Ulsterbus Fleet News 2013

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12/05/13 - Ths week will probably see the end of Tiger operation, with the PSV on the sole remaining example, Downpatrick based 1489, expiring on the 19th.

09/05/13 - B10Ms returning to use during April are 1524 (Newtownabbey) and 1656 (Derry); also returned to use were Scania/Irizars 1675/6/1720/6 (Newtownabbey), 1707 (Antrim - school bus 69 seat conversion), 1717 (Antrim), 1677 (Newtownards - school bus 69 seat conversion) and 1722 (Newry - as school bus 53 seater). At the end of April Tiger 1440 (GVS) was detaxed, along with B10Ms 1512/40/1 (Newtownabbey), 1527 (Dungannon), 1535 (Larne), 1607 (Antrim, since sold to Lough Swilly), along with Scanias 1717 (Antrim) and 1720 (Newtownabbey), both of which are for school bus conversion. Another B10M to go is Enniskillen based 1619 which is for disposal. On the move are 1697 (Newry - Enniskillen), 439/40/59/80/723/50/1/3/2299 (Bangor - Ards), 2988 (Ards - Bangor) and 786 (Driving School - GVS). Tigers 1438/9 have been sold to Hamill for scrap, along with B10Ms 1539/83/9/91. Tenders have been invited for up to 30 midibuses, for delivery by March 2014.

18/04/13 - It seems the Tiger fleet is now down to a solitary example, as the PSV on GVS based 1440 has now expired. 1440's last run was the 15.35 departure from Crumlin on route 106.

08/04/13 - The forthcoming Scania/Irizar i4 interurban buses will take fleet numbers 601-623. 1700 is the latest Irizar school bus conversion, returning to use at Newry depot. Vehicles detaxed at the end of the March are Tiger 1499 (Dungannon), leaving just 1440/89 active, B10Ms 1523/6 (Larne), 1542 (Magherafelt), 1548 (Newtownabbey), 1549 (Newry) and 3 out of the 4 ex Metro bendies at Derry 3100-2. Some news of former vehicles is :

Tiger 401 (JEZ 4092, ex FXI 401) passed to Graham, Kesh in 2/13 for continued preservation ex Menagh, Belfast.
Dart 648 (DCZ 7648) to Bennett's, Cranberry 12/12, via Nash, Ockley (dealer).
Maercedes 894 (JAZ 3894) to T-Met, Mallusk for scrap in 3/13, ex Fleming, Ballyclare.
Mercedes 920 (JAZ 3920) to unknown owner, Cork by3/13, ex Mount Vernon Community Development Forum, Belfast.
Tiger 1344 (TXI 1344) to Leyland, Fulwood 1/13 ex Warrington Coachways, Warrington.
Tiger 2665 (VXI 2665) to Amco Facilities, Birstall 1/11, via Hardwick, Carlton (dealer); reseated to B48F by 3/13.
Leopard 4111 (TBZ 8399, ex ROI 111) to Menagh, Belfast 3/13 for preservation, ex Watson, Dundrum.

01/04/13 - More Scania/Irizar returned to use are 1709 - Larne (11/3) - to replace 1523, 1722 - Newtownabbey (15/3) - to replace 1548, 1721 - Magherafelt (21/3) - school bus conversion and 1693 - Active Reserve - GVS (25/3) - replacing 2820 (loaned to Citybus). Also returned to use is Tiger 1281, now an engineering vehicle at Ballymena replacing 4060. On the move are 443 Newcastle - Lisburn, 1733 Ballymena - Coleraine, then back to Ballymena, 2014 Coleraine - ballymena, then back to Coleraine, 2276 Newtownabbey - Larne, 2290 Omagh - Larne, 2887 Metro - Newtownabbey and 2820 Active Reserve GVS - Metro Falls on loan. Buses sold are B10Ms 1613/21/8 to Spruhan, Bagnalstown and Tiger 4060 to Hamill, Ahoghill for scrap. In a surprise move Van Hool bendi's 3112/3 are to be reinstated to replace troublesome Merc Bend's 3101/2. 3100 is already off with a defective engine.

