Cheshire Bus News (was East Cheshire Bus News)

[markymark2000]

I was thinking that a return 89 could be done in about an hour, and then it could spend half an hour on a loop before doing another Northwich run.

Either way, if a bus is going to sit around for any length of time, might as well make use of it. A bus sitting around is a waste of money.

I was assuming they got money off TfGM like they do for the 88.

See, I don't think they do as this is off Cheshire Easts back. The 88 provides a service alone Hale Road and the benefits are that Wilmslow is a commuting place into Greater Manchester and so it's mutually beneficial for the bus to be in place. The 130 makes no odds to TFGM if it runs or not. Wythenshawe to the Airport is covered. It's only the Airport to Handforth not covered but there are no stops in Greater Manchester where that would be of use.
Personally, I would run the 130 via Heald Green as there is more potential for funding there given the surrounding services are funded and with the exception of Finney Lane, the rest of the area has no link to Wythenshawe and has potential maybe for some short hops to the shops in Handforth. Clearly Cheshire east feel the link to the Airport is more important though (despite it being rarely used on the 200, the majority of passengers I believe were the Runway Park passengers.

I doubt Arriva would take on the 88, which depot would run it first of all? Winsford or Wythenshawe?

I doubt First would either, after what happened in Crewe 10 years ago, I doubt they will run an operation in Cheshire again (The 3 is Potteries)

I think a safe bet would be Warrington’s Own Buses, they could interwork the 88,89 with CAT5 & CAT9.

It's all tenders, anyone could win it. No point in speculating too much. As has been said before, Howards ran the 27 from their base in Warrington, only 20 minutes away. There are also indies who may step upto the plate.

Stagecoach, I mean, they recently won the tender for the 48 in Northwich, but again, the depot is in the Wirral, and I can’t see that happening. Also I don’t think Stagecoach Manchester would ever run a Cheshire East service.

48 is ran by Chester depot, not the wirral. I'd say straight up no for them taking on Cheshire East stuff. As for Stagecoach Manchester, depends on the price and if their managers bid for Cheshire East work (which I doubt they do because most firms don't bid for neighbouring authorities unless they are on the border).

 

[Shauny]

48 is ran by Chester depot, not the wirral. I'd say straight up no for them taking on Cheshire East stuff. As for Stagecoach Manchester, depends on the price and if their managers bid for Cheshire East work (which I doubt they do because most firms don't bid for neighbouring authorities unless they are on the border).

My bad, I don’t really keep up to date with West Cheshire.

This still, is a big no no.

 

[Simon75]

The 19 is effectively the old Crosville E13 Whirley Barne, and E19 Prestbury merged into one

 

[Shauny]

I think the 19 is one of the best routes to ride on if you are a leisure traveller. It lasts about half an hour and goes through a mix of urban and rural. It is like a mini 130, I suppose.

Also most of the 19 journeys have great connections to trains to Manchester from Prestbury station. I did this when I was on my way to Manchester in the summer.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Well I would like to provide an update on proceedings from the Traffic Commissioner, but they haven't posted this week's proceedings yet.

 

[Deafdoggie]

Well I would like to provide an update on proceedings from the Traffic Commissioner, but they haven't posted this week's proceedings yet.

I suspect they are trying to find out who McBoydells Coaches are!

 

[Baxenden Bank]

I suspect they are trying to find out who McBoydells Coaches are!

I think we can safely conclude that is it someone's attempt at humour. Is everybody splitting their sides? The poster seems to have made that single post and run off. Perhaps there is an operator in Tamworth (was it) with a dubious reputation.

A quick search of Bus Operator Search reveals no such operator or anything close.

 

[markymark2000]

I think we can safely conclude that is it someone's attempt at humour. Is everybody splitting their sides? The poster seems to have made that single post and run off. Perhaps there is an operator in Tamworth (was it) with a dubious reputation.

A quick search of Bus Operator Search reveals no such operator or anything close.

