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==Fleet==
==Fleet==
[[File:S1 Sherpa Service at Pen-y-Pass - geograph.org.uk - 2510548.jpg|thumb|right|A Padarn Bus [[Optare Versa]] operating route S1]]
The fleet consists of 40 vehicles, 26 of which came from KMP and ten from the original Padarn fleet. The bus fleet operating regular services consists of fourteen [[Dennis Dart]]s (with bodies from three builders), two [[Mercedes-Benz Vario]]s (bearing Derry City Registrations), two [[Mercedes-Benz T2|Mercedes-Benz 811D]]s, four [[Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart]]s, six [[Optare Solo]]s, an [[Optare Versa]], one [[Wright StreetLite]] and two [[Volvo B6BLE]]s. The coach fleet consists of four [[Volvo B10M]]s, a [[Neoplan Cityliner]] and a [[Mercedes-Benz Vario]] (also bearing a Derry City Registration).<ref name=List>[http://www.padarnbus.co.uk/Fleet_lists.html Padarn Bus Co. Fleet List]</ref>
The current fleet consists of 49 vehicles. The bus fleet operating regular services consists of seventeen [[Dennis Dart]]s , several of which are low floor, two [[Mercedes-Benz Vario]]s, two [[Mercedes-Benz T2|Mercedes-Benz 811D]]s, four [[Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart]]s, six [[Optare Solo]]s, an [[Optare Versa]] and two [[Volvo B6BLE]]s. The coach fleet consists of four [[Volvo B10M]]s, a [[Neoplan Cityliner]] and a [[Mercedes-Benz Vario]] (also bearing a Derry City Registration).<ref name=List>[http://www.padarnbus.co.uk/Fleet_lists.html Padarn Bus Co. Fleet List]</ref>


Double deck vehicles in the fleet include two [[Leyland Olympian]]s, three [[Volvo Olympian]]s with Alexander bodies, three [[MCW Metrobus]]es and a [[Northern Counties Palatine]]. An elderly open-top [[Leyland Atlantean]] (new to [[Plymouth Citybus]]) is used on routes S1 and S2 around Llanberis in the summer.<ref name="Buses 652" />
Double deck vehicles in the fleet include three [[Leyland Olympian]]s, four [[Volvo Olympian]]s and a single [[MCW Metrobus]].<ref name=List /> An elderly open-top [[Leyland Atlantean]] (new to [[Plymouth Citybus]]) is used on routes S1 and S2 around Llanberis in the summer.<ref name="Buses 652" />


Padarn had bought additional vehicles at a rate of one a year between 2006 and 2008.<ref name="Buses 652" /> In late April 2009 the newly enlarged company bought its first new vehicle, an Optare Versa single-decker used on route 77.<ref>[http://www.mistral-group.com/about-mistral/latest-news/new-versa-for-padarn-bus/ New Versa for Padarn Bus >> Bus Sales and Rentals from Mistral Group]</ref> Three integral Wright StreetLite midibuses entered service in late 2010 for use on contracted routes on [[Anglesey]]; these were the first of the type to be delivered to a company other than [[Bus Vannin]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Blakemore|first=Tim|title=Reading the signals|journal=Buses Magazine|issue=671|date=February 2011|pages=24–26}}</ref> These were withdrawn and returned to a dealer in May 2011 due to reliability issues.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Lidstone|first=John G.|title=Fleet News England & Wales|journal=Buses Magazine|issue=676|date=July 2011|pages=68}}</ref> They were replaced by three new [[Alexander Dennis Enviro200]]s.<ref name=List />
Padarn had bought additional vehicles at a rate of one a year between 2006 and 2008. 26 vehicles were acquired from KMP, joining ten which had previously been owned by Padarn.<ref name="Buses 652" /> In late April 2009 the newly enlarged company bought its first new vehicle, an Optare Versa single-decker used on route 77.<ref>[http://www.mistral-group.com/about-mistral/latest-news/new-versa-for-padarn-bus/ New Versa for Padarn Bus >> Bus Sales and Rentals from Mistral Group]</ref> Three integral [[Wright StreetLite]] midibuses entered service in late 2010 for use on contracted routes on [[Anglesey]]; these were the first of the type to be delivered to a company other than [[Bus Vannin]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Blakemore|first=Tim|title=Reading the signals|journal=Buses Magazine|issue=671|date=February 2011|pages=24–26}}</ref> The StreetLites were withdrawn and returned to a dealer in May 2011 due to reliability issues.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Lidstone|first=John G.|title=Fleet News England & Wales|journal=Buses Magazine|issue=676|date=July 2011|pages=68}}</ref> They were replaced by three new [[Alexander Dennis Enviro200]]s.<ref name=List />


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 16:49, 20 August 2012

Padarn Bus
Founded1979
HeadquartersLlanberis, Gwynedd
Service areaGwynedd
Service typeBus
Routes19
Websitewww.padarnbus.co.uk

Padarn Bus is a bus company based in Llanberis, Gwynedd, Wales. It operates a fleet of around 40 buses on 18 routes in North Wales. Many of its vehicles and routes were acquired when it merged with larger company KMP.

