August 22nd 2015

Information posted on August 22nd 2015 at 09:45
The three Optare Solos on loan to Stagecoach East Midlands, 47757/68/74, are no longer required and are being returned to Stagecoach Manchester where Trident 18291 has lost its Magicbus livery in favour of corporate colours.
Regular correspondent Richard smiles reports that Stagecoach North East has sold Volvo Olympians 16833 and 16839 to Stagecarriage of Grangetown.
Delivered to Stagecoach Midlands after single door and open top conversion is Trident 17575. Painted all over red awaiting application of City Sightseeing branding it was at Leamington garage earlier this week.
There have been significant changes to the Stagecoach East Midlands training fleet with Volvo B10Ms 52259 and 52283 now awaiting disposal and Hull’s MAN/ALX300 22162 out of service for engine repairs. As a result 22272 has moved from Grimsby to Mansfield in exchange for 22491 and 52379 has moved from Grimsby to Lincoln. Recently withdrawn MAN/ALX300 22658 is now being converted into a training vehicle.
In other news from Stagecoach East Midlands Volvo Olympian 16582 has been withdrawn from Lincoln and is now for disposal, whilst former Manchester Tridents 17648/50 and 18281/83 are now in service at Lincoln. Following fire damage Trident 18034 is for disposal, whilst 18432 is back in traffic at Hull. Further MAN/ALX300s out of service at Hull for repairs are 22306/07 and at Lincoln Reserve Fleet 22453 is now for disposal. Acquired from Stagecoach South is Dart SLF 33306 which is required for a charity donation and will not enter service here. Dart SLF 34400 has transferred from Mansfield to Lincoln with 34455 moving into the Reserve Fleet at Mansfield. B12M 53021 and B7R 53213 from the Lincoln-based Rail Replacement fleet are both out of service for repairs.
At Stagecoach Oxfordshire new ‘Gold’ Scania/Enviro 300s have entered service on the S4 service from Banbury. As a result Enviro 200s 36452/54 have had their S4 branding removed and have transferred to Oxford. Dart SLF 34470, which had suffered an engine failure is now reported to have donated its gearbox to 34466. 34470 was towed away from Banbury to Oxford on August 20th.
Moving north, Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire has transferred Scania/E400s 15681/98 from Morecambe to Kendal, whilst Tridents 17013/36, Volvo B10M 20712 and 20915, MAN/ALX300 22135 and Dart SLF 34119 are all now in the Reserve Fleet. In other fleet changed Dart 34717 has been transferred from the Reserve Fleet to Carlisle with Kendal releasing 34718 for transfer to Morecambe. Former Norfolk Green Optare Solo 47884 transfers from the Reserve Fleet to Carlisle. Vehicles sold are Volvo B10M 52629 and MAN/ALX300s 22495, 22721/28, 22816 and 22821. Optare Solo 47753 has transferred from Carlisle to West Cumbria.