Plymouth Citybus London Invasion

Most of the London Enviro 200s are now in Plymouth. The batch being former SE221-231

No	Reg	Chassis	Body	Seats	New
2201	YY64GXJ	Alexander Dennis E20D	Alexander Dennis Enviro 200	B25D	Dec-2014
2202	YY64GXK	Alexander Dennis E20D	Alexander Dennis Enviro 200	B  F	Dec-2014
2203	YY64TXH	Alexander Dennis E20D	Alexander Dennis Enviro 200	B25D	Dec-2014
2204	YY64TXJ	Alexander Dennis E20D	Alexander Dennis Enviro 200	B25D	Dec-2014
2205	YY64TXK	Alexander Dennis E20D	Alexander Dennis Enviro 200	B25D	Dec-2014
2206	YY64TXL	Alexander Dennis E20D	Alexander Dennis Enviro 200	B25D	Dec-2014
2207	YY64TXM	Alexander Dennis E20D	Alexander Dennis Enviro 200	B25D	Dec-2014
2208	YY64TXN	Alexander Dennis E20D	Alexander Dennis Enviro 200	B25D	Dec-2014
2209	YY64TXO	Alexander Dennis E20D	Alexander Dennis Enviro 200	B25D	Dec-2014
2210	YY64TXP	Alexander Dennis E20D	Alexander Dennis Enviro 200	B25D	Dec-2014
2211	YY64TXR	Alexander Dennis E20D	Alexander Dennis Enviro 200	B25D	Dec-2014

and yes – these are the confirmed fleet numbers with Citybus!

2202 is currently at Hants & Dorset Trim under conversion to single door layout. The rest will eventually follow but I understand that these may initially enter service as dual doored buses.

The last two (100, 104) of the Volvo B7RLEs have now been delivered to Go North West so the Blue Flash livery now disappears from the fleet

© Alex Street

Finally for now

Another former London bus E54 has now been purchased and will be joining the fleet shortly

©Eddie January 2011. (creative commons)

Goodbye 46

News yesterday that Plymouth Citybus 46 was collected from Milehouse for its final trip to the scrapyard, so a collection of photos from her many years of service…It also illustrates how a decent livery has improved her looks massively from the dull white red and grey livery at the bottom. 

© didbygraham October 2017

didbygraham August 2016

didbygraham July 2013

didbygraham March 2011

didbygraham July 2005

Dearly Departed Darts

I have made a few updates to the Plymouth Citybus fleet listing over the last few days. Many of these are just confirming the status of the older withdrawn Darts as they slowly disappear off for scrap, but of note is the selling of Dennis Dart 44 to an operator in Cornwall: OTS Coaches, Falmouth.

44 was one of the earliest buses into the Black band livery

19 September 2005

8 March 2010

23 August 2016: My last photo of 44 on the road

Another bus off the fleet is 27 S127FTA which is now owned by Jason Beverley joining the collection at the Plymouth City Transport Preservation Group.

#############################

23 August 2016: By nice coincidence the same date was also my last photo of 27 in service!

September 2006

Fleet News: Plymouth Citybus

Although things are fairly quiet at the moment there have been a few changes to the Citybus fleetlist:

Outgoing

Four of the Volvo B7TL East Lancs fleet have been sold and will leave Milehouse today (22nd June) for pastures new. (No idea as to where just yet though). 410 411 415 and 419 are the buses in question:

The departure of these will almost mark the end of dual door operation only 408 and 409 will remain a bit longer in service

Incoming

A glimpse of the newest aquired but not yet in service and most recently painted Plymouth City Bus Dennis Dart and the only one of the 9 recently aquired former Go Ahead London 05 plates to be painted so far is 253 seen here at Milehouse today (20th June). 250 to 252 are in service those to be 254 to 258 are stored

Thanks to Jason Beverley for the updates and the photos!

Fleet News: First South West Ltd

Catching up on some fleet news from First South West Ltd

More buses have arrived into the fleet over the last couple of months:

32854 T854KLF Dennis Trident / Plaxton from First Midland Red (broke down on the way so stores at Taunton)

42358 EY05FYP Dennis Dart SLF / SCC From First Eastern Counties

43855 EG52FGC Dennis Dart SLF / SCC from First Essex.

43856 EG53FGD Dennis Dart SLF / SCC from First Essex

43857 EG52FGE Dennis Dart SLF / SCC from First Essex

43861 EG52FGJ Dennis Dart SLF / SCC from First Eastern Counties

43863 EG52FFK Dennis Dart SLF / SCC from First Eastern Counties

43865 EG52FGU Dennis Dart SLF/ SCC from First Eastern Counties

Buses Out

42943 WA56OAS Dennis Dart SLF / Alexander Pointer is now with First Eastern Counties (Photo Link)

Down as For Sale on Ebay in December were 40034 41132 42724 42725 48229 48233 48262 48267 48269.

