Back on One Site

Withdrawn Atlanteans 444 and 473 sit amongst sisters, the odd Metrorider a coach and a Blackburn Transport school Olympian

On 30 November, withdrawn Olympian 366 was towed out of Jackson's Coaches yard on Burton Road, Marton and was towed to Rigby Road for further storage. For the first time since the absorption of Fylde in 1996, the entire Blackpool Transport fleet was kept on one site. Fylde had been purchased in May 1994 but was fully absorbed into Blackpool Transport in July 1996 but most of its services and vehicles continued to operate from Squires Gate Depot until it closed on 11 April 1999.

With a fleet of 177 buses to accommodated at Rigby Road, Blackpool Transport had demolished the former canteen to make extra space having previously had a fleet of 133 buses prior to the takeover. In addition Blackpool held several other buses in store including six coaches which went for auction in April/May, 14  withdrawn Atlanteans and sundry others. Several withdrawn buses had been stored in Rigby Road yard and these moved to Squires Gate in the week after the closure. Open Toppers 452-455, Atlanteans 465-470, 481, 487, 489 and 492 and single deck Atlanteans 134-137 were kept there, generally in the centre shed. 454 was quickly sold, 134-137 were reinstated in June and 452 and 467 sold from Squires Gate in July. The remainder (453/5, 465/6/8-70, 481, 487/9/92) were removed at the end of July and moved to Blackpool Council Operational Services Department yard at Layton. Some stayed their only briefly - 466/9 returned to use in September 1999, 453, 455, 465, 468, 470 and 481 were all sold by January 2000. This left the three ex Hull buses. 489/92 were sold to Blackpool Council for conversion to Mobile Mess Vehicles for Tramway track workers and remained at Layton until they were converted in Blackpool's workshops and put into use in Autumn 2000 - ironically operating from the same Layton base. This left 487 which remained on site until July 2001 when it returned to Rigby Road to have its engine removed prior to going for scrap.

Atlantean 472 stored amongst Metroriders in June 2004

An alternative storage site had been established in Marton in the spacious yard of Jacksons Coaches. In February 2000 newly withdrawn Atlanteans 466, 469, 475, 478, 479 and 483 moved there along with redundant Optare City Pacers 567/8, 570/1/3/4/6/8/9, 582 

Since then most withdrawn buses have been stored at Marton prior to disposal. Several have escaped back into service, including several of the first Atlanteans stored there. 105 buses are known to have been placed in store at Jacksons comprising:

• At least 28 East Lancs Atlanteans (324-7 329-331 333/4/6/7/9 340/1 347 350-4 356/7/8 360-4) and possibly 343, 345, 355 and 359
• 18 ex Fylde Atlanteans (441-445, 466/9, 471-475, 478-480, 483, 495/6)
• 10 City Pacers 567/8 570/1 573/4 576/8/9/82
• 21 Metroriders 501 504 506/7/11-13/17 584-596
• 
  2 open top Metrobuses 814 and 892
• 5 Olympians 365-367, 401 and 403
• 6 Excels 212-214, 216-218
• 15 Deltas 104, 106-109, 113 115/6, 119, 122/3, 125-127 132/3

Olympians 411 412 413 and 415 await school duties in Jacksons yard in 2008 after takeover from Blackburn Transport

Jacksons was also used as a base for a small number of school contracts operated by Blackburn Transport from September 2000. Typically six or seven buses were kept there, usually second hand Olympians purchased from London or Lothian. Blackburn was taken over by Transdev in 2007 and during summer 2007 they sold the Blackpool operations to Blackpool Transport including seven Olympians which became Blackpool 411 to 417. The staff, unusually for Blackpool Transport, were part timers and they continued to operate out of Jacksons depot though the number of buses soon dropped to four. As staff or contracts ended the operation contracted and by 2010 all service buses were running from Rigby Road once more.

Road Test

SN56AWW - an Enviro 400 bodied Dennis Trident loads in Lytham Square on regular demonstrator haunt of the Metro era - Line 11

Bus manufactures tended to supply bus operators with short term demonstration vehicles to tempt them into placing orders - often with little success it seems given the high number of types tried by Blackpool. Various makers buses were inspected in 1921 prior to the introduction of bus services by Blackpool Corporation. Sometimes new innovations were evaluated with diesel engined buses tested in 1933 and an underfloor engined single decker was tried in 1950.

