 © Ian Knott East Yorkshire New ADL Enviro 400MMC 929 (YX20OEH) was out on test in Hull earlier today. It carries the ‘revised’ application of the East Yorkshire colours and also EastRider branding for the Bridlington-York via Driffield, Market Weighton and Pocklington service.  © Ian Knott Stagecoach East Midlands A further Hull-allocated ADL Enviro 400MMC repainted into Stagecoach ‘Local’ livery is 10747.  © Ian Knott Stagecoach South West
Optare Solo SR 48007 was on loan to Plymouth to trial on the Dartmouth 90 town service. It should be returning to Exeter shortly. Stagecoach East Midlands The latest vehicle here being prepared for repaint into the Stagecoach 'Local' livery is MAN/Enviro 300 22778. Stagecoach East Scotland The company is showing Volvo B13R 54138 as remaining operational at Glenrothes, suggesting the previous reported transfer to Stagecoach North Scotland [Highlands] did not take place. Latest company information also shows the disposal of Enviro 400 19153, MAN/ALX300 22367 and Optare Versa 25259 to M&S Parton. Stagecoach East We understand that Volvo B8L/Enviro 400XLBs 13901/07 are now back at Fenstanton after maintenance attention at ADL Harlow. Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire Former Stagecoach Manchester Enviro 200 36416 now carries Lakes Connection livery, with 36417 currently in the paint shop for the same treatment. Also now carrying Lakes Connection branding is Scania/Enviro 400 15699. Now in the Stagecoach ‘Local’ livery are Scania/Enviros 400 15685 from West Cumbria and 15819 from Morecambe along with Optare Solo 47140 from Barrow. Enviro 300 27768 has returned to Carlisle following long-term repairs at Ferrymill Motors. We understand that Gold-spec Scania/Enviro 400 15533 is due to be moved here during August. East Yorkshire Look out for a number of fleet changes being made this weekend. Volvo B7RLEs 367/68 will transfer from Hull to Scarborough as will Volvo B8RLEs 392 and 394 with similar 386/87 also due at Scarborough from Pocklington. The third Volvo B8RLE at Pocklington, 393, will move to Hull. Scarborough will transfer Volvo B5TL/MCV 793 to Hull and similar 806 to Pocklington with Volvo B9TL 757 also moving from Scarborough to Hull. Also transferring to Hull will be Volvo B9TLs 714 and 728 from Pocklington whilst Enviro 200s 375 and 377 will be relicensed at Hull. A number of Volvo B7TLs will be delicenced and are 711 at Scarborough; 679/80/89 at Bridlington and 669/70/71/73 at Hull. Also being delicensed at Hull are Volvo B7RLEs 342/43/44/45. Stagecoach Megabus/Joint Venture
Volvo B11Rs 54207/08 are confirmed as being in the Megabus Reserve Fleet with Stagecoach South Wales at Cwmbran. Stagecoach North Scotland [Bluebird] Following fire damage Enviro 400 19212 has been scrapped whilst sales are in progress for Dart SLF 34728, Volvo B12B 53036 and Volvo B7Rs 53220/25/46. A number of vehicle transfers have taken place here as services were ramped up during late June/July. These included: Macduff-Elgin: Enviro 200s 36069 and 37260 Macduff-Aberdeen Enviro 400MMCs 11167/68 and Enviro 400 19375 Elgin-Aberdeen: Enviro 400MMCs 11164/65 and Enviro 300s 27533/38 Aberdeen-Insch: Volvo 16948 and Trident 18000 Insch-Aberdeen: Volvos 16973/74/75 and Volvo B9R 53640 Aberdeen-Stonehaven: Enviro 400 19377 and Enviro 200 36048 Stonehaven-Aberdeen: Enviro 400 19171 Stagecoach Oxfordshire Enviro 400 Hybrid 12009, which received fire damage earlier this year, is now for disposal.  © Dylan Jones Stagecoach South Trident 18484, which has been expected to join the training fleet here is now earmarked for a charity donation Now out of use here is Chichester-allocated Enviro 200 36015 which has been totally gutted by fire.. Enviro 400 19900 here continues to look resplendent in its old-style 'beach ball' livery, despite it being repainted seven months ago. Several delicenced vehicles at Chichester have spent several weeks parked up at the Bus Station - Volvo B7TL 16932, Trident 18502 and Enviro 400s 19097 and 19098. A large number of Tridents are back in service here including all of the Portsmouth allocation of five vehicles. Also regularly used at Portsmouth is Trident 17740 from the Reserve Fleet.
