Stagecoach North West Discussion

[cainebj]

KL's Plaxton Darts are going to PR.
solo's from PR are going to Fife (i think).
Marshall Darts remaining in service at KL.

 

[Dallamlad]

Right OK we'll see anyway because this was put onto another site

"AFAIK the other 4 southbound buses should be 22252/4/5/7 (V252/4/5/7ESX) , although if some of the other V/ESX batch are ready first, another one might go instead.
The 4 ex Kendal Darts (34212/3/6/7) should be the other 4 northbound buses."

 

[darrenw29]

Ive just read a post from Fife saying four more ALX300s coming down and four W reg darts going as swaps to Fife!!

 

[Dallamlad]

I've always thought that right from the beginning when we started discussing the MAN swap the darts were always going up North.

 

[KendalKing]

LWB Darts 33170 & 33173 were both on 505.
Plaxton Dart 34213 on 516.
Trident 18360 on 555.

 

[Paul Mcgill]

Hi just updateing my website with merseyside fleets an glasgow fleets an while was doing that had been to morecambe depot an i have got pics off the 2 MANs that have arrived they can be seen here http://www.paulsbuses.fpic.co.uk/p58943404.html and http://www.paulsbuses.fpic.co.uk/p58943410.html

 

[Dallamlad]

Good pics there Paul nice shots!

 

[darrenw29]

Got the last X4 from Cockermouth at 11 45 lastnight, it was 20757, was a bit of a flyer as the driver seemed to be eager to get off shift lol,that wasnt to be as washington st was awash of blue lights when we got there and after letting us off the driver had to go all the way round by northside roundabout, oh dear!

 

[cainebj]

Got the last X4 from Cockermouth at 11 45 lastnight, it was 20757, was a bit of a flyer as the driver seemed to be eager to get off shift lol,that wasnt to be as washington st was awash of blue lights when we got there and after letting us off the driver had to go all the way round by northside roundabout, oh dear!

was quite a bit of trouble in town centre last night!
a lad is currently unconscious in hospital after being stamped on. another lad is in hospital after being ran over by a speeding car. another lad is in hospital after being badly beaten up. caused quite a few traffic problems! most resulting, as you say, with vehicles travelling out of town centre, along to Northside, then back up into town past Tesco and up Station Rd.

 

[driver9000]

Noted that much of the ME allocated fleet is now carrying side advertising on a nearside window for the Lancaster Megarider on a big orange sticker - why put it on the window!?

Do we know when the Fife MANs are expected to enter service on the 16?

 

[mbonwick]

No idea if I'm honest, although I expect they will move to Preston when the batch is complete.

 

[cainebj]

33167 and 40025 were on Harrington & Seaton when i was at bus station this morning.
47060 on Moorclose Circular 51.
47023 on Moorclose Circular 50.
20761 on X4.
20134 ran the morning Cockermouth X5, and later SL Ltd Contract.
40651 was in Workington Bus Station this morning with "BNG Contract" on display. it is the only 709D that hasnt been reprogrammed from what i have saw.
22608 has been on 31A today! which is odd, as LL's 22xxx's have branding for 30/31.
35247 on 31. havnt saw a lot on 31 cos i've been studying and doing my final exam
14233 on schools this morning with "999" on side display.
14234 on schools this afternoon with "32 " on side display. a N reg oly and a H reg oly were also on, but i have no idea which.

 

[Dallamlad]

Yes have noticed the orange stickers and their in such a stupid place! Its the the 2nd window from the door which is so silly. Mind you saying that I've looked at it so...lol.

Heard today that Dallam School spend around £1000 on school buses a day and around £75,000 yearly which is paid by governors. Also apparently SC are re-eveluating staff pay and next year the price of a bus pass may go up by 5% (£10) bringing it up again from £137 to £147. I remember when it was just under £120!

Nothing odd running round today. Saw 16663 in Carnforth this morning as well as most of the B10B's either on Carnforth routes or the X1.

 

[KendalKing]

16331, 18278, & 18279 on X35's.
16659 was on the 755.
20787 was on the 736.
33164, 33165, 33166, 34213, 34217, 47055, & UID Solo all made appeances on Town Services. with 20712 doing a couple of trips before the afternoon D3.