In 1967 Leeds Corporation GUM451D an AEC Swift was inspected prior to the orders for 55 examples which arrived between 1969 and 1975. Attention turned to double deckers and in August 1975 HUP441N - an ECW bodied Bristol VR of Northern General and KBU911P - a GMPTE Leyland Atlantean were tested - the latter at least on route 22. Use of demonstrators really took off in the 1980s as several established models were replaced or upgraded.

Double Deckers

Scania EMJ560Y contrasts with Atlantean 310 in Talbot Road Bus Station in March 1983

As the Atlantean came to the end of its life this prompted new models which operates evaluated. Blackpool tried Scania BR112DH MUT265W  owned by Leicester City Transport but used initially as a Scania demonstrator. It ran from 16 to 27 March 1981 on routes 22/22A and featured an East Lancs body and featured a blue livery with yellow, orange and red stripes. A second Scania - EMJ560Y - arrived in March 1983 operated on route 12 between Blackpool and Airport. An early digital destination display featured - as it had on the Fishwicks Nationals. They contrasted with ECW bodied Leyland Olympian A33MRN (owned by Preston Corporation) which ran on route 12 in May 1984 before a period with Fylde. A third Scania came on 21 January 1988 when A1 Service of Ardrossan E200WHS arrived for use on routes 22/22A until 3rd February.


A33MRN is seen with Fylde operating route 11A (despite the blind) having previously run on Blackpool's 12. Although used by Leyland as a demonstrator it was part of the Preston fleet and is now preserved

Perhaps the most unusual demonstrator was Routemaster RM1583 which arrived in January 1986 to evaluate the type and became the first of six purchased in the spring.

A handful of other double deckers visited on loan over the years. East Staffs Dennis Dominator FBF129T visited in August 1979 while Bus and Coach Council events saw proportionally liveried West Midlands Metrobus POG515Y and Greater Manchester Olympian B36PJA in use in September 1982 and September 1984 respectively - the latter saw two weeks service on crew routes 14 and 22. Then in September 1988 South Yorkshire Transport B361HDT - another Dennis Dominator - visited for a week to demonstrate their split step entrance layout, SYT enjoyed the delights of Blackpool Olympian 367 (UWW15X) in exchange.

Double decker demonstrators didn't bear fruit for many years with just a solitary batch of Leyland Olympians purchased in 1989 after the last Atlanteans arrived in 1984. 1994 was to see a further small batch of Olympians arrive but not before two demonstrators visited in 1993. March saw the visit of K170FYG an Optare Spectra on a DAF chassis - something of a double deck Delta - while L8YCL was an Alexander Royale bodied Volvo Olympian from Yorkshire Coastliner which stayed for a fortnight in December.

In the low floor era there have been four double deck demonstrators. January 2000 saw V929FMS - an Alexander bodied Dennis Trident evaluated, followed by X645RDA, an East Lancs bodied Volvo B7. Both influenced the eventual order as the 2002-2006 delivery featured East Lancs bodies on Dennis Trident chassis. Since then Alexander Dennis has supplied two Enviro 400 bodied Trident demonstrators - SN56AWW in June 2007 and SN59AWX in August 2010. The former normally ran on route 11, the latter on the 14.

Single Deckers

National GCK430W was one of five Mark 2s evaluated between 1980 and 1988

Leyland's National was a joint venture with the National Bus Company and didn't live up to ambitious targets set by Leyland. Its makers were persistent in attempting to capture new markets. Blackpool tried demonstrator RRM128M for a few days in June 1975. No orders were forthcoming, partly because Blackpool chose to focus on double deckers for future orders having stocked up on AEC Swifts.

The new Mark 2 National made its first appearance with Blackpool in October 1980 when the first of no less than five arrived on loan - prompting an order for four in 1984 just prior to the end of production - providing that persistence is sometimes worthwhile. Leyland had an arrangement with Fishwick to use new Nationals intended for its operation as demonstrators and WRN413V spent a couple of weeks mainly on route 26 in October 1980, followed by GCK430W in March/April 1981 which primarily ran on the 2/2A. 1983 saw visits from two National 2s from the Halton Transport fleet - EWM630Y in April and CKC929X in May - the former normally operating on the 2/2A but the latter was not used. The final demonstrator (South Wales Transport KEP829X) visited in February 1988 to demonstrate its kneeling suspension which had been retrofitted by its owner to reduce step heights. It spent a few days on route 3. Quite surprising was the demonstration of GMB387T - a 1979 built mark1 National refitted with Gardner engine by Crosville. This was to test the suitability of the repower package for Blackpool who duly acquired four similarly modified buses from the Crosville fleet. Eventually 19 Nationals were owned - 15 purchased second hand - which is poor return from no less than seven demonstrators!

