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TfGM Bee Network - fleet discussion

Leyland Bus

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20 May 2021
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732
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York
1> Has there been a change in vehicle allocations to 163 as I'm sure I'm seeing more Evoseti's on there now since they've been repainted?

2> Why hasn't Gon Northwest's 2201 (repowered electric EV) been out since 20 May?
1> The Heywood B9s are all going through their MoTs at the moment but are due to move on this year anyway as has already been mentioned up thread.

2> 2201 is off for some work to be done, we don't park buses up for the fun of it :rolleyes:
 
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jeffery9098

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1> The Heywood B9s are all going through their MoTs at the moment but are due to move on this year anyway as has already been mentioned up thread.

2> 2201 is off for some work to be done, we don't park buses up for the fun of it :rolleyes:
those two citaros that are on the far left of depot or where 2201 is now. :) they are parked for the fun of it.

Also what happended to 2017, I saw it getting towed back to depot on those recovery trucks. He did 'alright' job by reversing it into those spot where 2201 is.
 

Leyland Bus

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20 May 2021
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York
those two citaros that are on the far left of depot or where 2201 is now. :) they are parked for the fun of it.

Also what happended to 2017, I saw it getting towed back to depot on those recovery trucks. He did 'alright' job by reversing it into those spot where 2201 is.
They're not though are they? They're both withdrawn, one after fire damage that is uneconomical to repair and the other a Trainer with a failed engine that's served its purpose well, both now donate parts to other buses and are used as storage.

Any recovery driver who drags buses in are absolute legends, they can park them up off the back of a lorry easier than driving the bus itself!
 

jeffery9098

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Yeah I was only kidding about those citaros :|. I always wondered what would a recovery truck driver training would look like considering it has be skill.

At least 6251 came back and 6252 the last of O295 that is getting refurbished got sent off today. I'm suspecting Go Ahead would slowly do the same with the remaining O530(2012) that aren't yellow.
 

TheSmiths82

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29 Jun 2023
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438
Location
Manchester
Does anybody know if Stagecoach Stockport are getting any newer buses and what the plans are for their awful hybrid E400 fleet is? I was on that broke down the other day and I can't wait to see the back of them.
 

TheSmiths82

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29 Jun 2023
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438
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Manchester
Large numbers of Bee Network spec diesel buses only a few years old will be surplus to requirements in a few years time then
There is an official conversation programme for the Streetdecks and one of them as already been converted. I am guessing we may see a gradual programme of electrification of the Streetdeck fleet especially if an engine needs to be replaced anyway.
 

Andyh82

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19 May 2014
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4,016
There is an official conversation programme for the Streetdecks and one of them as already been converted. I am guessing we may see a gradual programme of electrification of the Streetdeck fleet especially if an engine needs to be replaced anyway.
Andy Burnham talks about 1000 brand new EV buses

Even if they keep repowering the streetdecks, that’s still massive numbers of Bee Network spec E200s, E400s, eVora’s etc that will be leaving Manchester after only a few years use
 

TheSmiths82

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Andy Burnham talks about 1000 brand new EV buses

Even if they keep repowering the streetdecks, that’s still massive numbers of Bee Network spec E200s, E400s, eVora’s etc that will be leaving Manchester after only a few years use
It won't happen anyway, I don't think upgrades to the grid would happen in time. They haven't even found a replacement for the Stockport depot yet so that won't be built for several more years to come. I think 3035 at the earliest for full electrification.
 

mangad

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20 Jun 2014
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Stockport
Andy Burnham talks about 1000 brand new EV buses

Even if they keep repowering the streetdecks, that’s still massive numbers of Bee Network spec E200s, E400s, eVora’s etc that will be leaving Manchester after only a few years use
They have scores of older buses to swap out first and they'll end up doing one garage at a time. So with every garage, the diesel fleet will get shuffled, older buses moved on.

Who owns the buses anyway? Aren't at least some of the new buses owned by the operators who can cascade them elsewhere? Not like they'll be heading to the scrapheap.

Either way, the goal of removing diesel from a major conurbation is definitely a good one.
 

M60lad

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31 May 2011
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1,137
What has happened to the original plans for Bee Network Depots?

1> Stockport were supposedly moving to the current Ambulance Depot Travis Brow with the Ambulance Depot moving to what is currently Hazel Grove Park & Ride

2> Also a new mega depot was supposedly being built at Central Park, has work started on this and how is it going?
 

Class 466

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Atherton, UK
What has happened to the original plans for Bee Network Depots?

1> Stockport were supposedly moving to the current Ambulance Depot Travis Brow with the Ambulance Depot moving to what is currently Hazel Grove Park & Ride

2> Also a new mega depot was supposedly being built at Central Park, has work started on this and how is it going?
Believe neither plans have even been started, happy to be corrected though.
 

mangad

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20 Jun 2014
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Stockport
Believe neither plans have even been started, happy to be corrected though.
Planning application was submitted to Stockport council for the new ambulance station (DC/088269) but for some reason, has been withdrawn. Maybe they are revising the plans.
 

Leyland Bus

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York
Believe neither plans have even been started, happy to be corrected though.
I'll concur with that, we've heard the same...

The site has been bought for the Central depot but given they're on about reroofing Queens Road (although in the past that was the death knell for a garage, see Swinton and Rochdale for that) I'd imagine anything of the sort is going to be way into the future...
 
