Stagecoach North West Discussion

[cainebj]

They don't seem to be going anywhere fast Mind you.. 20913 never goes anywhere fast :roll:

good old 20913! lucky that one wasn't tacho'd up! would probably take 2 hours to get to Carlisle!

16651 was rather awesome this morning! left Maryport 15 mins late, arrived to Carlisle 2 mins after timetabled arrival time! something a Scania wouldn't manage to do

 

[Dallamlad]

Online fleetlist shows 16103 as going to Preston so if that's to be believed it may only have been passing through Morecambe. It also shows 16708 as transferred to Kendal...

Also not NW but Trident 18178 (Stagecoach Stagecoach West Swindon & District) has been withdrawn after it set on fire and was completely burnt out.

 

[rosswatson]

Also not NW but Trident 18178 (Stagecoach Stagecoach West Swindon & District) has been withdrawn after it set on fire and was completely burnt out.

Speaking of Tridents... 17017 hasn't been out to play for a while.

 

[Dallamlad]

Speaking of Tridents... 17017 hasn't been out to play for a while.

I honestly think its just gona keep braking if they continue to use it on the 300, but sometimes I'm sure its unavoidable at its the only LF spare. Not sure how badly its knackered this time!

 

[cainebj]

I honestly think its just gona keep braking if they continue to use it on the 300, but sometimes I'm sure its unavoidable at its the only LF spare. Not sure how badly its knackered this time!

something better is needed for 300 spare really! 17017 isn't built for the route! especially with that bloody 3 speed gearbox in it! a new ADL Enviro 400 would be nice :roll: the 6 speed gearboxes in them are rather nice! as are the Cummins engines in them!!!

 

[Dallamlad]

something better is needed for 300 spare really! 17017 isn't built for the route! especially with that bloody 3 speed gearbox in it! a new ADL Enviro 400 would be nice :roll: the 6 speed gearboxes in them are rather nice! as are the Cummins engines in them!!!

Would a 2005 Trident have been better? I know ME or anywhere else would have been reluctant to lose one but it's better then an S reg been destroyed lol!

 

[rosswatson]

Would a 2005 Trident have been better? I know ME or anywhere else would have been reluctant to lose one but it's better then an S reg been destroyed lol!

Yes, it would.

I reckon 17017 will burn out while its at Lillyhall... Hahaaaa.

 

[Dallamlad]

Yes, it would.

I reckon 17017 will burn out while its at Lillyhall... Hahaaaa.

Mmmmm if it continues to brake down again and again it may be that LL will seek a replacement or do a swap. See how it goes

 

[TheHovisKid]

Although they are older, would the 3-speed tridents not have been better suited to the 2/2A in Lancaster where they were- they seemed to do OK on that- and use the newer tridents elsewhere, rather than flogging 17017 to pieces up there?

 

[KendalKing]

33203 on 89's today.

How things have changed, from 51-reg'd Solo's to 08-reg'd Versa's to an R-reg'd Dart, all with-in 6-months!:roll:

 

[Gez.SCNW]

33203 on 89's today.

How things have changed, from 51-reg'd Solo's to 08-reg'd Versa's to an R-reg'd Dart, all with-in 6-months!:roll:

Was on it yesterday and it was what they wer brought up for, so its about time they saw one

 

[rosswatson]

Was in town for a little bit this morning, and I came across some strange workings.

An 08 plate Solo doing 48's... A Scania doing staff shuttle... and a KX51 heading through Westfield with Stagecoach on the display.. ASDA free bus maybe?

20910 and 34218 on Seaton and 20473 on Moorclose.

 

[Dallamlad]

A MAN on the X1 again this morning. This is becoming a regular allocation now is it meant to be?

Not much else business as usual from what I have seen.

The temp bus stop at the Uni is closing at some point soon while work is carried out around that area. I think it'll be in the Holidays. While this work is carried out buses will drop off and pick up by the chaplaincy Centre.

 

[Class20]

Solo 47022 is working route 150/1 off Preston this afternoon.

David.c

 

[Dallamlad]

Solo 47022 is working route 150/1 off Preston this afternoon.

David.c

Errrrr why do they need it? I thought they had loads of mini spares? Something broken? Replaced something? 20463 has also been seen in Preston as well apparently...

