Mega Lucky Friday The Thirteenth

Today i was heading out towards Watford Gap for some lorry/coach photographing, but decided to make a stop off at Van Hool in Wellingborough, as it was more-or-less on the way, kind of.....

We was lucky enough to be granted permission to have a wander round and photograph the vehicles in, and we was greeting by 9 brand new T927 Astromgea`s for Stagecoach Cwmbran (South Wales/Red & White)

CN61FAA/FAJ/FAK/FAM/FAO/FAU/FBA

Plus one not yet registered, and one inside the shed having livery applied.

Also there was a new VDL/T915 Alicon for Bibby, Ingleton named 'Dales Nemesis', a Volvo B9R T915 Alicon for Aberfeldy Motor Services Fleet Number 47, and a T917 Altano [Glass Roof] Coach for Leon, Stafford given Fleet Number 201.

4 Plain White Coaches were also present, one T916 Tri-Axle one normal T9 Tri-Axle and 2 T917 Astron Tri-Axle, suspect that all these are destined for National Express, but this is unconfirmed.

Thanks to the guys at Van Hool for letting us round today. I can only hope your Friday the 13th was just as luck as ours was!!

PS- The good luck continued, two Nice Volvo B9R Plaxton Two`s were seen on the M1, and some great new Stobart numbers at Crick, not forgetting wall to wall sunshine. A very grand day out.

Fresh Linc New DAFs

Spalding based Chilled & Frozen haulier Fresh Linc Distribution have been taking on a batch of 20 brand new DAF XF105 Tractor Units, booted up with 460 horses.

These vehicles make the hauliers first new deliveries in a year, and are operating out of Spalding Depot, replacing 4/5 Year old Scania R440 Tractor units, which have been returned to the dealer for sale on the second hand market.

08- Registered MAN TG-Xs formerly operated by the haulier have already left, with the majority of them being snapped up by March based QV Foods (Formerly MBM Produce).

More DAF XFs are expected to arrive soon, but it remains to be seen if these will be 61 registered or held back until the 12 series comes out in March.

Photos below show one of the neww DAF XFs and one of the older Scanias the DAF is expected to be replacing. Both remain the copyright of Robert Brooks.

Cambridge City Sightseeing

Stagecoach Cambridge is upgrading its City Sightseeing (What there is to see in Cambridge of interest however is beyond me) fleet from 5 Volvo Olympian to Dennis Trident ALX400 (Low Floor) buses.

The first two of these to go topless was 17078/9 - T678/9KPU which were originally the spare general use busses, but were recently deemed surplus following cuts over the summer, and it was decided to cut them. The conversions were done at Lincoln Depot.

Following Stagecoach re-entering the London Bus market, 4 more ALX400 Tridents have been cascaded over to Cambridge:
17099-V473KJN
17274-X376NNO
17275-X377NNO
17276-X276NNO

The 3 X-Reg ones are up with Newcastle for conversion, and 17099 remains at Cambridge, having arrived as a former driver trainer with Selkent, and was very recently given an MOT, but however its future plans are unknown, as the City Sightseeing only has a PVR of 4 buses, having 6 would seem a bit excessive.

Photo of 17099 sat at Cowley Road following its MOT can be seen here: Photo Copyrighted to The Ginger Ninja. Its also to him i thank for some additional information for this post.