33 City Centre-Halewood i think was a Merseyrider route, that later became 86B under Arriva before it was withdrawn
The 177 was Merseyrider too, as was 38 City Centre-Halewood
As the depot was Speke most of the Merseyrider routes went to Halewood
(15/10/2020 00:48)MTL0201 Wrote: [ -> ]33 City Centre-Halewood i think was a Merseyrider route, that later became 86B under Arriva before it was withdrawn
The 177 was Merseyrider too, as was 38 City Centre-Halewood
As the depot was Speke most of the Merseyrider routes went to Halewood
A lot of the route started life in 3X series with Liverline and those Scottish double deckers .
Think they also ran a 32 between Liverpool and Garston.
There was also St Helens Rider. Dont know what services they ran though?
(16/10/2020 09:29)moreton407 Wrote: [ -> ]Think they also ran a 32 between Liverpool and Garston.
There was also St Helens Rider. Dont know what services they ran though?
From memory and videos I've seen of the time, a few routes had St Helens Rider on them
6 - Hard Lane - St Helens Junction
47 - St Helens - Rainford
64 - St Helens - Billinge (worked with Minibuses in response to part of Town Flyer's 19)
Also seen St Helens Rider vehicles appear on 23/24/89 but not sure if this was due to vehicle shortages in the main fleet or if these routes had transferred to the unit.
(14/10/2020 20:54)Walton 46 Wrote: [ -> ]I've recently aquired a timetable for the Merseyrider 67 service circa 1996. This ran from Bootle Strand to Halewood Okell Drive via Merton Road, County Road, then via 68 route to Queens Drive, then Childwall Fiveways, Netherley and Gerrards Lane. What other routes were operated under the Merseyrider brand?
The 67 began life as one of the original Blue Triangle services in '92 when they commercialised part of the 165 Merseytravel route they had back then.
Merseybus responded with a short lived 67A which went via Broadgreen Hospital but more or less duped Blue Traingle's 67.
All the varied Blue Triangle stuff went on it including the ex-MPTE Jumbo Atlantean's ex-SBG Ailsa's and Voith powered ex-South Yorkshire Alexander Atlanteans too.
It must've been fairly successful as survived MTL's takeover in '94 until it was withdrawn around' 96 when Merseyrider and renaining Merseybus operations at Garston were integrated into Speke depot.
The 30 was another Blue Triangle route which evetually passed on to Fareway like the 102's in '94 then Gillmoss to about the late' 90's maybe up to Arriva's takeover?
(16/10/2020 09:36)St Helens Rider Wrote: [ -> ]From memory and videos I've seen of the time, a few routes had St Helens Rider on them
6 - Hard Lane - St Helens Junction
47 - St Helens - Rainford
64 - St Helens - Billinge (worked with Minibuses in response to part of Town Flyer's 19)
Also seen St Helens Rider vehicles appear on 23/24/89 but not sure if this was due to vehicle shortages in the main fleet or if these routes had transferred to the unit.
When did the 6 end?
(16/10/2020 12:32)jcksmnr Wrote: [ -> ]When did the 6 end?
Unsure but do know that the Saturday morning 106 was running until the mid 2000's (possibly 2004/5) by which time these journies seemed quite odd given there was no corresponding service the rest of the week. May have been withdrawn about the same time as the 109 (St Helens - Rainhill Stoops) which was also quite odd at the time as it only ran Evenings and Sunday.
MerseyRider was originally based at the old Liverline depot when Liverline moved to Bootle, MerseyRider then moved to Speke depot which was mothballed by MTL in 1989.
I seem to remember quite a few strikes by Merseybus drivers, because of the low cost nature of MerseyRider, & new drivers on a lower pay rate, especially when the 72 City Centre-Halewood was moved from Garston to Speke, a bit of a problem for MTL as that was the middle of the Merseybus-GM Buses bus wars, MerseyRider was closed summer 96 when Garston depot closed & operation was transferred to Speke
As i've said on another thread i've brought a few Lancashire United/GMPTE timetables/maps, the original route Wigan-Bolton via Westhoughton was 559, same route as the current 559 Bolton-Hindley then to Wigan, the 540 was Bolton-Westhaughton, with a 627 Wigan-Westhaughton.
I'm not sure when the 559 became it's present route to Ashton, Hindley-Ashton section is via the old 1 St Helens-Atherton, think the 627 was withdrawn at d-red with the 540[now7]extended to Wigan as replacement.
I'm surprised given the renumberings in the GMPTE area the 1 St Helens-Atherton wasn't renumbered either, 620 would have been the natural number given most of the route was via the 320, & 620 was available too.
The 559 is part replacement for the 620 (the Blue Bus/Arriva variant).