Xplore Aberdeen, a McGill's Company

[kkong]

I know they got rid of quite a few drivers at the FlixBus ops in Aberdeen, that weren’t up to the job. That’s isn’t that unusual with ‘coach‘ drivers, especially where drivers have moved over from ‘bus’ work, as they can be quite different jobs and many drivers can be really good at one but not the other. I have also heard that some early Ember recruits have also moved on.
The fact that a few new options have appeared this year for driving jobs in Aberdeen will certainly have had an influence on the incumbent operators like First and Stagecoach.

I was speaking to one of the ember drivers recently and they were full of praise for how professional the operation was compared to what they'd experienced elsewhere.

Based on my experience with ember drivers generally, it seems they employ only those with the ability to interact positively with passengers - something which a good number of the First and Stagecoach drivers have difficulty with.

 

[kez19]

service 14 Xplore - Service 14 timetable is now live on Xplore Dundee app/site, seems to be for the service they'll be known as Xplore...

 

[Stan Drews]

service 14 Xplore - Service 14 timetable is now live on Xplore Dundee app/site, seems to be for the service they'll be known as Xplore...

It’s been live for over two weeks.

 

[kez19]

It’s been live for over two weeks.

I only spotted it in last few days, my mistake.

 

[Stan Drews]

I only spotted it in last few days, my mistake.

No worries. The links were shared near the start of this thread.

 

[Strathtay 260]

Service 14 has now been launched. Bustimes suggests the two vehicles running it today are E200 MMC 4106 and B7RLE E2 2426.

 

[Volvodart]

Service 14 has now been launched. Bustimes suggests the two vehicles running it today are E200 MMC 4106 and B7RLE E2 2426.

It is 4108 that is the second bus.

 

[Resuwen]

Have seen pics of them on service in Aberdeen today.

With the general shoddiness of this company's presentation it's no surprise to see they're still bearing Midland Bluebird branding - which is just bizarre in the North-East and I can't imagine Stagecoach being happy about either.

 

[Spsf3232]

Have seen pics of them on service in Aberdeen today.

With the general shoddiness of this company's presentation it's no surprise to see they're still bearing Midland Bluebird branding - which is just bizarre in the North-East and I can't imagine Stagecoach being happy about either.

Why would stagecoach not be happy? They gave up the route and/or didn't win the tender.

 

[Metal Mickey]

Have seen pics of them on service in Aberdeen today.

With the general shoddiness of this company's presentation it's no surprise to see they're still bearing Midland Bluebird branding - which is just bizarre in the North-East and I can't imagine Stagecoach being happy about either.

I don’t think Stagecoach will be bothered but I agree that McGill’s not having vehicles with appropriate livery and decals from the outset of this new operation is rather unprofessional.

 

[Avenger20]

Why would stagecoach not be happy? They gave up the route and/or didn't win the tender.

Perhaps because their buses in the area are also (appropriately) branded Bluebird?

 

[Jordan Adam]

Perhaps because their buses in the area are also (appropriately) branded Bluebird?

The motif itself is owned by a company called Nicecon Limited which was set up following deregulation to allow both Midland Bluebird and Northern Scottish to continue using the Bluebird motif while being owned separately. Midland Bluebird Limited and Bluebird Buses Limited both have 50/50 ownership of the company. I'm not really sure how the use of the motif by other operating companies within the same parent company works (or rather is meant to work legally) but Stagecoach have had numerous vehicles with the Bluebird motif operate for other Stagecoach operating companies, so they wouldn't really be in any position to chase after McGill's for doing the same.

This is also not the first time a former Midland Bluebird Ltd vehicle with Midland Bluebird branding has operated in Aberdeen. First transferred a number of B7RLEs north in 2017 and most carried Midland Bluebird fleetnames until repaint.

First Aberdeen 69263 SK57AEB (27th July 2018)

Seen here is First Aberdeen's Volvo B7RLE Wright Eclipse Urban 69263 resting at Dubford Terminus on one of her first days of service (With First Aberdeen) just prior to working a Service 8 to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Photo date: 27/07/2018 ©Jordan Adam

www.flickr.com

In any case i doubt anyone high enough up at Stagecoach really cares if McGill's use Midland Bluebird branded vehicles in Aberdeen...

