Just a catch up and Fleet changes from last month

Sorry its late, Ive been very busy but not many fleet changes at all for November anyway. Those that did happen have been listed below.

First South Yorkshire:
The 'Good' Withdrawn Volvo B10B Wright Liberators and Scania Ultralow vehicles have been moved to Cheery Row, Leeds. Im not sure why and can't see to find out why but i am 70% sure these vehicles arn't for service. Volvo B9TL Wirght Gemini 37229 & 37525 swapped between Olive Grove, Sheffield & Leger Way, Doncaster.

Tate's Travel:
Here for 1 month only is Scania K230UB ADL Enviro 300 Demo YN62AAK. Its in ADL Silver, Green and Blue and should see use on routes 92/92A/96/96A/97/X10/X12 mainly.

Now onto the other stuff, Stagecoach have gained a new Park & Ride contract in Doncaster. More as i get it but looks like 36717/8 will be reallocated from Barnsley to Rawmarsh for use on this. To Barnsley, two T---TND ALX300 MAN expected to be out of 22205/9/13/6 will move from Ecclesfield. These are expected to be used on route 67 with two displaced Solos been used on other routes. This leaves one board. The 93A and so on/ so forth but ill see what happens with that as it dos. I guess it will get one of 36177/83 and the 1 will get the other one.

Its also expected the Hybrids for Arriva Yorkshire will arrive during March. Its still unclear what they are but what is sure are they are for use on routes 163/6 from Castleford to Leeds. Should displace the Optare Tempos onto the Pontefract-Castleford services.

Ill keep you updated, Should be a busy few months this ;)

Tate's expand as Redline hit problems

Redline have been stuggling to operate services recently. Service 4 has not operated and i understand not many 6As/11As/43As/44As have operated ether. Some of the Grimethorpe/ Shafton services have failed to operate. This isn't good and the 4A is been operated by a Mercedes O405 Coach which they have been using 'very lightly' since they wasted money on it. Frankly im not sure whats left for Redline. It was a good idea when it started but its never gone anywhere really and they make Tate's look ok. I know they have some Solos and the Primos and vehicle quallity is better on avrage then you get at Tate's but whats vehicle quallity if the bloody thing never turns up. When i could i used the 4 but now the timetable is complete stupid and its unuseable. 4A runs 08:11 Mon-Fri only but then it says, This service is school days only so really its pointless been a service and not a schoolbus. So as for Redline, Im not sure what the hell is going on at the minute but i can't see it lasting if nothing is done by the management to look into the situation. Anyways onto Tate's who seem to have stopped competeing as much with Stagecoach and took all their might to fight Arriva Yorkshire. They have done this by taking tender work on routes 194/195 and 443 allong with the 96/97 they allready operate, they have now won tenders for routes 128, 205, 212, 213 around Wakefield, Morley & Dewsbury. I understand they will be getting up to 3 more ADL Dart Enviro 200 vehicles to operate these services, They'll probably not end up operating them but the effort is there.

More New Hybrids For Sheffield

The New ADL Enviro 400 Hybrids for route 52 (Hillsborough-Sheffield-Handsworth-Woodhouse). These are 12161-79 (YN62BBE/X/CY/EY/FP/SU/TV/VR/S/XA/O/S/X/YA/S/U/ZG/K/T). They are expected to enter service in early next year. The new Hybrids will be in the Hybrid Green veriant of Beachball. Its Just a green beachball really isn't it :/

One of the orringal Hybrids operating route 52 in Handsworth
in July 2012.

Overall they will lead to improve reliablity on route 52 for Stagecoach, Those DAFs can't keep to time. They will also push Firsts faces in it yet again after something simaler happend on Route 120 (Halfway-Crystal Peaks-Sheffield-Hallamshire Hospital). This will give Stagecoach an excerlant avrage vehicle age in Sheffield compaired to other operaters. Only Sheffield Community Transport come anywhere close. The vehicles should lead to the withdrawal of DAF SB220 East Lancs Myllennium 26100-10 and some Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spyrte. I expect the DAF SB220 Wright Commander will stay at Holbrook depot allong with MAN ADL Enviro 300 22560-3 leading to 22633-9 been reallocated to Ecclesfield depot and been branded/ maybe for Route 79/A. 22612-7/29/30 have allready been branded for the route. The above fleet movements are not confirmed so don't hold me up on them. For now all i can say is ADL have started building them with delivery expected next month and over the Christmas/ New Year period to Holbrook Depot.

