More Enviros in use

Further Enviros are now in service with 430, 432 and 433 recently observed. Examples have now been seen on route 11 which will be formally converted after this weekends service changes. 434 entered service on Tuesday 28th, 435 has not yet seen use and is expected to be released to service after the launch.

More Second Hand Tridents Retired

The withdrawal of second hand Tridents continues with 333/4 and 339/40 now parked up - the last of the ex Blackburn and ex Blue Triangle examples. Enviros 425-427 have entered service today, 423 was noted in use yesterday.

Update: 428/9 entered service on Friday 17th with 431 expected out on Saturday.

Service Changes

Blackpool Transport has released timetables for their April changes. The network is summarised below and needs 102 buses + 7 for schools (or 3 for the 20 holidays/weekends). This compares with the winter network of 96+7 and last summers of 100+7.

New route 2 takes the traditional route, latterly served by the 10/17 between Blackpool and Poulton via Newton Drive, Victoria Hospital (old terminus) and Highcross Avenue. From Poulton, once per hour Monday to Saturday, it continues via Tithebarn Street, Poulton Road, Arundel Drive, Fleetwood Road, Fleetwood Road South, Four Lane Ends, Victoria Road East and West to terminate at Victoria Square. This is the first time BTS has regularly served Arundel Drive other than a few months when the 16 terminated at Castle Gardens during bridge work in Poulton in 2013.

All routes appear stand-alone except the 2C and 17 which interwork on Sundays. 

No	Reg	Days	Eves	Sunday Days	MF Requirement
1	Starr Gate to Fleetwood	20	30	20	8
2	Blackpool to Poulton extends to Cleveleys	30 60	60 -	60 -	3
2C	Blackpool to Poulton Extends to Knott End	30 30	- -	30 -	5
3	Cleveleys Park to Mereside	20	60	60	15 (with 4)
4	Cleveleys to Mereside	20	60	60	15 (with 3)
5	Halfway House to Victoria Hospital	12	30	30	9
6	Mereside to Grange Park 2 journeys to/from Peel Park	12	30	20	10
7	Cleveleys to Lytham Saltcotes Road	15	30	30	12
9	Blackpool to Cleveleys	12	30	30	9
11	Blackpool to Lytham Hospital	15	30	30	8
14	Blackpool to Fleetwood	10 MF 12 Sat	30	20	13
15 16	South Circular	30 ew	-	60	7
17	Blackpool to St. Annes	30	-	60	3
20	Blackpool to Marton mere weekends and school holidays	30	-	30	(3)
Schools	12 Blackpool to Baines 400 Fleetwood to St Marys 401 Lytham to St Marys 402 Mereside to St Marys 403 Halfway House to St Marys 414 Norcross/Aspire/Blackpool/Mereside	1RT 1RT 1RT 1RT 1RT 2/3RT	- - - - - -	- - - - - -	1 1 1 1 1 2

Palladium update

Mercedes 550 operating on South Fylde Line rail replacement today in St. Annes. Enviro 414 was also seen on rail replacement work in Poulton (Paul Turner)

Enviro 422 has entered service today on the 14. Trident 335 is now in store, meaning 335-338, 341-348 are all now out of service.

Ins and outs

The latest Enviro to arrive is 426, but no further examples have entered service. 343/7/8 are confirmed as withdrawn, while ex Blackburn 336 and ex South Lancs 342 are now in store. 

Update 7th March - 412 was seen in service today and 414 has been seen on flickr operating service 12 (411-4/6-8 are confirmed as in use). 344-346 are also reported at Jackson's Coaches in store. SN17MGX - believed to be 425 - arrived today. 

Update 8th March - 415/9/20 entered service today, making ten. 338/41 have been stored as a result. 

More Enviros

Enviros 416 to 418 are now ready for service and should appear tomorrow (Sat). Tridents 343, 347 and 348 have been placed in store today.

Demonstrator 500 has moved to Arriva in Rhyl on completion of its trials here.

Demonstrator 500 seen at Fleetwood Ferry on service 1, with a BTS example behind on the 14 - 26 Feb 2017 (Chris Callan)

Enviros in, Tridents out

Enviros 411 and 413 made there debut today on service 14. The first of the new batch to enter service. It is expected the full batch will find use on the 11 and 14 from the April service changes. Extended service 6 will also use Palladium buses, but these are expected to be single decker said - the route currently mainly uses the refurbished Volvos.

Tridents 344-346 were withdrawn after service on 28th Feb, the first casualties of the new Enviro intake. Excel 220 left for scrap on 28th Feb.