• MERRY CHRISTMAS to all readers of the site!  This is perhaps an unusual time to have a bus website updated, as there are so few services running today (I think there are around ten free ones today, of which I haven't yet seen any as I've not been out, but reports of any may be noted at a later date!), but there was so much news to write up that I couldn't get it done in time for last weekend!  I still haven't had time to do all the fleetlist updates, so these will be done in the next few days!   If you haven't already done so, click on the word 'Merry Christmas' on the main page to get a funny surprise!

• Chester City Transport have now received the first of its BMC Falcons, the first noted and photographed in service by John Murray being 88 BU53 PNF [photo].  From the photo you can certainly see the Marshall Capital resemblance, but with a foreign style - Apparently one of the reasons for these entering service so late was due to some of the seats and grab poles failing some DDA requirement, which is why they have been delayed entering service.

• GTL Glenvale Transport are continuing its process of withdrawing the worst of its Titans and Metrobuses, with Titans 2109/2122/2256/2333/2353/2954 & 3090 all withdrawn along with Metrobus 977 A977 SYF [photo].  Another repainted red bus to be withdrawn (in addition to Titan 2333 KYV 333X 'GLENN' which was partially deroofed), is Volvo B6/Plaxton Pointer 7249 L249 TKA 'DORA' [photo] which was destroyed as a result of an arson attack in the Kirkby area, having only just received a new engine, and re-entered service 2 days previously.  Of the withdrawn buses, the following have been sold to Goodwins, Titans CUL 109V, CUL 122V, CUL 211V, EYE 233V, GYE 256W, KYV 333X, KYV 351X, KYV 353X, KYV 391X, KYV 461X, KYV 501X, KYV 509X, KYV 540X, NUW 638Y, OHV 754Y, OHV 797Y & B90 WUV and 3 Metrobuses GYE 496W, KYO 613X & A977 SYF.

• On a much more positive note, GTL have continued to acquire much more modern and more reliable vehicles of late, all of which are either Dennis Darts or surprisingly Volvo B6s.  As well as the aforementioned 5 Wright Handybus Darts that were acquired from Go-North East, there are now a reported total of 60 Dennis Dart/Alexander Dash and 40 Volvo B6/Alexander Dash being acquired from Stagecoach, the first of each of the types having already arrived at Gillmoss, with many of the Darts already repainted and in service.  The first of the batch of B6s is already know, and is shown here thanks to the excellent info from Karl Sutton who has provided all of todays (and most of the years) GTL info!  Of these 7251 and 7254 are already repainted and named

7251 L409 JBD - Volvo B6/Alexander Dash - 'LYNTON' [photo]
7252 L404 JBD - Volvo B6/Alexander Dash [photo]
7253 L408 JBD - Volvo B6/Alexander Dash
7254 L411 JBD - Volvo B6/Alexander Dash - 'MARISHA'
7255 L415 JBD - Volvo B6/Alexander Dash
7256 L420 JBD - Volvo B6/Alexander Dash
7257 L412 JBD - Volvo B6/Alexander Dash
7258 L406 JBD - Volvo B6/Alexander Dash
7259 L410 JBD - Volvo B6/Alexander Dash
7260 L419 JBD - Volvo B6/Alexander Dash
72xx L403 JBD - Volvo B6/Alexander Dash [photo]
72xx L405 JBD - Volvo B6/Alexander Dash
72xx L416 JBD - Volvo B6/Alexander Dash

• Further Alexander Dash bodied Darts are now named too, with the names of the current ones being as follows:

7101 J549 GCD - Dennis Dart/Alexander Dash 'LAUREN'
7102 K109 XHG - Dennis Dart/Alexander Dash 'GRAEME' [photo]
7103 J520 GCD - Dennis Dart/Alexander Dash 'ELEANOR'
7105 K574 NHC - Dennis Dart/Alexander Dash 'PAULINE'
7106 J521 GCD - Dennis Dart/Alexander Dash 'HAYLEIGH'
7108 K108 XHG - Dennis Dart/Alexander Dash 'LOUISE'

• Of those Darts, 7102 is currently being used as a driver trainer, whilst 7105 has a new LED destination display - All others have had their original slot type Stagecoach destination displays fixed.  One final piece of GTL news is that Optare Excel 6025 R11 ABC [photo] has now also been very well repainted and named 'LUCY'.

