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Wellglade Group

Trainman40083

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Depends

Also you never know when you'll need to borrow buses back. One thing that does surprise me is the reluctance to utilise the notts and derby fleet at Derby, especially when it's mainly ex trentbarton vehicles.
Maybe Notts and Derby won't let them, or charge too much.
 
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YX73OUB

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Then again there were comments recently on Dan Stone's Flickr saying that notts and derby were short so having to borrow resources from Littles.

You'd think that borrowing would definitely happen over school holidays though.
 

BusLink61

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Then again there were comments recently on Dan Stone's Flickr saying that notts and derby were short so having to borrow resources from Littles.

You'd think that borrowing would definitely happen over school holidays though.
N+D do appear to be in need of buses, they are borrowing a couple of Presidents from Littles D10 and D11 - the latter doesn’t appear to have a bus times entry.

They still seem to return to the garage at Littles though, according to a photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/60628514@N02/

It also looks as though one of the former Red Arrow Plaxtons is parked at Littles. I’d make an assumption that it’s to do with the space available.
 

Trainman40083

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N+D do appear to be in need of buses, they are borrowing a couple of Presidents from Littles D10 and D11 - the latter doesn’t appear to have a bus times entry.

They still seem to return to the garage at Littles though, according to a photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/60628514@N02/

It also looks as though one of the former Red Arrow Plaxtons is parked at Littles. I’d make an assumption that it’s to do with the space available.
I think D10 is on loan to Notts and Derby, whilst Littles D11 parks there, working a West Park school diagram. I think the Red Arrow coaches are having work done at Littles, prior to sale . Notts and Derby were certainly short of double deckers with a couple of Geminis having incidents. I understand the double decker issue will be resolved before long.
 

liamf656

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I think D10 is on loan to Notts and Derby, whilst Littles D11 parks there, working a West Park school diagram. I think the Red Arrow coaches are having work done at Littles, prior to sale . Notts and Derby were certainly short of double deckers with a couple of Geminis having incidents. I understand the double decker issue will be resolved before long.
At least one ex Red Arrow is in Littles livery and has a private reg plate
 

BusLink61

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I think D10 is on loan to Notts and Derby, whilst Littles D11 parks there, working a West Park school diagram. I think the Red Arrow coaches are having work done at Littles, prior to sale . Notts and Derby were certainly short of double deckers with a couple of Geminis having incidents. I understand the double decker issue will be resolved before long.
That may explain why they had the Omnidekkas off TM Travel, they’ve been solid workhorses so may as well make the most out of them. I’m aware it’s not a long term plan.
 

Trainman40083

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That may explain why they had the Omnidekkas off TM Travel, they’ve been solid workhorses so may as well make the most out of them. I’m aware it’s not a long term plan.
I understand all the Scania deckers should be replaced this year. 1178 is already withdrawn, leaving 1173 and 1175 in red, a couple of ex Nottinghams and 8 to 10.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Well, former Kinchbus Solo 479 looks very colourful.. Seen in Morledge, Derby awaiting a run to Ilkeston.
 

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callum3490

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Things seem to have taken a tumble on the red arrow the last two days - unless theres tracking issues theres 4 of the branded coaches off today with similar yesterday
 

Trainman40083

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Things seem to have taken a tumble on the red arrow the last two days - unless theres tracking issues theres 4 of the branded coaches off today with similar yesterday
I didn't notice any at Meadow Road when I went past yesterday. I'm beginning to think they may have tracking issues.
 

adrianjohnson

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I was waiting for a Red Arrow in Nottingham (Upper Parliament Street) yesterday and BusTimes showed them in Derby or on A52. Then a minute later, one turned up. So I think the tracking issue is correct. The real time bus stop only showed Rainbow One times.
 

Trainman40083

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With Optare Tempo 9307 going for scrap, a few weeks ago, I guess it brings operation of that type to a close, after over 21 years.. I presume sister 9308 got scrapped. After all, why keep it?
 