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Planning application was submitted to Stockport council for the new ambulance station (DC/088269) but for some reason, has been withdrawn. Maybe they are revising the plans.
Tongue in cheek re Stockport - the ambulance depot site just doesn't look big enough to replace Stockport garage but let's just for the moment assume it ngoesn ahead in some form and then they decide that's where they would like the Metrolink extension to go! Seen through a hazy crystal ball.
 

mangad

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Stockport
Tongue in cheek re Stockport - the ambulance depot site just doesn't look big enough to replace Stockport garage but let's just for the moment assume it ngoesn ahead in some form and then they decide that's where they would like the Metrolink extension to go! Seen through a hazy crystal ball.
The ambulance site does look very small, but there's a lot of land on both sides of it. If you include that, there's quite a lot of space. Probably room enough for the Metrolink too if they needed to.

Either way, without the new ambulance station sorted, nothing's going to happen soon.
 

Simon75

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What has happened to the original plans for Bee Network Depots?

1> Stockport were supposedly moving to the current Ambulance Depot Travis Brow with the Ambulance Depot moving to what is currently Hazel Grove Park & Ride

2> Also a new mega depot was supposedly being built at Central Park, has work started on this and how is it going?
What was Central Park replacing, and where is it ?
Also are other depots that could get merged) ie Bolton, Wythenshawe, Sharston ?
 

Andyh82

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What was Central Park replacing, and where is it ?
Also are other depots that could get merged) ie Bolton, Wythenshawe, Sharston ?
It’s two stops out of Victoria on the Rochdale Metrolink line, just by the Oldham Road
 

Leyland Bus

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What was Central Park replacing, and where is it ?
Also are other depots that could get merged) ie Bolton, Wythenshawe, Sharston ?
Was intended to replace both Queens Road and Hyde Road depots.

I'm not sure any other garages could be merged in a similar way.
 

GCH100

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2 Jul 2019
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Was intended to replace both Queens Road and Hyde Road depots.

I'm not sure any other garages could be merged in a similar way.

Thats not correct, the Central Park depot was/is intended to replace Queens Road, Oldham and Middleton depots, but seeing as all three are being electrified, I can't see any hurry, at the moment there are no plans to replace Hyde Road, although a small plot of land was bought close to Piccadilly Station and the Mancunian Way, which also seems to have dropped off the radar, as additional space for Hyde Road based Buses, and would house about circa43 buses
 

Leyland Bus

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Thats not correct, the Central Park depot was/is intended to replace Queens Road, Oldham and Middleton depots, but seeing as all three are being electrified, I can't see any hurry, at the moment there are no plans to replace Hyde Road, although a small plot of land was bought close to Piccadilly Station and the Mancunian Way, which also seems to have dropped off the radar, as additional space for Hyde Road based Buses, and would house about circa43 buses
That wasn't what we were told but it was 2 years ago and I suppose plans change.

There has been nothing to ever suggest that the plot of land bought near Piccadilly is intended for bus use...
 

mayneway

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That wasn't what we were told but it was 2 years ago and I suppose plans change.

There has been nothing to ever suggest that the plot of land bought near Piccadilly is intended for bus use...
There was never any actual decision on what the super depot was replacing.
When it was first announced about the 17/18 moving to oldham, we at Queens road were told it was because eventually Oldham would be sold off and would move to the super depot along with Middleton.
Then we were told *some* routes from all three depots (that use Rochdale and Oldham road) would move there from all three Stagecoach depots - but again nothing was ever confirmed.

The land at Central Park was a hive of activity at one point with drilling and ground testing being done but there’s been no activity for months.
 

M60lad

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31 May 2011
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1> Is Middleton Depot short of vehicles especially double decks at the moment only for the past couple of weeks I've been seeing quite a number of single deck workings on their 171/172 routes which has always been deckers in the past?

2> Considering BusTimes has to be taken with a pinch of salt sometimes does anyone know where E400s 19283, 19286, 19289 & 19497 are located as despite still being on fleetlist none have tracked since January?
 

W176 XMA

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7 Jul 2024
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My house
1> Is Middleton Depot short of vehicles especially double decks at the moment only for the past couple of weeks I've been seeing quite a number of single deck workings on their 171/172 routes which has always been deckers in the past?

2> Considering BusTimes has to be taken with a pinch of salt sometimes does anyone know where E400s 19283, 19286, 19289 & 19497 are located as despite still being on fleetlist none have tracked since January?
19289 was towed away from Little Hulton to go for trainer conversion a few weeks ago
 

mayneway

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1> Is Middleton Depot short of vehicles especially double decks at the moment only for the past couple of weeks I've been seeing quite a number of single deck workings on their 171/172 routes which has always been deckers in the past?
This question seems to get asked a lot. Every depot is run on a tight shoe string vehicle wise and often things like having too many vehicles with MOT’s at the same time can lead to issues.
I believe at the moment Middleton have a number of vehicles off with RTC damage which has impacted on the fleet so vehicles have been borrowed from Oldham and Queens Road while the damaged vehicles undergo repair work.
 

darylyates17

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8 Nov 2015
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359
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St Helens
I wondering what the plan is for the O530 Citaros with Go North West as they mostly still in Brighter Diamond livery, will they still get repainted and re trimmed?
 

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