Lancashire United (Blazefield) 702 (W702 BFV) in Clitheroe – 30 May 2001 (467-8)

Wednesday 30 May 2001 (approx. 1500) – Not a Stagecoach bus!

In April 2001, just a few weeks before I visited Clitheroe, the Blazefield Group had acquired the former Ribble garages at Clitheroe, Blackburn and Bolton from Stagecoach naming the new operation Lancashire United (this had no connection with the large bus company that had once served South Lancashire). At the same time the Ribble garage at Burnley was acquired by Blazefield becoming part of Burnley & Pendle.

Initially all the buses received fleetnames applied over the former identity but continued to operate in the Stagecoach stripes livery.

One of the Clitheroe garage buses was 702 (W702 BFV), a Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Dart new in March 2000, which was seen here making the turn from King Street into Market Place when operating local service C6 to Peel Park.

The keep of the ruined medieval Clitheroe Castle can be seen on the hilltop beyond.