Wirral Bus Companies

News – Friday 21^st August 2009

Service changes:

23 Heswall – Chester

New hourly Monday to Saturday daytime service introduced by Helms. Effective 23/05/2009.

401/X11 Liverpool – Chester

Sunday frequency reduced to hourly and is extended to serve Paradise Street Interchange in Liverpool City Centre. Times changed. Effective 31/05/2009.

430/432/433 Liverpool – New Brighton

Service 430 now operates on schooldays only. Service 432 has extra journeys on schooldays from New Brighton in the morning and Liverpool in the evening, but during school holidays the AM and PM peak frequencies are reduced to every 20 minutes. Service 433 now starts slightly earlier and finishes slightly later. Times are changed. Effective 31/05/2009

492/495 Birkenhead – Beechwood/Noctorum

Both services now start and finish at Birkenhead Bus Station, so no longer serve Woodside. In Claughton they are rerouted to serve Park Road North and Laird Street instead of Tollemache Road. Service 492 is rerouted travelling towards Birkenhead to follow the same as route 495 from Balls Road East. Times are changed, with the Saturday service finishing earlier. Effective 01/06/2009.

22/22A Caldy – Chester

Services are shortened to run between West Kirby and Chester, with route 22A withdrawn and replaced with route 24, operating a different route in Neston to route 22. Times changed. Effective 22/06/2009.

77 Heswall – Woodside

Service extended to West Kirby via Caldy replacing withdrawn section of route 22. Lower Heswall, Heswall Shore and Neston are no longer served. Two journeys are renumbered 77A, one from Heswall to Woodside via Wirral Grammar Schools, and one from Woodside to West Kirby via Caldy Grange Grammar. Times changed. Effective 22/06/2009.

85 Mill Park – Heswall

Rerouted to serve Raby Mere, operating via Blakeley Road, Poulton Road and Thornton Common Road instead of Raby Hall Road. Times unchanged. Effective 22/06/2009.

430/432/433 New Brighton – Liverpool

School holiday journeys now run during all school holidays except summer. Saturday times are changed. Effective 12/07/2009.

203 Woodside – Seacombe

Times changed. The 0930 bus from Seacombe is withdrawn. Effective 12/07/2009.

272/273 Hooton – Arrowe Park

Some journeys are re-routed to serve Puddington Village and Neston High School. Times are changed. Effective 15/08/2009.

A1A have a pair of step-entry Darts in the shape of M116 BMR and P298 MLE, formerly with an operator in Scotland but still in the livery of another previous owner, Hoggans. These replace leased Solos 41 and 42 MX06 BPV, MX06 BTE which have returned to the hire company.

Aintree Coachline have sold Olympians VRA 124Y and P493 MBY, with Fleetline MTV 313W going to local preservationists as a source of spares and Dart SLFs V544/9 JBH returning to the Stafford Bus Centre. Acquired are former Dublin Bus Olympians RV425/7, now S236/231 YOO respectively. Also acquired are former Arriva NW&W B10Bs L504/11 TKA, of which 511 is a regular on the new 23 [photo], and Dart M199 YKA from the same source. This is also a regular on both the 23 and also the 41 group. Brand new are Versas [MX09 ANU] and [MX09 AOB], the former now branded since the photo was taken. Finally Kirn Mogul N349 FKU has been painted into Helms fleet livery, and sees occasional use on the 23.

Arriva Laird Street have B10B/Endurances 6524 M524 WHF [photo] and 6570 M570 YEM from Green Lane. It is unclear at the moment if these have replaced anything. A number of new Pulsar 2’s are due at LS shortly.

Avon have now withdrawn all their Lance SLFs, with 4 and 5 going for scrap. 191 is now converted to a mobile bar, with 197 now at the Stafford Bus Centre. 185 and 966 are still at the yard withdrawn, with 185 already being sold but not yet collected. B6 274 has also been sold for scrap. Two acquisitions here are a pair of ex-Stagecoach Western 9.8M step entry Dart/Pointers, as 962/3 N62/3 KBW. 963 entered service on Tuesday 18^th August on route 83a, seen in Prenton Road West later the same day [photo]. A big thanks to Don Roberts for this info.

Cass have former Swans of Chadderton Scania/Irizar YN05 WGU, re-registered as CAS 734A.

Cumfybus Solos T295 BNN and V272-4 DRC are now re-registered H6/12/7/14 CFY respectively. Caetano Dart Y484 TSU is now H4 CFY, with the other two due to become H3/5 CFY, if they haven’t already. Acquired here is Caetano-bodied Dart SLF V677 FPO, new to PandH Travel on Wirral but ex Stokes, Carstairs.

