Archway Travel's new 83 seater School Buses

Recently repainted ex-Lothian SN09CVD returning from an afternoon school run on 13th May

Archway Travel of Fleetwood took delivery of four ex-Lothian (Edinburgh) Volvo B9TLs with 11.4m Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodywork in February. The recently acquired buses are SN09CVD, SN59BGF, SN59BGV & SN59BHA, and Archway claim that these 83 seaters will be the largest capacity vehicles on the Fylde Coast. The Volvos were received in Lothian Buses traditional madder and white livery, which dates back to the days of Edinburgh Corporation Transport, and were pressed into service straight away, rather than waiting for them to be repainted into Archway's colours. The first bus of the four to be repainted in the red and yellow school bus livery was SN09CVD, and this has recently been noted in service operating local school contracts.

Former Lothian SN59BGF in Cleveleys on an afternoon school contract on 25th March

Former Lothian SN09CVD parked up after a days work in the yard of Archway Travel at Fleetwood

Twin door 10.6m Wright Eclipse Gemini LJ03MLZ on 13th May, new to Arriva London North in 2003 as VLW182

Former Blackpool Transport Dennis Trident 319 (PN04XDE) heading out for an afternoon school run on 11th May

W757DWX, a Volvo B7TL with Alexander body, new to Yorkshire Rider, leaving Archway's yard on 5th March

Former Stagecoach Scotland Volvo East Lancs ST52NTU on a morning school run on Bourne Way in Thornton

Ex Metroline London Volvo B7TL Plaxton President X635LLX on Fleetwood Road North in Thornton

Queen's Platinum Jubilee Flexity

Platinum Jubilee Flexity 010 at Fleetwood Ferry on the afternoon of 10th May

In addition to the two buses that are already wearing purple stripes to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee year, Blackpool Transport have also given Flexity 010 the purple treatment too. Sadly an opportunity has been missed to give the tram an imaginatively designed overall vinyl wrap, instead the two end sections of the Flexity simply have a purple banner along the roof with text on, and the centre section is purple with more text and a crown logo. What's worse is that a Flexity has been used with cabs ends that have faded from their original purple into a drab shade of plum.

Flexity 010 heading north on Lord Street in Fleetwood on 10th May

The centre section of Flexity 010 with a simple crown logo applied

Arriva Southport 4579, showing what can be achieved with a bit of creative flair