 

[Stan Drews]

I don’t think Stagecoach will be bothered but I agree that McGill’s not having vehicles with appropriate livery and decals from the outset of this new operation is rather unprofessional.

What would you consider as an appropriate livery? The buses being used are in the colour scheme depicted in all the advance publicity.

 

[Resuwen]

What would you consider as an appropriate livery? The buses being used are in the colour scheme depicted in all the advance publicity.

No problem with livery but should have Xplore Aberdeen fleetnames

 

[Metal Mickey]

What would you consider as an appropriate livery? The buses being used are in the colour scheme depicted in all the advance publicity.

As I suspect you’re in the know at what goes on behind the scenes at the McGill’s group, could you Please explain the lack of Xplore Aberdeen decals?

 

[GusB]

Perhaps because their buses in the area are also (appropriately) branded Bluebird?

Other than the company name, the Bluebird brand hasn't been used by Stagecoach to any great extent for some time and, as has been pointed out upthread, the rights to the Bluebird name have been agreed between the relevant parties.

As I suspect you’re in the know at what goes on behind the scenes at the McGill’s group, could you Please explain the lack of Xplore Aberdeen decals?

Time? There's no point in re-branding your vehicles if there's a chance that you won't win the tender. It'd be an incredible waste of resources for Xplore to rebrand a load of vehicles in advance, only to find out that another company's bid won.

 

[Resuwen]

They’ve known for weeks they’ve had the contract.

Decals can be made and applied within days.

 

[Stan Drews]

As I suspect you’re in the know at what goes on behind the scenes at the McGill’s group, could you Please explain the lack of Xplore Aberdeen decals?

There hasn’t as yet been an Xplore Aberdeen identity created, so no point in creating decals for a trading name that doesn’t currently exist.
Once Xplore Dundee’s new buses arrive in the Spring there may well be a change of plan, but as anyone in the industry will know, lots of things could change before then!!
Hope that helps to explain.

 

[GusB]

They’ve known for weeks they’ve had the contract.

Decals can be made and applied within days.

Presumably you're speaking from experience, having ordered the relevant decals?

 

[Christmas]

Presumably you're speaking from experience, having ordered the relevant decals?

I've provided vinyl sign writers with historic vinyl decals and had the reproductions applied to vehicles within two days.

All that was needed was either two de-branded ex Midland MMCs or for a fitter to apply a temporary Xplore vinyl somewhere, minus the word Dundee. It's hardly rocket surgery!

 

[GusB]

I've provided vinyl sign writers with historic vinyl decals and had the reproductions applied to vehicles within two days.

All that was needed was either two de-branded ex Midland MMCs or for a fitter to apply a temporary Xplore vinyl somewhere, minus the word Dundee. It's hardly rocket surgery!

So they had the time available to do so. You can't just automatically assume that you'll be able to get such things within such a short period of time. It must feel good to be right about everything, though

 

[Christmas]

So they had the time available to do so. You can't just automatically assume that you'll be able to get such things within such a short period of time. It must feel good to be right about everything, though

I'm not suggesting that Nostradamus himself is employed by McGill's, but they could have made the effort to send a few buses up the road bearing no fleet name at all. They were happy enough to do that with the ex First fleet. But yes, Ralph Roberts can consult my expertise any time he likes

 

[Observer]

Should have just used a heat gun on the Midland Bluebird stuff and kept the rest, job done. And yes, a lot of the ex-First fleet were running around without any company names until very recently.

 

[Stan Drews]

I've provided vinyl sign writers with historic vinyl decals and had the reproductions applied to vehicles within two days.

All that was needed was either two de-branded ex Midland MMCs or for a fitter to apply a temporary Xplore vinyl somewhere, minus the word Dundee. It's hardly rocket surgery!

You appear to be assuming that the company wanted to devise some new decals for this single tendered route.
Perhaps they decided not to, at this stage?
Perhaps they have a plan for the medium to long term?

