Catch 22 Dart Collection Grows

Further Dennis Darts have joined the Catch 22 bus fleet. New to Cardiff T144/5DAX arrived from Select Bus of Swansea and await preparation for service. Earlier in April V234HBH was purchased from Arriva in Aylesbury. Volvo B7TL W139EON has left the fleet after only a short period in use. Dart S316LHB has now been repainted in fleet livery.

New service 21 (Tower to Zoo) has been registered to start from 2 June, while summer service 12 has a variation from 1 June and the 22 from 26 May.

Catch 22 Bus Fleet List April 2015

No	Reg	Chassis	Body	Livery	Origins
69	F69SYE	MCW Metrobus	MCW	Pleasure Beach advert	China Motor Bus ML81 11/88
143	T143AUA	Dennis Dart	Alexander	New Catch 22	Armchair, Hounslow 5/99
144	T144DAX	Dennis Dart	Plaxton	White	Cardiff Bus 8/99
145	T145DAX	Dennis Dart	Plaxton	White	Cardiff Bus 8/99
147	T147DAX	Dennis Dart	Plaxton	Orange/Green	Cardiff Bus 8/99
186	X186CTG	Dennis Dart	Plaxton	Cardiff	Cardiff Bus 9/00
234	V234HBH	Dennis Dart	Plaxton	Arriva	Arriva Shires 11/99
316	S316SHB	Dennis Dart	Plaxton	Orange/Green	Cardiff Bus 1/99
319	S319SHB	Dennis Dart	Plaxton	Cream	Cardiff Bus 1/99
326	F326UJN	MCW Metrobus	MCW	Pleasure Beach advert	China Motor Bus ML77 10/88
356	R356LER	Dennis Dart	Alexander	New Catch 22	Stagecoach new 10/97
466	W466UAG	Dennis Dart	Plaxton	New Catch 22	East Yorkshire 4/00
468	W468UAG	Dennis Dart	Plaxton	New Catch 22	East Yorkshire 4/00
617	X617JCS	Dennis Dart	Alexander	New Catch 22	Stagecoach 2/01
657	V657HEC	Dennis Dart	Plaxton	Blue	Blackburn 1/00
658	V658HEC	Dennis Dart	Plaxton	New Catch 22	Blackburn 1/00
898	R898XVM	Volvo B10M	Alexander	Red	Stagecoach Manchester
RM1583	583CLT	AEC Routemaster	Park Royal	Red	London Transport
RML887	202UXJ	AEC Routemaster	Park Royal	Red	London Transport

Citaro Details

Citaro 557 is one of two fully branded and in use for driver familiarisation. It is seen (from the public highway) manoeuvring in the depot yard (Alan Robson - please see Blackpooltrams.com for more pictures)

Citaros 556 and 557 are now in use for driver familiarisation - details of the batch of ten are shown below. Sunday 24th May is reportedly their entry into service date though this is not officially confirmed yet.

No	Reg	Chassis No	Arrived
550	BJ15BEY	WEB62801523129261	10/4/15
551	BJ15GOK	WEB62801523129262	9/4/15
552	BJ15GOP	WEB62801523129263	1/4/15
553	BJ15GOU	WEB62801523129264	1/4/15
554	BJ15UVW	WEB62801523129265	1/4/15
555	BJ15UVX	WEB62801523129266	1/4/15
556	BJ15BEU	WEB62801523129267	24/3/15
557	BG15BTY	WEB62801523129268	9/4/15
558	BJ15AVX	WEB62801523129269	10/4/15
559	BJ15BEO	WEB62801523129270	10/4/15

In other news, Trident 328 has received an allover advert for Sealife Blackpool

A rear view of 328 in its new Sealife Blackpool advertising livery. Previously Trident 314 was so adorned from June 2012 to February 2014. (Alan Robson - please see Blackpooltrams.com for more pictures)

Citaros Unveiled

The first of then ten Citaros has emerged into public view at a staff launch at Rigby Road. All ten are now in stock and two are fully branded in a new silver/grey and yellow livery with black edging to the yellow relief. Equipped with free wifi, leather seats and wood effect flooring they have the unusual brand name of Palladium. Much like Stagecoach Gold, First Platinum and Arriva Sapphire this has a hint of quality about it referring to a precious metal - though most would consider it to have a theatrical link.

556 BJ15BEU and 557 BJ15BTY were the two branded vehicles launched, and other photos have identified further members as BJ15AVX, BJ15BEO, BJ15GOP/GOU, BJ15UVW/UVX. 

BTS Facebook link

PD3s at Kirkby Stephen

Front and rear contrasts - 501 and 512 were popular performers on the free bus service at Kirkby Stephen (both photos Gary Conn)

Slip boards on display - the 31 was a diversion of service 11 to Saltcotes Road in 1973. Blackpool regularly used painted slipboards for school specials and new routes before destination displays could be added.

