Cheshire Bus News (was East Cheshire Bus News)

[Amberley54]

I really don't understand why the 300 Knutsford Circular warrants a late evening service when most towns Poynton , Middlewich (until recently), Wilmslow, Some Macclesfield routes, Bollington (Monday-Thursday), Congleton (other than the 38), Nantwich (patchy) don't get late evening services to anywhere and Knutsford doesn't get a late evening service to anywhere but Knutsford.

The only reason I can see is it is because it is George Osborne's constituency. Knutsford would be better off with an evening service to Macclesfield or Warrington if they funded a daytime service.

Gideon lives in the neighbouring Macclesfield constituency, in Rainow . No evening service past his house.

 

[pemma]

Gideon lives in the neighbouring Macclesfield constituency, in Rainow . No evening service past his house.

He doesn't use the bus anyway. He uses First Class train travel between London and Wilmslow/Macclesfield and then taxis.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Gideon lives in the neighbouring Macclesfield constituency, in Rainow.

Thank you for clarifying the exact location of his home residence, as many assume that he resides elsewhere.

 

[Amberley54]

Thank you for clarifying the exact location of his home residence, as many assume that he resides elsewhere.

Apparently, he spends very little time 'over the shop' - perhaps he doesn't get on with the next door neighbours?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Apparently, he spends very little time 'over the shop' - perhaps he doesn't get on with the next door neighbours?

I wonder if you are referring to the former BBC presenter, Bill Turnbull. He lived in Rainow until quite recently.

 

[pemma]

No more Vale Travel services from next week:

PC1038734/5 - THE VALE OF LLANGOLLEN TRAVEL LTD T/A VALE OF LLANGOLLEN TRAVEL LTD, UNIT 11, VAUXHALL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, RUABON, WREXHAM, LL14 6HD
Cancellation Accepted by SN: Operating between Macclesfield Bus Station and Knutsford Bus Station given service number 27/27A/27B effective from 18-Apr-2016.

PC1098981/48 - G H A COACHES LTD, UNIT 11, VAUXHALL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, RUABON, WREXHAM, LL14 6UY
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Macclesfield Bus Station
Finish Point: Knutsford Bus Station
Via: Macclesfield Hospital, Broken Cross & Chelford
Service Number: 27
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 18-APR-2016
Other Details: Monday to Saturday (except bank holidays)

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

THE VALE OF LLANGOLLEN TRAVEL LTD T/A VALE OF LLANGOLLEN TRAVEL LTD, UNIT 11, VAUXHALL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, RUABON, WREXHAM, LL14 6HD

G H A COACHES LTD, UNIT 11, VAUXHALL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, RUABON, WREXHAM, LL14 6UY

How can Unit 11 on the Vauxhall Industrial Estate have two different postal codes?

 

[itsonlyme]

Quite easily if the postcode is allocated to a business receiving a lot of mail, rather than the address. With the number of complaints GHA must be getting they probably deserve their own post code.

Malcolm

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Quite easily if the postcode is allocated to a business receiving a lot of mail, rather than the address. With the number of complaints GHA must be getting they probably deserve their own post code.

Malcolm

Whilst that answers the question regarding the postal code of GHA Coaches Ltd, it certainly does not give a reason for a separate postal code being allocated to The Vale of Llangollen Travel Ltd which is contained within the very same unit.

 

[itsonlyme]

Presumably the Postman delivers one bag of complaints to GHA, and another bag of complaints to Vale. In this way GHA's complaints do not get mixed up with Vale's complaints, although no doubt most of them relate to the same level of utter incompetence.

Malcolm
(who is at present experiencing utter incompetence from United Utilities who cannot get sufficient pressure in the main to provide hot water)

 

[pemma]

Presumably the Postman delivers one bag of complaints to GHA, and another bag of complaints to Vale. In this way GHA's complaints do not get mixed up with Vale's complaints, although no doubt most of them relate to the same level of utter incompetence.

Considering Vale Travel only still operate 1 route and GHA operate loads I really hope Vale Travel don't get bags of complaints every day!

Google seems to think LL14 6HD is at the end of a farm track which definetly isn't wide enough to send buses down, while it can't find LL14 6UY, while royalmail.com doesn't think either are valid postcodes!

 

[crehld]

Whilst that answers the question regarding the postal code of GHA Coaches Ltd, it certainly does not give a reason for a separate postal code being allocated to The Vale of Llangollen Travel Ltd which is contained within the very same unit.

