Excel Returns and rare route for vintage Olympian

Refurbished Excel 214 was noted on Line 2 on Saturday 15th January. This is the final example of the nine new to Blackpool Excels to be refurbished, a process which started with 210 in summer 2007. Ex Go North East 219 and 220 have also been treated and ex Reading 224 is currently at Cummins. 214 is the second Excel to operate in the new livery.

Ex Trent Olympians continue to make appearances on all day service though without any particular pattern. Appearances on the 1 and 14 seem to be the most common making today's appearance of 405 on the 17 most unusual as seen here.

Termini - from Airport to Car Park

Most suburban bus termini are in residential areas - logically as buses tend to take people from home to the centre. However there are several Blackpool termini - old and new - at other significant destinations and others in quite obscure places. This post traces some of these.

Blackpool Airport 

PD3 507, in its 1985 Tram Centenary livery supplemented similarly painted Routemasters on route 12 after deregulation. Here it turns towards the bus stop at Squires Gate Airport. Note in the green bus within the Airport grounds - this was former Blackpool Swift 562 used for fire training by the Airport fire crews.

Route 12 was the replacement for the Lytham Road tram service in 1961 and terminated at Squires Gate usually turning round in the front yard of Fylde's bus depot and loading outside the shops on Squires Gate Lane. In 1973 the terminus was moved into the Airport grounds turning round the traffic islands just off Squires Gate Lane - predating OMO conversion by over a year. This remained the 12 terminus until June 1987, after deregulation, when the route was extended to St. Annes. Short journeys resumed to the Airport in November 1987 and ended again in February 1988.



The vividly painted Atlantean 304 sits at the Airport terminus having approached on the other side of the island to its right.

Other services used the Airport periodically. Easyway Coaches started a commercial bus service 53 to Poulton via Marton and Victoria Hospital in March 1986 ahead of deregulation. This passed to Blackpool Transport in 1989 when Easyway lost their license but a successor firm - Town Bus - restarted it in 1991 and kept it going until 1995 when Fylde took over on a county council contract. It later passed to Phoenix North West and Blackpool Transport again in 2001 before being withdrawn in 2002. It last served the Airport grounds in 1995. Blackpool operated until June 1991 and again for a few months in 1994.

Certain journeys on route 22/22A were extended from Halfway House to the Airport in October 1989 and this continued until November 1994. Route 25 operated to the Airport for a few months in winter 1988/9.
The Airport became a terminus once more in November 2004 when evening and Sunday journeys on Line 5 were extended there, lasting until January 2008. Promenade service 1 served the Airport during 2006 and again from 2008 to November 2010. City Sightseeing service 20 also sevred the Airport towards the end of the 2009 season on the closure of Pontins.

Holiday Camps

Ex Fylde and new to Greater Manchester Atlantean 466 loads at Pontins in 1998

Pontins Holiday camp was served by the Promenade bus service from 1988 (with Renault Minibuses), through the 1990s (Routemasters then Atlanteans) until its closure in 2009 with Tridents and Olympians in use. Further history is available here.




Atlanteans were regulars on route 20 and 363 waits departure as a family rest their feet on the upper deck dash behind the rebuilt front windows..

 

Marton Mere Caravan Park was first served in 1988 by Fylde's "Fastlink 1" minibus route to Blackpool and has been served ever since. Up to 1999 it was served by the successors to the Fastlink - low floor routes 44A/B and 333/444 at night. From Easter 2000 a dedicated service 20 was introduced running via Preston New Road, Waterloo Road, Station Road and along the Promenade to the Town Centre. In 2006 the route was extended to the Zoo via Stanley Park and completely revised in 2007 to run Marton Mere to Pontins via Preston New Road, Zoo, Stanley Park, Town Centre and Promenade using City Sightseeing open toppers.

Tesco

Delta 116 stands at the current Tesco terminus - the original bus bay being roughly where the container is behind the bus

Mereside turning circle was effectively supplanted by the new Tesco store built across the road in 1990. In July routes 23, 24, Fylde's 33 and 44 were extended there and route 53 diverted in for good measure. Oddly the 6 continued to turn at the circle, except for one bus per hour which went into Tesco. The initial terminus route involved a full tour of the car park to return to Clifton Road. In 2004 the store was expanded and the car park redesigned with a new, larger, bus terminus. By now all routes ran into Tesco - including all journeys on the 6 and the extra capacity was welcome with typically 18 departures per hour on the 3, 4, 6, 15 and L1.



Line 10 started in 2003 as an off peak Town Centre to Mereside service and often saw Atlanteans in between school duties. Here 362 prepares to swing round the roundabout and head back to town

Knott End

Line 2 liveried Metrorider 517 sits in the car park at Knott End ferry as the driver sets the blind for South Pier

With a contrast in volume of traffic with Tesco is Knott End Ferry car park. Buses used to terminate in front of the old Railway Station building at the top of the Ferry Approach. However for many years the car park has been used following changes to the road layout. There is no dedicated bus bay - the bus just swings round in the available space and it loads at a bus stop back on the main road. Since Stagecoach withdrew route 85 in 2005 Blackpool's 2C has provided the main service supplemented at roughly two hourly intervals by Stagecoach routes 86 and 89 which link to provide a Fleetwood- Knott End - Lancaster service.

Boundary

Looking like it is sat on a country lane, Swift 559 sits at the Borough Boundary terminus alongside Trebaron Garden Centre. Note the non standard square registration plate uniquely fitted to this bus.

Perhapss the most obscure terminus was the 'Borough Boundary' between Blackpool and Fylde at a place colloquially known as Mad Nook. This was served by route 11C on its way to St. Annes but also a handful of journeys would terminate there each day on route 6B and later the 3A. The terminus was originally served by route 18 which ran from Town Cente via Spen Corner, Daggers Hall Lane, Welcome Inn, Midgeland Road and School Road once per hour. This started in 1948 and was later linked at Midgeland Road to route 19. From 1956 to 1964 the service again terminated by the boundary and was the only OMO service using one of a three Leyland Tigers converted to OMO specially.  



