TfGM Bee Network - fleet discussion

[Scania1996]

Distinct lack of ex London E400s out on the 609 - where is it they’re off to next?

Currently all of Wigans E400s are still in service bar 3117 which has departed. Only 2 running boards on 609 are allocated E400s on a Sunday service, one staying out on a late board and the other returning to the depot around 1700ish.

Wigan are to retain a handful of E400s once the new Streetdecks enter service. 3426/35/4029/30 are expected to be going to Bolton depot in the coming weeks.

*EDIT* - 3555/6 MF74 NLX/Y have entered service this morning (26/8/25) on the 35

 

[Bovverboy]

Currently all of Wigans E400s are still in service bar 3117 which has departed. Only 2 running boards on 609 are allocated E400s on a Sunday service, one staying out on a late board and the other returning to the depot around 1700ish.

There are no E400s out on the 609 today, only StreetDecks.

 

[Scania1996]

There are no E400s out on the 609 today, only StreetDecks.

They will all be back out tomorrow (apart from 3111 which is off for MOT and 3115 awaiting some glass), probably just a one off seeing as there's spare Streetdecks which are an upgrade anyway

 

[First Northern]

3552 parked up NIS on Princess Street just now. Guessing it's on the 35

 

[rosscolley64]

Stagecoach 12062/12073 and 11512 are all to be disposed of from what I’ve been sent. Wondering if 12073 is the one that hit a post as reported in MEN the other week?

Edit - it isn’t.

 

[xitz2012@gmail]

Stagecoach 12062/12073 and 11512 are all to be disposed of from what I’ve been sent. Wondering if 12073 is the one that hit a post as reported in MEN the other week?

The one that crashed into the pole in Blackley was 12064

 

[rosscolley64]

The one that crashed into the pole in Blackley was 12064

Amended thank you

 

[mattyharding]

Stagecoach 12062/12073 and 11512 are all to be disposed of from what I’ve been sent. Wondering if 12073 is the one that hit a post as reported in MEN the other week?

Edit - it isn’t.

11512 was the one that had it's roof torn off

 

[rosscolley64]

11512 was the one that had it's roof torn off

Yes, it had been seen on the back of a low loader the other week so presumably been used in police investigation prior to its disposal. Surprised they’ve gotten rid but it is 5 years old now.

 

[mattyharding]

Yes, it had been seen on the back of a low loader the other week so presumably been used in police investigation prior to its disposal. Surprised they’ve gotten rid but it is 5 years old now.

It used to be an Oldham depot bus before we got 74 plate EVs

 

[Class 466]

A few more E400s have moved across to Heywood it would seem - will they be 163 regulars going forward?

 

[Jacobdas]

Is there any progress with the electrification of Middleton’s depot?

 

[Bovverboy]

A few more E400s have moved across to Heywood it would seem - will they be 163 regulars going forward?

3116/8 were last used by Wigan depot 26/27 Aug and started on 163s at Heywood w.e.f. 28 Aug AM, joining 3117. 3108-10/2-4 were still in use at Wigan 28/8, 3111/5 seem to be still v.o.r., 3107 hasn't been used since Tuesday, reason not known.

B9 3287 did two one-way V1s yesterday 28/8 and 3288/9 haven't been used since 20/8 - being fitted with guide wheels?

 

[Scania1996]

3116/8 were last used by Wigan depot 26/27 Aug and started on 163s at Heywood w.e.f. 28 Aug AM, joining 3117. 3108-10/2-4 were still in use at Wigan 28/8, 3111/5 seem to be still v.o.r., 3107 hasn't been used since Tuesday, reason not known.

B9 3287 did two one-way V1s yesterday 28/8 and 3288/9 haven't been used since 20/8 - being fitted with guide wheels?

3107 is VOR having some work done,
3111 is also VOR for MOT, both should be back on the road at Wigan soon.
3115 left Wigan for Heywood yesterday (28/8)

 

[Leyland Bus]

3116/8 were last used by Wigan depot 26/27 Aug and started on 163s at Heywood w.e.f. 28 Aug AM, joining 3117. 3108-10/2-4 were still in use at Wigan 28/8, 3111/5 seem to be still v.o.r., 3107 hasn't been used since Tuesday, reason not known.

B9 3287 did two one-way V1s yesterday 28/8 and 3288/9 haven't been used since 20/8 - being fitted with guide wheels?

Yes

 

[Bovverboy]

3115 left Wigan for Heywood yesterday (28/8)

It's on 163s this morning (29/8).

 

[Leyland Bus]

Streetdecks 3426 and 3435 transfered from Wigan to Bolton this morning. Citaro 6243 is now in Go NorthWest blue and grey for use on schools at Denton. It will transfer once an oil leak has been rectified.

 

[py_megapixel]

Streetdecks 3426 and 3435 transfered from Wigan to Bolton this morning. Citaro 6243 is now in Go NorthWest blue and grey for use on schools at Denton. It will transfer once an oil leak has been rectified.

