Metro / Glider Fleet News 2022
Previous years news 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 01/11/22 - Only 6 buses commenced fault free running during October, all initially allocated to York Road:
3570 YUI 2350 Wrightbus Streetdeck BEV H70D+28 14/10/22
3608 YUI 2308 Wrightbus Streetdeck BEV H70D+28 14/10/22
3440/2 YUI 2190 Wrightbus Streetdeck FCEV H63D+18 07/10/22
3441 YUI 2191 Wrightbus Streetdeck FCEV H63D+18 12/10/22
3443 YUI 2193 Wrightbus Streetdeck FCEV H63D+18 24/10/22Electroliners completing their commissioning and entering service are 3570/608 at Milewater, leaving just 3609 outstanding.B5 2185 has returned to use at Falls following completion of engine repairs, whilst 925 (Falls) is detaxed with engine issues and 1936 at Short Strand with air pressure faults. Also detaxed from Falls are B5s 2110-2 for transfer to Ulsterbus whilst Streetdecks 3141/2/50 have already gone to Ulsterbus. Prior to transfer both 2110 and 3150 were fitted with seatbelts.On the move are 2355 (Milewater - Newtownabbey) and 2343/4 (Milewater - Falls), 3125-7 (Falls - Short Strand for contract use), 2214/5 (Short Strand - Newtownabbey), 2185/6/7 (Short Strand - Falls), 2356/79 (Newtownabbey - Short Strand)B7s 2906/9/11/4/5/6/20/41/5/54/61 have been sold to Hectares Plant Sales, Jonesborough. Finally, B9 2336 has gained an AoA for the BBC program Wreck.
01/10/22 - Only 5 buses commenced fault free running during September, all initially allocated to York Road:
3601/6/7 YUI 2301 Wrightbus Streetdeck BEV H70D+28 15/09/22
3438/9 YUI 2188 Wrightbus Streetdeck FCEV H63D+18 29/09/22Electroliners completing their commissioning and entering service are 3597-3607 (all at Milewater) and 3585 (Short Strand). B9 2213 has returned to use at Falls following completion of engine repairs, whilst B11R 1790 is detaxed from Short Strand with accident damage and Streetdecks 3140 (Newtownabbey) and 3150 (Milewater) are detaxed whilst being prepared for transfer to Ulsterbus. Similar 3136-9 (Newtownabbey) have already left the fleet as part of the cascade.On the move are 905-8 (Milewater - Short Strand), 2345/56/62/79 (Milewater - Newtownabbey) and 2354 (Milewater - Falls). B7s 2896/8-901/74/5 have been sold to Hectares Plant Sales, Jonesborough. Finally B9 2215 has lost it's AoA for bPerfect Cosmetics and is currently looking extremely tatty.
01/09/22 - Further Streetdeck Electroliners commenced fault free running during August, along with 3 Hydroliners, all initially allocated to York Road:
3589/92/4 YUI 2289 Wrightbus StreetDeck BEV H70D+28 05/08/22
3595 YUI 2295 Wrightbus StreetDeck BEV H70D+28 08/08/22
3596/2602/3 YUI 2296 Wrightbus StreetDeck BEV H70D+28 15/08/22
3602/3 YUI 2302 Wrightbus StreetDeck BEV H70D+28 15/08/22
3604 YUI 2304 Wrightbus StreetDeck BEV H70D+28 17/08/22
3597/8/9 YUI 2297 Wrightbus StreetDeck BEV H70D+28 19/08/22
3600 YUI 2300 Wrightbus StreetDeck BEV H70D+28 19/08/22
3605 YUI 2305 Wrightbus StreetDeck BEV H70D+28 23/08/22
3432/3/7 YUI 2182 Wrightbus StreetDeck FCEV H63D+18 29/08/22
3588 YUI 2288 Wrightbus StreetDeck BEV H70D+28 29/08/22
Similar 3555/80/2-4/6-8 are now allocated to Short Strand with 3431 and 3565/71/3/5/7/8/89-95 at Milewater. 3565 carries the the green Metro electric branding. Back in use are B5 2188 (Falls, repairs complete), B12B 1777 (Short Strand, PSV complete), Solo 1989 (MSC, accident repairs complete) and B9TL 2331 (Falls, repairs complete). The end of August saw the remaining Volvo B7TL/ALX400 taken out of use: 2906/9/11/14/5/16/20 (Short Strand) and 2983 (Falls). 2983 was the only one operational for the final few days of the month. Also detaxed are B9 2206 (Short Strand, engine problems) and Streetdeck 3136 (Newtownabbey, Ulsterbus transfer prep) whilst B5s 2124/5 and Streetdecks 3148/9 have left the fleet for Ulsterbus. On the move are 2374 (MSC - Short Strand), 2397/2983 (Short Strand - Falls), 2218/332/3/4 (Short Strand - Newtownabbey) and 2375/3151 (Milewater - Newtownabbey). Buses sold during August were 796/805/7 which went to Hamill for scrap. Finally, Volvo B9TL 2333 has gained an AoA for Coors.
