Ulsterbus Fleet News 2014

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04/12/14 - New Optare Solos entering service are:

1934 TFZ 9934 Lisburn 17.11.14
1935 TFZ 9935 Lisburn 17.11.14
1936 TFZ 9936 Lisburn 17.11.14
1937 TFZ 9937 Lisburn 17.11.14
1938 TFZ 9938 Lisburn 17.11.14
1939 TFZ 9939 Lisburn 28.11.14
1940 TFZ 9940 Lisburn 17.11.14
1941 TFZ 9941 Lisburn 17.11.14
1942 TFZ 9942 Lisburn 17.11.14
1943 TFZ 9943 Lisburn 17.11.14
1945 TFZ 9945 Coleraine 17.11.14
1946 TFZ 9946 Coleraine 17.11.14
1947 TFZ 9947 Coleraine 17.11.14
1948 TFZ 9948 Coleraine 17.11.14
1949 TFZ 9949 Coleraine 17.11.14
1950 TFZ 9950 Coleraine 17.11.14
1951 TFZ 9951 Foyle 17.11.14
1952 TFZ 9952 Foyle 17.11.14
1953 TFZ 9953 Foyle 17.11.14
1954 TFZ 9954 Foyle 17.11.14
1956 TFZ 9956 Larne 17.11.14
1957 TFZ 9957 Newtownabbey 17.11.14
1958 TFZ 9958 Newtownabbey 17.11.14

All are B28F+9. Returning to use is B12B/Plaxton 112 (at Foyle transferring from Glengall Street) and B7TL 2935 at Newcastle (transferred from Metro). Vehicles taken out of use at the ned of November are Solos 1839/66 (Bangor), 1840/1 (Newtownabbey), 1842/60/4 (Ards), 1843 (Larne), 1845/6 (Foyle), 1854 (Newcastle), 1856/67/70 (Lisburn), 1858 (Enniskillen), 1859 (coleraine) and 1871 (Newry), together with B10BLEs 2824 (Bangor) and 2830 (Coleraine). On the move are 1763 (Dungannon - Magherafelt), 2930/1763 (Magherafelt - Dungannon), 1873/4 (Lisburn - Newry), 1902 (Lisburn - Downpatrick), 1911 (Lisburn - Newcastle), 1878 (Foyle - Newry), 433 (Larne - Newtownards), 825 (Enniskillen - Larne), 1748 (Ards - Larne), 1929/30/1 (Coleraine - Ards), 1875 (Lisburn - Enniskillen), 1928/9 (Coleraine - Bangor) and 700 (Larne - Coleraine Active Reserve). Sales see B10BLE 2844 go to Hamill for scrap and Mercedes bendi 3103 to SOS Bus, Belfast.

13/11/14 - B7R 186 has returned to use at Larne, after completion of accident repairs, whilst 568 (Foyle) is detaxed for the same reason, being replaced in Derry by reactivated B10BLE 2778. B7TL 2925 has returned from Coleraine to Metro, and is replaced by similar 2931 from Metro. Also detaxed are B10BLE 2784 (Coleraine), coaches 112/3/5 (Glengall Street, seasonal) and Solo 1860 (Ards). Scania 1670 has moved from Newtownabbey to Coleraine. B10Ms 1530/46 have gone to Hamill for scrap, with 1524/44 heading to Carolan Coaches, Co Meath. Some news of subsequent disposals is:

32 (SEZ 7132) to Glen Minibuses, Ballymartin by 9/14 via Belfast City Auctions, Carryduff.
105 (SCZ 7105) re-registered 03-MH-15236 9/14 with Carolan, Nobber.
505 (GAZ 5505, later 82 HBC, now K7 PYG) to Garratt & Sanders, Groby 5/14, ex Pygall, Hutton Henry.
644 (YAZ 8644): Go-Coastline, Swanley 2/14, ex WMSNT, Aston 102.
674 (UXI 1674, now 94-DL-5748): Ayton, Ballindrait by 10/14, ex McGonagle, Buncrana; re-registered UXI 1674 by10/14.
889 (AAZ 8889, now 93-DL-5239) to Geraghty, Castlerea by 3/12, ex McGonagle, Buncrana.
910 (JAZ 3910) to Shannon, Newtownards 10/14 for preservation ex Ballykeel Flute Band, Ballymena.
1435 (XXI 1435) to Gibson Direct, Renfrew 6/14, ex Marbill, Beith.
1451 (WXI 4451) exported to unknown owner Africa by 6/14, ex Mortons Travel, Little London.
1467 (YXI 1467): Ayton, Ballindrait 10/14 ex Connolly {East Coast Coaches}, Newry.
1498 (YXI 5498, now 93-DL-11302) to Byrne {Byrne Coach Hire}, Castlederg by 8/14, ex Lough Swilly 552 via Caldwell, Strabane (dealer); re-registered YXI 5498.
1640 (BCZ 1640) to Belfast Bus Company, Belfast 8/14 ex Quinn {Quinn's Coach Hire}, Ardboe.
1644 (BCZ 1644, now 99-KY-10020) to Glenferry {Kearney's}, Little Island ex Paddywagon, Annascaul.
1649 (BCZ 1649) re-registered 99-MH-15046 9/14 with Carolan, Nobber.
1659 (BCZ 1659) to Belfast Bus Company, Belfast 8/14 ex Quinn {Quinn's Coach Hire}, Ardboe.
1812 (AAZ 6812, now 93-DL-5240) to Kelly, Dunleer by 3/14, ex McGonagle, Buncrana.
1821 (DCZ 4821, now 00-DL-11324) to McLaughlin, Malin by 8/13, ex McGonagle, Buncrana.
1824 (DCZ 4824), 1827 (DCZ 4827) to Hardwick, Carlton by 9/14 for scrap, ex Nask Ockley.
2001 (BCZ 2001) to Fitzpatrick, Drumree 6/13 ex Glenferry {Kearneys}, Little Island; reregistered 99-MH-15042 7/14.
2432 (WOI 2432) to Wray & Nephew {Appleton Estate}, Southwark 8/13 ex unknown non psv owner in Kent; rebuilt to B16F and converted to mobile pub.
Three of the Ulsterbus Scania's which went back to Scania, Worksop (dealer) earlier in the year have also finally turned up:
101/6/7 were acquired by Lainton {Ashall's}, Gorton in 4/14 and were converted to C70F by6/14 (106) or by8/14 (101/7).
106 passed to Wild {Lets Travel}, Bootle in 6/14 and 101/7 to Yelloway, Chadderton in 8/14 where they have since been reregistered M12/3TEL a month later.

17/10/14 - Returned to use is Volvo B10M 1635, at the Driving School (08/09), along with a number of ex Metro B7/ALX's: 2923 (Newtownabbey 24/09), 2925 (Coleraine 01/10), 2928/38/40 (Foyle 29/09 with 2940 later moving to Omagh), 2930 (Magherafelt 12/09), 2933 (Omagh 12/09), 2934 (Enniskillen 12/09) and 2939 (Newry 10/09). Also returned to use at Craigavon is B10BLE 2803 replacing 2833 which is withdrawn with engine defects. Also gone is 2844 (Foyle - engine fire) and Solo 1868 (Ards - accident damage). Vehicles detaxed are Schoolrun 301 (Omagh - accident damage), Solo 1844 and B10BLE 2770 (Foyle to Reserve). One the move are 783 (Armagh - Newtownards), 1747 (Larne - Ballymena), 2442 (Omagh - Foyle), 2815 (Foyle - Foyle Active Reserve) and 2824 (Newtownards - Bangor). Sales see Iveco 19 go to Hamill, Scania 105 to Carolan Coaches, Spiddal and Solo 1862 to McGonagle, Buncrana. Interesting news is the issuing of a tender for 12 double deck Goldline Coaches for delivery in 2015, with the option for another 12 in 2017/8, to allow the phased replacement of Ayats 2002-26. Due shortly are all-blue Solos 1934-58 (TFZ 9934 etc, excepting 1944/55 which are TFZ 8944/55). These should go to Lisburn, Coleraine, Foyle, Larne and Newtownabbey and allow the earlier SCZ group of Solos the be withdrawn.