Out of curiosity why are the school buses using GNW corporate colours rather than TfGM yellow? I would have thought it would be useful to have the flexibility to press school buses into service on public routes if there was ever a shortage, in which case they might as well be yellow to fit in with the rest

 

[MCRTransitYT]

Out of curiosity why are the school buses using GNW corporate colours rather than TfGM yellow? I would have thought it would be useful to have the flexibility to press school buses into service on public routes if there was ever a shortage, in which case they might as well be yellow to fit in with the rest

School buses can be corporate livery

 

[mangad]

School buses can be corporate livery

I seem to remember several posts saying schools services weren't allowed to be in yellow for some reason. Although if true, that must apply only to small franchises as Metroline and Stagecoach both run school buses from large franchise depots with yellow buses.

 

[Andyh82]

I seem to remember several posts saying schools services weren't allowed to be in yellow for some reason. Although if true, that must apply only to small franchises as Metroline and Stagecoach both run school buses from large franchise depots with yellow buses.

Both Diamond and First have run school services in yellow.

I think whoever said that got it the wrong way round.

 

[Leyland Bus]

TfGM didn't want school buses to be yellow as the main bus fleet is yellow. School buses are "out of scope", so to speak, from the main bus services so do not have to have spec'd interiors, next stop announcements etc etc so not having them yellow is meant to deter operators for using school buses on service routes. As I understand it, several operators have dispensation to run yellow buses in the schools fleet for various reasons (age usually, so not worth painting for a short time etc) but all should at some point not be...

 

[mangad]

The schools services run from large franchise depots are going to be yellow because they're interworked with standard services. And, of course, those school services often get pretty new buses as well. Metroline run a lot of the school buses near me and I've often seen better buses on them that Stagecoach are sending up on the public routes to our area!

Then you've got a batch of other schools services running from dedicated franchises that are going to have older vehicles. All feels a very convaluted setup they've created where some children travelling to school are going to get far better buses than others because their bus is from a large franchise.

 

[MCRTransitYT]

Both Diamond and First have run school services in yellow.

I think whoever said that got it the wrong way round.

Diamond run a lot of blue streetlites and most of their Geminis are blue too. The streetdecks are yellow because they were painted yellow for normal service but became school buses (mainly)

 

[geoffk]

When I worked for GMPTE, as it was then called 20 years ago, a lot of "yellow school buses" (in the US sense) were being introduced. I believe most of these were registered but restricted to scholars only. Assuming these still exist, are they still yellow? One of the arguments in favour of adopting the Yellow School Bus brand was that they were easily distinguishable from normal buses!

 

[mangad]

When I worked for GMPTE, as it was then called 20 years ago, a lot of "yellow school buses" (in the US sense) were being introduced. These were closed contracts. Assuming these still exist, are they still yellow?

There were some Yellow Bus routes where children had allocated seating, big yellow buses, same driver and things like that. A lot of the buses were hybrids. But those routes went a few years ago (was it after Covid?) and the routes became normal school bus routes.

Belle Vue still have quite a few of actual vehicles that were used. They don't run any TfGM school buses any more, but were using the vehicles for the other school and college services they have, as well as using them for school trips to swimming pools, up until July. I assume they'll be out on the road next week as well.

 

[StagecoachBus1]

The schools services run from large franchise depots are going to be yellow because they're interworked with standard services. And, of course, those school services often get pretty new buses as well. Metroline run a lot of the school buses near me and I've often seen better buses on them that Stagecoach are sending up on the public routes to our area!

Then you've got a batch of other schools services running from dedicated franchises that are going to have older vehicles. All feels a very convaluted setup they've created where some children travelling to school are going to get far better buses than others because their bus is from a large franchise.

Strange how Sharston schools have been almost all getting StreetDecks on AM runs (exception of routes not suitable for them), whilst the older hybrids have been put on normal services - surely the hybrids would've been a better choice, as they'd been previously doing - any reason for why the've changed?

 

[mattyharding]

I think the B5LHs from Oldham and QR should be on school services as they are old and unreliable

 

[MCRTransitYT]

I think the B5LHs from Oldham and QR should be on school services as they are old and unreliable

I believe oldham school services are operated by MX09 e400s, and queen's road use whatever, but the B5LHs would be good, only if there were replacements which at the moment, there arent

 

[mangad]

Remember - if the school bus route is coming from Sharston, Oldham or any other big depot, it'll be inter-worked with other services. Take this example from 17th July from Stagecoach's Oldham depot (I think). Starts the day as a school bus, then does journeys on the 348, 17, and the 409. The next day the same vehicle starts the day on a 409, does a school bus, then a 182, then two more school buses over lunch (no doubt because the schools finished term early), then finished on a 181. You'll find plenty of examples for Sharston and Stockport if you look on bustimes.org.

if it's coming from a large franchise depot, the schools services will be run whatever makes they need for the services that bus will be doing during the rest of the day. It's not a case of keeping a load of hybrids floating around for use only on school buses.