High Peak Bus Company / Trentbarton Split [Merged Thread]

[johnnychips]

Please could somebody explain what this is? I know it's been mentioned before in this section, but I couldn't find it using the search. (Please don't let the next post be, 'well I used the search and found it in ten seconds').

It just seems that all the services run by Trent Barton's Dove Holes depot will be run by this company/brand from 1st April, but I'm sure I can remember Bowers were involved somewhere.

 

[tbone]

Please could somebody explain what this is? I know it's been mentioned before in this section, but I couldn't find it using the search. (Please don't let the next post be, 'well I used the search and found it in ten seconds').

It just seems that all the services run by Trent Barton's Dove Holes depot will be run by this company/brand from 1st April, but I'm sure I can remember Bowers were involved somewhere.

Funnily enough, I'd jusst finished writing up everything I know about High Peak on another forum! Here you go:

From April 1st, High Peak will start. It will be a 50/50 joint venture between Centrebus and Trent Barton (Wellglade). It will be based from the current Trent Barton Dove Holes depot, just north of Buxton, on the A6. All routes have been registered under the Bowers O License.

Routes included in the deal are all services currently operated by Bowers coaches (part of the Centrebus group) which inlcude a number of local services around the Buxton and Glossop area, as well as longer routes to Macclesfield and Ashbourne. Also included are Trent Barton routes operated from Dove Holes, the Skyline 199 (Buxton-Stockport-Manchester Airport) 185/186 (which will become just the 185), various school journies (182, 30, 190) and Transpeak.

50 vehicles are to be included as part of the deal. It is as yet unknown as to what these vehicles will be, however it has been confirmed that Transpeak will recive two 60 plate Scania omnicities and a 58 plate Scania double decker from elsewhere in the Centrebus group. Some journies on Transpeak currently have to be duplicated, however the introduction of a double decker would stop this from being the case.

 

[johnnychips]

That's a great answer, thanks.

What is the point of it all, though? Is there some subsidy/incentive from Derbyshire CC or some rationalisation economies by either Trent or Bowers closing one of their depots?

 

[tbone]

That's a great answer, thanks.

What is the point of it all, though? Is there some subsidy/incentive from Derbyshire CC or some rationalisation economies by either Trent or Bowers closing one of their depots?

Obviously by only having one depot, costs will be reduced. Sharing depot staff will also reduce costs. The Dove Holes depot has always been a isolated for Trent Barton, it doesn't really fit in with a lot of their other routes- no Dove Holes routes have mango for example. Having a bigger operation should improve the situation in that regard. Both companies also claimed, when the merger was first announced, that it was due to a need for a good mix between comercial and funded routes. Almost all of Trent's routes from Dove Holes are comercial whereas almost all of Bower's work is council funded. By merging the two it gives a "safety cushion" to the continuation of these services.

 

[johnnychips]

Obviously by only having one depot, costs will be reduced. Sharing depot staff will also reduce costs .

Thanks again.

So is Bowers' depot in Chapel closing down? There doesn't seem to be that much room in Dove Holes, or perhaps it's deceptively spacious.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

There doesn't seem to be that much room in Dove Holes, or perhaps it's deceptively spacious.

Quite often, you will find services pulling off the road and into the depot yard at Dove Holes to change over drivers. I agree that Dove Holes looks quite a small operation from what I have seen at those times.

I think that the 199 service to Manchester Airport will be a very useful service for the new company and I hope that the same level of frequency and daily hours of operation will be retained.

 

[Chapeltom]

All rather confusing if you ask me but this deeply divided county called Derbyshire has now split in two... with transport links. Now no longer a direct High Peak to Derby bus. Want my radical opinion? Split Derbyshire in two now.

Here's the article

http://www.trentbarton.co.uk/services/skyline199/news-and-info
What’s changing in Buxton & the Peak District?

Monday, March 19 2012

From 1 April a new bus company called High Peak will take over some of our bus routes, this affects the following services;

transpeak
skyline 199
185/186
The buses used on these services are likely to stay the same as now, and in the same colours. However, you may begin to see different buses appear in April in the new blue and orange High Peak identity.