Given the account was only made straight before that post and hasn't been seen other than the 2 posts on this thread, I think I would 100& agree.

 

[Shauny]

When I used to travel through to London, I do remember a replacement coach from Crewe to Rugby, and I think that coach company was called something similar to McBoydell's, but I'm sure it wasn't called that. Maybe there is name confusion?

 

[northwichcat]

I worked on Knutsford Town Council's response to the bus changes in the area.

We looked at the 300 in detail. This was originally a Monday to Saturday commercial service and an evening contracted service. In the early 1990s the daytime service saw a bus operating via Longridge every 15 minutes using a small bus. The route included Townfields, which was replaced by Shaw Drive when the frequency was reduced to 30 minutes and larger vehicles began to appear on the service. In places it operated on a Hail and Ride basis. Once the route became half-hourly the weekday daytime services had a regular driver who lived in the town. Originally this was operated by Star Line Travel who were taken over by North Western, who later became Arriva. The regular driver continued to work for Arriva in Winsford and remained on the 300 route until Arriva decided to transfer it to their Wythenshawe depot and interworked it with the Altrincham-Wilmslow-Knutsford route. This resulted in lots of different drivers on the route, some whom didn't recognise Hail and Ride sections, others who got lost and the punctuality was very poor. This led to reduced usage, before the route was transferred back to Winsford and eventually Arriva throw in the towel on a daytime commercial service.

High Peak then took on the service but after they stopped running the Macclesfield-Knutsford service they passed the route on to D&G. Soon after D&G took on the route construction began on a new Aldi store and associated junction improvements on the A537 this led to delays on the 300 route. D&G took the decision to extend journey times and for only alternate services to run via Lilac Avenue.

The evening services were popular with people who didn't want to walk home from the railway station and those who had been for a night out in the town. Surprisingly, Thursday night services were very popular as a lot of pensioners liked to go to the Lord Eldon for the quiz night.

The first day of the 88/188/89/88A was a big balls up. A regular 88 driver got allocated 88A workings but he hadn't ever been shown the route around Longridge, so he missed it out. Then the first day without the 88A resulted in the 07:00 Altrincham to Knutsford leaving behind passengers because the 28 seater bus allocated was too small. We estimated around 75% of the Knutsford Academy pupils who used either the 88 or 300 previously switched to walking or being driven to school due to the cutbacks.

The 88/89/188 contract is supposed to be allocated 2 x vehicles with a minimum of 28 seats and 2 x vehicles with a minimum of 35 seats. It was originally going to be 3 x 35 seaters with a 39 seater to cover the 188 but that didn't go down well with the operators. Howards have acquired a brand new 28 seater and an almost new one for the 27 and 200 routes, while the old 88 contract (held by D&G) didn't require a 39 seater. The old contracts had been 5 year contracts, which were only around 18 months in but Cheshire East activated break clauses.

The Wincham allocation for D&G Bus is supposed to be:
30-33 - 39 seater Enviro 200s (Euro VI)
120 & 122 - 29 seater Enviro 200s (Euro VI)
129-131 - 28 seater Solos (Euro VI)

I've heard one other vehicle tbc is due to get Euro VI conversion ahead of the TfGM clean air zone coming into place.

The Solos are supposed to be allocated to the 130 due to one of the ex-Abellio London Enviros suffering damage while going over the speed bumps at Alderley Park.

As well as the 88, 89, 130 and 188, a further vehicle is required for the Handforth Dean shuttle, which on weekdays also runs a John Deanes college contract.

Saying that D&G's buses break down as often as there's news reports on COVID. Even vehicles which have only just sent up from the Crewe depot can break down the next day. That's how just about any vehicle can end up on the 88. Even Enviros 37, 41, 42, 53 & 54 and Solo 128 that are too small for all the contracted services out of Wincham, end up at Wincham. One day things go so bad that a Metrocity had to be sent up from Adderley Green to Macclesfield to take over 88 services.

