This Feature shows the Warrington RA Fleet . For Photos of the Warrington RH's, Click Here (Feature Updated - 12 / 08 / 2009 )

Network Warrington , the council operated bus company in Warrington, Cheshire,  first bought ex Dublin Olympians in 2004, and in 2008 contunied the dynasty with the aqquisition of the first of 11 Olympians, this time from the RA Class.

The vehicles were aqqiured over an 11 month period. 174, Pictured above at Scotland Road, was Conyingham Road RA312 in her Dublin Days.

No 176 is seen here at Cinnamon Brow, an outer suburb in the Warrington Borough. 176 was formly Phibsboro's RA324 in her Dublin Bus career. The purchase of the RA's contuines the operator's investment programme in it's fleet, with the RA's replacing older Dennis Dominator Buses, and the operator currently in the process of recieving 12 Volvo B7RLE' s with the revapmed Wright Eclipse Urban 2 Bodywork.

 

As can be seen in RA324's upper deck, the vehicles have had few, if any changes internally, with the obvious exeption of the centre doors being sealed, and minor changes to the cab area. On some examples the Dublin signage remains, RA324 for example reintains it's CIE penalty fare notices. Bucket seating is also reintained downstairs.

All the RA's carry the New Network Warrington - Warrington Borough Transport livery, applied to the fleet from 2006 / 2007 in connection with the opening of the new Warrington Interchange, under the slogan "Making Warrington Move". The fleet looks quite smart in the color scheme.

No 180 picks up on Sankey Street, outbound on the hourly No.8 route to Hatton. 180 was RA322 in Dublin Bus service.

Former Dublin RA313, no 175, and former RA307, now 172, are both seen here between Duties at the Depot.

The operator operates a very well turned out fleet, and indeed investment in it's services was recognised in 2008 when the operator won the UK Bus Operator of the Year 2008 and Shire Operator of the Year 2008 ,  the highest awards in the UK bus industry.

A full list of their ex Dublin RA's  can be found below, all 11 vehicles came via Ensign Bus.

DB No.       IRL Reg.        WBT          UK Reg            History

RA296     96-D-296        171          N584 JNO         New July / Aug 96, withdrawn March 08, to WBT June 2008

RA307     96-D-307        172          P314 SWC        New July 96, withdrawn Dec 07, to WBT May 2008

RA311     96-D-311        173          P268 SWC        New Sept 96, withdrawn Jan 08, to WBT May 2008

RA312     96-D-312        174          P324 SWC        New Sept 96, withdrawn Jan 08, to WBT June 2008

RA313     96-D-313        175          P302 SWC        New Sept 96, withdrawn Jan 08, to WBT May 2008

RA314     96-D-314        177          P384 SWC        New Sept 96, withdrawn Dec 07, to WBT August 2008

RA319     96-D-319        176          P411 SWC        New Oct 96, withdrawn Jan 08, to WBT August 2008

RA320     96-D-10320    181          P467 SWC        New Oct 96, withdrawn Jan 08, to WBT February 2009

RA321      96-D-321       179          P368 SWC        New Oct 96, withdrawn Jan 08, to WBT August 2008

RA322      96-D-322       180          P462 SWC        New Nov 96, withdrawn Jan 08, to WBT October 2008

RA324      96-D-324       176          P337 SWC        New Nov 96, withdrawn Jan 08, to WBT June 2008

Relevent Links

RH's in Warrington

RH's in Tyneside

RV's with TM Travel, Sheffield / Chesterfield

RA's with Universitybus (UNO)

RA Farewell Run August 2008

RA's in the UK

Dublin Volvos in the UK

Warrington Borough Transport : Fleet List