Transdev Blazefield

[SCH117X]

Theres a cracking picture of one of the 7900Es in a very green location for a local suburban route on Flickr

The Harrogate Bus Company 801 BV18XZA

Transdev Harrogate Volvo 7900E 801 (BV18XZA) was seen with a 3 service back to Harrogate on 06/06/25

flickr.com

 

[theblackwatch]

Nice to see a picture taken in the town centre somewhere other than in the immediate vicinity of the bus station. It'd be good if more photographers found viewpoints away from the usual spots in town centres generally.

The main reason I didnt do the bus station was I knew the sun would be wrong there at that time, and perfect for where I went to. As is often the case, a few mins before the bus was due, a cloud decided to park in front of the sun, which there re-emerged around a minute after it went past!

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

The main reason I didnt do the bus station was I knew the sun would be wrong there at that time, and perfect for where I went to. As is often the case, a few mins before the bus was due, a cloud decided to park in front of the sun, which there re-emerged around a minute after it went past!

Silver lining: less glare from the windscreen. Modern buses are more difficult to photograph than those of my younger days when there was much less glazing and paint finishes tended to dull fairly quickly in traffic. At least digital imaging is almost zero cost per shot after getting the camera/phone in the first place. I don't miss chemical films.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Versas 278 and 292 have transferred from Flyer to Blackburn. 1514 now also at Harrogate, joining 1515. 1502 now in service at Flyer.

 

[MCRTransitYT]

Are the 2 versas at Blackburn for the 464 to join the other 68 plates?

 

[RustySpoons]

As per the update from Paul Turner, Transdev's Commercial Director...

For those who like to keep up day to day:
1502 is now at Idle making six of their 13 to be delivered - the other seven remain at Blackburn today. To confirm 1501-1512 are in Flyer livery 1513-1515 are in Transdev livery. 1513 will be Idle based, 1514/5 Harrogate based though this may change depending on day to day requirements at each location.
Versa wise 239, 240, 277, 278 and 292 are all stood down. 278 and 292 are currently at Blackburn where 292 at least is likely to see service.
Elsewhere Keighley 1750 has reached the end of road stood down on MOT expiry.

I'm guessing 292 was the Versa originally delivered for the 464 that was transferred to operate Flyer services, therefore one of the newer ones?

 

[SCH117X]

292 was new to Rosso; it is a 68 reg and has always carried it that plate, YJ68 FVW
In Harrogate 1514 and 1515 along with of the Merc Electrics were substituing for Volvo Electrics. Maybe those Volvos were not poorly but being used for car park shuttles at the Great Yorkshire show. Similarly a number of the Scanias were absent from schools dutys with two Geminis normally on the X98 and at least one ex Dalesway vehicle being used on Schools, the Scanias probably being used on the bus station-showground service.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Versas 215 and 243 at Flyer have been withdrawn. 1512 now in service at Flyer.

An ADL400EV demonstrator from ADL is at Harrogate, registered as AD24 ZEB, with fleet number 95, and has been in service on the 21 today.

 

[Leedsbusman]

Versas 215 and 243 at Flyer have been withdrawn. 1512 now in service at Flyer.

An ADL400EV demonstrator from ADL is at Harrogate, registered as AD24 ZEB, with fleet number 95, and has been in service on the 21 today.

This is the danger of just believing bus times! The Yutong E9 is on the 21 today which seems more believable for that route than an E400EV!

 

[YorkRailFan]

This is the danger of just believing bus times! The Yutong E9 is on the 21 today which seems more believable for that route and an E400EV!

Do you know its registration out of interest? Was thinking that a double decker on the 21 is quite extreme!

 

[MCRTransitYT]

Is it that YE74 VGO? The silver E9L

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Harrogate, Station Parade

Yutong E9L YE74 VGO on demonstration duties from Pelican Bus and Coach seen on Station Parade, Harrogate driven by Harrogate & District personnel. Tue. 08.07.25.

flic.kr

 

[theblackwatch]

Is it that YE74 VGO? The silver E9L

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Harrogate, Station Parade

Yutong E9L YE74 VGO on demonstration duties from Pelican Bus and Coach seen on Station Parade, Harrogate driven by Harrogate & District personnel. Tue. 08.07.25.

flic.kr

That is correct - seen with my own eyes earlier today! I gather it is around for about 2 weeks.

