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Post by sconehead85 on Dec 31, 2012 23:28:12 GMT 1
New Years Resolution
Ten reasonably aged Dennis Dart SLFs to cover the 22 with spares. Volvo Olympians and B10Ms CONFINED TO SCHOOLS.
Sell the VRT to a preservationist as there are no known late ex Crosville VRs preserved.
CBNW oddly enough has introduced the Dennis Dart to Blackpool as I am unaware of any previous Darts running here. On this issue alone feel free to disagree!
Bueno nuevo an(i)o Roland.
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Jan 3, 2013 16:05:07 GMT 1
1) no need for a resolution, 2) Darts are already in hand with more to arrive this month.3)No plans as yet to sell the open top VRT, it is a very popular vehicle when put on the 12, but you never know it could be surplus to requirements come the season, who knows. 4)Blackpool Transport have had Darts on demonstration in the past, and the odd one sneaks in to Blac kpool on the Stagecoach 61/68 services from time to time do these count?
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LukePA
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Post by LukePA on Jan 28, 2013 16:25:10 GMT 1
Any ideas if the Seafront 12 will operate this season? If so are there any enhancements to the route or timetable?
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Jan 29, 2013 10:12:32 GMT 1
Yes it is. I cannot say more here, but all will be revealed very shortly. ( It will have to be for registration purposes!!).The vehicles for it, are not in the fleet yet, but will be shortly. So everybody can start guessing at what they are until they arrive and prove everybody wrong.
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Davidc
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Post by Davidc on Feb 5, 2013 17:01:20 GMT 1
Well I dont think anyone would have been expecting this. I certainly wasn't. cbnw.blogspot.co.uk/#!/2013/02/meet-our-oriental-big-mama.html Tri-axle MCW Metrobus, F326UJNAlso, a second ALX200 bodied Dart has joined the fleet. Former Metroline Dart DA143, T143AUA, has joined its sister DA145 which has just entered service.
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Post by sconehead85 on Feb 6, 2013 2:07:34 GMT 1
2013 will have to be a good summer to fill that up!
I think CBNW should take over the City Sightseeing service in Blackpool as its pointless having that and the 12 competing.
Is this INSTEAD of the Routemasters or alongside of them?
sconehead85
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Davidc
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Post by Davidc on Feb 6, 2013 16:45:24 GMT 1
I dont think their going to have much trouble filling it. The VR and the open top Routemaster both proved very popular last year and often ran full, so the demand is there.
Finalised plans for the 12 are still not known. The fleet of Routemasters has reduced in recent months as some of the privately owned ones have moved on or been sold off. I would think the remaining examples will see use on the 12 as their part of the route. There's no point in running the 12 with a full fleet of standard buses all the time, that would just be a standard service in direct competition with Blackpool Transport and the Trams.
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Post by driver6540 on Feb 6, 2013 22:54:33 GMT 1
Im sure our mate ratty will keep us in the know. When Chris gets to know, he'll give us the heads up.
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Feb 7, 2013 0:44:21 GMT 1
Funny you should say that Mac, I knew of this last week, but the boss wants to keep things quiet for now, but being such a monster, ( the bus that is) he decided to go public with it, especially when it was being photographed last Friday, by enthusiasts who had found out and turned up at Brinwell Road!!! By the way, when I get a minute, there will be pictures of it at Big Bus Tours before departure, and en route to Blackpool, it was me who was despatched to Wimbledon to bring it back last Thursday, so anybody on the M40/M6 will have seen it en route. The Dart will enter service in white with a red front in 1 - 2 weeks time, one or two repairs to carry out yet. Service 12 has been registered, and will appear in N&P in the very near future, only then will the story of service 12 be told, honest.
