Stagecoach North West Discussion

[Dallamlad]

I'm not believing anything about PB until the CC release their report. And yeah who would buy it? Fact is SC will run it effectively, invest substantially and standards will remain high.

 

[Dave The Bus]

Assuming that it happens, i think the CC would 'assure' any company looking to buy PB that they would be protected against undercutting and competition on routes for whatever the 2-5 years mentioned was and that would give them time to make it profitable, yadda yadda.. personally, i think I'm on record as saying that i have a hunch Fishwicks would probably end up buying a divested(?) PB

Still, as Dallamlad said, its pointless speculating until the official findings have been published..

Mind you, even with the best plumbers, everyone suffers leaks from time to time.....

Or perhaps people are reading too much into this

 

[mbonwick]

Fishwicks won't touch it. Time and again they've told the CC that an expansion into Preston is not for then at the moment.

They've said that they have finance on new buses to pay off, and that even if supported, they wouldn't have the money to reorganise PB. So Fishwicks are a no-no for a buyer.

 

[cainebj]

been back out to bus station and surrounding area again haha.

33168 on evening Cockermouth X5.
47616 on evening 30.
35249 came off 50, sat in bus station, and then left on 30. 47617 came to the bus station though, so 35249 could have been replaced.
20765 and 52626 were on X services.
20779 done the last run on 51.
20435 ended up on 301's.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
don't think this has been noticed before, but take note of the Stagecoach logo on the side of 17016. here is a pic (not my pic. too lazy to search my flickr for one of my own.)

 

[Dallamlad]

14208,16659,16665,16667 and 20894 on the 2/2a.
Also has 17024 had CCTV for a while?
16663 on the 42
21007 on X1

Info bus passing through Bowerham at 10.20 this morning.

 

[cainebj]

47062 on 50.
20777 on 51.
47023, 47061 and 47617 on Harrington & Seaton.
20779 on X5.
14257 on short 300 with dead display.
16447, 16653, 16654 and 16734 on full 300.

 

[jonesy3001]

14208,16659,16665,16667 and 20894 on the 2/2a.
Also has 17024 had CCTV for a while?
16663 on the 42
21007 on X1

Info bus passing through Bowerham at 10.20 this morning.

17023 and 17024 had CCTV fitted at the same time as the 183xx tridents when we got them 2yrs ago.

 

[Dallamlad]

Cool I see I couldn't remember when I saw it today.

20735 replaced 21007 on the X1 KL driver shuttle.

Heard the conductor at the underpass saying to someone today that the Info Bus was his "Company Car" lol.

 

[KendalKing]

Noted on VOSA website:-

PC0001777/88 - PRESTON BUS LTD T/A PRESTON BUS, 221 DEEPDALE RD, PRESTON, PR1 6NY
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Preston Bus Station and Preston Bus Station given service number 3A/3B effective from 02-Nov-2009. To amend Route, Stopping Places and Timetable.

PC0001777/89 - PRESTON BUS LTD T/A PRESTON BUS, 221 DEEPDALE RD, PRESTON, PR1 6NY
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Preston Bus Station and Preston Bus Station given service number 29 effective from 02-Nov-2009. To amend Timetable.

 

[driver9000]

Thurnham Street roadworks have begun, the surface has been stripped back from Common Garden St/East Road up to Penny Street Bridge. I sometime wonder about the sanity of the council, surely they could have waited until the farsical cycle lane works had finished before starting yet more works.....

J34 of the M6 was closed for exit earlier this evening (it was too this morning but not sure if its connected) and traffic in town was the now normal gridlock, buses entering the 'Morecambe' side of the bus station were cutting across under the supervision of an inspector.

 

[mbonwick]

J34 Northbound exit is being resurfaced. It's not connected to any of Lancaster's roadworks, it's just being done ahead of major resurfacing works on the motorway from J33 to J35 on both carrigeways.

 

[Dave The Bus]

Can i just post a quick message of apology, somewhere along the line, i got the fleet numbers for the new Enviro's at Chorley slightly mixed up..

