Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire

[Blindtraveler]

Well will be interesting to see how they stand up to reliability tests on both workings from Carlisle and on the fairly demanding X4 and X5

 

[chiltern trev]

Well will be interesting to see how they stand up to reliability tests on both workings from Carlisle and on the fairly demanding X4 and X5

In what way would you describe the X4/X5 as demanding?

 

[tram21]

In what way would you describe the X4/X5 as demanding?

I'd say it is, but probably not as demanding as the X17 in Derbyshire they were on before

 

[Teapot42]

I'd say it is, but probably not as demanding as the X17 in Derbyshire they were on before

I don't know the nature of the route, but the failures I observed were mostly on the 'urban' section, rather than the higher speed country and motorway runs. They have done a lot of miles, but then the Scania E400s are 3 years older and are soldiering on without a problem.

At least one of the MMCs has had a new engine in the last year (11124 maybe?). I just hope the route isn't too hilly, as they really struggle compared to the Scanias.

 

[mangad]

I don't know the nature of the route, but the failures I observed were mostly on the 'urban' section, rather than the higher speed country and motorway runs. They have done a lot of miles, but then the Scania E400s are 3 years older and are soldiering on without a problem.

At least one of the MMCs has had a new engine in the last year (11124 maybe?). I just hope the route isn't too hilly, as they really struggle compared to the Scanias.

I only know the Cockermouth to Penrith section but on that the X4 and X5 go along good roads. There are a few ups and downs but overall it's pretty straightforward running in terms of gradient.

 

[Russel]

I only know the Cockermouth to Penrith section but on that the X4 and X5 go along good roads. There are a few ups and downs but overall it's pretty straightforward running in terms of gradient.

I've done the Penrith to Keswick part a couple of times and also don't recall anything too arduous, there's a bit of high speed running on a dual carriageway, from memory but If they can't handle that then I think we have bigger issues in general.

 

[Hyebone]

The former Ches MMCs have been hammered on the likes of Slack Hill (a 14% incline!), Cromford Hill, Lime Tree Hill, Worsborough and Heeley. Hopefully they get a rest.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Done the X4 between Cockermouth and Penrith, some ups and downs on the route, but it is quite long and frequent so is intensive in that regard.

 

[chiltern trev]

I don't know the nature of the route, but the failures I observed were mostly on the 'urban' section, rather than the higher speed country and motorway runs. They have done a lot of miles, but then the Scania E400s are 3 years older and are soldiering on without a problem.

How many miles have they done?

And how does that compare to the other similar aged E400MMCs 11157 and 11158 that have done 685 Newcastle day in and day for a few years? I see 11155 and 11156 are now clocking up the Newcastle miles.

 

[Hyebone]

How many miles have they done?

Upwards of 400k.

 

[chiltern trev]

According to photos on the Facebook group, 11125 arrived at Carlisle in the last few days (it was still in Chesterfield on Saturday) and has been on 600 Cockermouth and 79 Dumfries.

 

[Aaron Ashton]

Here are some mileages for some of the former 555 SN16s and the CNL YX68s:-

10552-8 are Barrow based, 10559 is Kendal, 10560-3 are Morecambe based.
10552 - 514,199
10553 - 468,558
10554 - 507,571
10555 - 532,527
10556 - 522,867
10557 - 510,192
10558 - 497,120
10559 - 473,114
10560 - 468,228
10561 - 368,416 (MOT due so mileage will be higher)
10562 - 369,246 (MOT due so mileage will be higher)
10563 - Unknown (either dashboard or wheel hub odo have been replaced)

Of the Morecambe based ones, they've all had brand new engines, 10563 appears to idle like a newer MMC rather than an older one which is weird.

11139-54 are Morecambe based, 11155/6 were Lillyhall but have recently transferred to Carlisle, 11157/8 were new to Carlisle (not that you could tell off their mileages...)
11139 - 111,273
11140 - 227,154
11141 - 269,097
11142 - 248,847
11143 - 259,910
11144 - 264,902
11145 - 239,968
11146 - 261,871
11147 - 261,078
11148 - 256,748
11149 - 239,165
11150 - 170,277
11151 - 202,926
11152 - 204,683
11153 - 201,316
11154 - 226,076
11155 - 253,205
11156 - 287,156
11157 - 526,455
11158 - 407,754

Also to note, 11139s mileage appears lower than 11150, no idea how when 11150 was the bus that was rear ended in Birmingham and had a full rear end rebuild...

 

[route101]

According to photos on the Facebook group, 11125 arrived at Carlisle in the last few days (it was still in Chesterfield on Saturday) and has been on 600 Cockermouth and 79 Dumfries.

Is that a double decker on the 79?

 

[chiltern trev]

Interesting mileage comparisons between those allocated to town routes Vs those working the considerably longer country routes.

All 11139-11158 were new to Morecambe except 11157 got redirected to Carlisle and straight onto 685 Newcastles with 11158 spending its first year elsewhere in the Stagecoach empire before arriving at Carlisle to travel daily to Newcastle.

11155, 11156 and one of the ex Chesterfield Gold E400MMCs appear to be the usual Newcastle buses these days.

 

[tram21]

How's the open-top operation in the Lakes now? Any better on the 508/78?

 

[mangad]

How's the open-top operation in the Lakes now? Any better on the 508/78?

In the last week very little on the 78 has tracked on bustimes full stop, so you'd need someone standing in Keswick to know for sure what's going on!

19161 hasn't tracked on bustimes since April but photographs of it have been uploaded to flickr in the last few weeks so presumably it is out and about.

16943, the former Peak Sightseer, has tracked on ten different days since the beginning of May but keeps disappearing.

