Barnsley Townlines Update March 2012

Just an update of what is and what isn't branded for Barnsley Townlines after the recent repaint run, The repaints are still ongoing so this may change.

Barnsley Townline 1                                     Barnsley Townline 6              

47290 (YN03ZXK)* +                                     47283 (YS02WVZ)
47298 (YJ55BLF) +                                       47291 (YN03ZXL) +
47299 (YJ55BLK) +

Barnsley Townline 11                                  Barnsley Townlines 57/59

22449 (YN07KSX) * +                                   22618 (YN08JHE) +
                                                                       22619 (YN08JHF)
                                                                       22627 (YN08JHH)
                                                                       22628 (YN08JHJ) +

Barnsley Townline 66                                 Barnsley Townline 93/95                             

19561 (YN59EAM) +                                  36178 (YN60FKO)
19562 (YN59EAO)  +                                  36179 (YN60FKP)
19563 (YN59EAP)   +                                 36180 (YN60FKR)
19564 (YN59EAW)  +                                36181 (YN60FKS) +
19565 (YN59EAX)  +                                 36182 (YN60FKT)
19566 (YN59EAY) +


Notes:
* Vehicle possible due in for repaint
+ Vehicle missing parts of the Brandings

1 Barnsley-Wakefield Rd-Mapplewell & Staincross
6 Barnsley-Doncaster Rd-Kendray Bank End
11 Barnsley-Wakefield Rd-Athersley North
57/59 Barnsley-Monk Bretton-Carlton-Royston
66 Barnsley-Birdwell-Hoyland-Elsicar
93/95 Barnsley-Hospital-Darton

It is rumoured there maybe some Enviro 200 vehicles on order for route 1 to ease overcrowded buses on this route. These if the rumours are true should arrive between September-December and carry 62 however non of thats confermed. Currently on the Barnsley Townlines network the frequancy is every 10 minutes Monday to Saturday day and every 30 minutes Evening & Sundays

Many vehicles became unbranded in late 2011 when the repaint program occured repainting all Optare Solo M920/M950s. Now its the MAN 18.240 HOCL-NR A69s turn which currently has left all bus 1 (22449) Branded for the 11 and will one day see 57/59 branded 22618/9/27/28 repainted also. The Enviro 200s branded for 93/95 have only recently been branded but all look supurb. 36181 is missing some of the line across the doors but thats all.


Dotted around the bottom are photos of currently branded buses for the Barnsley Townlines network for all current routes on the townlines networkwhich are  1, 6, 11, 57/59, 66, 93/95. linking Barnsley Town Centre with Mapplewell, Staincross, Kendray Bank End, Athersley North, Monk Bretton, Carlton, Royston, Birdwell, Hoyland, Elsicar, Barnsley General District Hospital & Darton as well as serving Wakefield Rd, Doncaster Rd, ASDA, Barnsley College & Upper Sheffield Rd.

Sheffield Route 52 To Finally Get Its Hybrid Buses

Sheffield Route 52 (Hillsborough-Crookes-Broomhill-Darnall-Handsworth-Woodhouse) Will finally get its Hybrid buses after the last bacth of 21 intended for this route were instead allocated onto the 120 (Hallamshire Hospital-Sheffield-Manor Top-Crystal Peaks-Halfway Tram Stop) when the Optio Orange ticketing system was introduced back in late 2011. A Bacth of 19 Hybrid vehicles will be allocated to Stagecoach Sheffields Holbrook Depot along with the ADL Enviro 200 & Scania Enviro 300 vehicles allready annoced last month when Stagecoach released its 2012/2013 vehicle order. Even more good news is that Arriva Yorkshire will also gain 12 new Hybrid buses for use in Leeds possibly on routes 163&166 (Castleford-Leeds) which is currently using branded Optare Tempo vehicles that see more use in Wakefield then in Leeds or Castleford. The news comes from the releasing of the Third Round on Green Bus Funding for Bus Companys and Operators to help bring down the UKs overall Carbon Footprint by the Goverment. The Stagecoach In Sheffield vehicles are excepted to be ADL Enviro 400 Hybrids however no word on the make and model of the vehicles has yet filterd in. The photo with this article is an ADL Enviro 400 Hybrid vehicle operating route 120 at Halfway Tram Stop two days after they enterd service for the first time in Sheffield carring the advertising campain of "Your Big Green Eco Machine" More information about the vehicle type and date of arrivel will be added when i myself get the information into me and the same for the Arriva bacth too. These will be the first bacth of Hybrid vehicles for the Arriva Yorkshire fleet anywere and will probably be double decker vehicles. It wouldn't suprise me if they are Volvo B5L Wright Gemini type vehicles also used by First West Yorkshire in the Leeds area.

Lines On At Barnsley Bus Station

After the Bus Station and bridge connecting it to the Railway Station opened in 2007 Barnsley Interchange has been busy with buses each one eating away at the painted lines marking out stands and layover bays on the tarmac. Well today as my bus into town this morning arrived into the bus station it soon became clear the markings for the layover bays on the Kendray side have been painted over with shiny yellow paint. They looked very good indeed and what looked even better was Stands 1 to 19 which have also been marked out with the same yellow paint. I must say it has really improved the look of the bus station and will most certainly stop buses going into the wrong stand by mistake which most certainly happened beforehand, Infact 36179 on my 21 went into A7 not A8 on Sunday when the bus station was empty. They have also re-applyed the numbers on the bottom of stands next to the bus carrageway. Hopefully Stands 20-24 and other markings will also be repainted this evening and tonight. I suspect the work was done overnight last night (20/03/2012). As the below photos will hopefully show its improved the look of the bus station and hopefully it will stay in this condition in the future. The photos placed around this post are from around the bus station taken from Stagecoach 22113 (S113TRJ) showing the repainted yellow lines including the stand number on the bottom of the stand too.