16/09/14 - Returned to use are Scania's 568 (Derry) and 755 (Lisburn) and 1748 (Ards) after accident repairs, along with Solo 1871 (Newry). Double deckers received from Metro are B9TLs 2219 (Newcastle) and 2220 (Downpatrick) together with B7TLs 2881/2 (Newtownabbey), 2889/90/1 (GVS), 2892 (Derry) and 2893/4 (Bangor). Going in the opposite direction as B10M replacements are Irizars 1713 (Omagh), 1720 (Magherafelt), 1722 (Newry) and 1729 (Derry), together with B10BLE 2775 (Coleraine) . Detaxed to Reserve at then end of August were Solo 1862 (Derry), Mercedes 0.405s 2101/3 (Derry) and B10BLEs 2778 (Lisburn), 2803 (Craigavon), 2820 (GVS), 2821/2 (Ards) and 2849 (Magherafelt). Moves see the following: 2222-6/2325/2991/6 (summer loans Newcastle - GVS), 1718/28/63 (summer loans Glengall Street - Dungannon), 1727 (summer loan Glengall Street - Larne), 618 (summer loan Glengall Street - Omagh), 619 (summer loan Glengall Street - Derry), 620/1 (summer loan Glengall Street - Magherafelt), 2814 (Active Reserve - Ballymena), 2278 (Bangor - Larne), 1020/1/31/2016 (Omagh - Derry), 617/9/2019 (Derry - Omagh), 704 (GVS - Ards), 705 (GVS - Craigavon Active Reserve), 376 (Newtownabbey - Ballymena), 734 (Antrim - Magherafelt Active Reserve), 459 (Bangor - Newtownabbey), 782 (Lisburn - Craigavon), 1776 (summer loan GVS - Newcastle), 1778 (summer loan GVS - Downpatrick), 749 (Bangor - Ards), 1743 (Downpatrick - Newcastle), 2226 (GVS - Lisburn), 2300 (Ards - Bangor), 706 (GVS - GVS Active Reserve), 709 (Newcastle - Craigavon Active Reserve), 816 (Downpatrick - Downpatrick Active Reserve), 2770 (Derry - Derry Active Reserve), 2815 (Derry Active Reserve - Derry), 2835/6 (Ards - Ards Active Reserve), 707 (Downpatrick - Craigavon Active Reserve), 817 (Downpatrick - Coleraine). Finally, B10Ms 1507/8 have gone to Hamill for scrap.

10/08/14 - Returned to use are 408 (Newcastle), 2005 (Ballymena), 2301/4/5 (Foyle), 2881/2 (Metro Newtownabbey), 1718/27/8/63 (Glengall Street - on loan), 1735 (Newry), 2020 (Omagh) , 2991 (Newcastle on loan) and 1741 (Ards - replacing 1748 which is detaxed for repairs).B10Ms 151/12/23/35/6 and B10BLE 2826 have gone to Hamill for scrap, B10BLE's 2768/77 to Martin McLaughlin, Culdaff whilst a mass disposal of community minibuses sees 31-4/7-42/50/8-60/5/6 go to Belfast City Auctions and 35/6/49/51-7/61-4 to Wilson's Auctions.