• Arriva North West & Wales are expecting another two Optare Aleros shortly for use at its Chester garage, following the success of the services on which the initial three are used on.  The three acquired Darts and two acquired DAFs as noted in the fleetlists have now all been allocated fleetnumbers, and along with other changes, they will move in the early January to their respective depots.  The January movements are as follows:

Dart L115 YVK is numbered 1141 and moving to MC, with the current 1141 J556 GTP being renumbered 1139

Dart L116 YVK is numbered 1142 and will be on loan to Huyton, eventually for MC

DAFs R213 CKO & V715 LWT are numbered 3614 & 3615 as expected, and are to go on loan to Bootle, dual door in London red as Rail Replacement buses, and eventually be converted to single door and moved to Speke

1180/1182 to HU ex SK

2405 to SL ex BH

2715 to SL ex SH

2722 to SL ex SP

3253 to BH ex SL

6533 to SH ex SL

6553 to SP ex SL

7238/7239 to SK ex SH

7547/7548/7549 to HU ex BT

7612/7613/7614 to BT ex SH

• Anyway, that is all the news for today, more to be added shortly, as I haven't had time this morning to get everything in, but another thought to calm everyone down for Christmas, make you laugh, and stop arguing over the GTL livery, in addition to that on the main page - Merry Christmas!

• This is the first update for quite a few weeks, owing to my University work, so there won't be many updates for the next three weeks, but after the 19th December, all outstanding updates/info should be online!  Even though there have been no news updates for nearly three weeks, not much has happened, so the few bits that have are noted below - Most other changes involve the fleetlists so they should be done some time at the weekend or on Monday.

• megabus.com introduced low cost bus fares to Liverpool during November, as the division of Stagecoach Manchester now operate a service between Liverpool and Manchester (and Manchester to Leeds) with a single online fare of £1, along with a 50p booking fee per order.  For these services, they are using the ex Magic Bus Dennis Dragons, which have now been refurbished with coach seats in new Stagecoach moquette.  Accordingly, National Express have also introduced a £1 single fare between Liverpool and Manchester, which again can only be booked online!  For more details see the megabus.com website!

• GTL Glenvale Transport's Wright Handybus and Alexander Dash bodied Darts have now begun to enter service.  So far noted in service had been Alexander Dash 7101 J549 GCD 'LAUREN' (which is bizarre, as I've seen both this and Titan 2570 with the same name this week!), Alexander Dart 7108 K108 XHG, seemingly unnamed and Wright Handybus 7505 K985 SCU 'OWEN' all of which are allocated to Gillmoss and are in overall red.  From this, K988 SCU is almost certainly to be 7508, and 7107 K107 XHG, but what J520 GCD will be is unclear!

• Further to the news on the de roofed Metrobus, if you didn't already know, the de roofed bus was 1370 C370 BUV 'STEVEN'.  Despite this being its likely end to its life, is was apparently sold to Ensign Bus for further use with City Sightseeing, London within days of being de roofed, and was part exchanged for some of the Alexander Dash bodied Darts that have arrived.  Lets hope one of the as yet unnamed Darts get to wear the name 'STEVEN'!  In all a total of around 30 Alexander Dash bodied Darts are expected from Stagecoach via Ensign Bus in order to replace most or all of the Metrobus fleet - It has even been suggested that some Alexander Dash bodied Volvo B6s may arrive!

• GTL Glenvale Transport continues to surprise us all, as in addition to the two Plaxton Pointer bodied Darts which were expected for CMT Buses, they have also acquired a number of Wright Handybus bodied Darts from Go North East.  Of the Wright Handybuses, four have been positively identified, two of which are currently in service with CMT, still in Go-Ahead livery, those being 2093 K831 RTY and 2095 K833 RTY - Assumedly 2094 is K832 RTY!  Another two that were noted at Gillmoss being prepared for repaint last Friday by Karl Sutton are K985 SCU [photo] and K988 SCU [photo], neither of which were numbered at the time - It is possible too that some of these may remain at Gillmoss to replace some of the Metrobuses!

