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Post by clifton on May 25, 2012 20:32:09 GMT 1
Getting back to the ex IOM buses I cannot understand why they were not given age appropriate registrations MATCHING WITH THE NEW FLEET NUMBERS. E11-21 BTS should be X343-353 BTS, and 354-363 should be Y354-363 BTS, or something similar. Maybe they weren't available for the right price? Also more personalised reg's tend to only have on 1 or 2 numbers in unless they are 111, 222 etc. The X343BTS etc wouldn't be as obvious as being personalised, which renders the exercise a waste of time. They look more like a normal standard reg.
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Post by sconehead85 on May 25, 2012 21:32:26 GMT 1
lba- Im only mentioning that three open toppers could become 320-322 and the present 322 becoming 300. That involves FOUR vehicles only. Im happy with Blackpool's fleet numbering system. otherwise.
The current refurbs are ex IOM DAFs, nine are due, and there are only nine second hand Leyland Olympians left, three being open toppers. The next option is for another ten similar vehicles (Bus Vannin 54-57, 76-81), so no further Dennis Tridents are likely until the Volvo Olympians go.
clifton - perhaps the ex IOM Tridents could have been X43-53 BTS MATCHING the fleetnumbers.
sconehead85
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ratty
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Post by ratty on May 27, 2012 11:48:31 GMT 1
A comment on another website encouraged me to ask about UWW 5X. As far as is kn own it is still part of the fleet, taxed and ready to roll. It has not, however, run since May the 2nd. One thing that may save it a bit longer of course, is the Open Golf Championship between the 15th and the 22nd of |July, especially,if, as has not been disclosed yet, BT have gained the car park services for the tournament as well.
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Post by sconehead85 on May 27, 2012 17:45:59 GMT 1
Blackpool Transport have registered two shuttles called GO1 and GO2 for the golf tournament.
According to the Fylde Bus Blog UWW 5X has been stood down.
sconehead85
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ratty
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Post by ratty on May 27, 2012 19:53:32 GMT 1
That is why I asked the question, and the above was the answer I got. My friend told me that the situation is not clear, but 365 as far as he is aware is still taxed and runnable, it just has n ot run since the 2/5. He must have slipped up with the original report because he runs the blog. No doubt all will be revealed in the near future. It appears that BT are trying to get rid of the TL11 Olympians at the moment( ex Lothian).
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ratty
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Post by ratty on May 27, 2012 23:31:47 GMT 1
Nice to see that the last bus built by ECW, Blackpool 411 (D967 JJD) has been secured for preservation, and is now resident at Carlton Colville, quite near its birthplace.
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Post by sconehead85 on May 27, 2012 23:53:51 GMT 1
That is why I asked the question, and the above was the answer I got. My friend told me that the situation is not clear, but 365 as far as he is aware is still taxed and runnable, it just has n ot run since the 2/5. He must have slipped up with the original report because he runs the blog. No doubt all will be revealed in the near future. It appears that BT are trying to get rid of the TL11 Olympians at the moment( ex Lothian). And the Gardner engined ones too. Notice how rare Gardner engined buses are becoming too, even though in Blackpool they only go back to about 1984 (Leyland Nationals being the first). sconehead85
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Post by timelesstable on May 28, 2012 7:12:34 GMT 1
That is why I asked the question, and the above was the answer I got. My friend told me that the situation is not clear, but 365 as far as he is aware is still taxed and runnable, it just has n ot run since the 2/5. He must have slipped up with the original report because he runs the blog. No doubt all will be revealed in the near future. It appears that BT are trying to get rid of the TL11 Olympians at the moment( ex Lothian). And the Gardner engined ones too. Notice how rare Gardner engined buses are becoming. sconehead85 Plenty of them in Preservation
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Post by lbaspotter on May 28, 2012 17:13:38 GMT 1
How long do the 1988 built East Lancs Oly's have left in them.
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Post by sconehead85 on May 29, 2012 0:59:31 GMT 1
368 is taxed until 31st October, 373 until 31st December this year, 369-372 are taxed until in this order 31st Mar, 28 Feb and 31st January next year. They could be re-taxed however. I got this from the DVLA Vehicle Registration Search.
Two things could happen. Either the 8xx open toppers could go THIS YEAR, in which case the six will see in 2013. Or 368/73 could go this year in part of the "wash" of DAFs 354-363.
My hunch is that BT will buy Bus Vannin DAF DB250 54-7, 76-81 in full, or perhaps just 76-81 to replace 368-373.
The QUICK answer to your question, lba, is NEXT YEAR.
sconehead85
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Post by westyorkshirebus on May 29, 2012 17:28:54 GMT 1
You do seem overly concerned about the open top buses, you do know that the age of open top buses is generally much older tha normal buses, I can see them being run until the last minute, I doubt they figure in BBT's plans. Old W reg MCW Metrobuses were still pretty common operating open top services across the country only a few years ago.
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Post by sconehead85 on May 29, 2012 18:10:52 GMT 1
I have read that City Sightseeing want to go LF. The next nine DAFs could replace-
a) The last 4xx and the open tops, in which case three will have to be deroofed.
b) The last 4xx and three of 368-373.
To repeat- Blackpool Transport has an option for a further 6-10 Bus Vannin DAFs. As 374-379 are going to last until 2016, the open tops MUST be next. And dont forget, if ex IOM DAFs are de-roofed , these buses are already 10-11 years old- so they are the right age to take over the o/t services.
sconehead85
sconehead85.
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Post by sconehead85 on May 30, 2012 14:31:12 GMT 1
According to VOSA (NW) , Blackpool Transport Line 15 is to be withdrawn wef 21st July. While one or two streets may be unserved, the biggest losers willl be those living in Staining.
