During 2002 59 Vehicles Left the Arriva Fox County Fleet and 47 Joined it. Below is a summary of the Arrivals & Departures.
January.
Febuary.
March.
April.
May.
June.
July.
August.
September.
October.
November.
General.
January did not start well for A.F.C when a builder working at Thurmaston depot connected up a water pipe to the main Diesel tank in error causing many vehicles to breakdown with water in their fuel tanks, The problem was noted early on during the day when the first 104's didn't make it very far.
The first departures of the year were the last of the coach units dual purpose coaches with
Tiger 3005 - OHE274X & Volvo 3233 - GIL6253 heading to Arriva The Shires which in the case of 3233 was a return to a former operator, At the same time
Tiger 3023 - EDZ215 which was aquired for spares but used in service instead went to Dunstan, Middleton still carrying it's Northumbria Livery.
Whilst Greenways 2139 - SIB6712 & 2143 -JIL2197 became the first of Five from this fleet to join Neave's of Catfield.
During Febuary Volvo B7 demonstrator Y228CRW which was on loan to Fox County ran off the road and was recieved serious Damage after a Passenger attacked the Driver.
Greenway 2142 - JIL2193 became the 3rd of it's type to join the fleet of Neave, Catfield following hot on the heels of 2139 & 2143
Whilst on the Minibus front the first of the 1994 batch of 709's to go was 1318 - L318AUT which along with ex Stevensons 1331 - L231HRF & Arriva Guildford 1366 - M236KNR went to Pickford, Chippenham
Though 1371 - M67WKA Stayed more local and joined the fleet of Woods, Wigston (and was joined by two more similar vehicles next month).
One Vehicle in this month was Didi Dart 2219 - T49JJF which came all the way from Derby.
March was "one of those Months" as far as Fox County was concerned with Volvo Olympian 4605 running into the rear of similar 4618, Spectra 4002 Running off the A6 London Road and into the Grounds of a School which was followed shortly afterwards by Scania 4135 Losing it's roof under a Railway Bridge at Market Harborough.
March saw the departure of the last Mercedes 609 in passenger service in the shape of Dixon Lomas bodied 1291 - D906MVU which has gone to Goldstraw, Cheadle. Five more 709's also left the fleet with a Pair 1311 - L311AUT & 1321 - L321AUT going to Traction Group subsidery James Meffan of Kirriemuir up near Forfar, D & G of Stafford took 1314 - L314AUT whilst Woods took another Pair in the shape of 1319 - L319AUT & 1320 - L320AUT to join 1371 aquired last month.
Two More Darts 2044 - P844PWW & 2045 - P845PWW entered the fleet from London and headed straight to Stamford for use on rural services.
News in April was Thurmaston Dart MPD's 2253/4 take over the revised 747 service in the place of 1353-6 batch of minibuses and Arriva Cymru Olympian CWR523Y spends a bit of time working from Coalville.
April was a quiet Month for arrivals and disposals with just two Mercedes Minibuses leaving the Fleet in the shape of Dual Purpose seated 1339 - G301RJA which went to merseyside curtesy of Helms, Bootle and Plaxton beaver bodied 1369 - L641DNA which went north of the border to Slaemuir Coaches, Port Glasgow.
News in May saw Scania 4169 stolen from outside Southgates depot during the evening of Fri 17th, later found by the police Abandoned near West Bridge, most of Southgates MPD's move to Thurmaston and the Guide Friday Open Top tour starts again.
May saw another pair of Mercedes mini's depart Leicestershire for opposite ends of the country with 1305 - L305AUT Heading down into Cornwall to Summercourt Travel based near Newquay whilst in the other direction went 1309 -L309AUT to work for Gillen of Port Glasgow wich was the same town that 1369 ended up in the Previous month. Also heading into Scotland this month were Olympians 4492 - MTU118Y to Christie of Alloa and "Foxtrotter" 4507 - A507EJF to Irvine of Law where it joined former Fox Olympians 4491 & 4494 and minibuses M336, M361 & M367.
