Hulleys 9
Hulleys Optare Solo M880SL MX09AOF (9) seen as it climbs to Middleton Top whilst operating the 15:40 110 from Matlock – visible in the background – to Ashbourne.
Hulleys began operating the 110 (via Brassington and Bradbourne) and 111 (via Hognaston and Carsington Water) in early October 2019, stepping in after Yourbus ceased operations having been due to take the services on at the end of the same month. Prior to lockdown in late March, the routes both operated two-hourly, providing an hourly service on the common sections, and were covered by two vehicles. A variety of different timetables have been implemented in response to the drastic decline in passenger numbers witnessed since then. These have seen the suspension of the 111, with the 110 instead running on a roughly two-hourly basis and covering Brassington, Bradbourne, and Hognaston, although not Carsington Water.
The vehicle was new to Hulleys and is the longest-serving member of the company's fleet. It has survived an almost total renewal of the minibus fleet over the past few months, with four Solos being purchased this year as replacements for three older Solos and an unloved short Enviro 200.
Hulleys 9
Hulleys Optare Solo M880SL MX09AOF (9) seen as it climbs to Middleton Top whilst operating the 15:40 110 from Matlock – visible in the background – to Ashbourne.
Hulleys began operating the 110 (via Brassington and Bradbourne) and 111 (via Hognaston and Carsington Water) in early October 2019, stepping in after Yourbus ceased operations having been due to take the services on at the end of the same month. Prior to lockdown in late March, the routes both operated two-hourly, providing an hourly service on the common sections, and were covered by two vehicles. A variety of different timetables have been implemented in response to the drastic decline in passenger numbers witnessed since then. These have seen the suspension of the 111, with the 110 instead running on a roughly two-hourly basis and covering Brassington, Bradbourne, and Hognaston, although not Carsington Water.
The vehicle was new to Hulleys and is the longest-serving member of the company's fleet. It has survived an almost total renewal of the minibus fleet over the past few months, with four Solos being purchased this year as replacements for three older Solos and an unloved short Enviro 200.