14 years. They were quite unlike anything seen locally before - Ribble’s Atlanteans worked into Lytham but were quite different.

Council approval and borrowing powers were confirmed in March 1968 but lead times were long. The chassis were built early in 1970 and are believed to have been stored for a period at Squires Gate Depot before Northern Counties could body them. 

The body was a version of NC’s standard layout at the time with curved domes - however the frontal appearance was most unusual. Often referred to Nottingham style due to an angled destination display over the windscreen - Nottingham didn’t run any quite like these as it preferred to use the same windows on both decks (77's are shallower upstairs), this was really a standard body with some Nottingham frontal features. NC supplied a few similar bodies to Stratford Blue and to A1 and AA in Scotland. 

77 early in preservation shows the original livery applied to this batch (Paul Turner)

Lytham’s trio were 75-77 (ATD279-281J) and entered service on the 11/11A to Blackpool- as did most of their new double deckers. Although driver only operation of double deckers was legalised in 1966 - 75-77 ran with conductors and it was not until 1975 that they started to be used on OMO work. New in Lytham’s classic layer cake blue and white livery, all three were painted into a variant with more white in spring 1974 with FYLDE fleetnames applied in April 1974 after local government reorganisation. 

The trio were withdrawn in October 1977 as their Certificate of fitness expired. This was for a fixed seven year when new and an overhaul was needed before buses could be used again. The MOT process replaced this in the early 1980s. 77s COF was to 20th October 1977. The trio were overhauled over the winter. The rear engine shrouds were removed - this aided mechanical cleaning of the rear. The registration plate was relocated to where the rear number blind was before (this was disused after OMO conversion). More significantly was the removal of the destinations from the angles panel above the windscreen to the panel above - allowing three track numbers and separate ultimate abs intermediate displays to be fitted - aligning the buses to the more recent fleet intake. The Fylde blue, white and mustard band livery was applied and the buses returned to use in the spring.

Fylde purchased Atlanteans piecemeal in the early 1980s and the last of these looked to be replacing the first. December 1983 saw the withdrawal of 75 and 76 with new Atlantean 74 entering service the following year. At 13 years old both were snapped up with 75 spending four years on staff bus work with British Shoe Corporation in Leicester, ironically alongside ex Nottingham examples. 76 went to Prestatyn Coachways and ran until around 1990.

The final new Atlantean was expected to replace 77 but this didn’t happen and threats of its demise in 1985 didn’t materialise. It soldiered on as the last Atlantean to carry the mustard band which has been dropped in 1983. Deregulation in 1986 gave 77 an extended life with several Atlanteans of 1967 to 1972 vintage purchased from Hull meaning it was no longer the oldest. 

77 was treated to a repaint around October 1986 into blue and white with the new Blue Buses fleetnames adopted for deregulation. This was probably its first repaint since 1978.

77 in its 1986 livery working in competition with Blackpool Transport on the 6 from Mereside to Grange Park. It is turning from Langdale Road into Clifton Road, a few yards form its current restoration base

77 tended to be used on school work now, but as competition expanded between Blackpool and Fylde, it began to see use on competing services - usually off peak between schools. Photos exist on service 6 (Grange Park to Mereside), 14 (Blackpool to Fleetwood) and (22 St. Annes to Cleveleys). These wound down in 1989 but a new era was about to begin. 1990 saw the launch of Coastliner - a double deck operated Promenade service using older buses in a branded blue and yellow livery. Some were converted to open top - thankfully 77 was spared but gained Coastliner livery, after a brief period with just a yellow front, in August 1990. Uniquely it had a light blue band on the sides - but this was painted out for the winter.

For the 1991 season 77 became 58 in the new fleet numbering series and made its debut in May in an advertising livery for Wyre Tourism. This lasted until 1993 season. In January 1994 58 was taken into the works for an overhaul with its engine removed for overhaul. The destination display was reinstated in its original position and a full repaint was undertaken into the revised promenade livery of yellow, light blue and orange. It returned to use in May 1994 just as Blackpool Transport completed its takeover of Fylde. 

