Happy New Year
from the Focus Team
Link to the main Focus Transport site here
Link to Focus Flickr
here
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Looking back at my 2012 photos I've realised that the Volvo B10M has disappeared from the local Stagecoach fleet and I didn't realise how early in 2012 it went out of service.
The last time I photographed one in service was on 8th January 2012 with another of the type captured on route learning operations on 17th January.
The bus version of the B10M has faithfully served Stagecoach and many other major operators over a period of many years and it seems sad that it has now largely disappeared from frontline service. A few still live on but the step entrance design means that it must soon disappear completely from our streets.
Indeed Stagecoach are now even withdrawing examples of low floor vehicles from the north east fleet in the shape of Volvo B10BLE with Alexander ALX 300 bodywork, a type that still looks up to date today. Some of them are advertised on the Ensign website here
Another workhorse that no longer frequents our streets in this part of the world is the step entrance versions of the Dennis Dart, this vehicle lasting slightly longer during the year than the B10M but now sadly disappeared.
If you have any pictures or memories of the bus version of the B10M or the step entrance Dennis Darts please send them to focustransport2011@gmail.com and we will consider them for publication.
In the meantime keep an eye on the local bus scene in your area, it is ever changing and vehicle types soon disappear before we notice. What will disappear during 2013?
Link to Focus Flickr
here
.png)
Looking back at my 2012 photos I've realised that the Volvo B10M has disappeared from the local Stagecoach fleet and I didn't realise how early in 2012 it went out of service.
The last time I photographed one in service was on 8th January 2012 with another of the type captured on route learning operations on 17th January.
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| 8/01/12 Travelling on John Dobson Street, Newcastle 20257 R557 RPY on route 33 |
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| Seen in Darras Hall on 17/01/12 this would be one of the last duties for 20292 M402 SPY. |
Indeed Stagecoach are now even withdrawing examples of low floor vehicles from the north east fleet in the shape of Volvo B10BLE with Alexander ALX 300 bodywork, a type that still looks up to date today. Some of them are advertised on the Ensign website here
Another workhorse that no longer frequents our streets in this part of the world is the step entrance versions of the Dennis Dart, this vehicle lasting slightly longer during the year than the B10M but now sadly disappeared.
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| 17th July 2012 Step entrance Dennis Dart 32786 P786 WVK trundles around the streets of Newcastle on a bright summer day (we didn't have many of those during 2012) The step entrance Darts were displaced soon after by later low floor versions. |
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| Stagecoach Volvo B10BLE R255 KRG seen on route X63 on 3/08/12. These vehicles are in the process of being withdrawn and sold to dealers. They were kept in reserve for use during the Olympic year but are now surplus to requirements. Being early low floor vehicles they should be in demand by other operators. |
In the meantime keep an eye on the local bus scene in your area, it is ever changing and vehicle types soon disappear before we notice. What will disappear during 2013?
David Gambles
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