17962 seems to be running a fair amount on the 508 but certainly hasn't tracked on every journey listed as open top in the timetable.

 

[chiltern trev]

And 11158 is showing on bustimes as being on the 685 this afternoon but is not tracking.

11121 and 11125 also on 685 at various times.

 

[47550]

Interesting mileage comparisons between those allocated to town routes Vs those working the considerably longer country routes.

All 11139-11158 were new to Morecambe except 11157 got redirected to Carlisle and straight onto 685 Newcastles with 11158 spending its first year elsewhere in the Stagecoach empire before arriving at Carlisle to travel daily to Newcastle.

11155, 11156 and one of the ex Chesterfield Gold E400MMCs appear to be the usual Newcastle buses these days.

Didn’t 11158 spend many months inside Stockport garage to test some equipment. Hence lower miles than 11157.

 

[chiltern trev]

Didn’t 11158 spend many months inside Stockport garage to test some equipment. Hence lower miles than 11157.

Yes. Also did some touring wrapped in pink as Lorraines Boob Bus https://www.flickr.com/photos/23700069@N03/51356947683/

 

[YorkRailFan]

From 5 July, Stagecoach is launching a new, weekends-only, service from Ambleside to Little Langdale, numbered 517:

We are really pleased to announce that from 5th July, we will begin operating a brand-new service in the Central Lake District providing improved public transport links to even more of the Lake District National Park. Thanks to funding from Westmorland & Furness Council's Bus Service Improvement Plan, service 517 will operate on all weekends and public holidays throughout July and August 2025.

ServiceUpdatesArticle

www.stagecoachbus.com

 

[tram21]

Does anyone know why the 77 service seems to be avoiding Brandelhow at the moment, and just operating along the 78 route?

 

[mangad]

Looks like there's been a new addition to the open top 78 fleet. 19574 recently passed its MOT having not had an MOT since 2022. It's tracking on the 78 today, the first time it's been seen tracking in public service with Stagecoach in the Lakes. It used to be in service as a standard decker in Cambridgeshire. At 15 years old, it's positively modern compared to many of the Stagecoach open top fleet!

That said, it does appear to have stopped tracking at 09:13, not long after leaving Keswick on its second journey of the day. So who knows.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Jun 2025 ==

Meanwhile just spotted open top 17692, which normally does the 508, is tracking as doing the 685 between Carlisle and Bampton this week. 508's currently only open top on weekends until the school holidays.

​

 

[chiltern trev]

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Jun 2025 ==

Meanwhile just spotted open top 17692, which normally does the 508, is tracking as doing the 685 between Carlisle and Bampton this week. 508's currently only open top on weekends until the school holidays.

​

17692 has been on Brampton 685s for most of the last 2 or 3 weeks Monday-Friday and out for nearly all the day.

 

[NJX]

Hi, a mate of mine is moaning about some apparent changes to the 1, 4 and 100 in Lancaster. I can't find anything about this on the news groups, does anyone know what he's wittering on about? It's apparently the 1 being extended to South campus and the 100 not doing that anymore

 

[Galactic142]

Yes, that's correct. The 1 will now go round south campus instead of the 100, although I'm not sure if this is only during the uni holidays or a permanent change. The LBUG has an article about the upcoming changes - https://lancasterbususers.com/page/2/

Sunday, 29th June sees the start of “University Holidays” timetables on Stagecoach services to Lancaster University. This year however, as well as the usual reductions to services 1, 4 and X4, there are more significant revisions affecting the Alexandra Park section of the campus.

Service 100 will, during university holidays, be curtailed to operate only as far as the University Underpass, whilst the 1/1A will be extended around the Alexandra Park loop in its place as announced by Lancashire County Council on its website. It is not clear from the council website, but the Bus Users’ Group understands that these changes to the 1/1A and 100 will apply on Monday to Saturday only. On Sunday, when the 1A doesn’t serve the University at all during the holidays, the 100 will continue over its full route includingh Alexandra Park.

 

[NJX]

Ooh thanks. Would appreciate if the 1/1a's southern terminus was swapped with the 100 in term time purely for selfish reasons (n.b I am lazy and like a more frequent and quicker service) but I'm not sure if the south west terminus would be able to turn that much buses without clogging up so highly doubt it would be a term time thing.

 

[Mollman]

Yes, that's correct. The 1 will now go round south campus instead of the 100, although I'm not sure if this is only during the uni holidays or a permanent change. The LBUG has an article about the upcoming changes - https://lancasterbususers.com/page/2/

It is only during the holidays. The 1 doesn't serve the Uni so the 1A would have 20 minutes layover. Sending it round the loop instead of the 100 saves a vehicle on the 100.

 

[NJX]

Heya- just checking up on bustimes again and I've noticed Morecambe depot now seems to have more some 64 reg Enviro 300's. Is this to replace the 08 MANs completely - if yes, when are the MANs slated to go?

 

[bobslack1982]

How reliable is the 77A at the moment through Buttermere? Thinking of a day trip there but the way people park leaves a lot to be desired and I know buses often can’t pass the traffic. Bustimes doesn’t really help as the timing seems to end after just a few stops. Thanks very much.

 

[aswilliamsuk]

Heya- just checking up on bustimes again and I've noticed Morecambe depot now seems to have more some 64 reg Enviro 300's. Is this to replace the 08 MANs completely - if yes, when are the MANs slated to go?

According to the Period 3 allocations, the MANs are stood down or will be very shortly.

27160-74 are being cascaded from Stockton to Carlisle and Morecambe, freed up by the Yutong E12s entering service there. They will see off the last MANs and presumably the last Versas, too.