77 as 58 in the unusual Roller Coaster Route 1 livery in 1994 complete with impression of the new Big One on the side. (PT collection)

58 gained a new livery (again) in April 1995 - the new standard blue and cream livery, albeit with a yellow front for the Promenade service. 8 May saw it operate a private hire for the Fylde Tramway Society to Birkenhead Tramway - a rare escape from the Fylde. In January 1996 the yellow front was painted into standard livery. The Fylde fleet was absorbed into Blackpool's in July 1996 and the following month 58 became 458 in Blackpool's fleet. This was short livered as in October 1996 it was withdrawn. Its last date is unknown, but it was certainly parked up delicensed on 13 November 1996. It was advertised for sale in March 1997 and the (then) Lancastrian Transport Trust (now Fylde Transport Trust) made an offer. The bus was moved to under cover storage at Rigby Road depot and the sale was completed in September 1997. Missing bits were refitted and a test run took place on 26 October 1997 - around 12 months after its withdrawal. It passed its MOT on 24 January 1998 and was repainted in June/July 1998 into its original style livery. It made its debut at a week long event to celebrate the Centenary of the Fleetwood Tramroad. In August it took part in a long trek to Anglesey for a Viking event (yes really) and was display at Squires Gate Depot on the last day of service 11th April 1999. Its initial time in preservation highlighted the need for further work. 

As is often the case, time passes and it was not until 2015 that work commenced and has progressed gradually since. Work has recently accelerated, with chassis,  platform and staircase repairs and a new front fibreglass mould fitted - modified from a Nottingham template. The destination gear has been moved back to the higher level pending a repaint into its 1978 Fylde Borough livery during 2021 when this now unique bus will return to the road. 

77 on 22nd October with its new front end mould in place, with new dash panels and a reinstated upper destination (Philip Higgs)

Blackpool Transport update

Minor timetable changes took place to the 1 and 20 with the 1 revised to focus on its busy time. From Fleetwood it runs 0800 then 0845 and every 30 mins to 1815. From Starr Gate there are trips at 700 and 730 but then a gap until 0900 then every 30 mins to 1700 then 1745 and 1815. The 20 is reduced to every 90 minutes.

Over the main half term week commencing 26th October, a Saturday service was run on the 2, 2C, 3, 4, 5, 9, 14 and 17. From 1st November most returned to the normal weekday service, except 5, 7 and 9 which will retain their Saturday timetables. This may well change with the introduction of stay at home rules from Thursday.

To update the Trident disposals, 314/5 remained unaccounted for (both still SORN) and Archway have kept 319 after accident repairs and repainted it red. Older disposals, see 349-352 having moved on from Reading Buses to Go Southern Coachlines who have sold 349 and 351 to Vale Travel of Aylesbury while 352 is being kept for operation, and 350 for spares.

On Test, On Loan and On the Road

Fylde Transport Trust's Paladin number 7 poses at Manchester Square on a test run (Philip Higgs)

For the first time since 1997 a two tone blue Fylde single decker took to the road with FTT's recently repainted 'Paladin' 7 (TKU469K) on its first test run after mechanical attention. It is graced with its original registration gain having carried UIB3987 with its last operator.

FTT also undertook a depot shunt this week to extract PD2 346 which is moving onto the next stage in its restoration.

PD2 346 being extracted from the rear of the Coastliner Buses workshop. A new floor has recently been fitted (Philip Higgs)

Meanwhile Coastliner Buses has added a further ex Cardiff Dart to its fleet CE02UUY is now in use in fleet livery after purchase in August, joining sister CE02UUP. CE02UUZ remains in store. A second ex London Enviro 400 LX57AXR has gone for repaint in fleet livery. 

Blackpool Transport has temporarily parted with six of its Volvo B7RLEs, 525, 526, 529, 530, 531 and 533 on loan to Transdev Blazefield until December. The first route are in use with Rosso at their Rochdale depot and the other two are with Burnley Bus Company.

Fylde Paladin reborn

Fylde Transport Trust has repainted sole surviving Fylde single deck rebodied Atlantean number 7 into its 1993 two tone blue livery. The splendid result is captured here. (Philip Higgs)

The Leyland Atlantean formed the backbone of the Fylde Borough fleet for most of its existence. When formed from Lytham St. Annes Corporation in 1974, Fylde inherited three Atlanteans and acquired 18 more between 1975 and 1984. Deregulation saw the fleet expand with 41 second hand examples mostly from Kingston-upon-Hull and Greater Manchester between 1985 and 1992. The 1990s saw major refurbishments take place with a modernised external appearance.

Three of the four 'Paladin' rebodied Atlanteans parked at Squires Gate Depot (Brian Turner)

1993 saw the ultimate progression of this realised with the entry into service of four Atlanteans with modern Northern Counties 'Paladin' single deck bodies. The project commenced in January 1992 when four 21 year old long wheel base Alexander bodied Atlanteans were purchased from Hull. New to Bradford Corporation as trolleybus replacements in August 1971, they arrived at Hull around deregulation in 1986, just as Hull was selling some of its own, shorter, Atlanteans to Fylde. The buses were dispatched to AJS, of Carlton where the body was removed and the chassis were delivered to Fylde in January 1992. Here is a flickr link of TKU469K with original body in Hull

Work commenced on the first chassis - TKU462K in March, with virtually all components replaced by new or reconditioned units. In July it was sent to Northern Counties to allow them to ascertain how their Paladin body - designed for more modern chassis could be adapted. Meanwhile the other three (5-7 TKU465/6/9K) were overhauled at Fylde and left for Northern Counties in February 1993.

