Fleet News

Bus Fleet News

February 2009

Latest News

***Trent: Order placed for 13 Solos.*** ***Arriva: New Solos and Omnicities now in service - last Marshall Volvo Citybus withdrawn.*** ***More new buses for Stagecoach Chesterfield*** ***More Solos at TM Travel***

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.

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Andrews of Tideswell

NEWS
February 26th
Brand new Volvo B12 / Plaxton coach (YN58 NDF) has not yet been used, so has been re-registered as (YN09 AOT) ready for March.

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Arriva Derby

NEWS
22nd February:

Two of the former London & Country Volvo Citybuses 4393/4333(H658/82 GPF) have been sold to the green transport company. (H682 GPF) is shown above.
(C) Tom Graham http://bus.fotopic.org.uk/

Other former Derby Citybuses have also moved on:
4331 (H674 GPF) is now with Cass, Moreton, Wirral - acquired via Stafford Bus Centre.

As an aside, ex Midlands Scanias (M168/74/5 GRY) are now with Vale Travel.

New Volvo / Wrights at Pride Park. From left to right, 4220/21/22/19/08/11/09/13.
(C) Dave Allen

The 9 DAF/ East Lancs Lowlanders have been withdrawn, and are expected totransfer to Soutgates garage (Leicester).
Olympian 4607 has been withdrawn. 4625, 4639, 4640, 4641, 4642, 4643, 4653 and 4668 should also now be withdrawn.

The 17 new Volvo / Wright deckers now in service here are:

4208 (FJ58 KXF)
4209 (FJ58 KXG)
4210 (FJ58 KXH)
4211 (FJ58 KXK)
4212 (FJ58 KXL)
4213 (FJ58 KXM)
4214 (FJ58 KXN)
4215 (FJ58 KXO)
4216 (FJ58 KXP)
4217 (FJ58 KXR)
4218 (FJ58 KXS)
4219 (FJ58 KXT)
4220 (FJ58KXU)
4221 (FJ58KXV)
4222 (FJ58KXW)
4223 (FJ58KXX)
4224 (FJ58KXY)

New Volvo / Wright 4211, seen here in Derby. They should enter service on 22nd February.
(C) Dave Allen

28th January:
New Volvo deckers 4212/5/8/9 have now arrived at Ascot Drive.
4210 has now arrived.
Fleetline 4301 (GTO 301V) is still at Ascot Drive. It is expected to leave under its own power and go into preservation. It may appear at some bus rallys later in the year.

Former Derby Volvo Citybus 143 (B143 GAU) goes through the wash at the premises of its new owner Edwards Coaches, of Llantwit Fardre, South Wales.
(C) Gareth Evans, Coach & Bus Weekly magazine www.cbwonline.com

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Bowers Coaches

NEWS
14th January
Ex Woods Vario / Alexander (LKZ 3614) is here. Bowers names are applied on the blue livery.

29th December
Vario (Y131 TBF) has had new style "Bowers buses" names applied to the Centrebus livery.

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| Midland Classic |

Doyles

NEWS & Sightings

22nd February
At least 2 green Mini Pointer Darts, (W793/4 VMV) have arrived here. Thanks to Mr Moore for this information.

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| Midland Classic |

Felix

NEWS

Tuesday 27th January

Felix the cat banished from the buses!

You may have noticed that the Felix the cat character, synonymous with the company for several decades, has begun to disappear from the Felix buses. The statement below explains:

"The cat logo is being removed from our buses, coaches and publicity material as a result of a threat of legal action by Felix the Cat Creations Inc. in the States. They have asserted that they own world copyright and trade mark for any feline image used with the name Felix. Although they have not provided documents to suppport their claim, we do not have the resources to go to court to prove the case either way. Therefore we have given in, and we shall no longer be using a cat logo".

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| Midland Classic |

G&J Holmes

NEWS
Sun 30th November
The order for two more Solos has been cancelled.
Mercedes 0814 / Plaxton Cheetah (YN58 FYJ) is the latest arrival, in the smart silver livery. Berkhof bodied Volvo B10M (N901 ABL) has gone to Kirkby dealer in part exchange.
Optare Solo (YJ55 YGZ) is back after extensive accident repairs, following an incident during September.
Thanks to Andy bagshaw for the above.

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| Midland Classic |

Glovers of Ashbourne

NEWS
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| Midland Classic |

Harpurs Coaches

NEWS + SIGHTINGS

18th Dec
Two more Volvo / Plaxton coaches have joined the fleet. (P51 JJU) is plain white, and the second is thought to be (P338 JJU). Both are from Yeates, Loughborough.

30th July
A new addition to the preserved fleet is former Derby Corporations Crossley 111(CRC 911)!

