Preserving the Past (part 2)

AEC pair. One of the two surviving Blackpool AEC Swifts 570 poses alongside Routemaster 521 at the Blackpool Transport open day in 2010

Part one of the story (here) took us up to the PD3 era. 1969 saw the arrival of the first of 55 AEC Swifts. The first 15 (541-555) featured low driving positions, semi automatic transmission and barrel windscreens. They were withdrawn in the early 1980s with 554 taken out of use in 1981, despite being one of a handful to carry the later green and off-white livery. The following year it was purchased by Graham Oliver and rallied until sale to Wealden (dlr) in 1988. After several years in store it passed back to Graham in 1996 and onto the Lancastrian Transport Trust soon after. It ran initially in its faded green livery but regained its original allover cream in 1998. After several years in store it was sold to Gary Conn and Martin Gurr in 2013 and is expected to return to use in 2015.

The other 40 Swifts (556-595 of 1971/4) were high driving position, automatic buses with BET style windscreens. Withdrawals were spread through the 1980s until the last ceased service in February 1988. 570 was withdrawn in December 1987 and like many sisters was bought by Wealden. It was sold for further service to Blue Saloon of Guildford where it operated into the 1990s. Graham Oliver was its saviour and it was brought back to Blackpool for a repaint into its 1980s livery in 1987. Graham later passed the bus to LTT but despite another repaint in 2005 it has not seen use for several years.

The Atlantean era
64 Atlanteans followed the 55 Swifts from 1977 to 1984. Several had short lives, 301-21/35/42 were withdrawn by 1994, but most of the rest survived into the 2000s. Four are preserved.

334 of 1980 was withdrawn in May 2003 and purchased by Graham Oliver, passing to LTT in 2005. A full restoration took place in 2006/7 with the Atlantean regaining its original livery. It has been in store recently following a spell in PSV use with Classic Bus on college contracts.

Atlantean 353 in the 2010 open day line up. PD3 390 alongside was withdrawn a year after 353 joined the fleet

353 of 1982 lasted until 2008 - the oldest of its type to operate in routine service. It was bought by the Chesterfield 123 group and fully restored to its last livery first applied in the 1990s. It has visited Blackpool on a few occasions.

362 - the last bus seated example - ran from 1983 to 2006 and joined the LTT collection on withdrawal. More recently it has passed to Gary Conn and Martin Gurr and has been fully restored to the late 1980s livery. 364 - the last of all and one of two coach seated examples is still owned by Blackpool Transport but effectively preserved. It is currently in store.

The newly restored 362 at Mereside (Gary Conn)

Handybus Preservation - City Pacer 575 and Metrordier 589 at Rigby Road Depot Open Day 2010

Blackpool purchased two batches of six Routemasters in 1986 (521-6) and 1988 (527-31/3) and a 13th in 1989 (534). These ran until 1996 - though sporadically in later years and were sold onto Reading Mainline except for 534 which returned to Burton's Biscuits some time before. One was exported but the remainder remain. 521 was bought by LTT in 2003 and restored the following year. It is now considered part of the Catch 22 bus fleet. 522 is also preserved, but in its second London guise having been one of seven ex Blackpool examples purchased by Transport for London after service in Reading.
35 Optare City Pacer minibuses were bought from 1987 to 1990 and two are currently preserved. 560 of the first batch (May 1987) ran until 1995, later passing to Reading Buses. Following withdrawal it was purchased by a local enthusiast and has been stored since. 575 of August 1988 lasted until December 1999 and has been preserved since. Graham Oliver purchased it in 2000 and repainted in pseudo BT green and cream livery. It was later passed to LTT and returned to authentic Handybus Black and Yellow.

The City Pacers were followed by 31 Metroriders of which 589 is the sole preserved example. It was withdrawn in 2007 and sold for preservation locally in 2008. It is back in Handybus colours and regularly rallied.

Former Fylde Buses

Blackpool Transport took over Fylde Transport in 1994 and absorbed it fully in 1996 bringing a large fleet of mainly Leyland Atlanteans with it. Five of these - and one Delta - are preserved.

