Stagecoach North West Discussion

[Dallamlad]

Quite a busy day today.

Noticed earlier while riding on 18363 that bits of the art work are pealing off its rear right side. no doubt this will be corrected soon.

Services:

18364 spotted heading dead through Bowerham toward town. Later seen with the same driver working the 2a back tot he Uni. Not sure if he set his screen as OOS just to catch up on his timetable or for an other reason.

14204 16668 on 2/2a as well as the Tridents.
22821 on the three through Bowerham this afternoon. Think the driver forgot to change the blind at the Uni.
22825 on the 42
16661 on the 41
14195,20463 and 16662 were all sat dead at the bus station briefly before disappearing into town for some reason.
16665 on the 81b
And lastly I had 20546 on the 49.

Told a driver yesterday that his blinds hadn't been changed. I got off and waved frantically with a signal and he realised thanking me with a quick flick of his indicators. Told another driver this afternoon as well. What with all the traffic and the diversion at the Uni plus boarding 70+ students onto a bus changing the blinds is the least of their worries!

That's about it, a lot of trivial stuff there lol
18360 looking very scruffy on the 555
16661 on the 41

 

[mbonwick]

Another one I forgot before: 25222 on X1 this morning! I was quite surprised.

 

[pickles]

.....

 

[Dallamlad]

Yeah I saw 25222 heading dead from the Uni this morning think its a regular thing.

I would have thought they would move at least another low floor decker to Barrow just to insure it is always low floor. Would look very out of place though whatever it is!

Thanks for the GM explanation MBonwick So have ME got another mechanics vehicle?

 

[cainebj]

47062 on 50.
47024 on 51.
33168 and 47617 on Harrington & Seaton. didnt see 3rd bus.
47060 and 34079 both had a go at Northside 48.
42562 was on annexe over lunch time, and went back out to Maryport.

been told that VLT 255 (forgot the number, 15466 i think) was on the Preston & Chorley to Central Lakes (the Keswick one). can't remember if the one that goes to Keswick is X7 or X8.

 

[driver9000]

Plenty of bunching this afternoon especially on the 2/2A with 3 buses on the 12-20 side of the bus station this afternoon around 16:40 all heading the same way!

Are buses no longer required to circuit Chapel Street? Cutting across the lane (and white line) to get into the station was always a definite no-no but with the amount of buses Ive seen doing it recently Im wondering if its been recinded.

 

[Dallamlad]

I think it has temporarily as an inspector was standing by that entrance directing vehicles the other day.

 

[mbonwick]

Travellers are the worst for doing it regularly, I've only seen it happen infrequently when buses are rather late/traffic is bad on Chapel Street

 

[Gez.SCNW]

Are buses no longer required to circuit Chapel Street? Cutting across the lane (and white line) to get into the station was always a definite no-no but with the amount of buses Ive seen doing it recently Im wondering if its been recinded.[/QUOTE]

It still is a definate no no unless under supervision, which it was, circuiting Chapel Street was not an option on Friday afternoon if I wanted to provide any bus service at all in the Morecambe direction, to give you an idea the 1647 Blackpool left off stand around 10 minutes late at 1747 we got anyone for Blackpool and walked them round to Chapel Street to get them on the previous bus, which had managed to get around 100yards in that time.
One of the lads sat through 37 changes of the lights at the end of the Parliament St bus lane, with the 1642 ex Halton due at 1705 getting into the bus station at 1850.

 

[mbonwick]

That is just ridiculous....I know thee 89 was severely delayed as well.

Some friends I was with didn't believe that the traffic justified moving buses the wrong way round the bus station, I told them to watch 18363 (Morecambe FC) for 20mins. It moved about 5 yards.

 

[Dallamlad]

What a ball ache! My sister got the 2a from the bus station on Friday and said she didn't move for 15 mins. Why was it so bad? Couldn't have been the roadworks surely.

A friend of mine was on the 2a the other evening when the driver accidentally went down Euston Road when it was closed and he had to reverse all the way back lol.

 

[driver9000]

It still is a definate no no unless under supervision, which it was, circuiting Chapel Street was not an option on Friday afternoon if I wanted to provide any bus service at all in the Morecambe direction, to give you an idea the 1647 Blackpool left off stand around 10 minutes late at 1747 we got anyone for Blackpool and walked them round to Chapel Street to get them on the previous bus, which had managed to get around 100yards in that time.
One of the lads sat through 37 changes of the lights at the end of the Parliament St bus lane, with the 1642 ex Halton due at 1705 getting into the bus station at 1850.

Cheers Gez! I knew there would be a logical explanation around, it got me wondering as the Trident I saw cut across ended up fouling the traffic lane off Damside Street and upsetting a BMW driver (never mind ) as it waited behind another one awaiting a stand.

 

[darrenw29]

Bit of an Envirofest in Blackpool today, 15032,35,39 and an X2 branded one spotted from a distance, all working the 68 plus various Versas on the 84, came back via the A6 and the traffic in Lancaster was mental, lots of Tridents about on the 40, 2A and the 3, The S regs look good with the LEDs. 20131 also with LED.