To confirm, the fleet numbers are 15563-84 (one double-five six three to eight four) and the first to arrive was 15564 (one double-five six four) reg PX59CUC

 

[mbonwick]

Perfectly OK Dave, we knew what you meant anyway

You've actually made an interesting point though, how do you pronounce the fleetnumbers?
Personally I seem to slip between each number indiviually (ie. 18362 - One Eight Three Six Two) and in groups of 2 (particularly the 1666x ones, ie. 16665 - Sixteen Sixty Six Five)

I suspect the first one is probably more "correct"

 

[driver9000]

You've actually made an interesting point though, how do you pronounce the fleetnumbers?
Personally I seem to slip between each number indiviually (ie. 18362 - One Eight Three Six Two) and in groups of 2 (particularly the 1666x ones, ie. 16665 - Sixteen Sixty Six Five)

I suspect the first one is probably more "correct"

I always said it in two sections ie 22822 was 'twentytwo eight two two'

 

[mbonwick]

There's that option as well, I fear I use it more frequently than I think.

 

[Dave The Bus]

I always said it in two sections ie 22822 was 'twentytwo eight two two'

depends, i dont have any set of rules, generally though i think i quote the 155xx as, one double-five, because i usually quote our Volvo's as one double-six, but the tridents and minis usually get generally individualised..

suppose it doesn't really matter how you pronounce them, i think we all understand whichever way its done, i call 18150, one eight one fifty, and 18151 one eight one five one, but the inspector might say, eighteen one fifty, either way, i should end up with the right bus...

 

[K777DAO]

don't think this has been noticed before, but take note of the Stagecoach logo on the side of 17016. here is a pic (not my pic. too lazy to search my flickr for one of my own.)

Downside Up? WTF?

 

[Dallamlad]

21005 and 20735 running dead into town.
20894 on 2a shuttle.
16663 on 2 to Lancaster
16664 on 2a.

I say each number individually when it comes to fleet numbers.

Also just noticed this comment on a fotopic comment page:

"Apparently both 16664 and 16665 were supposed to be going to Chorley and two ex Yorkshire traction Volvo Olympians were to be transferred to Morecambe to replace them, however, as 16877 is only a 72 seater, there was a rumor floating round that Morecambe had said ''no'' they didn't want them as they need high capacity deckers, so weather 16877 and the other one, which has yet to arrive, stay at Morecambe, remains to be seen. 16665 is also still present at Morecambe."

Sourced from http://susannahmorrish.fotopic.net/comments_show.php

 

[Ado 16]

I see the Comp Comm have rolled over on their back and waved their legs in the air for Stagecoach in Eastbourne. Securing an even greater monopoly across the South East. Despite the fact that interim findings said that competition had been reduced as a result of the purchase of the company from Eastbourne Borough Council. Drivers of the company (Eastbourne bus) would rather it had gone to neighbouring Brighton and Hove bus, but guess who had the most money! So, if that's anything to go by, I expect SC will keep hold of PB no problem. It helps to have friends in high places.

 

[mbonwick]

That's a bit of a simplistic way of looking at it. Which of the companies could bid for Eastbourne? Stagecoach
Which is best placed to bring new buses to the area? Stagecoach

Let's face it, any bus company is better than no service at all.

Plently of decisions have gone against Stagecoah, including some where the Monopolies & Mergers Commission (As the Competition Commission was then known) should never have been involved in the first place.

 

[cainebj]

47060 on 50.
20768 on 51.
47616 on Harrington & Seaton.
42562 on Maryport Town Services.
16651/2/3/4 on 300 for a change!
20763 on 31.

20944 on 554.
42577, 42584 and a Citi dart all had a go on 75. the Citi Dart was being driven by an inspector.
24122 on 104, with an inspector driving.
16336 on 67.
14265 on layover at bus station, along with a few other stuff.

20943, 20966, 20979, 33162, 14247, 14232, 42533 and 34705 in workshop areas.
20129 and 16874 (P915 RYO) on paintshop prep areas. 20129 fully rubbed down, apart from rear bumper, which still had reg plate on it.
Stagecoach Westerns P156 ASA in the shed. it later went on X75.
13297, 14202/5/6/7/9, 16630/8, 20909, Osprey Bus and 34693 down back and side.
couldn't see any open top vehicles at all! 16329 is usually visible in the sheds, but the sheds were nearly empty, with the roofed olys being outside!

 

[robertclark125]

Go ahead group did express an interest in buying Eastbourne Buses. However, what would stop other firms or groups from bidding from it? Remember, many years ago, Stagecoach bought Grimsby Cleethorpes Transport, and yorkshire traction owned Roadcar.

