Forum | Merseyside Dennis Dart Website

(26/03/2017 22:46)PO59 MXJ Wrote: [ -> ]4168 scrapped

From memory, the influx of deckers began about ten or so years ago when it became apparent that single-deck operation on many routes was not practicable. At the time, Arriva NWW was not in a position to order brand new vehicles so had to make do with London cascades. Now with the recent influx of new deckers the need for such cascades has diminished greatly and most ex-London deckers now seem to find new homes with small operators outside of the Arriva empire. I would be very surprised to see any more ex-London deckers being moved up north in the foreseeable future.

I would say there is still a demand for London deckers here on certain services

Don't see Arriva or Stagecoach cascading more ex-London deckers here, the influx of new vehicles kind of says that those days are finished for this area, There may be some routes that still require decker operation but don't see anymore ex-London stuff anytime soon.

(27/03/2017 10:42)MPTE1955 Wrote: [ -> ]Don't see Arriva or Stagecoach cascading more ex-London deckers here, the influx of new vehicles kind of says that those days are finished for this area, There may be some routes that still require decker operation but don't see anymore ex-London stuff anytime soon.

Maybe some will come if they retain any school contracts as st helens runs 5 school buses at both am and pm.

I reckon there will still be a few more, but maybe not as many as in the past... Rhyl and Bangor have Y plate deckers which could be replaced this year since all the other 2001 stock seems to be going, also a lot of the current deckers around the North West are going to Southern Counties, so surely these will all need replacing at some point (presumably some of it was done by the hybrids but I doubt they have replaced everything)

I doubt there'll be that much more stock coming up from London considering the amount that of DLPs and VLWs that are leaving this year. There's the 55/06-reg B7TLs which are 11 years old this year and they'd be ideal for use as school buses in a couple of years' time - if anything I'd imagine that it'll be a small batch of VLA stock that arrives as it's already a common type in the North West if any are actually needed in the first place

I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of the current ex London double deck fleet is completely gone by the end of next year

(27/03/2017 08:31)Barney Wrote: [ -> ]From memory, the influx of deckers began about ten or so years ago when it became apparent that single-deck operation on many routes was not practicable. At the time, Arriva NWW was not in a position to order brand new vehicles so had to make do with London cascades. Now with the recent influx of new deckers the need for such cascades has diminished greatly and most ex-London deckers now seem to find new homes with small operators outside of the Arriva empire. I would be very surprised to see any more ex-London deckers being moved up north in the foreseeable future.

It started much earlier than that.
Some of the earlier larger batch examples include the ex- Grey Green H1**GEV Olympians and the large number of (3601-3615) N---DWY and R-CKO DAF's. The N' reg bunch were even branded up for the 86 early naughties and the R-CKO's were displaced by Speke's second batch of DAF alx400's

(27/03/2017 11:40)motormayhem1 Wrote: [ -> ]Maybe some will come if they retain any school contracts as st helens runs 5 school buses at both am and pm.

Arriva depots do very few school services on Merseyside. The only one that I am aware of in the Bootle area is actually operated by Southport depot. I believe Birkenhead have recently taken over some but only because the previous operator had its licence revoked.

(27/03/2017 16:13)Raawwwrrr! Wrote: [ -> ]It started much earlier than that.
Some of the earlier larger batch examples include the ex- Grey Green H1**GEV Olympians and the large number of (3601-3615) N---DWY and R-CKO DAF's. The N' reg bunch were even branded up for the 86 early naughties and the R-CKO's were displaced by Speke's second batch of DAF alx400's

That is true but that may have been because Arriva sold a lot of relatively new deckers (0201-70) soon after it bought MTL and then realised that it did need double-deckers after all. Either way, I don't think that Merseyside will see many more London cascades any time soon.

Not forgetting the F-TML and H-GPF Volvo Citybuses.