Number 7 on 24th May 1993 having just arrived at Squires Gate depot from Northern Counties after rebodying. Excuse the slight blur from a hand held shot, but its was worthy to record the first photo. (Paul Turner) 

7 was the first to return to Fylde arriving back on 24 May, it was soon joined by 5 and both entered service on 18 June 1993. 4 and 6 arrived and entered service in June. They allowed the five strong Bristol RE fleet to be retired. Initially they ran on the trunk 11/11A (Cleveleys-Lytham) routes, but their 42 seat capacity was on the low side so from February 1994 they moved onto route 11C (Blackpool to St. Annes) which used 3 buses and 193 (St. Annes to Wesham) which used the fourth, and Tiger 13. The bus of the 193 also worked the evening 15 (Blackpool to Staining), sometimes Paladins also appeared on evening/Sunday 154/8 (Blackpool to Preston). Sundays tended to see 2 Paladins on the 11C and one on 11/11A.

 

Now in Blackpool green and cream 137 is seen at Pontins on service 1 on 7 July 1998 (Brian Turner)

Later that year Blackpool purchased Fylde and rationalised the network, with the 11C absorbed into a Blackpool route. The single deckers moved onto routes 44A (Cleveleys Park-Mereside), 192 (Blackpool-Kirkham) and 193 (St. Annes to Wesham) but the arrival of new low floor buses in 1996 saw their work dry up. For the next few years they saw use on seasonal services 1 (Blackpool Promenade) or 21 (Blackpool Zoo), schools work and some tendered services. Several short periods of storage punctuated their work, though all four received Blackpool's livery prior to final withdrawal in September 1999.

7 as Shamrock 201 at Wisley Airfield as part of a bus rally (Paul Turner)

All four went for further service, seeing use with an array of independents. Wactons of Bromyard collected all four on 30 October 1999 - selling 5 and 6 on in its dealer capacity, but retaining 4 and 7 for service under the "Bromyard Omnibus Company" banner. 7 was registered WNT244 and numbered 140. In October 2000 it was sold to Powell's of Rotherham and was re-registered again to UIB3987. It is pictured here in their blue livery. It was now fitted with seatbelts.

From Powells it moved to MacEwan of Amisfield, Dumfries in August 2001 and in December 2002 it joined the fleet of Shamrock of Poole and received their attractive orange and cream livery as fleet number 201. Sister 4 later rejoined it as 200. Both were withdrawn in 2008. 7 was bought for preservation and 4 for spares and both moved back to Blackpool on 13th November 2008 (7) and 19th (4). Sadly 4 had to be dismantled for spares, its engine was badly damaged, but parts were salvaged for 7.

After several years in store, investigative work on the engine problem that caused 7's withdrawal commenced in summer 2020 and its repaint took place w/c 14th September. New rear brakes have been fitted, the engine is being stripped to remedy the head gasket issues and to resolve the pressurisation of the coolant system.

27 years after it was rebodied and 49 years after its chassis was constructed, 7 is approaching a return to the road. It is one of a small number of surviving buses that were rebodied in the 1990s, as operators looked to lower cost solutions to enhance their fleets rather than buying new buses. 

Blackpool Transport Service Changes

With students returning to school and college, like most operators, Blackpool Transport has increased its service levels, closer to 'normal' ones. Several services have duplication, often in the form of dedicated buses for school children only as these can run without capacity restrictions. These have an 'X' prefix. 

As a result four of the stored Citaros (550-552 and 555) have returned to use. Short Enviros have now begun to appear on services 74/75, though longer ones still appear regularly.

1  - every 30 minutes daily, hourly evenings. During illuminations on some days evening service runs Fleetwood to North Station only

2 - every 30 minutes, hourly Eves/Suns. X2 school extra 0755 Blackpool to Baines return 1500

2C every 30 minutes, hourly Eves/Suns. Additional duplicate bus at 0725 from Blackpool and 1510 from Knott End

3 increased to every 20 mins M-F, 30 Sats, 60 Eves/Suns. Existing school trips now X3 at 740 Mereside to Blackpool continuing as X5 to St Marys and 745 Mereside to B&F College Bispham. Return trips run at 1508 College to Blackpool and 1534 Queens St to Mereside.

