Sprinter150
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Latest Select Bus acquisition is ex-NCT YN07 EYD omnicity
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Staffordshire Bus News
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Sorry to be vague, but it was dark and I wasn’t that close...Saw what looked like a Scania Omnicity with Knotty branding this morning, out of service heading down Trentham Road from Longton, presumably to start service on 101. Haven’t seen anything about this new branding being launched. Made me smile as I remember school swimming trips on Knotty buses c30 years ago (is it really that long??!!)
njlawley
Member
Thanks @njlawley , I’d scrolled though First Potteries Twitter but hadn’t seen anything but didn’t think to check McKenna’s. Looks good and hopefully the interior will have the same treatment as the LeekLink... Good to see some investment here by First!
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
What has been the refurbishment on the Leek Scanias?
Alex 2901
Member
Full retrim, leather headrests, Wi-Fi, USB & Wireless charging facilities, possibly new flooring as well.
The Knotty Scanias are the same, except with low backed seats, and no wireless charging iirc.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Thank you for that information
Thanks Alex, the link below is to Stoke Sentinel article which shows the refurb on LeekLink, including wood effect flooring. I don't go Leek or Stafford way so won't get it experience these, unless they stray off...
https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/you-can-now-charge-your-3711183.amp
Baxenden Bank
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Straying off route is quite possible. I was walking home from Tesco last week and a Kingfisher double-decker went past doing a 6A.
Baxenden Bank
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New service (X71) to operate between Sheffield and Alton Towers / Hanley from 29th March 2020. To be operated by Hulleys.
A single journey on summer Saturdays (all BST dates). Up to 5 journeys on summer Sundays and Bank Holidays.
Full details on the Derbyshire County Council bus timetable page:
http://www.derbysbus.info/times/timetables/X71H-200329.pdf
A single journey on summer Saturdays (all BST dates). Up to 5 journeys on summer Sundays and Bank Holidays.
Full details on the Derbyshire County Council bus timetable page:
http://www.derbysbus.info/times/timetables/X71H-200329.pdf
Sunday journeys replace the current X70. Hopefully these are a success.
Blimey, that will go past my front door! Completely different route of course, but takes me back to the old happy days of Hanley-Buxton-Sheffield. What a great trip that was.
Baxenden Bank
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A number of changes by First the Potteries and D & G at the end of this month.
Timetables on the D & G website (for their services) and on stokebus.info for both.
Mostly minor tinkering.
New daily D & G service to Alton Towers from Newcastle via Hanley.
Timetables on the D & G website (for their services) and on stokebus.info for both.
Mostly minor tinkering.
New daily D & G service to Alton Towers from Newcastle via Hanley.
Re the X71, Hulleys have details on their website including specimen fares. Note that it is limited stop.
Happy memories for me too, 20 years ago I commuted weekly home from university (Sheffield) from home (Norton, a northern suburb of Stoke) for work. Great journey, incredibly comfy coach seats on First’s Lynx’s. X18 I think, running through to Keele?
Good luck to Hulley’s with this, great to see ‘innovation’ (even if it is turning the clock back), and pretty good value too. My period return 20 years ago was £9 and train alternative Stoke-Sheffield is £50+ Return nowadays!
Baxenden Bank
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There are probably ways to bring that train fare down by splitting. For a day trip look at Blythe Bridge. For a period trip look at the off-peak day single (x 2) from Blythe Bridge - cheaper than the period return!
I enjoyed the Hanley - Sheffield service (28, 208, X18, X23 at various times) when it was operated by high floor, ex National Express Coaches, when PMT still had a coaching division (ParaMounT). The vehicles were comfortable for that near 2-hour trip and offered a good view over the countryside you were travelling through. Even going Hanley to Buxton nowadays is uncomfortable - also rather slower and less frequent.
I remember it closer to 3 hours in the 28 days. When it used to go Buxton-Millers Dale-Tideswell then Foolow, Eyam & Calver, Froggat Edge & Fox House to Sheffield. It was terrific on a snowy day over the tops!
I was looking at First Potteries on bus times.org. I have to wonder why they went to all the trouble of introducing three new branded routes when they seem to end up allocated to the wrong routes so often. This has always been the case going back to PMT days.
Covid will still be playing apart if they've got vehicles spare (each route gets the biggest or newest vehicles it can at present).
In normal times it depends on how 'together' the various parts of the business are and how much they bought into the idea. Marketing can come up with any number of brands however if the operational or engineering sides either cant (because of depot design or shortage of spare vehicles) or wont (because they cant be bothered) allocate the correct vehicles then it all goes out the window.
Other than during Covid First in Bristol has shown it can be done however a lot of this is down to the MD making sure that everybody understands how unhappy he would be if it goes wrong!
It's largely a Covid thing. Looking at the 101 you will see it it interworks with the 18 at times hence incorrect branding on those two routes at times. Looking a few weeks ago the kingfisher had all three deckers out but over time they have been moved to more local routes, presumably because they are needed for capacity else where.
The_Train
Established Member
- Joined
- 2 Jun 2018
- Messages
- 5,247
I drove past the Newcastle depot the other day and noticed works going on in and around the building. There were none of the heritage buses I'd seen inside the depot last year either so guessing the land has finally been sold?
Work currently underway to convert the site into a JD Sports Gym. The First outstation has moved to a small compound on Holditch Industrial Estate, a mile or so up the road.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Probably the last trip out of 2020 as the weather moves inexorably towards Winter and darkness, and the guidance for essential travel with lockdown seems to become more prevalent and it becoming increasingly concerning. With no official guidance and cases being in the low category, I decided the risk was appropriately low. I’d been wanting to do a Staffordshire trip for some time, not least because of the release of the Knot multi operator ticket in 2019 but also to sample the delights of two seemingly notorious operators – First Potteries and Arriva Midlands.
