Transdev Blazefield

Andyh82 · 28 Jan 2020

The B7RLEs that they received in 2007 for “Spot On” were interesting as although most went off lease, a small number were retained. Of course many ended up with Rosso and now they’ve ended up with them back.

RailUK Forums

Stan Drews · 28 Jan 2020

Many people seem to think there is a major difference between leasing and buying, when it comes to fleet replacement/cascading. There isn’t.
It’s fairly easy to continue/extend a lease after its initial term, usually on a much lower monthly charge. It’s also generally easy to buy/sell buses at any stage of their working life.
Depreciation/loan repayments are not vastly different per month from lease agreements, so the method chosen to fund new buses doesn’t have a significant bearing on operating costs.

SCH117X · 28 Jan 2020

The age of a vehicle is not that much of an issue these days aside from emissions restrictions as the main problem that older vehicles faced, corrosion, is something modern vehicles are far less suspect to . The Red Express and Cityzap Geminis are only at the most 10 years old in terms of major mechanical components so it is slightly surprising to read of black smoke being emitted by those on the Red Express or it is just one or two that have a fault. If they are looking worn inside that is nothing a refurb would not address. A well turned B10BLE like those in use at Burnley is a far superior presented vehicle than many other operators newer vehicles and IME a B10BLE gives a far better ride than a B7RLE which seem very springy / bouncy in comparison. With regard to any fleet changes I noted Harrogates 7 branded B7RLE 1860 has a rear referencing a NOx reduction compared to the previous model coming soon

Dallamlad · 29 Jan 2020

RustySpoons said:
We know a new Witch Way fleet is incoming at some point this year, plus a fleet of coaches more than likely heading to York for CityZap, but are there any other fleets that are due an upgrade?

Even though the WW fleet are leased, it'd be a foolish move to send them all back to the lessor considering the 152 is running with 15 year old buses, so it'd make sense to cascade some onto that route.

Then there's the RedExpress, which is suddenly doing really well because it was full on the first rush hour fast service this morning (which according to passengers it was always busy at rush hour before the changes anyway). Those B7s are getting pretty tired now. They still look good (when they're clean on a bright sunny day they still look freshly painted), but then they set off and spew out plumes of black smoke, and reliability isn't too great either from all accounts. AH has said there aren't any plans to replace them, though I'm not sure if that was just short term to see how the route performs after the changes or long term. Could some ex-Witches make their way onto the X41?

With Leeds' incoming clean air zone (CAZ), could some of the workings on the 60 need upgraded vehicles too? I believe some rush hour journeys are run with B7TLs to help with capacity, which I assume won't be clean enough for the CAZ.

Burnley local services, as unsuited as they are I think the B10s will have at least another year left on local services, not sure about the Tridents or the MPDs. Every few months for the past couple of years there's been murmurings of the Tridents being withdrawn. But considering the two ex-York MANs are being repainted I think they'll have at least a year or two as well. I can see a new fleet being ordered at some point, but not any time soon. Possibly to coincide with the next round of LCC tenders, so the fleet would be more suited to interwork some tendered work?

TL : DR - They'd be daft to send the Witch Way B9s back to the lessors, Burnley local services probably fine for now, IMO.

Any other thoughts?

I think you're right about the 152. AH has said they have plans for the route so former Witches would make sense after a refurb etc.

As for the RedEx if the funding deal allows them to plan ahead far enough I think cascades are possible. If anything just to stop breakdowns and constant repairs...

RustySpoons · 30 Jan 2020

One of the ex-York MANs has been repainted into Burnley Bus Co colours.

Looks as though it's also had a retrim too.

Andyh82 · 1 Feb 2020

Some of the buses displaced from Blackburn’s 1 have very quickly turned up with Warrington’s Own Buses

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bengleeson/49460165457/

NCounties · 1 Feb 2020

Andyh82 said:
Some of the buses displaced from Blackburn’s 1 have very quickly turned up with Warrington’s Own Buses

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bengleeson/49460165457/

I believe 3 have gone to Warrington

Alexbus12 · 5 Feb 2020

Something #Amazing appeared in todays notice and proceedings.

https://assets.publishing.service.g.../file/863845/ad-2901-5-February-2020.pdf..pdf

Public Inquiry (81115) to be held at The Public Inquiry Room (Warrington), WA3 2SH, Suite 4, Stone Cross Place, Stone Cross Lane North, Golborne, Warrington, on 3 March 2020 commencing at 10:00 PC0001838 SN ROSSENDALE TRANSPORT LTD Director(s): GORDON DUNCAN IRVINE, ALEX LLOYD HORNBY C/O TRANSDEV BLAZEFIELD LTD, PROSPECT PARK, BROUGHTON WAY, HARROGATE, HG2 7NY S17 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 17 (The Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981) S26 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 26 (The Transport Act 1985)

TheGrandWazoo · 5 Feb 2020

Alexbus12 said:
Something #Amazing appeared in todays notice and proceedings.