01/07/14 - Detaxed at the end of June were B7R 186 (Larne - accident damage), Scania K230 568 (Derry - cccident damage), Solos 1847/71 (Newcastle, GVS - both to Reserve) and B10BLEs 2768/9 (Dungannon, Metro - also both to Reserve). As usual a largenumber of buses are detaxed for the school holidays, the full list being:

GVS : 342/3/93/4/704-6/17/31/822/1702/10/1/55/1906/2884/91/2/7/9
Lisburn : 203/17/8/39/40/62/3/4/727/8/38/56/7/82/1734
Ards : 201/2/65/6/310/750/2/1661/77/1741/54/2824
Bangor: 198/9/400/39/1662/2403/4/60/2988/9
Craigavon : 251/2/3/74/5/305/6/33/4/5/6/55/6/7/708/1682/2318/9/2831
Downpatrick : 210/1/37/8/93/4/341/1669/83
Armagh: 224/5/6/76/7/8/92/317/67/8/2022/2417/2468
Newcastle : 193/234/5/6/95/6/340/53/4/77/92/408/709/20/1701
Newry : 232/3/57/8/9/67/8/9/90/1/328/32/44/5/6/7/712/59/60/74/5/1671/86/1700/22/35/2430
Dungannon : 216/222/3/83/358/9/78/86/502/815/1717/8/28/63/2025/2316/7/20/1/2422
Foyle: 208/9/244/5/6/7/98/300/9/48/9/2101/3/2301/2/3/4/2875/6/7
Omagh : 214/5/301/2/3/4/2020/2322/2442/3/4/2885/8/2987
Enniskillen : 212/3/48/9/50/307/8/1687/98/2976/7/8
Coleraine : 204/5/22/72/3/84/5/6/316/20/1/4/5/361/3/74/5/764/818/1690/1708/2775/2850/2982
Ballymena : 188/227/8/9/87/8/9/97/9/313/22/37/8/70/1/84/503/16/1665/2005
Larne : 185/7/230/1/312/23/39/700/70/1/1688/95/9/1705/27
Magherafelt : 182/3/4/219/20/41/2/70/1/82/350/1/2/504/5/6/1704/2880
Antrim : 206/7/43/54/5/6/60/2/79/80/1/369/89/90/769/840/1689
Newtownabbey : 276/713/6/1668/70/5/6/8/84/2881/2/3/7
Active Reserve : 2784/2830 (Coleraine), 2820 (GVS), 2821/2 (Ards), 2823 (Newtownabbey)

Withdrawn for disposal at the end of June are remaining Community Minibuses in the 32-42 and 49-66 number range. On the move are 618/9 (Foyle - Glengall Street), 620/1 (Magherafelt - Glengall Street), 1735/30 (Craigavon Active Reserve - Metro Short Strand), 1743 (Newcastle - GVS), 1776 (Newcastle - Downpatrick), 1778 (Downpatrick - GVS), 2222/3/4/5/6/2325/2996 (GVS - Newcastle) and 2300 (Bangor - Ards). B9s on the way to Glasgow from 9th July for hire to FirstGroup are 2232/59/60/8/9/70/2-5/90/3/4 together with 2231/3-54/6/7/61-7/71/6-8/80/28/91/2/5-9 for use on the Translink contract.

10/06/14 - Lisburn based Scania L94 755 is detaxed with accident damage; also in Reserve is the final B10M/Plaxton in public use with Ulsterbus, Coleraine based 1635. B10BLEs 2768/2848 have moved from Magherafelt to Dungannon, Solo 1854 from Lisburn - Newcastle and B10BLE 2778 from Metro - Lisburn. B10M 1545 has gone to Hamill for scrap. Derry based B9TL 2289 has got an allover advert for SSE Airtricity, like 2202/2342. Scania 723 is to lose it's advertising livery and is to be converted to an exhibition bus for Translink staff welfare.

 

23/05/14 - Scania coaches 139-42 entered service on 07/05/14. Mercedes 0.405 returned to use at Derry on 12th, together with B10BLEs 2775/6 at Lisburn for the Balmoral Show on 14th and 15th May respectively. The return of 2776 is somewhat unexpected as this had been withdrawn last summer with a major defect. 2775 later moved to Coleraine, and 2776 to Metro Short Strand. Also back in use, after repairs, is Ayats 2018 at Omagh. Sales have seen former Bangor towbus Tiger 1285 go to Movie Go, Carrowdore, B10M 1550 to Dodds, Ayr and Solo 1857 to Hamill, Ahoghill for scrap.

