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Stagecoach West/South West/South Wales - Fleet News & Discussion

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I'm still waiting for it to become easier to access from Torbay. I have quite a few mates who use Bristol Airport who develop terrible twitches when it comes to parking there.

None of really fancy hanging around a roundabout near Newton Abbot:lol:

Any ideas what these new purple buses coming to the 2 are? More MMCs?

I gather some of the Barnstaple Wave Scania E400s are transferring to Exeter shortly, so presumably these will be repainted for the 2.
 
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embers25

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Certain journeys could do Buckfastleigh as it is the old a38 so not a bad road,
but taking Falcons through Ashburton would be a total nightmare in terms of time and almost a health and safety risk.

As for South Brent the Falcon does serve Marley head so a connection could be made there at the moment.

The Exeter loop can take over 20 minutes on a busy day, what about the Falcon skipping Sowton park and ride (sorry if you use this one!) altogether and just leaving the motorway at j29 to visit Honiton road p and r then turning at the roundabout by the railway bridge.

Controversial I agree but a lot quicker.

Most of the time it takes less than 5 minutes to serve the Exeter stops and u-turning at Honiton Road would take longer so your suggestion is pointless and would cost business, except for maybe 1 hour a day and even then there is no guarentee that the U-turn would be quicker. Additionally I'm fairly sure that roundabout isn't big enough for a u-turn and the Falcon coaches are too long to turn right (like the RED) out of Honiton Road and so your suggestion won't work anyway and certainly it will never be "a lot quicker"
 

padbus

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I spent a cold half hour in Exeter city centre this morning observing the revised Green Park & Ride service. As already noted on this forum, the Green buses carry revised vinyls showing the new route. The Blue buses were conspicuous by their absence. In their place were E300s in standard Stagecoach livery. The roadside electronic displays (those that were working) did not appear to have caught up with the new routing.
 

TheWalrus

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Certain journeys could do Buckfastleigh as it is the old a38 so not a bad road,
but taking Falcons through Ashburton would be a total nightmare in terms of time and almost a health and safety risk.

As for South Brent the Falcon does serve Marley head so a connection could be made there at the moment.

The Exeter loop can take over 20 minutes on a busy day, what about the Falcon skipping Sowton park and ride (sorry if you use this one!) altogether and just leaving the motorway at j29 to visit Honiton road p and r then turning at the roundabout by the railway bridge.

Controversial I agree but a lot quicker.

I haven't driven these roads so wasn't sure if there were any issues getting the coaches down there. How many people travel from Ashburton to Exeter and Plymouth?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I'm still waiting for it to become easier to access from Torbay. I have quite a few mates who use Bristol Airport who develop terrible twitches when it comes to parking there.

None of really fancy hanging around a roundabout near Newton Abbot:lol:

Any ideas what these new purple buses coming to the 2 are? More MMCs?

I wondered whether the 39 could be extended to Torquay replacing the 46 between Exeter and Torquay and maybe part of the 12. This would then create a connection with the Falcon at Drumbridges.
 

Temple Meads

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This would then create a connection with the Falcon at Drumbridges.

Problem is, it will still lead to people 'waiting at a roundabout near Newton Abbot', which I would suspect is a very unattractive proposition for most people!
 

Montie49

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Most of the time it takes less than 5 minutes to serve the Exeter stops and u-turning at Honiton Road would take longer so your suggestion is pointless and would cost business, except for maybe 1 hour a day and even then there is no guarentee that the U-turn would be quicker. Additionally I'm fairly sure that roundabout isn't big enough for a u-turn and the Falcon coaches are too long to turn right (like the RED) out of Honiton Road and so your suggestion won't work anyway and certainly it will never be "a lot quicker"

Fair point.

In hindsight it was a ridiculous suggestion seeing as Exeter is one the main stops on Falcon.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I'm still waiting for it to become easier to access from Torbay. I have quite a few mates who use Bristol Airport who develop terrible twitches when it comes to parking there.

None of really fancy hanging around a roundabout near Newton Abbot:lol:

Any ideas what these new purple buses coming to the 2 are? More MMCs?

The problem is there are not enough Falcon buses to go round to make it every hour from Plymouth and Torquay (let alone the cost).

Lets say for example you split the Falcon journeys from Torquay and Plymouth (every two hours) hitting Exeter on the hour and continuing the route. This would make it unattractive for flights for people from Plymouth or Torbay so it would be pointless.

It has to stay as it is I'm sorry to say.
 

