Citybus Fleet News 2001

30/12/00 -  Former demonstration Ultra 2700 (HAZ 4809) is the latest in Translink corporate lowfloor livery.

 

22/12/00  -  B10Ls 2705/27 are the latest to gain Translink corporate fleet livery.  B7TL 2024 made it's long awaited debut on the Go! routes today, operating the 83 to Four Winds via Newton Park.

20/12/00  -  Ultra 2713, damaged during civil disturbances in the summer, has been written off. The 20 B7TL's dure here will be built in Falkirk and should take numbers 2921 - 2940. A new route introduced is the 99, Odyssey Shuttle, operating between the new Odyssey Centre and City Centre bus and rail stations before and after events at the centre.

11/12/00  -  Decker 2024 finally entered public use today when it operated a private hire to a schools carol concert at the Ulster Hall.

03/12/00  -  B7TL 2024 has so far ony been used for driver training and route eveluation. Click the thumbnail below for a full size picture:

 

09/11/00  -  Tiger/N-type 2616 now has an overall advertisement for the Environmental Heritage service, whilst 2602/47/62/78 now have rear end ads for Smirnoff Ice. The full list of vehicles carrying Nokia Phones rear ads is Tiger/N-type 2620 and Cityliners 2641/5/6/50/64/9/71/5/9/80.

 

09/11/00  -  Tiger/N-type 2603 is to gain an overall advertisement for Guinness. B7TL/Plaxton 2024 has yet to see service.

 

31/10/00  -  Former demonstration Ultra 2761 is now in corporate low floor livery.

 

30/10/00  -  Tiger/N-type 2611 now has a rear end advertisement for Smirnoff Ice.

 

27/10/00  -  B7TL/Plaxton 2024 has gained a red front and 'GO!' logos for use on route 84 (City Centre - Four Winds via Cairnshill Road). It features a stick on destination screen for this, whilst Ultra 2722 has one for route 14 (Ladybrook) in place of its broken electronic display. Of the 20 B7TLs due 16 will be to bus spec and 4 to a higher quality dual purpose specification.

 

18/10/00  -  Another double deck demonstrator has arrived in the shape of 2024 (X157 JOP) , a Volvo B7TL / Plaxton President H71D. In spite of it's 'X' registration it is not new and is believed to be the example which operated in Dublin as VP1 (99D 76023). It should remain in NI until Citybus' own B7TLs are delivered and will be used for driver training and route evaluation. Ultra 2710 is the latest to gain low floor livery.

 

15/10/00  -  Cityliner 2675 is the latest to gain a rear end advertisement for Nokia Phones. 13 of these are to be done in total.

 

12/10/00  -  RELL 2506 has been reinstated at Newtownabbey, covering for accident damaged Cityliner 2639. Cityliner 2671 is the latest to gain a rear end advertisement for Nokia Phones.

 

09/10/00  -  Tiger/N-type 2620 has lost it's Phoenix Gas advertisement and now carries fleet livery with the addition of a rear end advert for Nokia - this is the only Citybus N-type to be so adorned.

 

07/10/00  -  Livery changes see Ultra 2715 gain the sea-green low floor livery, whilst Tiger 2613 now carries an overall advertisement for Diamond Recruitment in place of it's previous Phoenix Gas scheme. Cityliners 2648/68/79 now carry rear end contravision ads for Nokia phones.

 

01/10/00  -  Cityliner 2662 has reverted to fleet livery ex Stena Line advertisement, as has Tiger/N-type 2606 previously in Dream Bus livery.

 

28/09/00  -  A most unusual working this morning was Dennis Dart SLF 641 on the 17 from Dundonald, still in Ulsterbus blue livery.