Stagecoach East Further Busway Scania/Enviro 400s to be reported operating on loan to Cambridge are 15198 and 15657. Currently just four of the type remain at Fenstanton for Busway duties - 15199, 15200/01/02. As well as operating local services, those on loan at Cambridge are also seeing use on the X5 duplicate workings which operate between Cambridge and Eaton Socon.  © Brandon Fitzgibbon Stagecoach West Scotland
Ardrossan depot remains closed with most of the allocation there transferring to Kilmarnock with the exception of Enviro 400MMC 10921 which has moved to Ayr. Enviro 200 36142 has transferred from Stranraer to Dumfries whilst Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 44011 has returned to Ayr from Cumbernauld but is currently delicenced. Enviro 400MMCs 10922-25 have transferred from Dumfries to Kilmarnock. The company reports that Optare Solos 47732/33 from Kilmarnock have transferred to Stagecoach North Scotland [Highlands]. Stagecoach North Scotland [Highlands] Now at Kirkwall are Enviro 200s 36933/56/57 along with Wright StreetLites 43011/12 and Optare Solos 47748/49 from Inverness together with StreetLite 43012 from Aviemore and Optare Solo SR 47811 from Caithness. Volvo B13R 54130 is now at Tain with similar 54131/32/33/34/37 at Caithness. Volvo B9Rs 53625/30 have transferred from Caithness to Aviemore. Now at Inverness are MAN/Enviro 300 22864, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 59617 and Optare Solos 47181 and 47185 whilst at Caithness is Optare Solo 47564. Scania/Caetano 59217 and Volvo B12B 54040 are now for disposal. Vehicles sold, or scrapped, and no longer part of the fleet are Trident 18001, Enviro 200s 36954 and 37075, DAF 39881, Optare Solo 47570, Volvo B7R 53215/18, 53307/13 along with Volvo B12Bs 54062/66. Stagecoach Manchester The company reports that deliveries of the new Enviro 400MMCs to Stockport have reached 11540. Enviro 400 Hybrids transferred from Stockport to Hyde Road are 12088/90 and 12111/13/15/80/82/84/94/95 whilst similar 12196/97/98/99 have left Stockport for Ashton. Enviro 400s 19425/27/28/29 have transferred from Sharston to Middleton with Enviro 200s 36779/80 being exchanged with Middleton for Optare Solos 47472/73 which are now at Stockport. Go North East Extracted from the Go North East website is a bumper package of information. Repaints last week included Wright StreetDeck Micro-Hybrid 3 6332 which has been treated to a partial (back end) repaint, into the light green variant of the “X-lines” livery, for services X45/X46/X47.Following repaint it was transferred from Chester- le-Street Depot to Consett, but has not yet displaced another bus which will facilitate the repainting of the ‘Red Kite’ branded Wright Streetlite vehicles. The tour of the ‘Retrobus’ liveried Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 6050 continues. This week it has transferred to Riverside Depot. Volvo B5TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 3 6308-14 have been taken out of service from Riverside, to undergo preparation for their use on the X21 service, which includes a repaint at Bus & Coach World, Blackburn, as well as some mechanical upgrades. When the work is completed they will transfer to Chester-le-Street.Temporarily operating in their place at Riverside on the X9/X10 services between Newcastle and Middlesbrough (pending delivery of the interdeck Volvo B11RT/Plaxton Elitei coaches from Oxford Bus Company) are a number of Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9TLs, which have mostly transferred in from other depots, including; 6048/84/85/86/99 and 6100. The vehicles from Deptford and Percy Main have been made available owing to the school