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| Midland Classic |

Hawkes Coaches

NEWS

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| Midland Classic |

Hulleys of Baslow

NEWS + SIGHTINGS
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| Midland Classic |

Johnson Bros / Redferns

NEWS & SIGHTINGS
22nd February
3 Spectras have been sold to Beaverbus, Leicester (not Macphersons as reported last month).
A 4th Spectra, (K306 FYG), has been sold to M Travel, Huddersfield.
A new arrival at Mansfield Woodhouse is Alexander bodied Olympian (G213 SSL), which has arrived from Stagecoach bluebird.
Many thanks to Duncan Binghamfor the above.

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| Midland Classic |

Littles Travel

NEWS + SIGHTINGS
28th January
Delta (RIB 7017) has left the fleet, and is currently for sale on ebay. This vehicle was in service with TM travel prior to going to Littles.
Van Hool coach (S53 VGV) and Beaulas (FJ03 ZZT) have also departed.
The new Scania PB, that was to PB58 LTL is delayed and will now be (PB09 LTL).
A recent addition to the fleet is Scania PB, (YN08 OBX).

17th Dec
The former stagecoach double deck coach (T35DFC) is now in fleet livery.

| Arriva Derby |

| Midland Classic |

Midland Classic

NEWS

28th January
A new addition to the fleet is 12 (L112 YVK), a Dennis Dart/NC Paladin, ex South Eastern Coachworks.
Lynx (J657 UHN) is currently here on loan.

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| Midland Classic |

Stagecoach East Midlands
Chesterfield, Mansfield, Worksop

NEWS
17th February
Former Rapsons Excel 35023 (JAZ 9851) is now in use at Chesterfield. The second one, 35025 (P937 SSK), should be out soon. Thanks Dave.

Chesterfield Transports Spire Sprinter 16 (J216 AET) is now preserved. It should be painted in Spire Sprinter livery later this year - look out for it at rallies.

The Stagecoach Yorkshire National Express Fleet and Operations have moved to Chesterfield Depot. This has meant that most if not all vehicles in store at Chesterfield have been moved on elsewhere, or in most cases scrapped. Vehicles scrapped include Mercedes Varios, Mini Mercs & Plaxton Pointer Darts. The tri-axle Olympians have been moved for store at Holbrook.

19th January
Olympians 16490/91/93 (N140/41/43AET) and 16497 (P152KWJ) have been transfered to Lincolnshire. Of these, 16491/43 are at Skegness.
Dart/Plaxton Pointer 32364 (R714YNC) has been reinstated and is used for PCV CPC training.

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| Midland Classic |

TM Travel

NEWS

The latest repaint is Leyland Tiger (BSG 550W), re-bodied by East Lancs, seen here in Sheffield.
(C) Ian Moorcroft

19th January:
Two Van Hool bodied Tigers have been acquired from Mulley's, Ixworth, Suffolk. These are (A784 YGL) and (B42 FCV).
Vario (S582 RGA) has been withdrawn and sold to Plaxton, Anston (dealer) whilst ex London Olympian (D191FYM) is also withdrawn and for sale.
Varios (YN53 EJX), (YN54 WWU), (YN54 WWV) and (MX04 VMK) have all been put up for sale but remain in service.
Excel (R213 DKG) has been repainted intio new livery, this was white. 1st January:
.

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| Midland Classic |

Translinc

NEWS
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| Midland Classic |

The Wellglade group

NEWS
22nd February:
Volvo / Alexander Q type (ex Transpeak) 51 (M51 PRA) has been reunited with 52 at Coach Services, Thetford.

17th February:
Solo 403 has been painted black for Derby city centres "Shopper Hopper" service, which is to be operated by notts + derby.
Ilkeston Flyer Dart 926 is stored at Langley Mill.
102 has been painted in new unibus livery.

The Villager services are now operated by 6 former Rainbow 5 Scanias (613/4/5/6/7 and 619). They are painted in a darker shade of yellow, and each bus features a different animal as part of the branding.

The former Villager Darts 927, 941/2/3/4 are now stored at Loughborough. They are reported to be sold to an operator in Ireland (possibly Ulsterbus). 940 remains at Meadow Road, where it is under repair. It is not known if 940 has also been sold. More soon.....

Scanias 623/4/5 are now on loan to Derby whilst the new ticket machines are installed to the fleet.

Amberline Scanias 620/1/2 are almost ready to be put into service.

6 Mercedes Citarios are on order for the Calverton Connection. They will feature hi-spec interior, and sport a jet black livery. They are expected to be on the road during the summer.

Two of the Pronto Excels should replace Darts 938/9 at Belper in April.

30th January:
South Lancs Travel have sold former Trent Volvo / Alexander Q type 52 (M52 PRA) to "Coach Services" of Thetford.
Unibus names have been removed from Paladins 105/7 and Olympian 23, which carry the "old style livery". notts+derby names have been applied in their place.
Citybus 39 is stored at Langley Mill, and is thought to be For Sale.

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