21/05/14 - B10BLEs 2770/8 and Mercedes 2100 went to Metro in April, with 2770 later returning to Derry. Also back in use is Mercedes 0.405 2101 at Derry, along with seasonally stored tours coaches 105/12. B10BLE 2787 (Derry) is now in Reserve, whilst Craigavon based 2826 was withdrawn at the end of April after an accident. B9TLs 2277/9 have swapped depots with the former moving to Newry and the latter to Lisburn.

14/04/14 - Registrations SFZ 6139 - 42 have been reserved for Scania/Irizar coaches 139 - 42. B10Ms 1525 (DAZ 1525), 1528 (DAZ 1528) and 1529 (DAZ 1529) have been sold to Dodds, Ayr, whilst Scania/Irizar 1692 (TCZ 1692) is currently being stripped for spares before going for scrap. Some subsequent vehicles histories:

641 (LAZ 7641) and 644 (YAZ 8644) gone 1/14, ex WMSNT, Aston 103/2.
920 (JAZ 3920) to Ballincollig, Iniscara 3/13, ex Mount Vernon Community Development Forum, Belfast.
1346 (TXI 1346) to Hussain {Neales}, High Wycombe 7/11, via Ripley, Carlton (dealer).
1401 (WXI 1401) to Hussain {Neales}, High Wycombe 7/11, via Ripley, Carlton (dealer) - correction to previous report.
1404 (WXI 1404) to Cliffs, Cryers Hill 7/11, via Ripley, Carlton (dealer).
2527 (XOI 2527) to Emblings, Guyhirn 11/07 for preservation via Wealdon, Five Oak Green (dealer).
2598 (BXI 2598) to Bott, Bolton (dealer) 9/11, ex Green Triangle {South Lancs}, Atherton; Nash, Ockley (dealer) by3/12; Raven, Debenham 3/12 for preservation.

04/04/14 - New vehicles on order here are 25 Optare Solos, to be numbered 1934-1958, and 4 Irizar i6 coaches for Ulsterbus tours, numbered 139-142. B10BLE 2833 has returned to use at Craigavon, as has Solo 1869 at Downpatrick (having transferred from Metro). Volvo B7TL 2880 has transferred from Dungannon to Magherafelt. Community minibuses 61 (Lisburn) and 63 (Derry) have gone to Reserve, with similar 62 moving from Lisburn to Derry. Unusual news is the 'LY' Derry City depot allocation is retired from 1st April, with all Derry buses now being allocated to 'LD', henceforth known as Ulsterbus Foyle. Affected vehicles are 829/30/41/2/4-7/1844-6/80/96/9/1903/17/2240/1/3/55/8/83-5/2304/6/8/9/2837-45. Vehicle sold during March are Tours Scania/Irizars 100-2/4/6/7 (Scania, Worksop - dealer), B10M 1636 to Eurocoach, Dungannon and Solos 1863, McGonagle, Buncrana and 1865 to Hamill for scrap. Some news of former buses is:
405 (FXI 405, now JEZ 4096), 406 (FXI 406, now JEZ 8980) to Reays, Wigton 10/13, ex Dodds, Ayr.
647 (YAZ 8647) passed to Dawson Rentals, Helleby (dealer) 3/14 ex Gills, Ilkeston; then to Ripley, Carlton (dealer) for scrap.
1401 (WXI 1401) and 1404 (WXI 1404) to Neales Taxis/Cliffs Coaches, High Wycombe in 7/12 and 11/11 respectively ex Ripley, Carlton (dealer). This operator is reported to have a third as yet unidentified Translink vehicle.
1406 (WXI 1406), 1459 (YXI 1459) gone by12/13, ex Rosa, Barnsley.
1414 (WXI 4414, later PCK 335, now K461 CBU) registered LUI 9959 11/13 with Plumley {Primrose}, Acomb.
1563 (DAZ 1563) gone by2/14, ex Wilts & Dorset 7020.
1639 (BCZ 1639, now 99-C-40068) O'Callaghan, Coachford 9/13, ex Glenferry, Little Island.

