Fleet News

Bus Fleet News

January 2012

Latest News

***trent barton: Double decker E400 Demo for Swift*** ***Arriva Derby: King Long to be tested in 2012*** ***Harpurs: Olympians painted, additional coaches and an Volvo Alexander PS*** ***Midland Classic: NCT Scania arrives*** ***Hulleys: Get a decker***

Here you will find all the latest bus fleet news for many bus operators in and around the Derbyshire area. If you have anything to report please contact me by clicking here.

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Andrews of Tideswell

NEWS
2nd July 28th April
Volvo B9R / Plaxton Panther (YN11 AXX) is here.

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Arriva Derby

NEWS
24th December:
A 12m King Long is expected to be tested here later next year. The bus will be built to Malta spec, and is expected to stay in Derby for around 2 months before moving elsewhere in the UK. Gemini 2224 is now back at Derby and Versa 2987 back at Burton.

8th December:
Versa 2987 is here from Burton in exchange for 4224.

2nd December:
Gemini 4224 on loan to Burton (on X38 today).
2212 has been repainted into interurban livery.

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Bowers Coaches

NEWS
31st January
Bowers Centrebus operations are set to become part on the High Peak bus company along with trent bartons DOve Holes operations from 1st April 2012.

430 (YU04 XHY) Mercedes Benz O814D is now here, a transfer from the former Veolia / Paul James operation.

Vario/Alexander ALX100 440 (R164 UAL) now in use in Centrebus livery.

Solo 263 (W293 EYG) is here in plain white. Solos 261 (B8WER) former (V263HEC) and 262 (W301 EYG) may also now be here?

9th October
(YAZ 4143) was originally (M859 RCP) and came to Kimes from Teamdeck (K-Line) and so comes back into the fold!

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

D & G

NEWS & Sightings
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| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Doyles

NEWS & Sightings
26th January:
Another Solo here is (MX55 BYF). This was with Supertravel of Speke last year, and is a M920 B33F. Solo (W302 EYG) is much smaller and can be confirmed as still B23F.

(P303/4/8HDP) can be confirmed as withdrawn. (P301 HDP) appears to still be licenced.

Solo (W302 EYG).
(C) John Moore

Solo (MX55 BYF).
(C) John Moore

17th January:
Another Solo here is (W302 EYG), from South Wales operator EST, Swansea.
Dart/UVG (R556 UOT) appears to have gone. Scrap?

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Felix

NEWS

28th November
Trent Barton are to take over the Felix operations on the Black Cat and Ilkeston Flyer services from the end of January following the sale of these services to Wellglade. It is understood that the services will, initially at least, be operated by Midland General from Meadow Road.

6 buses are thought to be included in the sale 3 Scanias, 2 (YN03 YRA) and (YN05 GZB) for the Black Cat and 1 (YN04 AGY) for the Ilkeston Flyer. Spare vehicles are 2 VDL Centros (YJ56 KBF), (YJ08 EFL) and 1 Volvo Centro (FL10 NFV). These are also expected to pass into Wellglades hands.

Felix are thought to retain the premises in Stanley and remaining vehicles, and continue to operate remaining school and football services until the licence expires in March 2012. The coaching work, although not the vehicles, is said to have been sold to Swiftsure, Burton.

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Gills Travel

26/03/2011:
Former NCT, and more recently Littles, Optare Metrorider (R232 SCH) is now here.

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

G&J Holmes

NEWS
-

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Glovers of Ashbourne

NEWS
18th August 2011
Former Winsons Volvo Plaxton coach (FJU 973) arrived here in June.
A Mercedes Plaxton Cheetah is also here.

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Harpurs Coaches

NEWS

17th January 2012
The second Dublin Olympian to enter service has been registered as (X912 LUT).

9th January 2012
One of the Dublin Olympians has been registered (V351 DJU) and entered service last Wednesday.

22nd December 2011
Former Stagecoach Volvo B10M / Alexander (R897 XVM) has arrived here.

Two former Veolia coaches here are Volvo B12B / Plaxton Paragon (CN55 MUE) (Veolia Cymru) and (FJ55 XBA) (Veolia England). Both acquired via Ensign.

Metrobus (C756 OCN) is now withdrawn.

Volvo B10M / Plaxton coaches expected to be withdrawn soon are: (D922 UOD), (RIL 5084) and (G379 REG).