• Exactly why GTL are continuing to number buses allocated to its CMT garage in a separate series to its own is unclear, as the two Pointers allocated to CMT are also numbered 2091 and 2092.  These two Pointers are confirmed by Karl Sutton as being 2091 H545 XGK & 2092 H541 XGK [photo], both of which are now in GTL red, with 2091 named 'JACLYN' and as can be seen from the photo 2092 is bizarrely named 'DAVE 55' - A surprise naming for Dave, a foreman at CMT who was 55 recently!

** STOP PRESS ** - News just in is that today one of GTL's Metrobuses has been de roofed at a low bridge in North Liverpool - Vehicle was out of service, en route to Gillmoss, so thankfully no injuries - The identity of this bus in currently unknown, but is is a dual door example, with a fleet number in the 1xxx series.  From the pictures in the Echo, just below the emergency exit there is an advert for a car showroom with the appropriate headline 'NOW OPEN'!

• Chester City Transport is still awaiting its BMC Falcons for Park & Ride work, but even one of the Darts that they hired has already been replaced due to unreliability!  John Murray reports that Dart SLF/Marshall Capital 43 P830 BUD has been replaced by Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer 2 T342 PNV which retains the temporary fleet number 43.  Other recent changes at CCT include quite a large quantity of buses being renumbered.  Firstly, Darts 251 and 253 have both been reseated back to their original B35F capacity from B29F, and also regained their original fleetnumbered 51 and 53 - At the moment, 252 remains B29F.  Of the Metroriders, 255 F505 CBO has become 855, 271 G771 WFC the last one in passenger service has become 871 whilst 273 G773 WFC has become 873 and is only used for staff transport and it has a yellow skirt in place of the blue skirt.  For further details, including renumbered City Sightseeing vehicles, see the fleetlist in the next few days!

• Arriva North West & Wales are continuing to dispose of its older vehicles, but some relatively new ones are also leaving the fleet, those being the gas powered DAF SB220GS/Plaxton Prestiges 2476 - 2479 S426 MCC - S429 MCC which are withdrawn due to the loss of the Chester Park & Ride contract to Chester City Transport - All four have been withdrawn at the Chester depot and are expected to move to Arriva the Shires shortly.  Also being disposed of are some of the withdrawn Metrobuses from St Helens, of which 3816 F816 YLV [photo] was noted by Paul Redfern at 12 Quays in Birkenhead, so presumably going for a new life in Ireland!  The Arriva fleetlist hasn't been updated yet, as the November allocation list is expected shortly, so as soon as I receive that the list will be modified!

• As noted a few weeks ago, due to increased Park & Ride work in Southport (seems all this weeks new is about Park & Rides!), Arriva have allocated further vehicles to Southport depot, including Dart 1289 N678 GUM [photo] as seen by Chris Walsh at Kew, ironically on service 45, so presumable other Southport SLFs were taking its place on the P&R services, as Merseytravel prefer low floor buses on those routes.  Also seen by Chris recently is Huyton Travels brand new Renault Master/Rohill Harrier MX53 RYX [photo] which is can be seen from the photo actually has a slot type destination display and not an LED one as first thought.

• Thanks to all who have sent in photos and info for today's update - Fleetlists should be updated in next few days, along with some info on the de-roofed GTL Metrobus hopefully!

• Today is the third anniversary of this website's creation, and this is a good time to thank all those who have contributed to the site in any way, news, photos, etc, over the past three years - The site couldn't exist without all your help - Thank You!

