Vehicle shortage at Yorkshire Tiger?

[TUC]

Today in Halifax I noticed that service 540 Yorkshire Tiger/Calder Cubs journeys were being operated by a double deck Arriva-liveried vehicle and a single deck in K-Line livery. There was an Arriva vehicle also operating the route a few weeks ago. I presume that the K-Line liveried vehicle must have come out of storage. It does make me wonder if Yorkshire Tiger is having a vehicle shortage.

 

[Andyh82]

Elland depot gained schools contracts back in September and acquired some ex Arriva double decks. They haven't all been repainted as yet.

The K-Line bus presumably filling in, at a small depot like Elland they only have about 3 spare buses, there will be many spares now since k-line lost various contracts in October, so you might as well use one rather than missing trips.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Any shortages are likely to get worse after Elland depot was hit by a fire last night (27/12):

http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/bus-depot-hit-fierce-blaze-10657530

A blaze ripped through a bus depot in Elland late last night.

At its height, seven double-deck buses were on fire.

More than 20 firefighters from across West Yorkshire were called to the Yorkshire Tiger depot at 11.36pm on Sunday night.

They were alerted by people living near the Lowfields Business Park off Lock View in Elland, when smoke and flames were seen coming from the site.
A West Yorkshire fire brigade spokesman said: “It was reported as a large vehicle fire and when the first crews arrived, they found that up to seven buses were involved.

“They requested help from other stations and it was made a five-pump incident.

EDIT:

Sounds like a handful of (older) Solos along with a couple of singles and a couple of deckers that bore the brunt of the fire. Guessing the effects won't really be felt until after the new year, but I can see Huddersfield services bearing the brunt as we always seem to be bottom of the pecking order regardless of ownership (Tracky, Stagecoach, Centrebus and YT!).

 

[TUC]

Frustrating that Yorkshire Tiger's website has no information for passengers on whether services will be affected by the fire http://yorkshiretiger.co.uk/

 

[Bungle965]

Frustrating that Yorkshire Tiger's website has no information for passengers on whether services will be affected by the fire http://yorkshiretiger.co.uk/

It also still says that a refreshed website will be coming mid 2015!
Sam

 

[Stan Drews]

Frustrating that Yorkshire Tiger's website has no information for passengers on whether services will be affected by the fire http://yorkshiretiger.co.uk/

But it does say that live service updates are on their Twitter account, and provides the link.

 

[TUC]

But it does say that live service updates are on their Twitter account, and provides the link.

Rather buried at the bottom of the webpage!.

The webpage also states 'Our refreshed website will launch in mid-2015 so keep coming back to see it happen!' so it doesn't look like the company is paying any real attention to keeping it up to date.

Not that communication appears to be the company's strength. I emailed them over a month ago to say that two of their overnight Leeds-Leeds Bradford Airport journeys had failed to operate and a third ran late, causing my daughter to almost miss her flight. I've yet to have the courtesy of a reply.

 

[Andyh82]

The timetables are up to date, but there is no service status facility on the website.

This is given on the Twitter accounts which has been updated frequently. They tweeted today that services would be as normal despite the fire.

 

[Bungle965]

The timetables are up to date, but there is no service status facility on the website.

This is given on the Twitter accounts which has been updated frequently. They tweeted today that services would be as normal despite the fire.

That`s good to hear. Intresting to see if any buses have been hired in from arriva.
Sam

 

[61653 HTAFC]

That's good to hear. Intresting to see if any buses have been hired in from arriva.
Sam

I think the damaged deckers were ex-Arriva vehicles brought in for school contracts. If those services have to be run from the main fleet there might be problems once the schools go back...

 

[Bungle965]

I think the damaged deckers were ex-Arriva vehicles brought in for school contracts. If those services have to be run from the main fleet there might be problems once the schools go back...

Ah right okay. Well we will see when the schools go back then.
Sam

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Any reports of problems now the schools are back? I've not been to Tiger territory this week yet but will be later on today...

 

[Andyh82]

A number of vehicles have been drafted in from Arriva North East to make up the shortfall. They have been spread around Tiger depots to lower the impact.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

A number of vehicles have been drafted in from Arriva North East to make up the shortfall. They have been spread around Tiger depots to lower the impact.

I noticed a couple of Arriva buses in Waterloo depot yesterday afternoon, and saw one on a Huddersfield bound 82. I was heading the other way on an 82, vehicle 719 (a Plaxton Centro) which later nearly conked out (overheating) between Shelley and Skelmanthorpe. I'd already seen an unidentified MCV Evolution on the 262 that had only got as far as the University section of the ring-road before giving up so as the saying goes, it never rains but it pours!