Public Inquiry (81115) to be held at The Public Inquiry Room (Warrington), WA3 2SH, Suite 4, Stone Cross Place, Stone Cross Lane North, Golborne, Warrington, on 3 March 2020 commencing at 10:00 PC0001838 SN ROSSENDALE TRANSPORT LTD Director(s): GORDON DUNCAN IRVINE, ALEX LLOYD HORNBY C/O TRANSDEV BLAZEFIELD LTD, PROSPECT PARK, BROUGHTON WAY, HARROGATE, HG2 7NY S17 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 17 (The Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981) S26 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 26 (The Transport Act 1985)

Can you explain what they are?

cnjb8 · 5 Feb 2020

Alexbus12 said:
Something #Amazing appeared in todays notice and proceedings.

Public Inquiry (81115) to be held at The Public Inquiry Room (Warrington), WA3 2SH, Suite 4, Stone Cross Place, Stone Cross Lane North, Golborne, Warrington, on 3 March 2020 commencing at 10:00 PC0001838 SN ROSSENDALE TRANSPORT LTD Director(s): GORDON DUNCAN IRVINE, ALEX LLOYD HORNBY C/O TRANSDEV BLAZEFIELD LTD, PROSPECT PARK, BROUGHTON WAY, HARROGATE, HG2 7NY S17 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 17 (The Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981) S26 - Consideration of disciplinary action under Section 26 (The Transport Act 1985)

And stop with the '#amazing' because everyones fed up with it

Alexbus12 · 5 Feb 2020

cnjb8 said:
And stop with the '#amazing' because everyones fed up with it

Better tell Lord Hornby that. :lol:

cnjb8 · 5 Feb 2020

Alexbus12 said:
Better tell Lord Hornby that.

Ha, very funny *extreme sarcasm*

What's the hearing for?

Alexbus12 · 5 Feb 2020

cnjb8 said:
Ha, very funny *extreme sarcasm*

cnjb8 said:
What's the hearing for?

Not sure, find out at the public inquiry. If I were free I would pop down lol

Andyh82 · 5 Feb 2020

Alexbus12 said:
Better tell Lord Hornby that.

Are you that bloke down the pub who makes the same joke every week, even though people stopped laughing years ago?

I don’t know what purpose you are serving going through this charade every few weeks, with the same posts, the same reactions, or indeed why you’ve decided to carve out this character for yourself.

RustySpoons · 6 Feb 2020

TheGrandWazoo said:
Can you explain what they are?

Section 26 of the Transport Act 1985 provides the power for a traffic commissioner to require an operator to notify which vehicles will be used under the licence.

Section 17.-(1) The traffic commissioners by whom a standard licence was granted shall revoke the licence if it appears to them at any time that the holder no longer satisfies the requirement to be of good repute, the requirement to be of appropriate financial standing or the requirement as to professional competence.

At a guess I'd say this could be because Rosso vehicles have been operating on Burnley/Blackburn services with the incorrect operators discs. Maybe.

njlawley · 6 Feb 2020

Even though it only concerns the one license, expect the other associated licenses (i.e. other Transdev Blazefield licenses) to be brought under scope. I remember this happening at the South Lancs Travel PI from when D&G owned the company - even though the PI related to just SLT, Beverley Bell brought D&G into it (in relation to joint day-to-day management), and also Julian Peddle's other companies were also brought up (BB felt he was involved in too many).

TheGrandWazoo · 6 Feb 2020

RustySpoons said:
Section 26 of the Transport Act 1985 provides the power for a traffic commissioner to require an operator to notify which vehicles will be used under the licence.

Section 17.-(1) The traffic commissioners by whom a standard licence was granted shall revoke the licence if it appears to them at any time that the holder no longer satisfies the requirement to be of good repute, the requirement to be of appropriate financial standing or the requirement as to professional competence.

At a guess I'd say this could be because Rosso vehicles have been operating on Burnley/Blackburn services with the incorrect operators discs. Maybe.

Thank you - that’s better than some tired sarcasm.