Regarding Little Gem I doubt they'll take on the 130. They're currently operating a number of 09 reg Enviro 200s which I understand they are returning when some of their current contracts expire in April. They also are running an emergency timetable on the 391/392 currently due to a shortage of drivers.

 

[northwichcat]

When I used to travel through to London, I do remember a replacement coach from Crewe to Rugby, and I think that coach company was called something similar to McBoydell's, but I'm sure it wasn't called that. Maybe there is name confusion?

D&G have cancelled the 130 registration, as well as the 1, 4 and 15A Sunday service registration, despite the tendering process for the new contracts currently being in process. Both the 88 registrations and the 89 registration remain active. I'd like to see some evidence that the 88 is undergoing re-tendering before giving them the benefit of the doubt over the name. Anyone can make up a name and mock up a proposed bus timetable to post online.

 

[Shauny]

D&G have cancelled the 130 registration, as well as the 1, 4 and 15A Sunday service registration, despite the tendering process for the new contracts currently being in process. Both the 88 registrations and the 89 registration remain active. I'd like to see some evidence that the 88 is undergoing re-tendering before giving them the benefit of the doubt over the name. Anyone can make up a name and mock up a proposed bus timetable to post online.

Very True, I thought it was all rather strange. I hadn't heard about the 88,89 going out for tender.

Because D&G have cancelled their registration for the 130, 15A and 1,4 will this mean that Wincham depot will close and move operations to Crewe? Or will they keep it open for the 88,89?

 

[northwichcat]

Because D&G have cancelled their registration for the 130, 15A and 1,4 will this mean that Wincham depot will close and move operations to Crewe? Or will they keep it open for the 88,89?

I don't know the answer to that but it's worth remembering the 82 was previously transferred from Wincham to Crewe, when it should be operationally easier to run it from Wincham.

That's nothing compared to some of the cuts they made.
15 years ago, Knutsford had;
The 300 town circular, which went well into the night (half-hourly)
The 27 to Macclesfield that served Astra Zeneca and had a Sunday service that extended into Tatton Park (hourly Mon-Sat)
The 188 to Altrincham via High Leigh (hourly, then half-hourly during a brief period in the mid 10's)
The 189 Northwich to Altrincham (2 hourly)
A bus to Warrington on Tuesdays and Fridays
And everything was run by several operators

The 27 only ran via Astra Zeneca at peak times. There were also morning Congleton-Macclesfield-AstraZeneca-Knutsford services and the reverse in the evening.

Prior to Tomlinson Travel running the 47 it was a 3 return workings per day and two additional return workings on Tuesday and Friday. At the time that was specified those were considered market days in both Warrington and Knutsford. Some 47 services even extended beyond Knutsford to Northwich via Lach Dennis. Lach Dennis to Northwich ended up becoming a separate service under Tomlinson Travel.

Slightly over 15 years ago there was also a H50 which did a single return working from Sandbach to Altrincham via Knutsford on Tuesdays and Fridays. It was the only bus that ran via Rostherne and included a stop at the Tatton Park entrance. There were a lot of complaints when it ran as people in Rostherne could not use it to make a return journey to Knutsford.

I don't recall any half-hourly bus between Knutsford and Altrincham, other than the 88 via Wilmslow.

Now it's;
The 47 to Warrington (2 buses per weekday in each direction)
The 88 Macclesfield to Altrincham (whatever the timetable dictates the frequency to be today)
The 89 to Northwich (no buses after lunchtime)
The 188 schools service (which the general public can't travel on, so why's it even here?)
And all the services of any use are run by our friend Julian Peddle and his excellent d&g bus.

The 188 is registered as a public bus service and the temporary change due to COVID to only allow school pass holders is no longer in place. It's advertised on the bus stops on Mobberley Road - the only bus service which is! There should be no reason why you can't use it unless it's full to capacity. D&G did remove the bus station as a calling point, which makes it less useful to the public.