Update as of 23/03/2011:
All road markings have now been re applyed to the bus station and looks great. Certainly noticed drivers using the bus station more accurantly apart from one 57 driver who descided to go around a stopped 32 which then pulled out on him and pulled into stand nearly resulting in a Enviro 300 sandwich.

The Return Of a Mini Dart

Stagecoach Mini Dart Leaving Barnsley
Interchange for Kexborough on morning

Stagecoach Yorkshire Dennis Dart SLF Alexander ALX200 34086 (S486BWC) Has made a return to public service from the very bottom of the Reserve Pool after Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spryte 33232 was repainted into Magic Bus Livery. 33232 been the vehicle used beforehand. 34086 was today operating Townlines Route 11 (Barnsley-Athersley North Circle) Strangly 11 Townlines Branded 22449 was operating Townlines Route 1 (Barnsley - Mapplewell & Staincross Circle) this afternoon. The Mini Darts so to call them were taken out of main streem service when M.A.N 18.220 Alexander ALX300 22113-5/24/6 & 22213 (S113-5/24/6TRJ & T213TND) enterd service in Barnsley after been cast off form Manchester. Barnsleys Wakefield Rd Depot also gained 22801/11/12 (V801/11/12DFV) From Chesterfield on the same weekend to replace both the Mini Darts and Volvo B10BLE Wright Renowns 21129-35 (T545-51AUA). 34086 was operating Route 67 (Barnsley-Great Houghton) yesterday. I understand the Mini Darts 34082/4/6-8 (S482/4/6-8BWC) will be all back covering for the Olympics however i'm not sure where these will operate. The Olympics are proving to be a odd subject for vehicles allocation, First Barnsley were said to be loosing the there only Enviro 400 Double Deckers however now i'm not sure. At least three of the bacth of 21129-35 (T545-51AUA) Will move to Stonegravels Depot, Chesterfield to operate Express Route X17 (Sheffield-Chesterfield-Matlock) as Chesterfield are to loose some Scania Enviro 400s to other depots (Possibly Hyde Rd, Manchester).  I will try and provide more information regarding the Olympic games in 2012 when it arrives.

Saturday 17/03/12 - £5.20 Day Explorer & Barlborough Notes

Saturday 17/03/2012 - Bash & Barlborough Bits:

Before i had even left Barnsley this morning i had spotted Stagecoach Yorkshire 39629 (YN04WNE) Failed on Eldon St just up fro the Railway Bridge. This was causing quite a que indeed at the traffic lights and with buses going around it this was made worse. To the Right is a picture of 39629 this morning after failing. The person on the left is the driver in Stagecoach uniform looking relaxed. On the right we see a member of Travel South Yorkshire PTE Staff. Not sure why he was in attendance as the vehicle isn't blocking Interchange access really and isn't on the Interchange its self. 39629 is one of a small number of M.A.N 14.220 East Lancs Myllennium vehicles in the Stagecoach fleet where Yorkshire have the most (39621-31). Also noted this morning in Barnsley was new brandings on Arriva Yorkshire VDL SB220 Wright Commander 1405 (YJ56JYL) for routes 194/195/196. An odd move as Tate's travel has recently registard these services, Makes you wounder what really will happen in March/ April when services Change. Below/ Left is a photo of Commander 1405 with the
brandings in place. I find the new branded much simpler then the branding of old with blue circle covering the vehicle. Still i am told that is now the new countrywide Arriva branding. After leaving Barnsley for Ecclesfield on Dart 35111 (YN06WCM) on route 265 i started woundering about what to do next, So when sat on Scania 15717 (YN60CKO)  towards Sheffield on route 88 from Ecclesfield it was finally chosen to visit Barlborough Tesco RDC. A location i personally like for some Stobart Spotting. That ment a trip on route X17 to Chesterfield. A route i do like and sitting on the uper deck at the front above the doors made this more enjoyable. I arrived in Chesterfield as the sun came out and as the X17 doesn't connect with the 77 onwards to Barlborough some time was spent on New Beetwell St in Chesterfield. Suprises me why Stonegravels don't have a more mordern fleet. R & T Reg Darts can be seen on routes allover the town commonly. After a trip on the 77 i made it to Barlborough and KFC. After some Stobart spotting got underway. It was quiet at Barlborough today with only two new spots on H5901 & H4546. After a chat with another spotter it was time to leave and go back to the buses. This week i didn't miss the 14:08 towards Chesterfield, Trident 18124 (YN04KGJ) was the vehicle. On New Beetwell St for the second time saw a very odd allocation in the form off Castle Line branded 22649 operating route 25. My Bus onwards was 22612 (YN08JGU (43 branded)) on the errr 43 to Woodseats where i changed vehicles and routes again onto the 25 to Sheffield. As soon as i got into Sheffield Bus Station and invested in a bottle of Fanta it was clear First 60803 was in a poor way. The engine sounded dreadfull and was very loud. Then two Freebees pulled in at once, It was clear they had been sticking to the 7 minute frequancy :O. Then as i waited for the 265 home expecting the normal unbranded M.A.N 18.240 Alexander ALX300 i was very supprised to see 22433 branded for Route 87 arriving into the bus station showing 265. As i arrived back home into Barnsley the football has just ended at the Bus station was very full indeed however my bus home wasn't too far away. An Enjoyable day today and a good start to the Blog too.