Events
Rallies
Auctions

Fleets
Fleetlists
Photographs
part 3
part 4
part 5

Reports
London 29/6/02 part 2
part 3
part 4
part 5
part 6

Home

Monday 24 December 2001  

First Manchester

• New Vehicles: MRs Optare have entered service, 1631 & 1632 operating on the 73 & 74's respecitvely on Saturday (22/12).
• Vehicles In: 901 is another Mercedes 0405 in service at BY
• Repaints: 3284, 6014 (Barbie2)
• Allocations: OM has 538 & 1174  on loan, these 2 vehicles seemed to have been at OM Depot for the past fortnight.
• Query: it is reported that 3171/86 have left MR. Does anyone know where they are now allocated?

Stagecoach Manchester

• Allocations: 433 and three unidentified "white" ON/NCs (probably HE's three oldest) are due to be placed in reserve from this weekend, with 895-7 officially returning to HE (where they have been running from since late October anyway).
• Repaints: into new livery - 523, 877 & 882.

Other Operators

• Stotts, Oldham: have acquired Travel West Midlands 2454, 2616, 2643, 8001 (K247 HKV)

Other News

• Bishop's Stortford operator London Transit have added Optare Excel R817 WJA to their fleet, formerly with Universal Buses of Chadderton. It is operating in unrelieved white

Credit - 'Jon' (Essex Bus News), Andrew Bott, Tony Hunter, Phil Longdon,

Thursday 20 December

First Manchester:

• repaints: a couple of ex-Yorkshire Rider Metrobuses into Barbie2 livery, minus pink are 5413/15.
• Noted at Thomas Hardie, Bryn on Tuesday were: 928, 1064, 5427. Withdrawn Metrobuses 5101,5202 were also there in a derelict state
• The following have all been reported now in Barbie2 livery :
  • 513/18/27-29/31/37-8/40/41/49/54/56-58/61-63/65-67, 609/10/14/17/18
  • 901-34/40-49, 1049/71-86/90/93/94/97,
• • 1102/19/22/23-25/26/37/41/43/48/49/51/53/72-73/81-84/86-90, 1721/54,
  • 1858/62, 3001-10, 3229/33/40/52/56/61/62/75/78, 3321-28,
  • 5405/12/15/21/22/24-32/35/37-39, 6001-25,
  • 6501/02/04-06/08/10-23/26/27/29/30, 6601-10,
  • 7024-26/29-31/33/34/39/41/42/44/46
• disposals: 4588/617 are reported sold to Springfield, Wigan (dealer). Other Atlanteans reported "gone" are 4522/32/9/41/76/87/94/611/21/753. However, 4611 was still parked in BN depot on Saturday. Detailed disposals for these would be appreciated.
• Transfers within group see ex PMT Olympians 3334 & 3353 going to Essex and Western National respectively, whilst 3351/2 are being prepared for return to PMT - though only on loan.
• The final B10B identified at RE is 541. AN can only lay claim to 531/7 (for the X1) whilst 538 is at OM.
• Incidentally, K439 XRF is at Rochdale, being stripped for spares.

Other Operators:

• Stott's (Oldham) have a single-decker. It is M74WYG (MAN/Optare) new to Black Prince (Morley).
• Finglands : 1765-1768 [MF51 LZW,LZX,MBV,MBX] were noted at Thomas Hardie, Bryn earlier this week.
• Lancashire United : On the edges of my coverage, but the following were present at Bryn also - 1090/1 [PO51 MUE,MUP] :
• JP Travel: A second ex Stagecoach Devon Dennis Dart/Carlyle is G37 TGW.
• UK North: A third ex London United Olympian in service is G302 UYK.
• South Lancashire Travel: Two brand new MPDs have just arrived to be registered M88/99 SLT - these will be used on 624/664/674 along with Y66/77 SLT, all of which will receive an amended version of SLT livery with Easylink branding (plus W44/55 SLT on 630 service).
• Also further additions to the South Lancashire Travel fleet are Mercedes 711/Pn B27F L653/7 MYG from Gibson, Renfrew (but new to Keighley & District).

