30 Years of Blackpool Transport

332 on a test run prior to return to service (Photos: Mark Penney)

On 20 October 1986 Blackpool Transport Services Ltd started trading on the Monday prior to deregulation. Part of the Transport Act 1985 which led to deregulation, local authorities who ran bus companies needed to set up 'arms length' companies to take over the operation and provide a degree of separation from the council. This led to most being privatised, or closed, but Blackpool Transport survives today as one of small handful still in council ownership. The company is 100% owned by Blackpool Council, and indeed in 1994 bought out Keeltone Ltd - the holding company of the then newly privatised Fylde Transport Ltd and thus brought it into a different council ownership! The previous year a bid for Lancaster City Transport had failed.

To celebrate their birthday, BTS has outshopped Trident 332 in the 1987 double deck livery introduced on Atlantean 316 and Olympians 365-7 in March 1987. This complements Volvo B7RLE in the 1990 Delta livery.

332 has entered service this morning on service 2C.

332 nearing completion in the paint shop

332 nearing completion in the paint shop

Fully lettered including a commemorative logo in the side window

Test run on Clifton Drive