Catch 22 bus

[ratty]

It was decided in December to rename Oakwood Travel as Catch 22 Bus to reflect on the trading name. As you are all aware the 6 started on the 3rd of November and is proving to be quite successful. A decision has been taken by the owner of the company to return all of the leased buses 'off lease' with immediate effect, and they are being replaced by Darts which the company will own outright. The following have left:-
Dennis Darts:- 145,162, 163, 512, 533, 652.
Volvo B6's:- 601, 611.
Artics:- MAL41, 49, 53
Volvo Olympians:- 325, 269 (269 probably the most liked bus in the fleet).
So the current fleet is as follows:-
T143 AUA, W468 UAG, W466 UAG, R898XVM, W139EON, V657 HEC, V658 HEC, R356 LER, T147 DAX, X186 CTG, X617 JCS, with another Dart coming from Cardiff Bus in March. Of these, still in red are 898 and 139, 466 and 658 are away being painted, Cardiff 186 is still in its Cardiff livery with bi-lingual internal signs, 147 is awaiting an overall advert, and 657 will enter service on Thursday in Blue Diamond livery less decals for about a month. The heritage fleet remains the same, and the two Hong Kong open toppers will run again this year, all things being equal.
Another departure has been ex Trent, ex Blackpool ECW bodied Olympian XAU 701Y, this has gone for preservation somewhere in its former operating area in the East midlands.
The MPD's appear to be very reasonable buses, and so far fuel consumption is a good bit better than the Darts they replaced. Indeed I brought 468 back from EYMS last Wednesday, and it was quite happy on the M62, or travelling down the Calder Valley, where incidentally, a TLC driver at Hebden Bridge had a good look as I passed him.....Matty???
So, a lot has happened recently, hopefully there will be more to report in the not too distant future.

[ratty]

I have not updated for a while so here goes. Leaving the fleet have been the following:- W139 EON, R356 LER. New arrivals are:- T144/5 DAX ( ex Select of Swansea, previously Cardiff Bus), V234 HBH ex Arriva The Shires, S316/9 SNB ex Cardiff SPD's and LX 51 FNJ ex Stagecoach London 17506, Dennis Trident, all vehicles are now owned outright. The expected extra Cardiff Bus Dart has not been purchased, due to a competition threat to Cardiff Bus.
Now part of the running fleet for heritage hires are Bristol RE OCK 366K (ex Ribble), with RRN 405 a Ribble Atlantean being prepared for class 6 MOT, along with ex Blackpool Atlantean 334. Work has started again on the Lytham St Annes 1934 Gearless Leyland Lion, unfortunately it will only be available for hires in the FY and PR postcodes.
Seafront 12 service started running today from the Pleasure Beach to Cleveleys. Whilst tomorrow sees the start of service 21 running from the Tower to Blackpool Zoo, via Stanley Park and the Model Village, i.e. the traditional route. The surprise of service 21 is not that it only operates Tuesday to Thursday, and Saturday/Sunday, but that it will be operated by heritage vehicles, RML 887 being on it for the first few days

[Matty]

Feb 11, 2015 1:58:59 GMT 1 ratty said:

It was decided in December to rename Oakwood Travel as Catch 22 Bus to reflect on the trading name. As you are all aware the 6 started on the 3rd of November and is proving to be quite successful. A decision has been taken by the owner of the company to return all of the leased buses 'off lease' with immediate effect, and they are being replaced by Darts which the company will own outright. The following have left:-
Dennis Darts:- 145,162, 163, 512, 533, 652.
Volvo B6's:- 601, 611.
Artics:- MAL41, 49, 53
Volvo Olympians:- 325, 269 (269 probably the most liked bus in the fleet).
So the current fleet is as follows:-
T143 AUA, W468 UAG, W466 UAG, R898XVM, W139EON, V657 HEC, V658 HEC, R356 LER, T147 DAX, X186 CTG, X617 JCS, with another Dart coming from Cardiff Bus in March. Of these, still in red are 898 and 139, 466 and 658 are away being painted, Cardiff 186 is still in its Cardiff livery with bi-lingual internal signs, 147 is awaiting an overall advert, and 657 will enter service on Thursday in Blue Diamond livery less decals for about a month. The heritage fleet remains the same, and the two Hong Kong open toppers will run again this year, all things being equal.
Another departure has been ex Trent, ex Blackpool ECW bodied Olympian XAU 701Y, this has gone for preservation somewhere in its former operating area in the East midlands.
The MPD's appear to be very reasonable buses, and so far fuel consumption is a good bit better than the Darts they replaced. Indeed I brought 468 back from EYMS last Wednesday, and it was quite happy on the M62, or travelling down the Calder Valley, where incidentally, a TLC driver at Hebden Bridge had a good look as I passed him.....Matty???
So, a lot has happened recently, hopefully there will be more to report in the not too distant future.

