TfGM Bee Network - fleet discussion

[Class 466]

One suspects that GNW/GNE being ran by one person isn't helping there.

A reorg at group level that simply hasn't worked.

I notice that contrary to early on, said person is rarely seen doing PR stunts in Manchester anymore. I suppose the fact its now impossible to do endless rebrands on the vehicles in Manchester it makes it harder (then again they didnt exactly bother much with Queens Road).

 

[Leyland Bus]

One suspects that GNW/GNE being ran by one person isn't helping there.

A reorg at group level that simply hasn't worked.

Well, why don't you throw your hat into the ring, share with them your knowledge and expertise?

There's so many folk on here seem to be fantastic bus managers in the making, why not give it a go, instead of bleating on here?! It's getting boring now

 

[johncrossley]

I assume it's a TfGM spec thing.

London buses have these as well, and I've also seen these stickers on buses abroad. For example

Transdev, 2189

Hilversum, 11 November 2023.

www.flickr.com

 

[CJ1]

London buses have these as well, and I've also seen these stickers on buses abroad. For example

London (i think) were the first ones to do it after a fire in a garage. Manchester has probably adopted this idea, for safety, although not all vehicles have them after being refurbished.

 

[Park47515]

Well, why don't you throw your hat into the ring, share with them your knowledge and expertise?

There's so many folk on here seem to be fantastic bus managers in the making, why not give it a go, instead of bleating on here?! It's getting boring now

Absolutely nothing against Nigel. But a geographic area that covers Newcastle and Little Hulton is a bit hard to really get your teeth into!

Especially if one of the operations is essentially brand new to you!

 

[Leedsbusman]

Absolutely nothing against Nigel. But a geographic area that covers Newcastle and Little Hulton is a bit hard to really get your teeth into!

Especially if one of the operations is essentially brand new to you!

It’s rather naive to assume Nigel does everything!

 

[Fox192]

It’s rather naive to assume Nigel does everything!

I can’t imagine one guy runs the whole of two networks to himself unless he’s a robot

 

[Leyland Bus]

Absolutely nothing against Nigel. But a geographic area that covers Newcastle and Little Hulton is a bit hard to really get your teeth into!

Especially if one of the operations is essentially brand new to you!

And you think he sits behind a desk making every single decision, every single time??

Whilst he may be the "man at the top" both operations have management teams with vast knowledge of their operations.

 

[CJ1]

Does anyone know what the fleet is going to be looking like for Metroline in Jan 2025? I know they have 126 Streetdeck Ultroliners coming and some YX74 reg E200 MMCs. Do they have any EV orders and what’s their plans for bringing up vehicles from London?

 

[Class 466]

Does anyone know what the fleet is going to be looking like for Metroline in Jan 2025? I know they have 126 Streetdeck Ultroliners coming and some YX74 reg E200 MMCs. Do they have any EV orders and what’s their plans for bringing up vehicles from London?

I do know but I’m not sure I’m at liberty to say. There will be many more EVs though with at least Ashton & Hyde Road due to be electrified and not BYD/ADL ones as that partnership has ended.

 

[CJ1]

I do know but I’m not sure I’m at liberty to say. There will be many more EVs though with at least Ashton & Hyde Road due to be electrified and not BYD/ADL ones as that partnership has ended.

Will the full fleet be announced in due course or will we have to wait and see. Do you know if the EVs are Single Deck or Double Deck? Hopefully see some other types of EVs!

 

[ic31420]

and not BYD/ADL ones as that partnership has ended.

I wonder how the spare parts picture will look in 3-5 years time?

 

[Ace Of Pacer]

On the subject of refurbs - operators of Large Franchises have two years from start of contract to ensure the entire fleet is fully compliant with Enhanced Spec (so GNW deadline is September 2025). Priority for refurb are vehicles which will remain in fleet beyond that date. The 5 temporary E200s therefore come lower in the running order. Currently GNW is on track for all 101 StreetDecks inherited from Diamond to be in full spec early next year, then the single decks will enter the programme.

All of the buses repainted by Diamond and First ahead of sale still need/needed to be sent away for full refurb as the interiors weren’t touched, and the more complex work eg installing additional wheelchair bays, is specialist and time consuming. GNW currently has around 20 buses away for refurb at any given time which is a very significant portion of fleet. Waving a magic wand to make the entire fleet compliant overnight would obviously be better, but in the absence of that an intensive programme to meet the sensible timelines set by TfGM is the way to do it. People may be thinking this is just about repainting a bus, but it’s a much bigger programme than that.

 

[xitz2012@gmail]

Middleton depot’s 19410 (MX58FTJ) was destroyed in a fire at NMGH this afternoon unfortunately.

 

[Leyland Bus]

Middleton depot’s 19410 (MX58FTJ) was destroyed in a fire at NMGH this afternoon unfortunately.

Source? I can't find anything online?