• Some interesting news to report is that Liverpool City Coaches have now started up again (this time as Private Hire only though is seems), and they have acquired a new bus type for Liverpool, a DAF DB250/Optare Spectra.  This is ex EYMS 571, acquired 01/11/03, and is now registered K485 UAG having been registered A1 EYD from new!  It remains in EYMS livery, with branding removed, it is a full height version, H44/27F and new in 09/92.  Thanks to Dave Root for this info!

• On a similar note, something I forgot to post to this site, but did post to the Merseyside Buses Yahoo group is about Arriva NW&W potentially acquiring another two DAF DB250's.  It reported that two more DAF DB250/Northern Counties Palatine II's are due for Arriva NW&W those being Arriva London DBS14 R213 CKO and DBS15 V715 LWT (Could this be the latest registered step entrance bus operated by Arriva?!), both of which are dual door, but are very likely to be converted to single door format before arriving here.  These are expected to go to Speke and be numbered 3614 and 3615 respectively, and although 3615 appears to be very new, its not as new as its registration suggests, as it has been stored unregistered for about 4 years prior to use, and if I am correct, is actually older than the N reg DB250s at Speke!

• As of this Monday, Chester City Transport begun operating all of the Park and Ride contracts in Chester, but due to the late delivery of its BMC Falcons, they have hired 6 Dart SLFs from Dawson's Rentals, as noted below:

41 T441 EBD - Dennis Dart SLF 10.7M/Wright Crusader B39F 03/99 - [photo]

42 T442 EBD - Dennis Dart SLF 10.7M/Wright Crusader B39F 03/99

43 P830 BUD - Dennis Dart SLF 10.7M/Marshall Capital B38F 03/97 - [photo]

44 S377 TMB - Dennis Dart SLF 10.7M/Plaxton Pointer 2 B41F 09/98

45 V388 SVV - Dennis Dart SLF 10.7M/Plaxton Pointer 2 B29F 10/99 - [photo] Presumably now upseated from B29F as this was in use at Manchester Airport.

46 Y433 PBD - Dennis Dart SLF 10.7M/ELC Spryte B37F - [photo] - It is thought again, this Dart is older than its registration suggests, as it had been used, unregistered in Manchester Airport for a while before, and if you look at the photos of each, you will see that it has the older style back window which was phased out in about 2000, as Avon Coaches X reg Spryte's have the newer arrangement with a smaller back window.

Photos of all of the above are very kindly supplied by John Murray!

• GTL Glenvale Transport have now started to receive yet more Dennis Dart 8.5M/Plaxton Pointer, but this time for the CMT garage!  Two are expected at the moment, and the first of these to arrive did so last Thursday, being H545 XGK [photo], which is expected to become 7305, and possibly be named 'DAVE'.  These are all being refurbished and repainted at Gillmoss, and then being sent to the CMT garage for service use.  Thanks to Karl Sutton for this info!  Karl has also now supplied an photo of repainted Marshall Dart 7606 T606 JBA [photo], seen last week at Gillmoss - It is of note that absolutely all the bodywork is now red, even around the front screen and even above the rear window around the number box!

• Although this happened in the summer, I'm not sure that I have yet mentioned that the Tecnobus Pantheons operated by Selwyns in St Helens were all withdrawn on 25/06/2003 due to apparent scrapes being found on the chassis members and since then the services they were operated with have been partially operated by three Dart MPDs, V899 DNB (ex Norbus), VA02 NTK and VU02 TPX.  Now for a first for over a year, a [photo] of Dart VA02 NTK taken in St Helens, by me this summer - First of my own pics added to the site since last November!  The Selwyns fleetlist is about to be hugely altered as information has become available for all vehicles, as well as fleetnumbers for almost all vehicles, even the Tecnobuses!

• Many fleetlists should be updated later tonight or tomorrow!  Thank you all for visiting the site over the past three years and making it possible!

• LMS have recently received an ex UK North Leyland Olympian, that being G309 UYT as noted by Dave Root on 23rd October which is a Leyland bodied example.

• Merseypride have now reportedly acquired K18 CCL which is a Volvo B10M with Plaxton C53F bodywork new in 04/93, ex Station Car Hire, Bracknell 08/03, whilst Leyland National KAJ 219W has left for Hardwick, Carlton (Dealer).  Thanks to Mark Haldon for this info!

