Ulsterbus Fleet News 2016
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11/12/16 - Ayats 2006 returned to use at Foyle on 9th November, and 2003 similarly at Dungannon on 1st December, replacing fire victim 2002 which was withdrawn on 3rd November. Also rewturned to use, temproraily, at Foyle was B12B/Plaxton 120, although this is now in Reserve again. Sisters 122/3 have been sold to Tanker Exports and Eurocoach respectively. 2022 is now detaxe3d from Foyle for engine repairs, with similar 2011/5/6/26 being in Active Reserve status and 2015 moving from Foyle to Enniskillen.Also detaxed is Solo 1887 (Newry) with accident damage.
01/11/16 - Ayats 2011/5/6/26 have returned to use at Foyle, for use on railway substitution services with the current work on the Derry line. Similar 2002 suffered substantial fire damage this morning on the M1 at Lurgan. Stranraer based B12B/Plaxtons 122/3 are now detaxed, along wit rural 452 (Enniskillen, engine defects), i4 607 (Ards, Accident damage), Irizar 1718 (Dungannon, for overhaul) and Olympian 2000 (Coleraine, Seasonal). Solar 764 has moved from Coleraine to Foyle. The chassis of B10M/Plaxton 1551 has returned from Northern Regional College and sent to Hamill for scrapping. It's place at NRC has been taken by Solo 1867. Also sold are Solo 1906 (Hamill for scrap), and B10BLEs 2836/9 (McLaughlin of Clonmany).
01/10/16 - Irizars 1672 and 1706 have returned to use at GVS and Duncrue Street respectively, both upseated as 69-seaters. 1706 is for use as an engineering float vehicle. Also back in use is Solo 1932 at Lisburn. B10BLEs 2774/91 haven been reinstated with the Training Academy for use as CPC classrooms at Pennyburn and GVS. Volvo/Plaxtons 120/1 (Stranraer) have gone to Reserve after the cessation of operations on the 920 service to London at the end of October. 136-8 will lose National Express livery in favour of Scottish Citylink colours for the same reason. On the move are 749 (Bangor - Ards), 1754 (Ards - Bangor), 1752 (Foyle - Coleraine), 2875 (Coleraine - Foyle) and 527 (Magherafelt - Coleraine). Tiger 1281 has been sold to Daly, Warrington, Solo 1916 to Martin McLaughlin, Culdaff and Ayats 2009 to McComb’s, Newtownabbey.
01/09/16 - Returned to use are 411 (Newcastle after engine repairs), 711 (Coleraine), 1697 (Ballymena Active Reserve - reseated as a 69 seater) and 2983 (Coleraine after accident damage repair). Also returned to sue at the start of September was the Vehicles detaxed for the school holidays. Against this Solar 705 (Newcastle) was detaxed at the end of August with the end of the seasonal Mourne Rambler operation. On the move are 733 (Foyle - Duncrue Street Active Reserve), 786 (Newtownabbey - Metro), 1723 (Larne - Dwnpatrick), 1776 (Glengall Street - Newcastle), 1046 (Enniskillen - Dungannon), 2274/5 (Newcastle - Downpatrick) , 364 (Magherafelt - Foyle), 620/1 (Glengall Street - Magherafelt), 708 (Newcastle - Reserve), 730 (Coleraine - Newtownabbey Active Reserve), 780 (Lisburn - Newry Active Reserve) and 2415 (GVS - Coleraine). Additionally 1705 spent some time with the training Academy during August. Tiger 1292 was sold to Wylie Enniskillen and Solo 1918 to Hamill for scrap.