Now full disclosure. I’d been working in the Midlands on Friday so it was a cheap deal to stay on an extra night. It is also a county where I used to live and whilst it has its fair share of deprived spots, it’s a county that I think is seen as unfashionable and a bit unloved, though not by me. Coincidentally, it was 20 years almost to the day that I did a similar trip (albeit a clockwise loop and all on Arriva Mids North as was) that was dominated by Leyland Tigers as well as a couple of Dennis Falcons! Things have changed since then.
I started the day in Horninglow in Burton on Trent (as I had in 2000) but these days, Arriva is a fleeting visitor. The local ops are now run by Midland Classic who bought out the local Arriva ops, almost a restoration to the old Stevensons business. I waited for the 401 to Uttoxeter which arrived about 5 mins late, operated by 78, a former Reading Buses Solar. After a short delay where the friendly driver searched for the ticket on his machine, I duly paid (contactless) and suitably masked, sat back. The 401 is a lovely run out through the historic Tutbury with its castle, and then via Hatton with the Nescafe factory before a raucous blast through the countryside as we crossed over the River Dove several times. The vehicle was nicely presented but was quite rattly and only me and one other passenger braved the journey that was punctuated with a number of diversions off the main route but to no avail. Despite a spirited drive and no passengers, a tightly timed run meant we were 7 mins late into Uttoxeter. One thing was MC provide a leaflet that pulls out to reveal the latest times on one side and a series of network and local maps on the other, produced with Best Impressions. For an independent operator, it is very impressive! In fact, my first impression of Midland Classic was impressive all round, though on time and fewer rattles would have been better.
I was straight off this and onto the newly rebranded 32, now just known as Kingfisher, operated by First. I’d twigged that the dedicated deckers had been moved off onto other routes to provide additional capacity so we had a nicely repainted Scania Omnicity (65026). However, internally, it was freezing and the seats were tidy yet not giving much in comfort. The driver was appropriately surly, probably shivering, and the external presentation was not matched internally with the usual depressing array of NHS ads and a cheery one from the local fire brigade about fires and dying of carbon monoxide. That said, we set off and quickly began to acquire passengers in small numbers as we headed through some gorgeous little villages en route to Cheadle. Despite being the same age, the uncomfortable cold Omnicity had none of the rattles of the preceding Solar, which was impressive. Both this and the 401 are lovely routes that are emblematic of what Staffordshire is like….understated and unknown yet surprisingly scenic. We arrived in Cheadle – a town that once had a PMT depot and even an outstation. Kingfisher had seen a frequency reduction which I found very surprising so D&G now operate an hourly short to Tean and Cheadle from Hanley; a counter productive move from First! Even worse is that we saw the D&G 32 head off on the one way system to be about 5-10 mins ahead of the Kingfisher! One interesting distraction was a gent getting on just outside Cheadle with a carrier bag as a face covering… One of the other passengers actually gave him a proper mask but it shows the limitations of the face covering edict. I continued on and had planned to change at Cellarhead. Driving rain, good timekeeping and available shelter meant I got off at Werrington, ready to head to Leek.
The 16 duly arrived, operated by D&G with a nice warm Optare Metrocity. The driver was noticeably cheerier and we already had a reasonable load. I assume this was another route given up by First in the past; First Potteries was been badly managed culminating in a ruinous Traffic Commissioner raid in 2004 and resultant sanction where many routes were simply cut in line with their authorisation commencing a pattern that has continued. D&G have cheerfully exploited this. The bus carried a tribute to David Reeves, one of the partners who sadly passed away recently, the operation now owned by Julian Peddle. We splashed up to Leek via a former mental institution that once had its own steam railway but has been since converted to housing. Leek bus station is one of those locations that is seemingly broadly unchanged since the days of NBC poppy red. In the pouring rain, I ran through the precinct and grabbed breakfast. I was back out into the still teaming rain, and back to catch the 18 to Hanley. Newly rebranded with refurbished Scania Omnicities, it is the Leek bus. Therefore, I went out and caught 65041, a newly rebranded and refurbished Scania for the Knotty, the Hanley to Stafford service! The vehicle itself was very nicely turned out with refurbished comfortable seating and the ability to charge my phone up. I do appreciate the challenge in these times of getting branded vehicles on the right routes (e.g. Kingfisher Geminis) but I subsequently saw unbranded examples were on the 101, and Leek Bus ones on the 25 and it just seems strange that branding is undermined in that way.
I arrived at Hanley ready to explore the Potteries. The newish bus station is impressive and the old one opposite has now finally succumbed to the wrecking ball. I wasn’t hanging around, having already plotted my day out, and so I got the relatively frequent 3/3A to Tunstall via Burslem that passes the site of the old PMT depot there. It was a standard long Streetlite in 63098 in dull urban, a decent enough machine without the jerky ride of shorter examples or ones with badly set up gearboxes. My experience aside from that epitomised the external and attendant issues for bus companies in the Potteries and explains why what should be good territory is no longer. Firstly, this was Saturday morning but temporary lights in Cobridge and Burslem massively hinder timekeeping, and this was a common theme together with congestion and a lack of bus priority across the area. Secondly, the state of Tunstall…. A town bereft of purpose and a properly functioning high street, blighted by neglect and new developments on the periphery or elsewhere that have robbed the town of trade and vibrancy. The same was apparent in both Stoke and Burslem where their town centres have effectively been robbed out. These are external issues that bus companies have little opportunity to influence effectively. What they can do is to run vehicles reliably but I waited in Tunstall for the 94 and then the 99 – two different firms and both no shows. The one positive was the provision of bus stop information at all stops so you know what you've missed.
