More New Enviros...

At Holbrook depot, ADL Dart Enviro 200s 36719-26 have enterd service on route 25 (Bradway-Sheffield-Woodhouse) and are YN62BDU/FE/HF/LX/NY/BNA/D/E. They are to the same standard and spec as the ones that have preiously enterd service at Barnsley. 36721 now features on my You Tube video allong with videos aboard 36714 and 36718 from the Barnsley Bacth. The buses are ok for Enviro 200s but i think the older bacth 36177-83/86-91 are much better but then again, they have settled in and i think, Don't quote me on this there Euro 4 not Euro 5 like the new bacth. Following this expected also at Holbrook are 19 ADL Enivro 400 Hybrid for route 52 (Woodhouse-Sheffield-Hillsborough Interchange) due October and also the new annocement today of 8 Scnaia K230 ADL Enviro 300 for Barnsley depot which should be 28671-8 and start arriving in the next few weeks for routes X19 (Barnsley-Doncaster-Finningley Airport) and X28 (Barnsley-Hemsworth-Pontefract). For now thats about all i have... I'm sure things will improve when the cart load of Volvo B7TL/9TL Gemini arrive at First South Yorkshire.

South Yorkshire Transport Museum Open Day & Rally

As i wasn't going to showbus this year i went to the South Yorkshire Transport Museums Open Day/ Rally on Sunday 16th. After Stagecoach suppled to excerlant 22427 (YN07KPV) on the 265 from Barnsley to Sheffield and a trip to Rotherham on First South Yorkshires 37263 (YN07MLL) we got the shuttle to the rally site at 11:15 of Rotherham. This was operated by former Doncaster Corporation Leyland Titan PD2/40 Roe (388 KDT). This is an ok bus however a little bumpy and jerkey. The rally was very very small compaired to normal when its at Meadowhall Coach Park. It was quite disapoining but still the team did the best they could and made it an enjoyable day. The shuttle bus service was operated very very well using sevrel different buses during the day. This operated every 20 minutes and all shuttle buses were in good condition.

Possibly the price attration, South Yorkshire Transport Museums very own Leyland Titan Open Top (NIB 5232) which was formally Stagecoach 11100 which was operating the shuttles to and from the event. Everyone wanted a photo of this vehicle operating and everyone wanted to ride on it. We did a full round (Museum-Rotherham-Parkgate-Museum) and it was certainly good and well restored by SYTM. Its shown on the left and comes complete with the allover livery with cream stripe. The interior is to Stagecoach spec with Stagecoach Beachball seating and Orange grabrails. This vehicle still carries Stagecoach number 11100 inside above the driver at the front. It was nice to get the wind in my face affect again on an Open Top bus. There were 6 or 7 stalls at the event selling models, DVDs, Books amoung other things but no Transdev waterproof coats... Atlantean A763NNA was standing on the front of the muesum and stood out. Its been excerlantly restored into GM Buses Livery inside and out, A Fantastic looking machine and certainly something good to look at, This is shown on the photo at the top of the blog post with the Destination set to 626 Wigan.

 Also on the shuttle service, And my peronsal highlight of the day was ECW Leyland Olympian A658OCX which was part of the Yorkshire Traction group numberd 658. This has been excerlantly restored into Mexborough & Swinton livery including interior and was an excelrant vehicle to be on, I must say having grown up with these Olympians mainly been withdrawn and taken out of service it was great to finally get to sit and ride one of these beasts again. 658 was showing 9A Conisborough all day and operating the shuttle service. Certainly the best on the shuttle that day. Round the back there was an handfull of vehicles. Maybe 6 or 7 with a few Trucks including Coopers, Killamarsh's Foden 4300 F711FHH which is in excerlant condition for its age and looked after extreamly well and ovcoruse Sheffield Transport 904 (3904 WE) was also on show, Normally used by the muesum for weddings and events it also did a shuttle. Then it was time for a trip to Doncaster on Transpennine to try and get a video of the Class 57s running through the station... This past the Transpennine i was on as we came off the Mexborough line, Ha well you can't win them all so as we got off 185151 there was 66238 with an Engineering Train and then 66741 (GBRF) Freightliner unbranded livery with a shunt move into Wabtec and they were followed by another Freightliner Shed and a Grand Centrel HST. Not bad going and a good day out indeed. Would like to say thanks to SYTM for putting on the show and making a normal boaring Sunday something worth it.