Do you have the X19Factor

Well the X19Factor has been launched today between Barnsley-Goldthorpe-Doncaster Frenchgate and hourly to Doncaster Airport. Now its all well and good with Scania K230UB ADL Enviro 300 28671/2 been currently branded but they have failed to stop a few things. X-Factor the TV Show which im guessing the name came from is probably one of the worst things on the tele at present. I think Xpres19 or even better given the X19 interworks to X28 XpressBarnsley or something allong those lines which could be used on all the X services into Barnsley. That would ovcoruse allow for then other routes to be added, The X12 between Barnsley and Rotherham that Tate's have distoryed could be an option. Other then that the brandings look good but there not normal Stagecoach cheesy but maybe thats just down south and Mr Zoomers Manchester :). Slogans on 28671 are On Route to Commute and Hot To Shop. Again im not sure why its Red & Gold but it could have something to do with the routes line colour. For now thats it but keep a look out for X19Factor in West Yorkshire then as i can see one ending up on X28 very shortly indeed...

Local Fleet Changes - October 2012

Arriva Yorkshire:
New here are 40 VDL SB220 Wright Pulsar vehicles which have in large replaced older vehicles in the fleet. These are in service from Heckmondwick as 1456 (YJ62JHU). Belle Isle, Wakefield as 1457-70 (YJ62JJO/JNU/JPX/Y/JRV/JTO/JUA/JVE/G/JYH/Z/JZE/Z/JCZ). Castleford as 1471-8 (YJ62JDU/JGF/JHE/H/K/JOA/JRZ/JSY). And Dewsbury as 1471-95 (YJ62JUC/F/JVH/P/Y/JXT
/JYD/JBE/X/JDK/JEU/JFZ/JGX/JKY/JLU/JMU/X). In turn they should have replaced the DAF SB220 Alexander ALX300 which are utter sheds and need replacing. They have also cleared off the last of the Ikarus Citybuses that remained in service. This has lead to VDL SB220 Wright Commander 1409-15 to Belle Isle from Castleford. All Optare Spectras in this fleet now also operate out of Belle Isle depot.

Stagecoach Yorkshire:
In Service are the 8 new Scania K230UB ADL Enviro 300 for Barnsley, These are 28671-8 and have repalced MAN 18.220 Alexander ALX300 22113-5/24/6/22213/22923/4 of which 22213 has turned up at Ecclesfield and the rest have gone to Chesterfield i understand for storeage as 22203/22928/31 are there from Ecclesfield Reserve. Reserve fleet Dart 33345 was in use out of Rawmarsh on Saturday operating 220/221 between Rotherham and Doncaster. This should have been replaced by 33094/5 which have moved from Chesterfield to Rawmarsh. 33240 is here from Holbrook and persumed saved from withdrawal. From Barnsley to Holbrook and in Supertram Link livery for new SL3 linking Supertram with Killamarsh from Moss Way and Crystal Peaks are 47290/97-300. 47296 is now in use out of Chesterfield. At Ecclesfield MAN 18.240 ADL Enviro 300 22559/612/3/30 are branded for the 79/79A in the same style as the Alexander ALX300 they have replaced. 22614-7/22629 are expected to gain brandings shortly with more of this type expected at Ecclesfield soon to replace the remaining Oxford Boxford Alexander ALX300s still operating routes 79/79A. Transfers from Rawmarsh to Ecclesfield are ADL Dart Pointer 2s 35107/8/14 which have been noted operating the 57/265 and 83 routes in Sheffield.

Red Line Buses, RLB Trans Barnsley:
Plaxton Primo KX07KOA is here from Dawsons Rentals. Its understood Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spryte 8551 has been withdrawn and scrapped.

