Metro Fleet News 2017

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07/12/17 - Irizar 1713 was loaned to the Training Academy from the start of November. B10BLEs 2783/90/2810 have gone to Hamill for scrap.

12/11/17 - Scanias 725/76 returned to use at GVS on 12th October, followed by 777 at GVS on 25th October. 725 was detaxed again at the end of the month with engine defects. B10BLE 2771 has gone to Hamill for scrap.

01/10/17 - B10BLEs 2798/2800 returned to use on 13th September, allocated to Duncrue Street as engineering float vehicles; similarly 2797/2806 were reactivated at Short Strand (Active Reserve) on 2nd October as standby vehicles. Also at Short Strand from 14th September are Ulsterbus Solars 747/8 for contract work. On the move are 766 (Duncrue Street - Falls), 2929 (Falls - Duncrue Street), 2361 (Falls - Short Strand), 2363 (Short Strand - Falls), 1922 (GVS - Short Strand) and 1959 (Short Strand - GVS). B10BLE 2799 has gone to Hamill for scrap. The latest repaints to all-magenta colours are 2338/44/5/6/54 and 2377/8.

01/09/17 - Scania 2412 has arrived from Ulsterbus and has been prepared as the new safety bus, replacing B10BLE 2785 which was withdrawn on 9th August. In it's new role 2412 has been reseeated to B37F+0. Solos 1920/2 were lent to Ulster us for a short period of time in August, with 1920 going to Coleraine and 1922 to Larne. On the move are 797/9/904/14 (Short Strand - GVS), 2336/7/8/2970/1/2 (GVS - Short Strand), 2922 (Duncrue Street - Short Strand), 786 (Duncrue Street - Falls), 800 (Falls - GVS), 801/2 (Newtownabbey - GVS), 2192 (Short Strand - Falls), 2361 (GVS - Falls) and 2353 (GVS - Newtownabbey). Finally, B10BLE 2808 has been sold to Hamill for scrap.

01/08/17 - Scania 714 has returned to Falls after it's loan to Ulsterbus Ballymena. B10BLEs 2814/32/50 have gone to Walsh’s Coaches, Edenderry County Offaly.

01/07/17 - The 2 final Volvo B5s to enter use are 2121 (FGZ 3121, GVS, 9th June) and 2122 (GVS, 12th June). The end of June saw the remaining B10BLEs taken out of use, along with a single Scania: 713 (GVS), 2771/90/5/8/9/2800/9/10 (Short Strand), 2783/97/2814/32/50 (GVS) and 2806/18 (Falls). Also gone is Newtownabbey based Sacania 746, withdrawn with engine defects. With the end of the 2016-17 school year the following vehicles were de-taxed on 30th June 2017 for the duration of the school holidays:

Falls 2896, 2969
Newtownabbey 740, 744, 2960, 2965
Short Strand 2936

On the move are B5s 2111/3 (Short Strand - Falls) and 714 (Falls - Ulsterbus Ballymena).

06/06/17 - Dates of entry to service for the new B5TLs are as follows: 2111 (FGZ 3111 - Contract Fleet - 11th May), 2124/5/6/9 (Contract Fleet - 12th May), 2113/6/9/20/31/2 (COntract Fleet - 17th May), 2115/7 (Newtownabbey - 17th May) and 2130 (Contract Fleet - 18th May). 2116 has subsequently moved to Newtownabbey, 2119/20 to GVS and 2124/5/7/9/30/1/2 to Short Strand. A solitary withdrawal sees B10BLE 2808 taken out of use at Short Strand, with similar 2805 sold to Hamill for scrap.

04/05/17 - Details of the new B5TLs are as follows: 2112 (FGZ 3112, Falls, 11/04), 2118 (Newtownabbey, 13/04). 2123 (GVS, 19/04), 2126/8 (Short Strand, 19/04), 2114 (Falls, 21/04) and 2110 (Falls, 24/04). B10BLEs 2764 (Falls) and 2794 (Short Strand) are now in Reserve, alson with Scania 722 (Falls). Irizar 1713 returned to Metro from the Driving School in early April. Buses moving between depots are 800 (Short Strand - GVS) and 2797 (Short Strand - GVS). More magenta repaints are B7RLEs 902 and B9s 2214/5.

12/04/17 - The first of the new B5s in use is 2112 at Falls.

05/04/17 - B7TL 2909 has returned to use at Short Strand following fire damage repairs. Against this B10BLEs 2772 (GVS) and 2805 (Falls) have been withdrawn, with 2772 already sold to Hamill for scrap.

03/03/17 - B7R 360 has returned to Metro after use with the Training Academy; 1713 also made a brief return but is now back with the Training Academy once again. 20 Wrightbus bodied Volvo B5s are expected here, with 3 being to the longer Airbus spec for use on private hires.

06/02/17 - Short Strand based B7TL 2909 was detaxed with fire damage at the end of January. B7R 360 and Scania 1713 have been temporarily lent to Ulsterbus for use with the Training Academy. Further magenta repaints are B9s 2207, 2356/67/8/70/1/9 and B7RLEs 910/1/22.

09/01/17 - Unusual loans from Ulsterbus to Metro Short Strand were Ayats 2016/26, returning just before Christmas. B10BLE 2791 has returned from the Training Academy and has been sold to hamill for scrap. Scania 785 has moved from Falls to GVS. With additional demand for vehicles December saw few repaints to the magenta livery with only 2347/67 noted. These have now restarted with a number due back on the road this week. 2207 has had the offside of it's Deliveroo aoa removed and is operating only the nearside wrap.

01/01/17 - Seasons Greetings and a Merry New Year from Irish Transport Heritage.

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