DAF/VDL Single deck

30703-6 

With the letting of the first bus franchises in Manchester there has been some fall out amongst the existing bus operators. including the sudden closure of the little Gem operation. This operator stopped running and went into voluntary liquation on Friday 26th April 2023.  The company been been in  difficulties  for some time. The company was owned by the Goodwin family and was a separate business to their Little Gem is a separate company to Go Goodwins Group and Mayne Coaches operations which are still in business.  Fortunately for Rotala the Little Gem operation had been running from a depot opposite to their Diamond Bus Eccles depot which needs enlarging or replacing to accommodate the franchised work they are taking on from September 2023. Rotala both purchased the Little Gem depot and 14 vehicles all of which have been retrofitted to Euro VI emission standards. To meet the requirement of all vehicles in the West Midlands being of Euro VI emission standards  the acquired vehicles were moved to the West Midlands.

32101/21-30/32-6  

John Fishwick & Sons was formed in 1907. It was based in Lancashire and operated a fleet of bus and coaches in the Preston area. Being close to the old Leyland bus factory the company had a long tradition of purchasing Leyland vehicles. When production of buses and coaches ended in Leyland they turned to other manufacturers. During 2015 it became apparent that John Fishwick & Sons was in financial difficulties and during the summer the owners attempted to sell the business. Rotala as the main bus operator in the Preston area were interested in purchasing the business. However, before a deal could be struck John Fishwick stopped trading on 25th October 2015. With a need for additional vehicles to meet the DDA requirements in the Diamond Bus fleet Rotala purchased three of the former Fishwick vehicles from the dealer who was disposing of the vehicles and placed them in  service at Redditch in early 2016. On 24th April 2022 Rotala acquired the Claribel Coaches operation when 13 further VDL vehicles joined their fleet.