Service changes June 28th

Blackpool Transport has registered a series of service changes from 28 June. Most notable is a new service 12/13 described as Blackpool Town Centre to Blackpool Town Centre via Bispham, Poulton, Staining and a Victoria Hospital. This appears to be a combination of parts of the 2 and 16.

The 2/2C and 16 have route and timetable changes associated with the 12 and 13., the 10 and 17 also have route changes while the 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 14 get timetable changes. Surprisingly the 20 is cancelled altogether!

More details will no doubt follow in due course.

More adverts and open topper ready

Trident 329 has been outshopped in a new all over advert for Tussauds waxworks with sister 330 now in for treatment, presumably for another Merlin attraction.

Olympian open topper 857 is now ready for use and is expected to debut on a private hire tomorrow. It was repainted last year in late 1980s green and cream as seen on 365-373. The lower deck seats have been re trimmed into the dark green moquette used on PD3s and most recently used on trams until the late 1990s.

Launch date for the Citaros has been set for 22nd May in St John's Square.

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.