Stagecoach North West Discussion

[pickles]

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[mbonwick]

I'm not really sure about any of this having obviously not spoken to Gez about it..

I think the P12 fleetcard is the fleet as at 1st April, but obviously it takes time to assimilate the information and print it. Also, given that the electronic versions we see are done by an enthusiast with connections in Stagecoach, it will take him time to update his list. Then you have to factor in easter holidays etc etc.

The Solos are coming up for 10 years old, this may mean that they are outside the LCC specified age, but I doubt it as most councils operate on a 15 year life cycle, with 20 in some cases (schools etc).
Even if the Solos are too old for LCC contracts, hardly a problem, just diagram them to other work and use the 51 reg ex-Preston examples in their place.

 

[Dallamlad]

Well we'll just have to wait and see when the fleetcard appears but I suppose we know most of whats on it anyway.

Again we'll have to see what happens with the solos but its perfectly possible they may be replaced by ex Preston Solos.

 

[themaster985]

This is it, but it is rather out of date already I think

Well we'll just have to wait and see when the fleetcard appears but I suppose we know most of whats on it anyway.

Again we'll have to see what happens with the solos but its perfectly possible they may be replaced by ex Preston Solos.

 

[darrenw29]

Hi Guys
I got period 12 fleetcard posted this week from my contact.
Lots of movement between Prestn depots, on the Solo front it shows 47003/4 as PR- ME res,47009 as PR-CY res,47016/7 as PR-ME res,47470-7 as PR-res (some of these have gone to Manchester), 47484/5 as PR-CY and several Preston Bus Solos going to Frenchwood. Olympians 16335/9 as PR=BA res and not much else really..

 

[K768 DAO]

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[cainebj]

most of the solo's are going to Morecambe first for de-branding and stuff apparently, then they'll be sent out to the depots they'll be working at (barrow, lillyhall, rumour of carlisle), with the possibility of some staying at Morecambe (in addition to 47003/4).

 

[K768 DAO]

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[cainebj]

Carlisle definately need them. i'm not sure how many vario operated routes they have now. i think the 101 is. they could do with a solo on 75 as well really. the 75 used to be 709d operated, then after the floods, one of the Carlisle Citi darts were allocated to it once all the routes were sorted out. the Carlisle Citi darts are a little long for the route. it is very rare that they get through Cummersdale without reversing!!! Cummersdale leads to a dead end, so the buses have to turn back on themselves, and it is a pretty tight corner.

some of Carlisle's vario's run services in and around Keswick, but i can't think off hand which these are. 77 and 77A are some of them, and the Osprey Bus. 78 is Carlisle's, but that is being operated by anything at the minute. could be an open top titan, could be B10M, could be one of their mini darts lol.

 

[K768 DAO]

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[Dallamlad]

According to a source Lancaster are no longer keeping 47003/4. 47003 has apparenty gone back to Preston and 47004 has disapeared aswell.

 

[cainebj]

Harrington & Seaton services today are being operated by 40001 (destination boards), 40025 (destination boards), and 40033.
Moorclose Circular 50 is operated by 33168 (i was on it, and it was much better than last time i was on it!!!).
Moorclose Circular 51 is operated by 33167.
Lowca - Whitehaven - Kells is 40013 and 42562.
Whitehaven - Greenbank is 35246.
20777 is out on "FRIZINGTON 31".
20757 is out on "PENRITH X4".
i've been told the B10Ms that havnt been put into lower case letters are to have the bright techs replaced with LED's at some point.
20779 on the X5 after 52628 dropped passengers off then ran to the depot!
16651, 16653, 16654 and 16734 out on 300.
47023 on Mirehouse Circular 3.
i'm guessing either 47024 or 47616 is on Mirehouse Circular 4. the other is either off service for the day or has disappeared lol.
20761 went into the bus station at around 1615 with "Sorry Not In Service" on display. i had just got off the 31 from Maryport direction, which was running 15 minutes late.

a few problems on the 30 / 31 / 300 today. all 3 entered the bus station around the same time to head out to Maryport! the operations manager moved everyone from the 30 onto the 31, and the 30 ran empty to catch up on time. he then sent people waiting for the 31 onto the 300 with them having no choice, even though the 300 doesnt stop at all stops between Workington & Maryport, and the 300 sticks to the main road through Maryport, it doesnt go through the residential area to turn around.

 

[pickles]

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[KendalKing]

16331, 18279, & 18280 on X35's.

Bike rack fitted 30342 & 33170 on Kendal Town services!, instead of the Coniston Rambler, which is advertised as having the bike rack fitted buses!

Did not see the 755 today.

 

[mbonwick]

755 was in the hands of 18382, I saw it from the bottom of the garden. The Lakeland pathfinder was on a 555 going north at about 1915, and one of the pointer Darts was on 552.

I can't understand what's going on with 30342. It's listed as reserve, and I was told it was to be scrapped because of it's non standard nature and extensive chassis welding. Perhaps it's being kept as it's fitted with a bike rack for summer.

Pleased to see that the ex-LakesLink Olys are back in Kendal, if only infrequently on X35s.