Swift 559 turns back onto Common Edge Road

The 18 was replaced by route 6B - a variation of route 6A - to Midgeland Road. Four journeys per day were extended to the Boundary arriving at 0851, 1151, 1251 and 1551, to serve St Nicholas School on School Road. The 3A replaced the 6B in 1976 and three journeys per day would serve the Boundary with the lunch time journeys withdrawn. This arrangement ended at deregulation, but resumed for a period in 1990 when one journey on route 25 was extended there in the morning - this lasted until the minibus conversion of 1996. From 1994 a couple of early morning journeys on route 14 would start at the Boundary at 0645 and 0715 and head to Fleetwood and a school service also terminated there. This ended when the Metro network started in 2001.

Termini - Going Round the Block

Bus termini are vary in grandeur from purpose built bus station to a run of the mill roadside bus stop . In the days of crew buses, very often the bus would reverse round a corner and head back the way it came. OPO buses don't have conductors to supervise the manoeuvre and these all died out - though will hopefully feature in a future blog. As a result new termini were needed. Three turning circles were built, Staining, Mereside and Midgeland Road, but elsewhere buses tended to go round the block.

Easington Crescent terminus with the rare sight of a Lancet on route 5 - a Sunday only duty for single deckers (Brian Turner)

Grange Park was served by route 5 prior to deregulation and route 6 after it. The 5 entered Grange Park at Chepstow Road and was extended along Dinmore Road as the estate developed eventually terminating with a reversing manoeuvre at Pilling Crescent. Unusually buses then continued a short distance to lay-over in Easington Crescent. The 5 remained crew operated on weekdays until its demise in 1986, but when the Sunday service went OPO in the 1970s, these journeys terminated at Easington Crescent without serving Pilling Crescent. Route 15B also terminated there from 1982 to 1986. Service 6 replaced the 5 in October 1986 but as it was OPO operated with Atlanteans it turned at Easington Crescent.

At times buses in Grange Park have suffered from anti-social behaviour and in the 1990s the evening buses were extended out of the estate to turn at Collegiate High School - a rare use of a school terminus for anything other than school services. This ended in April 2001 when the Metro network saw a terminal loop introduced, buses entering the estate at Pilling Crescent and operating clockwise. Easington Crescent has since been abandoned - and the shops/flats by the stop demolished.

Whiteholme (Current view)

'Whiteholme' terminus was probably the least distinct of all - and is represenatitive of municipal parochialism. Logic suggested route 8 - as all routes in this area now do would continue the short distance to Cleveleys but instead it turned here at the borough boundary. 584 has arrived via Anchorsholme Lane and turned right onto Luton Road - the boundary with Wyre crossing the road immediately behind the bus. (Brian Turner)

The story of buses to Anchorsholme is covered in the post on Haddle House Estate. For a period buses terminated at 'Whiteholme', route 7B/7C running in a circular around Anchorsholme, though to 1982 these were replaced by the 8 which terminated in a small loop via North Drive and Anchorsholme Lane East then back via Luton Road to North Drive. The route passed to Fylde in October 1986 under contract to Lancashire County Council and it was logically extended to Cleveleys in 1987. Nearby was the mid 1970s Grassington Place terminus of service 9 which involved Swifts turning via Grassington Place, Fir Tree Place and Bovington Avenue on the return journey. 

Bispham Cavendish Road (current view)

Atlantean 336 poses at Cavendish Road terminus. To reach the stop the bus passed behind the camera on Northgate, turned left to pass the two cars to the left of the bus and swung left onto the stop. Today the entry into Northgate is closed, buses only pass this point on Illuminations diversions on Lines 3 and 4. (Brian Turner)

Service 15A (Hospital to Bispham via Town Centre and Warbreck Hill Road) terminated for many years on the track fan of Bispham Tram Depot (now Sainsbury's car park). This closed in 1963 and the 15A was shown as terminating at Bispham Hotel. Certainly by 1972 Cavendish Road was in use as the service had been converted to OMO. The 15 (Staining to Blackpool) was also extended to Bispham from 1980 but terminus ceased to be used at deregulation with the 15 terminating at Bispham Library instead.

Victoria Hospital

Atlantean 344 lays over on service 15B to Bispham 583 on service 23A to South Pier behind - this remains the main stop for Victoria Hospital  (Brian Turner)

Route 15A was the first service to terminate at Victoria Hospital starting in 1936 from the Town Centre via Newton Drive. It was later extended to Bispham. Initially it reversed at the Hospital but around 1942 loop working was introduced with buses arriving via Whinney Heys Road to terminate at Whinpark Avenue and returning via North Park Drive. 1946 saw the 22 extended from Layton to Victoria Hospital, though this was replaced by the 23 to South Pier in 1956. For many years the other Newton Drive buses (2 to Poulton and 15 to Staining) did not call into the Hospital, dropping passengers on Newton Drive either side of St Walburga's Roundabout. From 1980 the 15 called in on journeys to Blackpool but it was not until 1991/2 that the 2/2A were diverted into the Hospital. All buses followed the same loop regardless of direction.

In 1996 the 23/23A were diverted to the Women's Unit further into the Hospital running up Whinney Heys Lane and turning in the car park before serving the main stops. Line 5 took over this role in 2001 and the Lifestyle Line L1 in 2003. From 2006 the L1 (now the 16) was revised to run round the extended perimeter road of the Hospital emerging near the Zoo. Cleveleys bound buses still serve the main stops, but Cleveleys bound ones don't. Currently the 5 terminates at the Hospital; the 2/2C, 15 and 16 pass through as do Stagecoach services 74 and 84, Cumfybus 75 and Coastal 76.

