Metro Fleet News 2009
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16/12/09 – Dart
SLFs 647/9/50 have gone to Mike Nash in a dealer capacity,
and the last two survivors of this unloved breed (645/51) are
likely to be withdrawn shortly and replaced by 1848/9 which
are currently being prepared for service.
14/12/09 – Former
RELL 2570 has regained its original registration BXI 2570.
03/12/09 –
Ulsterbus Solos 1848/9 have been received and are in Reserve.
B10M/Plaxton 1648 has been smartly repainted in a new livery
which is basically a magenta version of the Driving School
livery on 2504/5. The other 4 are expected to follow suit.
23/11/09 – Former
Citybus and Lough Swilly RE 459 (84-DL-2356, ex AXI 2539) has
now regained its previous registration with Mike Nash.
16/11/09 – Ultra
2733 has gone to Ulsterbus Craigavon to replace 2700 there.
18/10/09 – The 3
remaining ex Ulsterbus Scanias are now in service : 714
(Newtownabbey 12/10), 722 (GVS 27/10) and 781 (GVS 27/10).
Tiger 361 was renumbered on paper as 4361 on 5th
October to make way for the new Ulsterbus Volvo B7R of the
same number.
08/10/09 - Five more
Scanias have arrived from Ulsterbus (714 HCZ 8714, 740/5/6/81
TCZ 1740). 745 has entered service at Newtownabbey on 5th
October, 740/6 at Newtownabbey on the 12th and the other 2
are still being prepared. Volvo 2979 has moved from Short
Strand to GVS.
08/10/09 - 2889 is the
first double-decker with the new fleetname. It is seen here
on new route variation 1F (Blackrock Square via Antrim Road)
which runs every 15 minutes Monday - Saturday.
01/10/09 - Two more
vehicles received from Ulsterbus are B10M/Plaxtons 1647/8
(BCZ 1647/8), giving a total of 5 coaches for contract use.
B10BLE 2808 has appeared with the fleetname 'Translink Metro'
on the front, rather then the usual Metro one. Service
revisions from next Monday sees all northbound services using
Donegall Place rerouted via Victoria Street to facilitate
street improvement works.
30/09/09 - Scania 722
has come from Ulsterbus to Metro Short Strand, after fire
damage repair. Former Lynx 3007 (HXI 3007) which is now owned
by G & H Film Services, Belfast was reregistered YEZ 2452
in 7/09.
15/09/09 - The final
Belfast City Council advert is in fact on 2989, not 2947 as
expected.
03/09/09 - Mercedes
2102-3, 3100/2/3 and Ulsterbus Volvos 2240/1, 2301-3/5/6 were
returned to use after being laid up for the school holidays
on 13th August (3103 after fire damage repair). The Ulsterbus
vehicles were returned on 17th August. Ultras 2704/5 (Short
Strand) which had been detaxed for the summer were put to
Reserve on 1st September, whilst the remainder of the
vehicles detaxed returned to use: 2706/8/11/2/43/5/7/9/50
(Short Strand), 2722/31/2 (GVS), 2714/5/7-21/4/5/7/9/34/8-40
(Falls). A slightly unusual arrival from Ulsterbus
Newtownards is B10M/Plaxton 1634 at Short Strand for contract
use. Other vehicles on the move are 2216/7 (GVS -
Netwownabbey), 2218-20 (Falls - Newtownabbey), 800 (Falls -
Short Strand) and 2782 (Short Strand - Falls). Leopard Towbus
1935 has been sold to Hamill for scrap.
28/08/09 - 2962 has
appeared in an overall advert for Belfast City Council
promoting recycling and waste efficiency. Unfortunately 3
others are to follow: 2880, 2944/7.
13/08/09 - A number of
Ulsterbus vehicles have been in use on normal service to
release vehicles for services associated with the the Tall
Ships festival.
03/07/09 - A second Ulsterbus
Tiger, 1261, has been received for towing at Short Strand
from where Leopard 1935 has been withdrawn. On the move are
Scania 800 (Short Strand - Falls), Volvo B9's 2216/7
(Newtownabbey - GVS), 2218/9/20 (Newtownabbey - Falls) and
B10BLE 2782 (Short Strand - Falls). As usual a number of
vehicles have been detaxed for the duration of the school
holidays:
Short Strand :2704, 2705, 2706, 2708, 2711,
2712, 2743, 2745, 2749, 2750
Falls : 2714, 2715, 2717, 2718, 2719, 2720, 2721, 2724, 2725,
2727, 2729, 2734, 2738, 2739, 2740
GVS : 2101, 2102, 2103, 2722, 2731, 2732
Newtownabbey : 3100, 3102
30/06/09 - Former
Ulsterbus Tiger1223 (NXI 4223) is being converted to a towbus
to replace Leopard 1981 at Falls Park depot; also received
from Ulsterbus is Solo 1883 (DEZ 8883) replacing Dart 641
which is to be detaxed today.
01/06/09 - Ultra 2733
has gone to Reserve, whilst the remains of 2726 have gone to
Hamill for scrap.
06/05/09 - Dart
numbers have been reduced further with 647 (Short Strand)
going to Reserve, along with Ultra 2702 (also Short Strand).
Replacements have arrived in the form of Scania L94's 702/3
which have been transferred from Ulsterbus GVS to Short
Strand and Falls. Long inactvive DAF Van Hool 2000 (UXI 2000)
was sold to Hyland, Belfast (the operator of the SOS Bus) for
conversion to a second bus, but has subsequently gone for
scrap to Hamill due to it's overall poor condition.
20/04/09 - Service 29
has been amended (again) from today and now serves Parliament
Buildings and Stormont. As a result of this the remaining
journeys on route 23B (Stormont - Park Road) have been
withdrawn.
02/04/09 - Ultra 2726
is the first malicious loss for some time having been
destroyed in a controlled explosion at Monday. It has been
replaced at Falls by 2733, which was previously in Reserve.
01/04/09 - Tigers
1475/6/7/8 are now in Metro livery which by leaves only 1479
to be done.
20/02/09 - Volvo 2947
is also in advertising livery for Brennan's Bread.
19/02/09 - Volvo 2944
has appeared in a yellow overall advertising scheme for
Brennan's Bread.
06/02/09 - Ultras
2702/4/5 have returned to use at Short Strand, but the number
of Darts has reduced further with 646/9 being placed in
Reserve.
06/01/09 - Mercedes
O.405 3103 has been detaxed for repairs after an electrical
fire.
01/01/09 - Seasons
Greetings and a Merry New Year from the Irish Transport
Trust.