No Reversing at the Social Club

February 2009 and preserved 529 poses at Thornton Social Club terminus on a photoshoot for Bus and Coach Preservation - buses arrived into an embayment to the right of the camera and reversed into this spot to await time.

April has seen the demise of a long disused terminus. From 1930 to 1977 an intermediate service on the 14 ran as 14A from Bus Station to Thornton Social Club. After 1977 only a handful of journeys terminated at Social Club but by 1988 when the 14A resumed a new terminal loop via West Drive, Amounderness Way and Bourne Way was used. 

At some point - perhaps in the 1960s - a terminus was constructed with buses pulling off road into an embayment then reversing 90% into another. When this ceased used is not clear - certainly in 1988 there was an 0705 Bus Station to Social Club working which returned at 0730 after just one minute layover and another trip at 0720 from Bus Station and 0750 from Social Club. By 1988 these had been extended to Ash Street, and the Social Club terminus now used the terminal loop via Bourne Way.

The arrival embayment can just be seen to the left of the bus

Myllenium Hits the Road

As already reported East Lancs Myllenium bodied DAF trainer 971 is now in use - here it heads South along the Promenade (James Millington)

Tiger Tiger - Burning Bright No More

The last two Fylde coaches have now reached their final destination. Duple Laser 27 (MJI7846) of 1985 was sold in 1997 and latterly operated with Confidence in Leicester. After around 18 months in store it was noted in a Barnsley scrapyard in January (seen here).

One of five new to Shearings coaches bought by Fylde to upgrade their fleet, 22 (F700ENE) was last used by the School Bus Company in Oxfordshire and passed to Hardwick of Carlton during March. It was sold by Blackpool Transport in 1999.

The sole Seagull Coach purchased by Blackpool Transport in 1998 and sold the following year remains in Ireland. 27 (R927TFR) is a Portuguese Marcopolo bodied Dennis Javelin and now runs for Kearney's of Cork as 98TS3522. Picture here.

PD3 Pair in Service - in Kirkby Stephen

Saturday and Sunday this weekend sees the annual Rally at Kirkby Stephen. Preserved PD3s 501 and 512 departed from the Fylde today in unison for the long journey north and are both expected to see service on Saturday and Sunday. Lytham PD2 70 is also booked in to the rally on Sunday.

Trainer 971 ready

Trainer 971 has finally been prepared for use it was MOT'd in November and was taxed in February. New to Yorkshire Terrier and last used by Stagecoach Sheffield, it was purchased in July 2013 and repainted in October 2013 but final commissioning has been delayed.

It was intended to replace Delta 970 with 971 but it is now expected to remain in use alongside 971 and sister 969.

Citaros arrive

When this blog launched in April 2009 I reported the arrival of final batch of Optare Solo in post number 2. Since then just nine new buses have arrived - the 2010 Centros - but that long period is now over with the arrival of the first five of the new Mercedes Citaros. One is believed to have arrived in March, while four were noted on delivery today.

The buses are Euro VI engined with E-leather seating, wood effect flooring and free wifi with charging points and next stop announcements. They are believed to be in a silver livery with yellow and black relief and are earmarked for route 5. 

Image from Blackpool Transport Facebook site

Independent update

Two further new to Cardiff Bus Darts have joined the Catch22Bus fleet in the form of S316/9SHB. Recent purchases 466 and 658 have received fleet livery.

Archway travel moved to a new depot on Copse Road Fleetwood on 8 March, from their former premises on Poulton Industrial Estate.

School contract awards from April are:
Bon Chaunce 540 (Cleveleys to Preesall St Aidans) from Archway
Archway 840 (Fleetwood to Preesall St Aidans) from Blackpool Transport 
Archway 600 (Weeton to Kirkham Carr Hill)
Bank View 959 (Lytham to Kirkham Carr Hill) from Waltons
Waltons 602 (Lytham to Kirkham schools)
Waltons 603 (Warton to Kirkham Carr Hill)
Waltons 613 (Lea Town to Kirkham Carr Hill)
Waltons 639 (Freckleton to Kirkham Carr Hill)
Waltons 649 (Kirkham to Lytham St Bedes) from Blackpool Transport 

Solos for scrap

Solos 280 and 283 have been noted at a Barnsley breakers on 8 March. 280 was withdrawn in November 2012 but was repainted in May 2013 ahead of an expected return to use which did not materialise. The once 57 strong Solo fleet is now down to 38.

Photo link 280 and 283

New Look 20

Saturday 28th March sees the introduction of a revised service 20 for the season. Buses will now start at North Station and run via Grosvenor Street, Church Street, Whitegate Drive, Mere Road, Stanley Park, West Park Drive, East Park Drive, Model Village and Woodside Drive to the Zoo. A half hourly service will run from North Station 0930-1800 and back from Zoo at 0930 to 1830.