Ipswich Falcon YDX100Y poses alongside typical Blackpool bus stop infrastructure on Newton Drive while operating route 2.

The National 2s were measured against other single decker market offerings. Dennis arranged for two of its Gardner engine Falcons to visit Blackpool with Ipswich YDX100Y arriving in June 1983, followed by TWJ341Y from Chesterfield in July. Prior to this a Duple bodied Leyland Tiger KUS244Y was borrowed from Hutchinson of Overtown, Scotland in May. All three ran on routes 2/2A to Poulton.

Post Deregulation Single Deckers

Delta G785PWL was one of two tested in 1989 prior to the order for eight buses for 1990 delivery

Leyland's successor to the National - the Lynx was first seen in April 1987 when D573LSJ of AA Motor Services but it failed after a few days. Leyland's Lynx demonstrator D634BBV paid a visit in August 1987 but the desire to replace the second hand Nationals led to a beauty parade of single deckers in 1989 operating mainly on routes 3/3A (Bispham-Mereside) with evening duties on the 12 to Squires Gate. Optare's stylish Delta was first  with F792DWT visting in July 1989 and alternative spec G785PWL in August and November. Leyland Lynx F74DCW which carried West Midlands Travel colours (but was not their's) arrived in September and similar F210YHG of Preston Bus in November. The final contender was Duple bodied Dennis Dart G541JBV which visited at the start of November. The result was an order for eight Deltas for 1990 delivery.

August 1990 saw the inspection of H220TCP - an Ikarus bodied DAF SB220 (the same chassis as the Delta) while a third Delta demonstrator arrived in February 1991 as G837LWR which covered for new Delta 116 which was representing Optare at the launch event for their new Vecta single decker. The Vecta (a shorter single decker on the MAN chassis) was tried in the form of H846UUA in May 1991 and M957VMY in August 1995.

Low Floor Single Deckers

Excel P447SWX was one of several provided by Optare while it repaired faults on the pre-production batch 201-208

 Blackpool was an early conversion to the low floor bus, buying the first Excels in 1996. It didn't precede this with demonstrators - and judging by the performance of the first Excels it might have regretted this. Several Excel demonstrators later appeared, mainly to cover rectification work for the Blackpool batch. N330EUG arrived in February 1998 and lasted until May sustaining accident damage towards the end of its stay.
R98HUA visited briefly in July 1998 while P446SWX accompanied N330EUG in February 1998. P447SWX spent July to September 1998 on hire. In February 2001, damaged Excel 210 was deputised for with T790KNW which gave Blackpool example of the Mercedes engined variant. Finally in May 2003 Mark 2 Excel YA02YRP operated alongside the native examples on Line 5. With six demonstrators, the Excel gave the National a run for its money.

Route 26 saw several demonstrators including minibuses and big buses over the years. This is R739TMO a Super Pointer Dart.

Other low floor demonstrators included P10LPG, a gas powered DAF SB220 with Plaxton Prestige bodywork which ran on route 26 in October/November 1997. The same service saw R739TMO - a Dennis Dart SLF with Plaxton bodywork in August 1998.

The short lived East Lancs Esteem body on the Scania was evaluated in December 2006 (YN06TGE)

In addition to the Excel 2, 2003 saw BX03BKU - a Wright bodied Volvo B7 used on Line 11 in August. From 2005 to 2009 a procession of potential Delta replacements visited Blackpool for evaluation - without luck as Blackpool eventually settled for the Plaxton bodied Volvo B7 in 2010 because of a favourable deal. December 2005 saw the Enviro 300 SN54HXG evaluated on Line 7. June 2006 saw the first of two Optare Tempos YJ55BLX operate on Line 11 which now became the test ground for single deck demonstrators. Sister YJ06FZK replaced its sister at the end of the month and stayed into July.


