Fifteen years since the sale of MTL to Arriva

[Gillmoss 0324]

RE: Fifteen years since the sale of MTL to Arriva

(12/03/2015 06:08)MPTE1955 Wrote:  Mtl also ordered the X-ANC darts as well, arriva decided to honour the order on takeover.

(12/03/2015 07:17)MX12CFE Wrote:  Were the X-OBN Alexander bodied darts an MTL order too or were they ordered by Arriva? Thanks.

Not 100% sure but weren't these Dart's were an Arriva order rather than something MTL (chasis) had on order and Arriva kept on?

I do know/what other's have mentioned that the Wright Renown's (2701-30) were something MTL had ordered before selling to Arriva and got built to Arriva spec like the Renown's Arriva ordered for its Shires, Scotland West and North East subsidiaries. Not sure which route or garage MTL would've put them into or if they'd have been in the 6*** series but IIRC hasn't someone on the forum said they were going to be for the 79's/Speke and the Marshall's were just stop gaps for them?

(11/03/2015 22:39)Bevan Price Wrote:  But don't forget - it was MTL that ordered the Marshall Darts for use on the 79.....

Very true and I think more Marshall Dart's would've come in if MTL had at least survived in 2000/01. Marshall also would have snatched MTL's arm off for another big order although as shown they'd have not lasted anywhere near as long as Renowns and other 12m have from that period. I think generally even the big groups switched to Dart's for single deck work even if a 12m heavyweight would be much more appropriate for high frequency city work due to cost and profit. MTL could've gone with the 'super' chasis like Halton which would at +41 seats been a better bet for Liverpool routes although my hunch is they'd have been the more bog standard 10.8m ones. I also find it a mystery why the Wright Commander and the original Enviro 300 wasn't more popular with Arriva NW in the 2001-07 period. I know Mr BHind prefered single decks but these IMHO were much better and more suitable for the Liverpool network than Dart's and Cadet's ever were which usually had standing loads/couldn't cope on well used services and we didn't really see a change in prefernce until 2006 and more so in 2008 when Pulsar's started coming in.

Hopefully in Arriva at least now we're getting the right sized vehicles on the right routes in the region.