Former GMPTE/Selnec/GM Buses vehicles

• Village : V1 [4015 - GNF15V] - is stored at Thomas Hardie at Bryn, in a derelict state. This was the fifteen and final Leyland Titan/Park Royal delivered new to GMT. One of this batch is already preserved by the Selnec Preservation Society. This vehicle has been there for some time now

Credit - Martin Bott, Dave Farrier, Steve Hulse, Ian Kirby, Phil Longdon, Tim Moss, Ian Simpson, Andy Williams

Saturday 15 December

First Manchester:

• Transfers : 3323/5 back at ANex BN, with 1842 & 5412 also on loan at that location from RE & OM respectively. Another B10B at RE for the 400 is 527.
• Repaints: Barbie 2 - 1151/71/2, 1754, 3252/78, 6003/4/6/20/2/502
• 4563 Service 536
• 8573 Depot withdrawn-intact
• 4603 Depot withdrawn
• 4606 Depot withdrawn
• 4611 Depot withdrawn
• 4622 Service 536
• 4623 Depot withdrawn
• 4633 Service 562
• 4645 Service 37
• 4650 Service 526
• 4689 Service 571
• 4712 Service 507
• 4717 Service 561
• 4740 Service 8
• 4746 Service 572
• 4758 Depot withdrawn for preservation
• 4763 Depot available for service
•  
• Not accounted for 4626/4652/4721

Other Operators:

• UK North : G310UYK (L310) seen today in Piccadilly.
• Leyland Olympian G 309 UYK has recently arrived at the paintshop facility at the Barnsley & District yard (in Barnsley funnilly enough) from London United, and along with similar G 310 UYK which has recently been treated, is beleived to be for UK North at Manchester

Friday 14 December

First Manchester:

• Solos 1631/2 (MA51 AET/AEU) have arrived, with 1633/4 (MA51 AEV/W) due before the end of the week. They should enter service on Monday 17th December on Salford area tendered routes. 2 are for services 55/74/75/293, whilst the other two should normally work services 71/73. These are of the M850 type.
• Metrobus 5430 (G398 OGD) has arrived recently. This completes the expected 15 for MR.
• Another First M'cr B10 at RE for the 400 is 528. Apparently, these duties are being covered (at least partly) by MR & OM drivers using PE buses out of RE depot!
• The BN Atlantean fleet has been further reduced, but numerically these have been more than compensated for, by a twelfth Citybus (7030: presumably G282 OGD), and seven Olympians (3105/31/60/217/32/51/8).
• Mercedes 1723 appears to be withdrawn, now stored at WN.
• Atlanteans officially remaining (all AN68Ds) are 4563, 4622/3/6/33/45/50/89, 4712/7/21/40/6/63, suggesting 4522/70/652/756/8 have been withdrawn. Clarification would be welcome.
• Volvo B10M-56 / Duple Dominant 602 (D497 NYS) is now a driver trainer at BN
• Leyland Olympian / Northern Couties 3233 (C233 ENE) is now in 'Barbie 2' livery.
• the following Citybuses are now at Bolton. Could someone fill in the gaps please...
  • 7024 G412 OGD
  • 7025 G410 OGD
  • 7026 G411 OGD
  • 7029 (G281 OGE)
  • 7030 G282 OGD
  • 7031 G283 OGE
  • G286 OGE
  • 7033 G286 OGE
  • 7034 G287 OGE
  • 7039 G297 OGE
  • G299 OGE
  • 7041 G299 OGE
  • 7042 G301 OGE
  • G412 OGE
  • 7044 G687PNS
  • 7046 G689 PNS
• 901/3 (L501/3 KSA) are reported to have arrived.

Stagecoach Manchester:

• A further repaint into the latest Stagecoach livery is HE Lo-liner 137.
• MAN's 139/61/5 (at least), have a contravision advert for the FilmWorks leisure complex, midway along the offside.
• Areconstruction of one of the incidents two weeks ago, was undertaken by GMP/SgM in Piccadilly on Tuesday. Interestingly, they went to the trouble of using the same bus (3095), but didn't bother to put 192 up on the blinds! Bearing in mind the bus was off route (just), would a route number would have jogged memories more than a fleet or registration number?