Eventually after about 45 mins in increasingly heavy showers, a 94 did arrive with a D&G Solo. This machine was sumptuously appointed with chocolate and cream leather seating and legroom suitable for basketball players. I’m a shorta**e but sitting right back in the seat, I couldn’t touch the seat back in front; research shows it was originally delivered to Eve of Dunbar for their interurban country routes and it shows! After weaving around a number of residential areas in a ride that can only be described as “spirited”, I arrived at Newcastle bus station. This has newer bus shelters but is much as it has been for years though First closed their enquiry office about 5 years ago. I didn’t hang around long as I wanted to sample the 22, a circuitous route around the southern edges of the Potteries via such places as Blurton and Dresden. It was another Streetlite in 63101 and off we went. However, I’ve never heard a noise like it from a Streetlite (and I’ve been on plenty) with a continuous grinding noise for the next 40 odd minutes. It went ok but there’s no way that a vehicle should be out on the road like that. Sounded like it might have been transmission rather than engine, axle or suspension but it was terrible. Again, we encountered roadworks and congestion but still arrived on time. I was glad to get off.
My next bus was my final D&G, with an ageing 2006 Solo on the trunk 1/1A service back to Newcastle. Another friendly D&G driver (in marked contrast to the generally sombre First ones) but as with my earlier Solo, this was another driver from the point and press school of driving, despite his advancing years. After delays at Fenton, we fairly rocketed back to Newcastle just in time for my final First vehicle. It was another Omnicity and an old one in 65002; I think this was one that was bought from dealer stock to upgrade the fleet after the O license cut in 2004/5 and not one of the Knotty examples. The seats were tidy and not threadbare (a mid life refurb?) but lacking in padding. Still, it wasn’t a bad old machine but you do wonder if refurbishing 2006 Knotty examples is really sufficient for such a trunk route. I arrived in Stafford after a very pleasant trip via Stone and wandered over to Gaol Square which really is Stafford bus station. I’ve seen from a distance, and heard comment, about how much the local Arriva operation has deteriorated in recent years, with the Stafford depot closing. My expectations were low and it was noticeable that Select Bus have managed to carve a niche with local services using an ex Stagecoach Dart. After a quick coffee at Nero, I went for my 74 to Cannock and was pleasantly surprised to get 3741, a 2007 Daf SB200 Wright Commander. It was quite pleasant, and had been refurbished in blue checkerboard moquette and carries the latest livery; subsequent research reveals this is the pride of Cannock depot. We headed off on a lazily timed run down the A34, waiting time periodically between splashing through huge puddles at high speed but it was a good machine.
At Cannock, I really began to understand the reality of the Arriva operation. All the modern stuff has been smuggled away; it feels like an operation in close down mode with a sale to D&G or Diamond potentially? There were some 02 plate Cadets and 54 plate SPDs that looked ropey but the 55 Darts that had begun life on the Stafford to Tamworth “Spires Link”…. the seating on there looked filthy. I’d be less worried about Covid and more bothered about catching something far worse off those seats. The heavens opened and it was truly miserable as I waited for the 60 to Lichfield but whilst drivers were stood chatting, no one was volunteering for the Eclipse that seemed to be on stand. Conscious of my timings, no driver likely and now 15 mins late, I elected to change my plans and got the 63 to Rugeley. This run heads via Hednesford which used to have a small bus station where the big new Tesco sits. Again, it was a Daf Commander but older (3726). It had also received a refurb but the bright blue seats didn’t align with the earlier sea green floors and laminates. One other passenger rocked up and asked if the bus went to so and so road but the driver confessed she didn’t know the road names as she was from Stafford.
Rugeley is reassuringly as I remember it; it has changed not at all in 20 years. Still a depressing hole to wait for a bus. Even worse though…. There are five shelters, one per stand, but no signage nor timetables – nothing. It’s a pit of a bus station with feral kids and feral pigeons; it embodies the lukewarm approach of the council to buses, and that of Arriva. It’s an unholy alliance of mutual antipathy to the travelling public. Eventually, my final Arriva vehicle appeared in a Volvo Eclipse working the now truncated Stafford to Lichfield route. We went at a reasonable pace, passing faded bus stop flags with the long-gone Spires Link branding and eventually arrived in Lichfield. Just leaving was a Y reg National Express Trident heading for Walsall, and an Arriva Citaro loading for Tamworth. However, Midland Classic are the main operator here and operate the local routes as well as the slow route (12) to Burton via Yoxall. However, I wanted to get back quicker so went for the X12 express to Burton. On stand was a fully branded e200; again, it was well turned out and I have to say that Midland Classic have really matured into a sound operation. We had a reasonable load too as we left the bus station; again, this is a relic that seems barely changed since my first visit 30 years ago. Staffordshire seems to have cornered the market in crap places to wait for buses!!! We made our way out past the former Midland Red depot that closed in 1971, and out to the A38 where we fairly thrashed along. The X12 then acts as a semi local route, going via Branston and the Anglesey Road area and passing many former pubs before arriving in New Street, the main terminus in Burton where Stevensons once had their local office. Already waiting was another e200 ready for the short run back to Horninglow.
Of the operators, First are trying and the fleet is better (and not that bad) but the sins of 1995-2005 are there to see in an operator shorn of much of its territory and, with the Kingfisher cut, still repeating the mistakes of earlier rationalisations. It’s improved but it needs more TLC. D&G isn’t a bad firm and they’ve exploited the mistakes of First but it still feels like a slightly unprofessional outfit. That feels a bit harsh but presentation is mixed, publicity poor and driver standards encompass friendly customer service and variable technical skill! Midland Classic has matured into a superb operator though the fleet does need a bit of an upgrade. Yet it’s still better than the rest and by a distance. The map/timetable and the on bus publicity is excellent. As for Arriva…. Pulsars and Streetlites have been spirited away and the operation is typified by old vehicles (average age is probably about 15) and drivers who don’t seem to be managed. Presentation is not brilliant and the whole operation has the stench of decline if not death about it.
