March 2017 Fleet Update

Dennis Trident open top V362OWC has been repainted in lime green & monsoon blue by Arriva at St.Helens for a new project and is soon to be joined by sister ex-Golden Tours V158MEV. Both are destined for use on a new project.
Other additions to the fleet are two London Routemasters. The first of these is RML2681 (SMK681F) which has been returned to the UK from exile in Denmark. It was exported in 2005 but suffered extensive vandalism but despite this it still starts on the button. It will join the wedding fleet later in the year. The other RM will be able to be put into service much quicker...
Optare Versa YJ61JHE has joined the operating fleet.

January 2017 - Fleet Update

Versas YJ10MGU & YJ61JHH have both entered service and are usually to be found on service 24 with sister bus YJ61JHE awaiting parts from Optare before it can enter service.
Recently joining the fleet is ex-Golden Tours Dennis Trident V362OWC, but previously new to Stagecoach Selkent back in December 1999. The bus is to be repainted back into London red livery and receive DDA modifications before it enters service on Coastliner 21 service this summer.

V362OWC posed at Mereside following arrival in Blackpool. 

Too late for the last Routemaster

On 31 December, we said goodbye not only to the last London Routemaster to operate in stage-carriage service in Blackpool, but the last Blackpool PD3s and Bristol VRs. It was on this date that Catch22Bus said farwell to its non-accessible double deck types. Routemasters RML887 & RM1583, Blackpool PD3s 516 & 529 and Ribble VRT 1997 all operated on service 21 between St.Annes and Cleveleys throughout the day. Even the LTT's Ribble Atlantean 1805 made a guest-star appearance as a free bus.
The last Routemaster to operate was ironically the first to be trialled in Blackpool. RM1583 made its last departure from Cliffs Hotel bearing the red and white band it arrived in back in 1986.

RM1583 prepares to depart Cliffs Hotel at 17:31 on New Year's Eve 2016.