YX73OUB

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the handheld style ones Centrebus use on the Hop! route can be temperamental with live tracking and times.
They are indeed and ticketer are working with Trent on solutions.

9308 still at Langley Mill and used on the reverse exercise in the yard at training school - for now.
 

Mugby

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Does anyone know how the Shrovetide Football event in Ashbourne was handled this year?

Were double deckers used on certain Swift journeys on Tuesday and Wednesday? I wasn't around to observe.
 

43055

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Does anyone know how the Shrovetide Football event in Ashbourne was handled this year?

Were double deckers used on certain Swift journeys on Tuesday and Wednesday? I wasn't around to observe.
Yes deckers were avalable is required starting with the 1035 from Derby and in the evening coming back. The loadings yesterday appeared to cope with the normal half hourly service from Derby.
 

derbybusdepot

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17 Dec 2015
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Depends

Also you never know when you'll need to borrow buses back. One thing that does surprise me is the reluctance to utilise the notts and derby fleet at Derby, especially when it's mainly ex trentbarton vehicles.
There were a few weeks when red solos would work for notts and derby one day and Trent the next, doesn't seem to happen now though.

They seem to simply not have enough spare buses, at Derby at least, which is why they miss out several services on a daily basis. It appears to be because on paper they think they should have enough spare buses, and the fact that the reality doesn't reflect this seems not to matter.

Part of the problem may be that the fleet is older (on average) than it has been in previous years, due to a gap in investment during covid, or they simply can't cope with the volume of maintenance at Derby. Either way it has been an ongoing issue that hasn't been resolved.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a modern maintenance facility built on the notts and Derby site, especially if any funding is forthcoming for electric buses and infrastructure.
 

liamf656

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Traffic backing up in Spondon currently because an 07 plate ex Kinchbus Solo has failed metres before the bus stop!
 

Trainman40083

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Yes, an ADL (B6) somehow ended up on the Campus Shuttle service on Friday last week.

It was only on for a few hours or so though.
Was that around the day, that there was a power cut in Loughborough, that may have seen problems charging electric buses? I hope they had a diesel generator as a back up, as I doubt the fuel pumps would work either.
 

mesub

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9 Dec 2022
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Birmingham
Was that around the day, that there was a power cut in Loughborough, that may have seen problems charging electric buses? I hope they had a diesel generator as a back up, as I doubt the fuel pumps would work either.
I didn't know there was a power cut that day?!?
 

Trainman40083

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Kinchbus Yutong E12s YB75 ORT to YB75 ORZ are all showing as taxed now. 7 down. Have the other 3 arrived yet? I guess they may enter service in March.
 

38291018

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Surprised they have taxed them and not waited till March to put on 26 plates and put them straight in service then as there's only just over a week left till 26 plates are out
 

Trainman40083

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Surprised they have taxed them and not waited till March to put on 26 plates and put them straight in service then as there's only just over a week left till 26 plates are out
Maybe they think Jo Public will think 75 is newer than 26. ;)
 

49er

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I didn't know there was a power cut that day?!?
Do we know any more about what happened on Friday 13th? Bustimes suggests town service 5 was also badly affected, with rather a slim service running between 10:15 and 13:15, and no buses at all from 11:15 to midday. Earlier in the day 3108 and 3109 were running; when the service restarted 3110 and 3111 were on duty.

Bustimes also shows Campus Shuttle ran with just 3103 for the period 10:30 - 14:30. It normally has 2 buses. Perhaps the full service was maintained but with Littles vehicles? It would be unusual for Kinchbus to run a reduced service on Sprint or CS with these being university contracts - in the past they have abandoned town services at the drop of a hat to avoid cancellations to university services. If Littles provided buses at short notice, possibly they would have not been tracked?
I had intended to travel into town just after midday, but the situation looking very iffy on Bustimes, I took the car instead. I now wonder if perhaps 5 did keep running but with untracked vehicles?
 

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