As ever, apologies for the waffle. I’m no Roger French (and wouldn’t claim to be). However, it was certainly a good day out. Staffordshire is lucky to have a multi operator ticket and I certainly enjoyed it. The scenery is excellent from the flatlands around Lichfield to the Moorlands around Uttoxeter, Cheadle and Leek, all punctuated with pretty villages and historic towns. The Potteries themselves are the nearest thing I think the UK has to a US style rust belt; fine industrial towns now broken on the capitalist wheel as the coal, steel and pottery industries have declined in the last 40 years. They are interesting, captivating yet depressing all at once in the five towns. Then you have Cannock and Stafford, feeling much more like an extension of the large conurbation just to the South. The 401, Kingfisher and the 16/18 are all excellent routes that I'd recommend you get the chance to do, if and when you can. A lot to see and a great ticket to use when the circumstances and weather allow; until then, hibernation beckons!
Now full disclosure. I’d been working in the Midlands on Friday so it was a cheap deal to stay on an extra night. It is also a county where I used to live and whilst it has its fair share of deprived spots, it’s a county that I think is seen as unfashionable and a bit unloved, though not by me. Coincidentally, it was 20 years almost to the day that I did a similar trip (albeit a clockwise loop and all on Arriva Mids North as was) that was dominated by Leyland Tigers as well as a couple of Dennis Falcons! Things have changed since then.
I started the day in Horninglow in Burton on Trent (as I had in 2000) but these days, Arriva is a fleeting visitor. The local ops are now run by Midland Classic who bought out the local Arriva ops, almost a restoration to the old Stevensons business. I waited for the 401 to Uttoxeter which arrived about 5 mins late, operated by 78, a former Reading Buses Solar. After a short delay where the friendly driver searched for the ticket on his machine, I duly paid (contactless) and suitably masked, sat back. The 401 is a lovely run out through the historic Tutbury with its castle, and then via Hatton with the Nescafe factory before a raucous blast through the countryside as we crossed over the River Dove several times. The vehicle was nicely presented but was quite rattly and only me and one other passenger braved the journey that was punctuated with a number of diversions off the main route but to no avail. Despite a spirited drive and no passengers, a tightly timed run meant we were 7 mins late into Uttoxeter. One thing was MC provide a leaflet that pulls out to reveal the latest times on one side and a series of network and local maps on the other, produced with Best Impressions. For an independent operator, it is very impressive! In fact, my first impression of Midland Classic was impressive all round, though on time and fewer rattles would have been better.
I was straight off this and onto the newly rebranded 32, now just known as Kingfisher, operated by First. I’d twigged that the dedicated deckers had been moved off onto other routes to provide additional capacity so we had a nicely repainted Scania Omnicity (65026). However, internally, it was freezing and the seats were tidy yet not giving much in comfort. The driver was appropriately surly, probably shivering, and the external presentation was not matched internally with the usual depressing array of NHS ads and a cheery one from the local fire brigade about fires and dying of carbon monoxide. That said, we set off and quickly began to acquire passengers in small numbers as we headed through some gorgeous little villages en route to Cheadle. Despite being the same age, the uncomfortable cold Omnicity had none of the rattles of the preceding Solar, which was impressive. Both this and the 401 are lovely routes that are emblematic of what Staffordshire is like….understated and unknown yet surprisingly scenic. We arrived in Cheadle – a town that once had a PMT depot and even an outstation. Kingfisher had seen a frequency reduction which I found very surprising so D&G now operate an hourly short to Tean and Cheadle from Hanley; a counter productive move from First! Even worse is that we saw the D&G 32 head off on the one way system to be about 5-10 mins ahead of the Kingfisher! One interesting distraction was a gent getting on just outside Cheadle with a carrier bag as a face covering… One of the other passengers actually gave him a proper mask but it shows the limitations of the face covering edict. I continued on and had planned to change at Cellarhead. Driving rain, good timekeeping and available shelter meant I got off at Werrington, ready to head to Leek.
The 16 duly arrived, operated by D&G with a nice warm Optare Metrocity. The driver was noticeably cheerier and we already had a reasonable load. I assume this was another route given up by First in the past; First Potteries was been badly managed culminating in a ruinous Traffic Commissioner raid in 2004 and resultant sanction where many routes were simply cut in line with their authorisation commencing a pattern that has continued. D&G have cheerfully exploited this. The bus carried a tribute to David Reeves, one of the partners who sadly passed away recently, the operation now owned by Julian Peddle. We splashed up to Leek via a former mental institution that once had its own steam railway but has been since converted to housing. Leek bus station is one of those locations that is seemingly broadly unchanged since the days of NBC poppy red. In the pouring rain, I ran through the precinct and grabbed breakfast. I was back out into the still teaming rain, and back to catch the 18 to Hanley. Newly rebranded with refurbished Scania Omnicities, it is the Leek bus. Therefore, I went out and caught 65041, a newly rebranded and refurbished Scania for the Knotty, the Hanley to Stafford service! The vehicle itself was very nicely turned out with refurbished comfortable seating and the ability to charge my phone up. I do appreciate the challenge in these times of getting branded vehicles on the right routes (e.g. Kingfisher Geminis) but I subsequently saw unbranded examples were on the 101, and Leek Bus ones on the 25 and it just seems strange that branding is undermined in that way.
I arrived at Hanley ready to explore the Potteries. The newish bus station is impressive and the old one opposite has now finally succumbed to the wrecking ball. I wasn’t hanging around, having already plotted my day out, and so I got the relatively frequent 3/3A to Tunstall via Burslem that passes the site of the old PMT depot there. It was a standard long Streetlite in 63098 in dull urban, a decent enough machine without the jerky ride of shorter examples or ones with badly set up gearboxes. My experience aside from that epitomised the external and attendant issues for bus companies in the Potteries and explains why what should be good territory is no longer. Firstly, this was Saturday morning but temporary lights in Cobridge and Burslem massively hinder timekeeping, and this was a common theme together with congestion and a lack of bus priority across the area. Secondly, the state of Tunstall…. A town bereft of purpose and a properly functioning high street, blighted by neglect and new developments on the periphery or elsewhere that have robbed the town of trade and vibrancy. The same was apparent in both Stoke and Burslem where their town centres have effectively been robbed out. These are external issues that bus companies have little opportunity to influence effectively. What they can do is to run vehicles reliably but I waited in Tunstall for the 94 and then the 99 – two different firms and both no shows. The one positive was the provision of bus stop information at all stops so you know what you've missed.