Just seen this.... yes that was me haha

[ratty]

I was going to pull in at HB, and use the chippy at the lights, but it had shut.It looks different now Matty, its orange and teal for a start!!! Our Bristol RE was on Zoo duties yesterday, and is due to operate again on Saturday/Sunday. Also due to appear on there soon is Ribble1805 a low height Atlantean, which negotiated its MOT yesterday.

[renobus]

It appears that the TC has finally given her decision and revoked all 8 O licenses and given the Director ( Mr P Higgs) Bad repute !
Wonder if Ratty cares to comment?

[renobus]

www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/business/local-business/blackpool-bus-company-faces-seven-year-ban-1-7373323

[timelesstable]

Route One take on the TC report

www.route-one.net/legal/seven-year-ban-for-oakwood/

Final few lines from the article:

Put simply she (TC) did not trust Philip Higgs, Frank Steele, or any company connected to either of them in any way, including the entity of Oakwood, to operate compliantly.
She concluded that she would be failing in her duty if she did not make an order for the revocation of the licence for Oakwood and the disqualification of the company and of Philip Higgs as a Director.
It would be an affront to the legitimate licensed transport industry to allow this operator to continue in the PSV industry. This was an exceptionally serious case, which struck at the very heart of operator licensing.
In regard to Mr Steele, she said that in disqualifying him as a TM for five years she had taken account of his advanced years. Mr Steele had told her that he wanted to operate one or two vehicles.
However, with regard to his own application for a new licence, she could think of no rehabilitation measures that she could advance either as an applicant operator or as a TM that would adequately deal with the failings. If he wanted to remain in the PSV industry, it must be as a driver only, and not as an operator or TM.
The firm is appealing against the decision and the TC has granted a stay.

[driver6540]

Jul 22, 2015 22:27:08 GMT 1 renobus said:

It appears that the TC has finally given her decision and revoked all 8 O licenses and given the Director ( Mr P Higgs) Bad repute !
Wonder if Ratty cares to comment?

Maybe it could be a bit tricky for ratty to comment, making public possibly confidential info to public forums like this wouldn't exactly endear him to current or prospective employers. I'm sure Chris will let us all know when he's in a position to do so.

[Arriva Wakefield]

Aug 3, 2015 20:23:54 GMT 1 driver6540 said:

Jul 22, 2015 22:27:08 GMT 1 renobus said:

It appears that the TC has finally given her decision and revoked all 8 O licenses and given the Director ( Mr P Higgs) Bad repute !
Wonder if Ratty cares to comment?

Maybe it could be a bit tricky for ratty to comment, making public possibly confidential info to public forums like this wouldn't exactly endear him to current or prospective employers. I'm sure Chris will let us all know when he's in a position to do so.

Can anybody confirm what vehicles (if any) have been disposed of, since the decision to revoke the licence was taken?

[Arriva Wakefield]

Aug 3, 2015 20:23:54 GMT 1 driver6540 said:

Jul 22, 2015 22:27:08 GMT 1 renobus said:

It appears that the TC has finally given her decision and revoked all 8 O licenses and given the Director ( Mr P Higgs) Bad repute !
Wonder if Ratty cares to comment?

Maybe it could be a bit tricky for ratty to comment, making public possibly confidential info to public forums like this wouldn't exactly endear him to current or prospective employers. I'm sure Chris will let us all know when he's in a position to do so.

How long was the stay of execution for, or is it open ended until the appeal date? (has a date for the appeal to be heard been set?)

[justpassingby]

Appeals usually take a few months.

Doesn't seem likely that it'd be successful anyway. The TC easily caught them with buying another operating license just to keep going.