Solo's Out... Or Are They In?

Stagecoach have finally replaced the Optare Solo M950 on route 1 (Barnsley-Staincross), Yes the ADL Enviro 200 have finally shown there face. These are as reported and 36713-6 are branded for the service. The branding is new and revamped and compaired to the Solos there branded great and it looks good too, This morning as i got the 06:45 the last thing i expected was an Enviro 200... Pritty much typical because i got 47300 (YJ55BLN) However we passed an E200 in service and i had to get off and check it out. So i did, Off the Solo onto E200 36714... Managed to find an onboard video which is on my You tube channel, YT03AYF Videos. I think there much better then the older ones at Barnsley. They are less rattley and seem quiater in general, They are very nice buses and i quite like them which is different to say there Enviro 200. They are to the facelifted style and come complete with new bus smell... Wounder how long that lasts. Only the branded ones i believe have enterd service and they are very good looking and stand out. Ive allready had 36714/5 today. Overall i like the new ADL Enviro 200, There loads better then the older verisons and as all have completed there days work... Mostly i can't see what the reliablity problem is about.
 If i'm lucky i will clear the last two tomorrow that are branded. I will have a look for the others tomorrow too, So whats the future hold for the Solos then... SuperTram Link3 is what, Halfway-Killamarsh. They will be based at Holbrook and repainted and refusbished i understand. They should look good in Supertram link livery. They are 47296-300 (YK55CCV/YJ55BKZ/LF/K/N) YJ55BLK currently fire damaged and under repair, Possibly at Holbrook but i don't know. Funny because i said 47296-300 would go for SL3 but nobody believed me did they. As glad as i am were getting these E200 it will be a shame to loose the Optare Solos, 47290 (YN03ZXK) The one that was orringally a 1 Branded vehicle that has stuck with us all the way until now since the start of the service. They were nice and ive come used to sitting on a cramped Solos in hot or cold weather, Skylight open or Doors closed. Be nice to get some change after all this time, I hope anyway. Hopefully these new Enviros will hold up better then the older bacth at Barnsley however i'm not too sure however First impressions are very good and impressive buses they seem. So onto the are they in bit.
Well photoing the E200s this afternoon through up a good shock, It made me think as a Stagecoach Solo was in the way. It was... It really was an Optare Solo SR and as it got closer i saw it operating route 34 (Barnsley-Shafton-Barnsley) of which Tate's Travel operate... Now if they start buying Solo SRs i will be very impressed. Much better then ADL Enviro 200s. Really impressed with the look of it and they will hopefully place an order and start buying Versa or Solo SR.

E200s... The Story goes on + More

Those Enviro 200 again, Yes you guessed it those Barnsley ones that are in service on route... No thats not right is it. Delayed again due to gearbox issues that requiar the attention of a man from voith is however right, They have also mucked up the brandings accordingly. Elsewhere Tate's Travel 1152 (V152EFS) One of there new Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Super Pointers has enterd service as may have the other one however i'm not sure as i havn't seen it so cannot confirm. It looks very nice in fleet livery and certainly stands out in the crowd of Darts now at Tate's but thats probably the higher bit on the back at the top. They should be used on the 96/97 Barnsley-Wakefield corridor and interwork the school services replacing work the mighty Volvo B10M-55 Alexander PS did last year. The unknown White Plaxton Primo i mentioned is KX07KDA and is at Redline and was operating route 4, the mad circle of go North of town (Barnsley-Willthorpe-Barugh-Kexborough-
Darton-Staincross-Mapplewell-New Lodge-Wakefield Rd-Barnsley) apart from the 2 trips that run in the oppersit direction at 08:10 & 08:11am, Both of which do operate daily as ive seen them, Apart from those its hourly the 4. It looks a nice Primo to say its a Primo and yes i might try and get some haulage on it but only to see how it compares with those of TJ Walsh and other local operaters. Ive never liked the Primo so its got some work to do. Back to Stagecoach and at Ecclesfield 5 of the Ex Oxford M.A.N 18.220 Alexander ALX300 vehicles have been taken off fleet into reserve and find themselfs sat at Stonegravels, Chesterfield doing very little. I cannot see them been used there however. Confirmed at Stonegravels is 22929/31 (S929/31CFC), Still in service at Ecclesfield is 22932 (S932CFC) and here it is photoed leaving Sheffield on route 78 to Chapletown.