First Scania/Wrights 60132 N413 ENW has transferred from Crewe to Rock Ferry [photo]. Ex-Chester City Transport Marshall Dart 41070 V370 KLG is now back in service from The Rink after accident damage repairs. The new Chester Park & Ride fleet is now in service, as B7RLE/Wright Eclipse Urban 69486-99 DK09 GXW-Z/GYA-H/J/N [69498]. The ex-Manchester B7RLEs which were temporarily on the Park & Ride are now in store at Crewe, awaiting the new university term to take over operation on the 25 in Stoke-on-Trent, for which they have received branding. Two departures from RF are of Scania/Wrights 61158 R175 GSX and 61234 R174 GSX to First Glasgow, with Chester based 61482 P113 YSH and 61557 R172 GSX also making the trip north. Olympian 30037 G761 XRE is now at Crewe ex-Chester.

Happy Als have withdrawn Olympians E205/12 WBG and Van Hool coach ALZ 3102.

Finally, two Wirral operators have bitten the dust. Protours have given up their base in Heswall, which is now used by Selwyns. Selwyns also operate the two Tesco contracts which Protours were previously operating in Heswall and Bidston. Huggins will shut up for good at the end of August, with the school work already finished. A sad end for a well established school and private hire operator, brought about by the decision to retire of the owners, and no-one appearing to want to buy the business. I’ll leave the two fleetlists as they are for now, but they will be deleted off site at the next update, for anyone wanting to save the “final fleet” as it were, although the Huggins one has a couple of Dublin Olympians wrong as they were re-registered fairly recently.

Fleetlists for A1A Travel, Aintree Coachline, Arriva NW&W, Avon Buses, Cass Coaches, Cumfybus, Eazibus, First Potteries and Happy Als are updated today.

News – Friday 8^th May 2009

Service changes:

1 Liverpool – Chester

Service is rerouted in Ellesmere Port and the journeys which started/finished in New Ferry now start/finish at Rock Ferry depot. Effective 10/05/2009.

38/38A Bebington – Moreton/West Kirby

The frequency between 0930 and 1530 is reduced to every 20 minutes, comprising of a 38 between Bebington and West Kirby, a 38A between Bebington and West Kirby via Sandbrook and a 38A between Bebington and Moreton via Sandbrook and Town Meadow. The peak hour Moreton shorts don’t run via Town Meadow, and the frequency remains unchanged. Effective 19/04/2009.

40 Mill Park – Saughall Massie

This route is now split into a 40 and 40A, and is rerouted in Mill Park to operate via Raeburn Ave, Mill Park Drive and Brookhurst Ave, as well as Allport Lane instead of the Acre Lane Estate. This replaces the evening journeys on the 41/42 which are withdrawn. Effective 19/04/2009.

41/42 Mill Park – Woodchurch

All evening journeys are withdrawn, with some buses now finishing at Rock Ferry depot. Effective 19/04/2009.

70 Woodside – Woodchurch

New Monday to Saturday evening service introduced by Avon, running hourly. This replaces part of the withdrawn 41/42 evening journeys. Effective 20/04/2009.

118/119 Mill Park – New Brighton

Route changed in Bromborough to operate via the Acre Lane estate, and in Mill Park to operate via Plymyard Ave instead of Brookhurst Ave. The times from Mill Park to New Brighton are changed. Effective 19/04/2009.

New at A1A is YR52 OHB, a Mercedes Sprinter 311CDi/Frank Guy from Accord Operations, Chichester [photo]. Thanks to David Sykes and Graham Ashworth for padding out the details on this vehicle.

Aintree Coachline now have ex-Arriva Yorkshire Arrow/ELC N809 TPK and B10M/Plaxton M916 WJK from Stagecoach Wales, whilst the Helms unit now has Lance L830 NYG, also from Arriva Yorkshire, Ailsa A163 HLV from Cardiff Bus, Tiger/Jonckheere E686 NNH (now E2 ACL) from Towlers of Wisbech, B10M/Plaxton M917 WJK also from SC Wales, former Dublin Bus Olympian RV426 now S191 YOO and Lion E935 CDS from Veolia. Brand new are Versa 10.4M MX09 ANF and MX09 ANR for the Chester Villager group of routes, with two more expected imminently. Sold are Iveco/Beulas X5 ACL, B10M/Plaxton HKF 151, Dart SLF V540 JBH, Darts K585 MGT, K911 OEM and L86/141 VDM, Dorchester VIW 4896, and Olympians E916 KYR and G864 XDX. Routemaster XSL 596A is now HKF 151. Dart J54 EDM has been withdrawn. A big thanks to John Cherry for keeping me updated on his fleet, and Neil Hilton for forwarding the info from John as requested.

