Since the last blog update there have been yet more contract changes resulting in further buses being hired in with some operators, due to the unexpected decision by Supertravel/Homes Hames Travel to end all of its stage services with immediate effect from 13/10/2011.

Emergency contracts were let to various operators for the services previously operated by Supertravel, in brief, route 106 is now with A2B Travel, routes 112/3, 138/9, 181 & 197 are now with Avon Buses, routes 130, 154/5, 210, 241 amp; 250 are now with Cumfybus, 155 & 256 are now with Warrington Coachways, 211 & 877 are now with ACE Travel and finally route 200 is now with Ashcrofts Travel. Full details of services are on the Merseytravel Website.

My final trip with Supertravel (and the only one I made since they ended route 174) was on the 02/10/2011 when I rode MAN 14.240/Plaxton Centro 006 MX59 KUE on route 130.

I was pleased to ride this that day as I’ve never previously managed to ride this route or get a photo of one of their Plaxton Centros and as we now know it was within the final few weeks of Supertravel running. I hope all those involved in Supertravel do find new employment soon as I travelled with Supertravel many times over the years, mainly on route 224 and lots of the drivers, including the one driving that route 130, were very friendly and giving a good impression of the company and bus travel in general.

Going back through my archives, one of my favourite Supertravel buses was Y185 KNB, one of their pair of Alexander ALX200 bodied Dart SLFs. I rode this quite a few times but it was when it was brand new running route 224, as seen in the following photograph, I really began to like them!

I’ve always found the ALX200 body one of the better looking Dart SLF bodies (I’m glad the current Enviro200 body is largely based on it!) and with these two having bonded glazing they were just that bit better!

Amongst the buses hired in by operators to cover routes previously operated, A2B Travel have hired in Optar Solo M990 KX04 HPP (Is this the first of this length to operate on Merseyside?) and EBL Plasma EB03/Plaxton Primo KX08 HMA, both of which are on loan from Dawson’s Rentals. These two apparently usually operated route 901 (Leasowe station – Moreton) so some of their existing fleet must be covering route 106. I hopefully will be able to photograph and ride these two quite soon!

HTL Buses continue to acquire more buses for loan from Dawson’s Rentals too, the latest example being Alexander Dennis Dart SLF 10.7M/Alexander Dennis Pointer 2 KX05 KFD which is currently being used on the Garston Circulars. From the information given last time, the 58 reg Enviro200, KX58 GVA has yet to arrive, however in its place for now similar Enviro200 KX07 KOH is running with HTL. It is expected that KX58 GVA will arrive in the next few days! HTL are also expecting some more Optare Solo M710SEs next month (3 I believe), along with 2 Optare Solo M880 in December and a further 4 Optare Solo M710SE in February! Full details of these will be posted as soon as they are available.
Thanks to HTL for this info and to QuackDave for help with the reg of the KX58 GVA!

Of the 59 reg Enviro200Darts on loan to cover route 173/4, KX59 CYV/W/Y/Z have all have been noted in service, however they aren’t all quite identical. As noted last time, KX59 CVW has a ‘plain’ interior with a largely laminate ceiling with strip lights added in, where as another I rode, KX59 CYV has a ‘normal’ Enviro200 interior as show below!

Finally with HTL Buses, Optare Solo M880 YJ10 EYR is now on loan to them for two weeks from Optare as a demonstrator. This is the same silver Solo that was previously with Peoplesbus and with HTL again before then and is available as Peoplesbus’s Optare Tempo V1 BUS has now returned to them having been on loan to TransDev Lancashire United!

Eazibus has reportedly sold MAN engined Optare Solo M880SL MX57 CCY to A2B Travel and so route 165 (Belle Vale Circular) that was previously operated by this and similar MX09 AOC now usually has the one Solo and any of Eazibus’s Enviro200Darts on it.

Eazibus have now apparently closed their Wirral depot, with the entire fleet now at its Liverpool base.

Deliveries of VDL DB300/Wright Gemini 2′s continue to Arriva Speke depot, amongst the latest delivered being 4442 MX61 AYU as seen in this photograph, kindly submitted by forum member DF57 OXF.

Finally another operator with two new ADL Enviro200Darts is Hatton’s Travel who have taken delivery of MX61 KOD & MX61 KOE of which the latter was seen parked up between duties in Prescot last week.

One of these is usually on route 99 (Whiston Circular) while the other can be seen on any other Hattons Travel route.

To see more of my photos from this week along with many other recent ones I have uploaded please view my Flickr page!