Optare Solos 50277 W308DWX 50279 W329DWX have been sold to Bullocks of Cheadle with 50279 now carrying registration L10BUL (Photo link)

Repaints into the standard livery

43878 KN52NFU (Ex Western Greyhound) Dennis Dart back in November (Photo link) full KERNOW names anad black bands

42358 EY05FYP Dennis Dart SLF / SCC From First Eastern Counties full KERNOW names anad black bands

42876 SN53KJZ Dennis Dart SLF / Alexander Pointer

43861 EG52FGJ Dennis Dart SLF / SCC from First Eastern Counties full KERNOW names anad black bands

43865 EG52FGU Dennis Dart SLF/ SCC from First Eastern Counties full KERNOW names anad black bands

Peter Heath has supplied some observations from a trip into Cornwall:

Summercourt depot:

In the car park are 'preserved' (not by First) 1200, 34003 and 34198 but 34198 has a long list of defects and a smashed front upper deck window.  42825 also believed to be preserved at rear of parking.

34091, 42832 and 53009 withdrawn, 23318 ( f sw legals) Greyhound livery , 30876, 32715 all vor with major defects.  23324, (Could not see legals?) Greyhound livery in workshop.  But the main vehicle of interest was N765PAE (photo) with f SW legals on Contract.

 

Camborne

33174/33175 in depot branding removed 32851, 32853 back from TN , 32802 in full First Kernow looking very smart (photo). Note 23316/7 still in Greyhound livery.

Penzance:

42430, 42470, 42473, 52013 withdrawn.  Open tops 38000/1/4/5/6 and another maybe 34137 parked with no covers.  Also at the rear was an unidentified red coach.

Helston:

53107 repaired and in Full Kernow livery.

Truro:

Withdrawn 38002 has gone from it's long term position in the yard. Photos of 43871 and 42871 in full Kernow livery attached.

Thanks once again to Peter for the update and the photos. I am always more than happy to receive photos and updates from Kernowland as its not an area I get to much myself, although I hope to some time soon…

Life After Plymouth: Citybus Volvos and Dennis Darts

Richard Smith took this shot of Plymouth Citybus 425 sitting round the back at Milehouse. Withdrawn from service and up for sale

© Richard Smith 21 November 2015

Well along with sister 428 it has now appeared at Taunton with Berrys Coaches:

© Dave Godley 30 November 2015

Another earlier sale to Berrys was Dennis Dart R113OFJ which as now appeared in Berrys livery and actually looks pretty decent:

© Dave Godley

Thanks to Dave and Richard for the photos

It is believed that 3 more Volvo DDs have been sold on to Target Travel to replace their Olympians. I guess that they would need to be repainted before entering service with Target. More details if and when confirmed.

First Vario Auction

Just a quickie for now.

First Devon & Cornwall have placed one or their Mercedes Vario minibuses on Ebay You have a few days if you are interested!

Full link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-Minibus-/221865604371?hash=item33a8387513

Sent to Somerset

As mentioned yesterday, First have been swapping buses around with Plymouth receiving Volvo B7Ls from Somerset. So lets see what has gone in the other direction...

Thanks to David Smith for the excellent photos.

I cant say I am sad to see these Volvo B6BLes go as they were never very comfortable buses and most seemed to struggle to get up anything like a hill which presumably will be less an issue in Somerset than it was here in Devon. Even though they were given leather seating as part of the upgraded TavyLinx, the seat cusions were so thin it was wasted.

They are certainly looking a lot smarter than they did in Plymouth although the darker purple Tavylinx was quite smart:

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Not quite all out…

I have a soft spot for the ealiest batch of low floor Darts with Plymouth Citybus. I have always prefered the cleaner look of the front end of the Pointer bodywork. However all good things come to an end eventually and this batch of buses is indeed almost at end with only one left in service: 10 N110UTT. Of course now I have put it on the blog you can almost guarantee that at least one of the others will be seen in service this week...

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Reserved

©Tom Michaels [creative commons]

Plymouth Citybus Dennis Darts 1 – 4 are now in the Reserve Fleet. This means they will generally only be used when they are really needed rather than in normal everyday service. I will miss these when they do eventually go.

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Just another day running a bus company

23 FEB: Due to a car blocking the entrance to the Hospital we are having to divert buses down to the Tamar science park, until it has been resolved. We are sorry for any inconvenience caused.
24 FEB: SERVICE 32 TWO FERRIES BROKEN DOWN ONE EITHER SIDE. The one Devonport side has had to be unloaded. Severe delays on Ferry Hill and surrounding area

21 FEB: Severe delays to service PR2 due to a multi-vehicle accident near Marsh Mills.
24 FEB: Right we had a major issue wih the number 2 this morning. Unfortunately due to mechanical issues within the depot we had a number of buses off the road this morning. This affected quite badly the number 2's. I'm sorry for the inconvenience this caused you all this morning

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