Eventually after about 45 mins in increasingly heavy showers, a 94 did arrive with a D&G Solo. This machine was sumptuously appointed with chocolate and cream leather seating and legroom suitable for basketball players. I’m a shorta**e but sitting right back in the seat, I couldn’t touch the seat back in front; research shows it was originally delivered to Eve of Dunbar for their interurban country routes and it shows! After weaving around a number of residential areas in a ride that can only be described as “spirited”, I arrived at Newcastle bus station. This has newer bus shelters but is much as it has been for years though First closed their enquiry office about 5 years ago. I didn’t hang around long as I wanted to sample the 22, a circuitous route around the southern edges of the Potteries via such places as Blurton and Dresden. It was another Streetlite in 63101 and off we went. However, I’ve never heard a noise like it from a Streetlite (and I’ve been on plenty) with a continuous grinding noise for the next 40 odd minutes. It went ok but there’s no way that a vehicle should be out on the road like that. Sounded like it might have been transmission rather than engine, axle or suspension but it was terrible. Again, we encountered roadworks and congestion but still arrived on time. I was glad to get off.
My next bus was my final D&G, with an ageing 2006 Solo on the trunk 1/1A service back to Newcastle. Another friendly D&G driver (in marked contrast to the generally sombre First ones) but as with my earlier Solo, this was another driver from the point and press school of driving, despite his advancing years. After delays at Fenton, we fairly rocketed back to Newcastle just in time for my final First vehicle. It was another Omnicity and an old one in 65002; I think this was one that was bought from dealer stock to upgrade the fleet after the O license cut in 2004/5 and not one of the Knotty examples. The seats were tidy and not threadbare (a mid life refurb?) but lacking in padding. Still, it wasn’t a bad old machine but you do wonder if refurbishing 2006 Knotty examples is really sufficient for such a trunk route. I arrived in Stafford after a very pleasant trip via Stone and wandered over to Gaol Square which really is Stafford bus station. I’ve seen from a distance, and heard comment, about how much the local Arriva operation has deteriorated in recent years, with the Stafford depot closing. My expectations were low and it was noticeable that Select Bus have managed to carve a niche with local services using an ex Stagecoach Dart. After a quick coffee at Nero, I went for my 74 to Cannock and was pleasantly surprised to get 3741, a 2007 Daf SB200 Wright Commander. It was quite pleasant, and had been refurbished in blue checkerboard moquette and carries the latest livery; subsequent research reveals this is the pride of Cannock depot. We headed off on a lazily timed run down the A34, waiting time periodically between splashing through huge puddles at high speed but it was a good machine.
At Cannock, I really began to understand the reality of the Arriva operation. All the modern stuff has been smuggled away; it feels like an operation in close down mode with a sale to D&G or Diamond potentially? There were some 02 plate Cadets and 54 plate SPDs that looked ropey but the 55 Darts that had begun life on the Stafford to Tamworth “Spires Link”…. the seating on there looked filthy. I’d be less worried about Covid and more bothered about catching something far worse off those seats. The heavens opened and it was truly miserable as I waited for the 60 to Lichfield but whilst drivers were stood chatting, no one was volunteering for the Eclipse that seemed to be on stand. Conscious of my timings, no driver likely and now 15 mins late, I elected to change my plans and got the 63 to Rugeley. This run heads via Hednesford which used to have a small bus station where the big new Tesco sits. Again, it was a Daf Commander but older (3726). It had also received a refurb but the bright blue seats didn’t align with the earlier sea green floors and laminates. One other passenger rocked up and asked if the bus went to so and so road but the driver confessed she didn’t know the road names as she was from Stafford.
Rugeley is reassuringly as I remember it; it has changed not at all in 20 years. Still a depressing hole to wait for a bus. Even worse though…. There are five shelters, one per stand, but no signage nor timetables – nothing. It’s a pit of a bus station with feral kids and feral pigeons; it embodies the lukewarm approach of the council to buses, and that of Arriva. It’s an unholy alliance of mutual antipathy to the travelling public. Eventually, my final Arriva vehicle appeared in a Volvo Eclipse working the now truncated Stafford to Lichfield route. We went at a reasonable pace, passing faded bus stop flags with the long-gone Spires Link branding and eventually arrived in Lichfield. Just leaving was a Y reg National Express Trident heading for Walsall, and an Arriva Citaro loading for Tamworth. However, Midland Classic are the main operator here and operate the local routes as well as the slow route (12) to Burton via Yoxall. However, I wanted to get back quicker so went for the X12 express to Burton. On stand was a fully branded e200; again, it was well turned out and I have to say that Midland Classic have really matured into a sound operation. We had a reasonable load too as we left the bus station; again, this is a relic that seems barely changed since my first visit 30 years ago. Staffordshire seems to have cornered the market in crap places to wait for buses!!! We made our way out past the former Midland Red depot that closed in 1971, and out to the A38 where we fairly thrashed along. The X12 then acts as a semi local route, going via Branston and the Anglesey Road area and passing many former pubs before arriving in New Street, the main terminus in Burton where Stevensons once had their local office. Already waiting was another e200 ready for the short run back to Horninglow.