Tempo YJ55BLX operating Line 11 in Bispham

 Mercedes Citaro BX05UVX visited in early November 2006, followed by MCV Evolution bodied MAN AE06OPG later in the month, YN06TGE - an East Lancs bodied Scania 230UB in December. January 207 saw SN56AYB a Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 completed the quintet in January 2007. August 2007 saw Wright bodied Volvo B7 BX07AXJ tested some time before five similar buses were purchased from Anglian Buses in 2010. A second Citaro (BN09FWS) was tested in September 2009 also on Line 11.

The MCV Evolution AE06OPG in Lytham Square in November 2006

Minibuses

D898NUA on arrival in August 1987 in demonstrator guise before purchase when it became Handybus liveried 566

Blackpool did not road test the market prior to adopting the Optare City Pacer but did make use of a few demonstrators later. Its second batch of City Pacers were delayed so demonstrators D854MUA and D898NUA were supplied by Optare in August 1987 and later purchased as 565/6. When service 26 started at the beginning of September, sister D81NWW was also on short term hire. A further City Pacer demonstrator arrived in July 1988 as E749CWT while January 1989 saw F934AWW on loan. The latter returned in December 1989 having been purchased as 583.


E749CWT spent time on hire in July 1988

 Other makers included Iveco with Carlyle bodied E485ONX in December 1987, followed by an unidentified Star Rider Optare's Mercedes Benz based longer minibus later in the month. A further Star Rider E216UWT visited in July 1988. PMT Ami bodied Merecedes G495FFA was reported on hire on routes 9 and 26 in July 1990 and also visited in November when it ran on the 26. Optare's Metrorider H844UUA was used on the 26 in May 1991 before a period with Fylde.

September 1993 saw London Buses Dennis Dart K112SRH evaluated on route 26. Optare's Metrorider had been the preferred choice for replacing City Pacers and ex Fylde Renaults after the success of seed vehicle 584 (M924TYG) in summer 1995. A long wheelbase demonstrator P507NWU operated on routes 2/2A/2B in January 1997 but the next order was for more short wheelbase examples. In March 1999 Optare's new low floor Solo minibus S794XUG spent a few weeks on route 26 and this lead to orders for 57 examples between 2000 and 2009. A second demonstrator YJ56APY ran on the 2C in January 2007.

Other visitors have been SN03LGA - a Mini Pointer Dart which ran on Line 5 in November 2003 and MX60GXB a Wright Streetlite which spent some time in March 2011 operating service 10 (see here)

Very few of these loans have generated orders, but they continue to generate interest amongst enthusiasts.


16 November 2006 saw the first Citaro demonstrator (BX05UVZ)



BX07AZJ - a Wright bodied Volvo leaving Starr Gate on Line 11 in August 2007

Enviro 300 SN54HXG operating Line 7 in St. Annes on 21 December 2005

More Tridents and Christmas services

Two Isle of Man Tridents have been noted at Bus and Coach World in Blackburn, one confirmed as 51 (EMN51Y) and the other is believed to be 48 (EMN48Y).

Blackpool Transport Boxing Day and New Year's Day timetables are now out and appear similar to last year save for the operation of service 1 through from Starr Gate to Cleveleys rather than last year's split operation. The services comprise:

1 Starr Gate to Cleveleys every 30 minutes (4 buses)
5 Hospital to Halfway House, hourly (2 buses)
7 Cleveleys to Lytham hourly (2 buses)
9 Blackpool to Cleveleys every 30 minutes (3 buses)
11 St. Annes to Grange Park every 60 minutes (2 buses)
14 Mereside to Fleetwood every 30 minutes (5 buses)

343 or is it 131?

Ex Isle of Man Dennis Trident 343 was noted at Rigby Road today displaying registration H1FBT! This was the cherished plate carried by Delta 131 (new as Fylde 1) and held on retention after it was burnt out in 2004.

Excel 222 has returned to use following repaint as has Solo 253. Excel 221 is the current paint shop project. Olympian 406 has been withdrawn following accident damage.

Baths Bus

Solo 285 waits time on route 4 as Olympian 377 awaits passengers from Stanley School on the Baths Contract duties for which these buses have been fitted with seatbelts.

Introducing 343

Trident 343 was noted outside Bus & Coach World at Blackburn this afternoon following refurbishment and repaint. This is understood to be former Bus Vannin 53 (EMN53Y), though 343 has the newer style front end and it is understood this has been fitted at Blackburn. 53 was the first of up to 11 from this source to arrive. Sister bus 50 (EMN50Y) was noted at Heysham Harbour earlier this month and is understood to be the vehicle involved in an incident with a low bridge in Laxey which has prompted its early withdrawal. Further new buses are expected in the Isle of Man before the remainder are to be released.