TheWalrus

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Problem is, it will still lead to people 'waiting at a roundabout near Newton Abbot', which I would suspect is a very unattractive proposition for most people!

I suppose. You could then go on to Exeter which is two changes.

I think the best way is still make it as good a connection as possible at Drumbridges.
 
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83G/84D

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I spent the morning in Oxford today.Lots of new kit on show, Stagecoach E400 MMC's in regular livery and Gold colours with no particular route branding.
Since my last visit Oxford bus company have a batch off 66 registration Streetdecks in an attractive black & purple colour on services 300, 400 & 500.
These follow on from the red & pink examples delivered previously Certainly an interesting place to visit.
 

fgwrich

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I spent the morning in Oxford today.Lots of new kit on show, Stagecoach E400 MMC's in regular livery and Gold colours with no particular route branding.
Since my last visit Oxford bus company have a batch off 66 registration Streetdecks in an attractive black & purple colour on services 300, 400 & 500.
These follow on from the red & pink examples delivered previously Certainly an interesting place to visit.

I had an interview just before Christmas just outside Kidlington, and it certainly made for an interesting comparison. The vehicle I had on the extended 500 was one of Oxford Bus Company's older E400s (an ex Southern Vectis one just on the short service on that occasion) dating from around 2012 - the interior was ratting and rather surprisingly, some of the interior metalwork was showing signs of corrosion already, with some of the window rubbers turning green with slime.

A complete, and very welcome contrast on the return leg back into Oxford saw me use one of Stagecoach's new 66 Plate E400 MMCs. Very Very smart buses indeed! The plug sockets were a very welcome addition and charged faster than the 168 I used last week. Despite my disliking for E-Leather seats, they were comfortable. And the wood effect flooring looked rather smart as well.

I've got to say, and having used one of Winchesters new E300 MMCs the day before, it's nice to see Stagecoach finally catching up with vehicle specifications at last. For many years, the difference between stagecoach and non stagecoach specification vehicles has been noticeable - Dublin or Lothian Olympians v Stagecoach, First's 2012 'Olympia' v Stagecoach vehicles etc, so it's good to see them finally catching up.

If Barnstaple is loosing some of 'The Wave' E400s, Has a batch of MMCs been sent down there then?
 
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If Barnstaple is loosing some of 'The Wave' E400s, Has a batch of MMCs been sent down there then?

Think a handful of the Wave E400s are surplus from Barnstaple following the revised 21 timetable with PVR reduction, introduced last week.
 

ValleyLines142

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Had a journey on one of Cymru's new Enviro 200MMCs (26110) which made an appearance on the 122. Nice vehicles however my only criticism would be the seats are ever so slightly too firm and could do with reclining back just a tad!
 

ooo

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From an email from Stagecoach
We're celebrating our first*anniversary...

On 14 February Falcon will have been flying across the South West for a whole year. To celebrate, all single journeys on the day will cost just £1 -*whether you buy your ticket from the driver or you book a seat online at*megabus.com.*

As part of our anniversary celebrations we're*also running a fantastic competition with some amazing prizes. Find out more below.

And finally, a massive thank you to everyone who has flown with us over the last 12 months and we hope to welcome you on board again very soon.

*£1 travel offer available for any single journey anywhere along the route on 14 February 2017 only. Offer applies to all tickets bought direct from the driver and bookings made via*megabus.com
 

embers25

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Another week, another RMT strike. This time Stagecoach West RMT members voted to strike. 130 of 170 votes were for striking. It's bad enough the RMT crippling the rail network trying to achieve their goal of bringing down the Government but not satisfied with that now its time for bus strikes too sigh. I do understand what this particular dispute is about and the staff do have a point as Stagecoach policies regarding the new depot are ridiculous but why is the default action always to strike as soon as a union gets involved. I'm aware negotiations were happening here but as usual the RMT jumped straight to a strike ballot in their national anti-government quest.
 

Montie49

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From an email from Stagecoach

That offer on that particular day is around fifty times cheaper than using the train from Plymouth to Bristol. (Problems at Dawlish can be discussed on other boards!)

The Falcon gets a bit of stick from people for being late sometimes and a little unreliable. But it was only a year ago that we didn't even have this service.

Can you imagine if Stagecoach suddenly plugged the plug on it and people had to use the train and then get a bus to get to Bristol airport?

I think the timetable is quite staggering, the coaches are beautiful, and it never stops running through the day and night at a great price. Fair play to Stagecoach for having the guts and insight to think up such a branded service, a late Falcon is better than no Falcon at all.
 