06/07/16 - Returned to use are Scania 730 (Coleraine - temporarily replacing 2983), Irizar 1677 (Ards) and Ayats 2014 (Coleraine), both afer completion of repairs. Rural 411 has been detaxed from Newcastle with engine defects, with 1672 (Coleraine), 1697 (GVS) and 1706 (Ards) going to Reserve for school bus conversion. With the end of the 2015-16 school year the following vehicles were de-taxed on 30th June for the duration of the school holidays:
Great Victoria Street 342, 343, 393, 394, 402, 614, 615, 787, 1702, 1710, 1711, 1755, 2225, 2414, 2884, 2890, 2947, 2948, 2999
Lisburn 203, 217, 218, 239, 240, 262, 263, 264, 756, 757, 780, 809, 810, 811, 812, 1724, 1734, 2237, 2238, 2239, 2279
Newtownards 201, 202, 265, 266, 310, 783, 1661, 1677, 1741, 2327
Bangor 198, 199, 200, 400, 2460, 2461, 2893, 2894, 2932, 2988, 2989
Craigavon 251, 252, 253, 274, 275, 305, 306, 333, 334, 335, 336, 355, 356, 357, 726, 755, 767, 1682, 2318, 2319, 2924
Downpatrick 210, 211, 237, 238, 293, 294, 341
Armagh 224, 225, 226, 276, 277, 278, 292, 317, 367, 368, 391, 784, 2417, 2418, 2419, 2468
Newcastle 193, 234, 235, 236, 295, 296, 340, 353, 354, 377, 392, 708, 1664, 1701, 2935, 2949
Newry 232, 233, 257, 258, 259, 267, 268, 269, 290, 291, 344, 345, 346, 347, 735, 774, 775, 1671, 1686, 1700, 2277, 2296, 2297, 2430
Dungannon 216, 222, 223, 283, 358, 359, 502, 518, 519, 759, 815, 1717, 2002, 2025, 2316, 2317, 2320, 2321, 2930
Foyle 208, 209, 244, 247, 298, 300, 309, 348, 408, 437, 438, 487, 498, 733, 2242, 2302, 2303, 2875, 2876, 2877, 2892, 2928, 2937, 2938
Omagh 214, 215, 301, 302, 303, 304, 349, 2020, 2268, 2885, 2886, 2888, 2933, 2940, 2987
Enniskillen 212, 213, 248, 249, 250, 307, 308, 1698, 2921, 2934, 2977, 2978
Coleraine 204, 205, 221, 245, 246, 272, 273, 284, 285, 286, 316, 320, 321, 324, 325, 361, 362, 363, 374, 375, 761, 762, 763, 764, 778, 820, 821, 824, 1669, 1670, 1683, 1690, 1708, 2420, 2467, 2931, 2980, 2981
Ballymena 188, 227, 228, 229, 287, 288, 289, 297, 299, 313, 322, 337, 370, 371, 376, 384, 501, 2248
Larne 185, 186, 187, 230, 231, 312, 323, 339, 770, 771, 1688, 2235, 2250, 2278, 2473
Magherafelt 219, 220, 241, 242, 270, 271, 282, 350, 351, 352, 364, 1663, 1674, 1703, 2233, 2313, 2314, 2315, 2880
Antrim 206, 207, 243, 254, 255, 256, 260, 261, 279, 280, 281, 369, 389, 390, 835, 836, 1689, 2232
Newtownabbey 493, 716, 725, 786, 1668, 1675, 1676, 1678, 1684, 2231, 2881, 2882, 2883, 2887, 2923Tiger 1260 (Foyle Engineering) has been withdrawn for disposal. On the move are 1955 (Foyle - Coleraine), 708 (Coleraine - Foyle - Newcastle), 602 (Antrim - Ballymena), 1060 (Antrim - Ballymena), 2274/5 (Downpatrick - Newcastle), 620/1 (Magherafelt - Glengall Street) and 1776 (Newcastle - Glengall Street). Finally, Solo 1864 has been sold to SOS Bus NI, Belfast.
27/06/16 - Solar 708 has returned to use at Coleraine, temporarily replacing ALX 2983 which is now detaxed with accident damage. Also back are Irizar 1697 (GVS) and Olympian open topper 2000 at Coleraine. Solos 1864/81 (Newtownabbey) are now detaxed afther their period of use an a roadworks shuttle ended, with 1881 returning to Metro. Also detaxed with engine defects is Irizar 1677 (Ards). Several vahicles have been re-registered recenlty to allow sale of their cherished numbers:
2457 - GXI 457 to KEX 7457 24/5
700 - FXI 396 to ECZ 9021 ??/6
1888 - AAZ 8888 to DEZ 7888 ??/6
1916 - KXI 600 to CGZ 2228 17/6
1917 - AXI 287 to CGZ 2229 17/6
1918 - VOI 188 to CGZ 2230 17/6
1919 - ROI 139 to CGZ 6306 20/6
1932 - ROI 132 to GGZ 6312 20/6
2003 - AXI 283 to CGZ 6314 20/6
2006 - AXI 296 to CGZ 6315 20/6
2009 - AXI 299 to CGZ 6316 20/6
2011 - AXI 311 to CGZ 6320 20/6
2015 - AXI 315 to CGZ 6321 20/6
2016 - AXI 316 to CGZ 6322 20/6
2026 - BXI 326 to GCZ 6323 20/610/05/16 -Returning to use are Solo 1889 at Lisburn, Irizars 1694 at Magherafelt, now as a 69 seater, and 1672 at Coleraine, B7TL 2935 at Newcastle after fire damage repairs and Scania 705 seasonally retaxed at Newcastle for use on the Mourne Rambler service. Vehicles detaxed are Solo 1897 (Newtownabbey - now returned to Metro Reserve), Ayats 2014 (Coleraine - requiring engine repairs) and nearly new Caetano 2033 (Foyle - with accident damage). Irizar 1704 is now withdrawn after sustaining accident damage last year. Returning from Metro is Scania 755 (Craigavon), whilst Solo 1864 has temporarily moved from Lisburn to Newtownabbey. Buses sold are Scanias 706/9, Solo 1856 and B10BLEs 2835/48 to Eamonn Spruhan Coach Hire, Corries; Tiger 1255 and B10BLEs 2769/78/2840 to Walshs Executive Travel, Edenderry; Tiger 2640 to Shannon, Newtownards and B10BLE 2784 to Dunglebe Sporting & Cultural Society, Dunaghy.
