1997 revisits former Ribble premises

Following the completion of brake overhaul work, 1997 revisited Stagecoach's Preston garage for a brake test and looked really quite at home. The bus is earmarked for an MoT Class VI test very soon.

Lytham bus shuttle on club day

LTT buses 19 & 70 operated a Park & Ride shuttle service between the entrance to Lytham Hall and the Hall itself on Lytham Club Day, Saturday 28 June. Despite the dull and showery weather, thousands visited the hall and 19 & 70 carried many full loads throughout the day. During the evening, both buses continued in operation for the night time picnic and steel band and it was not until after 11pm that the last buses departed Lytham Hall with a full load of passengers.

A pity that Lion 34 couldn't join 19 & 70, but issues with engaging crawler gear to set off and problems with vacuum brakes prevented its use.

LTT buses update

In between other fleet requirements, Oakwood Travel has overhauled the brakes on Ribble VRT No.1997 and this bus is now almost ready for Mot test. Following the completion of this work, Ribble RE 366 is now undergoing brake overhaul work.
Lytham 70 has also been prepared for Mot test whilst ex-Blackpool Handybus 575 is now away at DieselTech in Blackpool for a full service and pre-MoT work.

Ribble 1997 awaiting replacements rear tyres following the completion of brake overhaul work.

575 on delivery run to DieselTech

1805 stars at Kirkby Stephen event

Ribble 1805 made a guest appearance at the popular Kirkby Stephen event and proved very popular, carrying over 700 passengers on Easter Saturday. A big thank you to David Umpleby for the driving, with a little help from Martin Gurr.

Another successful MoT pass for 529

529 has passed another class VI MoT test at SJ Bargh today and at 47 years old is ready for another active year on LTT duties and the occasional private hire.

RM1583 out on test

It seems to have taken a very long time and lots of promises to get RM1583 back on the road, but after several false starts, the bus made a trip to Mereside turning circle today on a test run. It has some temporary destination blinds fitted at the moment but there are just a few more issues to sort out before we can finally submit for MoT.

Blackpool buses join the heritage workplan

This week, work has been undertaken on former Blackpool Atlantean 334, Swift 570 and Optare City Pacer 575.

334 has had all its opening windows repaired and the bell system rewired, whilst the platform door faults on the City Pacer have been repaired. Today, Swift 570 was given a good wash and it is now earmarked for a good interior clean and MoT assessment.

Swift 570, looking just like it had returned from a full day out on service!

Ribble RE 366 moves for paintwork attention

Poppy red liveried ex-Ribble Bristol RE no.366 was last repainted back in November 2008 and it has been decided to tidy up the paintwork so that the bus can attend events and operate on private hires this summer. Although still looking tidy, 366 was only treated to a quick repaint into the nostalgic National Bus Company red livery and this has begun to look quite flat so the lower panels are to be redone.
The work on 366 is part of a strategy to return to the road several operational buses from the LTT collection that have not operated for some years, such as:

• Blackpool 334 - Leyland Atlantean
• Blackpool 521 - Routemaster RM1583 **
• Blackpool 570 - AEC Swift
• Blackpool 575 - Optare City Pacer
• Lytham 34 -  Leyland Lion
• Ribble 366 - Bristol RE **
• Ribble 1997 - Bristol VRT **
• This blog will record our progress. (Key ** = In Progress)

The picture below was taken on its way to Poulton where a unit has been rented on short term lease for painting various vehicles.

366 posed on Hardhorn Road on the former Blackpool 2A service whilst on its way to Poulton for a partial repaint. (Photo: David Umpleby)

Ribble 1997 receives full brake overhaul

Former Ribble Bristol VRT 1997 is also undergoing significant overhaul work with its front & rear axles both stripped down for a full brake overhaul. Here it is pictured with Oakwood's recently acquired London United Volvo B7TL reg W139EON.

RM1583 prepared for MoT

After several false starts, work on preparing former Blackpool Routemaster 521 (RM1583 / 583CLT) is very close to completion, thanks to the new regime at Oakwood Travel. The bus has benefitted from a seat retrim whilst parts removed whilst in store to keep other Routemasters in active service have all been refitted. Watch out for 521 making appearances this summer.

PD2 returns to Blackpool

The last surviving 1950s Blackpool PD2, one of a former fleet of 50, saw daylight for the first time in many years today on a journey from its long term storage at Weeton back to Brinwell Road, Blackpool. No.346, still wearing its faded yellow livery applied by the Illuminations department, is depicted below. It will soon be joined by Ribble RE 366 and Blackpool AEC Swift 570.

Blackpool Balloon 703 acquired by Beamish

Balloon 703 (masquerading as Sunderland 101) has been on loan to Beamish Museum from the Lancastrian Transport Trust since September 2010. The tram was painted into Sunderland red and cream livery prior to its move north, inspired by Sunderland English Electric built centre entrance car 99, which resembled a less streamlined version of a Blackpool Balloon in appearance.
Beamish have now concluded a deal to purchase 703 from the LTT, thus ensuring its long term future at the museum as part of their well maintained collection of trams.
Paul Jarman from the Beamish museum commented "101 will now fit into our longer term maintenance programme which will ultimately see it comprehensively overhauled and I would also like to see the original split blind destination boxes reinstated.  This, along with a repaint and some other tweaks, would bring it more into line with the very similar appearance of Sunderland 99.  For now though, the tram will continue to be used as a popular and effective member of the fleet."

LUT Fleetline 97 - now on display

Former Lancashire United Daimler Fleetline No.97 is now on display at the Greater Manchester Museum of Transport at Boyle Street. Some work has been undertaken on various electrical problems and it is pleasing to record that 97 is now available to the public to view and maybe ride on later this year (?).

LUT97 returns to Manchester

LUT 97, the second vehicle to join the collection back in 1982, has been acquired for continued preservation by the Greater Manchester Transport Society and was collected today for transfer to their Manchester based Boyle Street museum.
As part of a general thinning down of the LTT collection, LUT 97 was offered to the GMTS to allow it to be transferred to a sister charity and return to its natural habitat in the Manchester area. 97, the oldest surviving Daimler Fleetline of 1962 origin, has been stored away from the public eye for many years and the transfer of ownership will allow the vehicle to be seen again by the public and hopefully return to the road once more.

LUT 97 collected for a return back to Manchester on 1st February 2014