Yet it does provide an explanation. Postcodes are assigned to both properties and, if warranted, businesses irrespective of which property they operate from or if they share that property with other businesses. So "Unit 11" will have a postcode assigned to it as a property, and, in all likelihood, GHA Coaches Ltd will have their own postcode assigned to them as a business, and so too for The Vale of Llangollen Travel Ltd.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Considering Vale Travel only still operate 1 route and GHA operate loads I really hope Vale Travel don't get bags of complaints every day!

Google seems to think LL14 6HD is at the end of a farm track which definetly isn't wide enough to send buses down, while it can't find LL14 6UY, while royalmail.com doesn't think either are valid postcodes!

If they're postcodes assigned to businesses then, having no fixed geographical location, they are not likely to return accurate results from Google Maps, nor are they likely to come up on a Royal Mail post code search given that website is designed for identifying the postcodes of properties, not businesses.

 

[pemma]

If they're postcodes assigned to businesses then, having no fixed geographical location, they are not likely to return accurate results from Google Maps, nor are they likely to come up on a Royal Mail post code search given that website is designed for identifying the postcodes of properties, not businesses.

I have an account for purchasing online postage and just tried entering Name: GHA Coaches and the two postcodes above and on clicking '"Find Address" it gave "No address found" for both postcodes.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

How can Unit 11 on the Vauxhall Industrial Estate have two different postal codes?

Two ideas spring to mind.

1) It's a very large building with an entrances at opposite ends in different postcode sectors.
2) It prevents the postie delivering the large number of complaints sent (or correspondence from VOSA) as the RM automated sorting systems cannot find the address! Somewhere in Belfast (the RM redirection / undeliverable mail centre) there is a van full of letters from GHA / Vale Travel contented customers.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Yet it does provide an explanation. Postcodes are assigned to both properties

As far as I can ascertain, unit 11 is only one property, not two.

 

[pemma]

According to Transport Service Solutions the 300 evening service will be operated by an unspecified different operator to the same timetable.

 

[itsonlyme]

The three double decker vehicles transferred to Winsford from Mersyside area earlier this year to work the 84 Crewe - Chester service are now not normally being used on that route as the fuel costs are too high!

 

[Danfilm007]

The three double decker vehicles transferred to Winsford from Mersyside area earlier this year to work the 84 Crewe - Chester service are now not normally being used on that route as the fuel costs are too high!

You could say that about the reliability rate

So are they staying with Winsford or are they going back?

 

[itsonlyme]

I do not know, but one was working on the 37 yesterday morning. This prompted me to ask an Arriva bod who was hanging around Crewe Bus Station.

 

[pemma]

Looks like Routemaster are shutting down with D&G taking over most of their services from Monday:

PC1090231/97 - D & G BUS LIMITED T/A D & G BUS, MOSSFIELD ROAD, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST3 5BW
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Crewe Bus Station
Finish Point: Crewe Bus Station
Via: Sydney
Service Number: 8
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 18-APR-2016
Other Details: Monday to Saturday

PC1090231/98 - D & G BUS LIMITED T/A D & G BUS, MOSSFIELD ROAD, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST3 5BW
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Crewe Bus Station
Finish Point: Kings Drive/Shelley Drive, Wistaston, Crewe
Via:
Service Number: 9
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 18-APR-2016
Other Details: Monday to Saturday

PC1090231/99 - D & G BUS LIMITED T/A D & G BUS, MOSSFIELD ROAD, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST3 5BW
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Crewe Bus Station
Finish Point: Crewe Bus Station
Via:
Service Number: 20
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 18-APR-2016
Other Details: Monday to Friday

PC1090231/100 - D & G BUS LIMITED T/A D & G BUS, MOSSFIELD ROAD, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST3 5BW
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Crewe Bus Station
Finish Point: Shavington Academy Rope lane, Shavington, Crewe
Via: Sydney, Marshfield, Wistaston
Service Number: 836
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 18-APR-2016
Other Details: Schooldays

PC1090231/101 - D & G BUS LIMITED T/A D & G BUS, MOSSFIELD ROAD, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST3 5BW
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Cholmondeley Road, Wrenbury, Nantwich
Finish Point: South Cheshire College, Dane Lane Avenue, Crewe
Via: Nantwich
Service Number: 863
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 18-APR-2016
Other Details: Schooldays

PC1090231/102 - D & G BUS LIMITED T/A D & G BUS, MOSSFIELD ROAD, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST3 5BW
Registration Accepted by SN
Starting Point: Sheppenhall Grove, Aston, Nantwich
Finish Point: Brine Leas High School, Audlem Road, Nantwich
Via: Nantwich
Service Number: 871
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 18-APR-2016
Other Details: Schooldays

PC1118341/2 - ROUTEMASTER BUSES LTD, UNIT 3, GATE FARM, WETTENHALL ROAD, NANTWICH, CW5 6AL
Cancellation Accepted by SN: Operating between Wrenbury Cotton Arms and Brine Leas School, Nantwich given service number 871 effective from 18-Apr-2016.

