Stagecoach East Scotland

[robertclark125]

Unusual working tonight, 20334 on a 32 to Glenrothes, in place of the usual MAN 18.220 or Optare Solo. And it was on time, so hadn't covered a breakdown at Kirkcaldy?

 

[Jamester]

I'm not sure about weight restrictions on bridges etc. but I have heard a rumour (and I stress it is only a rumour) that after the London Olympics, Fife will receive new coaches (B9s) and these will be used on X58/X60 and possibly X54. These new vehicles will have been used for the Olympics contract initially. The current B7R coaches will be used on X24/X27/X26.

The cloth seated B7s will be moved on elsewhere. In my view it is more likely any new coaches will be used for Edinburgh services and Glasgow will get the "hand me-downs"!

 

[Blindtraveler]

that would certainly make sense and the B9s I would think, might, be better?

 

[cainebj]

Don't know about B9R's, but there's some B13R Elite's on order for September delivery.

 

[Jamester]

B13s would not be suitable on X58/X60 routes. I don't know much about the B9s but if they do come to Fife let's hope they are designed for service work. The B7s certainly are not.

 

[Blindtraveler]

agreed. Would hope they dont make that mistake again.

 

[cainebj]

There's 9 of the B13R Elite's on order for Aberhill, all to "executive" spec. Local management have asked for them, so must have found them suitable for something if not X58/X60. The only other vehicles on order for East Scotland are the E350H's for Perth, and 11 single deckers for St Andrews.

 

[robertclark125]

Those 11 single deckers are for the 99 group, and possibly for either the 23 or 96. It's worth noting the PVR for the 23 is 2 buses, the 96 is 2 buses at st Andrews, the 99 group has a PVR of 7.

As for the coaches, maybe they're headed for the X58/60. We'll have to wait and see what surprise local management has up its sleeve.

This will also lead to a cascade of some coaches to Rennies once again.

 

[tbtc]

It's worth noting the PVR for the 23 is 2 buses

Are they both from St A though? I thought Glenrothes ran the duties that First/ Midland Bluebird used to run from Stirling?

It may well have changed of course

 

[mbonwick]

Both from St. A according to the fleetcard.

The 11 single decks will replace 11 MANs and 1 B10M most likely, giving 1 spare on a PVR of 10.

 

[robertclark125]

First withdrew their journeys in 2005, and so stagecoach Fife took over all journeys. At the same time, route 14 ended, and so Stagecoach Fife extended their 78 to Stirling.

 

[tbtc]

Both from St. A according to the fleetcard

Cheers

First withdrew their journeys in 2005, and so stagecoach Fife took over all journeys. At the same time, route 14 ended, and so Stagecoach Fife extended their 78 to Stirling.

Yes, but IIRC initially the second duty on the route (e.g. the one that First previously ran) was operated by Glenrothes when Stagecoach took over (partly because the timings suited having a bus start/end in the Kinross area)

 

[Jamester]

There's 9 of the B13R Elite's on order for Aberhill, all to "executive" spec. Local management have asked for them, so must have found them suitable for something if not X58/X60. The only other vehicles on order for East Scotland are the E350H's for Perth, and 11 single deckers for St Andrews.

I've been hearing various "rumours" over the last few days. My understanding is B13s are not currently suitable for Aberhill depot but Stagecoach want to use them on the X24/X27 route. This could result in Aberhill losing these routes and the rumour is Aberhill will do most of the X54 instead. There may be some or no truth in this!

 

[Blindtraveler]

9 wouldnt be enough for the Edinburgh runs anyway would it?

 

[Jamester]

9 wouldnt be enough for the Edinburgh runs anyway would it?

It would be enough for X58/X60 as 8 vehicles are required for this.

 

[robertclark125]

Looks like by the end of April Glenrothes will have a 100% low floor double deck allocation. More ex London tridents have entered service. Also a slight reshuffle of vehicles has taken place at Rennies.

 

[robertclark125]

10002-7 have entered service at Blairgowrie, and the reshuffle has led to a Trident going to Arbroath to cover an increased double deck PVR from May, and five other Tridents heading to Fife.