04/03/13 - The remainder of the current group of i4' Goldliners are now in use:

1062	LFZ 9062	Coleraine	14.02.13
1063	LFZ 9063	Coleraine	14.02.13
1064	LFZ 9064	Coleraine	14.02.13
1065	LFZ 9065	Coleraine	14.02.13
1066	LFZ 9066	Coleraine	14.02.13
1071	LFZ 9071	Coleraine	14.02.13
1067	LFZ 9067	Larne	21.02.13
1068	LFZ 9068	Larne	21.02.13
1075	LFZ 9075	Larne	25.02.13
1076	LFZ 9076	Larne	25.02.13
1052	LFZ 9052	Newry	26.02.13
1070	LFZ 9170	Coleraine	26.02.13
1077	LFZ 9077	Downpatrick	26.02.13
1053	LFZ 9053	Londonderry	27.02.13
1078	LFZ 9078	Downpatrick	28.02.13

2 more Irizars returned to use after school bus conversion are 1688 (Larne) and 1682 (Craigavon), whilst more Intercenturies detaxed for future conversion are 1675 (Ards), 1691/3 (Ballymena), 1695/1709 (Larne), 1707/8 (Coleraine), 1711/27 (GVS), 1712/3/5/6/8/24/6 (Derry) and 1731 (Newcastle). Less fortunate is 1759 which was destroyed on 26th February after an engine fire. Also detaxed to reserve are Tiger 1494 (Lisburn) and B10Ms 1505 (Derry), 1507 (Omagh), 1524 (Lisburn), 1530 (Magherafelt), 1546 (Downpatrick), 1605 (Antrim), 1640 (Armagh), 1655 (Craigavon), North West Tours liveried 1656 (Derry) and the 2 remaining Van Hool artics 3112/3 (Derry). Another Tiger to succumb is Ballymena based engineering vehicle 4060 after engine failure. A further B7/ALX received from Metro is 2886, now based at Omagh. With so many new buses there are quite a number of vehicle moves to report during February: 1032/3/4/5 (Coleraine - Londonderry), 2014 (GVS - Coleraine), 1511 (Larne - Antrim), 1045/6 (Larne - Enniskillen), 1499 (Enniskillen - Dungannon), 487 (GVS - Lisburn), 2004 (Ballymena - Dungannon), 1489 (Craigavon - Downpatrick), 1725 (Larne - Craigavon), 1031 (Coleraine - Omagh), 1737 (Downpatrick - Newtownards), 1741 (Londonderry - Newtownards), 1743 (Downpatrick - Newcastle), 1752/3 (Enniskillen - Londonderry), 1755 (Omagh - GVS), 1759 (Dungannon - Magherafelt), 1772/2009/19 (GVS - Londonderry) and 2023 (GVS - Armagh).

25/02/13 - 2330 is the first B9 to be transferred from Citybus, and is now based at Newcastle and repainted green for the Cairnshill Park and Ride service. Also in a new livery is Plaxton Primo 4, which has received a green based scheme for further use at the Giant's Causeway.

21/02/13 - The latest new Goldliners are i4s 1069 (Larne, 8th Feb), 1062-6/71 (Coleraine, 14th Feb), 1073/4 (Ballymena, 12th Feb), along with i6's 2056-6 (GVS, 11th Feb) and 2058/9 (Derry, 11th Feb). 2051 also transferred from the Driving School to GVS on 11th February. Irizar 1684 has returned to use at Downpatrick following school bus conversion, whilst 1694/1719 also returned to use at Magherafelt, but are as yet unconverted. More B7TL/ALX received from Metro are 2884 at GVS and 2888 at Omagh, whilst good news for Tiger enthusiasts is the return to use of 1494 at Lisburn. Long withdrawn N-type 1328 has finally been sold to Hamill for scrap along with former Metro Q-type 2642, whilst B10M 1615 is the latest to go to Lough Swilly.

11/02/13 - Service 200 (Belfast-Dublin) has been renumbered X1 to correspond with the Bus Eireann number, and the GVS based i6's now carry branding for this route, having entered service on it today.