 

[Kianlewis48]

Source? I can't find anything

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Aug 2024 ==

19410 has been taken away from the scene now however police are still there as they are trying to find out what caused it as it’s possible arson. Another E400 has also been slightly affected but no damage has been seen on that yet.

 

[Leyland Bus]

Thanks,

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Aug 2024 ==

19410 has been taken away from the scene now however police are still there as they are trying to find out what caused it as it’s possible arson. Another E400 has also been slightly affected but no damage has been seen on that yet.

Looks like it's possibly engine related as the interior looks untouched yet the rear bonnet/fibreglass area has gone...

 

[Kianlewis48]

Thanks,

Looks like it's possibly engine related as the interior looks untouched yet the rear bonnet/fibreglass area has gone...

Yeah that’s what I believe. But the back of the bus looks completely destroyed and and another enviro got moved to safety. I think this bus has been moved to Oldham for the attention of the engineers. Hopefully there is a possible chance of it being saved but due to its age it’s very unlikely.

 

[mic]

"Burn"ham Bus

Explore LADTransportUK's 999 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

another one of 19410 from flicker

 

[py_megapixel]

Those are quite old buses, presumably ones brought in by Stagecoach for relatively short-term use while waiting for new orders? Not trying to suggest that has anything to do with the fire, just hoping for context.

Hope everyone was able to evacuate safely without injury.

 

[Kianlewis48]

Those are quite old buses, presumably ones brought in by Stagecoach for relatively short-term use while waiting for new orders? Not trying to suggest that has anything to do with the fire, just hoping for context.

Hope everyone was able to evacuate safely without injury.

I believe they are treating it as possible arson. The police still have that road shut while they investigate the cause.

 

[Leyland Bus]

I believe they are treating it as possible arson. The police still have that road shut while they investigate the cause.

Nah, that's definitely engine related (unless someone threw a lit object under the bonnet) a similar one was written off whilst running empty on the A5103 a couple of weeks ago...

 

[mbonwick]

Stagecoach don't seem to be having much luck with their older/Tranche 3 repaints going up in smoke...is that 5 E400s now that have burned/been smoked damaged after going yellow?

 

[CJ1]

On the subject of refurbs - operators of Large Franchises have two years from start of contract to ensure the entire fleet is fully compliant with Enhanced Spec (so GNW deadline is September 2025). Priority for refurb are vehicles which will remain in fleet beyond that date. The 5 temporary E200s therefore come lower in the running order. Currently GNW is on track for all 101 StreetDecks inherited from Diamond to be in full spec early next year, then the single decks will enter the programme.

All of the buses repainted by Diamond and First ahead of sale still need/needed to be sent away for full refurb as the interiors weren’t touched, and the more complex work eg installing additional wheelchair bays, is specialist and time consuming. GNW currently has around 20 buses away for refurb at any given time which is a very significant portion of fleet. Waving a magic wand to make the entire fleet compliant overnight would obviously be better, but in the absence of that an intensive programme to meet the sensible timelines set by TfGM is the way to do it. People may be thinking this is just about repainting a bus, but it’s a much bigger programme than that.

Are the 5 ex First Berkshire E200s staying and planning to get a full refurb? If not what new vehicles are they waiting for?

 

[xitz2012@gmail]

Stagecoach don't seem to be having much luck with their older/Tranche 3 repaints going up in smoke...is that 5 E400s now that have burned/been smoked damaged after going yellow?

No, there's only been 2 yellow E400s that have been fire/smoke damaged. The first was Queens Road's 19428 (MX58FUP) which took smoke damage while in the paint shop at Hyde Road (nothing to do with the bus itself) and 19410 today.

 

[mbonwick]

No, there's only been 2 yellow E400s that have been fire/smoke damaged. The first was Queens Road's 19428 (MX58FUP) which took smoke damage while in the paint shop at Hyde Road (nothing to do with the bus itself) and 19410 today.

I thought that there were 4 in various stages of going yellow that were damaged in Hyde Rd paintshop? Nothing to do with the buses as you say.

 

[Class 466]

I thought that there were 4 in various stages of going yellow that were damaged in Hyde Rd paintshop? Nothing to do with the buses as you say.

Nope 19428 was the only one going yellow - 19500 was due to receive the livery that 19470 got in the end. The other two were just collateral damage.

 

[Leyland Bus]

I thought that there were 4 in various stages of going yellow that were damaged in Hyde Rd paintshop? Nothing to do with the buses as you say.

There were 4 buses from memory but one of them was the original Greater Manchester Transport repaint!

 

[mic]

There were 4 buses from memory but one of them was the original Greater Manchester Transport repaint!

the buses where 19294 19347 19428 and 19500

 

[Simon75]

Middleton depot’s 19410 (MX58FTJ) was destroyed in a fire at NMGH this afternoon unfortunately.

NMGH ?