Lindale Gardens and Halfway House

Lindale Gardens is currently served by the 5 in a clockwise loop - the route has suffered reliability problems at times, hence two Solos waiting to turn into Squires Gate Lane. The former route 13 terminus was to the rear of the second bus.  (Brian Turner)

Lindale Gardens was the terminus of route 13 form Blackpool via Ansdell Road and Marton Drive. This started in 1934 and initially terminated at Kingsmede part way down the road but from 1949 it was extended to Squires Gate Lane. It turned round via Faringdon Avenue, Westby Avenue and Squires Gate Lane to terminate on Lindale Gardens. This remained the pattern until 1976 when the 13 was replaced by the diversion of alternate journeys on route 5 to Halfway House. Buses ran either via St. Annes Road (5) or Lindale Gardens (5A) and returned via the opposite route until their withdrawal in 1986. Briefly after deregulation route 23 terminated at Lindale Gardens and is believed to have used the same turning arrangement as the 13, but this was soon extended to Halfway House. Various combinations of the 22A, 23 and 25 perpetuated the Lindale Gardens loop until the 12A was introduced in August 1988 which performed an anticlockwise version via St. Annes Road and back to town via Lindale Gardens. Other than a brief period of two way operation via Lindale Gardens to terminate at the roundabout near Morrisons in 1996 this was retained until Line 5 replaced the 12A in 2001 and operated in the opposite direction. 

Halfway House terminus. 501 awaits departure for Cleveleys on the 22 - though the number blind has not yet been reset. It has turned in the junction behind Atlantean 304 which has arrived from Lindale Gardens as a 5A. PD3 513 on the left is also awaiting departure for Grange Park but will turn left behind the pub to run via Lindale Gardens. Clearly someone is late or early as 513 was due to arrive five minutes after 304 left.  (Brian Turner)

Services 22/22A terminated at Halfway House operating via St. Annes Road and did a large u-turn in the mouth of the junction with Squires Gate Lane. Back then only the section from Halfway House to Common Edge Road was dual carriageway so this manoeuvre was feasible. Lytham/Fylde did likewise on service 1 which approached via Squires Gate Lane.

St. Annes Square

Trident 316 is about to set off from St Georges Road where buses have laid over for several years - usually unoffically!  (Brian Turner)

In St. Annes buses that arrive via the Crescent to terminate have traditionally run via Garden Street, St Georges Road and Clifton Drive to reach the stops in the Square. The 17, 18 and Coastal 76 currently do this. The 11C and 14 did previously as did various Fylde local services.

When service 193 terminate in St. Annes Square during the 1990s it initially turned via Wood Street, Orchard Road and the Square to load on Clifton Drive South, but later followed the traditional route by unloading in the Square turning via Garden St/St Georges Road to the Clifton Drive South loading stop.

Buses terminating at St. Annes from Blackpool used to unload on Clifton Drive South, turn via Wood Street, Orchard Road and the Square to reach Clifton Drive North departure stop. Route 12 was the last to do this during the 1990s. During the 1990s the terminating 12 and 22A used Beach Road, St. Annes Promenade, St. Annes Road West to Clifton Drive North and Metro Line 11 followed this.

Promenade service 1 ran to St. Annes in the 1990s with some journeys taking the Beach Road route and others running down to Links Road to serve Promenade Hotels.

Spring Gardens (current view)

The embayment on Hoyle Avenue at Spring Gardens was the terminus for the 193. Here Fylde's former Grimsby Fleetline 48 awaits departure in May 1987. At that time alternate 193s ran to Blackpool so the service operated in both directions on Hoyle Avenue as does the 17 today.  (Brian Turner)

Spring Gardens is part of a housing estate in St. Annes first served by local route 3 in the 1950s. This was later replaced by joint Fylde/Ribble route 193 from Spring Gardens to Wesham - buses terminating via Blackpool Raod Kilnhouse Lane, Derwent Road and Hoyle Avenue to Spring Gardens terminus and back via Boness Avenue and Blackpool Road. In 1989 Spring Gardens ceased as a terminus for the 193 with the 11C (later 14 and now 17) diverted through instead operating in both directions via Hoyle Avenue. From June 1987 to February 1988 the St. Annes Handybus service but, as seen on this map, it followed a different route through the housing estate.

Lytham Square

Atlantean 310 squeezes past a VW Bettle on the turn into Pleasant Street from Westby Street in August 1980  (Brian Turner)

Buses terminating in Lytham Square during the 1950s and 1960s turned via Park Street, Westby Street where they laid over, then Pleasant Street to the stop in Clifton Street. Ribble buses approached via East Beach, Dicconson Terrace and terminated in Hastings Place itself before returning via Westby Street, Park Street and Dicconson Terrace. Fylde moved the Westby Street layover point to the Railway Station in the 1970s and this was kept when Blackpool's 22 replaced the joint 11 in 1983. Buses approached Lytham from South Park and unloaded on Park Street, turning right onto Clifton St, Market Square, Hastings Place to the Railway Station for their 13 minute layover and then reached Lytham Square to pick up via Westby St and Pleasant Street. The Railway Station layover point was later dropped with buses turning from Ballam Road into Westby St and waiting time in Lytham Square as the 18 does now.

PD3 506 leaves the Railway Station on route 22A in 1983 shortly after its extension to Lytham  (Brian Turner)

In the 1990s once again buses terminated at Lytham from the Church St direction and turned via Hastings Place, Westby St and Pleasant Street. This route remained for the terminating journeys of Line 7 until recently. In recent years Line 11 has terminated at Lytham Hospital (or more recently outside St Johns Church on East Beach) running via Clifton St, Staiton Road, East Beach, Warton St and Clifton St.

