Following the launch of new vehicles at Transdev, a cascade has allowed a fleet of youthful Wrightbus Gemini 2s to upgrade the Hotline service
Sunday 14 February saw Transdev roll out a fleet of upgraded vehicles for The Blackburn Bus Company’s route 152 between Burnley and Preston.
Former Witch Way Wrightbus Gemini 2s 2766-2772, which were displaced by new ADL Enviro400MMC ‘Sky Class’ double-deckers in December, have been repainted and rebranded in the operator’s Hotline livery. The buses carry rear end messages emphasising the environmental benefits compared to the previous buses, and are fitted with AV announcements, USB ports and WiFi. CBW contributor and Blackburn driver Chris Newton, who took these images, was the first to take one of the buses out on their first day in service.
Transdev CEO Alex Hornby said: “We’ve turned up the heat for our Hotline inter-urban bus service, with a smart new look now in place on this ever-popular route. With this upgrade, we’re investing now to build buses back better beyond the pandemic. Our Hotline route is vitally important to our many customers who use it to reach work and leisure destinations every week, and to the wider post-pandemic economic recovery of Lancashire.
“Our buses will continue to provide transport for key workers and those making essential journeys, just as we have throughout the pandemic. With an eye-catching new livery on the outside and new features on the inside, our new-look Hotline buses are ready for what we hope will be a much brighter year ahead for Lancashire.”
