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Pleasant suprise today in macc in the form of cheshire connect branded solo SL15 noted working the 27 diagram.

This morning at 9am Volvo Wright Renown R848PRG just left Cheshire Oak Centre at Ellesmere Port heading route SP2 to Mold. To replace shortage Versa.

Latest arrival is Solo YJ06YSE - a M880 version - it was new in July 2006 to Henderson, Hamilton who was the last operator. It is currently being prepared for service and may enter service in its white livery.

A new arrival for Bryn Melyn is BX07OOH - a BMC 110FE B55FL which has come from Enterprise, Peterborough (596) (via Stafford Bus). It will replace one of the 60 seater BMC's BX54VUB which has now joined the GHA fleet and is working a new school contract in Macclesfield.

Volvo B10M-62 Berkhof Axial 50 R979PRD (ex Rennies Dunfirmline) has now been given the GHA coach silver livery and is now working from Winsford

Re-registered is Solo MX56AAZ which has received the registration BA56GHA which was originally borne by the now scrapped VDL / Centro which was severely damaged by fire earlier this year. Solo BA56GHA is still a regular vehicle operating the Ellesmere Port local services.

A withdrawal from Winsford is Bova Futura M272SBT which is to be scrapped.

Sadly Solo M850 - AA02GHA - is now withdrawn following a RTC last month. It is likely to be scrapped soon.

DAF SB220 / ALX300 - R457KWT - has been sold and is now with W E Jones in Anglesey.

Perhaps a surprising withdrawal is DAF SB220 / Northern Counties Prestige - R397XDA. This vehicles and sister R396XDA joined the fleet from S M Coaches in Harlow in 2011. The latter example never managed to see service despite been given fleet livery. Both are being sold. (Believed to be Ripley Barnsley. It is also thought that UYM551 (M404EFD) Scania N113CRL / East Lancs (ex Arriva Midland 3504) will be going to the same dealer.)

Ex London Volvo B7TL / President W471WGH has finally seen service and is currently working from Tarvin. Latest ex London President arrival Y188NLK has seen service still in in its red livery. Among other duties It has worked the S1 Pen Y Pass service. The other recent arrival Y166NLK has yet to see service.

Not seeing service with GHA was Volvo B6BLE / Wright Crusader T629SOA which arrived from Berwyn, Trevor (via Plaxtons) in August and was immediately put up for sale on Ebay and is believed to have been sold to an operator in Plymouth.

Two DAF SB3000 / VanHool Alizee vehicles which arrived in a damaged state and thought may be for spares are actually being repaired at specialist workshops - R997FNW (B19DAF) ex Adams Tours, Walsall and 264CHX ex Heritage Tours, Partridge Green, West Sussex. Both will become 70 seater coaches.

In the last report it was indicated that Dennis Dominator / East Lancs ex Dobsons decker G627EKA was about to be withdrawn. This vehicle may now actually see some further service with the company.

There has been a change of personnel near the top of the organisation. Stuart Hyslop who was the Chief Executive has retired. Stuart entered the Bus industry on 1st January 1973, as a conductor for Rotherham Corporation, and later went on to be a crew bus driver, and an OMO driver for the same company. Through the years Stuart has worked for many bus companies and has held various managerial positions, such as General Manager Borough of Darlington, Chairman & Managing Director Darlington Transport Co.Ltd and Divisional Manager Stagecoach Kingston-upon-Hull. Before joining GHA Stuart was Managing Director of Chester City Transport. Stuart has been replaced by Stephen Bryce who it is understood will hold the title of General Manager. Stephen has come from Dunn Motor Traction Ltd (Yourbus). He has previously also been the Operations Manager with Diamond Bus Company.

It has previously been reported that the frequency of the Connect 88 service Altrincham to Knutsford is to double and four new Enviro 200's are on order. These will receive special branded livery. The new service is due to start on 27th October.

As well as retaining contracts for the currently opertated Nantwich services - additional contracts have been won in the East Cheshire area - including the 8A (Wistaston Green - Crewe - Sydney - Elm Drive), 42 (Congleton to Crewe), 78 (Nantwich - Sandbach - Scholar Green) and the 90/91/92 (Congleton services). These services will transfer to GHA on 27th October. It is anticipated that next year new buses may be acquired for all of these services.

Ron

Is there any information regarding the new tender for TrawsCymru service 'T3' which will commence in November?

(18/09/2014 19:22)Aarons Transport Pictures Wrote: [ -> ]Is there any information regarding the new tender for TrawsCymru service 'T3' which will commence in November?

They are supposed to publish 'Contract Award Notices' promptly after the tender is awarded, but most Councils (in Wales anyway) are really poor for this and when I contacted Sell2Wales about this they said:

Quote:It is the responsibility of the Contracting Authority to publish an award notice for all contract notices published through the Sell2Wales website. We do send the organisation monthly reminders until the award has been published.

The award notices should be published promptly after the contract has been signed. If this has not taken place then we would recommend that you first contact the buying organisation for an explanation.

Some never seem to be published, so the only way to know the details is to actually contact the person who was responsible for issuing the tender, or as the case will most likely be with the T3 when whoever(s) has won it announce it themselves.

Do we know yet which depot will operate the services GHA are taking over from D&G and also what vehicles are going to be used on them before the new vehicles arrive next year?

It'll be interesting see what happens, also.how familiar are GHA drivers with the 42 route? As its v windy & goes right round the houses, plus do gha have enough spare drivers to cover all these new duties???

Guessing they've taken over contracts from D&G as gha probs came in with a cheaper deal for the council.

(19/09/2014 06:30)M60lad Wrote: [ -> ]Do we know yet which depot will operate the services GHA are taking over from D&G and also what vehicles are going to be used on them before the new vehicles arrive next year?

I understand that currently Winsford depot operates most of the East Cheshire - Nantwich services. (It was transferred from Tarvin some time ago - the Crewe service being the last to transfer a couple of months ago). Bearing in mind the geography I would suggest that Winsford would undertake the newly gained services.

As for vehicles - I understand this is still being discussed and planned.

G.H.A. Coaches' SB06 and SB15 made an appearance on the Park & Ride service for the Mold Food Festival.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/welshbuses...otostream/ SB15
https://www.flickr.com/photos/welshbuses...otostream/ SB06

I believe that GHA have been awarded the T3 Wrexham - Barmouth service and that whole timetable will be operated by low floor double deckers, possibly Enviro 400's.