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Preston Bus run first ever double deck Orbital

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VTPreston_Tez

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Today as I got off my bus at Cadley Causeway on the 88c around 20 to 9 this morning, I was greeted by a double decker 88c right behind my bus, the first there's ever been due to the disused Lea Road station being too low.
Does anyone know the route it took? I'd guess turn at Lea Road and turn up Ainsdale Drive, heading back on itself at Blackpool Road after a turn at West Park Avenue.
Thoughts?
 
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Anon Mouse

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Today as I got off my bus at Cadley Causeway on the 88c around 20 to 9 this morning, I was greeted by a double decker 88c right behind my bus, the first there's ever been due to the disused Lea Road station being too low.
Does anyone know the route it took? I'd guess turn at Lea Road and turn up Ainsdale Drive, heading back on itself at Blackpool Road after a turn at West Park Avenue.
Thoughts?

Did it not come back as a single decker? :lol:
 

VTPreston_Tez

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Sadly it didn't take the route where it would get its top deck knocked off, there were pupils up there! :lol:
 

VTPreston_Tez

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Thats one way to get rid of the smokers and chavvy boom boom boom music players! :lol:

...and the tourist grannies. Standard on the 31, 61, 68, 1 (Longridge) and any other bus that recieve high use. :lol:

On a serious note, I think there should be a level crossing and new road built around that area. It would coincide nicely with my Westleigh proposal which VT aren't the least keen on!
 

VTPreston_Tez

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Care to expand on that?

Just a few tweets and they liked the idea, I doubt it would ever come to fruit as it would cost millions of pounds (they said) and an unmentioned reason about line closure would halt the building anyway.
I would like a level crossing though, that would be the best move so DD 88s can run along the proper route!
 

MidnightFlyer

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Just a few tweets and they liked the idea, I doubt it would ever come to fruit as it would cost millions of pounds (they said) and an unmentioned reason about line closure would halt the building anyway.
I would like a level crossing though, that would be the best move so DD 88s can run along the proper route!

What were your plans then?

I think alternative road methods (like bridges or underpasses) are more likely than level crossings, and certainly shouldn't be funded solely from the railway's pocket.
 

VTPreston_Tez

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The plan was to build a station 100m west of where Lea Road was. It would be on the canal and serve 5 estates and 3 "boroughs". (estates Lea, Larches, Savick, Westleigh, Cottam and boroughs Ashton, Lea and Cottam) It would serve as the Preston station for Blackpool-Gledinburgh or Barrow and an additional stop for all other Blackpool services which would serve Central. This would provide a fast link into Preston City Centre (31 from 500m south takes 25 minutes, 88a takes c30 minutes, train 10 minutes on a bad day) and create a new Preston Parkway which in this day and age with Preston being prone to pollution, would be perfect.
It would spark a new car park or level crossing where the Orbital would turn around and avoid the bridge. Many a school bus (like mine) use the bridge (after I get off, although I could choose to alight at the other Ainsdale Drive stop 15 minutes after the one I get off at) and nearly all of them need double deckers.
 
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