 |
| Blackpool's Deltas arrived in this attractive green roof, green skirt livery with black window surrounds with the rest cream. This winter view shows 114 operating service 15 on 2 February 1991 - this being one of two of the second batch to arrive early, in November 1991 (Brian Turner) |
- 55 AEC Swifts of 1969-1975 - w/d between 1980 and 1988 - the oldest being 14 yrs and 7 months old
- 4 Dennis Lancets of 1982 sold in 1988 before their 6th birthday
- 4 Leyland National 2s of 1984, sold in 1991 before their 7th birthday
- 15 second hand Leyland Nationals which lasted 3 to 4 years.
Like most Optare vehicles the Delta was sold as a complete bus, though it was of conventional body on chassis construction on the DAF SB200LC550 chassis. You couldn't have a Delta on any other chassis, though the body shell did spawn other variants.
So it was then that on 22 February 1990 106/7 G106/7NBV rolled into the depot yard from Leeds to start a new era. Optare's eye for style produced a stunning vehicle, slightly less harsh than its ground breaking City Pacer but with a family feel. Its low floor (for a step entrance bus) in the front half was coupled with deep windows to afford a view. Internally high backed seats for 46 were specified, rather than the 51 bus seats that could be squeezed in. A contemporary grey soft trim finish was all that let the image down.
The full batch was 101-108 (G101-8NBV) and it saw off Nationals 145-148 and some early Atlanteans. 106/7 made their debut on 5 March with the rest following over the next month. 7 were required on weekdays with five on the 23-25 (Hospital-Mereside/Midgeland Road) and two on the 53 (Airport-Poulton). On a Sunday five were used on the interworked 22/22A (Cleveleys-Halfway House) and 25 (Hospital to Halfway House) and spares often appeared on the 12 (Blackpool to St. Annes).
 |
| 106, one of the first pair to enter service, seen in the later livery with the cream roof (Brian Turner) |
Services
The new batches seemed to take the operations department by surprise as they now had 24 single deckers for just 13 all day workings:
- 2/2A (Blackpool to Poulton) = 3
- 15 (Staining to Cleveleys) = 2
- 23-25 (Hospital-Mereside/Midgeland Rd) = 5
- 180/2 (Poulton to Preston) = 2
- 192 (Blackpool to Kirkham) = 1
The take-over of Fylde in 1994 brought its three Deltas 1-3 (H1-3FBT) into the fold and 101/2 moved there as 8/9 in early 1995 as the 192 was transferred in. When Fylde was absorbed 1-3 became 131-3 and 8/9 regained their original numbers.
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| The Fylde takeover brought three more Deltas into the fleet - 1 and 3 retained two tone blue, 2 had received blue and cream. They became 131 to 133 and received green and cream fleet livery. In April/May 2001 all three received the grey, mustard and yellow 'pool' livery for the Metro network. It is seen here on a Park and Ride for the 2001 Open Golf Championship (Brian Turner) |
The Metro network of 2001 saw the following official allocations:
Line 6: 108-110, 112-117 (9 out of 10 all progressively branded)
Line 7: 118-120, 126-129 (7 out of 8 all in livery from launch)
Line 11: 101-103 (3 out of 3 all retained green and cream)
Pool: 104-107, 122-125, 130-133 (122-5/130-3 receiving the original Metro pool livery).
Various transfers have since taken place:
Sept 2002: 125 to Line 7 (ex pool to replace 120)
Oct/Nov 2002: 122, 130-133 to Line 11 (ex pool)
March 2004: 118 to Line 6 (ex 7)
Apr-June 2004: 119, 125-129 to Line 11 (ex 7)
May 2005: 115-117 to Line 11 (ex 6)
Aug/Sept 2005 - 101-103 into Pool livery, 104-107 to Line 6
Apr 2007: 115/6 to Pool (used on tram replacement over winter 06/07)
Nov 2007: 115/6 back to Line 11
Feb 2009 - 103 to Line 6 (replacing 110)
Refurbishment
The aforementioned storage of 130 in winter 1998 was for a pilot refurbishment. An odd choice as the newest bus and the most recent repaint! The bus was duly stripped in February 1999 and treated to retrimmed seat, light laminate interior panelling, new floor, revised lighting and another repaint, finally returning to use in October 1999. Deemed a success, the programme was rolled out with 129 first and then in reverse order to 120 which returned to use in September 2000. Neatly the Fylde trio slotted in here (their body numbers follow on from 122) and they were treated in reverse order. They received two modifications to match their sisters - rear number blinds (instead of side ones) and a reduction from 48 to 46 seats. 131 was followed by 119 and 118 which emerged in April 2001 as one of the vehicles in Line 7 livery for the new Metro network.