Atlantean 353 puts in a turn on Line 7 at the long established loading point on Clifton Street, Lytham right by the former Lytham St. Annes tram terminus.  (Brian Turner)

 Others

Wordsworth Avenue was the terminus of route 16 for many years and after the conversion to One Man Operation buses turned via Cornwall Place and Kingsley Avenue to reach the stop outside Stanley School. This ended with route 4 in 1987, except for a school service from Mereside to St. Mary's School which continued the manoeuvre until quite recently. Kingsley Avenue has since been made one way in the opposite direction and the area is now served by route 4 which runs to Mereside via Wordsworth Avenue and Kipling Drive.

Westminster Road was the terminus of route 3 form the 1920s to 1980 when it was extended to Cleveleys, though some evening and Sunday journeys still terminated there in the early 1980s. Buses usually terminated via Sherbourne Road, Warley Road and Westminster Road then returned via Cheltenham Road to Sherbourne Road. From 1959 alternate journeys (service 3) terminated at Cromwell Road while the 3A still terminated at Westminster Road. The 3 ran via Claremont Road, Cromwell Road and back via Handworth Road. In the late 1960s both routes were combined to serve both Westminster Road and Cromwell Road but reverted to serve Westminster Road only when the AEC Swifts took over from PD2s in 1975.

Thornton Social Club terminus had a special reversing area constructed but this was hardly used after the regular short workings ceased in the mid 1970s. Thornton terminating journeys restarted in 1987 initially terminating at Trunnah Road but later extended to the Social Club in a loop via West Drive, Amounderness Way and Bourne Way.

South Pier terminus was consistently accessed via Waterloo Road and the Promenade before returning via Station Road and either Bond St or Lytham Road to reach Waterloo Road. More details here.

Stay of Execution for the evening 17?

The notice of the withdrawal of evening journeys on service 17 on Blackpool Transport's website has been revised to show Coastal Coaches as the new operator of the evening and Sunday journeys. It is not yet clear if this includes the Sunday daytime services, nor has this been confirmed on the LCC website.

How long this lasts for is unclear. The evening service on the (then) 11C from Blackpool to St. Annes was subsidised from deregulation but is believed to have been registered commercially during the Metro era as Line 14. A half hourly service was provided from before 1986 to February 2010. Coastal Coaches won a contract for an hourly 14A which was replaced by Blackpool Transport's Line 17 (Blackpool to Lytham) in July again under contract to Lancashire County Council. November saw this split into the 17 (Blackpool to St. Annes) and 18 (St. Annes to Lytham) and the evening service appeared to be a casualty of the merger of the 18 and Wesham to Lytham section of Line 7. This would have left much of North St. Annes and the South Park area of Lytham without access to a bus service at these times.

Despite this, the service is under long term threat as part of Lancashire County Council's expenditure review following the Coalition Government's Comprehensive Spending Review. Much of the contracted bus network reductions would affect East Lancashire but include some Fylde area changes including the 17; the Garstang Super 8 demand responsive service and Hegarty Travel's 2 hourly service 77 from Wesham to Preston via Treales and Salwick.

The Fylde has had a relatively stable bus network for many years, retrenchment by individual operators generally being plugged by others - such as Stagecoach's reductions in Cleveleys and Fleetwood. The current era of austerity has seen some gaps appear with the loss of evening services on Waterloo Road in Blackpool, reductions in service frequencies on other corridors and the forthcoming loss of the evening service on Fylde Village service 75 from January 2011.

As yet there is no indication as to any changes to the subsidised services funded by Blackpool Council.

More Trident repaints

Two further Dennis Tridents are now under repaint with 336 as the final ex Blackburn bus to be painted into the new livery following expiry of its rear end advert. Alongside is 329 the fourth of the 2006 Line 11 Tridents to be treated. Once completed this will mean 12 out of the 40 Tridents will carry the new livery. Nine of the last ten repaints have been Tridents following an initial focus on Line 16 Solos.

Of the 30 Tridents purchased new between 2002 and 2006, 16 have now had their first repaint - all nine of the 2002 batch (301-9) and three of the 2003 batch (310/1/4) were repainted into Line 14 livery in 2009/10 and now 329-332 of the 2006 batch have received the new livery.

Everything Including the Kitchen Sink

Orange liveried PW buses 434 and 437 are parked on the depot fan while engineering car 754 (far left) sits in their normal home on track 1 of Rigby Road Tram Depot

For over 40 years redundant Blackpool buses have been used by the tramway permanent way gang as mess rooms at track renewal/repair sites. So far nine such vehicles have seen service - usually in pairs, but the reduced duties of the track gangs in the age of the private contractor has seen the fleet reduce to just one.

Two of Blackpool’s famous centre entrance Streamlined PD2s were the first to be set aside for use first PW buses. 246 (DFV146) was taken out of use in October 1967 and painted all-over dark green. It replaced a mess hut towed to track work sites by van. In the 1968 renumbering 246 became 6 in the works series. 300 (LFV300) joined its sister in March 1969 (number 8) also in green.


246 on arrival at the LTT Depot in 2004

The pair lasted until 1975 (by now numbered 296/8) and in early 1976 they were both sold. 246 was acquired by Geoff Lister, a Bolton based dealer, who used it as a site office until 1989. It was then acquired for private preservation and returned briefly to Blackpool. Needing major work it passed in March 1990 to the Lancastrian Transport Trust for eventual restoration. 300 passed to private owners in Huddersfield who rallied it for a while in the 1980s but it is currently undergoing restoration once more.

346 parked on the Cliffs during its spell with the Illuminations Department 

The replacement vehicles were 1959 vintage Metro Cammell bodies PD2s 334/7 (PFR334/7). Withdrawn in early 1975 both were fitted with doors on their rear platforms and painted all-over orange with numbers 434/7. Both vehicles were regularly seen parked on track 1 of the tram depot during the summer and out at the site of major track work in the winter. Sister bus 346 was also taken into ancillary service in 1975 passing to the Illuminations Department as a mess room for the gangs assembling the autumn displays. Sister bus 310 had been used previously.