18/03/14 - Bangor based B9TL 2300is now an allover advert for Phoenix Gas.

05/03/14 -B10BLE 2833 has returned to use at Craigavon, as have Ayats 2006/24 at Derry. B10M 1636 (Coleraine) is now in Reserve, as is Craigavon based B10BLE 2812. The only active B10M now left with Ulsterbus is 1635 at Coleraine. The Bangor engineering bus, Tiger 1285 has now been withdrawn, whilst B10BLE 2774 (Newtownabbey) has been loaned to Metro. Finally B10M 1510 has gone to Hamill for scrap.

02/03/14 - Former B10M 1657 has now appeared with Eurocoach, Dungannon who will convert it to a 57 seater. New route FY16 (Derry - Culmore) commences tomorrow, and provides infill journeys at times that Lough Swilly buses don't run on this route.

 

18/02/14 - An allover advert for Phoenix Gas is due shortly. Some news of former vehicles:
405 (FXI 405, now JEZ 4096) and 406 (FXI 406, now JEZ 8960) passed to Reays, Wigton 11/13, ex Dodds, Ayr.
604 (CAZ 6604) re-registered to L651 WEW 2/13 with Bland, Ryhall; withdrawn by 2/13.
647 (YAZ 8647) passed to Gill, Ilkeston in 9/13, ex WMSNT, Aston 104.

15/02/14 - B10BLEs returning to use are 2768 (Magherafelt) and 2803 (Craigavon - Active Reserve). Also back in use at GVS Scania/Irizar 1702, now a 69 seater. The full list of 69 seat conversions is: 1661-71/3-84/6-91/3-6/8-1705/7-12/4/6/7/9/21/4/34. On the move is 487 from GVS - Derry, whilst Scania L94 723 is in Reserve and has gone to Metro as a promotional vehicle.

31/01/14 - Sold to Hamill, Ahoghill for scrap are Ultras 2746/55, B10BLE 2829 and the final Atlantean 2901 (PXI 5501, ex JYG 417V). Some news of former vehicles is:

258 (XOI 2258) passed from Carson, Chapelhall to United Coaches, Hamilton in May 2013 as a preserved vehicle.
515 (PXI 5515) passed from Dodds, Ayr to Shuttle Buses, Kilwinning in August 2012 for continued use for spare parts.
1241 (NXI 4241) reregistered to -?- November 2013 with York Pullman, York. Registration transferred to another vehicle and Tiger withdrawn and offered for sale.
1337 (RXI 3337) reregistered to -?- January 2014 with York Pullman, York. Registration transferred to another vehicle and Tiger withdrawn and offered for sale. In this case the registration was transferred to a vehicle with an Irish connection, former Dublin Bus RV395 (97-D-395, now R989 KAR).
1344 (TXI 1344) passed from Leyland, Fulwood to Arthur, Limavady by January 2014.

16/01/14 - Solo 1841 has returned to service at Newtownabbey after completion of repairs, along with Irizar 1734 at Lisburn after it's school bus conversion. More coaches detaxed seasonally are Scanias 101/2/4/5 and Volvo 112. Also detaxed to Reserve from the end of December are the final Q-type (again) 1529 (Lisburn), Solo 1854 (Derry - having moved from Newtonabbey at the beginning of December) and B10BLEs 2768 (returned from Metro) and 2769 (GVS). Also detaxed for refurbishment are Ayats 2006/24 which should gain leather seats and WIFI like the more recent Goldliners. On the move are Scania 1726 (Newcastle - Omagh) and B10BLE 2878 (Omagh - Derry).

01/01/14 - Seasons Greetings and a Merry New Year from Irish Transport Heritage.

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