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| One time Blackpool Transport 401, latterly Oakwood Travel Olympian 701 has been sold for preservation after 18 years in Blackpool (David Umpleby) |
After something of a hiatus, Volvo B7RLEs 522, 523 and Optare Solo 290 were repainted during November.
Boxing Day and New Years Day services
As is common Blackpool Transport will operate a special service on both days with a PVR of 21:
- 1 Starr Gate to Fleetwood every 30 mins
- 5 Halfway House to Victoria Hospital every hour
- 7 Cleveleys to Lytham Square every hour
- 9 Blackpool to Cleveleys every 30 mins
- 11 Grange Park to St. Annes Square every hour
- 14 Fleetwood to Mereside every half hour
Also on Boxing Day Catch 22 bus will run its service 6 and 22 to Saturday timetables with 3 buses on each service. On New years day a Sunday service will operate on the 22 using two buses.
Oakwood renamed
At the start of December Oakwood Travel Ltd was renamed Catch 22 Bus Ltd to reflect its brand name.
Olympian returns home
Catch 22 Bus has sold its Leyland Olympian 701 (XAU701Y) for preservation in Derbyshire. New in 1983 as Trent 701 at Derby - it was one of ten purchased by Blackpool Transport to replace ex Fylde Atlanteans. It arrived in Blackpool on 11 December 1996 - its new home for the next 18 years. Numbered 401 it entered service on 5 February 1997 in its new green and cream livery. It kept this through several repaints until it gained Metro livery pool livery very briefly in January 2002 being quickly modified into Line 11 turquoise. It later moved onto Line 20 (lilac) and finally Line 1 (orange).
Withdrawal took place on 28 October 2010 as part of the rundown of the Leylands. It was bought for preservation the following year. It was taken on by Classic Bus North West during 2013 and returned to service on 31 July 2013 in an allover advert for Hot Ice Show. After a summer of service on the 12, it was a common performer on service 22 over the winter, but in the spring suffered a gearbox failure at Mereside Tesco and it has not run since.