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| The first branded route was Line 7 for which 7 Deltas were painted ahead of the launch in April 2001. This is 120 seen on Bank Hey Street (Brian Turner) |
The programme ceased for a while as attention focused on repaints for the new identity but in August 2001 114 entered the works as a pilot for a phase 2 refurbishment. This reduced some of the changes - retaining the soft trim ceilings/coves for example, but saw the high backed seats replaced by modern moulded bus seats. It returned to use in January 2002 after a protracted refit. 113 followed whilst 108 jumped the queue following minor fire damage. This emerged as a phase 3 job with original seats retrimmed and less internal changes. Phase 2 programme continued with 112, 115, 116, 110, 109, 117 completing the pack by December.
The phase 3 work on 101-107 didn't particularly take off. 101 was retrimmed and fitted with a new floor in Spring 2003 with 102 following. 103-107 retained their original seat moquette with 105 receiving attention to its floor during the autumn.
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| Deltas also gained Line 6 livery - a claret and yellow scheme - this is 107 turning from Adelaide Street onto the 6 stop at Bank Hey Street (Brian Turner) |
Withdrawals and Disposals
The first Delta withdrawal was 120 which suffered a suspected electrical fire in the depot on 5 July 2002 and was scrapped in February 2003. Ex Fylde 131 was burnt out in dramatic circumstances in St. Annes on 18 May 2004 and was scrapped in September.
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| The sad remains of ex Fylde 131 after its fire at St. Annes Square on 18 May 2004 (James Millington) |
The arrival of new Dennis Tridents for Line 11 saw 115-117 and 130 delicensed in at the end of August 2006. 130 had been selected for conversion to a driver trainer vehicle - the retrofitment of ABS braking allowing it to replace one of the two Atlantean trainers. Sister 129 was also withdrawn in October (with 115 reinstated in its place) and became the second trainer conversion. This emerged as 969/70 (K129/30UFV) in February 2007 in a reverse Metro blue/yellow livery.
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| From 2002 several Deltas gained Line 11 turquoise livery including 115 seen at Cleveleys Bus Station (Brian Turner) |
The first Delta to be sold for further use was 128, purchased by Preston Bus as a driver trainer. BTS did the conversion over the winter 2007/8 and the bus moved to Preston in February 2008.
110 was withdrawn in February 2009 and scrapped in June 2009. Its seats live on though - replacing the originals in 107. With 110 gone the remaining 26 were allocated as:
- Line 6: 103-109, 112-114 (10)
- Line 11: 115, 116, 118, 119, 122, 125-127, 132/3 (10)
- Pool: 101, 102, 123, 124 (4)
- Trainers: 129/30 (2)
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| Deltas 101-103, 123/124 gained the black version of the pool livery - this is 102 towards the end of its life on service 11 in Lytham (Brian Turner) |
2010 saw a sudden end for the Delta, with service changes and some new Volvos wiping out the fleet during the year. 124 had minor fire damage in September 2009 which was not deemed worthy or repair and 103 was withdrawn in Feb 2010 with engine failure. The withdrawal of service 6 saw off Deltas 104-109,112-116 with 101/2/4/6-9/12/23 in use on Saturday 24th then 104, 106, 107, 109 and 112 ran on the final day with 107 last in working the 2300 Mereside to Grange Park then 2341 back to Market Street and depot. 105, 113, 114 and 116 had been laid up earlier in the month with defects.