Withdrawn driver trainer 378 spent a few months shivering at the track side at Manchester Square to house an inspector during single line operation

When 434/7 were unavailable for use temporarily, a service bus substituted. PD3s 391/2/4, 506, 512, 518, 523 and 540 have all been recorded in such use. Withdrawn PD3s were also used as inspectors cabins on a number of occasions during single line working. Former trainer 368 was used at Gynn Square and Tower (winter 80/1) and Manchester Square (spring 82), 376 at Gynn Square (Jan 80) while sister 377 was at the Cabin. Ex Trainer 378 was at Cabin and Manchester Square (winter 80/1).

Looking past its best, 258 (as 437 had become) returns to Rigby Road around 1987.

434 was the first of the pair to be withdrawn in 1986. It was acquired by the North West Transport Museum who had acquired sister bus 346 (PFR346) from the illuminations department in 1985. 434 was intended for spares but was stored in the museum until 1990 when it was dismantled.


PD3 506 became PW bus 257 in 1986 - note the co-ordinated livery detail with the van alongside! PW tram car 259 (ex 624)  poses in the background at the former track yard at Thornton Gate

When Blackpool Transport Services Ltd was formed in 1986 the Permanent Way vehicles were retained in council ownership (initially with the "Mechanical and Electrical Services Dept). 434’s replacement was one of Blackpool’s famous half-cabs. PD3 506 had been withdrawn in February 1985 and stored in the bus yard. In May 1986 it was moved into the body shops for a body overhaul and internal modifications (standard fixtures include a sink!). The original fibre glass grill was replaced by a new metal one though curiously with the correct pattern slats at right angles to the normal design. After a repaint in Sunshine Yellow 506 entered service at the end of the year with new fleet number 257.437 was renumbered 258 in the council series and continued in service. Its last use was recorded in February 1988 and the bus was stored in the council compound opposite the depot. By now the PW buses were kept in Rigby Road bus garage, rather than the tram depot. 258 was kept until December 1989 when it passed to North, Sherburn-in-Emlet a well known bus dealer. No buyer was found and in June 1992 it was scrapped by a Barnsley dealer.

A surprising purchase as replacement for 258 (437) was a 1971 vintage Leyland Atlantean with Northern Counties bodywork. New to Chesterfield Corporation, PNU114K was acquired from Black Prince Coaches, Morley near Leeds in February 1988. Conversion and repaint was done at the Central Transport Works (now BT's 'East Shed' workshops). First use was recorded on May 3rd 1988 with fleet number 268.

During the mid 1990s the buses were moved to the Operational Services Department yard at Layton and were decorated with “Track Services” logos. Their use was now commonly all year round as track work spread into the summer. By 1999 both buses were somewhat rough having survived on basic maintenance for over ten years. Replacements were mooted towards the end of 1999 and the OSD duly acquired to redundant Blackpool Transport Atlanteans. 489 (RIB4089) and 492 (NIW6492) had been new in 1972 as DRH329/7L resp to Kingston-upon-Hull Corporation. Fylde acquired them in 1988 and 1992 resp and they passed to Blackpool on take-over. They were withdrawn in February 1999 and went into store with several sisters at the OSD yard in Layton.


No cosmetic attention was lavished on the two ex Hull Atlanteans, save for the odd bit of vinyl showing Track Services - which must have baffled the guests at the Savoy Hotel outside which the bus sits in this July 2005 shot.

Conversion work was done at the OSD and work commenced on 492 during summer 2000. It made its debut on September 1st 2000 carrying fleet number 262 and replaced 268 - just one year its senior! 489 was then converted appearing on October 30th as 263. This allowed PD3 257 to be retired. In December 2000 it was sold to the M3 Preservation Group for spares and later returned to Rigby Road to potentially provide spares for sister 507 though this is not actively progressing at present. Atlantean 268 returned to Chesterfield, after a short spell at the Selnec Preservation Society and is now under restoration with the Chesterfield 123 Group.   

Both 'new' Atlanteans retained Blackpool Transport green and cream somewhat surprisingly. Large 'Track Services' decals were applied to the sides. During autumn 2001 262 was placed in store as one of the two track gangs was disbanded as winter track work was to be primarily undertaken by contractors. 262 returned to use in March 2002 with 263 then stored. By 2003 it had moved to Blackpool Zoo for further storage and was then sold to a private owner who kept it at Whyndyke Farm for use with a paintball feature. It remained there, engineless, in February 2005 but left soon after.

262 soldiered on alone looking increasing shabby. During August 2006 it suffered a mechanical failure and was towed to the then work site opposite Waterloo Road. It was left there as a static mess room and fenced off, later moving to the Foxhall. Repair work was not warranted as its replacement was already under preparation - ex Blackpool Atlantean 350 (GHG350W). This entered service in December, allowing the vandalised and sea lashed 262 to be towed back to Layton from where it was collected for scrap in April 2007.


Picture Postcard Scene: 262 abandoned to the elements at the Foxhall - proving the need for the recent raising of the sea wall in this area.

Streetscene's 270 shows off the council purple and white livery to effect while parked on the clifftops at Norbreck

350 became 270, resplendent in the council livery of purple and white and lettered for 'Streetscene' - the latest name for the department that includes the 'Trackwork' team. It remains in fairly regular use now, attending the spot repair and maintenance work sites of the track gang. Also in tramway ancillary use is Optare Metrorider 512 (S512LHG) which has been used by the overhead line crews since spring 2010 - though this remains largely configured as a bus save for the arrangement of the seats around tables.