Swimbar · 6 Feb 2020

njlawley said:
Even though it only concerns the one license, expect the other associated licenses (i.e. other Transdev Blazefield licenses) to be brought under scope. I remember this happening at the South Lancs Travel PI from when D&G owned the company - even though the PI related to just SLT, Beverley Bell brought D&G into it (in relation to joint day-to-day management), and also Julian Peddle's other companies were also brought up (BB felt he was involved in too many).

Correct, any company registered at Prospect Park could be affected if the Traffic Commissioner finds against any of the people listed for Rosso who are also registered for other companies.
Traffic Commissioners have widespread powers which they are not frightened to use.

duncombec · 6 Feb 2020

It's OT for this thread, but I have always found it interesting that PI's are listed under the sections of the relevant acts that the company can be sanctioned under, rather than listing what they are being accused of. Having skimmed both sections, there are extensive referrals elsewhere and frankly it could be anything from not operating registered services (e.g. having failed time monitoring due to traffic or roadworks) to a mechanical failure to an investigation as to financial standing, perhaps before merging licenses.

We won't know what the issue is here until an decision is announced, and even then, I find the full decision texts quite hard to find, unless I am looking in the wrong place.

The sarcastic repetition of company marketing slogans is just puerile. Unless, of course, that person finds it impossible not to walk into Tesco without saying "Every little helps" or see an Audi without reference to "Vorsprung durch Technik". I rather think not...

TheGrandWazoo · 6 Feb 2020

duncombec said:
It's OT for this thread, but I have always found it interesting that PI's are listed under the sections of the relevant acts that the company can be sanctioned under, rather than listing what they are being accused of. Having skimmed both sections, there are extensive referrals elsewhere and frankly it could be anything from not operating registered services (e.g. having failed time monitoring due to traffic or roadworks) to a mechanical failure to an investigation as to financial standing, perhaps before merging licenses.

We won't know what the issue is here until an decision is announced, and even then, I find the full decision texts quite hard to find, unless I am looking in the wrong place.

The sarcastic repetition of company marketing slogans is just puerile. Unless, of course, that person finds it impossible not to walk into Tesco without saying "Every little helps" or see an Audi without reference to "Vorsprung durch Technik". I rather think not...

Agree with every bit of this.

The repeated sarcasm doesn't add anything to this discussion or wider debate.

The PI details don't actually specify the matter in question and hence querying what the hearing relates to. In respect of the outcome, it's usually relying on the trade press.

Xenophon PCDGS · 7 Feb 2020

duncombec said:
The sarcastic repetition of company marketing slogans is just puerile. Unless, of course, that person finds it impossible not to walk into Tesco without saying "Every little helps" or see an Audi without reference to "Vorsprung durch Technik". I rather think not...

Of course, advertising agencies are not averse to featuring people who are shown to be speaking in this manner in TV advertisements..... :rolleyes:

As we are both in our 70s, sometimes we watch ITV3's old TV series. I think the number of TV adverts on that particular channel that show people blithely chatting about funeral plans, life assurance, equity release, etc, are somewhat removed from the actual reality of life as we have many friends of the ages of those featured in such TV adverts and guess what....We have never met anyone who speaks of such matters.

Deerfold · 7 Feb 2020

duncombec said:
The sarcastic repetition of company marketing slogans is just puerile. Unless, of course, that person finds it impossible not to walk into Tesco without saying "Every little helps" or see an Audi without reference to "Vorsprung durch Technik". I rather think not...

Do you have one too many negative in there?

TheGrandWazoo · 7 Feb 2020

Xenophon PCDGS said:
Of course, advertising agencies are not averse to featuring people who are shown to be speaking in this manner in TV advertisements.....

As we are both in our 70s, sometimes we watch ITV3's old TV series. I think the number of TV adverts on that particular channel that show people blithely chatting about funeral plans, life assurance, equity release, etc, are somewhat removed from the actual reality of life as we have many friends of the ages of those featured in such TV adverts and guess what....We have never met anyone who speaks of such matters.

It's marketing - whether it's Alex Hornby saying stuff is amazing or if it's Coca Cola telling you "Coke is it" (whatever It was?) Or how incredibly white your whites can be? Perhaps it might be best if bus companies didn't try to market themselves, simply provided a blithely satisfactory service using buses in overall white with "BUS" on the side. I mean, most other industries promote themselves - why should buses merely follow that tried and trusted formula???