 

[duncombec]

That is correct - seen with my own eyes earlier today! I gather it is around for about 2 weeks.

It was scheduled to leave Nu-Venture (Kent) on Friday 4th, so has presumably moved direct to Transdev from them (subject to any checks Pelican undertake between demos).

 

[9143180]

2204 has just terminated at Harewood on a Leeds run and is returning to Harrogate for some juice

 

[YorkRailFan]

1505 and 1508 are in service at Flyer. Ex-Reliance B8RLE Eclipse 2 1774 has been repainted into blue York & Country livery.

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Flyer Versas 274, 275 and 276 have been withdrawn and returned to the leasing company. 1507 now also in service.

 

[SCH117X]

2204 has just terminated at Harewood on a Leeds run and is returning to Harrogate for some juice

2204 was out of action for the rest of Thursday so I doubt it was simply a case of just needing topping up, presumably at Harrogate it was showing enough charge to do a Leeds return.
On Facebook Paul Turner has confirmed the two hybrids at Harrogate have resulted in B7s 1834 and 1839 being withdrawn for scrapping. That only leaves 1837, 1837 and 1853 along with Geminis 2427 and 2428 to cover the four rostas of the remaining weeks of the X98/X99 so a couple of those being unavailable and one or both of hybrids could appear on the service they were originally ordered for.
Paul also states the repainted York vehicles, 1772 currently being tended to, will now have the finishing touches added; the delay being down to vinyling the hybrids which seems to impy they have a vinyl application team rather than leaving it the individual depots.
Gemini 2775 is to have a new version of Blackburns blue livery.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

2204 was out of action for the rest of Thursday so I doubt it was simply a case of just needing topping up, presumably at Harrogate it was showing enough charge to do a Leeds return.
On Facebook Paul Turner has confirmed the two hybrids at Harrogate have resulted in B7s 1834 and 1839 being withdrawn for scrapping. That only leaves 1837, 1837 and 1853 along with Geminis 2427 and 2428 to cover the four rostas of the remaining weeks of the X98/X99 so a couple of those being unavailable and one or both of hybrids could appear on the service they were originally ordered for.
Paul also states the repainted York vehicles, 1772 currently being tended to, will now have the finishing touches added; the delay being down to vinyling the hybrids which seems to impy they have a vinyl application team rather than leaving it the individual depots.
Gemini 2775 is to have a new version of Blackburns blue livery.

That would perhaps explain why 1834 was tracking all day yesterday on the 36: doubtless it's ticket machine has already been re-used on one of the Env400EVs. As for cover for the X98/X99 I wonder if the Omnidekkas may become involved once the schools have finished for the summer.

I also note that none of the 7900e's have tracked so far today. Is there any doubt about their long-term future use? And does the appearance of the Yutong demonstrator have any relevance to this?

 

[Leedsbusman]

That would perhaps explain why 1834 was tracking all day yesterday on the 36: doubtless it's ticket machine has already been re-used on one of the Env400EVs. As for cover for the X98/X99 I wonder if the Omnidekkas may become involved once the schools have finished for the summer.

I also note that none of the 7900e's have tracked so far today. Is there any doubt about their long-term future use? And does the appearance of the Yutong demonstrator have any relevance to this?

Probably just the lower PVR on a Saturday means there’s enough other buses. 20 singles needed on Saturday with 20 eCitaros, 2 demos, 2 hybrid Citaros can cover these. I think they need 3 extra on Monday to Friday.

 

[SCH117X]

I also note that none of the 7900e's have tracked so far today. Is there any doubt about their long-term future use? And does the appearance of the Yutong demonstrator have any relevance to this?

The Yutong is being used on the 21 - its only a 26 seater so 7 seats less than the 7900s.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Jul 2025 ==

Probably just the lower PVR on a Saturday means there’s enough other buses. 20 singles needed on Saturday with 20 eCitaros, 2 demos, 2 hybrid Citaros can cover these. I think they need 3 extra on Monday to Friday.

Including the X99 the Saturday single PVR is 22 which is accounted for by 2 B7RLEs. 16 of the 20 fleet Mercs are out along with the 2 demos and 2 hybrids.