Service Changes

Further details of the changed to tendered services form 29 January have been confirmed. Coastal Coaches route 78 will replace the daily Wesham to Lytham section of service 7 and the weekday daytime service 18 from Lytham to St. Annes. Blackpool Transport has also announced that the contracted evening services 17 and 18 are also to be withdrawn, apparently without replacement. This will leave the Spring Gardens/St Davids Road North areas of St. Annes and South Park in Lytham without a service.

The 78 largely follows the 7 and 18 route, save for a diversion to serve South Hey and Edwinstowe Road between Smithy Lane and Clitheroe Road; and will also continue from St. Annes Square to Sainsbury's turning via Clifton Drive, Beach Road, St. Andrews Road South and St. Georges Road. The service starts at 0653 from Sainsbury's and every 30 minutes to 1823, then 1923. Further journeys run from Lytham to Wesham at 2054, 2154 and 2254.

The first bus from Wesham is 0655 and every 30 minutes to 1825 then 1925 with four trips to Lytham only at 2025, 2125, 2225 and 2325. Sunday service is hourly (0923 to 1823 from St. Annes, 1954 to 2254 from Lytham and 0925 to 1825 Wesham to St. Annes 1925 to 2225 Wesham to Lytham).

From 3 January the Line 1 diversion in Cleveleys was changed so that from Little Bispham to Cleveleys the service now runs via Princes Way and Rough Lea Road instead of using North Drive. This is likely to be in place until February when the road crossings at Fleetwood Road and York Road are reopened once the tram track relaying is complete. This is believed to be the first time Princes Way has been used by a regular Blackpool Transport service, though Stagecoach X61 is believed to have used the route in the past.

Repainted Trident 330 has been noted back in service. Optare Excel 203 (N203LCK) has been reported in a Barnsley scrapyard following disposal by Centrebus who operated it in Grantham. It was acquired from Optare by Reliance for service in Grantham who were later bought out by Mass Transit who in turn sold the business to Centrebus.

Blackpool's Christmas Presents



New Years Day 2004 and Atlantean 364 waits hopefully for custom at North Station on normally minibus worked Line 2

Blackpool Transport has operated a skeleton service on Boxing Day and New Years Day since at least 1993. In this regard it was ahead of its time as very few operators did likewise until quite recently. However Boxing Day/New Years Day services are still the exception rather than the rule. Elsewhere in Lancashire, Preston sees a similar level of service - plus the Preston-Lancaster and Preston-Bolton interurbans - and a solitary service runs in Lancaster. Transdev provides a reduced network in Blackburn.

Until the 1970s such services we the norm - Blackpool Transport operating on Christmas day until 1970; New Years Day until 1972 leaving a Sunday service on Boxing Day for a few more years. 1987/8 saw the return of bus services on these dates thanks to Fylde. 12 buses were required and provided:

• Service 5 Market Street to Little Bispham every 30 minutes (1 bus)
• Service 8 Cleveleys to Lytham Square every 60 minutes (3 buses)
• Services 11A/22B Blackpool to Lytham Saltcotes Road each every 60 minutes (4 buses)
• Service 11C Blackpool to St. Annes Square every 30 or 60 minutes (2 buses)
• Service 66 Market Street to Sevenoakes every 30 minutes (2 buses)

This was Fylde's only such provision until 1993/4 when it provided a 3 bus Promenade service 1 from Harrowside to the Cabin using Leyland Atlanteans. This ran on Christmas Eve, and from Boxing Day until Bank Holiday Monday 3rd Jan.

Blackpool also entered the fray on Boxing Day 1993/New Years Day 1994 with 12 buses in use on seven services:

• Promenade Tram Replacement service Starr Gate to Fleetwood every hour (2 buses)
• 2A Bus Staton to Poulton every hour (1 bus)
• 6 Mereside to Grange Park every 30 minutes (3 buses)
• 12 St. Annes to Cleveleys every 60 minutes (2 buses)
• 14A Bus Station to Thornton every hour (1 bus)
• 22A St. Annes to Cleveleys every 60 minutes (2 buses)
• 26 Gynn Square to South Pier every 60 minutes (1 bus)

All services followed their normal routes, save for the 26 which was extended from the Town Centre to Gynn Square. This was repeated for 1994/5 - including the Fylde service 1 with Fylde now under Blackpool Transport ownership


1/1/2004 - Atlantean 355 on Line 6

1995/6 saw a slight revision to the Promenade service. A 15 minute Starr Gate to Cleveleys service was now provided with 1 bus per hour extending to Fleetwood. Everything else remained the same with 16 buses required. Typically Double Deckers were used - including minibus routes 2A and 26 and single decker route 6. On New Years Day 1996 Fylde turned out Atlanteans 41 and 71,plus ex Blackpool 323, 325, 327 which between them covered their four workings on service 1 to Cleveleys, including one change-over. Blackpool provided Olympians 368 and 377 for the Fleetwood 1 service; 375 for the 2A, 371/8 for the 12, 374 for the 14, 376/9 for the 22A. Atlantean 363 shared the 6 with Olympians 369 and 370 while 362 operated on the 26.


363 sits alone at Cleveleys Bus Station on Line 7 on 1 January 2004



On the same day 1982 vintage 352 was also on Line 7


By contrast New Years Day 1997 saw Atlanteans (10) out number Olympians (6). The 1 saw 326-329 operate from Squires Gate on the Cleveleys workings supported by 356 and 362 from Rigby Road on the Fleetwood trips. 363 worked the 2A, 350, 357, 359 the 6 with Olympians on the 12 (370/1), 14A (378), 22 (376/7) and 26 (374).