TM Travel (Wellglade):
Transferd here from Trent Barton are Optare Solo M920 437/44/5/63/4 which are in a Burgandy livery with gold fleet names and 418/22/4/5 which are in a Yellow/ Orange Line 30 livery for the new 30 between Sheffield and Crystal Peaks. Also here is Green (Se7ens) Liveried 423 and has been used in service in this condition. These are for new tenderd services on behalf of South Yorkshire PTE which operate under the new Simplicity brand (Sheffield Bus Partnership)

Huddersfield to Leeds via Wakefield with a little help from 803

On Saturday 27th me, Adam & Danny went into West Yorkshire and used the £5.20 WY Metro Day ticket for the first time. Overall it went well with most drivers been plesent and very nice indeed. All the Arriva Yorkshire drivers we're very nice a few looking and checking the ticket as ovcoruse it said First on it which they are entitled to do. Unfortunatly it was a First West Yorkshire Leeds driver that stood out. He was driving Optare Solo 53909 on the 18:48 departure of the Town Bus in Leeds from the Bus Station. When Danny asked him if he could let us know when we are at the rail station, He replyed sarcasticly "Its When you see big trains eh!" So we sat down and then again, Another man go on and asked can you tell me when we get to the train station please, Driver again sarcasticly said Errrr When you see Trains, Your there. Unfortunatly it was dark and we didn't, nor did the other man see any trains so it was a good job i have little knowlage of the Train station in Leeds and we did manage to get off.
Started the day on 36715 of Stagecoach Yorkshire. Then Northern Rails 144010 to Huddersfield and from there we got First West Yorkshire 32513 on the 324 to Lockwood and returned on 30946. Then we did Arriva Yorkshire VDL Wright Pulsar 1455 to Old Fieldhouse Ln and back to Huddersfield on Volvo B9TL Darwen Olympus 1804. Then we planned to get a 231 or 232 to Wakefield. The next one was a 232 so we waiting. Ooooo 803. Centrebus Leyland Olympian Northern Counties 803 K242CHB or better known as K3 YCL to me ovcoruse been from Barnsley and growing up with 'Tracky' (Yorkshire Traction Group) who owned this fine beasts for quite a time before ovcoruse Stagecoach took over and sent them up to the Waterloo depot in Huddersfield which they then sold to Centrebus (Huddersfield Bus Company) where 803 is the last one remaining today. They we're new to Yorkshire Coastliner. This was certainly one to remember and certainly a beast. Having traveled on it back with Tracky between Barnsley & Doncaster i was happy to get this fine motor yet again and really happy to see it still going stong. The driver was brilliant and gave it some over the moors of Emily. Just brillaint. Next up was Arriva Yorkshire lovely doubly 1112. A Volvo B7RLE Wright Eclipse Urban on the 127 to Ossett. Then we got VDL Wright Gemini 2 1534 to Dewsbury and from their Darwen 1810 to the White Rose Centre. There we

got one of First Leeds new (From the Olympics) Volvo B9TL Wright Gemini 2s. This was 36271 on the 3 into Leeds Centre where we met Liam and Jake and then got 36278 on a 51 towards Morley. At Elland Rd the Police had closed the road so we had to divert and ended up at White Rose Centre again where i joked, Shall we get off here then. But he didn't go into the bus station and we went back down and joined the correct route. There not bad but they arn't great and seem loud and weak for a Wright product of late. In Morley Arriva Yorkshire Optare Spectra 723 was waiting with a 427 to Wakefield. We got this to Wakefield and 627 on the 446 to Oulton. Then we got a 189 to Leeds which was Volvo B7 Alexander ALX400 662. Then we got Town Bus 53909 with the not so nice driver. As aforementioned he should have an attitude like that driving a bus in Town Leeds, A popular tourist city in the UK. Then after a run throught Leeds Railway Station with its stupid ticket barriers that really don't need to be there because you could always employ men to do the job who are much better anyway because they don't eat tickets... I could go on. After a short run from one side to platform 17 where the train was we got 158843. I got off in Barnsley and then got 47288 home. Great day overall.

Trying out some Scania!

