Tanat Valley of Llanrhaeadr-Ym-Mochnant near Oswestry has acquired three of the ex Isle of Man Tridents - 343 (H1FBT), 344 (E11BTS) and 346 (E13BTS). 343 has been re-registered W393TBV. 344 has been reported under repaint, 343 was awaiting collection. The last Manx Trident remaining unsold is 353 - this has been taken out of service and is on SORN now.
Ex Bus Vannin Isle of Man Tridents
| No | Reg | IOM No | IOM Reg | Disposal | Date | Registration if changed |
| 343 | H1FBT | 53 | EMN53Y | Tanat Valley | May 2018 | W393TBV |
| 344 | E11BTS | 50 | EMN50Y | Tanat Valley | May 2018 | n/a |
| 345 | E12BTS | 48 | EMN50Y | Stockdale, Selby | April 2018 | n/a |
| 346 | E13BTS | 51 | EMN51Y | Tanat Valley | May 2018 | n/a |
| 347 | E14BTS | 52 | EMN52Y | Lodge, High Easter | Dec 2017 | n/a |
| 348 | E15BTS | 49 | EMN49Y | Lodge, High Easter | Dec 2017 | n/a |
| 349 | E16BTS | 71 | MAN93F | Reading Buses | Jan 2018 | X399KBV |
| 350 | E17BTS | 75 | GMN324F | Reading Buses | Jan 2018 | X393KBV |
| 351 | E18BTS | 74 | FMN540E | Reading Buses | Jan 2018 | X401KBV |
| 352 | E19BTS | 73 | FMN412E | Reading Buses | Jan 2018 | X398KBV |
| 353 | E20BTS | 72 | FMN158E | still BTS | tbc | n/a |
24th June is the start date for the summer timetable. Registrations for services 1, 6, 7, 14 and 20 have been recorded, the 1 will run every 20 minutes, 7 every 15 minutes, 14 every 10 minutes. No details of the changes to the 6 and 20 are available.
Route 20 is currently terminating at Clifton Arms, with buses laying over by Little Marton Windmill, presumably turning at the M55 roundabout. Buses display "Preston New Road for Marton Mere".
Blackpool North to Preston rail replacement work is continuing beyond the start of the new timetable yesterday with services shown until 3 June.
The sole surviving Blackpool Excel, 225 (T935EAN) has returned to Lancashire today. One of five bought from Reading, it was the last of its type in service in November 2016, it was sold to Morton's Travel of Basingstoke in May 2017. It formed part of Adrian Morton's preserved collection. Morton's recently changed hands and Adrian has sold many of his collection. It has been purchased by Mark Mccarrick and is moving to the Town and District Transport Trust premises near Accrington.
Two further Enviro 200s are now in stock, with 223/4 arriving on Thursday as well as 221/2 as reported. The batch will be 221 to 238 and are 34 seaters.
The town centre diversions, expected from 9th May, now take effect from Monday 14th with the 5 and 7 using Clifton Street and 6 Corporation Street northbound.
Former Blackpool Solo 274 is due to become a film star as it is currently in the Great Yarmouth area for filming work for a Danny Boyle film. It retains Halton's livery and has regained its original registration V274HEC in lieu of the dateless plate used by Halton. A fake plate is carried for filming.
971 (W471MKU) - the single deck driver trainer - has been delivered to the South Yorkshire Transport Trust premises near Rotherham today for preservation. This was one of 11 East Lancs bodied DAFs delivered new to Yorkshire Terrier in 2000. It was purchased in July 2013 from Stagecoach Sheffield (successor to Terrier) and finally entered service as a driver trainer in April 2015. It was out of use by March 2018, with Trident 339 under preparation as its replacement.
The first new midibus for nine years has arrived today, as YX18KWA - one of 18 Alexander Dennis Enviro 200s due. These are expected to replace the remaining 21 Optare Solos. They carry the Palladium livery and many of the features of the last batch of Enviro 400s are included. The new bus is illustrated on the Blackpool Transport twitter page linked below. Update - YK18KWB also arrived today.
Some minor route changes are taking place during May to Blackpool Transport's network:
- Saturday 5 May - service 20 will now start/finish at Clifton Arms on Preston New Road, following Haven's awarding of a concession to use Marton Mere to Catch 22's service 26.
- Monday 7 May - service 18 will now serve Stanley Park via Mere Road, West Park Drive and Knowsley Avenue. This is a temporary arrangement until daily service on the 20 resumes in the summer
- Wednesday 9 May - various route changes are registered from this day, when access is available to Clifton Street in Blackpool Town Centre once more. Routes 2, 2C, 5, 6, 7, 12, 18 and 19 are affected