With the Handforth Dean bus you can only travel on that if you want to go to Handforth Dean. So you either have to spend until 14:10 for the bus back or catch the earlier service to Wilmslow and then pay for a ticket on the 88 to get back sooner.

The 47 is OK if you want to do a shopping trip to Warrington on a weekday. Not so good if you want to spend a couple of hours in Lymm or need to get to work or an appointment.

 

[Shauny]

Thank You Pemma.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

D&G have cancelled the 130 registration, as well as the 1, 4 and 15A Sunday service registration, despite the tendering process for the new contracts currently being in process. Both the 88 registrations and the 89 registration remain active. I'd like to see some evidence that the 88 is undergoing re-tendering before giving them the benefit of the doubt over the name. Anyone can make up a name and mock up a proposed bus timetable to post online.

Very True, I thought it was all rather strange. I hadn't heard about the 88,89 going out for tender.

Because D&G have cancelled their registration for the 130, 15A and 1,4 will this mean that Wincham depot will close and move operations to Crewe? Or will they keep it open for the 88,89?

If the current tender is due to expire, D & G will submit a cancellation in good time in anticipation of that service ending. If they subsequently win the tender, a new registration will go in. It's how it should be done, but seeing a cancellation, without news of a new registration can be worrying to passengers who follow these things if there is no other news available on what is happening.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Once the route became half-hourly the weekday daytime services had a regular driver who lived in the town. Originally this was operated by Star Line Travel who were taken over by North Western, who later became Arriva. The regular driver continued to work for Arriva in Winsford and remained on the 300 route until Arriva decided to transfer it to their Wythenshawe depot and interworked it with the Altrincham-Wilmslow-Knutsford route.

I remember him. Man called John IIRC.

High Peak then took on the service but after they stopped running the Macclesfield-Knutsford service they passed the route on to D&G.

Bowers/High Peak era were the peak of bus services in Knutsford. Everything has been downhill since.

The evening services were popular with people who didn't want to walk home from the railway station and those who had been for a night out in the town. Surprisingly, Thursday night services were very popular as a lot of pensioners liked to go to the Lord Eldon for the quiz night.

It was indeed popular and I don't recall it ever being empty. Thursdays were bingo nights.

The first day of the 88/188/89/88A was a big balls up. A regular 88 driver got allocated 88A workings but he hadn't ever been shown the route around Longridge, so he missed it out. Then the first day without the 88A resulted in the 07:00 Altrincham to Knutsford leaving behind passengers because the 28 seater bus allocated was too small.

I remember that. That period was a joke and d&g should've been booted off then and there, but we have a frankly shocking local authority.

The 88/89/188 contract is supposed to be allocated 2 x vehicles with a minimum of 28 seats and 2 x vehicles with a minimum of 35 seats. It was originally going to be 3 x 35 seaters with a 39 seater to cover the 188 but that didn't go down well with the operators.

Of course d&g didn't like using big vehicles on it, less good buses for Crewe and Stoke then.

I've heard one other vehicle tbc is due to get Euro VI conversion ahead of the TfGM clean air zone coming into place.

Not at all surprising for d&g.

Saying that D&G's buses break down as often as there's news reports on COVID. Even vehicles which have only just sent up from the Crewe depot can break down the next day. That's how just about any vehicle can end up on the 88. Even Enviros 37, 41, 42, 53 & 54 and Solo 128 that are too small for all the contracted services out of Wincham, end up at Wincham.

Well d&g don't give one and the council don't care, so what do you expect?

One day things go so bad that a Metrocity had to be sent up from Adderley Green to Macclesfield to take over 88 services.

I find this extremely amusing. One day I was on the last 88 to Macc and it was a woefully too small Solo. Of course, it was over capacity when the Radbrook Hall lot got on.

The 27 only ran via Astra Zeneca at peak times. There were also morning Congleton-Macclesfield-AstraZeneca-Knutsford services and the reverse in the evening.