Atlantean 458 of 1970 failed to see out a year in Blackpool Transport ownership as it was withdrawn in October 1996. The following year it passed to LTT for preservation and was cosmetically restored to its original guise as Lytham 77 in 1998. Since 2000 it has been in store awaiting further restoration. 

Restored Fylde Atlantesns 45 (left) and 77 (right)

479 of 1975 operated until 2002. It was bought by LTT on withdrawal but is now privately owned for restoration as Fylde 79. Sister 471 of 1977 as Fylde 85  was refurbished in 1991 as 71 (OJI4371) it ran until 2004 and joined the LTT fleet, quickly returning to its guise as Fylde 71. It is now in private ownership.

Fylde 45 of 1984 was, like 71, amongst the last survivors of the Fylde Atlantean fleet in 2004. It was bought for preservation by the Blackpool Transport Omnibus Group and is restored as Seagull Coaches 45. 

Two former Fylde single deckers are preserved. Atlantean 137 is a 1993 rebody on a 1971 chassis and on disposal from Blackpool in 1999 passed via several owners ending up at Shamrock Poole from where it was purchased for preservation. Restoration is currently underway.

133 (Fylde 3) was the last former Fylde bus to operate in 2010 It was bought for the LTT collection but was sold on last year and is now restored to its 2001 condition post refurbishment.
Preserved 'Fleet' list

No	Reg	Chassis	Body	W/d	Preserved by	Status
7	FV9044	Leyland Tiger	Burlingham	1956	Private, Sussex	R Engineers
246	DFV146	Leyland Titan PD2	Burlingham	1967	LTT, Blackpool	AR
300	EFV300	Leyland Titan PD2	Burlingham	1969	Private, Huddersfield	UR
346	PFR346	Leyland Titan PD2	Metro Cammell	1975	LTT, Blackpool	AR
351	YFR351	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	197x	Private. Blackburn	UR
390	CFR590C	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	1983	Private, Cheshire	R 1980s
501	HFR501E	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	1985	Private, Blackpool	R 1980s
511	HFR511E	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	1988	Private, Liverpool	AR
512	HFR512E	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	1988	Private, Blackpool	R 1970s
516	HFR516E	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	1984	Private, Eastbourne	R Trainer
518	HFR518E	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	1988	Chepstow Classic	R 1960s
529	LFR529F	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	1980	LTT, Blackpool	R 1960s
540	LFR540G	Leyland Titan PD3	Metro Cammell	1988	Private, Cheshire	AR
554	PFR554H	AEC Swift	Marshall	1970	Private, Blackpool	R 1970s
570	OFR970M	AEC Swift	Marshall	1984	Private, Eastbourne	R 1980s
334	AHG334V	Leyland Atlantean	East Lancs	2003	LTT, Blackpool	R 1970s
353	UHG353Y	Leyland Atlantean	East Lancs	2008	Chesterfield 123 Gp	R 1990s
362	A362HHG	Leyland Atlanetan	East Lancs	2006	Private, Blackpool	R 1980s
364	B364UBV	Leyland Allantean	East Lancs	2009	Blackpool Transport	UR
521	583CLT	AEC Routemaster	Park Royal	1996	Catch 22 Blackpool	R 1980s
560	D560YCW	Volkswagen LT55	Optare	1995	Private, Reading	AR
575	F575RCW	Volkswagen LT55	Optare	2000	LTT, Blackpool	R 1980s
589	N589GRN	Optare Metrorider	Optare	200x	Private, Blackpool	R 1990s
133	H3FBT	DAF SB200	Optare Delta	2010	Private, Blackpool	R 1990s
137	TKU469K	Leyland Atlantean	Northern C	1999	Private, Blackpool	UR
458	ATD281J	Leyland Atlantean	Northern C	1996	LTT, Blackpool	R Lytham
471	OJI4371	Leyland Atlantean	Northern C	1996	Private, Blackpool	R Lytham
479	HRN99N	Leyland Atlantean	Northern C	1996	Private, Blackpool	R Lytham
445	NJI5505	Leyland Atlantean	Northern C	1996	BTOG, Blackpool	R Lytham

Notes:= R= Restored, UR Under restored, AR Awaiting Restoration