History

Creation and early growth (1979-2006)

The company was founded as a taxi firm in 1979 by Dafydd and Darren Price, moving into coach hire in 1984.[1] The name is derived from the nearby Llyn Padarn lake. Padarn began operating a tendered route in Bangor in 1989 as part of the Bws Gwynedd scheme.[2] It won work on Anglesey a year later and launched two competing routes in Bangor with new Dennis Darts in 1991.[3] However, in 1995 the loss of contracted work prompted the company to give up local service work, although some school contracts continued.[2]

In 2003 the company returned to local bus operation by winning Conwy Council contracted route 75 (Llandudno - Llanfairfechan), but was forced to give this up in January 2006 due to rising costs. However, in October 2005 it launched its first commercial route, an hourly service 77 linking Bangor and Bethesda, and quickly followed this with a similar hourly route 76. This was reported to be at the request of local councillers unhappy with the parallel service provided by Arriva Buses Wales.[1]

Later in 2006 passengers in the Maesgeirchen area of Bangor asked Padarn to provide a service as an alternative to Arriva's route. A half-hourly service numbered 71 was introduced and is still operated.[4] Padarn now also runs route 79 from Maesgeirchen to Parc Menai, which replaces the old 79 Service which was previously operated by Arriva

Expansion and consolidation (2007-present)

In 2007 Ken Williams, the manager of 34-vehicle independent KMP of Llanberis, announced that he wished to sell the business. Padarn were interested in buying KMP as Darren Price had previously worked at the company, but were unable to meet the cost required to buy the whole of KMP. In August 2008 Arriva bought part of KMP, including seven vehicles and service 10 from Bangor to Caernarfon.[4]

The remainder of KMP was sold to Padarn in April 2009 in what was technically a merger to create a new limited company, Padarn Bus Ltd. It had been intended that the deal should occur several months earlier, but it had been delayed owing to a lack of funding due to the credit crunch.[5][6] As part of the deal KMP's former Office Manager David Hulme became a director of Padarn.[4]

The acquisition took the combined fleet size to 36 vehicles operating a total of 18 routes and safeguarded 50 jobs.[4] Shortly after the sale was announced a local community council reported that buses were operating at the wrong times on one route, the S4;[6] however, this turned out to be an error by the county council in not updating bus stop displays.[4] Padarn Bus continued to grow over the following three years, with its fleet standing at 49 vehicles in July 2012, of which eight were coaches.[7]

Routes

[8]

Fleet

A Padarn Bus Optare Versa operating route S1

The current fleet consists of 49 vehicles. The bus fleet operating regular services consists of seventeen Dennis Darts , several of which are low floor, two Mercedes-Benz Varios, two Mercedes-Benz 811Ds, four Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Darts, six Optare Solos, an Optare Versa and two Volvo B6BLEs. The coach fleet consists of four Volvo B10Ms, a Neoplan Cityliner and a Mercedes-Benz Vario (also bearing a Derry City Registration).[9]

Double deck vehicles in the fleet include three Leyland Olympians, four Volvo Olympians and a single MCW Metrobus.[9] An elderly open-top Leyland Atlantean (new to Plymouth Citybus) is used on routes S1 and S2 around Llanberis in the summer.[4]

Padarn had bought additional vehicles at a rate of one a year between 2006 and 2008. 26 vehicles were acquired from KMP, joining ten which had previously been owned by Padarn.[4] In late April 2009 the newly enlarged company bought its first new vehicle, an Optare Versa single-decker used on route 77.[10] Three integral Wright StreetLite midibuses entered service in late 2010 for use on contracted routes on Anglesey; these were the first of the type to be delivered to a company other than Bus Vannin.[11] The StreetLites were withdrawn and returned to a dealer in May 2011 due to reliability issues.[12] They were replaced by three new Alexander Dennis Enviro200s.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b Clark, Rhodri (May 2006). "Independents on a Welsh march". Buses (614): 32.
  2. ^ a b Saxby, Bob (Autumn 1996). "Bws Gwynedd: The end of an era". Buses Focus: 42.
  3. ^ Brown, Stewart J (September 1993). Buses in Britain. Capital Transport. p. 222. ISBN 1-85414-158-9.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Clark, Rhodri (July 2009). "Welsh takeover with a difference". Buses (652): 34–36.
  5. ^ BBC NEWS | Wales | North West Wales | Jobs safe as bus companies merge
  6. ^ a b Daily Post North Wales - News - Gwynedd bus companies merge to keep 50 jobs
  7. ^ Fuel monitoring upgrade helps Padarn Bus to improve stock control and reduce office workload fuelmanagement.co.uk, 3 July 2012
  8. ^ Padarn Bus - Timetables
  9. ^ a b c Padarn Bus Co. Fleet List
  10. ^ New Versa for Padarn Bus >> Bus Sales and Rentals from Mistral Group
  11. ^ Blakemore, Tim (February 2011). "Reading the signals". Buses Magazine (671): 24–26.
  12. ^ Lidstone, John G. (July 2011). "Fleet News England & Wales". Buses Magazine (676): 68.
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