I mean, there are a lot more things wrong with my post;

• I used the 1XX series for the 288 and 289
• I said the 288 went via High Leigh instead of Wilmslow, it was the 289 that went there
• There was also a bus to Holmes Chapel but I couldn't find any more info on it, so left it off

It's advertised on the bus stops on Mobberley Road - the only bus service which is!

Remember when all the services serving Over Ward went along Mobberley Road? Pepperidge Farm remembers.

With the Handforth Dean bus you can only travel on that if you want to go to Handforth Dean. So you either have to spend until 14:10 for the bus back or catch the earlier service to Wilmslow and then pay for a ticket on the 88 to get back sooner.

Which is why I didn't even bother putting it on the list. I guess it's something to do for the old dears, but apart from that, serves no purpose.

The 47 is OK if you want to do a shopping trip to Warrington on a weekday. Not so good if you want to spend a couple of hours in Lymm or need to get to work or an appointment.

It really needs to be more frequent and run on Saturdays.

 

[Shauny]

I remember when D&G first took over the 88 from Macclesfield. I was on one trip where we had to divert via Manor Park, skipping Knutsford Bus Station (This due to the carnival or fair or whatever it was) And when we got back en route on Mobberley Road, before you reach Bentley Motors, The driver kicked me off, saying he had to go back to depot. So then I had to wait for an hour in the middle of some random housing estate in Knutsford. Good thing there was a SPAR, I got one of those OREO Ice Cream Sandwiches.

I still remember the driver, I’ve not seen him for a while so I’m assuming he’s since left. He was asian, short and had grey hair.

 

[Simon75]

From the 20th February , the 94 Newcastle to Congleton will , on Saturdays, be curtailed between Tunstall and Congleton

 

[Shauny]

I’m genuinely surprised that Cheshire East Council still fund the xx35 night buses on the 38. Unless I’m wrong and it’s commercial.

My profile picture was taken at Crewe Bus Station, it was the 23:35.

 

[markymark2000]

The 88/89/188 contract is supposed to be allocated 2 x vehicles with a minimum of 28 seats and 2 x vehicles with a minimum of 35 seats. It was originally going to be 3 x 35 seaters with a 39 seater to cover the 188 but that didn't go down well with the operators.

How can a contract not go down well. The contract is what it is. You bid and put in a price for that contract. If you can't fulfil it, you don't bid for it. Not throw your toys out of the pram that the contact wants more seats than you currently have. Invest and bid or don't bid.

Granted, the 88 doesn't have that many passengers anymore but that I would say is mostly down to D&Gs timetables which have more padding in than I don't know what. Journeys taking 25% longer than pre D&G. That never goes down well with passengers!

D&G have cancelled the 130 registration, as well as the 1, 4 and 15A Sunday service registration, despite the tendering process for the new contracts currently being in process. Both the 88 registrations and the 89 registration remain active. I'd like to see some evidence that the 88 is undergoing re-tendering before giving them the benefit of the doubt over the name. Anyone can make up a name and mock up a proposed bus timetable to post online.

Cheshire East Tenders tend to go out via their Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) and so people tend not to see the contracts go out. The 130 though, it seems that they are trying to get interest from outside of their little DPS club and so have put it out on a more open tender via The Chest. The 1/4/15A went out via Cheshire West on an open tender via The Chest

The 47 is OK if you want to do a shopping trip to Warrington on a weekday. Not so good if you want to spend a couple of hours in Lymm or need to get to work or an appointment.

No good for Knutsford though

It really needs to be more frequent and run on Saturdays.

Just needs the midday trip extending to Knutsford. That would transform it but WOB won't do it because it's already loss making and they won't run loss making stuff in other areas. Completely ignoring the fact that if it was extended, it would increase usage probably substantially because the market is or at least was generally towards Knutsford. Not everyone wants to spend 5 hours shopping.

I’m genuinely surprised that Cheshire East Council still fund the xx35 night buses on the 38. Unless I’m wrong and it’s commercial.

