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Post by driver6540 on Apr 19, 2012 19:57:07 GMT 1
For those interested, two more Daf Lowlanders have now arrived at Blackburn for refurbishment, making a total of three there now. Two more Lolynes have arrived at Blackpool ready for use from Blackburn. These are numbered 347/8 and could possibly be in service next month. 349/50 are understood to be nearly ready for dispatch. This means there should be just three Lolynes 351/2/3 at Blackburn currently under refurbishment.
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Matty
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Post by Matty on Apr 19, 2012 20:16:08 GMT 1
They still have bench seats upstairs, not very good if you ask me.
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Post by driver6540 on Apr 20, 2012 18:22:01 GMT 1
They still have bench seats upstairs, not very good if you ask me. Remember, we're talking BT here, Tight budget's etc.
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Post by driver6540 on Apr 20, 2012 19:02:27 GMT 1
Just to clarify, Blackpool Transport have bought 22 buses from Bus Vannin and not 21 as i have previously posted. 11 Trident's/ELC Lolyne's and 11 DAF DB250's?/ELC Lowlander's. Originally the target was to have them all in service before the end of this year, but that now appear's rather ambitious given only 4 Lolynes are now in service, however the remaining Lolynes are ready to roll and could be on the road within the next few weeks. The Lowlanders should go through Blackburn quicker as they already have the newer Myllenium front end and wont require them retro-fitting like the Lolynes have done. On a different note, Im informed two of the A reg Olympian's/ECW were brought out of store last month and operated a couple of "main line" routes. Nice to hear when this happen's, but will be a thing of the past as more newer buses arrive.
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Matty
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Post by Matty on Apr 20, 2012 19:44:01 GMT 1
Are the Tridents the original Lolynes with the front end rebuilt or are they Myllenium Lolynes with just new lights fitted?
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Danny
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Post by Danny on Apr 20, 2012 19:46:32 GMT 1
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Matty
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Post by Matty on Apr 20, 2012 19:48:12 GMT 1
Thats what I thought, they must have had a reet rebuild
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Post by MetrolineGA1511 on Apr 21, 2012 15:35:09 GMT 1
When I go to Blackpool in October, I shall make sure I ride an example of both a Trident or a DAF. I shall have other buses to catch up on, and of course the new trams.
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Post by driver6540 on Apr 22, 2012 21:30:31 GMT 1
Are the Tridents the original Lolynes with the front end rebuilt or are they Myllenium Lolynes with just new lights fitted? They are the old type Lolynes and have a full Myllenium front end fitted. The one pictured above on the IOM, posted by Danny Bus Vannin no 75 is now at Rigby Rd in its new guise as BT 350.
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Post by driver6540 on Apr 22, 2012 21:37:26 GMT 1
347/348 entered service this weekend, These are reg'd E14/15 BTS. All the other Tridents save for 353 should be now at Rigby Rd.
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Post by sconehead85 on Apr 23, 2012 0:39:55 GMT 1
Stagecoach will shortly lose the contract for route 74 , leaving Fleetwood depot with only 84, 86 and the odd 68C college bus to Preston.
As service 84 is largely curtailed Poulton-Fleetwood, surely it would be more economical to sell these routes to Blackpool Transport?
Only seven vehicles would be involved, and Stagecoach would still have a Blackpool presence on routes 42, 61 and 68. Only Fleetwood outstation is involved.
The 84 could merge with the existing Line 2 to provide a facility similar to previously. Route 86 could become Line 18, connecting with 89 at Knott End.
Seven Stagecoach Tridents could be acquired even if not used on the above routes.
sconehead85
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Post by driver6540 on Apr 27, 2012 21:15:43 GMT 1
It is confirmed that 353 is now at Rigby Rd. This complete's the delivery of all the Lolyne's from the IOM. Up to press only 343-348 have entered service, however the other's debut's should be imminent. Only a matter of time now before the first Lowlander reaches Rigby Rd.
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ratty
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Post by ratty on May 2, 2012 15:09:11 GMT 1
349 (E16 BTS) in service today, 350 - 353 (E17 - 20BTS) taxed and ready to roll. 410 (D967 JDD) and 416 (A720 YFS) now retired. However, of interest to this forum, 365, the former WYPTE 5005 is still plodding its way round the Fylde coast on schools.
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ratty
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Post by ratty on May 2, 2012 15:20:48 GMT 1
Having left BTS last year, the memory not too clear, but certainly the national scheme was in operation on the tramway from the restart at Easter 2011, ccould be earlier. It always seemed that this act was brought in without a great deal of thought, and here was a classic example. However, the Lancashire consortium, could have allowed it right from the start, it involves politics between the councils and the operators. Final agreement only being reached in time for the 2011 season, when the remuneration sytem was changed to the council where your journey started, instead of where you lived. Strangely, the Fleetwood to Knott End Ferry is , or was in the scheme as well!!Think about it, though,if you lived in Burnley, say, would you be happy for your council to contribute to tram passengers in Blackpool?
