Metro Fleet News 2015

Previous years news

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

 

The headline picture is randomly selected from 10 possibilities. Click 'refresh' to select another.

 

08/12/15 - Scania L94 713 has been received from Ulsterbus and has received a magenta repaint, returning to use at GVS at the end of November. B7TL 2963 (Newtownabbey) has been detaxed after sustaining fire damage. On the move are 702 (Short Strand - Falls), 743 (Newtownabbey - Falls), 2341/2 (Falls - Newtownabbey), 2795 (Short Strand - Reserve) 2943 (Newtownabbey - Short Strand), 1848 (Reserve - Ulsterbus), 2923 (Short Strand - Ulsterbus Newtownabbey), 2212 (Falls - GVS) and 2214 (GVS - Falls). 2212 has received a smart seasonal aoa for Phoenix Gas.

12/11/15 - Veteran B10BLE 2764 returned to use at falls at the start of Novem,ber, replacing sister 2802 which is now withdrwan with engine defects. B9TL 2355 has moved from Short Strand to GVS, with 2363 going in the opposite direction.

05/10/15 - B10BLE 2795 returned to use at Short Strand from 1st October. Also back with Metro from Ulsterbus is B7TL 2939 at Short Strand, with sister 2943 moving from Short Strand to Newtownabbey. Solo 1849 has been sold to Tanker Exports, Belfast, with B10BLEs 2762/93/6 going to Hamill for scrap.

27/09/15 - 2369 has now appeared as the 2nd Metro Value advert. B7RLE 901 is currently at Falls being repainted overall magenta, and this seems to be the start of a Metro wide application of this scheme.

20/09/15 - 2355 has appeared with an aoa for PowerNI. Vehicles detaxed at the end of August were B10BLEs 2764/86 (Falls), 2789/95/6 (Short Strand) and Solos 1849/1912 (Short Strand). B7's 2922/9 have returned from Ulsterbus and are Active Reserve allocated to Duncrue Street again. Also received are Solos 1874 from Newry and 1932 from Newcastle. The following have gone in the opposite direction: 2216/7 (Downpatrick), 2921 (Enniskillen), 2932 (Bangor), 2937 (Foyle), 2946 (Ards), 2947 (GVS), 2949 (Newcastle). On the move are 781/5/92/2951/2/3/4 (GVS - Falls), 791/2373 (GVS - Newtownabbey), 1801/2/3/4/5 (Falls - GVS), 2181 (Newtownabbey - Falls), 2191 (Short Strand - Falls) and 2959 (Newtownabbey - GVS). B10BLE 2776 has gone to Walsh's Coaches, Monasteroris, Co Offally.

13/08/15 - Something of a glut of aoas at the moment sees B9 2359 with a revised Metro promotional scheme (which 2369 will get as well), with 2334 gaining a revised Phoenix gas scheme (also to be applied to an Ulsterbus vehicle). Also in the works are further examples for SSE and Power NI.

 

27/08/15 - B9 2203 now has an aoa for Brennans Bread, whilst 2201/5 are back in fleet colours, previously KLM aoa's. Scania 804 has gained a LED display.

11/08/15 - More buses detaxed at the end of July for the summer holidays were 2210/2946/7 (Falls), 2214/5/2954/5/6/7/8 (GVS), 2216/7/2965 (Newtownabbey), 2936/41/2/3 (Short Strand) and 2921/32 (Duncrue Street Active Reserve). Also in Reserve is Solo 1848, previously with the Driving School. B7TL 2948 transferred to Ulsterbus GVS on 8th July.

15/07/15 - Vehicles detaxed for the school holidays are 2771/89/90/5/6 (Short Strand), 2764/6/802/5 (Falls) and 2772 (GVS). Volvo B7 2923 has transferred from Ulsterbus to Short Strand, with 791/2 moving from Newtownabbey to GVS. Tiger 1478 has been sold to Byrne Coach Hire, Castlederg, with B10BLE 2775 going to Walsh’s Coaches, Monasteroris. B7s 2921/32/46/7/8 and B9s 2216/7 should move to Ulsterbus after the holiday period, with 2948 already painted in Ulsterbus colours. B7 2949 and Scania L94 806 have been fitted with LED destination displays in place of their previous dot matrix ones.

14/06/15 - B7TLs 2921/32/7 were reactivated at Lisburn on 13th May, returning to Active Reserve allocated to Duncrue Street at the start of June. At the same time Translink Smartcard liveried 2922/9 were returned to use at Ulsterbus GVS and Newcastle respectively. Solo 1832 was sold to Tanker Exports during May, with the remains of damaged 2209 going to Hamill for scrap. B9's 2207/13/33/2377 ow all have Coca Cola aoa's, with another to be done for Phoenix Gas. to appear. Scania 741 has been retrofitted with a set of LED destination screens.