LS Palatines 3292-3308 are the ones which will be staying, the rest being split between Speke, Bootle and Skelmersdale. Dart 1185 has been withdrawn for disposal, with 1141 being reinstated from the pool fleet as replacement. The three Leyland Olympians have been withdrawn from LS too, with 3122 finding a new home at Winsford. B10B 6557 [photo] has been transferred from Speke as a replacement for 1795, which was seriously damaged in a RTA at Moreton Cross.

The final two Avon Scanias have been confirmed as departing the fleet, 291 becoming L109 VDM before being sold. The Lances are also now on their way out, with a few having already departed and 185 being the last one left in service. Hopefully more details soon as to which ones have gone. Thanks to Mark Carolan and Mike Bennett for their help as always.

Cumfybus now have Solos S248-50/2/5 KNL from Go North East [S252 KNL], and T295 BNN and V272-4 DRC from Nottingham City Transport [V273 DRC]. Thanks to Steve Dave, Roy Naylor and Ross Newman for these, and thanks to John Cooper for additional info for Cumfy’s licence.

Eazibus have a brand new Solo M880SL reg MX09 AOC, with the two 03 plates being sold. The new Solo is a regular worker in Heswall, usually on the 166/167. Thanks to Neil Hilton for this.

First Chester based Scanias 60208 and 61244/5 have gone to the Potteries area, with 60208 at Newcastle and 61244/5 at Adderley Green, and former SMART Dart SLFs 40136-8 have also been moved to the Potteries, after a reorganisation of Chester services seeing these rendered surplus. All bar one of the Ikarus, all the Deltas and Darts 40109/10/28 have been sold for scrap, whilst Vario 50047 has also been sold, and BMC Falcons 62801-8 have been returned to CCC, replaced by 12 B7RLE/Wrights from Manchester, with new vehicles due soon for the Chester P&R to replace these cascades. Thanks to Dave Morgan for this.

Happy Als DAF/VH V141 EJR has been reregistered back to A10 ALS again. Thanks to Roy Naylor for this. Olympian L944 UTU has been repainted into maroon and single doored.

Protours Tiger G543 XWS has gone back to Swadlincote, but can occasionally be seen working from Heswall on loan.

Fleetlists for A1A Travel, A2B Travel, Aintree Coachline, Arriva NW&W, Avon Buses, Cumfybus, Eazibus, First Potteries, Happy Als and Protours have been updated today.

News – Friday 23^rd January 2009

Service changes since the last update.

40 Saughall Massie – Mill Park

Times changed. Effective 22/12/2008

401/487/488/X11 Liverpool - Neston/Parkgate/Chester

These routes now terminate at Whitechapel and start at Sir Thomas Street in Liverpool, no longer serving Castle Street. Effective 4/1/2009

407/464/472 Liverpool - Moreton/New Ferry/Heswall

These service now terminate at Whitechapel and start at Sir Thomas Street during off peak hours Monday – Friday and all day Saturday. Peak hour journeys Monday – Friday still serve Castle Street. Effective 4/1/2009

Major news since the last update is the entering of service of 23 brand new ADL Trident/ADL Enviro400 from Laird Street on cross river diagrams on the 432/433/437. They are numbered 4400-4422, and began entering service on the afternoon of Thursday 22^nd January, after a press launch at midday. To illustrate the type, [4402] is seen at New Brighton about to be swapped for a Palatine at around 2.30pm yesterday. As can be seen, these are the first vehicles in the ANW fleet to be in the "Interurban" cow-horns livery, and all have the new style Cross River Express branding.

Thanks to Michael Mills for his help with some Bootle vehicles in the Arriva list.

Avon Scania/Alexander’s 290 L290 ETG and 293 L293 ETG have been sold to the Stafford Bus Centre and are now in overall yellow for use as school buses. Thanks to Simon Blake for this. Does anyone know if 288 and 291 have been sold yet?

Also at Avon, Dart/ELC 821 X821 XCK has had its routes 83/83A branding removed, seen on the 12A yesterday [photo]. MPD 548 T548 HNH has had an LED destination display fitted, in lieu of conventional roller blinds. Thanks to Mark Carolan for the info on 548.

Cass have sold Olympian E216 WBG to the Stafford Bus Centre, from where former Arriva Midlands Citybus H674 GPF has come in exchange.

Cumfybus have the first two Optare Tempo’s on Merseyside, second hand examples from Alton Towers. These are MX06 ACU [photo] and MX06 ADV [photo]. They also have three Caetano Compass bodied Dart SLFs as Y483-5 TSU, and a Pointer Dart SLF in P694 RWU, all the Darts coming from Gibson Direct, Renfrew. The Tempo’s are regulars on the new 139 between Queen Square and Prescot, whilst the Darts appear to be at Southport for route 40 and schools, replacing the C-MFY Myllennium’s which are now seen on route 139.

First RF Scania 60005 S351 MFP has had its Potteries area routes 6/6A branding removed [photo].

