GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)

[DLG817]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)
.
The latest arrival is ex Arriva (Kent and Sussex - 1509) Optare T407BNV still in its Arriva livery. Not clear if for spares or whether it will be prepared for service. PHOTO

B10PTL the ex Premier Solo M920 is now ready for service. PHOTO

There have been a number of livery changes - GO54BCL - Volvo B12B / Caetano Enigma is now in GHA (silver) - it is still being prepared for service. YJ04BVC - the ex Swansea City SB120 / Wright Cadet which has been with GHA since April 2012 is now in GHA (low floor) and hopefully after further work will soon see service. PHOTO The Ford Transit CW03XBD has also been painted into GHA livery - as is appropriate for such a vehicle the silver livery.

VBW846 - Volvo B12M / Jonckheere Mistral - (ex FL02ZXR) is being prepared for a repaint and ex Dobsons J935CYK is also to be repainted soon.

Volvo B10M / Van Hool Alizee - IIL3506 has been retired.

Ex R S Travel Dennis Javelin / Duple 320 - RIL9160 (E321FPE) is currently on sale via e-Bay - it may be of interest to preserve as it was one of the first production Javelins and was originally a demonstrator for Dennis. PHOTO

The transfer of operations from Middlewich to the new depot in Winsford has now been completed. The facilities there will enable a number of vehicles to be maintained and there are also modern facilities for staff. The depot is situated within a large complex of warehouses and other units and sits behind a managed security system.

The company appear to have won a number of Council contracts to transport special needs children to and from schools in the East Cheshire area. It appears the vehicles to be used will be minibuses and will have wheelchair lifts. I am aware that recruitment has started for extra drivers and also attendants. A dedicated 'controller' is also being recruited to manage this contract. No news to date or sign of the vehicles to be involved. I understand they will be based at the new Winsford depot.

The timetable of the X52 has changed in that the frequency from Denbigh to Rhyl has been increased to 30 minutes - (in competition with Arriva). The diagrams to work this are quite interesting and have meant that in general vehicles are leaving Wrexham to Corwen as a '5' then change to the 'X5' to Ruthin where there is a lay over for 40 minutes or so then they work the 'X52' from Ruthin to Rhyl and after a lay over at the promeade terminus it works the return journey to Ruthin and immediately then works the 'X5' to Corwen and the '5' back to Wrexham. They then work a '5' back and forth to Llangollen and then start the process again on a '5' to Corwen.

During the school holidays there have been a few interesting vehicles on the X50/X52 diagram in that a couple of 'President' deckers have been used namely W471BCW which is of course liveried for this service but also newly into service W465WGH has been used. The latter 'President' is likely to join fellow 'President' W469BCW at Tarvin in the new school term to work the 82 Chester to Northwich which require extra capacity at peak periods.


I trust no one objects to me announcing my website where I maintain an up to date fleetlist of the GHA Group together with my version of the history of the group [The GHA Story - so far] as well as copies of my monthly 'blogs'. The link to the site is http://gha-enthusiast.yolasite.com/

Ron