07/05/15 - B9TL 2204 has gained an aoa for Ulster Bank.

07/05/15 - A loan vehicle expected shortly is Volvo B5/Wrightbus 2040 (BX14 SYT) which started life in Ireland and was a demonstrator at Dublin Bus under the registration 141 D 19194. As of January 2015, it was registered as BX14 SYT in the UK. This is to cover for warranty work on the native B5s. Scania 781 has been retrofitted with a set of LED destination screens.

07/05/15 - Solo 1848 has returned to use as mobile lecture room with the Driving School. Similar 1834 has been sold to Tanker Exports, Belfast, whilst B10BLEs 2782/8 and Tiger engineering vehicle 1223 have gone to Hamill for scrap. Engineering liveried 2783/2922/9 are to gain overall adverts for Translink smartcard products.

26/04/15 - B7TL 2950 has had it's dot matrix display replaced with an LED one.

12/04/15 - B9TL 2334 has returned to use at Short Strand after fire damage repairs, displacing B10BLE 2811 to Reserve. Similar 2774 has returned to usa again, at Ulsterbus Foyle, whilst 2773/81/2816/7 have gone to Hamill for scrap. B9s 2201/5 have both gained allover adverts for KLM.

01/03/15 - Scania K94IB/Irizar Intercentury 1722 (EEZ 6722) was painted in private hire livery by the end of February, the last of the sextet to be so treated. Volvo B10M-62/Plaxton Excalibur 1647 (BCZ 1647) was sold to Spruhan, Corries, Co. Carlow, with similar 1634/48 passing to Carolan, Nobber, Co. Meath. Hamill, Ahoghill, removed fire-damaged Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 2209 (SEZ 2209) in mid-February.

01/02/15 - Volvo B7TL/Alexander (B) ALX400 2922 (HCZ 9922) was returned to service at Duncrue Street Works, as an active reserve vehicle, on 2 January, painted in the engineering float grey livery. It has seen minimal use, from Great Victoria Street. 2924 (HCZ 9924) transferred to Ulsterbus, at Craigavon, a few days later. January transfers saw a movement of Volvo B5TL/Wright Gemini 3 with 2177-9 going from Short Strand to Newtownabbey, 2388/9 going the other way and 2190 reaching Falls from Newtownabbey. Short Strand gained 2385-7 from Falls, which got 2185/6 in exchange, while Great Victoria Street swapped 2383/4 for Short Strand’s 2393/4 . Most of these moves reversed transfers which had taken place only a month previously. During December, 2187, which had moved from Falls to Short Strand as part of these temporary arrangements, was given the same magenta-based contravision livery for the Dundonald Park and Ride as sister 2198 and so did not return, its replacement being 2190. At the beginning of January, Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 2203 (SEZ 2203) received an allover advert to the order of Phoenix Gas, at which time similar 2202 (SEZ 2202) lost its Christmas-themed allover advert, complete with LED lights, for the same concern. Scania K94IB/Irizar Intercentury 1720 (EEZ 6720) is the fifth example to receive private hire livery, leaving just 1722 (EEZ 6722) to be repainted. Leyland Tiger/Alexander ‘Q’ 1479 was sold to S. Harkness, Cullybackey, Co. Antrim (and believed for export to Ethiopia). Volvo B10BLE/Wright Renown 2801 (BCZ 2801) was sold for scrap to Hamill (dealer), Ahoghill.
Volvo B10M-62/Plaxton Excalibur 1641 is now 99 CN 6044 with Carolan, Nobber, who bought similar 1653 in January, while previously-acquired Metro 1646 was sold to Naughton, Spiddal, Co Galway, last August and subsequently re-registered 99 G 16883.

03/01/15 - Volvo B10M-62/Plaxton Excalibur 1634/48, Optare Solo M850 1834/48 and Volvo B10BLE/Wright Renown 2793 were delicensed at the end of December. Volvo B10M/Plaxton Excalibur 1649 (BCZ 1649) is re-registered 99 MH 15046 with Carolan, Nobber, Co Meath. Bristol RELL6G/Alexander 2520 (XOI 2520) was, by November 2014, with Scott, Southport, for continued preservation, ex Curry, Pinxton, Notts.

 

01/01/15 - Seasons Greetings and a Merry New Year from Irish Transport Heritage.

Fleetnews front page Home