A single Vehicle to enter the Fleet this month was another ex London dart in the shape of 2043 - P843PWW.
June news included, Technical faults on one of Guide Fridays open Toppers (ATK154W) resulting in ex Nottingham Atlantean GRC890N working the service alongside regular 8744 - CWG744V for most of the month whilst lettered for the stratford Tour. Also the Foxhound Coach livery bites the dust.
Again the only vehicles to depart in June were Mercedes Minibuses. 1289 - F379UCP which was latterly used as a training bus headed South West to Join Country Line of Liskeard which is a long way from it's former home of Edinburgh, 1313 - L313AUT went to Tyrer Tours of Burnley whilst 1365 - M465LPG stayed local and is now with West End Travel in Melton.
Three more ex London Darts entered the fleet this month with 2049 - P849PWW & 2055 - P855PWW joining similar vehicles from the batch together with Alexander bodied SLF model 2214 - P954RUL which came for use on Contracts in the Hinckley area.
July news included Southgates Volvo Olympians and Scania saloons swopping service allocations for a couple of weeks due to roadworks in the Rothley area and Low Trees on the diversion.
July saw a total of TEN Mercedes-Benz mini's leave the fleet with the following Eight (1303 - L303AUT, 1306 - L306AUT, 1307 - L307AUT, 1310 - L310AUT, 1312 - L312AUT, 1317 - L317AUT, 1322 - L322AUT & 1393 - M166WJT) going to new operator Sureline down in Weymouth
whilst another Pair (1304 - L304AUT & 1308 - L308AUT) went North of the Border and are now with A Trip in Time of Coatbridge.
The other vehicle to leave in July left due to an accident, Scania 4135 - G35HKY had lost it's roof following an argument with a low bridge in March so Arriva Cymru thought it would make a good candidate to replace Open Top Bristol VR's in North Wales.
Another Trio of Darts arrived this month from London in the shape of 2024 - P824RWU, 2037 - P837RWU & 2041 - P841PWW.
Plus deliveries of the Second batch of DAF Lowlander began with 10 arriving during the month with 4717 - FD02UKB & 4718 - FD02UKC joining similar vehicles in service at Wigston whilst Southgates recieved
4719 - FD02UKE, 4721 - FD02UKG, 4723 - FD02UKJ, 4724 - FD02UKK, 4725 - FD02UKL, 4727 - FD02UKN, 4728 - FD02UKO & 4729 - FD02UKP Though none of the latter entered service until 2nd september.
News for August included Southgates DAF Lowlanders getting of to a shaky start with many appearing at Ford & Slater's Truck repair center, Coalville recived its first Scania saloon, Volvo B7 Demonstrator Y228CJW leaves the fleet after a short but colourful career here, Southgates services get shuffled around putting big buses back on most routes Whilst Yellow 'Road Safety' bus 4504 gets on the front page of the Mercury after getting involved in an accident.
Only two vehicles left the fleet in August, Mercedes Mini 1370 - L643DNA became the seventh of the year to venture into Scotland this time to Stirlingshire and is now with Mitchell of Plean.
The other vehicle to leave was the first of the Southgates batch of Greenways to be taken out of service and this vehicle 2160 - JIL2160 headed for Tyneside and is now with Astley, Seaton Delaval.
August saw a return to Wigston for Volvo citybus 4354 - F114TML after a period at Derby whilst more new DAF Lowlanders to appear were 4730 - FD02UKR, 4731 - FD02UKS, 4732 - FD02UKT & 4733 - FD02UKU.
The main fleetnews for September was that the first of the Vario fleet were taken out of service, Southgates loses most of it's MPD Darts, Several of Wigston's Volvo's go to other depots though it does regain a Volvo citybus .
