Arriva NW

[33109]

Hi all,

Was chatting to a driver friend of mine the other day who's says that some point during nxt month they're getting a new fleet of single deckers to replace the darts. Apparently optares??? These the same model optares that are used on the Manchester metro shuttle buses?

It'll be brill to finally replace the darts which are real sheds now plus they're like 12+ years old. Also I've noticed that we've ended up with some newish Olympians which was told are ex merseyside? (3329-3334) i.e. R331 WVR, but some of them are rather long in the tooth now especially 3360 (P943 MKL) are there any plans to replace the Olympians in nxt few years???

 

[Polarbear]

Arriva appear to have quite a few new vehicles on order at the moment.

I haven't heard anything about any Optare buses being brought in to replace darts (and yes, some of Arriva's Darts are a bit rubbish), but there is a further delivery of VDL's due any time now (though they may be diverted to London for the Olympics for a few weeks).

Your deckers' may get replaced soon as well. Arriva have an order for 30 odd hybrid power double deckers for Cross River duties in Birkenhead. This would presumably displace the CX58XXX registered Enviro 400's elsewhere within the organisation?

More information available here;

http://www.thenorthwestbusblog.co.uk/

 

[33109]

What about any fleet upgrades for the cheshire area i.e. macclesfield, crewe/chester area?

 

[DaveHarries]

Hi all,

Was chatting to a driver friend of mine the other day who's says that some point during nxt month they're getting a new fleet of single deckers to replace the darts. Apparently optares??? These the same model optares that are used on the Manchester metro shuttle buses?

If they are to be Optares then yes they would be the same style as the Manchester Metrolink. I believe that production of the Classic Solo comes to an end this summer: as it is, Optare are no longer advertising the Classic Solo on their website.

Dave

 

[pemma]

If they are to be Optares then yes they would be the same style as the Manchester Metrolink.

Yellow articulated vehicles running on overhead wires?!

Optare have a brochure on their Versa here: http://www.optare.com/images/brochures/versa brochure.pdf

I believe that production of the Classic Solo comes to an end this summer: as it is, Optare are no longer advertising the Classic Solo on their website.

Yes they will only make the Solo SR from the Summer.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

What about any fleet upgrades for the cheshire area i.e. macclesfield, crewe/chester area?

Doesn't Crewe come up Arriva Midlands and Chester under Arriva Wales opposed to Arriva North West?

 

[Polarbear]

Crewe used to be Arriva Midlands, but when the routes were rationalised a few years back, it was changed to part of the North West operation. The buses run off Winsford depot following the closure of Crewe depot.

Chester is a mixed bag as we have Arriva Wales on services from the principality (Manor Lane also operates the Blacon locals in Chester too). Service 401 is operated off Laird Street, (the former Merseybus depot) with other services being run from Beechwood & Winsford.

Crewe has received three "61" registered deckers for service 38 recently, but other than a few Marshall bodied Darts, there's little else that's really that old in the Crewe area. Manor Lane also has a few Darts that have seen better days but I doubt replacement is on the cards any time soon.

 

[pemma]

Crewe used to be Arriva Midlands, but when the routes were rationalised a few years back, it was changed to part of the North West operation. The buses run off Winsford depot following the closure of Crewe depot.

Winsford was Midlands North at one stage, I think around the time of the Nova Scotia acquisition.