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Latest News
September 2008
The company successfully relocated the head office and Rossendale
based vehicles from Rawtenstall to new premises on Knowsley Park
Way, Haslingden on 1st September. A demolition firm began to pull
down the old Rawtenstall depot from the morning of 2nd September. By
21st September just the old stone wall adjacent to Rawtenstall bus
station remained along with a few minor interior walls. The date
stone from this wall and the 'Rawtenstall Corporation" stonework
from above the old depot doors on Marcross Street are to be kept by
the company and will be on display at the new Haslingden head
office.
Early Dennis Dart SLF / East Lancs Spryte buses 106-113 have
transferred from Rawtenstall to Rochdale in exchange for Optare
Solos. These will be used mainly on service 482 but are likely also
to appear on routes in the Bury area.
August 2008
Buses 6,7, 10,12, 19-24, 34 & 35 were delicensed for the summer
school holiday period and parked up in reserve at Rochdale depot. 25
and 36 were not delicensed but used for training & vehicle
familiarisation purposes only. The movement of these buses from
Rawtenstall depot created extra space which was required as the
company got ready to vacate the depot and move to new premises in
Haslingden.
July 2008
Bus 50 has
used for the filming of a new drama for BBC3, 'The Gemma Factor.'
The bus was used in and around Todmorden & Hebden Bridge area and
carried the fleetname 'Countrybus.'
June 2008
Planning permission has been granted for a new depot at Knowsley
Park Way, off Broadway, Haslingden. The building will be adapted
over the next few months to serve as a replacement for the main
depot in Rawtenstall.
March 2008
Planning permission has been granted for the main depot & head
office at Bacup Road, Rawtenstall to be demolished and a new Lidl
'community store.' The company are hoping to move to adapted
premises in Haslingden and a planning application has been
submitted.
January 2008
Bus 102 has returned
from Volvo and is back in service. Due to contractual; changes with
GMPTE, the evenings and Sundays 481 service will be withdrawn by
Rossendale and from 27th January will be operated by Tyrer Bus.
Also from 27th, new journeys on 483
between Rawtenstall and Bury will be introduced on Monday to
Saturday evenings and during the daytime on Sundays. A new hourly
X46 service on Sundays will operate between Bacup and Manchester and
on Mondays to Saturdays buses will operate every 30 minutes between
Rochdale and Manchester for most of the daytime. Service 49
operating between Bacup and Todmorden will also be retimed.
Due to the various bus service changes, from 27th January Volvo B7RLE's
154 - 157 will be re-allocated to Rochdale depot for the operation of
service X46. 154-156 will receive City Smart route branding. A number
of vehicles will transfer between depots, in particular buses 114 - 118
and 141 - 148 will move to from Rochdale to Rawtenstall, and 124, 125, 163 - 166
will move from Rawtenstall to Rochdale.
Dennis Dart / Marshall 8 & 9 and
Volvo Olympian / Alexander Royale 29 & 30 will be withdrawn.
December 2007
Bus 100 has entered service, being used on service 464 for
now. During January several services will be re-scheduled which will
provide specific bus workings for the low floor double deckers to
operate.
An additional bus in the fleet is 5 PJ52 LXL, an Optare Solo
owned by Lancashire County Council. This is an M850 solo being
different to other Solo's in the fleet, being of standard width
instead of the Slimline design. This allows an additional spare bus
to be carried in order to provide cover for the other LCC owned
buses (Mercedes Sprinters 1 -4) when required for maitenance etc.
November 2007
Volvo B7TL 100 X2 JPT has been painted into full Easyride
livery similar to bus 101. 102 has returned to Volvo for
rectification work, likely to have a new gearbox fitted.
October 2007
Volvo B7TL / East Lancs Vyking 101 has been registered as
Y568 LRN. The company has also acquired another B7TL / East Lancs
Vyking, to be 100 X2 JPT, from Moffat & Williamson but was
new to JP Travel of Middleton.
September 2007
The Caetano bodied Darts and Volvo B7TL 102 have begun to
operate in service.
Au gust 2007
The company has purchased two low floor double deckers. Both are Volvo B7TL
chassis with East Lancs bodywork. The first will be fleet number 101 and is
currently registered in Eire as 01-D-71334. The second bus is fleet number
102 and has also been in Eire, but is now registered PN57 LGF and will be
on the road from 1st September. Both buses ahve high-backed coach
style seating but 102 has seeatbelts fitted. 101 has the Vyking style
bodywork, while 102 has the newer the Vyking Myllenium style body.
Volvo B7RLE / Wrightbus Eclipse buses 151, 152 and 153 are currently
receiving branding for the new X46 City Smart service which starts on 3rd
September.
July 2007
The first of the new Caetano Nimbus bodied Darts has arrived. These are to
be fleet numbers 167 - 171, registered HV52 WSJ - L & WSN/O. These buses are
to be converted to single door layout and additional seats will be fitted.