Monday-Thursday it's funded. Friday & Saturday commercial. Least that was the case in July 2020

 

[northwichcat]

Bowers/High Peak era were the peak of bus services in Knutsford. Everything has been downhill since.

Winter services were unreliable due to buses coming from their depot near Buxton. The early 300 services were frequently cancelled due to adverse weather conditions and it led to them being withdrawn when the timetable was updated.

One day I was on the last 88 to Macc and it was a woefully too small Solo. Of course, it was over capacity when the Radbrook Hall lot got on.

When Howards had the 27 contract it specified a single vehicle was required to run a roughly 2 hourly service, with a minimum capacity of 28 seats. But it also stated that if passenger numbers increased the operator was to take appropriate action using the additional fare revenue, whether that be larger vehicles or additional services at peak times. It was widely believed passenger numbers increased significantly on the peak time services via Radbrooke Hall but Ian Howard (owner of Howards) claimed they hadn't. This led to the new 88/89/188 contract being specified based on incorrect passenger numbers and why an evening 89 run from Knutsford to Northwich was removed in favour of an additional 88 from Knutsford to Macclesfield. Both D&G and Cheshire East were asked why the vehicle runs back empty to the Wincham depot via Knusford and not in service but neither gave a viable response.

I remember when D&G first took over the 88 from Macclesfield. I was on one trip where we had to divert via Manor Park, skipping Knutsford Bus Station (This due to the carnival or fair or whatever it was) And when we got back en route on Mobberley Road, before you reach Bentley Motors, The driver kicked me off, saying he had to go back to depot. So then I had to wait for an hour in the middle of some random housing estate in Knutsford. Good thing there was a SPAR, I got one of those OREO Ice Cream Sandwiches.

I still remember the driver, I’ve not seen him for a while so I’m assuming he’s since left. He was asian, short and had grey hair.

First weekend in May every year there is a May Day parade in Knutsford and a funfair. The evening 300 services used to get rammed after this, when Tomlinson Travel had the evening contract they even ran duplicate services to avoid telling people that the bus was too full and they'll have to wait half-an-hour for the next, something that's generally unheard of in Cheshire East.

If you'd known the area and known you'd be there for an hour you could have gone in to Tatton Park through the Dog Wood entrance.

D&G have been known to make planned vehicle swaps at Knutsford even when its advertised as a through service. On a 89 service I was on once the driver stopped near Tesco in Northwich to answer his phone. He had a Solo SR that seemed to be working fine and I could hear him say on the phone "You want this bus to go back to Crewe". He ended the call and carried on to Knutsford, then he wouldn't let anyone board the bus and around 15 minutes later a battered small Solo turned up and the driver said that everyone was to board that bus. I remember it had a crack on the glass on the door, so not have been in service, never mind being a bus a depot with maintenance facilities had just sent up as replacement.

How can a contract not go down well. The contract is what it is. You bid and put in a price for that contract. If you can't fulfil it, you don't bid for it. Not throw your toys out of the pram that the contact wants more seats than you currently have. Invest and bid or don't bid.

There were two rounds of consultation before they went out-to-tender. The objections from operators were down to Cheshire East specifying 5 year contracts with a break clause and then using the break clauses as part of a planned bus service review. This gave operators the impression the services they had on 5 year contracts were exempt from that review.

Chris Almond, manager at D&G, attended a council meeting where he objected to the Congleton and Holmes Chapel locals seeing slight revisions and the existing contracts (with Hollinshead Coaches and Tomlinson Travel) remaining in place. He was of the opinion all contracts should go out to tender to make it 'fairer'.

Granted, the 88 doesn't have that many passengers anymore but that I would say is mostly down to D&Gs timetables which have more padding in than I don't know what. Journeys taking 25% longer than pre D&G. That never goes down well with passengers!

Trying to run Altrincham to Wilmslow to Knutsford in 55 minutes and having the bus do a return working 5 minutes later didn't work well for either Arriva or GHA. But D&G have added too much padding. No one uses the bus stops on Water Lane in Wilmslow for Knutsford bound services as you can watch the bus pass and then pick it up almost 15 minutes later outside Sainsburys.

