Stagecoach North West Discussion

[Dallamlad]

That's very interesting info!!! I think Kirby still have one solo (still owned by LCC). I noticed it parked up at Kendal bus station a couple of weeks ago.

The 8 and its sister routes never look financially viable as people don't seem to use them a lot. I can't imagine Kirby make a lot of profit from these routes. But hey i have not idea.

Would be great to see those pics!

yeah Northern Blue that was it i knew the company has blue in it lol. Never traveled on one of the Javalins but they always seemed so high up!!

 

[mbonwick]

I think the 8 series could be quite profitable...they run through the Hospital, so might be popular with patients?


Noted today was 20705 with a non-operational display, working an X35 service to Kendal

 

[Dallamlad]

When one of the 8 series goes through Bowerham it always seems empty and know one ever gets one at that stop. However if they keep running it then it must be viable. I think they were planning on scrapping one of them a while back, may have been the 18 but then Battersby took over. Does anyone know about that takeover? I think Battersby hired a few 709D's to run the route but not sure where from.

Isn't 20705 a Kendal machine? Is the X35 the route that is usally run by the specially branded deckers?

 

[cainebj]

was just the usual sunday services at lillyhall today from what i seen. K761DAO running 301 sunday service, 47616 running 30 sunday service, 709 running 46B / 50B sunday service.
i'm suprised lillyhall use solo's on 30 sunday service. would have been better if they used a dart! one of the reasons i don't use it is because there never seems to be any space on them! better than a 709 running it i suppose!

 

[mbonwick]

20705 is Kendal based, yes.

The X35 is normally run by the branded East Lancs Loyne-bodied Trident 2's, but is only single deckers on Sundays to allow for maintainence etc.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
18360 had a ticket module failure while working the 1210dep 556 from Kendal. A replacement was run up from the depot by the Depot Manager.

 

[Dallamlad]

oh right i see that makes sense.

That's good that they ran another one up. I got one once and the machine was broken so he was having to write out all the tickets lol.

I got on a Trident 2 today (17022) running the 2 from Heysham to the University. Was good to be back on one as they are mainly used for the 40/41/42 routes these days. Something was going on in Lancaster central which caused traffic to be backed up to Skerton bridge. Completely messed up the buses. I got off the bus and walked in the end and as i entered town sore armed police walking about so don't know what happened.

 

[driver9000]

The 8 group are all council subsidised these days fufilling the social requirement rather than profit margin. Most of 8x are recent creations, when Stagecoach operated it commercially it was allocated 1 709D and ran hourly easily completing the circles within the hour alloted to it and only the 8 existed and bore little resemblance to the current service. The 8 was St Chads Drive, Ingleborough Road, Torrisholme Rd, Ryelands, Morecambe Rd, City Centre, St Peters Rd, Balmoral Rd, Ayr St, Wyresdale Rd, Grab Ln, HMYOI/Moor Hospital, Quermore Rd, Derwent Rd, Ullswater Rd, St Peters Rd, City Centre, Morecambe Rd, Ryelands, St Chads Drive. The timing point at St Chads gave a good view of the railway too

The hospital bus began as No.88 running City-Hospital-Caspian Way & back but I beleive is now part of a larger 8A/8C which is a very popular service serving areas which were deserted by commercial operators long ago. Battersbys doesnt have any 709D buses in its fleet, its service fleet is made up of 814 Varios with Beaver2 bodywork.

Incidentally, you can tell if the bus you are travelling on is 'tendered' by the reference number on the ticket. Where it says service (or route) there it will have a code ie. 802A or 855C the letter identifies the type. A or B are commercially operated routes whereas C and D are tendered services. I think the 8 merely identifies the Lancaster area - I might be wrong though.

Christmas services are the usual round here, Christmas eve sees the service close early around 20:00 with the last 2A from Lancaster terminating in Torrisholme, No service Christmas Day/Boxing Day, Saturday services between Christmas & New year with the early close again on New Years Eve, and No service New Years Day.

21003 working the 7 today, looks like the LED screen is giving greif it was aparantly going to 'Val ' Dont know who she is, but I think she lives on the Vale
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

That's good that they ran another one up. I got one once and the machine was broken so he was having to write out all the tickets lol.

ETM failure is a nightmare! When we had the old Wayfarer 3 machines, I was booking up for a 2A University-Heysham, and the screen filled with lots of 0s, typically it was the one that the school kids boarded between Hala & Bowerham, I went through 2 books of emergency tickets painstakingly writing them out using the farecharts and ran out of tickets by the Fox & Goose!!

In Lancaster the only places really available for the depot to get a new machine to you are Lancaster Bus Station or The Shrimp - horrible if you dont know the farecharts off by heart, not much easier when you do!

 

[Dallamlad]

ahhh i see the Council subsidise makes more sense very good. I always wondered what the numbers before the service number meant and now i know, great!

