Eldorado News

LATEST:
December
2019

A further Mercedes Citaro allocated to Eldorado by the local Council for the 757 route is 239 (DF12 GJV), a later styled model to the two already here, and B39F rather than the B52F of the first two
 

September
2019

New are 201-4 (YL69 PGT/U/V/W), Scania K250UBs with Gemilang bodies. 201-3 are B32D, and carry Park & Ride branding. 204 is B36F and is branded for the X7 Kirton-Sheffield-Wardfield service (Photo).

301 (MF17 NTY) is a further LTI TX4 taxi for use as a tour feeder.

An acquisition for the small fleet of preserved / heritage Engineering Department vehicles is E12 (KN 1879), a 1948 Leyland Titan PD2/1 with a Weymann-based cut-down body with crane. The vehicle was acquired at auction, and details of its origins and history are non-existent! The Kirton registration was taken from a derelict car to give it an air of Eldorado authenticity, and it has been repainted in Eldorado’s earlier maroon.

A surprising addition to the list of preserved vehicles is 85 (FKN 885), a 1954 Leyland Tiger Cub PSUC1/1 with Saro B44F bodywork. This vehicle was acquired with the takeover of the Enterprise fleet in 1967, but was never put into the Eldorado fleet as it had sustained accident damage. It was sold on to a preservationist, who put it into safe storage, but didn’t do anything else with it. Following his death a few years ago, it was donated back to Eldorado, and has since undergone a full restoration. The fleet number has been chosen solely to match the registration number (the original 85 was an Alexander bodied Atlantean, coincidentally also one of the vehicles taken over with the Enterprise fleet), and like other similar preserved vehicles, has 1000 added to the fleet number (i.e. 1085) for administrative purposes, to distinguish them from any current vehicles that may be carrying the same fleet number.
 

April
2019

A new coach is 13 (YL19 ELD), another Scania K410EB6 with Higer Touring C59Ft body similar to the one delivered at the same time last year.

In a move to avoid having to hire in specialist cranes for certain heavy recovery incidents, the following have been acquired as a result of the closure of a recovery company in the North East of England:
E24 (ND09 REC), a 2009 Liebherr LTM 1400-7.1; E25 (NH62 REC), a 2012 Scania P340CB6x4EHB / Liebherr LTF 1035-3.1; E26 (ND63 REC) Ford Transit LWB Transit Van and E27 (NA13 REC) Ford Transit SWB Transit Van equipped as escort vehicles, both dating from 2013 (Photo).
 

February
2019

316 (DC14 RSD) is a further Renault Trafic minibus with wheelchair ramp, whilst E23 (DF63 SYH) is a similar van for the Engineering Dept.  Both date from 2014.
 

October
2018
New vehicles acquired specifically to convert route X16 (Kirton to Manchester via Ringway Airport) to double deck operation, are 124/5 (YR68 PPH/J), Scania N280UD / ADL Enviro 400MMC H43/26F (Photo).

Vehicles withdrawn are 106 (DD54 TLN), a 2004 Scania N94UD / East Lancs OmniDekka H45/29D, and 207/8 (DC02 RHY/Z), Scania L94UB / Wright Axcess Floline B44F dating from 2002.
 

September
2018
New are 14/5 (YM/YN68 ELD), Scania K360IBs with Marcopolo Audace C45FLt bodywork.
June
2018
Second-hand additions for the private hire fleet are 46/7 (YS62YZM/N) Scania K360EB / Irizar PB 12-3.5 C49FLt. The wheelchair lifts were fitted after acquisition and before repainting into Eldorado livery. Note that if the wheelchair lift needs to be deployed, this necessitates the removal of two pairs of seats on the nearside, so that these become 45-seaters. A third pair can be removed to allow two wheelchairs to be carried.

Another unusual acquisition for the recovery fleet is E22 (UWY332V), an ex-RAF Carmichael Commando 6x4 with Gloster Saro TACR2 body dating from 1980.  It originally had an RAF registration. The rear of the bodywork has been slightly modified by the removal of the specialist fire-fighting gear to facilitate the carrying of the necessary tools and equipment for its role as a recovery assistance vehicle.

Withdrawn are 3 (DB04ELD), a Scania K124EB / Irizar Century 12.37 C49Ft, 15 (W15ELD) Scania K124IB / Plaxton Premiere C47Ft, and 105 (A5ELD), a Scania K94UB6X2/4 / Volgren H59/31D, built in 2000 and acquired in 2005, which was taken out of service on its return from assisting Crossways at the Cheltenham Festival.

April
2018

A new arrival is 12 (YO18 ELD), a 13.7m Scania Touring, or to give it it’s full description, a Scania K410EB6 with Higer C59Ft body (Photo).

A second-hand acquisition for the Recovery side of the business is E14, a 2004 Scania T164GA6X4R580 tractor unit (Photo). It was acquired unregistered, as it carried a cherished plate which its previous owner has retained, and has been given the registration W14 ELD, previously carried by coach 14, a Plaxton bodied K124 withdrawn in 2010. Although intended as a working vehicle, it has been restored to a high standard and will appear at shows and rallies too.