Sunday 20 December 2015

Ride 898 before it semi retires

Ex-Stagecoach Volvo PS 898 will go into enforced semi retirement after 31 December when rules on accessibility come into force, meaning only low floor buses can be used on stage carriage services. As a final swan song, 898 will be employed on service 12 (Pleasure Beach to Cleveleys) on the week prior to New Year's Day (the 12 has been registered to operate one week between Christmas and New Year).
898 joined us back in autumn of 2012 and received red livery from December when it joined sister bus 899 in the operational fleet. It has been a very reliable bus and so current plans are to keep 898 which maybe added to the private hire fleet.

End of Year Fleet Update

Following on from the acquisition of Dennis Dart SPD 362 from Cardiff Bus in September, sister buses 363/365/366/369 & 371 were added to the fleet during October and November. 365 & 371 were re-sprayed in red livery for use on the seasonal Red Rocket Express service whereas 363, 366 & 369 are currently in store awaiting partial repanel and painting in 2016.
Dennis Dart MPD news is that both 147 (T147DAX) and 474 (W474UAG) both returned to service in November in fleet livery; 474 entered service on 01 November having been acquired from Walsall Community Transport back in August. 144 (T144DAX) has received an all-over wrap for Dominos Pizza whereas 657/658 (V657/658HEC) are currently out of service for MoT and refurbishment work.
Ex-Arriva Dart V234HBH and ex-Metroline T143AUA are both considered withdrawn.