Of the operators, First are trying and the fleet is better (and not that bad) but the sins of 1995-2005 are there to see in an operator shorn of much of its territory and, with the Kingfisher cut, still repeating the mistakes of earlier rationalisations. It’s improved but it needs more TLC. D&G isn’t a bad firm and they’ve exploited the mistakes of First but it still feels like a slightly unprofessional outfit. That feels a bit harsh but presentation is mixed, publicity poor and driver standards encompass friendly customer service and variable technical skill! Midland Classic has matured into a superb operator though the fleet does need a bit of an upgrade. Yet it’s still better than the rest and by a distance. The map/timetable and the on bus publicity is excellent. As for Arriva…. Pulsars and Streetlites have been spirited away and the operation is typified by old vehicles (average age is probably about 15) and drivers who don’t seem to be managed. Presentation is not brilliant and the whole operation has the stench of decline if not death about it.
As ever, apologies for the waffle. I’m no Roger French (and wouldn’t claim to be). However, it was certainly a good day out. Staffordshire is lucky to have a multi operator ticket and I certainly enjoyed it. The scenery is excellent from the flatlands around Lichfield to the Moorlands around Uttoxeter, Cheadle and Leek, all punctuated with pretty villages and historic towns. The Potteries themselves are the nearest thing I think the UK has to a US style rust belt; fine industrial towns now broken on the capitalist wheel as the coal, steel and pottery industries have declined in the last 40 years. They are interesting, captivating yet depressing all at once in the five towns. Then you have Cannock and Stafford, feeling much more like an extension of the large conurbation just to the South. The 401, Kingfisher and the 16/18 are all excellent routes that I'd recommend you get the chance to do, if and when you can. A lot to see and a great ticket to use when the circumstances and weather allow; until then, hibernation beckons!
peterblue
Member
Your bus experiences in Staffordshire tend to echo mine.
Arriva having as little ambition as usual with slow, steady, curtailing of vehicles, routes and timetables.
First are appearing to pay more attention to routes and branding as of recently (not just Staffordshire but also elsewhere too). They're just about ok in the potteries - certainly nothing amazing. The potteries is probably no longer the financial goldmine it once was, as most of it is poor and deprived.
MC has been very good in publicity and reliability from my experiences. The best of the bunch. They have some fairly pleasant routes too, the 400's as you suggested to Uttoxeter, and I also find charm in the 9 to the airport with the contrasting Staffordshire countryside, the urban towns, the small villages and the Airport landscape itself. There used to be individual route leaflets but these are gone now in favour of a single fold-out leaflet with a network map on one side and a (simplified) timetable for all routes on the other. I think this is new modern map is the better way of presenting the network.
Arriva having as little ambition as usual with slow, steady, curtailing of vehicles, routes and timetables.
First are appearing to pay more attention to routes and branding as of recently (not just Staffordshire but also elsewhere too). They're just about ok in the potteries - certainly nothing amazing. The potteries is probably no longer the financial goldmine it once was, as most of it is poor and deprived.
MC has been very good in publicity and reliability from my experiences. The best of the bunch. They have some fairly pleasant routes too, the 400's as you suggested to Uttoxeter, and I also find charm in the 9 to the airport with the contrasting Staffordshire countryside, the urban towns, the small villages and the Airport landscape itself. There used to be individual route leaflets but these are gone now in favour of a single fold-out leaflet with a network map on one side and a (simplified) timetable for all routes on the other. I think this is new modern map is the better way of presenting the network.
Thank you Grand Wazoo for your report on your trip to Staffordshire. It has reminded me that I should write about my trip there a few weeks ago. It was in better weather at the end of our mid-September warm spell, although misty in the early morning.
Arriving around 7.15 (alarm at 4am!) I parked up at Longport close to the station and went to the northbound stop for the First Potteries 98/99 to get whichever came first. The 98 that should have come first was a no show, so I got a 99 to Tunstall. A Streetlite, but perfectly acceptable for a pretty short journey. I too bought a Staffordshire Knot ticket. I agree that Tunstall is a particularly uninspiring town and soon moved on to take a 3 to Burslem. Anything and everything seemed to be on the 3s, Streetlites, Scanias, E300s and deckers (but no deckers to Crewe). Burslem has definitely got more about it than Tunstall and it looks like some money has been spent around the central square. I then went to get another 3 on to Hanley, but one was early (I missed it), the next a no-show so I had to wait about 15 minutes – poor for a service of 9bph. This one was a decker and quite full but enough room all the way to Hanley.
The bus station is better than its predecessor but the toilets were closed and there was little going on. I went into the town centre for a coffee from a nice trailer in the pedestrian precinct. Then I duplicated some of your route TGW as I got the D&G 16 first to Cheddleton. As a former canal fan I stopped off here for half an hour to look at the Caldon canal and nearby Cheddleton Flint Mill – some lovely buildings here not quite visible from the road. I then got the next 16 to Leek and on to Buxton. Not sure if my 16s were Versa or Metrocities I’m afraid but perfectly acceptable. Several people joined the bus at Leek taking a day trip to Buxton and one passenger was going on from there to Bakewell. This is something they can do more quickly soon on Hulley’s new 171 – a great idea and I hope it and the Snake work well for them. The sun broke through just as we ascended out of Leek onto the fabulous section of the A53 across to Buxton. Glorious scenery with bits of cloud hanging in places as it was lifting elsewhere and some great distant views. Ramshaw Rocks are worth seeing and as you pass it looks like the rock is a head which is winking at you, hence the Winking Man pub nearby. If its not already mentioned this should be on the scenic routes thread.
I love Buxton and had about half an hour there, enough time to admire the Crescent Hotel with its glorious frontage finally unveiled after years of refurbishment works. From Buxton I took the High Peak 199 to Whaley Bridge, stopping in Chapel-en-le-Frith for 30 minutes. Two Citaros for this, these appear to be the new standard on the route. I know the 61 is a quicker and more scenic (very scenic) way from Buxton to Whaley Bridge but I had not done the 199 before nor been to Chapel, which is a quiet village gathered around an attractive market square. I also like Whaley Bridge, particularly around the canal basin, and there were momentos of the near-miss with the dam on the hill above the town a couple of years ago. Luckily the High Peak 60/60A to Macclesfield had just resumed an hourly frequency having been two-hourly in recent months. I got a Solo on the 60A which starts with a tour of some very steep housing estates to the west of Whaley Bridge, including the odd view over to the hills to the east. Several people used it to get up there as the walk looks quite intimidating. Then it returned almost to where I got on and heads south and then west across the open road towards Macclesfield. Another must for the scenic routes, incredible views for miles, especially looking north.
