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News that relates to Bootle depot should be posted into this thread.

Had marshall 7626 twice this week, once on 61 and the other on 68, this goes like the proverbial off a shovel but rattles badly, the speed it goes kind of makes up for the rattles.

2943 MX09 LYD was on the 345 on Wednesday (May 30).

(01/06/2012 07:27)MPTE1955 Wrote: [ -> ]Had marshall 7626 twice this week, once on 61 and the other on 68, this goes like the proverbial off a shovel but rattles badly, the speed it goes kind of makes up for the rattles.

I fully agree mate! Fantastic little bus, if those rattles were sorted I wouldn't be able to fault it!

4093 out on the 53/A today.

Bootle will be receiving the new standard Wayfarer ETMs for their fleet in July of this year. A few Bootle-based drivers have been to Speke recently to be shown how to use them and they're now showing other drivers in Bootle how they work before they're fitted to the whole fleet.

Also, the 68 will be transferring to Green Lane soon as a result of the ex-Liverline facility's closure once the lease for it expires later on in the year. I'm unsure on what'll be sent there for the service, however I suspect that the remaining T-PNB Plaxton Pointer 2s and X-OBN ALX200s will be candidates, along with Bootle's two oldest buses - Plaxton Pointer R604 MHN (2104) and Plaxton Pointer 2 R569 ABA (7569). The 62/62A/62B MIGHT follow suit - or it might even become jointly-operated, with Bootle operating the Crosby journeys and Green Lane operating the Bootle journeys - if space conditions are still an issue inside the main depot after the 68 has transferred.

Yes, that rumour about the 68 has been doing the rounds for a good few weeks now. T-PNB's are expected, along with the X-OBN's at Green Lane's end. Rumour has it that the 61 might come as well (without the 62), but lets wait and see! Be interesting to see if former GL bus 7569 makes a return!

(03/06/2012 13:27)V671 DVU Wrote: [ -> ]Yes, that rumour about the 68 has been doing the rounds for a good few weeks now. T-PNB's are expected, along with the X-OBN's at Green Lane's end. Rumour has it that the 61 might come as well (without the 62), but lets wait and see! Be interesting to see if former GL bus 7569 makes a return!

I've heard the same story again today, however apparently it's the Marshalls that're going with it to Green Lane as they're the common allocations for it.

The 56/56A was in the hands of Plaxton Pointer 2 T821 PNB (2321) and Marshall V626 DVU (7626) today - quite unusual to see 7626 on the services to be honest! The usual DAF/ALX400, S266 JUA (4026), was on there as-well, despite it not being a school-day! I do think that these services need double-deckers on there though. I had 7626 (excellent runner by the way - only the annoying rattles from the back window let it down!) on there this morning and it got a loading far from comfortable...

Plaxton Pointer 2 X221 ANC (2221) was out on the 62(/62A?) this evening - I'm pretty sure that it was on something different this morning though!

If the 61 goes to GL the wouldn't the 59 go to as don't they interwork? Also that would mean GL getting some of the DLAs?

(06/06/2012 22:31)ste Wrote: [ -> ]If the 61 goes to GL the wouldn't the 59 go to as don't they interwork? Also that would mean GL getting some of the DLAs?

The 59/60/61 all interwork at some point, so moving one of those services would create massive issues that'd involve a lot of sorting out. Moving the 62/62A/62B and the 68 wouldn't cause such issues; there are even some 62 journeys that start and/or finish near Green Lane depot (that HAVEN'T been amended since Bootle took on the service - take from that what you wish...)! The 68 will probably be sufficient enough anyway, however we'll soon find out!

Regarding fleet movements, I'd transfer Plaxton Pointer R604 MHN (2104) and Plaxton Pointer 2 R569 ABA (7569), along with the five ALX200s. Then I'd send however many Marshalls are needed to fill the remainder of buses required. After all, that's what's (basically) currently used on the service anyway (bar DAF/ALX400s, which aren't really needed on there).