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7660 is also present with an unidentifiable, interurbanised example in the background. Quite possible it is 7655. 7674, however, looks fit and ready for service tomorrow at the other end of Hawthorne Road.

7660 hasn't been out in service for ages, if 7669 is withdrawn it will only leave 7659 & 7674 in service at Bootle. It could be that one at the back. There is pointers there as well that are not withdrawn and it may be that 7669 just needs something sorting before it goes back out. I will leave it there as not really the right topic

In service this morning

4030 4097 4175 spare southport 4210 4212 4213 4214 4216 spare formby

The Marshall Dart at the very back of LiverLine is 7659, as can be seen by my photo here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevin_rowe/12437530765/

(09/02/2014 21:02)507009 Wrote: [ -> ]

(09/02/2014 20:16)E208 WBG Wrote: [ -> ]When they where at Birkenhead they where always warm

That isn't true at all. I rode on them regularly during their time at Birkenhead and I don't think I even once had a warm upper deck in all their time there. Since the transfer to Bootle, there has been a slight improvement in upper deck heat, but several are still cold.

The heating problem is chronic on these buses, particularly upstairs, and as Barney says, I don't envy the Southport line passengers much today.

As for 4420, the post refers to Saturday's allocations, not today's. 4000 probably was in use too as it's parked in Liverline today from photos on Flickr.

I had the misfortune of having 4000 from Southport to Freshfield in the early afternoon.
Speaking of which I've just posted a blog post on the allocations, hopefully I'll get to clear the rest off this coming Saturday.

I managed to capture the following on the 8th:
3115 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmill...439793405/
4001 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmill...420384563/
4030 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmill...423551335/
4079 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmill...421046774/
4097 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmill...439782933/
4175 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmill...422825275/
4180 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmill...424003624/
4181 (non-working destinations) - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmill...420034925/
4210 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmill...422950815/
4212 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmill...419014094/
4213 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmill...420912464/
4214 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmill...418589704/
4215 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmill...423511943/
4216 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmill...423665484/
4416 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmill...439528253/
4420 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelmill...422564335/

Other buses that I seen out in the daytime were 4000, 4027 (apparently had a window smashed as a result of tree branches) and 4076. In the evening, a number of Bootle-based Pulsars and Enviro400s were out (including, from memory, 2660, 2926, 2929, 3018, 3020, 3027, 3115 [as stated above], 3117 and 4424).

I managed to ride on a few buses. I found the two Geminis that I caught (4213 and 4214) were smooth, comfortable and rattle-free (4214 being the better one). The two DAF/Presidents that I rode on differed in quality, with 4175 offering a decent but cold ride and 4180 being rattly and quite bouncy. Those Presidents weren't as good as DAF/ALX400s 4030 (shabby-looking but performed well) and 4079 (a bit rattly and had a few air pressure-related photos, but warm and comfortable), though. Birkenhead-based President 4001 was quite sluggish, but generally not too bad. Enviro400 4416 was a bit rattly and felt sluggish; 4424 on an express journey was much better (quick, smooth and rattle-free). Pulsar-wise, I had 2660 (on an all-stopping journey - sadly, the relaxed timetable meant that the driver took his time) and 3115 (on an express journey - rattly at the back). Overall, I enjoyed the variety (generally rare in today's bus scene) and hope to catch a few buses that I didn't manage to catch on Saturday before the service finishes.

I will just answer my own question about 7669 earlier, this was out and about on 61's earlier.

2944 was on rails the other night (8th) got to say dreadful vehicle for the express fumes inside and white smoke and stunk of diesel only seemed to do one trip and got replaced by 2946

Noted the following on the Formby - Southport rail replacements today: 4000, 4001, 4027, 4030, 4076, 4097, 4175, 4180, 4181, 4208, 4210, 4212, 4213, 4214.

Had a ride on two. 4076, one of my last required DLAs which was on fine form and very smooth riding indeed, then 4210, which wasn't too bad but rode a little roughly and was sluggish throughout the run. That said, at least the refurbishment job on these is a lot better than the Birkenhead VLWs with seat backs and panel work properly repainted. It wasn't making that shocking din that most of the 4200-05 batch does as well, which always helps.

Got told 44xx are working today is that correct