Route History

[Gillmoss 0324]

RE: Route History
The 30's were an odd route which seemed to come/go a few times after de-reg.

Historically the 30 like the 26/27 was one of the routes MPTE experimented with Autofare exact fare equipment in the early 80's which must've got abandoned pre de-reg.

I didn't know Merseybus had a go on it in the late 80's must've have been a route they commercialised after the demise of Crosville, must have been gone by late 88/89 as I can't remember Walton running a 30 service before they closed that June.

Blue Triangle had a go on the 30's in the early 90's with a varied fleet which used amongst over things their reacquired ex-MPTE/Manx 'Jumbo' Atlantean's alongside new K-Reg Pointer Dart's.

When they were acquired by MTL in 94 Mersey Rider ran the 30 for a few months before it went over to Fareway who interworked it with the F3 and that arrangement continued when MTL closed Fareway in 97 and merged it into Gillmoss.

Not sure when these 30's got withdrawn but I know they were still running by the late 90's so I've got the feeling they survived up to MTL's takeover by Arriva could be wrong.

Ace Travel brought the 30 back in the mid 2000's for a couple of years, running via Netherfield Road and mainly using Optare Solo's. Again not 100% but didn't they have the Merseytravel contract for the 130's back then too?

Speaking of the 130 that's had a fair few operators in it's time too. I didn't know it was one of the Crosville routes they operated for Merseytravel after de-reg, but Merseybus (GL), Fareway, CMT Buses, Supertravel, Cumfybus and a fair few others probably have all had a go on there over the years too until it disappeared a few years ago. I suppose Fareway buses must've been a weird sight in Dingle especially when they had the pre-MTL yellow/blue livery too.