DeeBee services

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DeeBee services
From 2009 GHA Coaches working mainly with Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) but also with Flinsthire County Council (FCC) developed a DeeBee service brand culminating in seven vehicles, all Solos having such branding. - PHOTO LINK -

However the finance available for these services progressively reduced and it became very common for these branded vehicles to be used on various other services. Two of the Solos were repainted out of the livery in late 2015. (T313/4 UOX). Following the demise of GHA in the summer of 2016 the only services remaining were the DB1 Chester - Mold via Higher Kinnerton, Caergwrle and Treuddyn. DB2 Chester to Saltney Ferry and DB4 Chester to Deeside Industrial Estate.

These contracts were awarded to Arriva Cymru Limited in 2016 until the beginning of April of this year.

The DB2 has now been discontinued.

The DB4 is now operated by Stagecoach utilising the same timetable.

The former DB1 service was jointly funded by CWaC and FCC but initially FCC did not indicate that finance was available from April.  Stagecoach were successful in gaining the contract from CWaC to start on 3rd April for a new service from Chester to the village of Higher Kinnerton.  New service numbers of 61, 61X  and 62 were given. (the 62 variation visits Hartlington Street in Handbridge and the 61X goes directly to Higher Kinnerton visiting only Doddleston).  The bus involved on this service (Solo 47624)  has received a route branding 'Dee Bee - Still buzzing into Chester from Kinnerton - Dodleston - Westminster Park – Handbridge' - PHOTO LINK 2 -

However at a very late stage FCC did find the finance and they have contracted with Stagecoach to provide a bus running from Higher Kinnerton to Mold via Treuddyn, Caergwrle and Hope with some journeys terminating at Caergwrle. The route has been given service number 65. Most timings are such that by changing at Higher Kinnerton it is possible to make the through journey.

On the first day of operation - today 3rd April 2018 - the destinations on the bus involved on the Mold journeys had incorrect spellings of Treuddyn and Mold (Mould). - PHOTO LINK 3 -

After pointing out the serious error to the driver he made a phone call and it was corrected within an hour. - PHOTO LINK 4 - A module arrived at Higher Kinnerton with an Inspector.  In addition the running board was not complete, I had to provide the driver with a timetable (which I got from the FCC website) and the ticket machine was not programmed so that no fares could be collected.