4 increased to every 20 mins M-F, 30 Sats, 60 Eves/Suns. 

5 increased to every 15 mins M-F, 20 Sats, 30 Eves/Suns. Existing school extras become X5 810 Blackpool - St Marys (through bus from X3 from Mereside) and 1520 return (through to Mereside)

6 every 20 mins M-S, 30 E/Su. Existing school trip 730 Mereside-Aspire Academy and 1504 return becomes X6

7 every 20 mins M-F, 30 Sats, 60 E/Su. X7 school trip 726 Halfway House to Town Centre with 1547 return - these are linked to the X9 to serve Montgomery Academy

9 every 15 mins M-F, 20 Sats, 30 Suns. X9 trips 755 Town Centre to Bispham Village, returns 1520 linked to X7.

11 every 20 M-S, 30 E/Su. X11 trips 735 Blackpool-Saltcotes Road and 1520 Lytham St. Annes High to Blackpool

12 now runs as X12 as a dedicated school bus

14 every 15 M-F, 20 Sats, 30 Suns. Extra trips from Fleetwood 729, 830, 940,1030, 1345, 1500, 1545, 1630 and from Blackpool 730, 840, 930, 1400, 1445, 1530, 1600. Also X14 trips at 1430 Blackpool Sixth to Town Centre and Aspire Academy to Town Centre

17 every 30 M-F, 60 Evenings, Sats and Suns. X17 trips at 725 Blackpool to Saltcotes Road, 1520 Lytham Square to Saltcotes then 1530 to Blackpool

18 and 20 are unchanged, except that the 20 doesn't serve the Zoo main entrance Monday to Friday any more, but still does at weekends. Not previously noted is that this runs via the newer section of Whinney Heys Road between Zoo and Hospital previously used by the 15/16 circulars.

Trident Round Up

Blackpool’s Dennis Tridents are proving as popular with second owned as their Atlanteans did. 

Today marked the 100th anniversary of Lodges Coaches, High Easter in Essex and their low key event saw former 327 outshopped in a retro livery. Alongside it were sisters 328-332 and 347/8 all in Lodges blue and cream livery. With eight this is the largest fleet of Blackpool Tridents with one owner.

The 2002 batch of nine has lost 302 to scrap, but 301 is a mobile screen with One Agency Media and has been part of a drive in Theatre near the Trafford Centre. BT retains 303/4 as trainers while 305-9 run with Coach Travel Solutions of Blackburn alongside DAFs 368-372.

Of batch 2 310/2 have joined Andrews of Tideswell, 311/3 are with Grindles, Cinderford, 316 with Black Cat of Lincoln and 317 with AC, Gosport. 314/5 are as yet unsold by Archway. 318 was lost to fire damage.

The 2004 batch includes 319 - awaiting accident repairs with Archway before sale, 322/3 are with Sweyne Goole, 324/5 Black Cat and 326 with MM of Chelmsford. 327, as noted, is with the entire 2006 batch at Lodges.

The five ex Blackburn examples are split between Morton’s (333/5), Stockdale of Selby (334/7) and Dews of Somersham (336). Similar 342 ex South Lancs is still with Vision of Bolton.

Ex Blue Triangle 338/41 were scrapped, 339 is retained as a trainer and 340 is with 301 at One Agency Media.

The 11 Manx Tridents are split between Tanat Valley (343/4/6) Abbey of Goole (345), Lodges  (347/8) and Coastliner Buses (353). The other four (349-52) have passed from Reading Buses to Go Southern Coachlines with two advertised for sale recently. 

More New Homes

 

Solo 243 is one of two to have settled with Hulleys of Baslow in their traditional blue and cream livery. It is seen in Matlock in March (Paul Wigan)

The five ex Anglian Volvo B7RLEs have found new homes. This was 522 and is now with Hunts of Alford (David Bell)

Trident 326's new home

M&M's former Blackpool Trident 326 (Mark Hough)

Trident 326 is now with M&M of Chelmsford run by Mark Hough who has shared these photos of its recent repaint. Mark plans to use 326 on rail replacement work - which generally now requires accessible vehicles, rather than the coaches more commonly used. Dekkabus, Poole and AC of Gosport are similarly using ex Blackpool double deckers for this work. AC has 317, now registered Y26ACT and Volvo single deck 521. Dekkabus has recently repainted its final ex Blackpool DAF. 359 is now their 7104 F5HOW and is in grey, black and blue joining 358 as 7101 F5HOR in grey/black/pink and 354 as 7103 F5CBE in grey/black/yellow.