Can't believe that LED is having problems already lol what a shame. Do you know if all the B10B's are getting done up or is it just 21003?

 

[mbonwick]

I also saw 34212 around Kendal too, another of the ex-merseyside Darts.

I think i also saw 20994, a Paladin bodied B10M, but I could be wrong. It was definitely not a PS body and was deffo 20xxx, however the fleetlist shows it at Carlisle.

 

[driver9000]

Can't believe that LED is having problems already lol what a shame. Do you know if all the B10B's are getting done up or is it just 21003?

Dont about plans to fit the fleet with LEDs, but I assume they will be the way forward as the older screens give up the ghost - The Brite-Tech screens are horrendously unreliable and not very user friendly when trying to set a destination, the cab unit freezes on a destination you dont want, or then jumps past the one you do want, or wont find it at all!! If they insist on fitting automatic screens then I suppose LEDs are going to be the way forward...

 

[Dallamlad]

Yeah LED screens seem the way forward.I sore 21003 on the 5 today and it looked like its old screen had been fully repaired as it looked brand new. I don't think they have been working for a while so they have just repaired it. Some of the back screens on the MANS are becoming unreadable and need a good clean! Some have already been done i think but as we know things take time with Stagecoach as there's so much to do!!!

Last month 14196, one of two ex Chorley Leyland Olys was going round with out a scree. Its been put back now and looks brand new.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Have just recieved this infomation if anyone is interested:

16669/70 - Preston - Chorley
17013/4 - Chorley - Preston
20451 Back In Service At Lancaster
13296/7, 14201 - Carlisle - Disposal/Reserve
14210 - Carlisle - Barrow
16294 - Kendal - Reserve
16331 - Reserve - Preston
16734 - Preston - Reserve
20306 - Barrow - Carlisle
20743 - Carlisle - Barrow
20770 - Lillyhall - Chorley
20777 - Reserve - Lillyhall
20784 - Carlisle - Disposal
30455/30457/8 - Reserve - Disposal
30456 - Preston - Reserve
32921 - Reserve - Disposal
32925 - Preston - Reserve
33161/2/33174/34048/34079/34212/3/6/7 - Gilmoss - Reserve
40452/40647/8 - Carlisle Reserve
40469 - Lillyhall - Reserve
42090/1 - Carlisle - Reserve
47021 - Reserve - Morecambe
52179 - Barrow - Reserve
52414 - Preston - Reserve
52635 - Barrow - Reserve

Obviously we know about 20451 and that its in Chorley

 

[mbonwick]

Slightly behind with that info.........34212/3 are already in Kendal, 47021 at Morecambe

 

[Dallamlad]

Yeah its not up to date but gives the gist.

Also the Olys i was talking about from Newcastle have gone elseware and are not coming to Lancaster.

 

[mbonwick]

Thought that might happen

Means Neil can stop worrying about CI modules and go back to worrying about how to fit his buses in!

 

[Dallamlad]

Lol i really don't know how he does it, specially with those new open top Tridents.

 

[cainebj]

not much to report today. L119 HHV went on moorclose circular 51 for a while, to give PO51WLR a little break. PO51WLR sat on the annexe at workington and later went back onto the 50.
the 709's on Harrington 46 and Harrington 46A looked a little full today! the 46 that i seen had a standee! which if you see these services, are pretty unusual! isnt often you see a full 709 out of school time! would have been better if they put one of the vario's on it really, but with lillyhall depot, the standee would have to fall over and break something with a drivers heavy braking before anything was done!
seen some of the R reg olympians today, and noticed they still have the writing in a window about the 300 / 301 ("upto every hour mon - sat" i think it said). it was R252NBV, R254NBV and R255NBV that i seen. i think everything else was as it normally is. didnt get to see anything in whitehaven, and not sure if the versa was on the 31 as usual.

 

[mbonwick]

Not strictly Stagecoach related, but I see F.W. Stainton & Sons have had their licence suspended for a week, beginning on 9th January 2009.

Something about not following proper maintainence proceedures, particularly not doing brake tests.
Also something about not having the licence changed when they took over Silver Fern.

 

[Dallamlad]

Oh dear I think they have a contract with Dallam, well that's messed that up lol.