Tridents on Line 2 are very rare, 317 operates a South Pier to North Station journey on New Years Day 2004 before continuing to Fleetwood on Line 14

2000/1 saw a change to the 1, 14 and 26. Service 1 no longer extended to Fleetwood, with the 14 extended there from Thornton. On arrival back in Blackpool the 14 buses then operated to South Pier and back as a service 26 - this no longer serving Gynn Square. This reduced the bus requirement to 14. Further changes took place in 2001/2 reflecting the new Metro network with the 7 and 11 replacing the 12 and 22A bring buses to Lytham for the first time.

• 1 Pleasure Beach to Cleveleys every 15 minutes (4 buses)
• 2 Bus Staton to Poulton every hour (1 bus)
• 6 Mereside to Grange Park every 30 minutes (3 buses)
• 7 Lytham to Cleveleys every 60 minutes (2 buses)
• 11 St. Annes to Cleveleys every 60 minutes (2 buses)
• 14 Bus Station to Fleetwood every hour (2 buses with 26)
• 26 Bus Station to South Pier every hour (sharing 2 buses with 14) - this became route 2 in 2002

A spell of mixed double and single deck operation resulted with New Years Day 2003 seeing 6 Atlanteans (352/3/55/62 on the 1 and 358/9 on the linked 2/14); 6 Deltas (green 102 on the 2 to Poulton, branded 108, 116 and 117 on the 6 and branded 125 and 128 on the 7). Line 11 used two branded Olympians (378 and 379).

January 1st 2004 saw a return to full double deck operation Orange Olympians 365-367 and 407 ran the 1, Atlantean 364 the 2 (Poulton), 351/5/9 were on the 6, 352/63 ran the 7 while Olympians including 369 operate the 11 and the linked 14 and 2 (South Pier) used the two pool liveried Tridents 317/8.

Volvo 376 operates on Line 5 on New Years Day 2010

On New Years Day 2008 Tridents and Olympians shared the Line 1 duties with 333, 334 and 369 noted. Delta 124 appeared on the Poulton workings on the 2; 318/9 maintained the pool Trident tradition on the 14 and the South Pier 2s. Olympians ran on the 6 and 7 with Tridents 324 and 330 on Line 11. The following year saw the South Pier leg of Line 2 dropped with Line 14 extended to Freeport. This was much to the relief of the drivers who only had 33 minutes for the North Station to South Pier run and 40 each way for the Fleetwood run! The revisions allowed a more robust 2 hour round trip on the 14.

For 2009/10 an additional two buses were added to the network - these allowed the 11 to increase to every 30 minutes. Line 1 was reduced to every 20 minutes (3 buses) and the remainder of Line 2 was dropped. Line 5 (Halfway House to Hospital) provided a replacement service to the Hospital though quite inefficiently with over 30 minutes layover scheduled. Olympians provided the 5 and 6 services, branded Tridents operated on the 1, 11 and 14 with pool Tridents on the 7. 

2010/1 saw a further revision reflecting the post Metro era. The 6 - barely changed since 1993 has gone and the 9 has been added to the roster.  18 buses are required comprising:

• 1 Corporation Street to Cleveleys every 30 minutes (2 buses)
• 1A Corporation Street to Burlington Road West every 30 minutes (2 buses)
• 5 Hospital to Halfway House every 30 minutes (2 buses)
• 7 Lytham to Cleveleys every 60 minutes (2 buses)
• 9 Clifton Street 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)

Not all vehicles were observed today, but Tridents were noted on all except the 1A which had at least one Volvo single decker out providing full low floor coverage.

Exit the 18, enter the 78

January 30 2011 will see the introduction of new service 78 between St. Annes and Wesham replacing route 18 and the contracted extension of the 7 from Lytham to Wesham. Coastal Coaches has won the tender for new service 78 which represents a considerable increase in its bus operations from 3 on the 76 to 7 on the 76 and 78. The 78 will be routed to serve the Sainsbury's store next to St. Annes Station, the Victoria Hotel (to serve St. Albans Road Shops) and also reinstate the service to South Hey. The linkage also reinstates the link to Lytham Health Centre/Hospital from the St. Annes housing estates. A half hourly Monday-Saturday daytime and hourly Sunday daytime service will be provided. An hourly evening service will run from Wesham to Lytham only. It is not yet clear if the evening service 17/18 contract held by Blackpool Transport will continue in its current form, though LCC imply that the entire 18 service is withdrawn.

As a result Blackpool Transport will terminate Line 7 at Saltcotes Road and this will hopefully allow it to increase capacity as the reduction to Solos appears to have coincided with an increase in passenger numbers. If so this would allow the removal of the two peak only double deck duplicates and in addition to the four vehicles release from the 18 withdrawal the Wesham withdrawal could enable a further fleet reduction. The changes will remove Blackpool Transport services from South Park where until the summer it provided a commercial 15 minute frequency service.

Merry Christmas

Coastal Coaches Solo 'Miss Hannah' braves the cold on Monday 20 December on service 76 at Saltcotes Road

Compliments of the season from the Fylde Bus Blog. This is the 160th post since April 2009 including news and articles. Most of the photos - including these three - have been provided by my father Brian Turner, and others by James Millington. Thanks also go to the people who have supplied news and sightings over the last 20 months or so. Fortunately there is plenty more material for the new year!


Solo 246 awaits departure from Lytham Square on Line 7




Sister Solo 286 turns into Park Street on a diverted service 18 working, presumably avoiding South Park



Fleet Review 2010



A last look at the Optare Delta. The 23 in service at the start of 2010 had all been withdrawn by the end of November.

 2010 was a year of transformation in the Blackpool Transport fleet as major service changes saw the starting fleet reduce from 172 to 160 at the end of the year. The year started with 72 double deckers - (36 Tridents, 32 Olympians and 4 open top Olympians), 40 single deckers (23 Deltas and 17 Excels) and 60 minibuses (57 Solos and 3 Metroriders). A further Trident (338) was being prepared for service having been acquired way back in October 2008. 13 withdrawn buses were in store; Delta 124, Atlantean 364, Metroriders 503, 505-507, 511-513 and 593 and Open Toppers 813, 844 and 849.


