Cumfybus

[Quackdave]

RE: Cumfybus

(14/09/2012 15:18)V671 DVU Wrote:  I have seen UEM recently in service on the 139, it's gained the new style logos so it should stick around for a bit yet!

Cheers for that! It was on there again today, along with H12 CFY and X173 NWR. Meanwhile, in Formby, MX55 WDG was on the circulars along with MX55 WDE, and in Southport, MX55 WDD was on the 15 along with EH06 UNY. MX04 VME was on the 40, and Alero YS02 UCE was out and about, presumably on Merseylink work.

At Kirkby, the front end of X177 NWR is not visible; S248 KNL appears intact. One that was a complete surprise to me is KB51 CGU! This one has a SORN until 01-DEC-12. It is yellow, but it appears that this may be because its previous owner used a yellow livery virtually identical to Cumfybus's, as seen in this photo by Steve Thomas. The two Tridents at Kirkby are confirmed as X661 and X664. I had hoped to be able to see more through the rear fence by going into the woodland behind the yard, but sadly that is fenced off part way in.

(Incidentally, there's a silver Alero, YN53-something, with no destination box, parked by the roadside very nearby, but this may be a coincidence and have nothing to do with Cumfybus.)

Anyway... re the crashed Solo, it occurs to me that we're forgetting a fairly major possibility, namely that it's been repaired! After all, the Pulsar was, and one would expect the degree of damage to be similar. On this note, X173 NWR which I saw in service today, has a fully yellow front end, including between the headlights. The most recent photograph of it that I can find online, by Ray Parnaby, dated 31st March (two days before the collision), shows it with a black section and Optare logo between the headlights.

So, my guess is that it was X173 NWR that crashed. But as V671 says, we may never know for sure!