Page 27 - MBF Supplement Demo

Enviros were sourced from Plaxtons at North Anston as dealer stock and came with Euro 6 spec Cummins engines but with the old style body. The contracts division was also to get a new arrival in the shape of an ADL Enviro 500 MMC as 907 (YM17JMY).
a form of propulsion system other than diesel.
With the very large investment by this company in new vehicles, some of the company's shareholders became outraged and demanded a meeting to see why the fleet appeared to be expanding rather than contracting, as they had been campaigning for some time for a reduction in the size of the fleet. The works committee and management replied that everyone has been on board with trimming everything that could be done over the last couple of years and as of the last few months profits and passenger numbers had increased showing that things are on course. With that in mind, it was proposed that the bus fleet is not reduced any further and that the proposed final phase of major route changes has no need to be implemented, as reducing the fleet by two thirds (as was proposed at one time) would seriously harm the company's operations and lead to a big increase in competition which the company would then not be in a position to combat. A vote was called for and accepted, thus the company will stay and operate the way it has done for the last few years.
What was mentioned at the meeting was what to do with the contracts fleet which has been so successful over the last twenty years as it provides all the vehicles for the important park and ride, school contracts, private hires and rail replacement services. However, half the fleet is now approaching fifteen years of age. Replacements could be a major problem as most are large capacity tri-axle double deckers, withthe rest being articulated buses. As artics seem to be out of favour in Britain now, no new ones are expected to be available and with over half the double deck fleet made up of Neoplan Centroliners the replacement of this type of vehicle will be at an astronomical cost at today's prices. This is all something that will have to be dealt with in the future.
Now that the bus fleet size has been agreed, the next investment will have to be the fare collection system as the present Wayfarer 3 ticket machines are now
Wardonian’s newest double deck seen in the B & Q car park alongside a Bustech CDI.
WBL's Wright Streetdeck just exiting Higg Lane Depot.
No new coaches were received by the coaching division, but Scania Van Hool T9 702 and Scania Iriza PB 730 were delicensed with accident damage received during the very icy conditions in January.
Converted to driver trainers during February were ex 11 East Lancs Volvo B7TL, ex 56 DAF DB250LF Plaxton President and ex 67 Dennis Trident Transbus ALX 400, now numbered DT11-3 respectively and repainted into the training fleet grey livery, whilst at the same time Transbus MPD 259/0 became staff transfer vehicles and appeared in a blue livery.
During early January, a blue coloured Wright Streetlite Max was noted parked inside the Higg Lane depot with very severe nearside accident damage. Speculation was that it had been recovered for another company but by February it was under repair in the body department with no further report by the company. One guesses that it may be joining the fleet. Alongside it was one of the stored second hand open top Plaxton Presidents which appeared to be going through a major overhaul; by early March it was noted on tow through Sheffield in an all over yellow livery leading observers to think this may be on its way to the Mag-Tek premises for conversion to
WBL’s BMC Falcon and Condor at rest outside the Ridge View depot.
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