 

[cainebj]

Errrrr why do they need it? I thought they had loads of mini spares? Something broken? Replaced something? 20463 has also been seen in Preston as well apparently...

assuming the PVR Card I uploaded last week is correct, then Preston should have 3 spare Tridents, 1 spare Scania, 2 spare B10M's, 1 spare MAN, 5 spare Darts and 2 spare Solo's. 16103, 16124 and 16874 all apparently now in service there, so there should be 1 spare Volvo Oly as well.
then 14243 and 14246 are operating from reserve (apparently only until the ex Magic Bus Oly's entered service, dunno if they've stopped using the Leylands now or not), as is 20463, AND 33143! 52629 also operating from reserve on X61 (it was sent back to Preston after appearing in Carlisle. CE Reserve's 52408 back in use)

 

[Dallamlad]

assuming the PVR Card I uploaded last week is correct, then Preston should have 3 spare Tridents, 1 spare Scania, 2 spare B10M's, 1 spare MAN, 5 spare Darts and 2 spare Solo's. 16103, 16124 and 16874 all apparently now in service there, so there should be 1 spare Volvo Oly as well.
then 14243 and 14246 are operating from reserve (apparently only until the ex Magic Bus Oly's entered service, dunno if they've stopped using the Leylands now or not), as is 20463, AND 33143! 52629 also operating from reserve on X61 (it was sent back to Preston after appearing in Carlisle. CE Reserve's 52408 back in use)

Must be a reason for them taking 20463 and 47022. Maybe they are just there temporally for some reason. They have "in Lancashire! on the side?

 

[Chris26584]

assuming the PVR Card I uploaded last week is correct, then Preston should have 3 spare Tridents, 1 spare Scania, 2 spare B10M's, 1 spare MAN, 5 spare Darts and 2 spare Solo's. 16103, 16124 and 16874 all apparently now in service there, so there should be 1 spare Volvo Oly as well.
then 14243 and 14246 are operating from reserve (apparently only until the ex Magic Bus Oly's entered service, dunno if they've stopped using the Leylands now or not), as is 20463, AND 33143! 52629 also operating from reserve on X61 (it was sent back to Preston after appearing in Carlisle. CE Reserve's 52408 back in use)

The Leylands are still in use, mainly on the Preston College 4C route as neither have had their blinds altered. Don't know if the B10M's are still in use there or not which would cater for 2 of the deckers, plus the increase in school contracts in september and Preston has always seemed to struggle for a spare allocation compared to other depots... also a new manager in place may have also shaken things up a little bit.
As for Preston and minibuses, one spare minibus was never enough, so the extra one will be welcome. Especially when Preston has a 2 tier pay rate still for their minibus and 'big bus' drivers.

 

[KendalKing]

Morecambe depot were using three buses of out of date V.E.D., today.

Traffic been mayham in Lancaster this afternoon, with it taking upto 45-mins from the Bus Station to reach Common Garden Street!:roll:

 

[TheHovisKid]

...and a lot longer than that to get anywhere near Heysham! People said they had been waiting for a Heysham-bound bus over an hour.
All aboard for Westgate though, plenty of space on those! Could one not have done a 2/2A- it would have cleared some of the backlog and it could have picked up it's return journey, although perhaps a little late. Even though the Westgates weren't affected by whatever was going on, a 2/2A would have cleared a load of people out of the bus station- there was a chap there shouting "6A, anyone for Westgate!" and not getting much response. It seemed as if priority was being given to getting buses out southwards in preference to across the river.

Had 25222 on a short 40 catch up (see, you can get to Morecambe..) but wasn't impressed with it- somewhere there is a flymo missing it's engine- followed by a snowy walk from Euston Rd to Heysham.

Out of interest, who controls the departure board? It would have been good if one of the two panels could show the upcoming departures and the other mention that things are running late and by roughly how much. Some people near me were getting fed up of watching a fictitious 2/2A scroll to the top of the list and then vanish- that's just teasing, isn't it.

 

[Gez.SCNW]

Out of interest, who controls the departure board? It would have been good if one of the two panels could show the upcoming departures and the other mention that things are running late and by roughly how much. Some people near me were getting fed up of watching a fictitious 2/2A scroll to the top of the list and then vanish- that's just teasing, isn't it.[/QUOTE]

Lancashire County Council whose name appears on it

 

[Ado 16]

I've often wondered why they can't have an emergency lock down situation where if there are problems one side of the bus station then don't let buses get caught up in it and just terminate them at the bus station and then send 'em back from whence they came? That way you won't get too many buses stuck one side unable to get back and you still have a service the other side.