 

[cainebj]

Yes have noticed the orange stickers and their in such a stupid place! Its the the 2nd window from the door which is so silly. Mind you saying that I've looked at it so...lol.

LL's are the same. they show different information like. some buses advertise Whitehaven Day Rider, some advertise Workington Day Rider, and some advertise West Cumbria Mega Rider.
as usual, i don't agree with it, cos vehicles advertising Whitehaven Day Rider end up on Workington Town Services (34079 was fitted with Whitehaven one, but spent its first 2 full working days on Workington Town Services).

 

[driver9000]

I dont mind the advertising of their passes and tickets, but I prefer the older stripe stickers that went along the tops of the windscreens on saloons and the front top deck windows, why they feel the need to cover over windows - especially as we are blessed with living in a very beautiful area is totally beyond me!

 

[mbonwick]

Also apparently SC are re-eveluating staff pay and next year the price of a bus pass may go up by 5% (£10) bringing it up again from £137 to £147. I remember when it was just under £120!

So the latest round of fare rises wasn't enough? Utter bollocks....this is just keeping a nice huge margin over into the black.
As for bus passes, 5 years ago when I first started travelling into Lancaster, a 4 week Goldrider was £60. Now it's £88 with the latest fare increase of a whopping 10%!
It is actually cheaper now for me to buy a 4 day NW explorer and a return per week. Something far wrong there IMHO.

 

[Dallamlad]

When I say an increase of 10% I meant the Dallam Bus passes not general fares.

 

[mbonwick]

I know, I was making the point that obviously SC aren't happy with the extra revenue the latest general fare rises brought.

 

[driver9000]

So the latest round of fare rises wasn't enough? Utter bollocks....this is just keeping a nice huge margin over into the black.
As for bus passes, 5 years ago when I first started travelling into Lancaster, a 4 week Goldrider was £60. Now it's £88 with the latest fare increase of a whopping 10%!
It is actually cheaper now for me to buy a 4 day NW explorer and a return per week. Something far wrong there IMHO.

I have always thought Lancaster area fares were verging on extortion it seems if your not going to the University then you pay premium rates! I remember when the BayRider (Megarider) was £10, Dayriders were £3, a NW Explorer was £5!! and the maximum return fare on long distance was also £5! By the time I left Stagecoach the Explorer was £8 and a return from Heysham-Lancaster was nearly £5 - at least most passengers knew to get a Dayrider except the odd one that told me to mind my own business and demanded the return fare!

Ever notice that the fares usually go up around the time the drivers get their pay deal - (operating costs)

 

[infobus]

Optare Solo 47059 has arrived at Lillyhall

 

[K768 DAO]

.............

 

[mbonwick]

Sounds quite a likely rumour tbh, get rid of a knackered K reg B10M/ get some more operational redundancy in the fleet

 

[pickles]

~~~~~

 

[mbonwick]

No, generally they are in very good shape for 15/16 years old, however one or two are starting to show their age mechanically.

 

[KendalKing]

Talking of the K-DAO batch, 20774 was on the 2020 555 Lancaster - Kendal this evening.

 

[mbonwick]

Gosh, that brings back memories! I suppose that's not unusual; I can't imagine the 555 being particularly busy at that time of night.

 

[K768 DAO]

.........

 

[mbonwick]

Right, better get this posted before I forget

47143 on 618 (Barrow - Windermere)
20661 on all day layover at Windermere rail Stn., later joined by 20735
All the OT Tridents (except 17012, obviously) were out; I didn't see 16294 or a closed top vehicle on 599 but I wasn't really looking out.
18354-7, 18366, 18372 were all seen on various 555/6 workings.
47055, 33166 on Kendal Town services
47056 was out on the 505
Carlisle's 20924 was on the 108 to Penrith.

 

[driver9000]

Oddly enough I was in Windermere today and was going to post the Tridents out, its the first time Ive seen them since they lost their roofs but I like what they have done and its good to see such a tourist specific route finally low floor!! I didnt realise that Barrows Solos made it as far as Windermere.