At Macclesfield I made a zero minute connection (I did have a plan B!) onto the D&G 130 to Wilmslow. At this time the withdrawal of the 130 had been announced with no certain plan for its replacement. I recall the E29/E30 and 129/130 (I think) as a twice hourly route on to Manchester and I think I remember Crosville running ex-GMPTE Fleetlines on it as well as VRs. Now a 90 minute truncated service with Solos. There were 8 passengers throughout my journey to up-market Alderley Edge and Wilmslow so the service would not appear to be a dead loss. Alderley Edge looked lively but I have to say Wilmslow seemed a little soulless (but posh), but was slightly more tolerable down by the church. From Wilmslow I took a train to Crewe and then the D&G 85, another Solo, via the back route to Newcastle under Lyme. This was reasonably scenic in places although timed far too loosely, with long periods stationery waiting time. We spent over 5 minutes stopped in Keele University, which was then still deserted as term had not started.
At Newcastle under Lyme it was now rush hour with plenty of First buses around. Many branded and on the wrong routes. The 25 was all being run by Streetlites with the deckers normally on here on other routes. I also saw a Kingfisher branded decker, well out of place. Some buses were quite full, including on the 4 and 101. I wanted to get the bus back to Longport, but the first 99 to Tunstall was completely full and I waited for the next, a 98 to Burslem – another Streetlite. Plenty of people at the stop for this already (oddly a different stand to the 99) but I was able to get on, reasonably socially distanced, but this too departed full with passengers left behind. Mostly students, all going to Burslem and beyond. Now bright sunshine at Longport and I wandered briefly up the Trent and Mersey Canal to Westport Lake, where plenty of people were out enjoying early evening sunshine.
Overall impressions – fabulous scenery leading into the Peak District. Perfectly pleasant in rural Staffordshire and Cheshire. Run down in the Potteries. First Potteries – better than previously but still a bit hit and mess and could be presented better. D&G – couldn’t fault them on my day. High Peak – I've always found them a very reliable and well presented operator. A great day - looks like it may be the last before winter / lockdown!
Arriving around 7.15 (alarm at 4am!) I parked up at Longport close to the station and went to the northbound stop for the First Potteries 98/99 to get whichever came first. The 98 that should have come first was a no show, so I got a 99 to Tunstall. A Streetlite, but perfectly acceptable for a pretty short journey. I too bought a Staffordshire Knot ticket. I agree that Tunstall is a particularly uninspiring town and soon moved on to take a 3 to Burslem. Anything and everything seemed to be on the 3s, Streetlites, Scanias, E300s and deckers (but no deckers to Crewe). Burslem has definitely got more about it than Tunstall and it looks like some money has been spent around the central square. I then went to get another 3 on to Hanley, but one was early (I missed it), the next a no-show so I had to wait about 15 minutes – poor for a service of 9bph. This one was a decker and quite full but enough room all the way to Hanley.
The bus station is better than its predecessor but the toilets were closed and there was little going on. I went into the town centre for a coffee from a nice trailer in the pedestrian precinct. Then I duplicated some of your route TGW as I got the D&G 16 first to Cheddleton. As a former canal fan I stopped off here for half an hour to look at the Caldon canal and nearby Cheddleton Flint Mill – some lovely buildings here not quite visible from the road. I then got the next 16 to Leek and on to Buxton. Not sure if my 16s were Versa or Metrocities I’m afraid but perfectly acceptable. Several people joined the bus at Leek taking a day trip to Buxton and one passenger was going on from there to Bakewell. This is something they can do more quickly soon on Hulley’s new 171 – a great idea and I hope it and the Snake work well for them. The sun broke through just as we ascended out of Leek onto the fabulous section of the A53 across to Buxton. Glorious scenery with bits of cloud hanging in places as it was lifting elsewhere and some great distant views. Ramshaw Rocks are worth seeing and as you pass it looks like the rock is a head which is winking at you, hence the Winking Man pub nearby. If its not already mentioned this should be on the scenic routes thread.
I love Buxton and had about half an hour there, enough time to admire the Crescent Hotel with its glorious frontage finally unveiled after years of refurbishment works. From Buxton I took the High Peak 199 to Whaley Bridge, stopping in Chapel-en-le-Frith for 30 minutes. Two Citaros for this, these appear to be the new standard on the route. I know the 61 is a quicker and more scenic (very scenic) way from Buxton to Whaley Bridge but I had not done the 199 before nor been to Chapel, which is a quiet village gathered around an attractive market square. I also like Whaley Bridge, particularly around the canal basin, and there were momentos of the near-miss with the dam on the hill above the town a couple of years ago. Luckily the High Peak 60/60A to Macclesfield had just resumed an hourly frequency having been two-hourly in recent months. I got a Solo on the 60A which starts with a tour of some very steep housing estates to the west of Whaley Bridge, including the odd view over to the hills to the east. Several people used it to get up there as the walk looks quite intimidating. Then it returned almost to where I got on and heads south and then west across the open road towards Macclesfield. Another must for the scenic routes, incredible views for miles, especially looking north.
