Hi All,
Certainly an unusual working noted today was HTL's 5th newest bus, Optare Solo M880 YJ12 GXR on the free Asda Hunts Cross Shopper Bus!
![[Image: 7514474004_88e36bb907.jpg]](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8427/7514474004_88e36bb907.jpg)
HTL Buses 8 YJ12 GXR by
buses7675!, on Flickr
I can only assume the Vario is off the road at the moment as various buses have been noted on this route recently, this being the newest bus I've ever seen on it however!
Infamy would be pleased lol
Mercedes Vario/Plaxton Beaver 2 R192 DNM is back on the Asda bus today!
On new route 187 (Liverpool South Parkway - Childwall Circular), rental Enviro200 KX59 CYW is on this today! I'd not seen this one bus some time and wasn't sure if it had gone back (it was planned to return to Dawsons at one point) but evidently it is still here!
I'm Suprised they don't use GXR on the 101 route from time to time, it can get quite busy on that route on the odd occasion
HTL have won the contracts for the 146, 152 and 870 from 7th October.
Having had a quick look at the timetables for those routes, the PVRs for the routes are as follows:
146/245/246/247 (Huyton Circulars) - PVR 1 (Mon - Sat)
152 (St Helens - Rainford Circular) PVR 1 (Mon - Sat) - Same bus reported runs school route 714
870 (Old Swan - Huyton) - PVR 1 (Mon - Fri - 1 am trip only)
HTL have the Huyton Circulars...interesting. ACE have performed very well on there over the past few years, and I for one am quite sad to see them go. Lets hope HTL can do even better. At this rate, they won't be sending buses back they'll be getting more!
They've done a good job of keeping hold of those rental buses anyway, the one that has been here longest, KX06 LXN has been here a year next week, KX08 HME arrived not long after too!
I'd guess the new routes will need 2 more buses, assuming 870 is fitted in around something else somehow - No sure what mind though the Asda bus doesn't start until after 9am so the same bus could have time to get from Huyton to Hunts Cross after running the 870, though I would expect the 870 would need a low floor bus! Route 211 starting in August will need a bus too mind!
All depends I guess if HTL have won any others or if they've lost any existing routes, but if the entries are going into VOSA now we should know very shortly!
Theres plenty of buses sitting in the yard that could be used. V358 DLH, the ALX200, S284 NRB, there are a few buses which could be used...
The ALX200 and Solo S284 NRB are currently SORN (the Solo is broken I think!), the Marshall V358 DLH isn't SORN but hasn't been out for a good while!
It'll be interesting to see what happens anyway!