Two daytime journeys per hour of Line 5 COULD be extended to cover the section between Victoria Hospital and Staining, but there is no indication of this happening.
sconehead85
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Post by lbaspotter on May 30, 2012 17:44:27 GMT 1
Why don't Blackpool just order brand new double deckers for once !
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Post by sconehead85 on May 30, 2012 18:07:33 GMT 1
lba- I think its due to the sheer number of Leyland Olympians that need replacing urgently because of the Lancashire CC 25-year age limit on school buses (in the Fylde and Wyre council areas), and the cost of buying new prohibitive in the light of the new trams arriving.
If Blackpool wants to maintain a 20-year life span then EIGHT new buses per year are needed.
I dont see any new dds arriving in the near future. The next NEW buses are likely to be those that replace the Optare Solos (V-HEC) and Excels.
sconehead85
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ratty
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Post by ratty on May 30, 2012 18:34:29 GMT 1
What everybody is losing sight of, is four little numbers...2017, this is the date when everything has to be DDA compliant. Because of very low profits in the last couple of years, there has not been the money to reinvest in new tackle. The cost of the new trams came from the £108 million that was comprised of the Government grant, and the remainder made up by LCC and Blackpool Council. So if there had been the profit, new buses would have been bought. That was my understanding of the situation, from internal meetings I attended where the MD was pleading poverty. There is the case of the school buses where a lot of them are ancient relics and needed replacing, but when the previous MD did the fleet renewal calculation, he presumed that school buses were not covered by the regs. It was only when the current MD arrived that a wrong was righted with the purchasing of the IOM stuff. As regards the open top situation, think about this. I believe that Newport, Wales had a CS operation, operated by Newport Transport, it did not last long, and who was the MD of Newport at the time, who quite willingly pulled the plug? Now look at the operation of the CS tour in Blac kpool, it is goin g to operate for about 8 weeks max. If you were the boss would you think that was aprofitable use of resources, and even more to the point, is it really worth the expenditure of low floor open toppers, even ex IOM DAF's? Quick answer no. Probably more chance of the service going completely. Final note, BT has a competitor on the Prom from this Saturday, 2/6, Classic Bus North West are running between Cabin and the Pleasure Beach, using ex Dublin Olympians, and......Routemasters. Every 15 mins from 1000 to 1900.
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Post by lbaspotter on May 30, 2012 23:40:26 GMT 1
Is DDA for passenger use or school buses too.
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Post by sconehead85 on May 31, 2012 0:14:42 GMT 1
The DDA is supposed to be for all normal bus operations bar heritage routes.
ratty- I was aware of this "12" route starting up on Blackpool prom. I think it will be short lived, especially if 2012 is a poor summer.
As for open toppers, you mentioned Newport, South Wales, which cannot be seriously compared with Blackpool, more like Dewsbury or Wigan! In Liverpool an open-top bus runs all year around. There's money in fresh air so it seems, as the driver seems to have the bus to himself!
At some point the Blackpool open toppers have to be replaced. Open toppers have a chequered history in Blackpool, there were a few summers in the 1950s when they ran but then nothing until deregulation. The o/t service cant be tendered because of the trams and Line 1 and the "12" so yes, it is possible Blackpool Transport could scrap the o/t service altogether. Perhaps just ONE open top bus could run a skeleton service with a second on standby.
A pair of partially deroofed 2001 DAFs could last another 10-15 years, whereas the ex London Olympians are coming to the end of their days mechanically and are unsuitable for DDA requirements.
By the end of this year, only the school buses will be step-entrance operated as there should be sufficient LF buses to cover all normal duties.
And the idea is for bus operators is to PREPARE for 2017 WELL IN ADVANCE and not get caught out like a rabbit in the headlights in the 2016 Christmas shopping period!
sconehead85
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Post by lbaspotter on Jun 1, 2012 17:22:56 GMT 1
Do the trams have to be DDA ?
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Post by sconehead85 on Jun 1, 2012 18:03:58 GMT 1
The new ones most certainly are state of the art- lba. I dont know about the heritage fleet though.
sconehead85
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Post by Burnside on Jun 1, 2012 18:08:31 GMT 1
Don't think the Heritage Trams are affected by DDA as 'Heritage' bus services do not have to be.
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Post by westyorkshirebus on Jun 1, 2012 21:21:09 GMT 1
The balloons are now wheelchair accessible so will be ok, the other heritage trams are no longer part of a public service but operate a "tour" so are exempt.
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Post by lbaspotter on Jun 1, 2012 23:16:56 GMT 1
Weren't some rebuilt by East Lancs in the mid 90's ?
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Post by sconehead85 on Jun 1, 2012 23:27:57 GMT 1
One or two were but they spoiled the "streamlined" 1930s appearance of the trams.
I know about 1976/7 a couple of Balloons were modified for driver only operation and the seating capacity raised to 100 (these became 761 and 762). How a lone driver was supposed to cope with a potential crowd was a wonder to behold!
I wonder what happened to the 1985/6 "Centenary" class 641-8? These were the first bespoke driver only trams in Britain, although they looked like buses with electronic paraphenalia. I suppose 25 is a reasonable if short lifespan for these trams.
I must visit the place again soon even if it does damage my finances!
sconehead85
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Jun 2, 2012 17:51:28 GMT 1
Seems my hunch was right. 365, 403,410, currently having wraps for Golf Championship. 405,413,415,416 and 417 are expected to follow. Well isn't that a treat for the people paying £5 for a return ticket to get to the tournament? Just as a matter of interest, what have other operators used on services to the Open? I would have put money on it that nobody in an attempt to encourage them to come back, would have used vintage travel. There are also two East Lancs Olympians to be done making 10 in total. Info from Fylde Bus Blog
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