At Macclesfield I made a zero minute connection (I did have a plan B!) onto the D&G 130 to Wilmslow. At this time the withdrawal of the 130 had been announced with no certain plan for its replacement. I recall the E29/E30 and 129/130 (I think) as a twice hourly route on to Manchester and I think I remember Crosville running ex-GMPTE Fleetlines on it as well as VRs. Now a 90 minute truncated service with Solos. There were 8 passengers throughout my journey to up-market Alderley Edge and Wilmslow so the service would not appear to be a dead loss. Alderley Edge looked lively but I have to say Wilmslow seemed a little soulless (but posh), but was slightly more tolerable down by the church. From Wilmslow I took a train to Crewe and then the D&G 85, another Solo, via the back route to Newcastle under Lyme. This was reasonably scenic in places although timed far too loosely, with long periods stationery waiting time. We spent over 5 minutes stopped in Keele University, which was then still deserted as term had not started.
At Newcastle under Lyme it was now rush hour with plenty of First buses around. Many branded and on the wrong routes. The 25 was all being run by Streetlites with the deckers normally on here on other routes. I also saw a Kingfisher branded decker, well out of place. Some buses were quite full, including on the 4 and 101. I wanted to get the bus back to Longport, but the first 99 to Tunstall was completely full and I waited for the next, a 98 to Burslem – another Streetlite. Plenty of people at the stop for this already (oddly a different stand to the 99) but I was able to get on, reasonably socially distanced, but this too departed full with passengers left behind. Mostly students, all going to Burslem and beyond. Now bright sunshine at Longport and I wandered briefly up the Trent and Mersey Canal to Westport Lake, where plenty of people were out enjoying early evening sunshine.
Overall impressions – fabulous scenery leading into the Peak District. Perfectly pleasant in rural Staffordshire and Cheshire. Run down in the Potteries. First Potteries – better than previously but still a bit hit and mess and could be presented better. D&G – couldn’t fault them on my day. High Peak – I've always found them a very reliable and well presented operator. A great day - looks like it may be the last before winter / lockdown!
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Sounds like a lovely day out. The Peak District is rightly recognised for its stunning scenery but for those people who haven't heard, the bits of rural Staffordshire are really quite lovely. Burslem does look like it has a bit more about it but I think that Tunstall's centre has been fatally weakened by the develops behind it (Matalan etc) and firms shipping out to places like Festival Park, as well as the overall decline in the area.
One question is that obviously, the Knot is valid in Stoke/Staffs but I assume that the ticket doesn't cover trips across the border to Crewe or Buxton?
I think we will both be planning our trips out for next year, hoping that the circumstances are much changed from this year.
No the Knot does not go across the county line out of Staffordshire. I bought a "Peak Plus" ticket which covered the 16 from Cheddleton and all High Peak routes, but I had to buy singles on the 130 and on the 85 from Crewe as far as the county boundary.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Ah right. That explains things.
Some nice reports there @TheGrandWazoo and @RELL6L I cant comment much as I haven't used the bus much in the potteries area but I have used First and Midland Classic.
I have found that First Potteries have never got there branding 100% right as I normally see something other than a Kingfisher bus in Uttoxeter which can include a 25 branded decker or last time a 'potteries spare bus' omnicity. I would cut them a little slack at the moment as I would say capacity is more important than branding. Looking at the bustimes tracker it looks like the 18 and 101 interworks at various times in the day which would explain 65041 ending up in Leek.
I hardly use Midland Classic but I have been X12, 12 and 401/402/403 and are all very good routes and have well turned out vehicles and drivers. There publicity since the arriva takeover has been very good and almost every stop has a timetable and the route maps showing arriva and trent routes is a very good idea if anyone is looking for connections. I'm glad they have gone back to the 'all in one leaflet' as this would certainly help with most services working with each other in Burton along common corridors.
I have found that First Potteries have never got there branding 100% right as I normally see something other than a Kingfisher bus in Uttoxeter which can include a 25 branded decker or last time a 'potteries spare bus' omnicity. I would cut them a little slack at the moment as I would say capacity is more important than branding. Looking at the bustimes tracker it looks like the 18 and 101 interworks at various times in the day which would explain 65041 ending up in Leek.
I hardly use Midland Classic but I have been X12, 12 and 401/402/403 and are all very good routes and have well turned out vehicles and drivers. There publicity since the arriva takeover has been very good and almost every stop has a timetable and the route maps showing arriva and trent routes is a very good idea if anyone is looking for connections. I'm glad they have gone back to the 'all in one leaflet' as this would certainly help with most services working with each other in Burton along common corridors.
I agree. This year has been very sparse. Just five trips since lockdown, June - a short day round Bedfordshire, July - two days in Cornwall, August - a great day covering Hull, York and Leeds and many places in between, September - Staffordshire to Buxton. Plenty planned, just need better circumstances and good weather.
I didn't comment on Midland Classic or Arriva Midlands North as I didn't use them on this trip. My experience of Midland Classic has been very good, innovative, well presented, good publicity and reliable. Fleet not brand new but well looked after. Let's leave Arriva Midlands North....
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Indeed - I think I had a day out round Bristol in Jan, a mini one round Worcester City in Feb before the shutters came down. Then in August, a couple more local ones and one in South Wales before this last one. A much overdue trip around the homeland (the riddled North) and a few others have fallen by the wayside! Still, in the scheme of things, would seem churlish to complain.
As I said, I used to travel on Arriva Midlands North about 20 years ago (as it was) and it was a poor relation. Even within AMN, it was that Telford and Tamworth had the best kit, but Cannock/Stafford wasn't too bad. The older stuff tended to be in Burton (some real tat) or in Shrewsbury. Nowadays.... well, if it was a First OpCo, people would be shouting a lot louder!
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Fair point on the 18/101 interworking and I can understand the Kingfisher deckers appearing elsewhere. Just that when you see standard liveries on the 18/101 whilst a Leek or Knotty ones are on other routes, it does seem like a lack of focus. I accept the odd one to cover a breakdown but it seemed widespread.
I would also say that from the bleak days on 2015/6 when the fleet was perhaps at it's lowest ebb, it does look better.
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