01/08/22 - Further Streetdeck Electroliners commenced fault free running during July, all initially allocated to York Road:
3557/71 YUI 2337 Wrightbus Streetdeck BEV H70D+28 25/07/22
3565 YUI 2201 Wrightbus Streetdeck BEV H70D+28 25/07/22
3577/8/9/80/1/6 YUI 1547 Wrightbus Streetdeck BEV H70D+28 25/07/22
3555 YUI 2335 Wrightbus Streetdeck BEV H70D+28 28/07/22
3583/4/5/7 YUI 1553 Wrightbus Streetdeck BEV H70D+28 28/07/22
3590/1/3 YUI 2290 Wrightbus Streetdeck BEV H70D+28 28/07/22
3565 carries the green Metro electric branding.
Similar 3537/59/63/79/81 are now allocated to Short Strand with 3568/9/72 at Milewater, whilst 3575 has returned from it's demonstration stint at Oxford Bus Company. Safety bus 2412 returned to use at the start of August to cover school summer schemes. Buses detaxed/SORN'd at the end of July are: 2124 (MSC, Ulsterbus Transfer Preparation), 2185 (Short Strand, engine repairs), 2331 (Falls, engine repairs), 2904/41/5/54/61 (Short Strand, Reserve) and 2966/7 (Newtownabbey, Reserve), whilst 2943/72 (Short Strand) are both withdrawn. This sees the end of both the TCZ and BEZ groups, and leaves B7 numbers with Metro in single figures. Solar 2479 has returned to Ulsterbus, whilst other moves are 3436 (MSC - York Road Engineering), 2210/2 (Falls - Short Strand), 2399/2400 (Short Strand - Falls) and 2395 (MSC - Falls). B7s 2910/43/70/2 have been sold to Hamill, Ahoghill for scrap, whilst 2900 has lost it's EEZ 2900 registration in favour of BYZ 6521.
01/07/22 - Streetdeck Electroliners 3559/68/72 (YUI 2339 etc) commenced commissioning allocated to York Road on 6th June, with 3537/63 (YUI 2317 etc) following on 9th June and 2569/75/82 (YUI 2349/1545/52) on 10th June. Similar 3539/53/60/2 are now allocated to Short Strand with 3549/64/6/7/74/6 at Milewater whilst 3575 is currently in use by Wrightbus as a demonstrator at Oxford Bus Company. 3566/7 carry the green Metro electric branding, whilst 3564 has Pride branding. Volvo B9TL 2332 has returned to use at Short Strand after completion of electrical repairs, whilst B5s 2119/23 (MSC) have been cascaded to Ulsterbus, along with Streetdeck 3147 (MSC). Buses detaxed/SORN'd at the end of June are: 2412 (Falls safety bus, for school holidays) and B7TLs 2896/9/2900/1/42/74/5 (Falls, To Reserve), with 2898 (Falls) being withdrawn completely due to fuel pump failure. Solar 2479 has been transferred from Ulsterbus to Short Strand for contract use, with 2124 moving from Falls to MSC, 2391/2/3/4/6 (MSC - Falls), 2185/6/7/98/2214/5 (MSC - Short Strand, Contract fleet), 2211 (Falls - Short Strand, Contract fleet), 2218 (Newtownabbey - Short Strand, Contract fleet). B7s 2902/7/12/3/7//53 have been sold to Hectares Plant Sales, Jonesborough, with 2955/60/8 going to Hamill for scrap.
