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| 362 on Leckwith Road in Cardiff following collection and ready for the 220 mile journey north to Blackpool. |
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| Posed at Blackpool alongside Central Drive and with the Tower in the background. |
Thursday, 24 September 2015
O Caerdydd i Blackpool II
Three further Cardiff Dennis Dart SPDs are joining the fleet and the first of these, 362 (W362VHB) made the journey north to Blackpool on 23 Sept and has already been prepared for service with Catch22Bus. The SPDs will replace the last of the ex-London dual-doored Darts 143 (T143AUA) and 512 (X512UAT) and indeed 512 has already made the journey to Barnsley where it is destined for scrap.
Thursday, 17 September 2015
Fleet News Update
Ex-Cardiff Dennis Dart 147 (T147DAX) has returned today from respray into fleet livery after having a replacement engine fitted. 147 has been out of service since April.
Replacing it at the painters is 474 (W474UAG) which will also receive fleet livery following acquisition from Walsall Community Transport, but was previously East Yorkshire Motor Services and is part of the same batch as 466 & 468 already in the fleet (some of the batch are still operating with EYMS).
Replacing it at the painters is 474 (W474UAG) which will also receive fleet livery following acquisition from Walsall Community Transport, but was previously East Yorkshire Motor Services and is part of the same batch as 466 & 468 already in the fleet (some of the batch are still operating with EYMS).
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| 147 rests at Stafford services on the M6 on its return journey to Blackpool. |
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| 474 prior to delivery for repaint. |
Atlantean 334 goes to the Zoo
Another former Blackpool Corporation Transport vehicle made its debut on the heritage bus operated Service 21 this week. 1980 East Lancashire bodied Leyland Atlantean 334 (AHG 334V) made its first outing on the 21 to Blackpool Zoo on Tuesday, resplendent in full Blackpool green and cream livery as applied in 2007 following restoration by "the Busworks" in Blackpool. Atlantean 334, owned by the Lancastrian Transport Trust has been out of service since 2010.
Recently Catch22Bus, in partnership with LTT, has had the radiator replaced, the brakes fully overhauled and other work undertaken prior to being submitted for Class VI MoT at Preston.
Recently Catch22Bus, in partnership with LTT, has had the radiator replaced, the brakes fully overhauled and other work undertaken prior to being submitted for Class VI MoT at Preston.
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| 334 on Adelaide Street in a scene so typical of 1980 when the bus was new to Blackpool. (Photo: Alan Robson) |
Tuesday, 8 September 2015
Fleet update
A further Dennis Dart MPD has been acquired and is related to two already in the fleet. 474 (W474UAG) has been purchased from Walsall Community Transport and is receiving a replacement gearbox in Wolverhampton before it joins us. Following this work, 474 is likely to be resprayed in fleet livery once ex-Cardiff MPD 147 is completed.
Sunday, 23 August 2015
Summer Fleet News
After the heritage update, here is some summer fleet news...
Ex-Cardiff Dart 147 (T147DAX) has been sent away for a replacement engine and from there will go for respray into Catch22 fleet colours. Sister buses 144/145 may possibly be getting all-over adverts, which is the reason they are still operating in their Select of Swansea livery of all-over white.
319 was expected to receive an all-over wrap for the summer but for expediency has received side panel adverts for the Pleasure Beach "Hot Ice" and "Christian Farla" shows.
Ex-Diamond bus Dart 657 (V657HEC) retains blue livery but is likely to be repainted upon return of 147.
Ex-Stagecoach Trident 51 (LX51FNJ) entered service with us on 4th August after a lengthy period of Mot preparation (delayed by having to separate engine/gearbox due to leaking main oil seal). It is likely to retain London red for the foreseeable future with a few corporate hires booked that require a modern London red bus. Indeed, look out for 51 in a forthcoming advert for a new Santander phone app!
After an absence whilst some work was done on the bus off-site, stalwart Volvo B10M 898 (R898XVM) has returned to service after passing its MoT. Due to DDA regulations, 898 will no longer be used on stage carriage operations after 31 December. Other forthcoming withdrawals may include dual door Darts 143 (T143AUA) and 512 (X512UAT).
Ex-Cardiff Dart 147 (T147DAX) has been sent away for a replacement engine and from there will go for respray into Catch22 fleet colours. Sister buses 144/145 may possibly be getting all-over adverts, which is the reason they are still operating in their Select of Swansea livery of all-over white.
319 was expected to receive an all-over wrap for the summer but for expediency has received side panel adverts for the Pleasure Beach "Hot Ice" and "Christian Farla" shows.
Ex-Diamond bus Dart 657 (V657HEC) retains blue livery but is likely to be repainted upon return of 147.