8th December 2011
2 55 plate Volvo / Plaxton coaches are said to be here.

2 of the former Dublin Olympians have been repainted: Click here for a link to photos

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Hawkes Coaches

NEWS
1st December:
Former Stagecoach Volvo / ALexander PS (P134 XCN) is here, still in stagecoach livery. The vehicle has arrived from Stagecoach Cumbria, and was originally fleet number 472 in the Ribble fleet.

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Hulleys of Baslow

NEWS + SIGHTINGS
7th November
The Volvo B7L / Alexander decker 22 (V140 LGC) is now in service here.

Hulleys B7L/Alexander 22 (V140 LGC) is seen here in Sheffield.
(C) Ian Moorcroft

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Johnson Bros / Redferns

NEWS & SIGHTINGS
-

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Linburg

NEWS + SIGHTINGS
17th January
Former T M Travel Tiger (G435 EWU) is here, and is expected to be used in service!

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Littles Travel

NEWS + SIGHTINGS
17th December 2011
The Solo here has been re-registered (XIB 1908) a few months ago. Service 9, which this vehicle is used on, will be operated by N+D from late March.

8th December 2011
New here is a 61 plate Cheetah.

Titan (WYV 62T) sold to Nu Venture, Kent, for further service.

Metrobus (E480 UOE) sold to AOT, Nottingham.

Scania (F719 LFG) is said to have been exported.

East Lancs Vyking-bodied B7TL (GX55 NHY) has moved to Skills with the contract for the Bilborough college work.

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Midland Classic

NEWS
22nd December
Former NCT Scania / Wright (X94 USC) is here, although not yet in use.

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Premiere, Nottingham

NEWS
9th January 2012
3 new Levante B9R have been delivered:
978 (FJ61 EYF),
979 (FJ61 EYG),
980 (FJ61 EYH).

The two former Coachmaster Levantes are now:
976 (FJ59 ARF),
977 (FJ59 APZ).

1st December

New Levante Coach 974 in Broadmarsh Bus Station, Nottingham, before departing on its long journey to Penzance on the 330.
(C) John Carnell

The first new Levante coaches have arrived here for National Express service 330. They are 974 (FJ61 EWX) and 975 (FJ61 EWY).
5 more are on order for use on the 440 ((Burton) Leicester - London)
from January.
Former Coachmaster (Thurmaston bus) Levantes C1 (FJ59 APZ) and C2 (FJ59 ARF) are also in store, but not in service.
3352 and 3353 are branded for Local 17.

(FN04 FSP) formerly (FSV428) has been sold to Hegarty Travel (Blackpool) in exchange for (R937 YNF) (PSV392). This has since been sold on to Barratts Coaches of Nantwich.

(YJ06 GKO) Volvo B12B Van Hool has been re-registered as (FSV 428).

Two more Scanias are due here soon thought to be (Y46 HHE) and (Y49 HHE), although this is yet to be confirmed.

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Stagecoach East Midlands
Chesterfield, Mansfield, Worksop

NEWS

Route branding has been introduced on many routes around Chesterfield.
(C) Ian Moorcroft

To keep up to date with Stagecoach in Chesterfield, and many other operators in the area, take a look at the excellent Transpire website.

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

TM Travel

NEWS:
See Wellglade section.

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Translinc

NEWS
:

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

The Wellglade group
trent barton, kinchbus, notts+derby and T M Travel.

NEWS

29th January 2012:
Felix vehicles now with Wellglade are:

Scania / Wright Solar:
598 (YN03 WRA), for Black Cat.
599 (YN04 AGY), for Ilkeston Flyer.
600 (YN05 GZB), doe Black Cat.

VDL Centros:
791 (YJ56 KBF) for N+D.
793 (YJ08 EFL) for N+D.

TM Travel Centro 1183 (YJ07 JWA) has been renumbered 792 and is also with N+D.

Volvo Centro 767 (FJ10 NFV) is to pass to Kinchbus.

notts and derby have withdrawn Paladin 106 and Dart 934, both are likely to be scrapped.

Mango Solo 445, 447 and 449 have been branded for "the ninety" the new name for, well the 90.

25th January 2012:
Solo 416 is now based at Derby, replacing 447 which is being prepared for route ninety.

