Oakwood Travel Services Ltd

[ratty]

As you are all aware, Classic Bus North West has been placed in to administration. All the CBNW licences have been returned, and the 22 and the Private Hires are now operated under the Oakwood banner. Indeed the 22 has always been licensed under the Oakwood banner. So perhaps its time for a new start on this forum so here goes.

[ratty]

The situation as of today.
The following vehicle are remaining 2x open toppers (Big Mommas), Olympians 269, 325, 701, 915. Darts 162, 163, 143, 145,512,533,652, B6's 601 and 611. RML 887, Blackpool 529, Lytham 19,are being kept for private hires, and RM1583, (ex Blackpool 521)and Ribble 1995 are to be prepared for what is quite a buoyant season.
Currently 162 and 611 are away being prepared for MOT, 611 will not enter service, however, until it has been away for a repaint in a new colour scheme. 163 and 143 are scheduled to go away next. 652 is having accident repair done and should be back in service in the next two weeks, as should 533, which is currently receiving attention to its engine.
For now the 22 and hires is all we are doing, there is only a possibility that the Red Rocket will return at Easter, we will have to see on that one.

[driver6540]

Would i be correct in assuming the remaining vehicles will be adorned with Oakwood fleet names?. Although aware of the history and business activities, hence the name CBNW, i always thought the name was something of a misnomer when applied to Dennis Darts, Volvo Olympians, B6BLE's, and the Citaro bendi's. Fair enough, suitable and apt when used by Routemaster's trundling down the prom, but the latter are hardly "Classic Buses" (maybe in 30/40 years time), but not now. BTW was the Red-Rocket a successful service before it's curtailment?. I ask because ive seen contrasting reports regarding this, some say yay, some say nay.

[driver6540]

Apparently, Oakwood have acquired a Volvo B7TL/ALX400 on loan to trial on the 22 and Red Rocket routes. It's posted on the CBNW Blogspot.

[i901]

Mar 12, 2014 23:35:26 GMT 1 driver6540 said:

Apparently, Oakwood have acquired a Volvo B7TL/ALX400 on loan to trial on the 22 and Red Rocket routes. It's posted on the CBNW Blogspot.

W139 OEN

[ratty]

Evening all. Well its all going on here at the moment. Firstly, Darts 162/3 and 143 are to make a return to service along with B6 611. The plan to buy 6 of the B6's fell through. A start has been made on the repainting of the fleet for the 22's, based on the Cardiff livery. 143 being the first recipient, before its MOT. You can see it on Flickr www.flickr.com/photos/davidumpleby/1314486445 & www.flickr.com/photos/davidumpleby/13143422574. Next will be 163(ex Bispham High School advert livery), followed by either 162 (MOT passed) or 611. Only then will a start be made on the current vehicles that are running. CBNW lettering has been removed from some vehicles but certainly not all, as the driver who is the painter is currently located off site on the painting programme.
A new vehicle to join us is Volvo B7 W139 OEN (VA 103), the official line is that it is here for about a month on fuel trials to see if it is more economical than the likes of 898, 325 and the recently departed 915. However, its MOT has run out, and so will not make an appearance for a couple of weeks. Mention has been made by t'boss that we may be getting another Dart, but not definite yet, and if the trial with the B7 is considered a success, then there will probably be another purchased.
In the meantime, the service is being handled by 145, 652, 611, 512, 533, and MAL 53, with occasional forays by 898 and 325. Private Hires are dealt with by RML 887, Blackpool PD 529, and Lytham PD 19.
Big Momma 69 is being prepared for Easter, and its sister 326 is also to be prepared, as is ex Lothian 269, whilst on the private hire side RM 1583(ex Blackpool 521) and Ribble VR 1997 are being prepared. Also being worked on, but off site are MAL 41 and MAL 49, and 611. It is also hoped that by June the Lytham St Annes Lion will be ready to use on smaller, local hires.
There have been departures as well. Binky (RM 1568), Olympian 324, which has gone to Red Bus Days of Keighley, Optare Delta 131, and Olympian 915 ( on sale on E bay by its owner).
On the services side, the 22 is probably just about back to its pre disaster days, carrying about 1200 per day. The Rocket is scheduled to lift off again at Easter, some lessons have been learned in the operation of it, but if everything is done right then it should be ok. The 12's start at Easter, only operating between Cabin and the Pleasure Beach, and only on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays until the end of May, when it will go daily. However, due to the news that the ENCTS concession on the trams is to cease for 'out of towners' from the 1st of April, t'boss has said he will definitely maintain a watching brief on the happenings and action if deemed necessary. There are currently no plans to extend to other services as yet. But never say never.
Finally, there is an as yet confirmed rumour that the 12 on Totally Transport Day will for that day only be a heritage running day, basically using the hire fleet as part of the attraction, which if it is true will probably mean me lugging PD 529 around again. When I get the opportunity I will find out.So that is it for now, as things progress I will report back.

[ratty]

Just to update everybody before the Easter Hols. Two buses have been painted in the new livery, which is not unlike Cardiff's livery. These are Darts 143 and 163, of which 143 has had a couple of bodywork alterations and 163 has lost it's yellow and blue advert for Bispham High School. However, both require MOT' ing in the next couple of weeks.
Of interest to Yorkshire readers is that ex Harrogate 601 is currently in paint, expected release next Friday, and that will probably be the first one to run in the new colours.
Olympian 701 has been returned to the road probably as paint cover, but also to warm it up for the prom service that starts on Good Friday. The Red Rocket is also starting at Easter, with a reduced service from last year, but it is still using the Bendies.
Also in the paint shop is ex Stagecoach Dennis Dart 33396 (R356 LER), which is ex Cambus, ex Stagecoach Yorkshire (at Chesterfield, I can't remember when it moved from Derbyshire to Yorkshire!!!), and I would expect ex Stagecoach 33447 ex Western Scottish, ex Stagecoach South Coast to be there too. They were actually purchased today. I also gather that Dart 145 has been taken to the Paint shop tonight for painting, which is a shame really because its paintwork is still as good as new, but it is off the road at the moment anyway, which is probably why it is being done.
Most of this has happened this week whilst I have been off work moving house from an address actually on the route to one near it but not on it, so I cannot see the daily happenings. I do know that RML 887 has been a semi permanent regular on one trip a day, the 1140 from Tesco, 1240 from Cleveleys, this is while the bendy driver has a lunch break, but if t'boss or another driver who has been trained for them is about, the Bendy carries on, on that duty.
Finally, courtesy of our Traffic Manager, I can confirm that it is the intention on the weekend of the Totally Transport weekend, to run a heritage service on similar lines to last year on the 22 on the Saturday, and on the Sunday the Heritage operation will switch to the Prom service. Vehicles expected to be used include Ribble VR 1997, Ribble RE 366, RM 1583, plus others, including one with a Yorkshire link!!!!
Anyway back to work on Monday to see what else has altered, and further details can be found on cbnw.blogspot.co.uk/

[ratty]

Finally, the new fleet livery makes its first appearance tomorrow, and it is ex Harrogate B6 that will launch it, will try to get a shot on my flickr account (cjr4712) before I head off to work. Contrary to my earlier report, Dart 145 has reappeared in red, not the new livery.
Unfortunately, the Red Rocket service is not being restarted until sometime in May, but service 12 will restart at Good Friday, running Sat, Sun and BH only till the end of May. It will then be extended to Cleveleys and become daily until the end of the lights. Dart 143 is just about ready to go back on the road as well.

[ratty]

Got quite a surprise with my cornflakes this morning!! Watching the North West news on BBc's Breakfast programme, I was greeted with the sight of 'Big Momma' 69, (which had re-entered service on Saturday), carrying the promoted Burnley team through the streets of Burnley. No idea that was happening amazing what you miss when you have a day off!!!

[Davidc]

A shame to read of Binkys (RM 1568) departure. It was the first bus I worked as a conductor on the pervious version of the 12 (St Anne's - Lytham), had a soft spot or it since.

Looking forward to the return of the Red Rocket, another chance to get a Citaro on the route having had an Olympian on my previous trip on the route.

[deerfold]

Is there any plan to finish correcting the website which lists contradicting start dates (24 May / Easter)? I'm glad to see you've finally got rid of the misleading comparisons with train times.

[ratty]

Yup, currently the Rocket is not running, there have been problems with its restart, which I am not prepared to discuss in this forum. However, it is very likely that everything will be sorted, and a start date of the 24th of May has come from both the owner and the Operations Managers lips. Indeed MAL 53 reappeared at Brinwell Road today, after its spell away for maintenance, and MAL41 came back a couple of weeks ago. I will pass on the comments about the confusing details Deerfold, got to admit I don't go on the site myself, no real need as such!!!
In the meantime 163 is just about ready for MOT, as is RM1583(521), 269 is about to get a new gearbox, and return to the road. Finally 'new' Dart 356 is due to appear back at Brinwell any day now, and Dart 512 has gone to have its first repaint since purchase 2 years ago, it is believed that 'new' Dart617 will be next.
If I hear of a definite date for the Rocket I will post it as soon as possible, oh and the 12 goes daily from the end of May, with an extension to Cleveleys either then or end of June.

[ratty]

Anybody in Blackpool tomorrow?? Apparently, a bendy bus is going to operate on the sea front.12 servive with the boss at the wheel.

[Davidc]

Oakwood Travel introduced a new route 6 at the start of the week (3rd Nov 14), running every 15 minutes between Blackpool Town Centre and Grange Park Estate via Layton. The route requires 3 buses which have been released from the 12 which finished its operating season the day before.

A little bit of fleet news is that Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL W139EON will enter service soon following the passing of its MOT.

[deerfold]

Anyone know if the TC has made a decision on Oakwood and Red Rocket's extended license applications?

www.route-one.net/legal/decision-awaited-oakwood-red-rocket/

[ratty]

Nov 7, 2014 2:33:03 GMT 1 deerfold said:

Anyone know if the TC has made a decision on Oakwood and Red Rocket's extended license applications?

www.route-one.net/legal/decision-awaited-oakwood-red-rocket/

No she has not, it is two weeks late coming so far and counting, a decision that has taken so far bordering on 12 months. Can't say owt else, hence my silence of late.

[ratty]

The ALX400enters service on the 22 tomorrow or Tuesday. London decals have been removed, not sure yet as to whether it is 139 as in reg. number or VA103 as its fleet number, as the latter has been kept on the bus.