Ex-Stagecoach Trident 51 (LX51FNJ) entered service with us on 4th August after a lengthy period of Mot preparation (delayed by having to separate engine/gearbox due to leaking main oil seal). It is likely to retain London red for the foreseeable future with a few corporate hires booked that require a modern London red bus. Indeed, look out for 51 in a forthcoming advert for a new Santander phone app!
After an absence whilst some work was done on the bus off-site, stalwart Volvo B10M 898 (R898XVM) has returned to service after passing its MoT. Due to DDA regulations, 898 will no longer be used on stage carriage operations after 31 December. Other forthcoming withdrawals may include dual door Darts 143 (T143AUA) and 512 (X512UAT).
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| Cream liveried ex-Cardiff Dart 319, now with side panel adverts for Pleasure Beach shows. |
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| Trident 51 on service 22 at Bispham roundabout (Photo: Alan Robson) |
Catch22 - Heritage Bus update
Well I am sure a lot of you have read various stories recently about our operation, but given that it is regarded as sub judice, I will not go any further into this, but will instead update readers with the interesting stuff!
On the heritage front, Ribble 1997 was refitted with its overhauled Gardner engine after a £3,500+ reconditioning and has finally returned to passenger service for the first time since withdrawn by First Western National back in 2002. We are using it on private hires and Zoo service 21.
Another recent addition to the hire fleet is Blackpool PD3 516 which has been absent in passenger use since it became a driver trainer bus in 1984. After removal of the training modifications, 516 was resprayed in the red/white Blackpool colours of the 1930s which was applied to sister buses 507 & 516. Again, the bus has joined our private hire operation but was used for the first time on Zoo service 21 on 19 August with its period style Tigerrific adverts.
Sadly, PD3 529 (on loan from LTT) sustained roof damage on a private hire early in August and is now stored awaiting repairs which will be undertaken during the winter. Routemaster RM1583 is also absent awaiting a new engine (its AEC unit failed and is beyond repair) whilst Ribble RE 366 has been away for attention to engine oil leaks but has now returned.
On the heritage front, Ribble 1997 was refitted with its overhauled Gardner engine after a £3,500+ reconditioning and has finally returned to passenger service for the first time since withdrawn by First Western National back in 2002. We are using it on private hires and Zoo service 21.
Another recent addition to the hire fleet is Blackpool PD3 516 which has been absent in passenger use since it became a driver trainer bus in 1984. After removal of the training modifications, 516 was resprayed in the red/white Blackpool colours of the 1930s which was applied to sister buses 507 & 516. Again, the bus has joined our private hire operation but was used for the first time on Zoo service 21 on 19 August with its period style Tigerrific adverts.
Sadly, PD3 529 (on loan from LTT) sustained roof damage on a private hire early in August and is now stored awaiting repairs which will be undertaken during the winter. Routemaster RM1583 is also absent awaiting a new engine (its AEC unit failed and is beyond repair) whilst Ribble RE 366 has been away for attention to engine oil leaks but has now returned.
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| 529 returning from the Zoo before it sustained roof damage which now awaits repairs. (All pictures Alan Robson) |
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| Ribble 1997 leaves the Stanley Park on its way to the Zoo |
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| 516 heads to the Zoo showing its new Tigerrific adverts. |
Tuesday, 2 June 2015
Here comes Summer!
Although the weather has yet to catch up, summer is here and yesterday "SeaFront 12" resumed for the 2015 season operating between Pleasure Beach and Cleveleys, except on Sundays when buses terminate at Uncle Tom's Cabin. Darts 316 & 319 have been dedicated to 12s, along with open tops 69 & 326 which retain there wrapped adverts for Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
Our new service 21 also started today and operates five days per week between the Tower, Stanley Park & Blackpool Zoo. It is proposed to use heritage buses on the route when availability permits, drawing on the Class VI tested buses from the LTT collection, as well as those owned by us.
In other news, Nuttalls Coaches has been acquired on a debt free, cash free, asset free basis and in consultation with leading transport solicitors Backhouse Jones, the operation of services 12 & 21 have been sub-contracted to this licence holder using vehicles and staff seconded from Catch22Bus Ltd. This arrangement has been notified to the Office of the Traffic Commissioner, the regulatory body for bus and coach services.
Our new service 21 also started today and operates five days per week between the Tower, Stanley Park & Blackpool Zoo. It is proposed to use heritage buses on the route when availability permits, drawing on the Class VI tested buses from the LTT collection, as well as those owned by us.
In other news, Nuttalls Coaches has been acquired on a debt free, cash free, asset free basis and in consultation with leading transport solicitors Backhouse Jones, the operation of services 12 & 21 have been sub-contracted to this licence holder using vehicles and staff seconded from Catch22Bus Ltd. This arrangement has been notified to the Office of the Traffic Commissioner, the regulatory body for bus and coach services.
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| First day in service for 316 on 12s. (Photo: Alan Robson) |
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