Other recent disposals confirmed are 311/3 with Grindles of Cinderford. The remainder of the Trident fleet (310, 312, 314 and 315) is with Archway as a dealer and awaiting buyers. It is believed most are still at Jacksons. 319 remains at Rigby Road with accident damage sustained last year.

News Round Up

Brand new Enviro 200 turns into Clifton Drive on service 1. (Paul Wigan)

Blackpool Transport
A service change from 12th July sees some frequency improvements as lockdown measures have been eased. The network will be:

1 - Starr Gate to Fleetwood reduced to every 30 minutes daytimes and hourly evenings. For w/c 12th July a 15 minute service will run to Cleveleys pending the reopening of the tramway on 19th July. Currently 20 minute service with 30 minute frequency of short workings to Cleveleys. 

2 runs hourly as present but additional buses added to make 30 minute frequency at peak times. Hourly evening service reinstated

2C returns to normal 30 minute frequency with evening service reinstated

3 and 4 still running reduced 30 minute frequency

5, 6 and 9 still running reduced 20 minute frequency

7 increases to every 20 minutes from 30, but no longer serves Clifton Hospital. Southbound journeys turn into Highbury Road, St David's Road North, The Crescent into St. Annes Square. Northbound buses use Clifton Drive North as normal.

11 increases to every 20 minutes from 30 (and 60 to 30 in the evening)

14 long diversion via Poulton continues despite end of Norcross roundabout work. Increases to 15 minutes (update: From 19th July reverted to normal route Norcross to Castle Gardens)

17 increased from hourly to half hourly with later journeys

18 hours of operation extended

19 replaced by 20

New 20 from Queens Street via Church St, Devonshire Square then regular summer 20 route via Stanley Park and Model Village to Zoo (serves main entrance during opening hours) then Victoria Hospital and Staining. Hourly daily.

This suggest a 66 PVR, plus 7 on the new 74/75 tender.

New Enviro 400s 456 to 459 are now in use, with 459 the first out on Monday 6th. Some new single deckers have emerged with 582 and 583 debuting on service 1 on Thursday 9th. The Centros and Citaros remain out of use presently.

Enviro 456 heads north to Fleetwood on the 1 (Paul Wigan)

Further Tridents have been sold by Archway. 327-330 moved on in June, 327 photographed on the M6 in Warwickshire. 

Coastliner Buses
Beach Bus Service 26 resumed on 7th July. Recently acquired Enviro 400 LK57AXY is regularly used. 
From 14th July service 21 returns to normal 30 minute frequency running Tuesday to Thursday and Saturdays.

Optare Versa YJ10MGU is under preparation for a return to use after about two years out of use following engine failure.

LCC Tender update

Blackpool Transport has returned to the LCC bus service market with the award of the new 74 and revised 75 from 19th July. This is part of a significant uplift in tendered buses following additional funding awarded by DFT supplemented by new funding from LCC's own budget. It is understood long wheelbase Enviro 200s are to be used, at least initially as smaller ones would be more suitable for the route and loadings.

The 75 is hourly Preston to Fleetwood and is currently run by Preston Bus. It will be diverted in Kirkham to run via Kirkham Station, Weeton, Staining, Staining Road, Normoss Road, Longhouse Lane to Hardhorn then as the current route to Poulton then onto Fleetwood via Thornton, Cleveleys and Pheasants Wood. A 2 hourly Sunday service will be introduced on the 75.

The 74 replaces Coastal's 77/A between Preston and Great Eccleston and Poulton (albeit with a different route via the Docks and Lea in Preston) then follows the 75 to Thornton (except serving Lambs Road and Sunningdale Drive). It then runs via Lawson Road, Fleetwood Road, Broadwater, Hatfield Road to Fleetwood. Both routes terminate at Asda returning via Albert Square. It is hourly Mon-Sat and two hourly Sundays. 

Seven buses are needed Monday to Saturday. Blackpool's last LCC contract was the 840 and 649 schools which ended in April 2015 - though they did contribute to the Northern Circular 12/13 until April 2016.

Coastal services will change with the 77/77A withdrawn. The 76 will be extended to start at St. Annes and run via St Albans Road, Church Road, St Thomas Road, Clifton Drive to Lytham then as current via Warton, Wrea Green to Kirkham then it would follow the current 75 route via Great Plumpton and Weeton Camp to Singleton then via Catlows Corner, Garstang Road to Poulton then as normal route to Blackpool. The 78 will be extended from Wesham to Great Eccleston to replace that section of the 76.