Halton Transport

[Mayneway]

RE: Halton Transport

(06/01/2016 18:29)Lynx Wrote:  It's the same with all of them, quite often mistake them for a road sweeper when there not sight. There in a decent condition inside but they are really showing their age now externally.

Are these the ex Blackpool V reg examples??

[St Helens Rider]

RE: Halton Transport

(06/01/2016 20:02)Mayneway Wrote:  Are these the ex Blackpool V reg examples??

They are yes.

[Mayneway]

RE: Halton Transport

(06/01/2016 20:08)St Helens Rider Wrote:  They are yes.

Thought so but wasn't sure.
They were starting to show their age at Blackpool and it was quite easy to tell the difference between them and the later examples just from the sound of the engine.

The older First Manchester Solos were the same. Just sounded very tired like they needed putting out of thier misery.

I think they look good in Halton livery though and will be interesting to see if Halton replace them with younger Solo's.

[RSTurbo50]

RE: Halton Transport
All Solos are rubbish lol. To be fair I don't really appreciate anything made by Optare..

[Mayneway]

RE: Halton Transport

(06/01/2016 22:35)RSTurbo50 Wrote:  All Solos are rubbish lol. To be fair I don't really appreciate anything made by Optare..

I actually like them. They look clean and modern and to be honest look far superior to the only real alternative the dreaded 'street lamp' lol.

[Valandil]

RE: Halton Transport
Yeah, I like Solos too, but Versas and Metrocities only look good on the outside!
With Optare, I think the smaller the better, with the possible exception of the Alero!
Whereas with Wright, the bigger the better.

[Lynx]

RE: Halton Transport
I'd expect them to be replaced with MPDs once their tax expires. I'd also expect darts 23-27 to be withdrawn sometime in the next year as Halton have of course already replaced vehicles of a similar age and there is a reason that this set still has powerblinds, they've got life left in them but are looking tired externally, my only hope is that they are not replaced by more omnishambles. Also still waiting to see what will happen with the crash damaged ELC that's still not been touched and due to it being one of the earlier 2003 examples it'll be interesting to see if it ends up getting repaired.

[Quackdave]

RE: Halton Transport

(07/01/2016 11:08)Lynx Wrote:  Also still waiting to see what will happen with the crash damaged ELC that's still not been touched and due to it being one of the earlier 2003 examples it'll be interesting to see if it ends up getting repaired.

Do you mean the one that collided with a black car in Huyton on 4th November? If so, are you sure it's an 03-reg? I thought it was #47?

Compare this (from the Echo) with this (from Flickr, taken four days earlier) - notice the marks on the paintwork just behind the wheel, also between the quarterlight and the windscreen, also the positioning of window vinyls and the fleetname decal.

Would be nice to see more MPDs - the two that they have looked nice before they were defaced with Sci-Tech 200 branding! Or even some Marshall Capital MPDs like 20 - First bought 42 similar buses for London during 2002 (DMS450-491), though it's not all that likely that any of them would happen to be available, and maybe they'd want to go for slightly newer buses anyway.

Re the older Darts, do you mean 22-26? (27 is the same age as 28 and 29.)

[Valandil]

RE: Halton Transport

(07/01/2016 19:56)Quackdave Wrote:  this (from Flickr, taken four days earlier)

That photo also shows Halton's "Sizzling Summer Saver" marketing which is still on a large proportion of the fleet ... wishful thinking!

[Lynx]

RE: Halton Transport

(07/01/2016 19:56)Quackdave Wrote:  Do you mean the one that collided with a black car in Huyton on 4th November? If so, are you sure it's an 03-reg? I thought it was #47?

Compare this (from the Echo) with this (from Flickr, taken four days earlier) - notice the marks on the paintwork just behind the wheel, also between the quarterlight and the windscreen, also the positioning of window vinyls and the fleetname decal.

Would be nice to see more MPDs - the two that they have looked nice before they were defaced with Sci-Tech 200 branding! Or even some Marshall Capital MPDs like 20 - First bought 42 similar buses for London during 2002 (DMS450-491), though it's not all that likely that any of them would happen to be available, and maybe they'd want to go for slightly newer buses anyway.

Re the older Darts, do you mean 22-26? (27 is the same age as 28 and 29.)

Argh yes it was 47! I'm not to sure why I thought it was a 03 think I read it elsewhere.

I said 27 because its one of the ones still with power-blinds and I don't think its side or rear blinds work (could be wrong) which of course makes it non DDA compliant.

Your right with the ex-London Marshalls it would be nice to see some of them as they are decent buses going on some of the South Wales ones I've sampled but either way them solos need replacing with something.