 

[Dallamlad]

Had 16659 on the 2a today which was a rare treat. The old things ride much smoother then the Tridents lol. 17020/24 also noted on the 2 and 14204 on the 42.

Some of the MANS are looking very shabby these days but some have had recent repaints so look great

 

[driver9000]

noticed today that some of the Hanover electronic blinds are showing an incorrect destination when working routes 2A and 4 the 'Road' is missing from 'Combermere Road' show they show '2A Combermere' when there isnt a part of Heysham with that name, Higher Heysham would the more accurate one to show until its rectified.

I think its good that Stagecoach have started a rolling program of repaints it certainly makes the fleet look a lot tidier as opposed to when they werent repainted until the paint was literally peeling off!

The Stagecoach openday this year is to have a heavy presence of Ribble buses provided by the RVPT (and others) and will be running a joint service with Stagecoach between the depot and Morecambe (STL) and Lancaster (RMS) using preserved buses. This is part of the Ribble 90 celebrations to commemorate the 90th anniversary of Ribble starting.

 

[Dallamlad]

Oh the open day should be a good day then!!

Yeah the Combermere on the blinds has been like that for ages. They assume that everyone who uses bus services in Lancaster and Morecambe are local and know what they mean by Combermere. But if your not local it could be very confusing!!

Yeah the repaints are a good thing but they just take so long and sparing low riding vehicles in Lancaster is difficult at the moment.

 

[driver9000]

Yeah the Combermere on the blinds has been like that for ages. They assume that everyone who uses bus services in Lancaster and Morecambe are local and know what they mean by Combermere. But if your not local it could be very confusing!!

Yeah, at least 4yrs!! It first started when they tried the Carlisle style scrolling destination of the number on its own then the destination on its own on the MANs but it wasnt popular with the passengers. Id thought it would have been sorted by now but its spread to other Hanover fitted buses such as the Volvo Olympians.

 

[Dallamlad]

They wont sort it because they don't see it as a problem lol. Some MANS show Higher Heysham which is better like you say but others show just Combermere and yes it has spread to other vehicles lol. If a couple of people complained it may be changed but other wise its gona stay lol.

 

[driver9000]

They wont sort it because they don't see it as a problem lol. Some MANS show Higher Heysham which is better like you say but others show just Combermere and yes it has spread to other vehicles lol. If a couple of people complained it may be changed but other wise its gona stay lol.

True, at least the spelling was sorted out after it appeared in the Visitor - Ccombernere and Highher Hesham :roll:

I see some (not all) former Preston Bus vehicles are carrying signs in their windows saying 'On hire to Ribble Motor Services' and the some buses are still carrying fare vaults whilst others have had them removed all appear to have 'fare baths' added to the cab doors. Does anyone know the outcome of the OFT investigation into the takeover of Preston Bus?

 

[Dallamlad]

Oh dear lord how embarrassing lol how the hell did they get that wrong!! haha

The results of the investigation may be published on the net if u do some digging

 

[driver9000]

found this on the Stagecoach/Preston Bus takeover, interesting read

http://www.consumerdirect-yorkshire..._ea02/579390/StagecoachPreston-undertaki1.pdf

 

[Dallamlad]

Well thats a lot to think about lol but yes very interesting.

 

[mbonwick]

Bit irrelevant really. My understanding of it is that it's basically just to ensure that Stagecoach don't run it into the ground and pick up the extra work on the Stagecoch Lancashire side of things.

755 was in the hands of 18381 today, 18358 on a Lancaster 555 and a UID B10M on 552.

 

[driver9000]

yes, asset stripping crossed my mind when the takeover was announced, which wouldnt be unheard of with takeovers but at least an agreement was reached to protect the former Preston Bus undertaking for a time which probably explains why they still carry Preston Bus legal lettering for the time being.

 

[mbonwick]

Call me naive, but it didn't cross my mind. Somehow I always thought Stagecoach would keep PB, possibly because of their contracts, patronage and route list.

It took me until the last page to get to the understanding that SC can sell PB assets (ie. Lynxs/Metroriders, but ont to the extent of ruining the services.

 

[cainebj]

20134 on annexe.
42566 on Moorclose Circular 50.
33167 was sitting on annexe with Harrington 46 on display.
40001 out on Harrington & Seaton along with another 709D i couldnt see the identity of cos there was a jonck in the way.

30 and 31 messed up again. 22596 ran empty to Maryport on catch-up at around 1435. OM running around like a headless chicken, making the hard decision to run a bus empty to catch-up!

 

[KendalKing]

Since the start of the summer timetable, 755 as been worked by a Trident every day. Meaning that there is one Trident lest for use on the 2/2A, hence the use of Olympians on a service which is advertised as being operated by low floor buses.

17022 noted on service 5 early heading into Carnforth.

 

[Dallamlad]

I really can't see why they would sacrifice a Trident for the 755 it makes no sense. But then surely there are enough 2005 Tridents and Trident 2's to run the 2/2a leaving the Olys for the 40/41/42.

21007 on the 3/4 along with a B10M. 21005's blinds have been touched up and look fine unlike 21007's.

22807 has had a full repaint.