Volvo Olympian 374 has returned to use as the final example of its batch to be repainted in the new livery. [correction it retains Metro pool livery!]

Adverts - Just the Ticket

304, the first all-over advert Atlantean in 1982 and carried this attractive scheme for Hounds Hill

Blackpool's trams are (in)famous for their varied all-over adverts. The first was applied in 1975 and to date around 200 have been applied. Perhaps less well known is that Blackpool Corporation's first all-over advert was on a bus, with PD3 398 painted for Greenall Whitley in May 1972 and lasted until February 1973. Two further PD3s followed in 1973 (537 for WH Smith and 521 for Empire Pools)- and a fourth (507) received a wrap round advert on the upper deck for a year in May 1974. A total of 49 all-over adverts have featured in the Blackpool fleet, on 41 buses. 16 new to Blackpool and 11 ex Fylde Atlanteans carried the majority of schemes with 3 PD3s, 3 Routemasters, 3 Olympians and solitary Swift, National, Metrorider, Renault and Delta make up the numbers.

The Red Rose Rambler bus pass was valid across Lancashire and each participating operator painted a bus to promote it - most used Atlanteans apart from Preston which chose a single decker

35 schemes were for commercial customers, 14 for transport related schemes - mainly tickets but also including Lancashire County Council's Travelwise scheme and Seagull Coaches. All-over adverts returned to the bus fleet in May 1982 when Atlantean 304 was repainted for Hounds Hill Shopping Centre. It was soon joined in July by 314 which promoted the Red Rose Rambler bus ticket.

The Fylde Coast Rover was a leisure ticket valid on Blackpool and Fylde buses and was promoted by Atlantean 312.

 

Y-Fronts sponsored 326 which was painted in base white with vinyl "Y"s covering the bulk of the bus with a simple message in the normal advertising space. 314 and 312 are behind it.

 Further new adverts appeared in 1984 326 was outshopped in March 1984 for Y-Fronts, followed by 312 for the Fylde Coast Rover ticket. July saw 314 repainted in a revised scheme for the rebranded Lancashire Bus Pass. The fourth advert outshopped was Swift 577 for Latusport - the only one of the 55 Swifts so treated.

After a base coat repaint in the Paint Shop, buses tended to be sign written by Bryan Hamer at the back of the depot. Here he has two together with 577 being transformed for Latusport while 314 gains a revised livery for Lancashire Bus Pass (the former Red Rose Rambler) with a hint of fleet livery on the upper deck.

1985 dawned with the appearance of six month old Leyland National 2 541 in a scheme for Agri Electrics. August saw 326 return to fleet livery while September saw 358 promote Allied Carpets. The year concluded with 304 receive its second advert - for the Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Health Authority. 312 lost its Fylde Coast Rover livery in April 1986 in favour of a scheme for Louis Tussauds Waxworks.


304's Health Authority livery was very vibrant and was the forerunner of sister schemes carried by 331, 472 and 495

 

312's Tussaud's scheme matched a livery on a Brush tram and it is seen alongside 358 in its Allied Carpet scheme



541 was a surprise choice for an all-over advert as it was only six months old at the time of its repaint. Agri Electrics sponsored this blue and white scheme.

Deregulation dawned with six all-over advert buses; Atlanteans 304 (Health Authority), 312 (Tussauds), 314 (Lancashire Bus Pass), 358 (Allied) and single deckers 541 (Agri Electrics) and 577 (Latusport).

Volvo Olympians Return

Volvo Olympians 376 and 379 returned to use for the first time yesterday after the fitting of seat belts and were used on School Baths contracts. Solo 253 has now joined sister 252 in the paint shop for a full repaint. Once completed this will mean that 15 carry the new livery (250-253, 255, 284-293). Of the 51 Solos:

• ten remain in Line 2 green (240-247, 249, 294)
• six remain in Line 3 blue (258-260, 295-297)
• five remain in Line 4 Cadbury Blue (267-269, 271/2)
• four remain in Line 5 red (248, 254, 256/7)
• eleven remain in the old pool Black/yellow (273-283)

Excel 222 has left the paint shop - the fourth Excel treated and the first to lose pool livery. Eight retain Line 7 livery, five retain pool livery