Other Operators:

• UK North : two Leyland Olympians from London United (no reg's yet, but believed to be of the G 3xx UVT batch) are currently going through the Paint/Body shops of East Pennine PSV in Barnsley (the facilities at the Barnsley and District depot).
• Another ex Go Ahead Northern Dart/Wrights seen in Tameside recently, is J620 KCU. However, this is in a yellow livery (probably an AOA), with no fleetnames/number, so may not be with Dennis, Dukinfield. The bus was devoid of passengers at the time. Has anyone else seen it?
• Janeway have been using M811/Ce G844 UDV on the X3.
• JP Travel; An ex Selkent Dt/Ce reported here is G34 TGW., this was last with Devon General (DN). MPDs Y2/3 JPT have been notable by their absence recently. Have these gone already?

Other News:

• Open top AEL176B - an ex. Bournemouth Fleetline?  has been noted in Manchester, it is in a rather garish advert livery for "Vodka Kick", and seems to be a mobile night club!
• Manchester Airport has been host to all white VR/Willowbrook TFN989T & KPJ 254W both in connection with filming.

Credit - Steve Hulse, Ian Kirby, Phil Longdon, Tim Moss, Ian Simpson

Saturday 8 December

First Manchester

• Repaints : Dennis Dart SLF/Wright now in "Barbie 2" livery at OM depot are; 6508/13/9/20/3/9
• Transfers :540/9/54/6 are four of the B10s transferred/loaned to RE for the 400. Amongst buses moved in the opposite direction are Darts 1174/6. Meanwhile, at least two coach-seated Metrobuses remain at Pennine - 5304/9, despite them all officially returning to Oldham. The latter depot has 3244 in service, although this is supposed to have gone to BN.

Other News:

• Christmas and New Year servies can now be found in Travelshops and on GMPTE's website. A summary of Tameside area services will be available on this site in a few days.

  Christmas Eve: Generally Saturday service, with some additional early morning journeys. Last journeys around 1900, except that Maynes appear to be running a full evening service on 232-235! Christmas Day: No service Boxing Day: Buses 42 (Bullocks), 77 & 112 will run 2-3 buses an hour  during Shopping Hours. Thu 27th & Fri 28th December: Generally Saturday service with a few additional early morning journeys. New Year's Eve: Similar to Christmas Eve, but with the following routes served in the evening and into the early hours of New Year's Day: 17, 39, 41 (Picc-Sale) 42 (Picc-E.Didsbury), 43/48 (Picc-W.Dids with UKN operating to Wythenshawe after midnight), 67, 82, 86, 135, 192, 201 (Picc-Hyde), 203, 216, & 232-5 (Normal evening service only). New Year's Day: 8, 17, 39, 42, 67, 77, 82, 112, 135 will run 2-3 buses an hour during Shopping Hours. Normal services on all other dates

Credit - Phil Longdon

Friday 7 December

Dennis's, Dukinfield news:

• These may have been reported but seen yesterday and today are further Wright / Darts in livery DW17 K369 RTY and K366 RTY ( no number noted).

First Manchester

• Good News is that Bolton Depot's celebrity Atlantean 8573 in GMT livery may soon be back on the road. It had been withdrawn due to some idiot(s) scratching all the upper-saloon windows. I have been told that some enthusiasts at BN Depot are willing to repair 8573 in their own time using windows from other withdrawn Atlanteans.
• Four Solos are due for a new service in the Salford area, to start Monday 10 December.
• A couple of other snippets from First M'cr; Mercedes 923 has entered service at OM. It was due to be allocated to BY.
• Other happenings at OM; 5201 has been withdrawn, but similar 5203 has been restored to passenger service, having recently been reported on training duties.
• Transfers : Volvo B10B / Wright :547 (N547 WVR) & 552 (N552 WVR) MR -> WN; Leyland Olympian 3045 (B45 PJA) WN - >BN
• 'Barbie 2' Repaints : 1119 (N619 CDB) Dennis Dart / NC inc faders; 6516 (P516 LND) Dennis Dart SLF / Wright

Stagecoach Manchester

• Another B10M in new livery is 857. This leaves only 858/9 of the type to be done at PS, and 855 as the only Alexander bodied example at ST. However, some 19 B10Ms retain stripes at HE.