No good for Knutsford though


Just needs the midday trip extending to Knutsford. That would transform it but WOB won't do it because it's already loss making and they won't run loss making stuff in other areas. Completely ignoring the fact that if it was extended, it would increase usage probably substantially because the market is or at least was generally towards Knutsford. Not everyone wants to spend 5 hours shopping.

I suspect as the operator is owned by Warrington council it's in their advantage to try and make shopping in Lymm or Warrington more attractive than other options.

It was specified on the basis that one driver could do all the 47 workings plus a Lymm High contract in the morning and afternoon. That isn't how it's working currently as 3 different vehicles get used and the one that does the first 47 run to Knutsford comes off a CAT6 service and runs empty from Warrington to Lymm! The afternoon one does go on to a Lymm High school service afterwards, hence why it's always a big bus, normally a double decker.

When social distancing limited capacity the 47 was very useful for Lymm passengers as the first CAT5 after 09:30 was leaving passengers behind. Under normal circumstances it seems to be most useful for Thelwall passengers, with the 47 following a different route through Thelwall to the other services.

 

[Shauny]

I have a few questions.

1.) Is the old chap in the Crewe Bus Station office overlooking the bus station like a sort of Information & Safety Officer?

2.) Is the chap in Macclesfield Bus Station office during the evenings a security guard?

3.) Was the Information Desk at Macclesfield Bus Station where the drivers quarters is now?

 

[LOL The Irony]

Winter services were unreliable due to buses coming from their depot near Buxton. The early 300 services were frequently cancelled due to adverse weather conditions and it led to them being withdrawn when the timetable was updated.

That was made up for by their service being impeccable the remainder of the time.

Both D&G and Cheshire East were asked why the vehicle runs back empty to the Wincham depot via Knusford and not in service but neither gave a viable response.

Yeah I notice that buses run empty a lot in the evening, when they could be running in service instead.

Trying to run Altrincham to Wilmslow to Knutsford in 55 minutes and having the bus do a return working 5 minutes later didn't work well for either Arriva or GHA. But D&G have added too much padding. No one uses the bus stops on Water Lane in Wilmslow for Knutsford bound services as you can watch the bus pass and then pick it up almost 15 minutes later outside Sainsburys.

Then it should be timed at an hour exactly. 70 minutes is too long.

 

[33117]

I have a few questions.

1.) Is the old chap in the Crewe Bus Station office overlooking the bus station like a sort of Information & Safety Officer?

2.) Is the chap in Macclesfield Bus Station office during the evenings a security guard?

3.) Was the Information Desk at Macclesfield Bus Station where the drivers quarters is now?

Can't answer No1 but 2&3 I'll have a crack at.

In the evenings yes I'd imagine the fella in the office will be a security guard/caretaker. Probably there to lock up after the last bus of the night leaves, no idea who does cleaning these days & empties the bins.

The information desk is indeed in the old supervisors office that's now a messroom for drivers. Used to be manned by a guy called andrew barnett who now works for TSS.

 

[markymark2000]

Both D&G and Cheshire East were asked why the vehicle runs back empty to the Wincham depot via Knusford and not in service but neither gave a viable response.

Unsurprising. The reason is because D&G want to do the bare minimum. Working out placement trips is effort and they simply won't put any effort in. Why do they think so many of their services fail? If CEC paid them extra for it, yes they would do it but not open to the public. Who do you think they are, a charity? (Joking by the way before this gets taken out of context).

Trying to run Altrincham to Wilmslow to Knutsford in 55 minutes and having the bus do a return working 5 minutes later didn't work well for either Arriva or GHA. But D&G have added too much padding.

It was possible but was tight, admittedly. It was done for many years without many complaints.

I suspect as the operator is owned by Warrington council it's in their advantage to try and make shopping in Lymm or Warrington more attractive than other options.