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Feb 14, 2013 11:20:05 GMT 1
OK, the story so far. Service 12 HAS been registered. It WILL NOT be running to ST Annes, it WILL be running to Cleveleys. What will be used on it, has not come out yet, ( although any Einsteins will have attempted to work it out), but the intention is for the RM's to be used very largely on private hires only. As for service 22, 143 should enter service hopefully this week, after a couple of bits of work being done, and there is another Dart to come making 7 in total. It is also expected that a couple of the deckers will have new advert wraps applied shortly 324/5, 269 is another story, there are a couple of trains of thought with this, very popular with the drivers bus. Finally, 899 should be back on the road imminently, with a new MOT.
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Feb 14, 2013 22:56:08 GMT 1
Unfortunately, I have been day off yesterday and today, and the boss has very much caught me out with the following cbnw.blogspot.co.uk, so book the 25th of May (bank holiday weekend) in your diaries, come along and join in the fun.
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LukePA
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Post by LukePA on Feb 25, 2013 18:49:06 GMT 1
PC1108899/4 - CLASSIC BUS NORTH WEST LIMITED, 1 BRINWELL ROAD OFFICES, SOUTH SHORE, BLACKPOOL, FY4 4QU Registration Accepted Starting Point: Blackpool Pleasure Beach Finish Point: Cleveleys Via: Tower, North Pier Service Number: 12 Service Type: Normal Stopping Effective Date: 29-MAR-2013 Other Details: Daily service
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Feb 27, 2013 21:33:17 GMT 1
Well GC got to admit that I missed the registration in N&P, but did know it had gone in. Boss still not told the full story of what is happening as yet, but it should 'be out' in the very near future. Blackpool Transport have also registered the 20 to run from Marton Mere Caravan Club via the Town Centre to the Pleasure Beach every 30 minutes, presumably with the City Sightseeing stock. Going to be interesting. BTW, the open top ex Crosville VR has left the fleet, but has been replaced by the ex Cardiff VR that has been on loan from CBNW to Crosville of Weston Super Mare for the last year. Another MetroBus is on its way up North, and another ex MetroLine Dart has arrived, but needs some remedial work before entering service. In the meantime, I keep getting the job of taking Olympians with off side door/fuel tank conversions, to Blackburn for painting,( where incidentally last week was Centrebus 776 awaiting repair, and a KUI registered single deck of K Line), and to Big Bus in South Wimbledon ready for despatch to America. Finally, from Sunday 5th of May we are to launch an hourly Sunday service on the Catch 22's, due more than anything to public demand.
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Davidc
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Post by Davidc on Mar 6, 2013 13:01:47 GMT 1
CBNW have taken ex Go-Ahead London Central Mercedes Citaro bendy bus BD52LNF for a 1 month loan. The bus will not be used in public service. Its intended use is not mentioned on the CBNW blog.
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Mar 6, 2013 17:31:10 GMT 1
I'm afraid nor will it be for a good while. I do know,it is a project that the boss has been developing for some time now. However, I am under very strict instructions to say nowt, when things are ready to go public, then unless the blog(which is done by the boss) beats me to it, then I will let you know the news. What I can say, is, that it IS NOT a response to the Flexity2 trams!!!!!!!!!
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Post by sconehead85 on Mar 6, 2013 22:05:41 GMT 1
I h ave suggested that Blackpool Transport purchase some artics for Line 1 in the past, originally as Leyland Olympian replacements. I suppose they could replace double deckers to take over Excel duties, with the latter replacing older Solos.
As for CBNW its obvious they want the large open toppers to run the 12 as DRIVER ONLY to cut costs. As for the artics I think it depends on street width where they can run. BTW the ex Crosville Bristol VRT has beeen sold to the Weston-Super-Mare based "Crosville". Sorry, but there was only one CROSVILLE[ sconehead85
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Mar 7, 2013 9:11:45 GMT 1
I am told that they are relatives of the creator of Crosville, which is why they bought the name, how true that is I could not say. But yes, there was only one Crosville. Whats this ArticS business, there is only one, but feel free to keep guessing.
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Post by driver6540 on Mar 7, 2013 20:42:30 GMT 1
All good stuff coming from CBNW at the moment, Thanks for posting ratty. BTW, any more Big Mama's coming?. And the two already there, are they to be painted red?.