01/06/22 - Streetdeck Electroliner 3536 (YUI 2316) commenced commissioning allocated to York Road on 12th May, with 3552/6/8/61 (YUI 2332) following on 18th May, 3549/53/60/2 on 24th May, 3539/66/7 on 27th May and 3564/73/4/6 (YUI 2344/53/5/1546) on 31st May. Similar 3544/8/51 completed their commissioning during the Month and entered use allocated to MSC, with 3530/2/6/42/7/52/6/8/61 going to Short Strand (3547 subsequently moved to MSC). B7TLs 2895/7 (Falls) and 2970 (Short Strand) are now in Reserve, with 2910/68 (Short Strand) additionally being withdrawn completely. B12B 1777 (Short Strand) is detaxed for PSV, with 2213 (Falls) detaxed for engine repairs. Also leaving the Metro fleet is B5TL 2119 which has moved to Ulsterbus, with sister 2124 moving from Short Strand to Falls. B7s 2908/19/71 have gone to Hamill for scrap, whilst withdrawn sister 2955 has been re-registered on paper from TCZ 9955 to BYZ 5306.
09/05/22 - More Streetdeck Electroliners commencing commissioning and allocated to York Road are 3544/8/51 (YUI 2324, 11th April), 3530/47 (21st April) and 3532/42 (29th April). Also being commissioned is a solitary Hydroliner: 3431 (YUI 2181, 14th March). Hydroliner 3436 has completed it's commissioning and entered use at MSC, along with Electroliners 3543/5/6/50. The registration sequence for the Electroliners will change after 3574, with 3575-80 being YUI 1545-50. B7TL 2909 has returned to use at Short Strand following completion of engine repairs, whilst former Ulsterbus Tours B11R/Jonckheere 1792/3 have been reactivated at Short Strand for private hire use. Solo 1989 is detaxed for repairs following collision damage. The end of April saw the final 3 Scania L94/Wrights being taken out of use and placed in Reserve: 796/805/7 (Short Strand), along with B7s 2905 (Falls) 2907/12/13/53 (Short Strand) and 2969/73 (MSC). Also withdrawn completely are defective B7s 2902/17/9/55/60 (Short Strand). B7s 2974/5 have moved from MSC to Falls, whilst B5s 2120-2 are the first to move to Ulsterbus. Changes to vehicles specifications see the standing capacity reduced on Hydroliners, with 5002-4 now being H65F+22 and 3430/4/5/6/47-9 being H63D+17 due to modifications to the hydrogen tank frames.
05/04/22 - Streetdeck Electroliners 3534/5/41/3 (YUI 2313 etc) commenced commissioning allocated to York Road on 4th March, with 3531/50/4 following on 18th March. Similarly Streetdeck Hydroliners 3447/8/9 (YUI 2197 etc) started commissioning on 18th March, followed by 3430 on the 25th. 3430/4/5 are now permanently allocated to MSC with 3531/3/4/5/8/40/1/54 going to Short Strand. 3531/54 both carry the green Zero Emissions branding, B7TLs 2908/9/71 (all Short Strand) were reallocated to Reserve at the end of March.
06/03/22 - Streetdeck Electroliners have started arrving with 3533/8/40 (YUI 2313 etc) commencing commissioning, allocated to York Road, on 18th February, followed by 3545/6 on 1st March. They are 70 seaters to H45/25D layout. 3550/65/6 should carry the green branded livery similar to 3531. B7TL 2920 has returned to use at SHort Strand folloing completion of engine repairs, whilst 2908 (Short Strand) is now detaxed for engine repairs. Similar 2960 has returned to Short Strand from Falls. Volvo B9 2215 has gained an AoA for BPerfect Cosmetics.
06/02/22 - Deliveries of Streetdeck Electroliners should be imminent, with 3533/5-8/40/1/4/6 being taxed by the manufacturer in recent days. B7TL 2941 has returned to use on contracts at Short Strand; it retains it's blue livery so probably will not see service use. B9 2332 and B7 2971 are both detaxed from the end of January with engine defects.
10/01/22 - Streetdeck Hydroliners 3434-6 (YUI 2184-6) commenced fault free running on 21st December allocated to York Road. These are likely to be used as training vehicles for a period of time once released. Solo 1999), B9TL 2203 and B7TL 2970 have returned to use at Short Strand following completion of accident damage and engine repairs), whilst 2960 has moved from Short Strand to Falls and 2185/6 from Falls to MSC. From 4th January Metro have taken over operation of Ulsterbus UniLink service 163, now renumbered U2 and running between Queens and Jordanstown via the new Belfast Campus.
01/01/22 - Seasons Greetings and a Merry New Year from Irish Transport Heritage.
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