The buggy / wheelchair area will
be moved to the front. They will also be repainted there and fitted with
Mobitec LED destination equipment and cameras all round. The conversion work
will be carried out at North West Bus Repairs, Blackburn.
Dennis Dart / Plaxton SPD 122 S122 KRN was involved in a major road
traffic accident on 4th July. Luckily no-one was seriously injured. It is
unlikely that the bus will return to service as a lot of damage has been
sustained, however it will be the decision of the insurance companies as to
whether to repair the bus or 'write it off.'
Solos 49 - 51 transferred from Rochdale to Rawtenstall from
23rd July. All double deckers (except Centenary buses 23 and 24)
and yellow buses 10 & 12 have been delicensed for the school
summer holidays. 37 & 38 G313/4 UYK have been withdrawn
altogether.
A Yahoo discussion group about the company has been set up by a group of
local enthusiasts.
Click Here for information
A depot open day and bus rally to celebrate the Centenary of
Municipal Transport in Rossendale was held on Saturday 28th July and was a
great success.
For more details click here
June 2007
The company has acquired a further five Dennis Dart low floor
buses. These are
different to any other Darts previously operated as they are fitted with
Caetano Nimbus bodywork. These have previously been used by Centra in the London
area. These are currently to London style specification fitted with dual
doors.
May 2007
Volvo B10M / Plaxton Derwent 17 & 18 G727 / 728 JJC have been
withdrawn and sold.
Bova Futura Club 366 R466 GUA will now be used mainly on training
duties.
Also Leyland Tiger / East Lancs EL2000 74 PJI 9174 has been sold.
April 2007
Volvo Olympian / Northern Counties
24 S864 DGX has been repainted maroon and cream in the old livery style of
Rawtenstall Corporation. The bus is regularly used on service 483 operating
between Burnley and Rawtenstall. On most days (Mondays to Fridays) the bus
operates the 0720 & 1540 Rawtenstall to Burnley and the 0755 & 1645 Burnley
to Rawtenstall journeys as well as the 0847 Rawtenstall - Helmshore Circular
(service 11).
March 2007
Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 demonstrator SN56 AWW has been in use here, appearing
on services 11, 244, 273 & 483
All ex Munro's Dennis Darts 163 - 166 have been fitted with Mobitec LED
equipment.
February 2007
As part of the Centenary Celebrations, Volvo Olympian / Northern Counties
23 S863 DGX has been repainted blue and cream in the old livery style of Haslingden Corporation.
The bus is regularly used on service 244 operating between Blackburn and
Rawtenstall. On most days (Mondays to Fridays) the bus operates the 0740 &
1450 Rawtenstall to Blackburn journeys as well as the 0907 & 1607 Blackburn
to Rawtenstall journeys.
Scania Omnilink demonstrator YN56 NTJ has been on loan from 16th - 26th
February. It is understood this bus has now been purchased by DRM coaches
and will be re-registered UK56 DRM.
January 2007
All three Volvo B12B / Sunsundegui
Sideral 301 - 303 FP53 JYC/D/E have been withdrawn and returned to Volvo,
having reached the end of the Operating Lease. There will be no replacements
for these vehicles and from Sunday 21st January all private hire work taken
on by the Coachways coach hire unit will transfer to Courtesy Coaches of
Oldham. The remaining four coaches (Dennis Javelin 300, Volvo Expressliners
358/359 and Bova Futura Club 366) will be engaged on regular contracted work
such as schoolday services and school swimming transport.
December 2006
All S Registered Dennis Dart SPD's 114-123 S114-23 KRN are now based
at Rochdale,
120 -123 having been replaced at Rawtenstall by the ex-Munro's buses.
October & November 2006
The ex-Munro's Dennis Darts are entering service now with wheelchair and
buggy bays fitted. These are usually confined to Mainline 464 service
operating between Accrington and Rochdale. All Lynx's have now been
withdrawn as has Volvo B10M / Plaxton Derwent 17 G727 JJC. Similar
18 G728 JJC is still engaged on training duties.
September 2006
Many buses are now having smaller EASYRIDE fleetnames applied near the front
on both sides allowing space further back to be used for on-bus advertising.
August 2006
The Munro's Darts have arrived at Rawtenstall depot, awaiting painting and
refurbishment work. The bodywork and painting is to be carried out at Read
Motor Bodies at Blackburn.
Dennis Dart / Plaxton Pointer SPD 120 S120 KRN has been treated to a
repaint in the usual Easyride livery.
Buses are now appearing with smaller Easyride Logos on the sides, positioned
near the front of the bus with the company website details below. This is to
allow advertising to be applied whilst retaining the company's fleetname.