Also at Tate's 1101 has been reregistard YX10TAT and 1121 YX12TAT.

Delayed Darts and Mystery Primo

Well firstly, Those Barnsley Enviro 200 that were due to enter service on Monday are still not on the road. I understand they were not prepaired in time however god only knows why its took nearly a week more then expected. Operation on the 1 (Barnsley-Staincross) this week has seen certain larger vehicles including 22115 (S115TRJ) & 39625 (YT03AYK), Also theres been a daily Solo M880 and a few M920s. Ive seen 36717 in Wakefield Rd Depot looking preped and ready to go and also at least 1 vehicle now has nice looking 1 Brandings which today can be seen from Wakefield Rd. I am not however sure when the next will enter service... Hoepfully tomorrow morning.

So onto this odd little contraption of a Plaxton Primo. I got no registation details or anything just that a White Plaxton Primo was going down Eldon St North with 11 in a card in the window. Now is this Stagecoach... I doubt it so is this Redline using Stagecoach numbers... I guess it will be. They do this daily on the 43/44 and run them as 43/44 not 43A/44A like they registard. Now i'm not pointing things out but isn't there laws about this sort of thing where ops use other ops route numbers to make themselfs more well money. If its a Redline motor, i must say it looks nice and was clean. It has they London blue interior which comes with that vile shade of blue and the seats looked like Urban 90s. Lets not forget the biggest issue of all here... Its a Plaxton Primo and thats a bad thing for a start.

Anyway... Ill see what i can find out over the weekend and get back to you all :)

Smart Stagecoach as Enivro 200s enter service

Stagecoach Smart Has Arrived ! Passengers can now use a Smart Card to buy there 4 Week Megarider tickets an Megarider Extra in smart card form. You can top this card up on the bus by asking the driver and this is a great step forwards for Stagecoach in Yorkshire. The Smart Cards are like the London Oyster Card System which allows passengers to pay on there card for travel across London, Only this is South Yorkshire.

The 6 Enviro 200 at Barnsley are now confirmed as:

36713  YN62 BHW
36714  YN62BHX
36715  YN62BHY
36716  YN62BJU
36717  YN62BJX
36718  YN62BOV

4 of them will be branded for Route 1, Barnsley-Staincross which has a PVR of 5, I guess the other one may be spare or used on routes 21/22 (Barnsley-Dodworth-Penistone-Cubley). This has become a regluar for older Enviro 200s which are spare. Normally used on 93/93A/95 (Barnsley-Hospital-Darton). Hopefully this bacth will be loads better then the older bacth at Barnsley, Holbrooks are curently been deliverd and should enter service soon, Its expected an Holbrook one will join a Barnsley one at the SYTT event, Aldwarke on September the 16th.

Once the Enviros at Barnsley enter service on Monday September 2012 (Tomorrow) it is expected that 1 longer Solo M920 (Possibly 47286 or 47290) will move to Chesterfield Depot, Intrestingly Today Non of the 6 Branded Solos have been used, And only 47297/8 form the 1. This leads me to think that Stagecoach may use 47297-300 on route 6 (Barnsley-Bank End Ave) and rebrand them for this route, Debranding the Solos currently used on the 6 (47283/89-91) however nothing here as been confirmed.