Page 4 - MBF Supplement Demo

L194 & RML2273/301 have been painted in special liveries to celebrate next year's 30th birthday of Angus & District. Tri-axle Trolleybuses MTB18/21 have both undergone some work, having been converted to diesel engines and shortened to 2 axle. MTB18 is renumbered to MLD2 with new seating capacity of H76D and also re-registered to OUC1R, whilst MTB21 is renumbered as MLD1 with new seating layout of H78D.
Museum Fleet
Additions to the museum collection are, A17 (GX5323) AEC Renown O663/ Chiswick O56R (painted in green & cream and to be used to provide 'mystery vintage' tours on fine weather days); A18 (GP3472) AEC Renown O663/ Chiswick H56R (in London Transport livery); RG5 (DSA114) AEC Regal mk3/ Brush B35F (in Alexander's Northern livery); RT28 (GK5405) AEC Regent O661/ Short H48R (London Transport green livery); and RT29 (GX5317) AEC Regent O661/ Chiswick Bluebird H52R (also in LT green). A18 & RT28-9 have all gone to ADT Chalk Farm Buses for use on heritage service 24H.
Birthday
Next year (2018) sees the 30th birthday of the Angus & District Traction Co Ltd. A&D is of course the parent operation of today's ADT Travel Group. A number of vehicles have, or are being, prepared in special liveries. A full list of the vehicles concerned will appear when all have been completed. News will also be given in forthcoming editions of the Supplement of what will also be happening during the year to celebrate the birthday, which will include a big bus rally during the summer/autumn of 2018. Watch this space.
ABERDEEN GENERAL
Two new services introduced here are the 12 (Peterculter - City - Northfield) and U2 (Middleton Park - University - City - Garthdee).
ADT HIGHLANDER
Changes in the Fortrose/Cromarty areas have seen the 220 cut back to Fortrose - Inverness, but with the addition of other journeys as follows: 220A (Cromarty - Jemimaville - Inverness Retail Park), 220B (Cromarty - Fortrose - Inverness - Croy), 220C (Inverness - Fortrose - Cromarty) and 220D (Cromarty - Jemimaville - Inverness Bus Stn).
Two new services in the area are 235 (Fortrose - North Kessock) and 236 (Fortrose - Canon Bridge - Dingwall). Other changes within the Highland area are a complete withdrawal from the Isle of Bute; the company had not realized when those services were started that there were already two other operators on the island and it was felt there was not enough work for three operators. However, operations have
now resumed on the Isle of Lewis after a number of year's absence with a network of 30 services. Not all are operated daily and some have just one journey a day. The network requires a PVR of 26 buses.
A shortfall of vehicles has seen the loan from C&R Buses of 10 Leyland Nationals. A primary depot has been set up at Stornoway, but due to the nature of some routes around a third are parked up at outstations, some of which are literally at the side of drivers homes!
ANGUS & DISTRICT DUNDEE
Trolleybus services 12, 14 & 16 have all been converted to Boristrolley operation. The 15 will be the next so converted and should clear out the last of the trolleys that have been on long term loan from C&R Buses. Those services not converted will remain in the hands of other modern trolleys.
Some new buses to enter service are ADL Enviro 400H City, 21 (BP17FKB); Optare Solo SE, 69 (BE17LSO) (see cover photo); and ADL Enviro 400, 8 (BF14DNU). The Solo SE is for rural route 3A (Balsall Common via Barston) and is branded for the Villagebus service. This allows the Sprinter minibus to remain all week now at Lodge Lane garage covering the Villagebus service number 42 there.
Arden Forest
Paul Ellender - Solihull, Warwickshire & W Midlands
Supplement Fleet Operator of the Year 2016/7
21 (BP17 FKB), a new ADL Envirto 400H City.
8 (BF14 DNU), an ADL Enviro 400.
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