 

[KendalKing]

Noted on the VOSA website:-

PC0000043/236 - RIBBLE MOTOR SERVICES LTD T/A STAGECOACH IN LANCASHIRE, STAGECOACH NORTH WEST, T/A RIBBLE MOTOR SERVICES, BROADACRE HOUSE, 16-20 LOWTHER ST, CARLISLE, CA3 8DA
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Fleetwood, Marine Hall and Knott End, Ferry Approach given service number 86 effective from 31-Jan-2010.

PC0000043/237 - RIBBLE MOTOR SERVICES LTD T/A STAGECOACH IN LANCASHIRE, STAGECOACH NORTH WEST, T/A RIBBLE MOTOR SERVICES, BROADACRE HOUSE, 16-20 LOWTHER ST, CARLISLE, CA3 8DA
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Lancaster Bus Station and Knott End, Ferry Approach given service number 89 effective from 31-Jan-2010.

PC0002407/7 - STAGECOACH (NORTHWEST) LTD T/A CUMBERLAND MOTOR SERVICES, SECOND FLOOR, BROADACRE HOUSE, 16-20 LOWTHER STREET, CARLISLE, CA3 8DA
Variation Accepted: Operating between Moresby Parks and Egremont given service number 22 effective from 04-Jan-2010. To amend Timetable.

PC0002407/13 - STAGECOACH (NORTHWEST) LTD T/A CUMBERLAND MOTOR SERVICES, SECOND FLOOR, BROADACRE HOUSE, 16-20 LOWTHER STREET, CARLISLE, CA3 8DA
Variation Accepted: Operating between Whitehaven, Lowther St and Whitehaven Bus Station given service number 2/2A effective from 04-Jan-2010. To amend Route, Stopping Places and Timetable.

PC0002407/14 - STAGECOACH (NORTHWEST) LTD T/A CUMBERLAND MOTOR SERVICES, SECOND FLOOR, BROADACRE HOUSE, 16-20 LOWTHER STREET, CARLISLE, CA3 8DA
Variation Accepted: Operating between Lowca and Kells given service number 1 effective from 04-Jan-2010. To amend Route, Stopping Places and Timetable.

PC0002407/288 - STAGECOACH (NORTHWEST) LTD T/A CUMBERLAND MOTOR SERVICES, SECOND FLOOR, BROADACRE HOUSE, 16-20 LOWTHER STREET, CARLISLE, CA3 8DA
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Whitehaven, Duke Street and Egremont Main Street given service number 30A effective from 04-Jan-2010.

 

[cainebj]

PC0002407/288 - STAGECOACH (NORTHWEST) LTD T/A CUMBERLAND MOTOR SERVICES, SECOND FLOOR, BROADACRE HOUSE, 16-20 LOWTHER STREET, CARLISLE, CA3 8DA
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Whitehaven, Duke Street and Egremont Main Street given service number 30A effective from 04-Jan-2010.

FINALLY!
its been a pointless route! especially with the 30 being low floor!
30: Maryport - Thornhill via Whitehaven and Egremont
30A: Whitehaven - Egremont
22: Moresby - Whitehaven - Egremont.

30A was supposed to work with the 30 to provide more frequent buses, but when you've got Enviro 300's on 30, and whatever is available on 30A, people will usually go for the 30 which will be easy access most of the time (considering its mostly older people who use it)

 

[mbonwick]

Interesting about the 86/89 - I wonder if these routes are becoming tendered?

 

[KendalKing]

Interesting about the 86/89 - I wonder if these routes are becoming tendered?

These services are already subsidized.

I think its just a case of Stagecoach, trying to get more money for running subsidized services. As they appear to be de-registering each subsidized service in turn.

 

[Dallamlad]

So if the 86/89 are been cut does that free up solos? Or will they just be de-branded?

 

[KendalKing]

It will just go out to re-tender, just like the X35 did. No doubt Stagecoach will re-tender at an higher price.

What happens to the Solos, will depend on if Stagecoach are successful or not.

 

[Dallamlad]

Of course I understand now lol.

 

[driver9000]

I expect it may be case the Stagecoach has lost the tender for the 89 and is removing it from its registration so it can be registered to a new operator - I cant remember exactly how the system works though regarding council tenders.

Saw an oddity this evening coming home, around 20:45 near Garstang I passed an 51 plate Solo heading for Blackpool on a 42!