• Norbus have now acquired at least one more MPD, W632 RNP Dennis Dart MPD 8.8M/Plaxton Pointer 2 B29F New 06/00 to Aston, Worcester which was purchased via Blythswood (dealer), is in fleet livery and is unusually fitted with cab air-conditioning, resulting in a large box appearing to be on the roof above the cab.  It has also been confirmed that three of the newer MPDs that were on lease, KV51 KZH KV51 KZK and KP02 PVA have all returned, although overall white VU02 TPZ remains at Norbus, on lease from Mistral.

• Supertravel have rather unusually reinstated Marshall Minibus R112 VLX, which has recently seen use on the 202/204 (Dingle - Alder Hey) services and today has extremely unusually been on the 173/174 (Belle Vale - Penny Lane) services, usually the haunt of the 4 cylinder MPDs!  This Marshall remains un-numbered, as it was withdrawn prior to Supertravel's introduction of fleetnumbers and is now the only Marshall Minibus in the fleet, as 003 R114 VLX was reportedly sold to Jones, Pwllheli in 08/03.  Perhaps the only reason for fixing R112 VLX is to make it much easier to sell!

• GTL Glenvale Transport have now completed its repaint of the first ELC Spryte Dart to get overall red, and that is 7458 P458 DCW, which is now named 'LINDA', and is seen in this photograph taken at Gillmoss garage by Karl Sutton this Tuesday!  Also now repainted is Marshall Dart 7606 T606 JBA which is now in overall red, and is renamed 'LORRAINE', a name that was on a Volvo B6.  Thanks to Karl Sutton for all this info!

• Arriva NW&W have embarked upon another series of transfers for October (bit late for me to report this now, but the Arriva list wasn't working earlier in the month, as I'd forgotten to update the server address when the host changed it!), and the planned moves are/were as follows, but as with all movements, they are subject to change:

Speke - In 3206, 3209 - Out 3212 - 3251 to pool
Body Shop 3093
Southport - In 1289, 1332 - Out 8181
Skelmersdale - In 8171, 8181 (Driver Trainers)
Macclesfield - In 3022, 3048 - Out 1727 (Disposal)
Birkenhead - In 3212, 3251 - Out 3206, 3209, 7553
Chester - Out 1156 to pool
Crewe - In 1736 - Out 1727 (Disposal)
Winsford - In 1724, 3037, 3048 - Out 0057, 0058, 0153
Wrexham - In 7553 - Out - 1722 (Disposal) 0138, 1719 (To Pool)
Llandudno - In 0153, 0319, 0357 - Out 1164 with 0307 (To Pool)
Rhyl - In 1343 - Out 0357
Bangor - In 1164, 3057, 3212 - Out 1751, 1343, 3054

Disposed of are 0055, 0057, 0058, 0062, 0195, 0196, 1723, 3007, 3026, 3053, 3066, 3069, 3119, 3120, 3127, 3128, 3988, 3991

• All the above information, along with more is to be updated on the fleetlists shortly, or already has been!  Thanks again to all those who supplied information!

• Last week I was able to add many more photographs to the site, by adding many photos sent in during August and September, along with some from very early on in the year that had somehow not yet been added!  Amongst those added are two by Christopher Walsh, the person who admits to having copied photos from the site for use on his Fotopic site, without prior permission.  These were added of course with Christopher's permission, but importantly as he does now genuinely seem apologetic, and has asked my to publish the following statement:

I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to all those who's photographs I used without permission as I did not know about the copyright laws and this will not happen again.
C-Walsh

• It must also be noted that despite using the photos without permission, they were all removed within a week of him being made aware of the photographers wishes (and Fotopic did also intervene, and would have closed his site down had he have not), but absolutely all the photos currently on his site are his own, so I hope we can now end the dispute over the photos - Although I do of course respect the wishes of the photographers, Chris does appear to have learned from his mistake.