LAIRA

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In response to embers post
It is SOUTH WEST (Exeter downwards) and not the west that is striking.

Not surprised they are striking now they have moved the garage. Sign on at Marsh Barton first thing in the morning. Duty finishes about lunchtime in the Bus Station where they have to sign off then in their own time travel back to Marsh Barton pay in and collect their cars. Best of luck to them I say they have a strong case.
 

carlberry

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Theres a lot more activity from Stagecoach in the Falfield area recently with the takeover of the Thornbury and Bristol services, however I suspect that the Plymouth based Megabus that visited Junction 14 on the M5 this morning (turning off Northbound then heading back South) had missed the correct tuning at Almondsbury and wasnt a tester for a new service!
 

83G/84D

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Trident 18304 & another unidentified example undergoing conversation to open top at Plymouth. There are also four Versa's parked up at Plymouth not in use.
 

sciisfun

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The first of the new liveried hop 2 was out of the spray booth today, not that sold on it or the colours selected. Can't say much more but I'm sure it'll be out on the road soon for others to judge
 

LordCreed

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For those that are unaware, this week is Cheltenham races. Stagecoach have nabbed every spare decker they can find. Mainly Enviro 400s and Enviro 400MMCs.

Went on one of the new Enviro 400MMCs earlier this week, and they're very nice especially with the at seat charging, which is a huge plus in my books. I'm glad companies are slowly adding charging ports to their fleets.
 

carlberry

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Stagecoach 36175 KX60DUA seen on M5 part of service 62 Bristol-Gloucester today. Assumed to be a recent transfer from Midland Red land.
 

g4mby

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Stagecoach have already sorted an outstation at Yate.
Unsure where.

Did Stagecoach West ever open their outstation in Yate?
As a resident of Yate, despite Matt Willis' post of almost a year ago, I've yet to come across any evidence of a local outstation in the area.

Of the five vehicles that operate the Yate area services I'm seeing that one starts the day in either Wotton-under-Edge, Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Old Sodbury or Tetbury. So the outstation needn't actually be in Yate itself.

Perhaps someone "in the know" can enlighten us as to where the outstation is, if indeed it exists.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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As a resident of Yate, despite Matt Willis' post of almost a year ago, I've yet to come across any evidence of a local outstation in the area.

Of the five vehicles that operate the Yate area services I'm seeing that one starts the day in either Wotton-under-Edge, Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Old Sodbury or Tetbury. So the outstation needn't actually be in Yate itself.

Perhaps someone "in the know" can enlighten us as to where the outstation is, if indeed it exists.

I asked the same question a while ago but on a different thread.

I have seen vehicles running OOS on the A46 so I think they're still running from Stroud (and Gloucester)
 

TheGrandWazoo

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Where will the 77 be run from is a more interesting question

Well, you do start to get a critical mass worth opening an outbase for. Yate would be a sensible location.

Some time ago (e.g. 2/3 years ago), I suggested that First should have a Westbury style outbase in Yate.

In olden times, there was a proper depot in Wotton (in BOC days - closed early 1980s) and then vehicles were outstationed in places like Wotton and Dursley in Badgerline days.
 

g4mby

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In olden times, there was a proper depot in Wotton (in BOC days - closed early 1980s) and then vehicles were outstationed in places like Wotton and Dursley in Badgerline days.
Off-topic for this thread but I remember the Wotton depot well - now demolished and houses built on the former site.

Yate briefly had a Badgerline outstation in the 80s which I have previously posted about in another thread. Running cards were prefixed YS and from memory the outstation was located at the foot of Bowling Hill on the boundary between Yate and Chipping Sodbury, and had sufficient space for three or four buses and three minibuses to park overnight. This was at the time when three minibuses worked Yate town services (M1, M2 & M3?) between 0900 and 1700. I seem to remember that most of the drivers lived locally so having an outstation in Yate was of benefit to both drivers and passengers.

Pulling this thread back on topic - perhaps Stagecoach couldn't attract enough locally based drivers to warrant setting up an outstation in Yate or South Gloucestershire?
 
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TheGrandWazoo

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Pulling this thread back on topic - perhaps Stagecoach couldn't attract enough locally based drivers to warrant setting up an outstation in Yate or South Gloucestershire?

There is sometimes a view that having an outstation is more hassle than it's worth - half a dozen drivers and a few vehicles. It brings challenges like having only a few people who can cover holidays and absence. Once you have a certain critical mass, it does make things easier.
 

TheWalrus

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77 is run from stroud depot.

I believe the Yate area services are also still run from stroud.
 
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