Xenophon PCDGS · 7 Feb 2020

TheGrandWazoo said:
It's marketing - whether it's Alex Hornby saying stuff is amazing or if it's Coca Cola telling you "Coke is it" (whatever It was?) Or how incredibly white your whites can be? Perhaps it might be best if bus companies didn't try to market themselves, simply provided a blithely satisfactory service using buses in overall white with "BUS" on the side. I mean, most other industries promote themselves - why should buses merely follow that tried and trusted formula???

Thank God that there are a few of us around who can see through such subterfuge and treat such marketed products with the disdain they truly deserve.

We have an elderly friend of 91 who, on receiving the usual "scam BT" call had the greatest of delight in telling the "pretend BT" person that they had switched from BT to another supplier as she had so many calls (supposedly) from BT Technical in the last three months that they must be very poor in IT and neither use nor ornament.

Deerfold · 7 Feb 2020

Xenophon PCDGS said:
Thank God that there are a few of us around who can see through such subterfuge and treat such marketed products with the disdain they truly deserve.

However, whilst there remain those susceptible to advertising in such a way, it's worth the bus company's time doing it.

TheGrandWazoo · 7 Feb 2020

Deerfold said:
However, whilst there remain those susceptible to advertising in such a way, it's worth the bus company's time doing it.

True. Remember that people on this board may have more knowledge and insight than the general public. Whilst there is a rise of own labels and discounters in the retail world, it's still the case that many still gravitate towards well known brands....

And, of course, the bus industry has long had brands of which many made no sense to the general public - Crosville, Alder Valley, United to name just a few, or even Greyhound in the USA (less successful in the UK!!).

SCH117X · 21 Feb 2020

Tweet today by Alex Hornby : Excited to confirm our commitment to our customers and colleagues on #Witchway and @cityzapbus: your new buses have been ordered and we are now in the course of creating the most amazing 19 @ADLbus E400MMC double deckers ever seen. Low emission engines but high customer spec pic.twitter.com/SqX2wLVq0t

TheGrandWazoo · 21 Feb 2020

SCH117X said:
Tweet today by Alex Hornby : Excited to confirm our commitment to our customers and colleagues on #Witchway and @cityzapbus: your new buses have been ordered and we are now in the course of creating the most amazing 19 @ADLbus E400MMC double deckers ever seen. Low emission engines but high customer spec pic.twitter.com/SqX2wLVq0t

We may as well highlight it now.... There's 15 63 plate Geminis on Witch Way and 3 B7TLs (plus whatever POTN vehicles deputise) and 5 CityZap so it's not looking like a total replacement. Perhaps 4 CityZap and 15 for WW and then some 63 plates in POTN to cover?

Given the new First Excel fleet in Norfolk, which look (from the photos) to be pretty impressive, the best ones ever seen will take some doing. With Ray Stenning involved, they will doubtless be a cut above the rest though. However, they could have seats finished in the finest panda fur, and some will make comment about them being rather mundane and the antithesis of amazing.

Mind you, I'm shocked that CityZap is getting new fleet. I'm sure someone used to post regularly about it never carrying hardly anyone....

winston270twm · 21 Feb 2020

TheGrandWazoo said:
We may as well highlight it now.... There's 15 63 plate Geminis on Witch Way and 3 B7TLs (plus whatever POTN vehicles deputise) and 5 CityZap so it's not looking like a total replacement. Perhaps 4 CityZap and 15 for WW and then some 63 plates in POTN to cover?

Given the new First Excel fleet in Norfolk, which look (from the photos) to be pretty impressive, the best ones ever seen will take some doing. With Ray Stenning involved, they will doubtless be a cut above the rest though. However, they could have seats finished in the finest panda fur, and some will make comment about them being rather mundane and the antithesis of amazing.

Mind you, I'm shocked that CityZap is getting new fleet. I'm sure someone used to post regularly about it never carrying hardly anyone....

Also to point out, that's another long term double deck Wrightbus customer to defect to ADL.

RustySpoons · 21 Feb 2020

Surprised at the Zap order! I was fully expecting coaches considering the demo's they had. Although the 400MMCs seem to be pretty universally liked.

It'll be interesting to see where the older Witches end up though.

Agree with Wazoo that some of the 63 plate Witches will more than likely stay to cover, but there are apparently changes (or 'improvements') coming to the X43 which will probably coincide with the new fleet. Whether that'll lower the PVR or not I'm not sure. Still early days though so I'm sure there'll be lots of speculation. There's already someone who reckons that the Coastliner B5s are going to be withdrawn... :rolleyes:

This reply to the tweet did make me laugh though, if only for the shocking spelling and grammar, but AH's reply isn't exactly great either...

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