Early and late buses will extend to Marton Mere via Woodside Drive, East Park Drive, South Park Drive, Preston New Road, Mythop Road. The 0930 to 1100 and 1600 to 1830 trips from the Zoo start at Marton Mere, while the departures from North Station up to 1030 and from 1530 terminate at Marton Mere.

Two buses are needed all day with a third when the Marton Mere extension operates. The change removes the route round the Cricket Club and via Newton Drive/North Park Drive and reinstates buses on West Park Drive - the traditional Zoo route. It also removed the long established link to Stanley Park from Hornby Road which dates back to 1924!

The route will run Saturdays and Sundays only, except in school holidays when it will be daily.

Preserving the Past (part 2)

AEC pair. One of the two surviving Blackpool AEC Swifts 570 poses alongside Routemaster 521 at the Blackpool Transport open day in 2010

Part one of the story (here) took us up to the PD3 era. 1969 saw the arrival of the first of 55 AEC Swifts. The first 15 (541-555) featured low driving positions, semi automatic transmission and barrel windscreens. They were withdrawn in the early 1980s with 554 taken out of use in 1981, despite being one of a handful to carry the later green and off-white livery. The following year it was purchased by Graham Oliver and rallied until sale to Wealden (dlr) in 1988. After several years in store it passed back to Graham in 1996 and onto the Lancastrian Transport Trust soon after. It ran initially in its faded green livery but regained its original allover cream in 1998. After several years in store it was sold to Gary Conn and Martin Gurr in 2013 and is expected to return to use in 2015.

The other 40 Swifts (556-595 of 1971/4) were high driving position, automatic buses with BET style windscreens. Withdrawals were spread through the 1980s until the last ceased service in February 1988. 570 was withdrawn in December 1987 and like many sisters was bought by Wealden. It was sold for further service to Blue Saloon of Guildford where it operated into the 1990s. Graham Oliver was its saviour and it was brought back to Blackpool for a repaint into its 1980s livery in 1987. Graham later passed the bus to LTT but despite another repaint in 2005 it has not seen use for several years.

The Atlantean era
64 Atlanteans followed the 55 Swifts from 1977 to 1984. Several had short lives, 301-21/35/42 were withdrawn by 1994, but most of the rest survived into the 2000s. Four are preserved.

334 of 1980 was withdrawn in May 2003 and purchased by Graham Oliver, passing to LTT in 2005. A full restoration took place in 2006/7 with the Atlantean regaining its original livery. It has been in store recently following a spell in PSV use with Classic Bus on college contracts.

Atlantean 353 in the 2010 open day line up. PD3 390 alongside was withdrawn a year after 353 joined the fleet

353 of 1982 lasted until 2008 - the oldest of its type to operate in routine service. It was bought by the Chesterfield 123 group and fully restored to its last livery first applied in the 1990s. It has visited Blackpool on a few occasions.

362 - the last bus seated example - ran from 1983 to 2006 and joined the LTT collection on withdrawal. More recently it has passed to Gary Conn and Martin Gurr and has been fully restored to the late 1980s livery. 364 - the last of all and one of two coach seated examples is still owned by Blackpool Transport but effectively preserved. It is currently in store.

The newly restored 362 at Mereside (Gary Conn)

Handybus Preservation - City Pacer 575 and Metrordier 589 at Rigby Road Depot Open Day 2010

Blackpool purchased two batches of six Routemasters in 1986 (521-6) and 1988 (527-31/3) and a 13th in 1989 (534). These ran until 1996 - though sporadically in later years and were sold onto Reading Mainline except for 534 which returned to Burton's Biscuits some time before. One was exported but the remainder remain. 521 was bought by LTT in 2003 and restored the following year. It is now considered part of the Catch 22 bus fleet. 522 is also preserved, but in its second London guise having been one of seven ex Blackpool examples purchased by Transport for London after service in Reading.
35 Optare City Pacer minibuses were bought from 1987 to 1990 and two are currently preserved. 560 of the first batch (May 1987) ran until 1995, later passing to Reading Buses. Following withdrawal it was purchased by a local enthusiast and has been stored since. 575 of August 1988 lasted until December 1999 and has been preserved since. Graham Oliver purchased it in 2000 and repainted in pseudo BT green and cream livery. It was later passed to LTT and returned to authentic Handybus Black and Yellow.

The City Pacers were followed by 31 Metroriders of which 589 is the sole preserved example. It was withdrawn in 2007 and sold for preservation locally in 2008. It is back in Handybus colours and regularly rallied.