July 2006
Both 10 and 12 have arrived back in the yellow livery from the paintshop and
have now been fitted with Mobitec LED front destinations, retaining the
Bright-Tech powerblind numbers in the sides and rear.
The Munro's buses are now to be numbered 163 - 166. They are now to
be refurbished and have wheelchair ramps and bays fitted, with Mobitec LED
destinations and painted in Mainline 464 livery. They will displace 131 -
134 on the 464 service which will move onto other duties requiring their
slightly larger capacities.
June 2006
The company have acquired two Dennis Dart SLF's
from Halton Borough Transport. These have bodies by Marshall, being 10 R410 XFL and
12 R712 MEW. These buses are not fully accessible (they are low floor but
don't have wheelchair ramps or dedicated wheelchair spaces) and will not be painted in the standard Easyride livery and
will be painted
yellow to be confined to GMPTE contracted schoolday services. All future
repaints of non-accessible buses are likely to be yellow for use on such
duties.
Also due are four
Dennis 'SPD style' Super Darts from Munro's of Jeburgh.
These have Alexander ALX200 bodywork, registration numbers X763-6 UKS. These buses are
not available just yet and will be collected sometime within the next 4 - 6 weeks.
May 2006
All's quiet here!
April 2006
Unfortunately not previously reported was that
Leyland Lynx's 180 and 186 H180 / 186 OSG have been
withdrawn and sold for scrap to Ripley, Carlton, South Yorkshire.
During April coaches 300 N300 EST,
358 M958 YGG, 359 M859 YGG and 366 R466 GUA
will change depots because of a reallocation of schools and swimming
baths transport. 300 and 366 will now be based at Rawtenstall whereas
358 and 359 will be at Rochdale. Dennis Dart / Plaxton SPD 120
S120 KRN will also transfer from Rawtenstall to Rochdale.
March 2006
Very little to report, but Dennis Dart / East
Lancs Spryte 109 N109 LCK has been repainted and has had the
seats retrimmed in a more modern blue moquette.
January 2006
Service changes from 3rd January mean our buses now venture hourly to
Burnley Centre and
Burnley General hospital as an extension to service 483 from Water. These
journeys are mainly
operated by the batch of 51 registered Dennis Dart / East Lancs Spryte's,
fleet numbers
135 -140.
With extra off-peak bus workings, the MAN's (fleet numbers 158-160)
appear on more than schoolday & peak hour workings and can be seen on
services 11 / 12, 273, 244 & 483.
November
2005
The two ex-
Brighton Leyland Lynx Mk1's, 194 & 196 (G994/6 VWV)
have been sold onto a
bus dealer.
Dennis Dart / Plaxton SPD 122 (S122
KRN) has been repainted as have the MAN's
158-160, all in Easyride livery.
The second ex-MOD Volvo B10M
/ Plaxton Derwent 67 G728
JJC has been repainted
red to
be used for training
purposes. Bova Futura Club 366
R466 GUA has been returned to
Rochdale and Volvo B10M / Plaxton
Expressliners 358 & 359 (P958/9 YGG) have transferred to Rawtenstall to replace 67 and
366.
Ex Lothian Leyland Lynx Mk
II's 177, 178 & 180 (H177 / 178 / 180 OSG) have been withdrawn, leaving just 6 Lynx's still in service,
179, 181-185.
September
/ October 2005
Three former 2-Travel MAN 14.22 / MCV Sterling
buses, have been purchased and are to be numbered 158 - 160 (CU04 AMX, CU04 AOP,
CU04 AUV). These will mean that three of the
ex-Lothian Lynx Mk II's can be withdrawn. The H-registered vehicles will
be too old for use on
GMPTE contracts by next summer and so the replacement process is beginning
to take place.
The MAN's are likely to be used mainly on peak hour schoolday only
workings but are likely to
venture onto other services from time to time.
Initially these buses will operate from Rawtenstall, but it is likely that they will transfer to Rochdale
for use on schools later.
June
2005
Dennis Dart SLF 107
N107 LCK has been repainted in the Easyride Low Floor Livery.
May 2005
As the next few Solos are
arriving, Dennis Dart 88 H128 MOB and Optare MetroRider
15 P915 XUG were
withdrawn on Friday 5th May. The next Solos have arrived as
60 YJ05 JWL, 61
YJ05 JWM, 62 YJ05 JWN and 63 YJ05 JWO.
Leyland Lynx
II
186 H186
OSG has been withdrawn following an accident, however Lynx
Mk
I
194 G994 VWV has been reinstated in its place.
Of the buses recently
withdrawn, MetroRider 13 L813 KCW and Dart 102 H102 VFV went
to Bennetts, Warrington for
cannibalisation, as did Darts 82 & 90 H104/30 MOB,
101 & 103
H101/3 VFV for further service. MetroRider 14 L814 KCW went to Blue
Bus,
Bolton for cannibalisation.