Trident 338 finally entered service on 5 January - 443 days after its ill fated delivery run. It is seen here on Line 14 having lost its Line 1 branding

 The net reduction in the fleet of ten masks a transformation as 17 vehicles were acquired. Two more ex Blue Triangle Dennis Tridents arrived, 341 in February and 340 in March - the latter like 338 having failed on delivery! A further Trident - 342 from South Lancs Transport - arrived in April. All three entered service in August.


New Volvo 529 heads down Station Road on a diverted Line 1 working

 No less than 14 Volvo B7RLE single deckers arrived - 9 (525-33) purchased brand new in August featuring Plaxton Centro bodies which took-over from Tridents on Line 1 on 6 September. The other five had Wright bodies and were acquired from Anglian Buses which was a drawn out affair. First mooted in the spring, two arrived in July and three in September with entry into service in October (520/2/4) and November (521/3).


The demise of the Deltas saw the last Line 11 examples withdrawn in September - 118 puts in a rare appearance on Line 17 on Clitheroe Road - a section of route now served by Line 18

On the debit side the 17 new buses (and 338) released 30 others for withdrawal. First down was Delta 103 due to a major engine failure around February. The July changes saw off the rest of the Line 6 batch (104-109, 112-114) and also 116. 115 followed in August and the other Line 11 buses (118/9, 122, 125-7, 132/3) in September. The pool liveried buses outlived these with 101/2 retired in October and 123 at the end of November.


With just two weeks to go before retirement, 515 poses in front of a confusion of architectural shapes on Corporation Street

Metrorider 515 was withdrawn in the early Spring, but returned to use in May to replace sister 517 which had failed. 515 last operated on its dedicated Line 15 on Sunday 25 July, but did appear as a route learning bus the following day but was soon withdrawn. Sole survivor 518 last ran on Line 10 on Saturday 24 July and settled down to a new role on the Department of Work and Pensions works contract - though it did work a duty on Line 3 in August. Sister 512 has been in use as a mess room for the tramway overhead crew following a repaint in all-over yellow.


Olympian 366 leaves St Bedes School in Lytham. It was withdrawn in April having been purchased  in October 1986 to replace three fire damaged Atlanteans

The first Olympian withdrawals saw the end of the three ex West Yorkshire examples 365-367 in April after over 23 years service. 367 had been laid up for a while with engine problems but the other pair were still in regular service. 401 and 403 became the first ex Trents to be withdrawn in October.

Blackpool Transport has kept the scrap dealers busy starting with the disposal of fire damaged Delta 124 to Inglemere Metals of Marton in May. After this Parton's of Barnsley became the chosen destination with 103/5/14 collected in August, with 13 more in September: 104/7-9, 112/3, 115/6, 506/11/5/7/93 and 118 in November. Busworks purchased Metroriders 503, 505, 507 and 513 for spares - save 505 which has been converted to an unglazed tour bus for the Scilly Isles. Deltas 109 and 127 have gone to a food packaging firm for staff transport and open toppers 844 and 849 are now with Alpine in Llandudno.


Solo 290 was the first vehicle to operate in the new livery

2010 also marked the end of the Metro livery. Excel 219 was painted into Pool livery and Tridents 310/1 into Line 14 livery - the latter being the last so treated. 17 buses have so far received the new livery with Excels 211/4/24, Solos 288-290/3, Tridents 330-335, 337 and 340-2 treated. The 14 acquired Volvos are also in the new livery.

Refurbishment work on Optare Excels continues with 219 returning to service in February; 215 around June. 214 became the final new to Blackpool example to be treated with work starting in March. It was repainted in June. It was collected by Cummins in August and returned in November but has yet to return to use, though it has just been relicensed. Sister 224 has also been repainted and collected by Cummins and is currently under refurbishment.

Sole surviving Atlantean 364 was retaxed for the summer, appearing at totallyTransport in June and at several events since. It has not operated in service.

The fleet ended the year with 71 double deckers (one fewer = 40 Tridents, 27 Olympians and 4 open toppers). The single decker fleet has dropped by 9 with 31 buses (17 Excels, 14 Volvos) and the minibus fleet now totals 57 Solos and 1 Metrorider. 16 withdrawn buses remain in store (Deltas 101/2, 119, 122/3, 125/6, 132/3, Atlantean 364, Olympians 365-7, 401/3, Open Toppers 813) while 512 is still in use with the overhead crew.


Trident 340 arrived in March, was converted to single door and entered service in August in the new fleet livery


December 2010 fleet summary.
New Fleet livery: Excels 211/4/24, Solos 288-290/3, Tridents 330-335, 337, 340-342, Volvos 520-533 (31)
Old Pool Livery: Excels 218-223, Solos 261-264, 273-283, Tridents 317-9, Olympians 370-378 (33)
Line 1 Orange/Yellow: Tridents 336, 338/9, 368/9, 402, 404-17 (20)
Line 2 Green/Yellow: Solos 240-247, 249, 284-287, 294 (14)
Line 3 Blue/Yellow: Solos 258-260, 295-7 (6)
Line 4 Cadbury Blue/Yellow: Solos 265-269, 271/2 (7)
Line 5 Red/Yellow: Solos 248, 250-257 (9)
Line 7 Purple/Yellow: Excels 210/2/3/5-7, 225/6 (8)
Line 10 Grey/Yellow: Metrorider 518 (1)
Line 11 Turquoise/Yellow: Tridents 322-329, Olympian 379 (9)
Line 14 Dark Green/Yellow: Tridents 301-316 (16)
Line 16 Lt Blue/Yellow: Solos 291/2 (2)
City Sightseeing: Olympians 818, 857/8, 873 (4)