Also, from 1 April there’ll be some changes to times and the tickets that you use now. The new timetables can be viewed here so please check these carefully. The changes to fares are summarised here;

You will no longer be able to use zigzag, zigzag plus or zigzag group tickets on these buses after 31 March. High Peak will keep you posted about what day tickets will replace zigzag.
We’re pleased to offer you a few more weeks grace with FRIO – and you’ll be able to use these until 28 April, after which FRIO tickets will not be valid on the above services. Keep a look out for info from High Peak about new money-saving tickets that will replace FRIO.
2-trip tickets will not be interchangeable between the sixes and transpeak from 1 April. From this date, if you buy a 2-trip ticket on the sixes, you should make your second journey on a sixes bus only.
If you buy FRIO on the sixes you’ll only be able to use them on the sixes after 28 April. Between points where the sixes and transpeak share the same route, you can use your FRIO on both services until 28 April.
We know many of you enjoy the great value offered by zigzag plus to travel on trent barton and transpeak for a great day out in the Peak District.

You’ll still be able to travel across the Peaks for £10 though, and now over a wider area with the new Peak Plus ticket for £5 exclusively for zigzag holders to use on High Peak and TM Travel buses.

Just buy a zigzag for £5 from your trent barton driver – this offers unlimited travel on trent barton buses after 9am Mondays to Fridays, and all day at weekends and bank holidays.
Then, just show your High Peak or TM Travel driver your zigzag – they can give you a Peak Plus ticket for unlimited travel on their buses for just £5 extra
Here’s a map showing where you can go with your zigzag and Peak Plus ticket;

trent barton has served the Buxton and surrounding area for many years, but we know we’re leaving you in the safe hands of the High Peak team, with many familiar faces still driving your buses each day. We thank you for your custom in recent times from us all at trent barton.

END

 

[gnolife]

So what happens if your heading from, say Chapel-en-le-Frith to Derby - It doesn't seem like you can by this peak plus ticket on board the 199 if you dont already have a zigzag ticket.

 

[Chapeltom]

Derbyshire Wayfarer is the only option. I'll now go by train now to Derby/Matlock/Belper now the TransPeak is being split up.

 

[bb21]

Blimey! Centrebus Group is invading the rural bus scene everywhere. hock:

Is Wellglade struggling financially?

 

[Schnellzug]

This was brought up here as well --> [Now Merged]
At least they didn't say "A new operator will be taking over", with no mention of who they are or how services might be changed or anything.

 

[trentside]

Derbyshire Wayfarer is the only option. I'll now go by train now to Derby/Matlock/Belper now the TransPeak is being split up.

Transpeak is still a through service, it has just been registered in sections to avoid the need to use a tachograph and conform to EU drivers hours.

 

[Deerfold]

New website at http://www.highpeakbuses.com/

Not that either Bowers or Trent tell you that!

A bit short of content at the moment - obvious that the website side doesn't have anything to do with trentbarton...

 

[trentside]

Doesn't appear in a Google search for me either, could have at least been publicised in advance.

The timetables also don't work for me.

 

[starrymarkb]

Blimey! Centrebus Group is invading the rural bus scene everywhere. hock:

Is Wellglade struggling financially?

Their High Peak operations were very remote from the rest of their operating area. There have been a couple of cases where companies are selling remote depots recently (First in Kings Lynn and Bury St Edmunds for example)

 

[tom1649]

I'm sure I read somewhere that a double decker is going to be acquired to operate on the Transpeak service.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

What’s changing in Buxton & the Peak District? From 1 April a new bus company called High Peak will take over some of our bus routes, this affects the following services:-
Transpeak
Skyline 199
185/186

The buses used on these services are likely to stay the same as now, and in the same colours. However, you may begin to see different buses appear in April in the new blue and orange High Peak identity.

I thought that the following services were also be transferred to the new High Peak operations:-
60...Whaley Bridge to Macclesfield
62...Chapel en le Frith to Marple
64...Glossop to Macclesfield
Also the 189/190 services from Whaley Bridge to Buxton

Are any of these services translating to the new High Peak operation base at the Dove Holes depot ?.....What is happening to the existing depot facility at Chapel en le Frith ?......Will that be retained for other purposes ?