Also at RF, a new arrival as the 10^th vehicle for route 1 is Scania L94/Wright Solar 65704 YN04 GNU, formerly with First Hants & Dorset. This can be easily identified by its magenta Wrights logo at the front, the other vehicles having the “W” picked out, this one doesn’t, as it was repainted out of another livery before transfer up.

Happy Als have been on a re-registering spree, with SF05 KWA/B becoming CC/BB05 ALS [BB05 ALS], PX07 GXU becoming GG07 ALS, R174 GNW becoming R15 ALS, and two new arrivals, SK05 KPF (GSK 675), a Bova Futura from Jays of Greengairs, and YN05 VSP, a B12M/Paragon from Logans of Dunloy, now being AA/DD05 ALS respectively. Thanks to Simon Blake, Peter Relf and Terry Stapley for help in working out what was what.

Also at Als, L85 VDM has been single doored, seen at Prenton Park ahead of the match between Tranmere and Leeds United [photo].

Fleetlists for A1A Travel, A2B Travel, Arriva NW&W, Avon Buses, Cass Coaches, Cumfybus, First Potteries and Happy Als have been updated today.

News – Friday 21^st November 2008

Service changes since the last update:

101 Woodside – New Brighton

Times changed. Effective 12/10/2008

112/113 Heswall/Poulton Lancelyn – New Ferry

Both services now operated by A1A Travel. Route and times unchanged. Effective 12/10/2008

129 Liscard – Frankby

Service now operated by ACE Travel. Route and times unchanged. Effective 12/10/2008

138/139 Newton – West Kirby – Meols

Times changed. Effective 13/10/2008

150 Liverpool – Birkenhead (night tunnel bus)

Service now operated by ACE Travel. Route and times unchanged. Effective 12/10/2008

164/165 Woodside – New Ferry

Services rerouted from Woodside to New Ferry, now running via Claughton Road, Exmouth Street and Charing Cross instead of Argyle Street. Times unchanged. Effective 12/10/2008

272/273 Arrowe Park – Hooton

CCC journeys are rerouted to operate via Dunstan Lane instead of Puddington Village. Times changed. Effective 27/10/2008

85 Mill Park – Heswall

Rerouted to operate via Smithy Hill in Thornton Hough, Times unchanged. Effective 10/11/2008

166/167/176 Pensby – Heswall – Arrowe Park

Service 176 is withdrawn, and services 166/167 are changed to operate in a loop between Heswall Shore, Pensby and Heswall, with the 167 starting at Heswall Shore and the 166 starting at Heswall. The section of the route between Heswall and Gayton is no longer served, but is covered by the 272/273. Effective 09/11/2008

1 Liverpool – Chester

The final journey from Liverpool on Monday to Fridays is extended to operate to the roundabout of the A41/M53 junction by the Little Chef. Effective 17/11/2008

A1A have a pair of brand new Optare Solos, 40 MX58 AAY [photo] is an M880SL model, whilst 49 MX58 AAV [photo] is an M780SE version. Both have a B27F layout and are regularly seen on the 112 in New Ferry and 138 in West Kirby.

Helms have another step Dart in the form of K911 OEM, formerly with Arriva Cymru.

Arriva Palatine 3306 N306 CLV now has a mega rear advert for “Liverpool 1” [photo], which is also applied to First Olympian 34223 P223 MPU.

A big thanks to Dave Douglas and Ray Barber for help with the Arriva list, in particular details of the new Pulsar’s and Enviro300’s.

Avon Scania 288 B17 AVN is now L108 VDM [photo]. These are all up for disposal, and some have apparently already left for the Stafford Bus Centre. I hope to confirm the situation next time. Thanks to Mike Bennett for this.

Cass Setra W237 TRX has been sold; the CAS 724A plate it was carrying is now on new arrival YN54 AKK, a Scania/Irizar PB.

Cumfy Primo MX07 BCZ has departed, and five acquired Solos are here as Y264 KNB, VX51 RBF and YN04 LXA-C, which are sometimes used on recently won Merseytravel contracts in Bootle and Walton Park. Thanks to Chris Jacko for confirming the 04 and 51 platers had arrived, and also to Roy Naylor for confirming that the Y-reg was also here.

Happy Als former Dublin Olympian RA189 is now L85 VDM. Van Hool coach A10 ALS has reverted to its original V141 EJR.

Huggins Dublin Olympians re-registered are RA184 to L101 VDM [photo] and RA186 from L991 UTU to GIG 2508 [photo]. The other two are apparently awaiting preparation for service. Thanks to John Nolan for confirming which vehicle has which plate.

Fleetlists for A1A Travel, Aintree Coachline, Arriva NW&W, Avon Buses, Cass Coaches, Cumfybus, First Potteries, Happy Als and Huggins are updated today.