Tempo 306 is now painted in standard trent barton livery.
(C) John Carnell

17th January 2012:
Trent Barton are to run the Nottingham Skylink from the end of March. The commercial service will operate a different route to the current service run by NCT, which will cease to operate from the same date. The new route will run through Beeston and Long Eaton before calling at the airport and on to Loughborough (Indigo will no longer serve these two locations). Six Scanias are expected to be used on this service.

Premiere Travel may be condsidering a replacement service for the current Skylink route: Premiere Blog

NCT announcement: www.nctx.co.uk/

trent barton announcement: www.trentbarton.co.uk

N+D / Midland General are to operate the Black Cat and Ilkeston Flyer using the three branded Scanias which shall be acquired with the Felix routes. The two Felix VDL Centros will also join N+D, along with a third from TM Travel (the odd, long one - i can't recall which this is!). The Volvo Centro should pass to Kinchbus.

Due to a shortage, Bowers 743 has been on loan at Dove Holes. It has mainly been used on Unibus work, as the regular vehicles were needed for transpeak, although has ventured onto the 185/6 Buxton town services.

12th January 2012:

Enviro 400 demo (SN61 DFK) in Derby. It has had some swift branding applied to the front. The interior feature pink mood lighting!
(C) John Moore.

Tempo 306 is to be painted into trent barton red.

Solos 445, 447 and 449 are earmarked for the "ninety" service.

9th January 2012:
Enviro 400 Demo (SN61 DFK) has arrived here, and all being well, is expected to enter service on the Swift on Wednesday.

22nd December:
Paladin 129 has been repainted into notts+derby livery.

Nu Venture Delta 350 has just been sold. It is available for preservation, otherwise it will be broken and engine used to save an early generation G reg Delta in the West Yorks area. The bus ihas been moved to Yorkshire. It still has a six month mot on it, and is available for around �2K.

Ex Kinch and Littles Titan T62 has been broken for spares with NuVenture of Aylesford Kent.

28th November:
Trent Barton are to take over the Felix operations on the Black Cat and Ilkeston Flyer services from the end of January following the sale of these services to Wellglade. It is understood that the services will, initially at least, be operated by Midland General from Meadow Road.

6 buses are thought to be included in the sale 3 Scanias, 2 (YN03 YRA) and (YN05 GZB) for the Black Cat and 1 (YN04 AGY) for the Ilkeston Flyer. Spare vehicles are 2 VDL Centros (YJ56 KBF), (YJ08 EFL) and 1 Volvo Centro (FL10 NFV). These are also expected to pass into Wellglades hands.

Felix are thought to retain the premises in Stanley and remaining vehicles, and continue to operate remaining school and football services until the licence expires in March 2012. The coaching work, although not the vehicles, is said to have been sold to Swiftsure, Burton.

See trent barton website for confirmation: trent barton website

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Yourbus, Nottingham

NEWS

New Levante 4032.
(C) Dan Louch

24th December:
Many thanks to Stephen and the Yourbus Yahoo Group for the info below.

Please see below regs and fleetnumbers for the 15 new Volvo B9R / Caetano Levante II that will enter service on 9th January.

4029 (FJ61 EXM),
4030 (FJ61 EXN),
4031 (FJ61 EXO),
4032 (FJ61 EXP),
4033 (FJ61 EXR),
4034 (FJ61 EXS),
4035 (FJ61 EXT),
4036 (FJ61 EXU),
4037 (FJ61 EXV),
4038 (FJ61 EXW),
4039 (FJ61 EXX),
4040 (FJ61 EXZ),
4041 (FJ61 EYA),
4042 (FJ61 EYC),
4043 (FJ61 EYD).

4029 - 4039 are all at Heanor, with 4040 - 4043 due for delivery on January 3rd. These vehilces are to increase PVR with extra diagrams being taken over from Arriva Midlands & Classic Coaches on services

040 Bristol - London,
310 Southsea - Bradford,
324 Bradford - Paington,
425/435 Newcastle - London,
440 Derby - Leicester - London.

These extra diagrams mean that Yourbus will be operating 10% of the entire National Express network and takes our NX fleet upto 55 vehilces. 4041 will also be the 50th brand new vehilce purchased by the company and is part of 52 brand new vehilces bought this year.

Dennis Darts 1104-1108 have been moved to Tuxford depot for storage.

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

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