New Route for 2C

A surprising change from Monday 31 October sees route 2C re-routed between Poulton and Victoria Hospital via Blackpool Old Road (serving Sixth Form College and Collegiate School), Garstang Road, Dinmore Avenue, Gateside Drive, Chepstow Road, Fulwood Avenue and St Walburgas Road. While this reinstates the link between Over Wyre and the School/College from the former Ribble 85, it reduces the frequency via Normoss Road to every 30 minutes - a far cry from the six buses per hour on this corridor in 2009. It also re-introduces regular Blackpool Transport operation to Blackpool Old Road (previously evening/Sunday services to Knott End on the 58 served this route) and seems to be a response to Stagecoach's diversion of route 84 to Victoria Hospital.

The 2 and 2C continue to provide a 15 minute frequency service between Blackpool and Hospital, but from Poulton the 2/2C now run at 10 then 20 minute intervals. Saturday times have been revised to largely match weekday times (increasing the Saturday vehicle requirement to seven) and the 2 now runs hourly between Blackpool and Poulton in the evening. 5 workings use Solos, the other two use big buses with a Trident now a regular on one working.

In other news Solo 252 is currently under repaint - the latest Line 5 one to be treated after 255, 250 and 251. Excel 222 is nearly finished in the new livery while 221 remains in the body shop for refurbishment and 226 is away for its engine change. Olympian 374 is now out of use for seat belt fitting, presently all six Volvo Olympians are inactive.

Former Optare Excel 208 has been sold to a Barnsley dealer from Stagecoach Chesterfield and sisters 201/206 are believed delicensed by GHA, Wrexham. These were the last of the batch to operate.


Former Blackpool 208 (centre) awaits its fate at Stagecoach Chesterfield Depot on 14 August. (M Crisp)



Looks like the back of a bus

The traditional rear end of 1946 built Lytham St. Annes Leyland Titan PD1 19 seen in St. Annes on Seafront 12 in 2007

The stereotypically aesthetically challenged backs of buses have evolved over the generations. Rarely captured by photographers, these pictures illustrate some of the variations.

By contrast with 19, Blackpool's post war PD2s were centre entrance and had this unusual appearance at the rear - few double deck bodied look comfortable with neither a rear entrance or rear engine




Blackpool's later PD2s and all PD3s featured traditional rear entrances as seen here on 379



PD3 512 enters Rigby Road yard passing Atlantean 317 showing the family 'bustle' effect of the rear engine. To the left of 512 is underfloor engined Lancet 598 with the unusual Marshall rear profile with a patterned upper half and plain lower half.



Another Atlantean rear end - on Blackpool's last 364

The backs are in the background  - with a Swift and newly purchased ex Crosville National and an Atlantean

Optare products have had a family feel with moulded patterns around the rear window and a plain engine cover. Delta 104 passes through the now pedestrianised St John Square.



The Optare look again on Metrorider 586 - these front engined buses omit the rear engine cover

Solos are rear engined and lack a rear window - the 'glazing' is false. Early Solos and Excels were modified to remove the 'step' affect below the engine housing which tended to attract unwanted unofficial passengers

 

The end of the Atlantean in 1984 saw off the 'bustle' - its replacement the Olympian and most buses since have had flush rear ends - often of plain style like this East Lancs Trident



Fleet Update

Delta 119 has left Blackpool for scrap, completing the disposal of the type, save for the two driver trainers. In happier times it heads to St. Annes at Starr Gate on 13 August 2009

The final two withdrawn Optare Deltas have left Blackpool with 122 collected by Parton's on 13th October followed by 119 on 19th. Olympian 409 is expected to follow next week. Repairs have also started on accident damaged Olympian 403. Sister 405 and the sole active ex West Yorkshire example 365 saw use on route 20 today - 25 years to the month since it arrived in Blackpool.

Optare Excel 222 returned from Cummins with its new engine on 14 October, sister 226 headed north the previous day for similar treatment. This leaves just 223 and 225 un-modified. 222 is now in the paint shop (with 375/8) while 221 - is now receiving body refurbishment.