 

[Dallamlad]

...and a lot longer than that to get anywhere near Heysham! People said they had been waiting for a Heysham-bound bus over an hour.
All aboard for Westgate though, plenty of space on those! Could one not have done a 2/2A- it would have cleared some of the backlog and it could have picked up it's return journey, although perhaps a little late. Even though the Westgates weren't affected by whatever was going on, a 2/2A would have cleared a load of people out of the bus station- there was a chap there shouting "6A, anyone for Westgate!" and not getting much response. It seemed as if priority was being given to getting buses out southwards in preference to across the river.

Had 25222 on a short 40 catch up (see, you can get to Morecambe..) but wasn't impressed with it- somewhere there is a flymo missing it's engine- followed by a snowy walk from Euston Rd to Heysham.

Out of interest, who controls the departure board? It would have been good if one of the two panels could show the upcoming departures and the other mention that things are running late and by roughly how much. Some people near me were getting fed up of watching a fictitious 2/2A scroll to the top of the list and then vanish- that's just teasing, isn't it.

I doubt its as easy as switching services and buses just like that. I would have thought there would be a lot of paperwork and red tape involved etc. As for the board again not as easy as typing new stuff in and pressing enter. I remember when it was switched off for a long while when Stagecoach had a stand off with the council about it (I think that's what it was).

The traffic was horrendous this afternoon. I had 22825 on the 2a at 4.45 and it was packed full. Saw Kendal King heading into town by the infirmary not looking to happy about the traffic situation. The tailback from town went all the way back up to the Bowerham Hotel and I imagine well into Greaves.

 

[mbonwick]

Sounds like I made a good call getting the 1220 556, even if it was rattling to the point that the ticket inspector noted it...

 

[TheHovisKid]

I doubt its as easy as switching services and buses just like that.

Had 25222 on a short 40 catch up

So it can be done.

Might be a pain, but on a bad day, and at rush hour, the public want buses running to where they want to go, not to where SC what to run them to.
The queue of people wanting to get a 2/2A was filling about 2/3 of the entire bus station, with less queues for the Uni or Preston by a long chalk. Pull a uni-bound 2/2A (condense 2 bus-loads onto 1) and send one back the other way, or send a Preston/Blackpool via the uni to help spread the load, they're late already so a bit longer won't hurt. The Uni and Preston runs would end up rammed full as far as the underpass, but people would also be moving the other way rather then piling up in the bus station.
If the timetable is that far out anyway....?

 

[Dallamlad]

So it can be done.

Might be a pain, but on a bad day, and at rush hour, the public want buses running to where they want to go, not to where SC what to run them to.
The queue of people wanting to get a 2/2A was filling about 2/3 of the entire bus station, with less queues for the Uni or Preston by a long chalk. Pull a uni-bound 2/2A (condense 2 bus-loads onto 1) and send one back the other way, or send a Preston/Blackpool via the uni to help spread the load, they're late already so a bit longer won't hurt. The Uni and Preston runs would end up rammed full as far as the underpass, but people would also be moving the other way rather then piling up in the bus station.
If the timetable is that far out anyway....?

Was 25222 taken of another service? If it was then fine but if it was a spare bus doing a catch up service then that's different.

I'm not saying you're wrong I'm just aware that what we think happens/should happen is not always what/can happen. Its all very well us sitting here and stating obvious solutions but its not always that easy.

 

[TheHovisKid]

Was 25222 taken of another service? If it was then fine but if it was a spare bus doing a catch up service then that's different.

I'm not saying you're wrong I'm just aware that what we think happens/should happen is not always what/can happen. Its all very well us sitting here and stating obvious solutions but its not always that easy.

Taken off a 6A according to the blinds, replaced 15700.

 

[Dallamlad]

Taken off a 6A according to the blinds, replaced 15700.

Outgoing 6a or one that had just come in?

 

[TheHovisKid]

Outgoing 6a or one that had just come in?

Would have been outgoing in about another 15 mins according to the board, had been there about 10 mins

 

[Dallamlad]

Would have been outgoing in about another 15 mins according to the board, had been there about 10 mins

In that case you may be right and they cancelled the 6a and put it on a 40 which would mean I assume they had no spares. Gez would be the best person to answer all these questions lol.