Former Fylde Buses

Blackpool Transport took over Fylde Transport in 1994 and absorbed it fully in 1996 bringing a large fleet of mainly Leyland Atlanteans with it. Five of these - and one Delta - are preserved.

Atlantean 458 of 1970 failed to see out a year in Blackpool Transport ownership as it was withdrawn in October 1996. The following year it passed to LTT for preservation and was cosmetically restored to its original guise as Lytham 77 in 1998. Since 2000 it has been in store awaiting further restoration. 

Restored Fylde Atlantesns 45 (left) and 77 (right)

479 of 1975 operated until 2002. It was bought by LTT on withdrawal but is now privately owned for restoration as Fylde 79. Sister 471 of 1977 as Fylde 85  was refurbished in 1991 as 71 (OJI4371) it ran until 2004 and joined the LTT fleet, quickly returning to its guise as Fylde 71. It is now in private ownership.

Fylde 45 of 1984 was, like 71, amongst the last survivors of the Fylde Atlantean fleet in 2004. It was bought for preservation by the Blackpool Transport Omnibus Group and is restored as Seagull Coaches 45. 

Two former Fylde single deckers are preserved. Atlantean 137 is a 1993 rebody on a 1971 chassis and on disposal from Blackpool in 1999 passed via several owners ending up at Shamrock Poole from where it was purchased for preservation. Restoration is currently underway.

133 (Fylde 3) was the last former Fylde bus to operate in 2010 It was bought for the LTT collection but was sold on last year and is now restored to its 2001 condition post refurbishment.
Preserved 'Fleet' list

No	Reg	Chassis	Body	W/d	Preserved by	Status
7	FV9044	Leyland Tiger	Burlingham	1956	Private, Sussex	R Engineers
246	DFV146	Leyland Titan PD2	Burlingham	1967	LTT, Blackpool	AR
300	EFV300	Leyland Titan PD2	Burlingham	1969	Private, Huddersfield	UR
346	PFR346	Leyland Titan PD2	Metro Cammell	1975	LTT, Blackpool	AR
351	YFR351	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	197x	Private. Blackburn	UR
390	CFR590C	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	1983	Private, Cheshire	R 1980s
501	HFR501E	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	1985	Private, Blackpool	R 1980s
511	HFR511E	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	1988	Private, Liverpool	AR
512	HFR512E	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	1988	Private, Blackpool	R 1970s
516	HFR516E	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	1984	Private, Eastbourne	R Trainer
518	HFR518E	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	1988	Chepstow Classic	R 1960s
529	LFR529F	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	1980	LTT, Blackpool	R 1960s
540	LFR540G	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	1988	Private, Cheshire	AR
554	PFR554H	AEC Swift	Marshall	1970	Private, Blackpool	R 1970s
570	OFR970M	AEC Swift	Marshall	1984	Private, Eastbourne	R 1980s
334	AHG334V	Leyland Atlantean	East Lancs	2003	LTT, Blackpool	R 1970s
353	UHG353Y	Leyland Atlantean	East Lancs	2008	Chesterfield 123 Gp	R 1990s
362	A362HHG	Leyland Atlanetan	East Lancs	2006	Private, Blackpool	R 1980s
364	B364UBV	Leyland Allantean	East Lancs	2009	Blackpool Transport	UR
521	583CLT	AEC Routemaster	Park Royal	1996	Catch 22 Blackpool	R 1980s
560	D560YCW	Volkswagen LT55	Optare	1995	Private, Reading	AR
575	F575RCW	Volkswagen LT55	Optare	2000	LTT, Blackpool	R 1980s
589	N589GRN	Optare Metrorider	Optare	200x	Private, Blackpool	R 1990s
133	H3FBT	DAF SB200	Optare Delta	2010	Private, Blackpool	R 1990s
137	TKU469K	Leyland Atlantean	Northern C	1999	Private, Blackpool	UR
458	ATD281J	Leyland Atlantean	Northern C	1996	LTT, Blackpool	R Lytham
471	OJI4371	Leyland Atlantean	Northern C	1996	Private, Blackpool	R Lytham
479	HRN99N	Leyland Atlantean	Northern C	1996	Private, Blackpool	R Lytham
445	NJI5505	Leyland Atlantean	Northern C	1996	BTOG, Blackpool	R Lytham

Notes:= R= Restored, UR Under restored, AR Awaiting Restoration

New Solos for Coastal Coaches

Coastal Coaches of Freckleton has taken delivery of three new Optare Solo SRs YJ15AFX/Y/Z. AFY was noted on service 76 today. It is believed these have replaced the 2009 Solos.

Solo SRs also appear on the Fylde with Kirkby Lonsdale Mini Coaches YD63VKL on evening service 42 (Lancaster to Blackpool) and one with Elite on service 87 (Cleveleys-Poulton)