The following vehicles have now moved on from Ensign:
V534 GDS now with Arrowbrook Coaches, Chester
T811 CBW now with Hardwicks, Barnsley
T813 CBW now with Express Motors, Caernarfon
NA52 AXC/AXF now with DA Coaches, Coatbridge
(09 Dec 2015, 5:33 pm)DanPicken wrote [ -> ]Christ! What did they do to it.
Guessing Ensign rubbed it down to prepare it for repaint?
They'd be able to increase its value by repainting it for a smaller operator without the facilities to do so.
(09 Dec 2015, 10:22 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]537.
Thanks, Jimmi.
(25 Dec 2015, 12:52 pm)S813 FVK wrote [ -> ]4846: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gricerman/...otostream/
According to a commenter on that photo; 4846 is bound for the Big Lemon in Brighton. If you don't ask, you don't get.
Wonder if it's been made DDA-compliant while at Ensign? If so, I sincerely hope 4853 also has, as otherwise it's days are numbered.
Former Go North East Optare Excels 8180 (T880 RBR) and 8181 (T881 RBR) have been withdrawn from service by Blackpool Transport. Guessing they're not DDA-compliant? Information from Lee Armstrong on the Northern Road Transport Trust Facebook group.
(26 Dec 2015, 8:51 pm)R852 PRG wrote [ -> ]Former Go North East Optare Excels 8180 (T880 RBR) and 8181 (T881 RBR) have been withdrawn from service by Blackpool Transport. Guessing they're not DDA-compliant? Information from Lee Armstrong on the Northern Road Transport Trust Facebook group.
I think all Excels at Blackpool Transport where withdrawn from service when the Palladium liveried Mercedes Citaro's entered service although some later re-entered service when service changes were made. There was at least one Excel still in service when I was down in Blackpool just the other week. No idea if any of them are/were DDA compliant.
T881 RBR appears to be at Bus & Coach World, Blackburn.
https://flic.kr/p/CtEwWE
(26 Dec 2015, 9:15 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]I think all Excels at Blackpool Transport where withdrawn from service when the Palladium liveried Mercedes Citaro's entered service although some later re-entered service when service changes were made. There was at least one Excel still in service when I was down in Blackpool just the other week. No idea if any of them are/were DDA compliant.
T881 RBR appears to be at Bus & Coach World, Blackburn.
https://flic.kr/p/CtEwWE
I doubt they will be DDA compliant being that age.
Wonder why one appears to be at Blackburn though, can't imagine it would be worth modifying these! Unless they're being converted to training vehicles?
(26 Dec 2015, 9:19 pm)tyresmoke wrote [ -> ]I doubt they will be DDA compliant being that age.
Wonder why one appears to be at Blackburn though, can't imagine it would be worth modifying these! Unless they're being converted to training vehicles?
From what I understand; Excels are horrific mechanically and awful to drive. A friend of mine who is an engineer at Chester-le-Street has said on more than one occasion that they are the worst buses he has ever worked on. Can't imagine it would be nice to train in one.
Funny enough, they are DDA compliant. T881 RBR was actually done in early 2013.
(26 Dec 2015, 9:21 pm)R852 PRG wrote [ -> ]From what I understand; Excels are horrific mechanically and awful to drive. A friend of mine who is an engineer at Chester-le-Street has said on more than one occasion that they are the worst buses he has ever worked on. Can't imagine it would be nice to train in one.
Excels are only basically Darts with a different body on.
Although I've been told by a friend who used to drive them that the driving position is different to most full size single decks so maybe they wouldn't make a good training bus after all. Blackpool have form in using awful buses as trainers though, what with the ELC Myllennium DAF they bought from Stagecoach Yorkshire
I quite liked riding them when EYMS had them on the Scarborough Park & Ride (when it was just the 111 running from Weaponness)- also had one on the 165.
(26 Dec 2015, 9:23 pm)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]Funny enough, they are DDA compliant. T881 RBR was actually done in early 2013.
That could possibly indicate that they're going to be transformed into training vehicles then as Scott suggests, if they're DDA-compliant and they're at Blackburn.
(26 Dec 2015, 8:51 pm)R852 PRG wrote [ -> ]Former Go North East Optare Excels 8180 (T880 RBR) and 8181 (T881 RBR) have been withdrawn from service by Blackpool Transport. Guessing they're not DDA-compliant? Information from Lee Armstrong on the Northern Road Transport Trust Facebook group.
From what I can see, T880 RBR and T881 RBR were withdrawn in November although both have apparently returned to service in December. I wonder if this may be just be temporary as the Volvo B7RLE/Plaxton Centro's are being refurbished to Palladium standard (same as the Citaro's). The three ex Go North East plus a few others were converted to DDA in 2013/2014.
(26 Dec 2015, 9:38 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]From what I can see, T880 RBR and T881 RBR were withdrawn in November although both have apparently returned to service in December. I wonder if this may be just be temporary as the Volvo B7RLE/Plaxton Centro's are being refurbished to Palladium standard (same as the Citaro's). The three ex Go North East plus a few others were converted to DDA in 2013/2014.
I *believe* all of Blackpool's Excels were modified.
(26 Dec 2015, 9:40 pm)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]I *believe* all of Blackpool's Excels were modified.
Think only the following were made DDA compliant were: 216, 219-221, 223, 224 and 226.
This Blackpool Buses Enthusiasts handbook I got for Christmas is certainly coming in handy tonight!
Former Go North East Volvo B10BLE/Wright Renown 5162 (T812 CBW) has moved to Cambridge Bus and Coach, Swavesey.
More thanks to Ross at Ensign
537 NA52AWZ has been sold to Discount Travel, Smethwick
546 NA52AXM has been sold to MC Tractors, Ely - for scrap
4846 R846PRG has been sold to Big Lemon, Brighton
A lick of paint and it'll be fine by George, on Flickr