August 25th 2020 @ 15:45: Fleet Ramblings

Stagecoach East
Now back at Fenstanton after a period on loan to Bedford is Volvo B8R/MCV 21367, whilst Volvo B7RLE 21223, which returned to service last week, has been repainted into the all over Ocean Green livery.

© Brandon Fitzgibbon

© Brandon Fitzgibbon

​Following the return to service of some of the Volvo B11R/Plaxton elite coaches at Bedford, which are generally being used on the 99 Milton Keynes-Luton Airport service, means that some of the Volvo B7RLE, Volvo B8RLE and MCV-bodied Volvo saloons on loan from Fenstanton for the X5 and 99 services are now seeing use on other Bedford-operated routes.

© Gary Seamarks

© Gary Seamarks

​The tri-axle Enviro 400XLBs will no longer operate on the Huntingdon-Peterborough route from next week, when it is split from the main Busway network. 13901-12 will be dedicated to the Busway B service linking Hinchinbrooke Hospital with Huntingdon, St Ives, Cambridge North Station and Cambridge. 

© Steven Knight Media

The new 905 Bedford-Cambridge service is set to be worked by Enviro 400MMCs. With 11279/80 already at Bedford look out for the transfer of 10874-10881 from Peterborough to Bedford over the coming days. Our best guess is that they will be replaced at Peterborough by Enviro 400s from Bedford depot and our crystal ball is suggesting that 19698 along with 19700/01/02/03/04/05/06 are the vehicles that are likely to be transferred. All of them were new to Peterborough transferring to Bedford depot when the fleet of Enviro 400MMCs were new to Peterborough. 
As more changes take place this weekend, to restore services nearer to pre-COVID levels, we would expect to see further Enviro 200s and Enviro 300s returned to service here.

© Steven Knight Media

​Enviro 200s 36013/45 are now back here after training vehicle conversion work at ADL Harlow and have been allocated to Bedford. The other three Enviro 200 training buses, 36011, 36309 and 36310 are currently based at Cambridge.
Vehicles sold are Dart SLFs 34428 and 34825 along with Volvo B10M former training coaches 52441/42 and 52647.

Stagecoach East Midlands
Mansfield's Enviro 200 - 37003 has just been painted in the Stagecoach ‘Local' livery and Hull's Enviro 400MMC 10742 is the latest to receive the 'Local' colours there. 
Lincoln-allocated Enviro 200 36059 is currently being repanelled and has had the Cornhill Quarter advertising vinyl removed.
The disposal of Tridents 17718, 18021/36/39/41 after component recovery was to A H Hardwick.
Further to several queries we can confirm that Enviro 19684 was repainted into all-over-white livery earlier this year and had Stagecoach ‘Local’ branding applied around three weeks ago.

© Ian Knott

Stagecoach Cumbria
& North Lancashire
Now relicensed and in service at West Cumbria are Open Top Trident 17495, Mercedes-Benz Sprinters 44040-45 and Optare Versas 25265/66/67.
Now sold are Trident 18142 and Dart SLF 35158.
Following completion of the repaint of MAN/Enviro 300 22607 into Stagecoach ‘Local’ livery, Scania/Enviro 400 15684 has now arrived at the Carlisle paint shop for repaint. All repaints here are now gaining chrome wheel trims completion.

Stagecoach London
Short Enviro 200s 36376/78 have been reported being moved from Stagecoach West to West Ham and we have also heard that also planned to move to West Ham are some Optare Solo SRs from another Stagecoach subsidiary. We welcome further confirmation of vehicles arriving at West Ham and also any information on their possible use here - or are they just for storage?

Stagecoach South East
The company reports that Scania/Enviro 400MMC 15279 has now transferred from Herne Bay to Folkestone in exchange for Enviro 400MMC 10709. 
The former Stagecoach London Enviro 200s 36327/28/29/35 are now in use on a Eurotunnel Contract.
Dart SLF 34498 has returned to service at Eastbourne with 34488 now in the Reserve Fleet.
Two Optare Solos, 47668 and 47687 have been reported as leaving this fleet and transferring to Stagecoach North Scotland [Highlands] at Inverness.
 
Stagecoach South
Enviro 300 27651 was reinstated to use at Chichester as a replacement for fire damaged Enviro 200 36015.
Now relicensed at Winchester is Dart training bus 33189

Stagecoach ~Oxfordshire
We understand that new Enviro 200MMC 37630 is due to enter service from Banbury depot next week whilst Scania/Enviro 400 is now being prepared for transfer to Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire.