GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)

[DLG817]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)
All four ex Brighton and Hove - Volvo B10 / Wright Renowns have now entered service. In addition to R226HCD (mentioned in last month's report) - R219HCD has also been given the GHA (low floor) livery and began work last week. It has had a small spell working for sister company Bryn Melyn and on Sunday it worked the Snowdon Sherpa service under the safe and able control of Mr Charlie Williams and today it was working the 146 Whitchurch to Wrexham route. Here is a photo of it about to commence the short journey to Penley.

As reported by me yesterday R230HCD and R217HCD are still in their Brighton and Hove livery and commenced work on the annual 'Route 76 Real Ale Trail' on Saturday.

A number of vehicles have joined the fleet all arriving with accident / fire damage and will possibly only be used for spares:-
FE02KDX Optare Solo M920 ex Target Travel Devon - but the bus was originally new to Trent.
B19DAF DAF SB3000 / VanHool Alizee ex Adams Tours, Walsall
264CHX DAF SB3000 / VanHool Alizee ex Heritage Tours, Partridge Green, West Sussex

Leaving the fleet this week will be the two Optare Aleros - YO53OUH and YP52JWN. These two vehicles are owned by the local authority and are returning to them and it is understood they will be going for auction. They have been out of service for well over a year now and were originally utilised by GHA to operate and later be the spares for the demand responsive 'Flexi' service in Ruthin. Previous to that they were operated by Arriva for the original Deeside Shuttle services.

Vale's Metrorider R627SJM has been out of service for a few months and work has now started to return it to service.

New services are being undertaken by the company.
From last week the company have won the contract for the Monday to Friday daytime 77 - Congleton to Kidsgrove service and also the evening 38 - Crewe to Macclesfield service.
On 18th August the company will be starting a new commercial 45 Northwich to Warrington service.
I also understand that there may be further service demands in the autumn - I expect we will see some further fleet additions soon.

Ron