• On a much lighter note, it is the Merseyside Dennis Dart Websites 3rd birthday on Wednesday 05/11/2003 and some examples of old fleetlists (old data, and original styles too!), so check out the site next Wednesday for further details!

• Warrington Borough Transport have now received all of its first batch of Volvo/VDL SB120CS/Wright Merits (just to confuse matters further, DAF Bus is now called VDL as well as them being sold via Volvo!), which are registered 35 DG53 FLH, 36 DG53 FLJ, 37 DG53 FJY, 38 DG53 FJX, 39 DG53 FJV and 40 DG53 FJU.  On another note, it is reported that WBT may be starting a Liverpool - Warrington service shortly, taking a similar route to the Arriva 6 between Warrington and Bowring Park, but then going up to Wavertree Clock Tower, Smithdown Road and into Paradise Street Bus Station!  This is expected to be a Monday - Saturday service only, but WBT will continue to operate the Sundays only H5 anyway, taking its current route - The H5 incidentally had one of the new Wright Merits on it last Sunday!

• GTL Glenvale Transport have named Titan 2045 WYV 45T, its oldest Titan, in honour of one of the site contributors who has been on work experience at Gillmoss for the past two weeks, Karl Sutton, whose name 'KARL' the bus now wears!  Although it hasn't had a full repaint, many of the panels on the bus have been repainted into standard MTL red/cream livery!  This is quite an interesting situation too, as GTL's newest Titan 3090 B90 WUV is named 'KARLA', and lucky Karl managed to get a photo of them side-by-side in Gillmoss last Friday, seen here!  Karl has also noted that CMT Lynx 2060 E324 SWY is now a driver trainer at Gillmoss and is being repainted overall red, whilst the first ELC Spryte Dart to don overall red is 7458 P458 DCW which was part way through its repaint yesterday, although it won't be in service immediately, as it requires a new engine which is to be fitted shortly - I expect sitting out of use at the Express Travel depot in Speke for almost 2 years didn't do it any good!  Both of these two, and 2045 have been part repainted by Karl!

• The second Merseyside bus operator to receive 53 reg buses (the first being Cumfybus & WBT isn't based in Merseyside!) is HTL Huyton Travel, who have received another Renault Master/Rohill Harrier noted by Matthew Birkett registered RX53 RYZ and is also fitted with an LED destination display, so it likely to be primarily for service use, as opposed to Merseylink use.  Hot on their heels too is LMS who have ordered a MAN 14.220, quite surprisingly with MCV Stirling bodywork which looks very similar to the Marshall/MCV Capital Dart body that it is clearly based upon.  This is expected in November and there is even a possibility of further orders!  Thanks to Neil Hilton and Ian Simpson for this info!

• Halton Transport have completed installation of LED destination equipment into all of its ELC Myllennium Spryte bodied Darts, the last noted being 38 DK03 NTE which had been involved in a serious accident in the summer.  This has just returned to service, following repairs at ELC, complete with the LEDs, bus sadly has lost its front ELC and Myllennium badges!

• I should be adding many more photos to the photos section of the site over the weekend, as I haven't added any more since the end of July, other than those in the news, and thanks to the kind contributions of the readers of this site, there are many more to add!

• GTL Glenvale Transport are continuing to replace CMT branding on the ex CMT buses with GTL branding, and also inline with GTL policies, CMT vehicles are now receiving external adverts, something that never occurred when CMT was independent.  The MetroRider that was in a scrapped state at the CMT depot, thought to be 6009 K400 ABC though never confirmed as it had neither fleetnumbers or registration plates, was taken away by lorry on Tuesday from the depot.  The final CMT National 1074 SPC 286R remains on site, though hasn't moved for at least 3 months, so will almost certainly be removed shortly, whilst as noted in the fleetlists last month, Dennis Dart/Wright Handybus K380 RTY which was seemingly only acquired for spares has left for use in the Staines area!  An interesting visitor to the CMT depot this week too has been 'proper' GTL Volvo B6 7245 L245 TKA which is now named 'VALERIE' ex 'LORRAINE', as it is having some engine work done on it their, presumably as CMT engineers have more experience of Volvo engines that the GTL engineers.  Thanks to Karl Sutton for all this info!

