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Magic Bus on Stagecoach Manchester 43

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neilmc

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Just spotted a Magic Bus on the 43 Airport service - on a Sunday, so it can't have been a bus shortage! Can't remember when if ever I've seen this. I wonder if one of the normal green eco buses failed in service so they took one off the 142/143 rather than go to the trouble of getting a replacement out of Sharston depot. Any ideas?
 
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mbonwick

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I would think its actually the large number of vehicles in the lanes at Sharston that is the problem!
Quite likely that the only vehicles that could be dug out from the front were Magic Bus Tridents, so that went on.
 

sprite

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Magic Busses can appear on the 50 as well. When it happens the drivers usually pull up and as the doors open they scream out "THIS IS NOT A MAGIC BUS". People still try board on magicriders though.
 

mbonwick

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Not exactly.
You'll find that most depots - whether covered or outside will have some form of lanes system to maximse capacity and aid getting the buses out in the morning.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11396659@N05/6097684843/in/photostream shows Morecambe's lanes - the blue boxes have air hoses in so leaky suspensions can easily be sorted.

I'm not familiar with Sharston specifically but I imagine it's very similar.
 

neilmc

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That's a point, as the 43 covers the Magic Bus 143 route, Magicrider holders could reasonably expect to get on a Magic Bus if they see it coming along the road in service. Bit of a pain for the driver.
 

302PS

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Princess road closed last may and we were moved to Sharston and yes Sharston is harder to navigate due to being smaller/tighter, I would suggest a magic was pulled to cover as not to leave a big gap on the 43
 

Shrimper

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Huge thread bump, but I suspect you witnessed my trip being covered that day...

There were roadworks in Fallowfield causing huge delays, and a lot of people wanting to go inbound at the same time. I was doing 43s and was 20 minutes late into Picc from the sheer madness (and a lack of catchup time on Sundays along with the fact that the Magic services don't really get going until lunchtime to take up the slack).

Inspector told me to run dead to west Didsbury and I met up with the magic bus there and transferred passengers before continuing the journey. Fortunately the roadworks stopped about the same time so things began to return to normal! I have seen magics do the full run mind.

Regarding neilMCs point about confusing passengers - sending out a white bus on a magic turn has a similar effect, as people heading into Manchester tend to look at bus colour before route number! I've followed a white bus covering a 142 in before and been inundated as noone waves the white bus down!
 

krisk

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No in competition with First, any serious competition along Oldham Rd is well over due

Week Ticket Stagecoach £12.00
Week Ticket First £18.00
 

302PS

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Interestingly enough first/stagecoach have always respected each others boundarys but I have noticed subtle attacks recently and with the current state of first group operations nationwide not only in Manchester I wonder might we see this in the future

Ps: Metrolink Is gonna shaft worst big style
 

krisk

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I can only hope that is the case as they are by far the shoddiest performing operator I have ever experienced.

I would like to see JPT giving the Oldham Road run a go as it is always busy and there are journey options that would make a fortune, for example

Manchester - Newton Heath - Failsworth - Hollinwood - Ashton
Manchester - Newton Heath - Failsworth - Oldham - Shaw/Rochdale

Many of these journeys are a pain to make and either involve changing buses and operators or long journey times.
 

150222

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I note stagecoach run a bus from Piccadilly to Oldham.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
And what is this about a white bus? Do you mean a bus in stagecoach livery?
 

Shrimper

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Yep, white bus is a standard liveried bus (as opposed to blue or green!).

The reason for a lack of competition between First and Stagecoach is historical, from when it was GM buses. The company split into 'north' and 'south' after a management buy out, and then First and Stagecoach later on took on the north and south areas respectively (if you look at the PSV licence on the buses you will see that they still refer to GM buses north or south as opposed to Stagecoach Manchester). While this may have a lesser effect now, I don't really think either company wishes to tread on the toes of the other!
 

pemma

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Magic Busses can appear on the 50 as well. When it happens the drivers usually pull up and as the doors open they scream out "THIS IS NOT A MAGIC BUS". People still try board on magicriders though.

Why not put an A4 printout next to the door and by the driver saying "Vehicle on Hire to Stagecoach Manchester. This is NOT a Magic Bus service."
 

dggar

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Why not put an A4 printout next to the door and by the driver saying "Vehicle on Hire to Stagecoach Manchester. This is NOT a Magic Bus service."

I imagine very few people would take any notice of it.

Am I correct in thinking that Magic Bus is part of Stagecoach?
 

krisk

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I note stagecoach run a bus from Piccadilly to Oldham.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
And what is this about a white bus? Do you mean a bus in stagecoach livery?

Alas the 76, takes ages plus winds down around 19.00 with a few evening runs till 21.00 part route, the rest of the run is TfGM subsidised and run by Bluebird.
 

sprite

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Why not put an A4 printout next to the door and by the driver saying "Vehicle on Hire to Stagecoach Manchester. This is NOT a Magic Bus service."

No one would pay any attention to it. Do you look for a small A4 sheet as you board a bus?

Am I correct in thinking that Magic Bus is part of Stagecoach?
Yes; day riders, week riders and uniriders are all stagecoach products valid on magic bus and can be sold on a magic bus. However a magic rider is magic bus only (valid on oxford road corridor on magig bus only). When a magic bus sits down, it is a stagecoach minibus and fitter that responds.
 

pemma

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No one would pay any attention to it. Do you look for a small A4 sheet as you board a bus?

When First Bus did something similar when they were withdrawing a route every one seemed to notice it and comment on it. In fact on that occasion it would have been better if people hadn't noticed it as the service was still to operate by a different operator.
 

mbonwick

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Why not put an A4 printout next to the door and by the driver saying "Vehicle on Hire to Stagecoach Manchester. This is NOT a Magic Bus service."

Because technically that isn't correct.

Both Magic and standard livery Stagecoach Manchester buses are operated on the GM Buses South license - so no vehicle is on hire to anyone.

The vehicles all have the same owner and legals, but just have different liveries.
 

Deerfold

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I note stagecoach run a bus from Piccadilly to Oldham.

Anything apart from the night bus on the 82?

That is an odd one with First running Friday nights and Stagecoach running Saturday nights - to exactly the same timetable. Is there agreement between them or a TfGM contract?
 

pemma

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Anything apart from the night bus on the 82?

That is an odd one with First running Friday nights and Stagecoach running Saturday nights - to exactly the same timetable. Is there agreement between them or a TfGM contract?

An email I received from Stagecoach customer relations a while back said their Manchester night buses are all commercial services and consequently an increase in services or extensions to existing services cannot be looked at in the current economic climate. (Stagecoach must think there are short of money. :roll:)

If Stagecoach registered a commercial service on Saturday night then First can't operate a subsided bus on Saturday night.
 

Deerfold

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If Stagecoach registered a commercial service on Saturday night then First can't operate a subsided bus on Saturday night.

No, I realise that - but I'm surprised they operate the same service on different nights when Stagecoach is going so far out of its usual area with no retaliation from First (and have done for many years - I know I considered catching the Friday night service a couple of times but didn't fancy the 2.5hr wait in Oldham at 3:30am before my day bus started).

I wonder if it's just because Stagecoach started night services before First and thought Saturday nights would be more profitable so only registered that and the First service came later.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Ah, I see there's the Mon-Sat service 76 that Stagecoach runs - I don't remember that one from my passing through Manchester days (though as I usualyl passed through on a West Yorkshire FirstDay back when you could I'd have probably taken little notice of a few Stagecoach buses).
 

302PS

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After brookdale park in fails worth the 76 follows the old first 52 as far as the fire station at trough gate
 
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