GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)

[DLG817]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)

(16/07/2013 06:05)M60lad Wrote:  Where is the new Winsford Depot? And what services will operate from there?

I understand that it is within the Smokehall Lane Industrial Estate, which is opposite what used to be the Bacon Factory in Wharton, Winsford.

The services operated will be those currently operated from the Middlewich depot which is mainly school contracts but also involves :-
X20 Middlewich - Winsford - Cheshire Oaks.
X81 Winsford - Hanley
319 Sandbach - Twemlow Green

There may be other services currently operated from Tarvin and the Nantwich group of services may be the ones to move but this is mainly speculation on my part.

Ron

[R311 WVR]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)
1) Im wondering if the X20 Will start from Wharton now, Then go up to Winsford via Brandbury road, Crook Lane, Station Road, Instead of dead to Middlewich

2) It makes sense IMO to move there, Most of the school contracts start and finsish there anyway.

[Garsty]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)
The 101 'Shoppa Hoppa' is due to come to an end on 31st August

[DLG817]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)
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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

[DVL418]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)
An excellent update, as always Ron.

An interesting visitor to the Macclesfield outstation this summer has been Mercedes 811 TIL 7583 in full Hanmer's livery. Not seen it out and about so possibly its been the spare/reserve vehicle.

Photo HERE

[LJ51DCX]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)
Volvo Decker W465WGH had a day on the 5's a couple of Mondays ago.

There was a Wardle Transport Merc Sprinter minibus parked round the back of the depot last night so that would tie in with the Cheshire special needs contracts.

[DLG817]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)
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Some new arrivals - which would appear to be vehicles for the Winsford depot new contracts :-

EEZ2362 (X798ULG) Mercedes 411CDI / Minibus Options M16L [New to Ellesmere Port & Neston CT 2/01 acquired by Wardles 7/02, ex Arriva Wardle (1423) ]

FCZ3413 Mercedes 416CDI / Mercedes -Benz M16 [New to Sloan, Belfast 2/00 acquired by Wardles 4/05, ex Arriva Wardle (1434) ]

OEZ2159 (Y569HPK) Mercedes 411CDI / Stanford M11 [New to Surrey Council 6/01, acquired by Wardles 12/07, withdrawn 7/13, ex Arriva Wardle (1421) ]

W216JND Mercedes 312D / Concept M12L [new to Janeway, Wythenshawe 3/00, acquired by Wardles 3/02, withdrawn 7/13 ex Arriva Wardle (1321)]

Also arrived since Monday is :-

CIL312 (T963EJH) Volvo B10M-62 / Berkoff C49Ft [new in 5/1999 to Summerfield, Southampton, ex EST Cowbridge, ex GM Coaches, Cefn Cribwr]


Ron

[WidnesRuncornBus]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)
Would I be right in thinking the shoppa hoppa is still coming to a end tomorrow?

[DLG817]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)

(30/08/2013 16:10)WidnesRuncornBus Wrote:  Would I be right in thinking the shoppa hoppa is still coming to a end tomorrow?

I have not been made aware of any reprieve

We shall have to see what happens to the Solo YJ09EZK which is actually a council owned vehicle.

[WidnesRuncornBus]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)

(30/08/2013 16:43)DLG817 Wrote:  

(30/08/2013 16:10)WidnesRuncornBus Wrote:  Would I be right in thinking the shoppa hoppa is still coming to a end tomorrow?

I have not been made aware of any reprieve

We shall have to see what happens to the Solo YJ09EZK which is actually a council owned vehicle.

Thanks mate, I might try and get on it tomorrow YJ09EZK has always been one of my favorite solos.