 

17/09/00  -  RELLs detaxed due the service cuts are 2465/8 (WOI 2465), 2499/505/6/9/10/1/4/6/7 (XOI 2499) and surprisingly 52 seaters 2562/3 (BXI 2562), although 2509/10/1 were subsequently returned to service. 2564/5/70/81/3 were transferred to Ulsterbus at the same time.  A large number of inter depot transfers at the same time see Dart 633 now at V along with Cityliners 1475 and 2649. Moving to NB are RELL 2521, Tiger 2612/61-4 and Ultra 2761; Falls gets Cityliner 1471/2648, Tiger 2635 , RELL 2539 and Ultras 2700/19/20/1 whilst Short Strand receives RELLs 2512/7/9/33/4. All other vehicles detaxed for the school holidays returned to service on 1st September.

 

14/09/00  -  An unregistered Volvo B7TL / ALX 400 decker of First Group was inspected today. Due soon are 2 further double deck demonstrators to be used as driver trainers.

 

10/09/00  -  The new Citybus timetable sees the following changes:

 

76  now Gilnahirk via Clara Park, Kings Road and Gilnahirk Road

77  now Mann's Corner via Sandown Road and Braniel

86          Mount Merrion via Botanic Avenue (peak hours only)

91  now Park Centre via Donegall Road and Tate's Avenue

96          Westbank Road via Duncrue Street is included for the first time.

08/09/00  -  Ultra 2710 is the latest to gain the Translink corporate low floor livery.

03/09/00  -  Further service alterations see the withdrawal of route 24 (Braniel via Clara Park) which is replaced by revised services 76 (Gilnahirk) and 77 (Mann's Corner). Cityliners 2661/2 have lost the Stena Line adverts which they only gained in February this year after Citybus lost the Stena contract. Both now look extremey tatty as a result.

28/08/00  -  Service 55 (Ligoneil via Shankill), withdrawn during the duration of the temporary summer timetable, is now confirmed permanently ceased. Ligoneil is still served by route 57 running via the Crumlin Road.

14/08/00  -  RELL operation re-commenced today with both 2527 and 2531 in use on the Holywood Road. Extra vehicles are required for a rail-replacment service due to bridge maintenance on the Bangor Line. Cityliner 2642 now carries a super-rear advert for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

10/08/00  -  All 20 B7TL/Alexander on order are expected here, together with 15 Scania / Wright Solar.  Ultra 2713 has been detaxed for repairs to malicious damage whilst Dart SLF 641 has returend to Citybus ex Ulsterbus Bangor. Tiger 2630 now carries fleet livery having previously advertised the Health and Safety Agency. Citybus is expected to lose a further 15 RELLs on commencement of the new school term in September. RELLs 2462/72/4/7/9/80/9/97 ware being scrapped at Beatties at the start of August.

15/07/00  -  Cityliner 2668 now carries a super-rear advert for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

14/07/00  -  Extremely sad news is that the ENTIRE stock of Citybus RELLs has been detaxed for the School Holidays, leaving Belfast without red REs for the first time in 25 years. Rumour suggests that forthcoming service cuts will see many or all of these permanently withdrawn. Also detaxed are Darts 628 - 35, Tiger / N-types 2604/6/13/30, Ultras 2730/50 and B10BLEs 2771/88/9/90. Cityliners on the move are 2642 to Short Strand, 2670 Great Victoria Street and 2663/3 to Falls. RELL 2481 has been sold to St. Malachy's Primary School in Belfast.

05/07/00  -   The full list of demonstrators present at NB on 19/06 is as follows:

W 124 DWX B7LA / Wright Fusion First
W 588 RFS B10BLE/ ALX300 First
W 738 DWX B7TL / ALX400 First
W 109 EWU B10BLE / Wright Renown Arriva Yorkshire
W 497 WGH B7TL / Plaxton London General PVL97
Unregistered Trident / Plaxton Plaxton Demonstrator
Unregistered Optare Excel Barton Buses 226
ECZ 9021 Scania / Wright Eclipse Ulsterbus 2021
CCZ 8848 B10BLE / Wright Renown Ulsterbus 2848

 04/07/00  -   Additional journeys now operate from Mount Merrion to the City Centre via Botanic Avenue during peak hours as route 86. This was previously operated as service 85.

 

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