 

[Dallamlad]

17022,17023,16667 and 16668 on the 2/2a.
20545 on the X1

 

[K777DAO]

47005 and 47006 new to Stagecoach Midland Red (South) (info from bus lists on the web).

Are these the ex preston Solo SR's?? (I'm probably way-wrong!!)

 

[Gez.SCNW]

Does anybody know where the Travelers Choice solos were sourced from?

YE52 from Courtney at Bracknell with MX05 from TLC (Bradford)

 

[mbonwick]

Are these the ex preston Solo SR's?? (I'm probably way-wrong!!)

These are ordinary 51 plate Solos, which I believe were brought into Preston around 2006ish to compete with Preston Bus.

They are just like 47009 at Kendal, 47020/1 at Morecambe.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Just read on another forum that 16635 has been seen being towed by a PVS wrecker, off on its final journey to Barnsley.

 

[darrenw29]

Are these the ex preston Solo SR's?? (I'm probably way-wrong!!)

These are 51 reg Solos that came to Preston in the midst of the bus wars. (oops post above says this)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Just read on another forum that 16635 has been seen being towed by a PVS wrecker, off on its final journey to Barnsley.[/QUOTE]

That is sad news!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mbonwick]

New refurb tracker up on my website.

Can anyone confirm what stage Morecambe's Oly refub program is at? Am I right in thinking it's just 16662/4/5/6 that don't have LEDs?

 

[jonesy3001]

New refurb tracker up on my website.

Can anyone confirm what stage Morecambe's Oly refub program is at? Am I right in thinking it's just 16662/4/5/6 that don't have LEDs?

Unsure at the mo 16657 in newcastle for chassis refurb and repaint at carlisle after (L.E.D blind fitted),16662 should be the last to be done,16664 and 16665 are being transferred out to chorley in exchange for two n/c olys and 16666 is being kept like it is as they forgot to panel over the rear and side blinds.

 

[Dave The Bus]

Just a few notes about Preston,

Things that seem to have jumped out at me whilst sitting in the horrendous traffic on Saturday were.

47490 and 47492 have been liveried up for 113 service, i am assuming they are the replacements for the likes of 47006 (which was still branded and running the 113 anyway)

34579 and 34617 seen to have had recent repaints

34620 and at least one other route 3 branded dart have had references to the 3 service removed and had the legend 'city life citi travel' put on instead..

And three more Scanias are at Chorley, unsure which ones but my guess would be 15663 (which was held back after failing the PID) and 15665/6 with another possible five (15667 - 71) at the garage before the end of the month, unsure how many will be ready for Nov 1st, seeing as they are arriving rather 'naked' and 15 due to be branded (Wait till you see THAT!! lol) but things should happen fairly swiftly with all being out in service by end of Nov.

 

[mbonwick]

What did 15663 fail the PID on? And what is a PID?

 

[jonesy3001]

Any idea whats going on with preston bus inquiry as i`m hearing rumours it has fallen through.

 

[Dallamlad]

Who from? As far as I know nothing has been released by the CC yet.

 

[mbonwick]

Fallen through in what way Jonesy? Good for Stagecoach or bad?

The final report has yet to be released - it should be sometime this week - but given the battering SC gave the CC, I wouldn't be surprised if no restrictions were imposed. I certainly hope divestiture isn't ordered.

 

[jonesy3001]

Fallen through in what way Jonesy? Good for Stagecoach or bad?

The final report has yet to be released - it should be sometime this week - but given the battering SC gave the CC, I wouldn't be surprised if no restrictions were imposed. I certainly hope divestiture isn't ordered.

That stagecoach have lost preston bus but as they always say rumours never come true.

 

[Dave The Bus]

That stagecoach have lost preston bus but as they always say rumours never come true.

Same rumour has been circulating Chorley, coming from a substantial source..

Sorry for PID read PDI (Pre Delivery Inspection) dont know why, but Scania wernt happy with it, so Stagecoach hadn't even got a chance to look at it..

 

[jonesy3001]

Same rumour has been circulating Chorley, coming from a substantial source..

Sorry for PID read PDI (Pre Delivery Inspection) dont know why, but Scania wernt happy with it, so Stagecoach hadn't even got a chance to look at it..

If they have lost it there`s a lot of buses to be repainted back into preston bus colours and lot of depot swaps that went from deepdale to frenchwood and all the buses that are at lillyhall and 14543 at morecambe.

 

[robertclark125]

If it has to be sold, who wants to buy it? Arriva, Go Ahead, Transdev, have all said they don't want it. In my submission to the CC, I did warn that if an outsider bought it, then standards could fall, like those at Gilmoss, when Arriva had to sell that depot, and sold it to GTL. And one other thing, there's a lot of finance on the new buses to be paid for yet as well. Even with restrictions on Stagecoach, I could still see PB going under if it is sold.

 

[cainebj]

47024 started on 51. was replaced on its 2nd run by 20962. came back from uni and 47616 was on it.
35249 was on 50 this morning.
33168, 47024 and 47062 on Harrington & Seaton.
20435 on 31.
16447, 16651, 16653 and 16654 on 300.


2 Citi darts on 75 for a change.
20924 on 554.
a very bouncy and rough sounding 33162 on 101.