[ratty]

I was not going to comment, but I see the stupidity has already started, and the merchants of gloom and doom, the vultures and the self appointed Lawyers are now spouting such trash. As the business is continuing to function why would any of the fleet have gone, the company needs what it has got to run what it runs. Actually, it is Mrs Bell herself who has granted the stay, and certainly no date has been fixed. The TC did not 'catch us', she was informed by the owner and she allowed it.
I am currently in my 36th year in this job, and approximately my 5oth year as an enthusiast, and sorry folks, but the way people who claim to be interested in the industry jump at the first sign of trouble, and start spouting rubbish has appalled me for quite a few years now, long before this happened, and that goes back to my Yorkshire Rider days that ended in 1992. So shall we just let the course of justice take its course, keep our sensationalised thoughts to our selves, and feel free to laugh or cry when the actual official outcome is known. And if this upsets anybody I'm not sorry in the slightest, after all I and 25 others stand pretty near to possibly losing our income on this matter, and have to try and carry on, hoping for the best. By the way, we have actually put another bus in to service this week, it is big and red on a 51 plate and NOTHING repeat NOTHING has left the fleet.
This is my final say on the current situation at Catch22, and I am going to wait patiently and not speculate about the outcome.

[ratty]

Aug 7, 2015 2:30:24 GMT 1 ratty said:

I was not going to comment, but I see the stupidity has already started, and the merchants of gloom and doom, the vultures and the self appointed Lawyers are now spouting such trash. As the business is continuing to function why would any of the fleet have gone, the company needs what it has got to run what it runs. Actually, it is Mrs Bell herself who has granted the stay, and certainly no date has been fixed. The TC did not 'catch us', she was informed by the owner and she allowed it.
I am currently in my 36th year in this job, and approximately my 5oth year as an enthusiast, and sorry folks, but the way people who claim to be interested in the industry jump at the first sign of trouble, and start spouting rubbish has appalled me for quite a few years now, long before this happened, and that goes back to my Yorkshire Rider days that ended in 1992. So shall we just let the course of justice take its course, keep our sensationalised thoughts to our selves, and feel free to laugh or cry when the actual official outcome is known. And if this upsets anybody I'm not sorry in the slightest, after all I and 25 others stand pretty near to possibly losing our income on this matter, and have to try and carry on, hoping for the best. By the way, we have actually put another bus in to service this week, it is big and red on a 51 plate and NOTHING repeat NOTHING has left the fleet.
In case anyone is wondering, Renobus is a disaffected ex employee from 3 years ago, and if you look at the posts on the Evening Gazette story you will see a grovelling apology from that person for putting a post on purporting to be somebody in the company, sadly he removed the original post
This is my final say on the current situation at Catch22, and I am going to wait patiently and not speculate about the outcome.

[Burnside]

I agree, Ratty.

Only those within the company and at the commissioners office is likely to know what is really happening.

I hope all works out for you and your colleagues.

Tim.

[driver6540]

Aug 7, 2015 13:22:06 GMT 1 Burnside said:

I agree, Ratty.

Only those within the company and at the commissioners office is likely to know what is really happening.

I hope all works out for you and your colleagues.

Tim.

Seconded. People like disaffected former employee's spouting off don't really help matters. It's a very sensitive issue when jobs are at stake, possibly even more so when it could affect people known to us on this forum. Only when final decisions are made, and facts become public should we be entitled to an opinion, until then we should stop speculating and remember this is Catch 22 and not arsehole cowboy's like SGI.

[ratty]

Not posted on here for a while so here goes. If anybody is in Blackpool between the 26th and the 31st inclusive, the Volvo B10M/AlexanderPS bodied saloon 898, will be operating on service 12, which is reinstated for the week. That will then be put in semi-retirement, and used occasionally on hire work, which it can still be used on.
6 SPD Darts have been purchased from Cardiff, 362/3/5/6/9/71, but only 3 have entered service as yet.365/71 were painted overall red for the reinstated Red Rocket, which has lifted off today for the last time ever, having not been over successful this time round. The other 3 363/6/9 are expected to be prepared for service early in the New Year.
A programme of refreshing the MPD's in the fleet has started, with new moquette featuring in 657, 147. Indeed 657 has finally lost its vinyl destination for an LED one.
The 2 ex Hong Kong Metrobuses 69/326 are withdrawn and are destined for pastures new, and are currently being prepared for their new life.
Before anybody asks, the appeal still has not taken place, and we therefore carry on operating.