10/02/13 - Fleet presentation seems to have hit a new low with the appearance of former Metro B10M 1525 in a bizarre combination of Ulsterbus and Metro colours. Judge for yourself below.

 

05/02/13 - 4 more Scaina/Irizar i4 to enter service are 1059/60/1/72 (LFZ 9059/9160/9061/2), all at Ballymena on 1st February. These displaced earlier examples 1039 to Dungannon, 1040/1 to Armagh and 1042 to Omagh. Also taxed is Iricar i6 tri-axle 2057 (LFZ 8057) at Derry; strangely this was adorned with branding for web fares on the Belfast-Dublin route. Another Irizar school bus conversion is 1689, at Antrim. 1676 (Ards) and 1694 (Magherafelt) have now been detaxed for conversion, along with a number of buses from the second group: 1710 (GVS), 1717/28 (Armagh) and 1719-22 (Newry). Also detaxed are Tiger 1438 (Newcastle), B10Ms 1508 (Omagh) , 1545 (Downpatrick), 1583/1659 (Lisburn), 1632 (GVS). 1657 (Derry) along with Olympian 2000 (seasonal from Coleraine). Another B10M withdrawn is 1629 (Downpatrick), which is sold to Lough Swilly along with 1604/14/27. Some more buses on the move are 2005 (Coleraine - Ballymena), 1687 (Antrim - Newry), 1740 (Dungannon - Magherafelt) and 1754 (Omagh - Newtownards). Finally Ultras 2752/60 have gone to Hamill for scrap.

23/01/13 - According to a report in tonight's Belfast Telegraph a further £6.7m funding has been secured to purchase 13 more Goldliners, 6 single deckers and 23 Interurban single deckers for use on non-Goldline routes. Delivery is expected before March.

19/01/13 - Further new Scania/Irizar i4s are 1054 (LFZ 9054, Newcastle 8th January), 1055/6 (Newcastle, 10th January) and 1057/8 (Downpatrick, 10th January). Also returned to service at Downpatrick is Tiger 1494 (which will replace B10M 1545 at the end of the month) and ex Metro B10M 1525. The other Metro B10M, 1524, has returned to use at Lisburn. One further Irizar school bus conversion is 1674 which has returned to use at Magherafelt. Metro B7TL/ALX 2885 has transferred to Omagh, whilst other vehicles on the move are 1735 Newcastle - Newry; 470 Newcastle - Lisburn; 1043/4 Downpatrick - Newry; 1734 Newcastle - GVS; 721 Bangor - Ards; 723 Ards - Bangor; 1499 Antrim - Enniskillen; 2004 Dungannon - Ballymena; 1759 Ballymena - Dungannon; 2005 GVS - Coleraine and 1727 Coleraine - GVS. Tiger 1499 is replacing sister 1438 at Enniskillen which is PSV expired. B10Ms 690, 1631/44 have all been sold to Kearney, Cork.

03/01/13 - Scania/Irizar i6 2051 (LFZ 8051) entered service with the Driving School on 17th, whilst the first 3 of the second group of i4's in use are 1049/50 (LFZ 9049/9150, Craigavon) and 1051 (LFZ 9051, Newry), all on the January 2nd. The ranks of B10Ms have thinned further with the following going to reserve: 1589/1631/9 (Craigavon), 1604 (Antrim), 1627 (Ards) and 1645 (GVS). Also back in reserve for schoolbus conversion is Irizar 1667 (Coleraine), whilst sister 1692 has finally been withdrawn after suffering fire damage last year, along with B10M 1630 (for sale to LLSR). Solo 1832 is back in use at Newcastle, whilst the 4 B10BLEs on loan to Metro have returned (2765/8 Craigavon Active Reserve, 2784 Newtownabbey Active Reserve, 2828 GVS Active Reserve).The last Mercedes minibus active in the fleet, 1814, has been sold to McLaughlin, Convoy.

01/01/13 - Seasons Greetings and a Merry New Year from Irish Transport Heritage.

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