Stagecoach North East

[Andyh82]

A few recent trips to the North East I've come to the conclusion that Stagecoach North East seems to be lacking a tad, compared to other operations in the group.

Fleet in Newcastle isn't as new as you'd probably expect it to be in a major city that is presumably good bus territory

Fleet elsewhere is quite old in places, lots of ALX300s dominating the service including some that are T reg

No exciting initiatives, besides Sunderland gas buses, no Stagecoach Gold.

Timetable leaflets use a very basic style from the 1990s that other parts of Stagecoach phased out a decades ago.

It stands out how bland they are compared to the brashness of GNE and the recent resurgence of ANE.

Anyone agree or disagree with these conclusions?

 

[overthewater]

What do you expect with the councils trying to make a grab for the company?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

A few recent trips to the North East I've come to the conclusion that Stagecoach North East seems to be lacking a tad, compared to other operations in the group.

Fleet in Newcastle isn't as new as you'd probably expect it to be in a major city that is presumably good bus territory

Fleet elsewhere is quite old in places, lots of ALX300s dominating the service including some that are T reg

No exciting initiatives, besides Sunderland gas buses, no Stagecoach Gold.

Timetable leaflets use a very basic style from the 1990s that other parts of Stagecoach phased out a decades ago.

It stands out how bland they are compared to the brashness of GNE and the recent resurgence of ANE.

Anyone agree or disagree with these conclusions?

AFAIK, they have a lot due for Transit and Shields to cull the older stuff. However, it's clear that Transit was the Cinderella operation with the oldest average age a few years ago.

Despite it's origins, Gold has become more of an interurban product so that limits it a bit with the North East except perhaps the X34 or the X78 in Tyneside or the 36 on Teesside.

The Newcastle fleet is pretty good on the main killer routes. However, some of the peripheral services are not great earners. They used to be minibus operated and I do wonder why they don't have Solos?

 

[Kuyoyo]

AFAIK, they have a lot due for Transit and Shields to cull the older stuff. However, it's clear that Transit was the Cinderella operation with the oldest average age a few years ago.

Despite it's origins, Gold has become more of an interurban product so that limits it a bit with the North East except perhaps the X34 or the X78 in Tyneside or the 36 on Teesside.

The Newcastle fleet is pretty good on the main killer routes. However, some of the peripheral services are not great earners. They used to be minibus operated and I do wonder why they don't have Solos?

17 E300s for Stockton replacing 17 MANs - first time since 1998/1999 Stockton has received new company-owned stock 2 years running.

As for GOLD, the 36 can now sadly be ruled out as since the major December 2014 network change, Monday-Sunday daytime journeys interwork with the 37 and 38 (alternative buses Monday-Saturday, every Sunday board does at least 1 37 and 1 38). As for the X34, rumours are a frequency increase and a new type of vehicle due to join the north east fleet later in the year once new vehicles replace these at their present home.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

17 E300s for Stockton replacing 17 MANs - first time since 1998/1999 Stockton has received new company-owned stock 2 years running.

As for GOLD, the 36 can now sadly be ruled out as since the major December 2014 network change, Monday-Sunday daytime journeys interwork with the 37 and 38 (alternative buses Monday-Saturday, every Sunday board does at least 1 37 and 1 38). As for the X34, rumours are a frequency increase and a new type of vehicle due to join the north east fleet later in the year once new vehicles replace these at their present home.

If Gold were to appear on there (36), it would necessitate that sort of unpicking and there are no plans for that. X34 is a service that continues to do well and is being reviewed in general.

 

[mbonwick]

North East is not Gold territory really - and as ridership etc continues to rise without the need for expensive leather seats and the jazz that Gold is (I'm excluding Wifi here as recent new vehicles are so fitted).
So if you don't need to spend the money on expensive things, why waste it?

 

[transmanche]

What do you expect with the councils trying to make a grab for the company?

That's a rather strange view of tendered contracts that have worked well in London for years.

I suspect that keeping an older fleet etc has contributed to the reported 23% profit that Stagecoach are making on their T&W operations. Why bother to invest or innovate when the money keeps rolling in regardless?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

That's a rather strange view of tendered contracts that have worked well in London for years.

I suspect that keeping an older fleet etc has contributed to the reported 23% profit that Stagecoach are making on their T&W operations. Why bother to invest or innovate when the money keeps rolling in regardless?

Average age (as at Jan 2014) had Busways at 6y 8m, with Transit at 10y 4m.

The oldest Busways kit tends to live on the peripheral routes.

As for QCS, this probably ain't the time or place.
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North East is not Gold territory really - and as ridership etc continues to rise without the need for expensive leather seats and the jazz that Gold is (I'm excluding Wifi here as recent new vehicles are so fitted).
So if you don't need to spend the money on expensive things, why waste it?

There are some possibles (as I've mentioned) but you're right. Gold has evolved into something in which there are fewer opportunities in the North to pursue.

 

[Tetchytyke]

It has nothing to do with QCS, and Busways are probably better now than they were five years ago. The simple fact of the matter is the bus market in Tyneside is buoyant so Stagecoach didnt feel the need to invest; people were travelling regardless so they just did the absolute bare minimum.

It's a bit better now, most of the main routes are double Decker and even the peripheral routes have low floor buses. Some even have WiFi, although application appears to be so haphazard as to be largely pointless. Though the T-reg MANs are a disgrace, and I wouldn't call the 30/31/36 a "peripheral" route.

Bizarrely the threat of QCS has made them pull their finger out, especially in Sunderland and South Shields. It's there that has made the big debt in the average age of the fleet, with plenty of new E200 and E300 buses. The Newcastle fleet is getting tired again, the "modern" E400s are mostly from 2007/2008. But they are better than they were. Give them another ten years and they might even be good.