18506-9 will move to Aberhill, while 18009 moves to Cowdenbeath. As a result of this, 16307/13 will move from Aberhill to St. Andrews, to replace 16057/60 (st. Andrews is also due back 17060 from gearbox repair soon). 16176 will move to Rennies, while 16067 at Aberhill, and 16077 at Cowdenbeath will both move to reserve.

This also means my prediction that Glenrothes would have a 100% low floor double decker fleet by end of April is incorrect.

Going back to 10002-7, they're mainly for use on route 57, but during the Olympics, will be used in London. As a result, route branding is not being applied to the buses until after the Olympics have finished.

 

[Blindtraveler]

so how many step deckers does that leav Glenrothes with? Cant be many.

 

[mbonwick]

Glenrothes will still have 16170/8, same as now when all this settles down.

 

[Blindtraveler]

wonder how many more stays of exicution those two will get? They are good buses so hoping a few!

 

[mbonwick]

I imagine they will stay until they reach the age limit for school contracts - as that is their only rostered working.

 

[robertclark125]

The age limit incidentally is 15 years.

 

[robertclark125]

Still no word yet on when St Andrews will receive its 9 Scania Omnilink 2 axle buses. Could well be after the Olympics now.

 

[cainebj]

Still no word yet on when St Andrews will receive its 9 Scania Omnilink 2 axle buses. Could well be after the Olympics now.

The ones on order are Enviro 300 body, not Omnilink, due in October.

 

[robertclark125]

An interesting development is that an additional works contract from Levenmouth and North Kirkcaldy to Rosyth Dockyard is now being undertaken, using a low floor double decker at Aberhill. Recently, Anderson Coaches of Methil (legal address is Lower Largo but the operating centre is at Methil) had its operators licence restricted to just three vehicles for the next year, so the contract has moved to Stagecoach Fife.

Also, a Preston Bus Optare Versa hybrid, thought to be 30127, was at Dunfermline depot before entering service at Preston. It's not known why it was there.

 

[Blindtraveler]

interesting Re the Hibrid.

 

[mbonwick]

Also, a Preston Bus Optare Versa hybrid, thought to be 30127, was at Dunfermline depot before entering service at Preston. It's not known why it was there.

I call bull**** on this. Pics or it didn't happen.

 

[robertclark125]

I'm going by what a friend at Dunfermline depot told me. It's not unusual for other operators buses to end up at Dunfermline; normally, they would be vehicles from Alexanders at Falkirk on a delivery run, as happened with some of the initial batch of Volvo B10M-55s for Cumberland in 1993.

Speaking of Dunfermline, not sure if this bit sohlud be in the preservation section, but the last Y type delivered new to Fife Scottish in 1982, PSX 189Y, was moved a few months back from Dunfermline to Rennies yard. Extrnally, the vehicles paintwork on the nearside was in poor condition, though when I saw it, last month, from an adjoining yard, the offside seemed fine.

189 is in the 1988 style Fife Scottish livery, aka the large logo scheme, but doesn't have logos, though it does have a destination blind. Internally, I don't know the condition, but the last I heard, which was a considerable time ago, the interior was actually still in as withdrawn condition in 1999, since then it had worked with another operator before being acquired for preservation.

 

[mbonwick]

I'm going by what a friend at Dunfermline depot told me. It's not unusual for other operators buses to end up at Dunfermline; normally, they would be vehicles from Alexanders at Falkirk on a delivery run, as happened with some of the initial batch of Volvo B10M-55s for Cumberland in 1993.

Again, bull****. Dunfermline is to the north of Falkirk, so why send buses heading south up there?

 

[Jamester]

Aberhill depot has run a Rosyth Contract bus for many, many years. It starts at Upper Largo as service 95 to Leven. Then from Leven it changes to the contract bus, last pick up at Chapel Level in Kirkcaldy.

The reason a low floor decker is used in the morning is that after completing the contract, the bus starts a service 7 from Rosyth Crossroads to Kirkcaldy. The return journey from the Dockyard is not normally a low floor vehicle. The contract runs four days per week, Monday to Thursday.