- Re: Downpatrick 527
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Posted by Paul K on December 13, 2000, 1:09 pm
, in reply to "Re: Downpatrick 527"
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Mk. II Goldliners 1351 and 1352 despite being officially demoted from Goldliner use I suppose when they were transferred to Downpatrick, continued in regular use on Goldline services for the best part of a year. Part of the reason for that I suppose was that Mk.IV 1628 was away in Duncrue Street for a long time being re-built after its serious accident and only went back into service in August. 527 hasn't been regularly used on the Downpatrick - Belfast express for several years but was often used on the Downpatrick - Newry service until the newer Mk. IIs came to Downpatrick in Autumn 1999. I think it mostly does school services now but the only time recently I saw it had been allowed out to Belfast to do one of the peak-time expresses in the evening (29th Nov I think), it broke down in Carryduff and was left parked in the layby there on the Belfast side of the roundabout all night. Three of the four daily duties on the Downpatrick - Newry express are worked by Downpatrick; the 1745 from Downpatrick and corresponding 2015 from Newry are worked by Newcastle depot. This is the interesting duty to look out for which very occasionally sees Leopards used on busy days during the summer. By the way I don't think any of the old Goldliners have been re-painted; they have just had their Goldliner stickers and gold lines removed. From the passengers' point of view they are still Goldliners as they have coach seats inside, and it is interesting to hear other people remarking on this when one of them is used on a normal service. Finally, the Mk.I and Mk.II Goldliners are gradually being used less on Express services but I think the point at which their Goldline livery is removed is quite arbitrary and in Downpatrick depot anyway hasn't signalled dramatically less Goldline use for the bus concerned. |
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