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| 123 was the sole Delta to carry an all-over advert - though to a somewhat uninspiring design (Brian Turner) |
Nine new Volvo B7RLEs entered service in September and this saw off the remaining Line 11 Deltas with 119, 122/3, 125-7, 132 and 133 in use on the last day (4 September 2010) - 118 missing out. 101, 102 and 123 - in black and yellow - except for 123 which uniquely had a Blackpool Council advertising livery (applied Sept 2008). 101/2 were laid up on 28 October, 123 bowing out on service 17 on 27 November. Most Deltas went for scrap. 101 and 133 were preserved - sadly 101 falling out of preservation. 109/127 went to the Evesham area as staff buses so just 128 and 133 survive, the former in defective condition at Preston Bus and 133 splendidly restored. Trainers 969/70 (ex 129/130) were withdrawn in May and April 2015 respectively and scrapped later in the year
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| 130 became driver trainer 970 in October 2006 it is seen here on 15 June 2011 testing the newly finished Promenade roadway (Brian Turner) |
No
|
Reg
|
Delivered
|
Withdrawn
|
Disposal
|
Current
|
101
|
G101NBV
|
17/03/1990
|
28/10/2010
|
Preserved 3/2011
|
Believed Scrapped
|
102
|
G102NBV
|
21/03/1990
|
28/10/2010
|
Partons, Scrap 3/10/2011
|
Scrapped
|
103
|
G103NBV
|
26/03/1990
|
Feb 2010
|
Partons, Scrap Aug 2010
|
Scrapped
|
104
|
G104NBV
|
07/03/1990
|
25/07/2010
|
Partons, Scrap 15/09/10
|
Scrapped
|
105
|
G105NBV
|
28/02/1990
|
07/2010
|
Partons, Scrap 03/08/10
|
scrapped
|
106
|
G106NBV
|
22/02/1990
|
25/07/2010
|
Partons, Scrap 16/09/10
|
Scrapped
|
107
|
G107NBV
|
22/02/1990
|
25/07/2010
|
Partons, Scrap 20/09/10
|
Scrapped
|
108
|
G108NBV
|
28/02/1990
|
24/07/2010
|
Partons, Scrap 15/09/10
|
Scrapped
|
109
|
H109YHG
|
21/01/1991
|
25/07/2010
|
Kanes Foods 25/08/2010
|
Scrapped
|
110
|
H110YHG
|
04/02/1991
|
Feb 2009
|
Preston Recyclers 26/6/09
|
Scrapped
|
112
|
H112YHG
|
29/11/1990
|
25/07/2010
|
Partons, Scrap 20/09/10
|
Scrapped
|
113
|
H113YHG
|
28/01/1991
|
July 2010
|
Partons, Scrap 16/09/10
|
Scrapped
|
114
|
H114YHG
|
29/11/1990
|
July 2010
|
Partons, Scrap 05/08/10
|
Scrapped
|
115
|
H115YHG
|
16/01/1991
|
August 2010
|
Partons, Scrap 14/09/10
|
Scrapped
|
116
|
H116YHG
|
13/02/1991
|
July 2010
|
Partons, Scrap 14/09/10
|
Scrapped
|
117
|
H117YHG
|
04/02/1991
|
Sept 2006
|
Wigleys, Scrap 06/07/07
|
Scrapped
|
118
|
H118CHG
|
23/04/1991
|
04/09/2010
|
Partons, Scrap 22/11/10
|
Scrapped
|
119
|
H119CHG
|
23/04/1991
|
04/09/2010
|
Partons, Scrap 19/10/11
|
Scrapped
|
120
|
H120CHG
|
24/04/1991
|
05/07/2002
|
Scrapped 06/02/03
|
Scrapped
|
122
|
H122CHG
|
24/04/1991
|
04/09/2010
|
Partons, Scrap 13/10/11
|
Scrapped
|
123
|
J123GRN
|
23/07/1991
|
27/11/2010
|
Partons, Scrap Sept 11
|
Scrapped
|
124
|
J124GRN
|
23/07/1991
|
26/09/2009
|
Ingelmere Metals 12/05/10
|
Scrapped
|
125
|
J125GRN
|
Nov 1991
|
04/09/2010
|
Partons, Scrap 22/09/11
|
Scrapped
|
126
|
J126GRN
|
Nov 1991
|
04/09/2010
|
Partons, Scrap 27/07/11
|
Scrapped
|
127
|
K127UFV
|
20/01/1993
|
04/09/2010
|
Kanes Foods 04/11/2010
|
Scrapped
|
128
|
K128UFV
|
20/01/1993
|
Nov 2007
|
Preston Bus Nov 2007
|
Preston w/d
|
129
|
K129UFV
|
28/01/1993
|
Oct 2006
|
Driver Trainer Oct 2006
Then Scrap 10/11/2015 |
Scrapped
|
130
|
K130UFV
|
28/01/1993
|
Sept 2006
|
Driver Trainer Oct 2006
Then Scrap 30/10/2015 |
Scrapped
|
131
|
H1FBT
|
Fylde 5/91
|
18/05/2004
|
Preston Recyclers 02/09/04
|
Scrapped
|
132
|
H2FBT
|
Fylde 5/91
|
04/09/2010
|
Partons, Scrap 29/06/11
|
Scrapped
|
133
|
H3FBT
|
Fylde 5/91
|
04/09/2010
|
Preserved Apr 2011
|
Preserved
|