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Post by driver6540 on May 2, 2012 21:14:47 GMT 1
350/1 E17/18 BTS entered service today. As ratty say's, 352/3 E19/20 BTS are taxed and should be out very shortly, thus completing all the batch of 11 Lolyne's from Bus Vannin. Added to the list of withdrawal's should be Olympian/ECW 408 A708 DAU. Unfortunately only one Olympian/Roe (ex-WY) still remains, this being 365 UWW 5X. The other two, 366/7 UWW11/15X are now reported as being scrapped at Barnsley.
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Post by sconehead85 on May 3, 2012 1:59:13 GMT 1
I wonder what plans there are to replace the open top Leyland Olympians? 368-373 are probably too old for conversion. I suspect three Tridents from elsewhere could be acquired for the 2013 summer season.
sconehead85
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ratty
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Post by ratty on May 3, 2012 8:02:49 GMT 1
Not quite sure what the situation is nowadays re City sightseeing. It was of course run as a franchise, so CS had a lot of say in the vehicles provided. Perhaps Mr 6540 may have a clue. I do know from meetings that I attended at the inception, that it was taken on as a source of defence on the prom, but has now been altered so much, that it could hardly be called a tour anymore, and is basically another prom bus to go with the line 1 and now the new trams. With the changes comes the ridiculous situation that you pay more for a CS day ticket than you do for a BT ticket. However, the CS service only ran between 1000 and 1700, I think it was, so what use was the CS day ticket? Whilst writing this, have visited both the CS and BT websites. On the BT, there is no mention at all of the CS, and on the CS there is the 2011 details only. One thing to bear in mind, is the prescence of the Golf Open Championship at Royal Lytham ( which is in St Annes!!!), and BT are advertising extra services on their website, so could the CS fleet have a 4-5 day season this year?
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Post by www.buseireann.ie on May 3, 2012 8:13:40 GMT 1
I thought the city sightseeing bus (line 20) had the added difference of serving Blackpool Zoo which no other bus served or is line 20 not the cs route?
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ratty
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Post by ratty on May 3, 2012 8:31:03 GMT 1
It used to be, the Zoo and Marton Mere bit was hacked off probably 2 years ago, and the line 20 became a 'normal' route, largely using Olympians from the schools/line 1 stable. Last year on the few occaisions that the CS serice ran, it ran from Town Centre to St Annes Square along the front. Got to admit, it only seemed to have a handful or even nobody on whenever I passed it on a tram
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ratty
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Post by ratty on May 3, 2012 8:49:34 GMT 1
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Post by Arriva Wakefield on May 3, 2012 12:33:24 GMT 1
Report in the Blackpool Gazette re the Isle of Man buses. Love the posts underneath, especially the rant from the taxi driver, who of course never do anything like illegally poach passengers from bus and tramstops. Talk about people in glasshouses!! I wonder how many people in Blackpool think they are getting nice fairly new second hand Gemini's??? www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/blackpool-turns-to-island-for-buses-1-4509195And yet these vehicles are probably newer than the Ex London Tridents were when they arrived in Blackpool. The fact that Blackpool are getting 22 low floor double decks (most of which will be refurbished before entry to service!) should be appreciated by the passengers.
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ratty
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Post by ratty on May 3, 2012 18:38:18 GMT 1
Whilst not doubting that they are newer than the London Tridents were, and indeed, they will ALL be refurbished, the good old Blackpool Gazette has made a poor choice of picture. The furthest forward and most prominent of the 2 vehicles is the Gemini,not the Myllenium at the rear of the shot. Hence my point.
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Post by Arriva Wakefield on May 3, 2012 20:40:54 GMT 1
Whilst not doubting that they are newer than the London Tridents were, and indeed, they will ALL be refurbished, the good old Blackpool Gazette has made a poor choice of picture. The furthest forward and most prominent of the 2 vehicles is the Gemini,not the Myllenium at the rear of the shot. Hence my point. Will they all be refurbished? It would be nice if they were, but I had heard that the DAFs were only getting a repaint before entering service.
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ratty
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Post by ratty on May 3, 2012 21:14:21 GMT 1
I am led to believe that the only difference in refurb, is that the DAF's will n ot have new front ends, as they already have the Myllenium front. The article in the Gazette says approx £50K per bus, and also says 15 are being purchased, when its been common knowledge that the figure is 22 for some time now. There is certainly 3 DAF's that are at Blackburn, these are 93/5/7. What I have heard, is that BT have options on further withdrawals in the IOM for more than what they have purchased so far. What these would replace, if true, is anybody's guess, although after the latest cull, there will still be 368-379 left that are not DDA'd. The Volvo's will be the last Olympians as they have recently been fitted with seat belts, had repaints ( except 374), and interior work for school contracts.
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Post by sconehead85 on May 4, 2012 0:20:06 GMT 1
I think that another batch may be needed to replace 368-373 and the o/ts. These will be the last link with Leyland, and I hope one is saved. 374-9 could go on until 2016.
The next oldest Bus Vannin dds are DAFs 54-7, 76-81 of 2002. (380-389?) . If BT buys these then three may be deroofed as o/t replacements.
I would have thought the Optare Excels would be next out but these have been overhauled so the next out will be the remaining V-HEC Optare Solos (267-276).
sconehead85
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