 

[Leedsbusman]

The Yutong is being used on the 21 - its only a 26 seater so 7 seats less than the 7900s.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Jul 2025 ==


Including the X99 the Saturday single PVR is 22 which is accounted for by 2 B7RLEs. 16 of the 20 fleet Mercs are out along with the 2 demos and 2 hybrids.

Indeed - I was ignoring that for this purpose.

 

[YorkRailFan]

1503 now in service at Flyer.

 

[SCH117X]

1853 has now left Starbeck, photo on Flickr of it at Bus and Coach World, Blackburn

Transdev 1853

The Harrogate Bus Company Wrightbus Eclipse 2 bodied Volvo B7RLE, 1853 FJ58 LSL

flickr.com

 

[LucyP]

Has 1853 gone for scrap. It was overheating on the 15:05 service from Wetherby. It left Wetherby late and the driver was told to stop and turn it off, every time the warning light and message came on. (Exactly the same thing happened with H14 ESU 2 weeks ago on the same service, again on a Friday. It must be jinxed!)

The driver stopped the bus at Scarcroft, then limped it to just before the Ring Road. Then at the Ring Road roundabout, then he managed to limp it into Leeds, arriving about 25 minutes late. The X98 that should have been the next service had been cancelled, so there would have been a long wait for another bus, had it failed before the junction of Easterly Road and Wetherby Road or prior to Oakwood Clock, as there are no other services.

There are regular breakdowns now, as the RLE's are life expired, so it is to be hoped that some of the school buses can be used to improve the reliability of the service.

Linton Bridge and the approach road from the Collingham side is closing after next week for 6 weeks, and there will be a shuttle service from Linton Village Hall into Wetherby, so next week is the last time the X99 will be operated by HBC over it's full route.

 

[M60lad]

Not to sure why but a rather odd working saw E400 2814 allocated to Irwell Line 481/483s yesterday (Both interwork at Bury on Sundays) first time in a while I've known a E400 to be allocated to the routes, whether something had failed during the morning run out I'm not to sure, not to sure why E400 was allocated rather than a MMC400.

 

[YorkRailFan]

1501 now in service at Flyer.

 

[Leedsbusman]

Not to sure why but a rather odd working saw E400 2814 allocated to Irwell Line 481/483s yesterday (Both interwork at Bury on Sundays) first time in a while I've known a E400 to be allocated to the routes, whether something had failed during the morning run out I'm not to sure, not to sure why E400 was allocated rather than a MMC400.

Did you see it yourself? Or is this another ‘bus times is gospel’ post.

2814 hasn’t been out for two weeks, yet appears oddly on a Sunday and the again today on a route usually run by single decks. One of which (1762) hasn’t tracked since Saturday. Could it possibly be a ticket machine swap with the new number not programmed?

 

[SCH117X]

Both the "Dalesway" B9s that were on loan to Harrogate last week were returned to Keighley yesterday which lead to the unsual sight of Merc 1001 at Keighley bus station acting as a staff shuttle.
If Bustimes is correct no 7900s are in use today ; 4 Merc electrics and the two hybrids covering the daytime duties on the 2 3 4 and 6. One Merc electric worked the morning peak duty and should work the evening peak but could get swopped. The ability not to have to use the 7900s, aside from the hybrids and demos, is down to the 20 Mercs being proposed when the 7 was half hourly and no reduction in numbers as a consquence of the 7 being hourly for most of the day.

 

[390029]

Did you see it yourself? Or is this another ‘bus times is gospel’ post.

2814 hasn’t been out for two weeks, yet appears oddly on a Sunday and the again today on a route usually run by single decks. One of which (1762) hasn’t tracked since Saturday. Could it possibly be a ticket machine swap with the new number not programmed?

Its actually 1762 using 2814 ticket machine

 

[YorkRailFan]

1513 has entered service at Flyer, like 1514/15 at Harrogate, it wears a generic Transdev livery.

 

[swinny1990]

1853 has now left Starbeck, photo on Flickr of it at Bus and Coach World, Blackburn

Transdev 1853

The Harrogate Bus Company Wrightbus Eclipse 2 bodied Volvo B7RLE, 1853 FJ58 LSL

flickr.com

What livery is that going into