September saw no Minibuses leave the fleet instead four Greenways and two Olympians departed for pastures new with 2136 - NIW6508 which was the last Greenway to join the fleet and clocked up just over a year with Fox County before heading to Merseyside to become part of the fleet of Liverpool Motor Services, Aintree.
2161 - JIL2161 headed to within striking distance of Flint Castle to join the fleet of Lloyd, Bagillit
whilst 2162 - JIL2162 & 2163 - JIL2163 teamed up with former fleetmates 2139, 2142 & 2143 in the fleet of Neave, Catfield.
Meanwhile the Red & Yellow Midland Fox livery was laid to rest with the departure of former Colchester Olympians 4480 - C42HHJ & 4481 - D44RWC just across the County border to join the fleet of Silverdale, Nottingham.
September saw nine brand New and one Nearly New bus enter the fleet, the nearly new example was Dart MPD 2249 - W249SNR from Derby to work contracts around Hinckley, whilst six similar brand new vehicles entered service at Thurmaston for use on new route 18 in the shape of
2268 - SK52MLE, 2269 - SK52MLF, 2270 - SK52MLJ, 2271 - SK52MLL, 2272 - SK52MLN & 2273 - SK52MLO. The final three of Southgates Lowlanders also appeared albeit out of sequence 4720 - PN52XBH, 4722 - PN52XBG & 4726 - PN52XBF.
The main news in October was the Fire at Wigston depot that destroyed Alexander bodied Scania 4156 and East Lancs bodied 4164. Similar 4167 was also severely damaged (beyond repair ?) but Mercedes minibus 1123 originally thought to be burnt out escaped with a melted Wing Mirror and a bit of scorched bodywork, Following this Coalville's Volvo Olympian 4621 has been on loan to Wigston and has been in use complete with 152-4 Route Branding and Star Trak system. Another vehicle severely damaged this month was Volvo coach no.3212 following an accident on the M1.
The only departures during October were a trio of Greenways 2145 - JIL2198, 2159 - JIL2159 & 2165 - JIL2165 To TravelSpeed, Burnley. 2159 had re-entered service after being withdrawn with the rest of the Southgates batch to cover for non-availability of New DAF Lowlanders.
Though two other vehicles also left the fleet due to getting caught up in the Wigston depot fire, These were Scania's 4156 - F156DET & 4164 - M164GRY.
Ex London Darts started to enter the fleet again this month in the shape of 2046 - P846PWW, 2051 - P851PWW, 2089 - N689GUM & 2090 - N690GUM.
Fleet news for November is more Ex London Darts arrive and the minibus fleet has a reshuffle.
Both vehicles that left during November did not stray very far, Tiger Coach 3022 - JDE972X went to Spencers of Fleckney, whilst Olympian coach 4478 - D80UTF went to Confidence at Wigston though the latter had latterly been used as a source of spares and it is thought that it would not enter service with Confidence.
Another Trio of London Darts entered service this month as 2047 - P847PWW, 2048 - P848PWW & 2054 - P854PWW, also another "nearly new" Dart MPD was drafted in from Derby's apparently dwindling fleet as 2251 - W251SNR whilst Wigston aquired four more DAF Lowlanders diverted from Derby as 4735 - PN52XRK, 4738 - PN52XRO, 4740 - PN52XRR & 4741 - PN52XRS.
Other Vehicles that Left the fleet during the Year but who's fates have not been reported are ....
Mercedes minibuses 1323 - L323AUT, 1330 - L228HRF, 1333 - L233HRF, 1344 - N344OBC & 1394 - K390NGG
Leyland National 2152 - STW18W
Leyland Tiger 3020 - LJI5632 (this is the second time this vehicle has left the fleet)
Scania K92 Double Decker 4150 - E107JYV (has now been traced to PC Coaches, Lincoln)
Leyland Olympian 4510 - A510EJF (This vehicle was spotted at PVS, Barnsley in the company of 4505 so might have been scrapped)
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