PC1118341/3 - ROUTEMASTER BUSES LTD, UNIT 3, GATE FARM, WETTENHALL ROAD, NANTWICH, CW5 6AL
Cancellation Accepted by SN: Operating between Aston Sheppenhall Grove and Danebank Avenue, Crewe given service number 863 effective from 18-Apr-2016.

PC1118341/8 - ROUTEMASTER BUSES LTD, UNIT 3, GATE FARM, WETTENHALL ROAD, NANTWICH, CW5 6AL
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Nantwich Bus Station and Leighton Hospital given service number 828 effective from 06-Jun-2016.

PC1118341/15 - ROUTEMASTER BUSES LTD, UNIT 3, GATE FARM, WETTENHALL ROAD, NANTWICH, CW5 6AL
Cancellation Accepted by SN: Operating between Crewe Bus Station and Elm Drive, Crewe given service number 8A effective from 18-Apr-2016.

PC1118341/16 - ROUTEMASTER BUSES LTD, UNIT 3, GATE FARM, WETTENHALL ROAD, NANTWICH, CW5 6AL
Cancellation Accepted by SN: Operating between Crewe Bus Station and Wistaston, Kings Drive (9), Wistaston, Shelly Drive (9A) given service number 9/9A effective from 18-Apr-2016.

PC1118341/17 - ROUTEMASTER BUSES LTD, UNIT 3, GATE FARM, WETTENHALL ROAD, NANTWICH, CW5 6AL
Cancellation Accepted by SN: Operating between South Cheshire College and Crewe Bus Station given service number 20 effective from 18-Apr-2016.

PC1118341/18 - ROUTEMASTER BUSES LTD, UNIT 3, GATE FARM, WETTENHALL ROAD, NANTWICH, CW5 6AL
Cancellation Accepted by SN: Operating between Crewe Bus Station and Shavington High School given service number 836 effective from 18-Apr-2016.

The 828 was just a positional move to get a bus to/from Crewe.

 

[carlberry]

How can Unit 11 on the Vauxhall Industrial Estate have two different postal codes?

It cant!

LL14 6HA is the correct postcode for the location, LL14 6HD is fairly close and LL14 6UY dosent exist (yet). Anybody would think they wanted to discourage post!

 

[Danfilm007]

Without sounding obvious, do D&G have enough buses in Crewe to cover?

 

[pemma]

Without sounding obvious, do D&G have enough buses in Crewe to cover?

Or drivers. I wonder if there's some agreement in place for drivers and buses to transfer between the two companies?

Do D&G still have some elderly Darts which are rarely put out in service?

It's been pointed out to me that not all Routemaster's services have in fact been cancelled but the remaining ones could be covered by 1 bus + 1 driver - perhaps the owners could be planning to drive those routes themselves?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

It cant!

LL14 6HA is the correct postcode for the location, LL14 6HD is fairly close and LL14 6UY dosent exist (yet). Anybody would think they wanted to discourage post!

LL14 6UY doesn't find a location on any of the online maps. Usually that only happens if you use a postcode belonging to a PO Box but obviously GHA's address isn't a PO Box.

 

[Danfilm007]

Or drivers. I wonder if there's some agreement in place for drivers and buses to transfer between the two companies?

Do D&G still have some elderly Darts which are rarely put out in service?

It's been pointed out to me that not all Routemaster's services have in fact been cancelled but the remaining ones could be covered by 1 bus + 1 driver - perhaps the owners could be planning to drive those routes themselves?

Potentially - maybe like the situation with them and the C84 when several of the drivers went to GHA after they stopped. I don't know, when I was last at the depot in Crewe there wasn't any there (Last BH Friday), if they do they might not be DDA or just at Adderley Green?

