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have gone to Mike Nash in a dealer capacity, and the last two survivors of this unloved breed (645/51) are likely to be withdrawn shortly and replaced by 1848/9 which are currently being prepared for service.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.

B7TL 2889 with new style fleetname - October 2009 (Paul Savage)

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.

B10BLE 2808 with new style fleetname - October 2009 (Paul Savage)

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.

Leopard 1981 - City Hall - September 2009 (Paul Savage)

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.

Tiger 1261 - City Hall - September 2009 (Paul Savage)

Tiger 1261 - City Hall - September 2009 (Paul Savage)

15/09/09 - The final Belfast City Council advert is in fact on 2989, not 2947 as expected.

B7TL 2944 BCC Advert (Paul Savage)

B7TL 2880 BCC Advert (Paul Savage)

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.

B7TL 2962 (Paul Savage)

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.

B7TL 2305  (Paul Savage)

B7TL 2305  (Paul Savage)

B7TL 2305  (Paul Savage)

B9TL 2247   (Paul Savage)

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.

B7TL 2344  - High Street - Feb 2009 (Paul Savage)

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.

B7TL 2344  - High Street - Feb 2009 (Paul Savage)

20/02/09 - Volvo 2947 is also in advertising livery for Brennan's Bread.

Tiger 1474  - Donegall Place - Nov 2008 (Paul Savage)

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.

 

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