holidays PVR reduction, while 6048 has been exchanged for Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 3965. Volvo B5TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 3s 6334/35 have transferred to Chester-le-Street. Volvo B7TL/East Lancs Myllennium Vyking 3983 has been sold to Jamie Potts for preservation. Repaints earlier this month included Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 6001 into the 2019 fleet livery. Wright StreetDeck/Wright StreetDeck Micro-Hybrid 3 6331 has a partial (back end) repaint, into the light green variant of the “X-lines” livery, for services X45/X46/X47. to Chester-le-Street. The commencement of the school holidays means that Optare Solo SR M890/Optare 651 is now surplus to requirements at Riverside and has therefore transferred to Deptford. It also means that Scania CN230UB/Scania Omnicity 5239 and 5240 are now surplus to requirements and have been taken out of service from Hexham (but remain available to be reinstated if required), while the following vehicles have been permanently withdrawn from service: Volvo B7TL/East Lancs Myllennium Vyking 3967 (PN02 XCL) Volvo B7TL/East Lancs Myllennium Vyking 3970 (PJ02 PYW) Volvo B7TL/East Lancs Myllennium Vyking 3971 (PJ02 PYX) Volvo B7TL/East Lancs Myllennium Vyking 3977 (PJ02 PZD) Scania L94UB/Wright Solar 5207/08/09 are for disposal and Volvo B9R/Caetano Levante coaches 7104/05/06/43/44 have now been permanently withdrawn from service. Vehicle disposals have continued: Volvo B7TL/East Lancs Myllennium Vyking 3973 (PJ02 PYZ) has been sold to Cranberry Coachways, Accrington. Volvo B7TL/East Lancs Myllennium Vyking 3975 (PJ02 PZB) has been sold to Cranberry Coachways, Accrington. Scania L94UB/Wright Solar 4976 (NK53 UOC) has been sold to A-line Coaches, Pelaw. Scania L94UB/Wright Solar 5212 (NK54 NVG) has been sold for scrap to Alpha Recovery, Weetslade. Stagecoach Oxfordshire
Former Stagecoach East Midlands MAN/Enviro 300 22416 is now at Oxford following its conversion as a driver training vehicle. It is currently in all over blue livery. With 22147 already at Oxford it just leaves 22418 to be delivered once conversion work is completed. Stagecoach Yorkshire Vehicles delicenced in the last month are Enviro 400H 12165, Scania/Enviro 400 15710 and Optare Solo 47723. Stagecoach East Now withdrawn and for disposal here are the remaining Volvo B10M training coaches – 52441 and 52442 from Cambridge along with 52647 from Fenstanton. Also for disposal from Fenstanton is Dart SLF 34534 whilst Dart SLFs 34535/36/37/38 from Fenstanton are now in the Delicenced Reserve Fleet. Stagecoach South East
Enviro 400MMcs 10711/18/19 are now all at Herne Bay having been exchanged for Scania/Enviro 400MMCs 15280/83/87 with Folkestone depot. This is a part of an evaluation trial to see how the Scanias perform on the longer-distance ‘Wave’ routes as we understand they have not been suited to the ‘Triangle’ local work. Repaints so far in the new Stagecoach ‘Local’ livery in the East Kent are Scania/Enviro 400 15181, Scania/Enviro 400MMCs 15272/80/83/87, 15329; Enviro 400MMCs 10711/17/18; Enviro 200 36859 and Enviro 200MMC 26243 with Enviro 400MMC 10705 currently being repainted. Stagecoach East A further Enviro 200 to return to service at Peterborough is 37220. We understand that there are now no plans for any of the Volvo B9R coaches at Stagecoach South East (53702/03/04/05/06/08/16) displaced from the M2 service to transfer here as replacements for the Volvo B9R coaches at Bedford (53612/13/15/16/17/18) which were, prior to ‘lockdown’, used on the 99 Milton Keynes-Luton service. We believe that 53702/03/04/05/06/08/16 will for the time being remain in the Stagecoach South East fleet. Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire Now back on the main fleet at Chester are City Sightseeing open top Tridents 17470/79 and 17502. The former ‘Be Nice Bus’ MAN/Enviro 300 24136 is now allocated to the main fleet at Gilmoss. Dart SLFs 34808/09/10 which had been shown as awaiting disposal here are now recorded by the company as being part of the Reserve Fleet. Stagecoach South Wales Reserve Fleet vehicles back on the main allocation at Cwmbran are Tridents 18006/07/08/72/76/79 , Scania/Enviro 300s 28640 and 28737 along with Optare Solos 47530/32. Meanwhile Optare Solos 47236 and 47629 from Cwmbran are now in the Reserve Fleet there. The company reports that plans to retain and restore Dart SLF 34502 in a ‘heritage’ capacity here has been put on temporary hold due to the COVID-19 issues but it remains a long-term plan. Stagecoach South West Scania/Enviro 400 15961 has now returned to Exeter following a period on loan to Torquay. Optare Solo SR 48007 was transferred from Exeter to Plymouth on July 24th and immediately entered service there. Yesterday (July 27th) 48012/13/14/15 left Exeter depot around 15:00 and have also been transferred to Plymouth.  © Iain Hardie Stagecoach North East Now back in service here carrying Stagecoach ‘Local’ livery are Enviro 200 37318 and Enviro 200 27729 along with Enviro 400MMC 11298. Now at Sunderland for repaint is Enviro 400MMC 11299 along with Enviro 300 27242 and 27728. The three Scania OmniCity vehicles here, 24001-03, which prior to ‘lockdown’ were being used on the X24 Sunderland-Newcastle service have remained decommissioned here. Given their non-standard nature within Stagecoach it is likely they will not be returned to service. Gas Enviro 300s and standard Enviro 300s are being used on the X24 service.  © Iain Hardie East Yorkshire Look out for the eight new ADL Enviro 400MMCs now being delivered from ADL Scarborough. Registered YX20OEA/B/C/D/E/F/G/H they will carry fleet numbers 922-929.  © Martijn Gilbert/Twitter Stagecoach East Midlands Further repaints into the new Stagecoach ‘Local’ livery here are Enviro 300 27636 and Enviro 200 36710 whilst withdrawn Volvo B7TLs 16902 and 16904 have been moved from Skegness and are now parked up at Scunthorpe. There are now 21 vehicles here in the new Stagecoach ‘Local’ livery with a further one in the Stagecoach ‘Special’ livery. Hull-based Enviro 400 19684 has never had its repaint completed and remains in all over white.  © Ian Knott Stagecoach South East Enviro 400MMC 10711 and Scania/Enviro 400MMC 15280 have been repainted into Stagecoach ‘Local’ livery and have been allocated to Folkestone depot. Also repainted into Stagecoach ‘Local’ livery is Enviro 200 36859 at Herne Bay depot - this is the first of this type in this division to be repainted. Enviro 400MMCs 10717/18 have now entered service at Herne Bay. Stagecoach South West Now sold and seen in a scrapyard in Crediton are Optare Solos 47108/09 and Dart SLFs 34821/22. Regular correspondent Adrian Roberts has managed to get a line-up photo of three of the Stagecoach ‘Local’ liveried MAN/Enviro 300s (24145/42/47) here.  © Adrian Roberts
Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire
MAN/Enviro 300 24136, which had been used by Stagecoach Group as its ‘Be Nice Bus’ is now back here in the main fleet and has been repainted into the Stagecoach ‘Local’ livery. Stagecoach Midlands Another Leamington vehicle on loan to Northampton is Scania/Enviro 400 15449 whilst company information confirms that Optare Solo 47653, which had been for disposal, is now regarded as part of the Reserve Fleet at Kettering. Enviro 200s 37038/46/47/49/50 from Northampton are all delicenced and parked up at Leamington. The outstations at Corby and Stratford upon Avon remain closed with operations being undertaken from Kettering and Leamington Spa). Trident Open Top vehicles, 17412/17/94 and 17527/75, which were used on the Stratford upon Avon City Sightseeing tour are now all for disposal. When the tour restarts 18471/74/75/82/96 will be used. We understand the first Optare Solos have now returned to post-‘lockdown’ use here with 47416 and 47417 becoming operational at Kettering. Stagecoach Solutions Stagecoach Solutions is a new part of Stagecoach UK that is looking for innovative ways to back up the company’s traditional bus service operations. The move is part of Stagecoach UK’s strategy to move the business forward and recover post COVID-19. Stagecoach Solutions will provide corporate travel tickets; Demand Responsive travel; School/college educational travel requirements; Business shuttle services; Rail replacement operations and travel support for events and festivals.  This week on the Oxford & Chilterns Bus Page
Malcolm has risen to the challenge of a bumper number of submissions from his contributors to produce this week’s offering. You can go direct to the latest page at this link: Issue 114 24th July 2020 In this week’s issue: Stop Press News - Eurolines collapse plus…. Honk for Hope Rally to London by Andrew Webb Full details and pictures of the new StreetDecks for Thames Travel Update on COVID-19 situation Government Stats for transport under lockdown in the U.K. Further comment on the cycle track in London's Park Lane National Express and Victoria Coach Station Oxford Bus reopens Gloucester Green Travel Shop Oxford tube with increased capacity Covid-19 effects in South Devon by Julian Walker From Times of Old memories flood back - a weekly reminisce More on that London minibus MW17 Route 171 Oxford-Cheltenham by Graham Low Alton Rally 2010 by David Gray as 2020 cancelled Coaches in Scotland that we remember by Bill Walker Flixbus fully in action Oxford Bus 35 changes European Coach operators in pictures Swansong for Swanbrook 853 service from Richard Kemble Gavin Francis visits Cryers Hill …..plus all the local news and some pictures of other operators. Don’t forget that you can check out the Oxford & Chilterns Bus Page at any time by visiting www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk  Dart SLF 35142 remains licenced at Scunthorpe but instructions have recently been issued to transfer it from the main fleet to the Reserve Fleet. © Steven Knight Media Stagecoach East Midlands Further vehicles transferred into the Reserve Fleet here Dart SLFs 35131 at Gainsborough and 35140/42 at Scunthorpe. Along with Trident 18347 at Hull. Recent fleet changes here have reduced the number of main fleet operational Dart SLFs. Our survey suggests the following fleet position: Scunthorpe Licenced operational: 35143/45 Licenced Reserve Fleet: 35138/39/40/42 Decommissioned: 34426/56/65, 34530/70/72/73 Worksop Licenced operational: 35133/35/36/37/41 Decommissioned: 34702, 35146 Hull Decommissioned: 35147/48/49 Gainsborough Licenced Reserve Fleet: 34848, 35129/30/31 Decommissioned: 34850/51, 35128 Skegness Licenced operational: 35132/44 Additionally the training fleet here comprises Dart SLFs 34457/59/61/64/73/74/75 and 34703
 Dart SLF 35136 remains operational at Worksop. © Steven Knight Media Stagecoach East Midlands
Several vehicles are expected to be transferred from the operation fleet to the Reserve Fleet in the next few days. Included are Dart SLFs 34848 and 35129/30 at Gainsborough, Enviro 300s 27189-94 along with 27633-38 and Enviro 36712 at Lincoln and Enviro 200 36526 at Grimsby. |