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Mar 9, 2013 21:42:19 GMT 1
Not too sure on the eventual outcome of the Big Momas, seem to remember the boss saying something about the external livery on these, but this all hinges on discussions taking place regarding advertising. Apparently discussions are at quite a vital stage, so I am not prepared at this moment in time to say for definite. Some of it is linked to an excercise regarding the Artic. As regards the Big Mamas, I have for a while been taking Olympian variants that have had near side to off side conversions done for the American market, back to Big Bus at Wimbledon for export. So, to be fair, they are not exactly new, but are the first ones for our use. The latest one to arrive is 69 F69 FYE, which I turned up with on Thursday, its actual arrival being delayed by a mechanical problem on the way North. Finally, for now, we nearly had a tram in the bus depot yesterday!!!..................... Coronation 304 returned from Beamish, unfortunately the trailer could not get in to the Depot ( restrictions of space), so after intense negotiation, the tram is now in secure storage elsewhere. I am actually quite relieved, because I would have lost about 3 bus parking places as a consequence, 6 places if you include the Artic. The Depot is quite full now.
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Post by sconehead85 on Mar 25, 2013 21:38:44 GMT 1
The 12 starts on Friday. Anyone fancy a top deck ride, given the current weather forecast? CBNW should get a Peugeot E7 or Mercedes Benz Sprinter to cope with the likely demand until the weather warms up!
sconehead85
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Mar 26, 2013 12:03:36 GMT 1
Simple answer really, there is absolutely no intention of using any open toppers at Easter, because they are not ready to roll yet. I believe that the latest date is June for the entry in to service and possibly a little later, this was indeed the original plan anyway.
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Post by sconehead85 on Mar 27, 2013 1:42:17 GMT 1
I sometimes think the promenade open top services start too early. EYMS in Scarborough are starting their open-top services this week as well. I dont think there will be many takers for that either. I thought the 12 was an open top- or Routemaster operation. Of course a year ago in late March the temperatures were 15-18 deg C compared to 3-5 degC compounded by strong easterly winds this year. I suppose aDart MPD could do the 12 for the cold weeks, although that wasnt what this route was meant to be about!
sconehead85
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Post by dwarfer1979 on Mar 27, 2013 9:28:29 GMT 1
I sometimes think the promenade open top services start too early. EYMS in Scarborough are starting their open-top services this week as well. I dont think there will be many takers for that either. I thought the 12 was an open top- or Routemaster operation. Of course a year ago in late March the temperatures were 15-18 deg C compared to 3-5 degC compounded by strong easterly winds this year. I suppose aDart MPD could do the 12 for the cold weeks, although that wasnt what this route was meant to be about! sconehead85 As you say the weather last year was quite pleasant (and not that unusual) and an open-topper down the seafront would have been quite an attraction, this year the weather is not as good. Since services have to be registered 2-months in advance you can't account for the weather and once it is registered the Traffic Commisioners are not going to accept, "Well it was a bit chilly" as an excuse for cancellation at short notice or non-operation so once it is registered it has to run. It is quite common in touristy areas like Blackpool or Scarborough to commence these sort of seasonal services for the Easter Holidays (either as the start of the season or as a special service period for the holidays and then stop operating until some point in May). The Easter holidays, if they can get good weather, can actually be a profitable period for services of this sort - with the weather we have this year it clearly is going to be a financial hole.
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Post by Burnside on Mar 27, 2013 11:09:40 GMT 1
Don't Shoreline Suncruisers operate Scarborough's Sea Front service all year round?
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Post by sconehead85 on Mar 27, 2013 15:03:55 GMT 1
Tim- No its a seasonal service.
dwarfer1979- I suppose its a gamble but as the 12 is a promenade service with Blackpool Transports Line 1 and the trams running an all year round service I am surprised that a "weather permitting" caveat cannot be attached to the licence. Such a caveat could not apply to their 22 route however. Any open topper running in current weather will simply be carrying icy but fresh air.
sconehead85
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