• Arriva NW&W's Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties Palatine I's have now begun to enter service at Speke depot, as they all arrive from Wrexham.  These have not been repainted since their lives in Wales, but have had all their original Route 1 branding removed, although as seen in this photo of 3346 R236 AEY, taken by Karl Sutton, the outline of the route branding can be clearly seen!  These tend to mainly operate routes 79 (Liverpool - Netherley) and the 699 (Liverpool University Service), one almost unique thing about these two, within the Arriva Merseyside is that they still have 'No Smoking' signs, something which I think all buses should have.

• The Wirral Bus and Tram show took place this weekend, and despite the poor weather, I believe a good time was had by all, although I unfortunately, couldn't make it myself.  One of the more interesting exhibits there, which was photographed by Karl Sutton was this Optare Solo School Bus YN53 ELJ which is owned by WYPTE and operated by FirstGroup.  Must be for a very small school, and much like Bluebird YS51 JVA last year, this same school bus has been to many recent bus rallies, including Heaton Park, Meadowhall, Showbus and the Wirral Bus and Tram Show!

• GTL Glenvale Transport has now begun to rebrand the vehicles it acquired when it purchased CMT Buses with its GTL branding.  The first vehicle to have been noted was CMT Dart SPD 2088 PN02 KCE, which has had all of its CMT branding removed and GTL replacing it, although on the sides only small GTL branding it used above the cab/doors, as on GTL's own repaints.  I'm not yet sure if there are plans to renumber the CMT vehicles, but it would seem sensible, as several CMT buses have already visited Gillmoss depot, and there are still three duplicates, 2045, 2046 & 2073, along with the fact that most other CMT buses are in GTL's Titan 2xxx series!  GTL are also continuing to name/rename its Gillmoss allocated buses following repaint into the red livery, recently noted ones being Titan 3003 A603 THV (the first dual door one repainted into red) is now named 'HAYLEY', ex 'ANNIE-MAY', the name 'HAYLEY' itself was earlier used on a different vehicle too, Volvo B6 7247 L247 TKA, which is now 'JAMIL'.  Three Darts have also recently been renamed and repainted, those being 7403 K861 LGN, which is now 'LIBBY' ex 'JADE', 7414 K585 MGT which is now 'ETHAN' ex 'SIAN' and 7415 K587 MGT which is now 'ABBY' ex 'REECE'.  Karl Sutton managed to get some photos of these buses yesterday, and has kindly supplied them to the site, those being of 3003 A603 THV 'HAYLEY' and 7415 K587 MGT 'ABBY'.

• Nip On Transport are continuing to adjust its fleet, having now acquired B11 BWT, a Duple 425/Duple whilst their Leyland Leopard is reportedly for sale.  Of the Darts that Nip On were expected to sell, although the two for Tanner Travel, R416 XFL & R417 XFL, have arrived there and now have had their skirts repainted, so are blue and white, but of the ones for Norbus, neither M89 DEW or P655 HEG have arrived, and it is not yet reported as to whether P654 HEG has either.  Thanks to Mark Haldon, Matthew Birkett and anon for this info!

• The Darts now believed to have been sold/returned off lease by Norbus are as follows, T548 HNH, T468 HNH, T469 HNH, V260 BNV, V265 BNV, V898 DNB, W363 ABD & X171 BNH whilst T549 HNH had already gone some time ago.  If anyone else has any further info on this please email me.  Thanks to Matthew Birkett for this info!

• Arriva NW&W has improved the timetables for the Southport Park & Ride system up until Christmas, as the E22 that runs to the North Car Park, which generally only operates at weekends, is now operating every day until Christmas.  In order to facilitate this, as there aren't enough gas Darts, Neoplan 0602 M302 YBG and ex London Darts 1289 N678 GUM & 1332 P832 RWU (not exactly Smart buses, and ironically newer than the Neoplan!) have all now moved to Southport.