It was specified on the basis that one driver could do all the 47 workings plus a Lymm High contract in the morning and afternoon. That isn't how it's working currently as 3 different vehicles get used and the one that does the first 47 run to Knutsford comes off a CAT6 service and runs empty from Warrington to Lymm! The afternoon one does go on to a Lymm High school service afterwards, hence why it's always a big bus, normally a double decker.

It's fair for Warringtons Own Buses to encourage shopping in Lymm and Warrington but that is where Cheshire East or the town council should step in to fund that midday trip to extend. I know the idea was one driver should do it but even extending, it was possible to use 1 driver as a driver doesn't need as long breaks as WOB accommodated.

 

[33117]

Right, going to try get the thread back on track here a bit as it's all become a bit bogged down about D&G.

Anyone know is the 391/392 back to usual yet? I used it a while back on a 392 duty, the driver went round the estate by bollington leisure centre but then instead of going through pott shrigley & round higher poynton went down flash lane & down the A523 to poynton then back normal route again at dickens lane.

Took a load longer than it should because of the bonis hall lane junction remodelling work.


High peak still seem to be doing fairly well, some of their solos are a bit tired but that's to be expected given how steep some of the hills are round here they have to climb up!

 

[northwichcat]

It was possible but was tight, admittedly. It was done for many years without many complaints.

Some journeys were unreliable under both Arriva and GHA. They sometimes recovered late running by cancelling services. For example, when the 88 was half-hourly if one vehicle got 25 minutes behind schedule and the next was close to time then the late bus would go out-of-service and run directly between Knutsford and Altrincham via the A556 to start on time again.

Anyone know is the 391/392 back to usual yet?

The 391/392 has been on a reduced timetable since 6 December due to driver shortages at Little Gem. It's supposed to return to the normal timetable in March but if they are still having driver issues then they should be resolved when many of their TfGM contracts end at the start of April.

 

[markymark2000]

Some journeys were unreliable under both Arriva and GHA. They sometimes recovered late running by cancelling services. For example, when the 88 was half-hourly if one vehicle got 25 minutes behind schedule and the next was close to time then the late bus would go out-of-service and run directly between Knutsford and Altrincham via the A556 to start on time again.

You couldn't do it all day, you would have to drop back to every 70 mins in the peak to let the route have enough time.

 

[northwichcat]

You couldn't do it all day, you would have to drop back to every 70 mins in the peak to let the route have enough time.

Prior to the 88 going half-hourly GHA used an extra bus in the morning peak. It meant the buses had longer turnarounds in Knutsford and it reduced the gap between services in the morning peak, rather than increasing it like the current 88 timetable.

 

[Robertj21a]

I remember him. Man called John IIRC.

Bowers/High Peak era were the peak of bus services in Knutsford. Everything has been downhill since.

It was indeed popular and I don't recall it ever being empty. Thursdays were bingo nights.

I remember that. That period was a joke and d&g should've been booted off then and there, but we have a frankly shocking local authority.

Of course d&g didn't like using big vehicles on it, less good buses for Crewe and Stoke then.

Not at all surprising for d&g.

Well d&g don't give one and the council don't care, so what do you expect?

I find this extremely amusing. One day I was on the last 88 to Macc and it was a woefully too small Solo. Of course, it was over capacity when the Radbrook Hall lot got on.

I mean, there are a lot more things wrong with my post;

• I used the 1XX series for the 288 and 289
• I said the 288 went via High Leigh instead of Wilmslow, it was the 289 that went there
• There was also a bus to Holmes Chapel but I couldn't find any more info on it, so left it off

Remember when all the services serving Over Ward went along Mobberley Road? Pepperidge Farm remembers.

Which is why I didn't even bother putting it on the list. I guess it's something to do for the old dears, but apart from that, serves no purpose.

It really needs to be more frequent and run on Saturdays.

Aside from the part involvement of Trentbarton, aren't High Peak and D&G run by the same person at the top ?