With most of the work now completed to our latest team vehicle, a Ford Transit Minibus donated by Greater Manchester Police, it is now in operational service with the team.

As such Team Vehicles Officer Chris Greenhalgh and Team member Chris Tennant journeyed this morning to GMP Openshaw, Manchester (Vehicles Workshops) and then onto GMP Claytonbrook, Manchester, for an ’Official’ handover of the now completed vehicle.

Present at the handover event was Sgt Tony Darbyshire and PC Angela Daniels, both of GMP Specialist Search Unit, and John Turner, Manager of GMP Transport Department, Openshaw.

Sgt Tony Darbyshire was particularly instrumental in getting this excellent condition vehicle donated to the team, whilst John Turners help has been fantastic.

This Ford Transit Minibus (Bolton Mobile 5 as it will now be known to us) will be an excellent addition to the teams vehicle fleet, giving us 12x extra seats to transport team members to training and operational events.

Donated to us as a plain standard Minibus, Frank Hulton Motor Engineers of Farnworth, Bolton, have added blue lights, an emergency siren, Bolton MRT / MREW / Ambulance decals, removed one row of seats to create a luggage area, and added rear conspicuity markings.

Team members Garry Rhodes and Fred Taylor deserve special mention for arranging to tax this vehicle for its new use in the team, Steve Fletcher for the MREW decals, Chris Greenhalgh for numerous tasks associated with getting it into service, and a small number of other team members for their help with bringing this vehicle into team service. (The wax and polish crew)

Of course the main thanks are directed to Greater Manchester Police, who very kindly decided to donate this vehicle to us. (The ’twin’ of this vehicle was donated to Oldham MRT by GMP in January 2010, whilst Rossendale and Pendle MRT have benefitted from the donation of a ’Control / kit’ style van from GMP)

Please also see ’news’ articles dated 27th January 2010, 3rd / 12th / 25th February 2010.