Where are they now

Redundant Blackpool buses have turned up in many places from Inverness to Devon over the years. Few remain now as most of Blackpool's recent disposals have been for scrap. Fleet number hyperlinks should take you to recent pictures on flickr.

Leyland Atlanteans
Only three new to Blackpool Atlanteans remain in regular service, 354, 357 and 361 are all with Scotbus in Inverness. 334, 343, 353 and 362 are preserved, 350 is with Blackpool Council and 356 is a playbus. 309, 322, 325 and 326 have fallen into the abyss - showing as unlicensed on the DVLA website since 2009/10 having previously been on SORN declaration.

Former GMPTE/Fylde/Blackpool Atlantean 467 has spent its retirement outside the Pilot Boat Inn in Dulas on Anglesey as seen here in 2006

Of the ex Fylde examples, new to Manchester 468 has recently been identified at a showjumping venue on Jersey! Sister 467 and new to Fylde 478 both remain as static playbuses as the Pilot Boat Inn at Dulas, Anglesey and Haynes Motor Museum respectively. 445, 458, 471 and 479 remain in preservation, 496 is understood to have been old on to buyers unknown while 444 remains with a Salford dance troupe and 474 is in store with Bedfords of Blackburn equipped as a mobile cafe. LTT's 134/7 are the sole remaining single deckers.

Leyland Titan
518 remains with Chepstow Classic Bus, while LTT's 529 sees service with Classic Bus North West. 246, 300, 346, 351, 390, 501, 506, 507, 511, 512, 516 and 540 also exist in preservation as does 515 for spares. 386, 398, 532 and possibly 503 still exist abroad.

AEC Swifts
LTT has 554 and 570 in preservation, sister 589 was in private preservation and may still be but has not been reported for some time.

Optare Deltas
128 is still with Preston Bus as a driver trainer, now under the ownership of Rotala. 109 has been confirmed with Kanes Food of Middle Littleton, Evesham for staff transport and 127 is believed to be with it. Two Deltas are currently being purchased for preservation.

Minibuses
No City Pacers remain in active service, 560 and 575 are preserved, 562 and 574 are believed to survive as caravan conversions. No less than five Metroriders are preserved (502, 509/10, 589/90).

Routemasters


Former Blackpool 525 returned to London service after use in Reading. It is one of several owned by Transport for London and operated by First London on route 9. It carries this Silver livery as it ones one of 25 so treated for the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977

Not surprisingly the Routemasters have the highest survivial rate with 12 out of the 13 still active. 521 is with LTT, 522 is preserved in its refurbished 'returned to London' condition, 523-6/31/3 active on heritage routes 9 and 15 in London, 528 is with London Bus for Hire, Raglan having returned to bus configuration after several years kitted out as a submarine internally for the Royal Navy. 529 runs for the London Bus Company in Rainham, 530 for London Heritage Travel, Essex and 534 with Autocar. 527 is the missing one, exported to Poland without trace.
Excels

Only 206 (GHA) and 208 (Stagecoach) remain in use. GHA have 201 in store, 202 is with a dealer in long term store, 203 is now at a scrapyard in Barnsley and may have joined 204/7 as scrapped by now. 205 was reported with Richards Bros in South Wales for spares last year.

Open Toppers

The former City Sightseeing Metrobuses have been spread far and wide. 802 is in San Diego; 821/2/92 in Washington and 864 is in Portugal, all on City Sightseeing work. Of the two short term hires, 817 is closer to home with ACE in Liverpool and 850 was exported to Cyprus. Olympians 844/9 are with Alpine, Llanwrst.

Other Buses
Nationals 156, 542 and 543 are preserved in Glasgow, with LTT and in Ireland respectively. 147 is stored on Lowestoft docks. Lancet 597 may still survive in store in Hexham with a preservationist, though its condition is poor. Prewar Tiger 7 is preserved in Sussex.

Coaches

Some of the Seagull Coach fleet survives. Tiger 21 has recently been reactivated after some time in store with Nelson, Glynneath - though it is reportedly sold so its current owner is unknown. 22 is used for school services with Tourex in Oxfordshire. Tiger 27 remains with Confidence of Leicester while DAF 26 is currently untraced following withdrawal by Travel Express of Baildon. Dennis Javelin 27 is believed to remain in Ireland to where it was exported in 1999 after less than a year with Blackpool Transport.