13/04/16 - Volvo B9 2330 returned to use at Newcastle at the start of March, after completion of engine repairs. Also returned to use was Solo 1897 at Newtownabbey, along with 1881/98 from Metro, to operate a shuttle service during roadworks at Greenisland. 1898 returned to Metro at the start of April. Other Solos reactivated are 1839-41/8 which are mobile training units with the Training Academy. Scania 708 is now in Reserve, previously at Magherafelt, and Tiger towbus 1184 is also gone from Magherafelt. Of the towbuses only 4 remain active: 1238 (Downpatrick), 1260 (Derry), 1270 (Coleraine) and 1304 (Craigavon). Irizar 1672 was reactivated for a brief period and loaned to Metro during March, but is now back in Reserve status. Scania 724 has also gone from Newtownabbey to Metro. The start of April say Limavady depot come under the control of Coleraine, with the following changing allocation: B7Rs 245/6, Scania L94s 820/1/2/3/4/2444, i4 1035, Intercentury 1752 and B9TL 2241. Also on the move are 1746 (Foyle - Coleraine) and 2892 (Coleraine - Foyle). Scania 704 is now reseated to B35F+20 and is fitted with on board bicycle racks for the Mourne Rambler operation. Finally Tiger 1296 has been sold to Wylie, Enniskillen.
15/03/16 - The balance of the Scania K410/Caetano Invictus have all entered service at Foyle: 2032/6 (IXZ 1832 - 4th February), 2037 (6th february), 2028/35 (8th February) and 2029 (17th February). Against these Irizars 1672/97 and Ayats 2003/6/7/9/11/5/6/26 are all now in Reserve from Foyle. Also detaxed is Irizar 1694 (Magherafelt) which is to receive a school bus conversion. A cull of engineering vehicles sees the following Tigers withdrawn on 7th February: 1255 (Newtownabbey), 1281 (Ballymena), 1286 (Dungannon), 1292 (Derry), 1296 (Enniskillen) and 2640 (Duncrue Street). On the move are 604 (Larne - Coleraine), 1070 (Coleraine - Larne), 1706/59 (Foyle - Magherafelt) and 755 (Craigavon - Metro). Solos 1839/40/8 (all reserve) have been prepared as mobile training units and downseated to 25 seaters. Tiger 1286 has been sold to Shannon Newtownards, Solos 1871/3/8 to Hamill, 1890 to Mclaughlin, Clonmany, Ayats 2010 to Hamill and B10BLE's 2821/37 to Walsh, Edenderry.
18/02/16 - Scania K410/Caetano Invictus 76-seaters entering service are 2033 (IXZ 1833 - Foyle 26th Jan), 2030/1 (Foyle - 27th Jan), 2034 (Foyle - 28th Jan), 2027/38 (Foyle - 29th Jan). Notable features are the County Armagh registrations, and less satisfactorally non-reclining seating, a first for any Goldliner acquisition. Scania 731 returned to use at Enniskillen on 12th January, later moving to Newcastle. Also treturned to use in Solo 1929 at Coleraine at the start of February. Various vehicles detaxed at the end of January were Scania 766 (Craigavon - engine repairs) and Volvo 2330/2935 (both Newcastle, for engine repairs and fire damage repairs respectively). Scania 712 (Newry) was withdrawn in early January with body defects. On the move are 735 (Ards - Newry), 1736 (Coleraine - Foyle), 2892 (Foyle - Coleraine), 2232 (Larne - Antrim). Solo 1841 (Reserve) has been reseated to a 19 seater for use as a mobile training unit. Scania 734 has gone to Halpenny Travel, Blackrock and B10BLE 2807 to Hamill for scrap.
07/01/16 - Scania 2457 is unsurprisingly withdrawn after it's trip in to Strangford Lough, with Ards receiving older Solars 721 and 735 in it's place. One solitary move during December saw i4 1035 go from Magherafelt to Foyle. Solo 1844 has been sold to Hamill for scrap, with newer 1896/1903/26 going to Tanker Exports, Belfast. 1903 and 1926 have subsequently moved on to Southdown PSV, Copthorne (dealer). Scanias 558 and 2414 are both now back in fleet livery, previously Airlink and Park & Ride respectively.
01/01/16 - Seasons Greetings and a Merry New Year from Irish Transport Heritage.
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