Category:Merseytravel CATCH hybrid / BIONIC biofuel trial buses

English: Images relating to the 6 midibuses used by Merseytravel for alternative fuel trials, first as hybrid-electric vehicles operated by Arriva North West, and later converted to bio-fuel powered vehicles operated by Stagecoach Merseyside. As hybrids, they were claimed to be the first operational hybrid fleet in the UK.

The hybrids were introduced as part of the EU funded CATCH (Clean Accessible Transport for Community Health) project. The buses came from bus manufacturer Optare, who delivered six 28 seat single-entrance Solo M850 midibus shells to technology company ECONO to be fitted with hybrid drives. The buses were to be used on a Liverpool city centre circular shuttle service, operating on a 15 minute frequency from 7am to 6.30pm, linking the main business district with the central bus and rail stations. For this they wore a white livery with tree motifs, route branding, and the message CATCH - your route to healthier transport, on the front. The buses were duly delivered to Arriva North West between Feb and May 2005, being registered/numbered as follows:

• No. 651, reg. MX54 YZR
• No. 652, reg. MX54 YZT
• No. 653, reg. MX54 YZU
• No. 654, reg. MX05 MKL
• No. 654, reg. MX05 MKM
• No. 654, reg. MX05 MKN

The ECONO buses were not a success, by November 2006 they had all been withdrawn into store by Merseytravel while technical issues were resolved, with the shuttle instead being operated by hired Dennis Dart MPDs.

Two of the buses were eventually fitted with different hybrid drives by March 2007 - 654 (MX05 MKM) was fitted with a unit by Northern Irish bus manufacturer Wrightbus, while 655 MX05 MKN) received a Traction Technology unit (Traction Technology Ltd of Slinford took over the assets of ECONO in May 2006 after that company folded).

In September 2009 all 6 of the buses were bought by Stagecoach Merseyside, for use in another EU funded scheme in partnership with Mersytravel, the BIONIC project promoting the production and use of sustainably produced biofuels in transport. Stagecoach sent the buses to Optare for conversion into conventional buses, but powered by Cummins Biodiesel B30 fuel mix engines. The B30 biodiesel mix includes 30% biodiesel from waste vegetable oil. They put them into service in the standard Stagecoach corporate livery, but with BIONIC logo & related straplines. Stagecoach re-numbered them into their national 5 digit scheme as follows:

• MX54 YZR, No. 47709
• MX54 YZT, No. 47710
• MX54 YZU, No. 47711
• MX05 MKL, No. 47712
• MX05 MKM, No. 47713
• MX05 MKN, No. 47713