Well the Scanias are all now in service at Barnsley and they are:
28671 YN62FVD
28672 YN62FVH
28673 YN62FVJ
28674 YN62FVV
28675 YN62FXR
28676 YN62FXT
28677 YN62FXU
28678 YN62FXW


I have travelled on 28673/7. 28673 was operating route 1 (Barnsley-Staincross) & 28677 28 (Barnsley-Hemsworth-Pontefract). Both we're very nice and ran well. I got the feeling on 28673 that it hadn't setted in well but been its first day in service i was not supprised at this. 28677 performed much better overall but this had been going 2 days when i got it yesterday. They are comparable to the bacth at Worksop depot (28611-20) which are used in the Rotherham-Worksop and Doncaster areas mainly. I will get some more of these fine motors on Saturday hopefully. They are again Scania K230UB which is a great chassis and they are certainly built well. The ADL Enviro 300 body works well and its stylish too, Overall Scania K230UB ADL Enviro 300s are quallity vehicles and i really do like them but as everything else they have flaws. Firstly the head room on the back row... Now im not too tall but as i found out on a Worksop one, Head doesn't fit here does it brain... no it f*%king hurt that... Thankfully i didn't do that this time but i did sit on the back of both vehicles i traveled on in Barnsley. Overall the Scanias are great... Nuff said :)

Half't Scanias are go

Well this morning 4 of 8 Scania K230 ADL Enviro 300 have enterd service in Barnsley. I am told 2 were operating X19 (Barnsley-Doncaster-Finningley Airport)/ X28 (Barnsley-Hemsworth-Pontefract), 1 did the 222 (Barnsley-Wath-Doncaster) and the other found use on the 32 (Barnsley-Cudworth Crown Ave). This one was 28678 which decided to make an entrance into the bus station just as i boarded ADL Enviro 200 36714... I will try and get some photos and film on Wednesday and if not then Saturday.

Keep an eye out for more updates

First South Yorkshire Update

Recently there has been transfers in and around First South Yorkshire, These include:
Leeds to Sheffield:
Volvo B7TL Alexander ALX400 - 30846/61/2/30937/8
Volvo B7TL Wright Eclipse Gemini - 37021-35
Volvo B9TL Wright Eclipse Gemini - 37103-22

Sheffield to Rotherham:
Dennis Dart Marshall Capital - 41780-7
Volvo B7L Wright Eclipse Urban - 60729-41
Volvo B10BLE Wright Renown - 60798-806
Volvo B7TL Alexander ALX400 - 30564-78

Leeds to Rotherham:
Volvo B7TL Alexander ALX400 - 31142-5

The Sheffield-Rotherham transfers may or may not happen but they should replace all the Olympians and all the Dennis Dart Super Pointers which are suffering serious chassis rot and recent repaints include:

At Doncaster- 31786/37500/8

At Sheffield- 33030/41/32955/7/31137-41/32308-11/32215-9/60630-2/69012/7/8

Local Fleet Changes - September 12

First South Yorkshire:
From Leeds are 30907/8/37021/4/9/30/2/4/5/37103-5/111-3/5-7/9/22 and there allocated and deliverd to Olive Grove depot for routes 47/48 (Shiregreen-Sheffield-Herdings) and 51 (Lodge Moor-Sheffield-Charnock) allowing 41780/2/5/7/30577/8/876/
60729/31/3/5/8/40/1/3/60799/800/2/4/5 to Rotherham from Olive Grove. I will update next month when the big movement has taken place to its full extent. All the Wright Eclipse Geminis from Leeds came with Leeds brandings and one even managed to arrive showing X84 Skipton. The latist buses came in two convoys on Saturday and were all in the Depot by 3pm on Saturday Afternoon. The photo shows 3 of the convoy from outside Olive Grove Depot.

Stagecoach Yorkshire:
The 14 new ADL Enviro 200 Dart are 36713-26 (YN62BHW/X/Y/JU/X/OV/DU/FE/HF/LX/MY/
NA/D/E) and are allocated to Barnsley (36713-8) and Holbrook (36719-26) for routes 1 (Barnsley-Mapplewell-Staincross) and 25 (Bradway-Sheffield-Woodhouse) respectivly. Due here are 8 Scania ADL Enviro 300 for Barnsley routes X19 (Barnsley-Doncaster-Doncaster Finningley Airport) and X28 (Barnsley-Hemsworth-Pontefract). All Vehicles that were out on Olympic movments have now returned including internal transfers.

Tate's Travel:
Demonstated here was Optare Solo SR (YJ11OJK) and it was used on route 34/34A (Barnsley-Shafton-Cudworth-Barnsley). ADL Enviro 200 Darts 1101/1121 (VP10JPT/YN12HNH) have become YX10TAT and YX12TAT respectfully the change occuring the second Saturday in September.