This is one of Kirbys new school buses before it was bought earlier this year.

http://www.transportphotos.com/road/photo/DHC00061-29

 

[cainebj]

disruptions for Lillyhall today! massive traffic queues!
as usual, some buses were really late and there ended up being 2 buses going to the same place at the same time. the manager used common sense though (only common sense that is ever used at Lillyhall depot), and got one of them to run "dead"! 30 Maryport and 31 Maryport got to Workington bus station at the same time. everyone on the 30 going to maryport got transferred to the 31, and the 30 bus ran "dead" to maryport to pick up as Thornhill 30. would have been better doing it the other way really, as the 30 was an enviro 300, and the 31 being a 56reg dart.
one of the solo's changed from moorclose circular to seaton this afternoon, and i think L119 HHV went onto moorclose circular (it was sitting on the annexe, so presumed it took up service)!
it would have been better if the N reg darts on reserve were brought onto service instead of the 709s today. most services were really busy! but as usual, the smallest buses were used when a bigger vehicle could have been used! everyone who goes to Workington a lot will have seen the H reg olympians on moorclose circular at some point, so people know they can get around the route, and they are just sitting in the depot while schools are off! there are a few K reg B10m's just sitting there too! seems to me like stagecoach don't want passengers custom! putting on smaller buses which will get fuller easier! 709's can take 31 passengers, some of the B10m's have licensing for 74 passengers! most take 64 though (still double of what can get on a 709!)

 

[Dallamlad]

Just been a passenger on Lancaster's 30277 (Volvo B6) and much as it pains me to say it it was a really smooth ride. It was quite bouncy and we rolled over bumps rather then glide over them but compared to the Solo (47160) that i used on the same service yesterday it was much smoother and comfortable. How odd and annoying as I can't stand them lol.

Well Merry Christmas to everyone and hope you have a good one!!

 

[cainebj]

lillyhall actually used a bigger bus on moorclose circular!!! i was shocked!!! it started off as the 2 ex preston solos, but later on, the one running the 50 (i think it was PO51WLP) came off service and a K reg B10m went on!
N358MPN on 300 though, which is smaller than the usual R reg olympians.
versa on 30, instead of its usual 31.
think thats about it with stagecoach :P
will go slightly off topic and say that one of Reays 709D's (they now run 34 / 35 / 36 which they got off stagecoach in summer) has had a total refurb. B12 CWR it is registered as now. it has recieved new paint, full reays livery, new lights, new front styling, and an LED display. some of his other 709D's have had broken flip dot displays replaced with LED's. looks pretty smart. (his 709's are ex stagecoach, originally being N??? NAP)

 

[Dallamlad]

NEWS FLASH!!!

I was just 15 minutes ago on my way into Lancaster neat the University when a Stagecoach express coach passed me. It was to quick to catch the number or the reg but it had branding on the side and £16 in a blue brand bubble on the back along with a picture if a little girl. Looked just like this:

http://www.paulsbuses.fpic.co.uk/p53815776.html

Also observed that 18361 was running the Preston routes today and yesterday spotted two B10's doing the 40 which is rare with all these Tridents knocking about.

Merry Xmas to all!!

 

[cainebj]

oooo, M166 CCD :P that is at lillyhall now :P needs to go back into service!

it will have probably been a P reg. there are a few of them around in stagecoach north west. not sure on the allocations for them off the top of my head. i think preston has a few in service. they need to get some into service at lillyhall! the only coaches in service up here are Jonckheere's, S reg, and they aren't nice! premiere 320's are much better!

 

[mbonwick]

Probably running one of the Xmas routes - I seem to remember there was one from Preston - M6 - Lancaster - M6 - Carlisle for shopping during the Xmas period.

 

[driver9000]

X60 Preston-Trafford Centre has been withdrawn from 4 January 2008. This marks the end of Trafford Centre services from the Preston/Lancaster area. Lancasters X71 was withdrawn in 2004.

 

[cainebj]

absolutely no stagecoach buses operating until saturday!
there is public transport on boxing day though! operated by Workington Transport Heritage Trust. they are using a Bristol VR decker, and a Leyland National, both ex CMS (Cumberland Motor Services), which were taken over by Stagecoach. i had the registrations of these vehicles, but can't find them at the minute
Merry Christmas everyone!


Just found the registrations!
Leyland National Mk II KHH378W. this vehicle was built at the Leyland factory in Lillyhall (it was over the road from the stagecoach lillyhall depot!)
Bristol VR PHH149W (previously KRM431W).
click here to view a picture of these buses at Distington Vintage Rally (this is a link to Flickr, and the picture is not owned by myself)

 

[Dallamlad]

Nope no Stagecoach at all how lonely the roads will be!!

 

[cainebj]

it will be strange going into town and not seeing any stagecoach! oh well, i have the WTHT buses to look at :P
i should be going to carlisle at some point in the next week, so can get a look at what is going on there :P

 

[mbonwick]

[FONT=&quot]The Penrith outstation housed the following vehicles over Christmas:

Olympians 14254, 14260.
Mercedes 42533.
Dennis Dart 33076.
Volvo B10M 20306, 20738, 20894, 20896.

Ta enrag2000
[/FONT]

 

[Dallamlad]

Haha good to see Stagecoach back on the roads. Their gona disappear again over New Year though. Although hopefully the New Year will see some new arrivals up here.

Just been into Lancaster and spotted that 20131 (B10 with an LED screen) was running the three service to the Battery and 16659 was running the 2 service too Heysham Towers. This shouldn't happen really as both the 2 and the 3 are low riding services.