23 July 2009 and Olympian 409 stands at Starr Gate on route 1 with Balloon 713 waiting at the tram terminus. 409 is expected to leave for scrap shortly



19 October 2011 and the same location shows Volvo B7 530 having modernised route 1, while the future of Blackpool's tramway Flexity 001 is tested roughly where 713 was seen above. Single deckers now dominate route 1 - except at weekends when Tridents are more common - those with roller blinds have had 'Starr Gate' added having previously had to display 'Pleasure Beach'



Atlantean 444 visits the Fylde

444 from the front

Former Blackpool Atlantean 444 (NJI5504) returned to the Fylde on Sunday with its current owners "Irlam Royalettes" - these photos were taken as the bus was parked empty at Farmer Parrs at Thornton. 444 was new to Fylde Borough in early 1984 as 74 (A74LHG) - its penultimate new Atlantean and one of five long wheelbase examples fitted with high backed seating. In winter 1990/1 it was refurbished and transferred to the Seagull Coaches division renumbered 24 and re-registered NJI5504, restricted to coach work including regular excursions to Granada Studios Tours in Manchester, Fleetwood Market and Tours of the Illuminations. Renumbered 44 in 1992 it was absorbed into the Blackpool fleet as 444 in July 1996 with the rest of the Fylde business. Around this time it regained its ticketing equipment and went back into regular service usually on the 11/11A. In 1999 it moved to Rigby Road depot - ahead of the closure of Squires Gate - and regularly operated on route 14/14A (Fleetwood to St. Annes). Later downgraded to mainly schools and the summer Promenade service it was withdrawn with the last Fylde Atlanteans in May 2004. Since then it has been employed by two dance troupes.

Rear View

In other new Olympian 403 was noted returning to depot this morning with front offside accident damage.

Topping Street Terminus, Smart Olympians and Delta Farewells

From 1 October Saturday evening Illuminations Diversions were revised. Traffic congestion in the town centre has meant that buses suffer delays reaching Market Street and Clifton Street. As a result routes 2, 2C and the limited 17 journeys affected are now terminating at Topping Street near Church Street and then leaving town via Deansgate, Cookson St, Larkhill St, Grosvenor St and as before. The 9 is terminating outside Iceland on Topping Street. Northbound 5, 11, 14 (and the 17s to Topping St) now turn off Regent Road onto Church St, Topping St, Deansgate and Talbot Road and then normal route; Southbound buses on the 5 and 14 service Larkhill St, Grosvenor Street (joined by 11) then Church St, Topping St, Deansgate, Cookson St, Talbot Road Larkhill St, Grosvenor Street (again!) and as the normal diversion route.

Volvo Olympians 376 and 377 have returned to Bus and Coach World in Blackburn following repaint into the new livery (albeit without vinyls) presumably for further interior work. 375 and 379 have returned to Blackpool and 375 is now in the paint shop with 378. 374 has been noted in service unmodified - appearing on route 20 last Sunday. It retains Metro livery and rear advert for Real Radio

Delta disposals have accelerated with 102 departing on Monday. 119 and 122 are due to follow - completing the disposal of the Deltas save for active Trainers 969/70 (ex 129/30):
February 2003 - 120
Sept 2004 - 131
July 2007 - 117
February 2008 - 128 (S)
June 2009 110
May 2010 - 124
August 2010 - 103/5/14 plus 109 (S)
September 2010 - 104/6-8, 112/3, 115/6
October 2010 - 127 (S)
November 2010 - 118
Mar 2011 - 101(P), 133 (P)
June 2011 - 132
July 2011 - 126
September 2011 - 123, 125
October 2011 - 102 (119, 122)
P = Preserved, S=Further Use

Volvo Olympian Update

Volvo Olympians 376 to 378 are now all in the Paint Shop at Rigby Road following the installation of seat belts by contractor Bus and Coach World at Blackburn. Both 375 and 379 remain at Blackburn for belt fitting. Correcting the previous post only one Isle of Man Trident is currently at Blackburn and this is believed to be their 53 (EMN53Y). Optare Delta 123 has become the latest to depart for scrap.

News update [updated!]

Recent repaints 251 and 310 are now back in service as is Volvo 532 following repairs to rear end accident damage sustained in June. Delta 125 has left for scrap following 126 in July and 132 in June.

Also on Tuesday 27th Sept, Volvo Olympian 379 was noted in the yard of Bus and Coach World at Blackburn taking the place of 375 which was there on Monday and is now presumably inside their workshops. All six are being fitted with seat belts for school services with 376/7 treated first, followed by 375/8. It is believed the first of the Isle of Man Dennis Tridents is also on site under refurbishment while others remain in use on the Island.