Other Operators:

• Seen in Droylesden yesterday was National 2 EON 823V in red / yellow /blue livery without and fleetnames and displaying school service in the windscreen (no kids on board or yellow school children sign). This is/was with Stotts, Milnsbridge and is in the condition it was with them.It was at BCA on Wednesday and presumably acquired.
• Seen in Manchester still in London United livery was all Leyland Olympian, L305 - G305 UYK . In service with UK North. Interestingly, a destination blind has been fitted, but service number, and legal lettering were confined to hand written notices in the window.

Credit - Andy Appleton, Phil Longdon, Tim Moss, Peter Ramsell, Ian Simpson

Friday 30 November

First Manchester

• Just heard from BN depot that two Atlanteans have been disposed of to Springfield Coaches, Wigan. The vehicles involved are 4588 and 4617.
• The ex-Bristol/Capital Olympians are indeed returning to Ashton as a mix of Citybuses and older Olympians reach Bolton. Six of the former are officially in service, in the form of 7025/6/9/39/42/4. As of today, 3311-3/5/21/4/7/8 should be at Pennine, with 3314/22/3/5/6 at Bolton. I have also heard the report that the Lynxes are due to transfer to Rochdale. However, this is not to be confused with another development, and that is that service 400 is transferring to RE operation from Monday. Seven B10s will go with it. This may or may not be a permanent arrangement.

• The current operational Atlantean fleet is understood to be:

  4508/22/40/1/9/63/70/3; 4603/11/5/7/22/3/6/33/45/50/2/67/89; 4712/7/21/40/6/53/6/8/63 all at BN

  The indigenous Metrobus fleet is;

  5015/33/5/50; 5114/5/22/6/9/38/40/9/51/72/81/3/6/7; 5201/3/6/8; 5301-15/7-20. Of these, 5304/5/8-10 are at Pennine, whilst the rest are at OM, which is also home to "reserve" 5207/9/10. Presumably the Pennine ones will return to OM once the newer Olympians return from BN.

  At the other end of the equation incoming Mercedes 0405s officially in service are;

  BY; 902/4/5/8/10/1/4-6/8-22. OM: 924-34/40-9.

• The following have been disposed of; 1402 (presumably after returning from PMT), 1905, 3050/334/53, 4503/66/654/729, 5032/85/178/84/204/316/565/79; 3050 has gone for scrap, and 3334 has returned to PMT, but disposals for the rest are eagerly awaited (well, not that eagerly in the case of 1905)
• In addition, the following are "for disposal"; 1412/851/60/1/913, 3011/48/59/79/85/331, 4357/532/9/55/61/76/87/8/90/4 4606/21/709/39, 5034/82/96/7/101/202/5, L493 HRE. Some of these may have already gone;
• Equally, this info still leaves a number of gaps in my records. Can anyone confirm/advise the disposals of the following: 4523/4/9/35/41/7/648/55/70/82/6/703/13/20, 5059/60/103/52/66, 5564 ?
• Corrections/updates would be appreciated for any of the above.
• Transfers : 505 (M505 WVR) MR - > BY
• 919/920 (M519/20 RSS) now in service at BY
• 1832 (N174 WNF) is now withdrawn at BN

Stagecoach Manchester

• Further B10Ms in the new livery include 973/81.

Other Operators

• A possible acquisition by Belle Vue Coaches is Dennis Javelin/Auwerter M906 OVR. All over white, it has been parked in their tiny yard the last two mornings.

Former GMPTE/Selnec/GM Buses vehicles

• Former Lancashire United/GMT/GM Buses Leyland Fleetline  6950 (YTE 587V) has been bought by the SELNEC Preservation society, ex. Merseyline, Liverpool.

Credit - Gareth Hughes, Phil Longdon, Tim Moss, Greg Taylor