MetroRiders 15 & 16 P915/6 XUG and 86 H114 MOB have
gone
to Glasgow Citybus for
further service. Mercedes 199 N352 BKK has gone to Eurocoach,
Northern Ireland.
Training bus Leyland Tiger / East Lancs EL2000 rebody 74 PJI 9174 is to be
withdrawn and Ex MOD
Volvo B10M / Plaxton Derwent 67 G727 JJC has been repainted allover red as
its replacement. Bova
Futura Club 366 R466 GUA has been transferred to Rawtenstall depot
to replace 67 on schools and
swimming baths work.
May 2005
As the next few Solos are
arriving, Dennis Dart 88 H128 MOB and Optare MetroRider
15 P915 XUG were
withdrawn on Friday 5th May. The next Solos have arrived as
60 YJ05 JWL, 61
YJ05 JWM, 62 YJ05 JWN and 63 YJ05 JWO.
Leyland Lynx II
186 H186
OSG has been withdrawn following an accident, however Lynx
Mk I
194 G994 VWV has been reinstated in its place.
Of the buses recently
withdrawn, MetroRider 13 L813 KCW and Dart 102 H102 VFV went
to Bennetts, Warrington for
cannibalisation, as did Darts 82 & 90 H104/30 MOB,
101 & 103
H101/3 VFV for further service. MetroRider 14 L814 KCW went to Blue
Bus,
Bolton for cannibalisation.
MetroRiders 15 & 16 P915/6 XUG and 86 H114 MOB have
gone
to Glasgow Citybus for
further service. Mercedes 199 N352 BKK has gone to Eurocoach,
Northern Ireland.
April 2005
Withdrawals this month are of Optare MetroRider
14 L814 KCW; ex-London Carlyle
bodied Dennis Darts 83 H109 MOB, 85 H112
MOB, 86 H114 MOB, 87 H127 MOB; Carlyle
bodied Dennis Darts bought new 101 H101 VFV and
103 H103 VFV; ex- Brighton & Hove
Leyland Lynx 196 G996 VWV and Mercedes Minibus
199 N352 BKK.
Step entrance Darts still running on Monday 4th April
were ex-London 82 H104 MOB,
88 H128 MOB and ex-Mayne 126-129 L26/7 FNE & K28/9
XBA. 126-129 are not to be
withdrawn just yet and are confined to schoolday only
workings at Rochdale depot.
The company has placed an
order for a further 4 Volvo B7RLE's with Wright bodies. Two
will be broadly similar to
those already operated but the other two will be to a new design
featuring 3+2 seating and
seatbelts to be used on certain contracted school services
and school swimming
transport. These are likely to be delivered towards the end of 2005.
The Optare Solo's due this
month have been delayed and will be delivered in early
May.
March 2005
The next Optare Solos have
begun to arrive. Delvered during March are :
54 YJ05 JWC, 55 YJ05 JWD,
56 YJ05 JWE, 57 YJ05 JWF, 58 YJ05 JWG and
59 YJ05 JWK.
The remaining four should be delivered
by the end of April and will be 59-63 YJ05 JWL-O
The buses were registered by Optare prior
to delivery. Notably JWH amd JWJ
are missing from the series.
These buses have replaced
more Carlyle bodied Dennis Darts.
The new 54 is the fourth number 54 since deregulation
following Freight Rover Sherpa
D954 NOJ, MCW MetroRider E979DGS and Optare
MetroRider J584 CUB. (Immediately
prior to deregulation 54 was a Leyland
Leopard / East Lancs JTF 154F).
February 2005
Optare MetroRider 15 P915 XUG
has been repainted. Dennis Dart 90 (H130 MOB) has
been withdrawn and
sold. Following an accident, Optare MetroRider 13 (L813 KCW) has
been withdrawn.
January 2005
Optare MetroRider 16 P916 XUG has
been treated to a repaint in the
traditional cream and red livery with
HANDYRIDER fleetnames. Seats have also
been retrimmed in Red moquette.
Dennis Dart 91 (H131
MOB) has been withdrawn and sold.
The next two Optare Solo's arrived as
52 YJ54 UXV & 53 YJ54 UXW.
These are to enter service at Rawtenstall.
The next batch (of ten) Solos will
arrive during March and April 2005.
December
2004
The first two of the next batch of four
Optare Solo's have arrived as 50 YJ54 UXT &
51 YJ54 UXU. These are to
join the original 9 (Fleet numbers 41 - 49) at Rochdale These vehicles are to the same
specification as the initial batch delivered in September 2004 being the Slimline
version with Cummins engine and fitted with 25 seats. These will be used to replace some
of the H' Registered Carlyle bodied Dennis Darts.
A further ten will also be delivered later
in 2005 to replace the rest of the
Carlyle Darts and the older L' Reg Optare
MetroRiders.
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