 

[tbtc]

No mention on this thread of the TM Travel services to Buxton? Are they staying TM run for now?

 

[tbone]

A decker is due for High Peak for transpeak, along with two omnilinks, which will arrive in due course

The routes listed there are only the Trent Barton routes that transfered (it was a trent barton press release quoted). All those services and all of those previosuly operated by Bowers are now run by High Peak

Re financial situation, I must emphasise that this is a 50:50 joint venture, although Centrebus are doing the day to day running.

Buses transfered from Trent Barton are:
Excels 158,224,225,226,227,231,232 and 233
Darts 939,949
Scanias 640,641,642,643,644,645,646,647,648
Paladins 102,103,104,113

All Trent Barton buses have had all of their Trent Barton branding removed

Interestingly today, former Trent Barton buses were on former TB routes and Bowers on former Bowers routes. The buses that didn't leave deopts were Bowers ones at Chapel en le Frith and Trent buses at Dove Holes. No vehicles carried High Peak fleetnames.

 

[WillPS]

Interestingly today, former Trent Barton buses were on former TB routes and Bowers on former Bowers routes. The buses that didn't leave deopts were Bowers ones at Chapel en le Frith and Trent buses at Dove Holes. No vehicles carried High Peak fleetnames.

As when rail franchise boundaries change, operationally the merge takes time - Trent drivers likely require route and vehicle training for Bowers' operations and vice versa.

 

[martinsh]

So scenes like this will be seen no longer ...

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Has the Trent Barton coach 61 (with the tables), that ran on the TransPeak, been transferred to the new company ?

 

[tbone]

Has the Trent Barton coach 61 (with the tables), that ran on the TransPeak, been transferred to the new company ?

61 was scrapped due to corrosion damage. There were no coaches on Transpeak when it transfered.

 

[Flying Snail]

61 was scrapped due to corrosion damage. There were no coaches on Transpeak when it transfered.

I am sure I have seen a pic of at least 1 of the ex-Transpeak plaxtons painted in TB red without route branding. Presumably some of them are still around.

Transpeak is a long route on some very windy roads. I took it once from Manchester, ok in the coach I wouldn't even think of making such a journey in the junk they are now using on it.

 

[northwichcat]

As when rail franchise boundaries change, operationally the merge takes time - Trent drivers likely require route and vehicle training for Bowers' operations and vice versa.

In the case of Arriva buses training seemed to be very limited when they moved the 300 Knutsford Circular route between the Wythenshawe and Winsford depots and back and then back again. One driver who turned up on the route actually thought the town was called Longridge not Knutsford!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
They've set up a designated Twitter feed rather than using the Centrebus one like Bowers did. They've not put any brand colours on it yet though.

https://twitter.com/#!/HighPeakLive

 

[MCW]

It's definitely an interesting move. I try to follow centrebus closely as I am a big fan of them seeing that half the management and board are ex midland fox guys and gals...

it would be nice if they tried getting more decent routes in Leicester city boundary actually....

 

[tbone]

I am sure I have seen a pic of at least 1 of the ex-Transpeak plaxtons painted in TB red without route branding. Presumably some of them are still around.

Transpeak is a long route on some very windy roads. I took it once from Manchester, ok in the coach I wouldn't even think of making such a journey in the junk they are now using on it.

63 was the coach in Trent Barton livery, however that is now with Notts and Derby. The only Premieres left with Trent Barton are 57/58 on Commuter Xprss and 62 as Red Arrow spare. 60 and 63 are with Notts and Derby, 59 with TM Travel and 56 and 61 have been withdrawn

 

[Deerfold]

A work colleague had a day off yesterday and was travelling round derbyshire.

He caught a transpeak and was not impressed to find it was an ex Derby Uni bus. He was glad he wasn't going far on it.

 

[MCW]

A work colleague had a day off yesterday and was travelling round derbyshire.

He caught a transpeak and was not impressed to find it was an ex Derby Uni bus. He was glad he wasn't going far on it.

Surely those buses aren't that bad?

 

[Deerfold]

Surely those buses aren't that bad?

I wouldn't want to sit on one for over 3 hours. I've done that on a Coastliner bus and it was bad enough.