 

[ag51ruk]

The new timetables are already on the D&G website, on their 'News' page it says they will be operating ex-Routemaster buses which will take a few weeks to be repainted

http://www.dgbus.co.uk/news.html

Their fleet list page has also been updated to include two buses at Crewe with the livery as 'Green', they are two Wright Commanders - I guess these are the vehicles they have acquired

http://www.dgbus.co.uk/fleet-list.html

 

[zuriblue]

Looks like GHA are reopening the Macc garage. From the Notices & Proceedings dated 25th March

G H A COACHES LTD
Director(s): GARETH LLOYD DAVIES, ARWYN LLOYD DAVIES.
UNIT 11, VAUXHALL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, RUABON WREXHAM LL14
6UY
Decreased authorisation at existing operating centre: UNIT 11, POOL BANK
BUSINESS PARK, HIGH STREET, TARVIN CHESTER CH3 8JH ()
New authorisation at this operating centre will be: 35 vehicle(s),
Increased authorisation at existing operating centre: UNIT 5, SAWMILLS
INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, SMOKEHALL LANE WINSFORD CW7 3BE ()
New authorisation at this operating centre will be: 35 vehicle(s),
New operating centre: HEAPY STREET MACCLESFIELD SK11 7JD ()
New authorisation at this operating centre will be: 18 vehicle(s),
Transport Manager(s): DAVID YARWOOD, ROSS GWYNNE, CHRISTOPHER
STUBBS

 

[pemma]

D&G Bus are to run all services on the 300 route from 9th May.

 

[Danfilm007]

Looks like GHA are reopening the Macc garage. From the Notices & Proceedings dated 25th March

G H A COACHES LTD
Director(s): GARETH LLOYD DAVIES, ARWYN LLOYD DAVIES.
UNIT 11, VAUXHALL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, RUABON WREXHAM LL14
6UY
Decreased authorisation at existing operating centre: UNIT 11, POOL BANK
BUSINESS PARK, HIGH STREET, TARVIN CHESTER CH3 8JH ()
New authorisation at this operating centre will be: 35 vehicle(s),
Increased authorisation at existing operating centre: UNIT 5, SAWMILLS
INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, SMOKEHALL LANE WINSFORD CW7 3BE ()
New authorisation at this operating centre will be: 35 vehicle(s),
New operating centre: HEAPY STREET MACCLESFIELD SK11 7JD ()
New authorisation at this operating centre will be: 18 vehicle(s),
Transport Manager(s): DAVID YARWOOD, ROSS GWYNNE, CHRISTOPHER
STUBBS

Plus the potential for the 84 to transfer from Tarvin to Winsford? Seeing as Winsford has now got more capacity and Tarvin less?

 

[Amberley54]

Looks like GHA are reopening the Macc garage. From the Notices & Proceedings dated 25th March

G H A COACHES LTD
Director(s): GARETH LLOYD DAVIES, ARWYN LLOYD DAVIES.
UNIT 11, VAUXHALL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, RUABON WREXHAM LL14
6UY
Decreased authorisation at existing operating centre: UNIT 11, POOL BANK
BUSINESS PARK, HIGH STREET, TARVIN CHESTER CH3 8JH ()
New authorisation at this operating centre will be: 35 vehicle(s),
Increased authorisation at existing operating centre: UNIT 5, SAWMILLS
INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, SMOKEHALL LANE WINSFORD CW7 3BE ()
New authorisation at this operating centre will be: 35 vehicle(s),
New operating centre: HEAPY STREET MACCLESFIELD SK11 7JD ()
New authorisation at this operating centre will be: 18 vehicle(s),
Transport Manager(s): DAVID YARWOOD, ROSS GWYNNE, CHRISTOPHER
STUBBS

Not too sure about the re-opening of the Macclesfield outstation as not enough business in the area to justify it. Checked out the location last week and no sign of a return.

 

[pemma]

Plus the potential for the 84 to transfer from Tarvin to Winsford? Seeing as Winsford has now got more capacity and Tarvin less?

88 (4 vehicles) is operated from Tarvin currently. I would think running it from Winsford makes more sense than Macclesfield given the buses are now timed to start/end the day at Knutsford and it would put all the GHA Gold Enviros together, given the ones for the 42 are at Winsford.

The 289 (1 vehicle) is also run from Tarvin so it might make sense to move that to Winsford if GHA retain the contract when it's renewed.

Not too sure about the re-opening of the Macclesfield outstation as not enough business in the area to justify it. Checked out the location last week and no sign of a return.

P1 - 1 bus
19 - 1 bus
27 - 2 buses
87 - 1 bus
200 - 1 bus
Beartown - 2 buses
Plus maintenance/spares, potentially the 88 and 289 if they aren't transferred to Winsford instead and buses for any school/college contracts in the area.