 

[Metal Mickey]

You appear to be assuming that the company wanted to devise some new decals for this single tendered route.
Perhaps they decided not to, at this stage?
Perhaps they have a plan for the medium to long term?

You could’ve at least arranged to have the Midland Bluebird decals carefully removed and replaced by the Xplore brand until appropriate branding is decided.

 

[Observer]

So after all the arguments on here about the buses sent up to begin with not being debranded, it appears that they are going to replace the Midland Bluebird MMCs with repainted B7RLEs from Dundee, except they have been repainted and branded as McGill's (in the new low emission livery) rather than Xplore.

One of them (2441) has already been sent up, presumably two more will follow to allow the MMCs to return to their previous depot and operating area.

Seems like they have abandoned the idea of running them as Xplore and instead will just be seen as operated by McGill's as originally announced by the council to begin with?

So that's McGill's in Aberdeen, but under Xplore's license and drivers, at the Flixbus depot in Aberdeen, currently using Midland Bluebird buses (until they are sent back down).

 

[Stan Drews]

So after all the arguments on here about the buses sent up to begin with not being debranded, it appears that they are going to replace the Midland Bluebird MMCs with repainted B7RLEs from Dundee, except they have been repainted and branded as McGill's (in the new low emission livery) rather than Xplore.

One of them (2441) has already been sent up, presumably two more will follow to allow the MMCs to return to their previous depot and operating area.

Seems like they have abandoned the idea of running them as Xplore and instead will just be seen as operated by McGill's as originally announced by the council to begin with?

So that's McGill's in Aberdeen, but under Xplore's license and drivers, at the Flixbus depot in Aberdeen, currently using Midland Bluebird buses (until they are sent back down).

It’s almost like a McGill’s Bus Group!

The MMCs from Larbert were only ever intended as a temporary measure, hence no major expenditure on repainting/branding.
It was a short notice tender and award, so very much a case of making best use of what you have pending arrival of additional buses into the Group. Expect to see further movements once Dundee’s new Yutong DDs arrive, which is expected to be in March.

Unfortunately, the above doesn’t always fit with the tabloid style musings that some in the ‘enthusiast’ fraternity like to use, so nothing has really been ‘abandoned’, just a chance to firm up plans given a bit more time, …and as anyone who has worked within the management side of the industry will know - plans can change!!

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

It’s almost like a McGill’s Bus Group!

The MMCs from Larbert were only ever intended as a temporary measure, hence no major expenditure on repainting/branding.
It was a short notice tender and award, so very much a case of making best use of what you have pending arrival of additional buses into the Group. Expect to see further movements once Dundee’s new Yutong DDs arrive, which is expected to be in March.

Unfortunately, the above doesn’t always fit with the tabloid style musings that some in the ‘enthusiast’ fraternity like to use, so nothing has really been ‘abandoned’, just a chance to firm up plans given a bit more time, …and as anyone who has worked within the management side of the industry will know - plans can change!!

Wonder if any E400MMCs will end up in Larbert from Dundee at some point.

 

[Resuwen]

Wonder if any E400MMCs will end up in Larbert from Dundee at some point.

Doubt it - Dundee still has some ancient Geminis to clear out first

 

[Observer]

It’s almost like a McGill’s Bus Group!

The MMCs from Larbert were only ever intended as a temporary measure, hence no major expenditure on repainting/branding.
It was a short notice tender and award, so very much a case of making best use of what you have pending arrival of additional buses into the Group. Expect to see further movements once Dundee’s new Yutong DDs arrive, which is expected to be in March.

Unfortunately, the above doesn’t always fit with the tabloid style musings that some in the ‘enthusiast’ fraternity like to use, so nothing has really been ‘abandoned’, just a chance to firm up plans given a bit more time, …and as anyone who has worked within the management side of the industry will know - plans can change!!

Fair enough, I understand the whole short notice thing, an oppertunity was available and subsquently taken, just got a little confusing at times.

Hopefully it works out and McGill's up there can expand with more contracts or otherwise in the future.