First Bus - Potteries

[winston]

PVR will drop from 120 to about 105. Add in a few spares and the fleet should be about 112.

There's hardly anything left of Potteries after years of endless cuts, I wouldn't be surprised to see it follow the same fate as First Borders and be sold off.

[markcf83]

PVR will drop from 120 to about 105. Add in a few spares and the fleet should be about 112.

I reckon it will be 115 allocated. 112 is too low....

[Solo1]

There's hardly anything left of Potteries after years of endless cuts, I wouldn't be surprised to see it follow the same fate as First Borders and be sold off.

if it's sold who do you think will buy it

[Solo1]

http://m.stokesentinel.co.uk/first-potteries-to-pull-out-of-longton-bus-station-to-improve-journey-times/story-30211063-detail/story.html

[DVXXII]

42894 will be transferring back to First Midland Red in mid-April along with 42892 and 42893. The Potteries fleet size will reduce by about 15/6 vehicles with service cuts due towards the end of April, so expect more disposals.

Saw 42894 in Shelton last Friday running out of service with a driver (not engineer) at the wheel so it has been fixed now presumably.

32056 disappeared again from scrap corner last week, not sure if it's gone inside again for further part removals or gone for scrap.

Saw 67639 out on Saturday sporting the new livery. No fleet names applied yet. 1st one of the E300s at Potteries to receive the new livery.

[47609FireFly]

32056 was caught by the camera, in Alpha Recovery's yard, on March 10th: https://www.flickr.com/photos/northeast_rail_photos/32978836960/sizes/h/

[DVXXII]

41502 and 53207 have joined 66964 in the corner of the garage with faults. I should imagine both will be repaired but with imminent PVR cuts, it wouldn't surprise me if soke of the ex London darts and Essex solos get withdrawn if they fail in the future

[DVXXII]

67640 is now out in the new livery, minus fleet names and branding.

Unusual working yesterday was one of the new enviros, 67157, seen on a 6A.

[cheshire exile]

67641 also was out yesterday on the 3. It too has been repainted in the new First local livery with fuchsia front. Unusually it has a large fleet number at the front at top of the nearside windscreen. Looked odd. It was in Hanley Bus Station around 4.00 pm.

[DVXXII]

41502 was noted today leaving AG. It was being moved by Mansfield Group on suspended tow. I'm not certain of the destination, but I'd expect this will turn up later today at Worcester. They seem to inherit our more challenging repair projects in recent times.

[AdamH]

41502 was noted today leaving AG. It was being moved by Mansfield Group on suspended tow. I'm not certain of the destination, but I'd expect this will turn up later today at Worcester. They seem to inherit our more challenging repair projects in recent times.

Correct, 41502 arrived at Worcester depot on tow at about lunch time today. I noted it over a pit already with part of the engine removed a few hours later.

Dart 42893 also arrived at Worcester today, but under it's own power. I believe this was exchanged for Enviro300 67647 but I can't confirm that yet.

66964 arrived at Worcester earlier in the week. I understand this is also for engine work.

[DVXXII]

Another E300, 67642, was seen today at the depot in the new livery. Didn't notice 62647 about the yard, but it could've been in one of the sheds or even out in service

[DVXXII]

42892 was seen leaving AG around lunchtime yesterday for Worcester. This is the last of the 3 ex Midland Red darts scheduled to return to Worcester depot.

[DVXXII]

All 3 recent arrivals from FMR 67647/8/9 have been out in service last week.

Since the service cuts on 24/4, all the solos remaining at Potteries seem to have been taken out of service. I visited the depot yesterday and there were 3 in the withdrawn corner all with not for use stickers displayed - 53124,53041&53207. The rest were nowhere to be seen.

Along with the 3 solos was 41520. I imagine that this is awaiting attention and not withdrawn

[markcf83]

Five former Potteries Solos are now running in South Wales after being transferred. They are 53208, 53405, 53828/29/30. I presume they were made available after recent changes.