Volvo 898 returns from repaint

There are a few twins in the CBNW operating fleet - ex Stagecoach Dennis Darts 162/163, Volvo Olympians 324/325 (although they were technically RA264/RA272 in Dublin) and finally ex-Stagecoach Volvo B10Ms 898 & 899. Now, following a respray into standard CBNW all red livery, 898 & 899 are identical twins again.

898 awaits application of CBNW fleetnames. It is posed here following return from respray alongside ex-Transdev Dennis Dart 512 that will itself be resprayed in CBNW livery during 2013.

898 returned from respray on Friday 7th December gleaming in London red and it will now be prepared for a return to passenger service on "Catch22" and College contract work, rejoining its twin 899 that has been in regular use since September.

A zebra cannot change its stripes!

A zebra certainly cannot change its stripes it would appear....

We are lobbying with the Blackpool Taxi Operators Association for Blackpool Council to remove the zebra crossings between Central and North Piers on the Promenade that are the cause of traffic being almost at a standstill during the summer months. The problem is that Blackpool Council officers do not appear to see what is the obvious truth - that the new Promenade looks good, but the zebra crossings are inappropriate for the traffic & pedestrian flows expected of them. The quote below is from guidance on zebra crossings which leads me to think how the zebras ever got passed by any sane person as suitable for Blackpool Promenade???

 

"Zebra crossings should be considered where pedestrian flows are 1100 people per hour or less (averaged over the four highest hours) and where vehicle flows are 500 vehicles per hour or less (averaged over the four highest hours).

 

Zebra crossings are usually used where pedestrian flows are relatively low and traffic flows are no more than moderate. Gaps of around five seconds are needed for an able person to cross a 7 metre carriageway.

Zebra crossings are also best avoided on busy town centre streets or outside railway stations since this is likely to result in a constant stream of pedestrians claiming priority. Higher flows of pedestrians will cause substantial delay to vehicles, creating traffic congestion, and a Zebra crossing is less likely to be a satisfactory choice. Where gaps in traffic flows are few, and waiting times long because people feel it may be hazardous to establish precedence, a Zebra crossing is likely to be unsuitable."

Changing times on Catch 22

From Wednesday 02 January we will be amending the route and timetable of Service 22.

Route Alteration
We are amending the route of Service 22 in the North Shore area between Blackpool Town Centre and Bispham to increase the coverage of the service and provide better links for passengers. From 02 January, service 22 will divert from Dickson Road to serve the Claremont area and it will then operate right along Warley Road to the junction of Warbreck Hill Road. The alteration will provide new links to South Shore and parts of North Shore for residents of the Claremont area, and will mean that parts of Warley Road will have a bus service for the first time in over 20 years, reducing the distance that residents have to walk to access buses.

Dennis Dart 162 at Moor Park stop in Bispham

Changing times
Times of buses will be altered in the afternoon (Monday to Friday) to avoid the variation in times that have proved confusing to passengers.
Buses will leave Mereside at 04 & 34 throughout the day with the last departing Mereside at 1704 like the Saturday timetable.
Buses will leave Cleveleys at 05 & 35 throughout the day with the last departing Cleveleys at 1805 like the Saturday timetable.
This timetable will operate until Monday 14 January when service 22 will be increased to a 20 minute service on Mondays to Fridays. A new “Catch 22” leaflet will be printed to coincide for the 20-minute service starting.

CBNW throwback - our Binky!

In my series of postings looking at our fleet before they joined CBNW, this posting focuses on Routemaster RM1568, which we know affectionately as "binky". New in April 1963, Binky is approaching its 50th birthday next year. It's first spell of operational life in London lasted until 1998 when it was withdrawn after many years as a Tottenham based bus. It was prior to sale that 568CLT surrendered its registration and became BNK324A, hence its nickname as Binky.
It's life away from London proved to be shortlived for in September 2000 it was one of over 50 RMs purchased by Transport for London to rejoin active service in the capital in advance of congestion charging and planned increase in bus services. RM1568 was sent to Marshalls for refurbishment and repower with the Cummins engine and allison gearbox, which became known as the dartmaster conversion. It was leased by TfL to Sovereign who operated Route 13 (Aldwych to Golders Green) with 'dartmasters' until Routemaster operation ceased in October 2005.


RM1568 in 1980s guise awaits its next departure on 2B to Crystal Palace

After sale, "Binky" was used on an Oxford tour operation before it was passed to a Manchester operator but then ended up on ebay. It joined CBNW in January 2008 and has been in regular use with us ever since.

Another Dart joins the fleet

145 - the latest Dennis Dart to join the CBNW operating fleet following arrival in Blackpool on 20 November.

Today, another Dennis Dart joined the CBNW fleet to be prepared for service on "Catch 22" and strengthen our low floor output. Former Metroline DA145 (reg T145AUA) was new to Armchair in May 1999 and operated in Brentford, initially in their orange & white livery until the company was acquired by Metroline in 2004. These Alexander bodied Darts had a relatively short operating life, being withdrawn for refurbishment for the 209 service but then placed in store and later returned off-lease in December 2010. Never operated in its refurbished guise, the batch of Darts passed to dealers but DA145 was one of the few to escape the scrapyard and, still in good condition, but with faded paintwork after years of outside storage, this bus has now been acquired by CBNW to join other ex-London Darts already in the fleet. It is proposed to repaint "145" in standard red livery and apply route & fares graphics for service 22 ready for a return to passenger service from January 2013.

CBNW throwback - Dublin Olympians

RA 272, (96-D-272) in navy/yellow fleet livery was photographed in November 2006 towards the City Centre terminus of Route 130 in Dublin. It is now 325 (N325NHG) in the CBNW fleet.

Now 325 in the CBNW operating fleet, former Dublin Volvo Olympian RA 272 was one of a batch of fourteen bus delivered new to Clontarf Garage between March and May 1996, RA 264, (96-D-264) to RA 277, (96-D-277), all in Cityswift livery. RA264 was also destined to join CBNW, becoming 324 (N324NHG) and currently advertising Blackpool & Fylde College. Both have proved to be very reliable buses, despite now being over 16 years old. They are generally confined to the B&F College contracts although 324 was operated on "Sea Front 12" during the summer months and both see occasional service on "Catch 22".

Lights out for Service 12

Volvo 899 makes a rare appearance on SF12 and shows its dot-matrix display, now loaded for all CBNW operated services. 899 is captured at North Pier as dusk falls on the final operating day.

Today was the end of the operating season for "Sea Front 12" with RM1568, RML2391, Olympian 269 and Volvo 899 operating workings on the final day of the illuminations. It has been a great year and the Routemasters have certainly established themselves as another tourist attraction in the resort and an alternative form of transport along the sea front.

Olympian 269, straight from duty on SF12 has its blinds changed ready for the following morning's College run on service 73.