New Stagecoach delivery today - red/white livery

[randyrippley]

Heading south on the M6 near Lancaster around 8 this morning.
New red and white liveried Alexander double decker. Imagine a normal Stagecoach livery, with the blue and orange replaced by crimson. Had transfers indicating a ten minute interval service, but too dangerous to try and read in the rain.
Any idea where its heading? Didn't look right for London

 

[Volvodart]

Torquay

 

[Drive By Photo]

Heading south on the M6 near Lancaster around 8 this morning.
New red and white liveried Alexander double decker. Imagine a normal Stagecoach livery, with the blue and orange replaced by crimson. Had transfers indicating a ten minute interval service, but too dangerous to try and read in the rain.
Any idea where its heading? Didn't look right for London

Must be one of the 20-odd new vehicles for Torquay...
Will be "Hop 12" branded for Newton Abbot - Brixham.

 

[TheWalrus]

Anyone know where the current hop12 enviro400s are going?

 

[embers25]

Anyone know where the current hop12 enviro400s are going?

Possibly Exeter as the X38, 46 and 57 are all being de-golded apparently. (at least thats what the drivers are saying). I hope not though as the current 12 buses have awful cheap leather seats, worse than normal fabric E400 ones.

 

[TheWalrus]

Possibly Exeter as the X38, 46 and 57 are all being de-golded apparently. (at least thats what the drivers are saying). I hope not though as the current 12 buses have awful cheap leather seats, worse than normal fabric E400 ones.

I heard this but I was then told it’s just a rumour. So who knows.

 

[embers25]

I heard this but I was then told it’s just a rumour. So who knows.

To be fair none of the first two should have gone when they were downgraded previously and the 57 always seemed an odd choice.

 

[TheWalrus]

To be fair none of the first two should have gone when they were downgraded previously and the 57 always seemed an odd choice.

Looks like it’s just a rumour. I can’t understand why X38 and 46 went gold then were cut back anyway. I believe 57 was done to compete with the train.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Looks like it’s just a rumour. I can’t understand why X38 and 46 went gold then were cut back anyway. I believe 57 was done to compete with the train.

Something doesn't sound right. AFAIK, every service that was converted to Gold (not counting Megabus) is still running with the exception of the Witney to London service. To lose one would be unfortunate but three?

From what I think has been said before, the 46 has suffered with the new South Devon link road allied to lousy ENCTS remuneration? Is that right?

However, has anything happened on the 57 that would make a reconsideration take place? Also, wondering what would be the benefit of replacing the Gold vehicles on there with ones from the Hop 12 would achieve?

 

[randyrippley]

Two more red/white ones heading south today. One passed Lancaster ~08:00, the other ~18:00
The one this morning carried branding for a Newton Abbott > Torquay route, the second was too far away to read

 

[gka472l]

Full batch for Torquay is 15306-15327, I hear 15306 has arrived at Exeter and 15307 was sighted at a place near Birmingham Airport (think Scanias have been having fan mods here....) in the last day or two. The October 5 article on here has a pic of 15307 at that place (plus one other in the background) http://www.stevenknightmedia.com/fleet-news-ramblings

HTH

 

[TheWalrus]

Something doesn't sound right. AFAIK, every service that was converted to Gold (not counting Megabus) is still running with the exception of the Witney to London service. To lose one would be unfortunate but three?

From what I think has been said before, the 46 has suffered with the new South Devon link road allied to lousy ENCTS remuneration? Is that right?

However, has anything happened on the 57 that would make a reconsideration take place? Also, wondering what would be the benefit of replacing the Gold vehicles on there with ones from the Hop 12 would achieve?

It wouldn’t achieve anything really. The only problem is the timings as one 57 bus often follows another. Every day this happens that’s the only issue with it.

 

[Peter Philips]

Something doesn't sound right. AFAIK, every service that was converted to Gold (not counting Megabus) is still running with the exception of the Witney to London service. To lose one would be unfortunate but three?

From what I think has been said before, the 46 has suffered with the new South Devon link road allied to lousy ENCTS remuneration? Is that right?

However, has anything happened on the 57 that would make a reconsideration take place? Also, wondering what would be the benefit of replacing the Gold vehicles on there with ones from the Hop 12 would achieve?

The hourly Totnes-Dartmouth section of the Gold route was withdrawn to be replaced by less frequent extensions of the non-Gold operated X64.

 

[embers25]

The hourly Totnes-Dartmouth section of the Gold route was withdrawn to be replaced by less frequent extensions of the non-Gold operated X64.

Yes but that was to enhance the busier core Paignton to Totnes route. The X64 still carries a lot in summer. The 46 is now a pointless bus and really shouldn't be Gold and neither should the X38 given Falcon and so really only the 57 needs to stay. Recently I've seen plenty of Golds on the 1 and the newish 1 buses are spreading their wings on the 9 and 2 every now and then. Had a very speedy run on a new 1 bus to Sidmouth last week.

The traffic really is killing all services in Exeter. The 1525 9 from Honiton is often up to 30 minutes late and last week at one point there were 2 9's and a 9A together towards Exeter which should have been an hour apart!! The other way they were all 30 minutes late at least. I also think in that situation on the trip back to town it makes sense to bypass Sidmouth as you'd make up at least 15 minutes and it makes more sense than running 2 or 3 together.

The 55 on Sundays also can't keep time and is often 30 minutes late.

 

[TheWalrus]

Yes but that was to enhance the busier core Paignton to Totnes route. The X64 still carries a lot in summer. The 46 is now a pointless bus and really shouldn't be Gold and neither should the X38 given Falcon and so really only the 57 needs to stay. Recently I've seen plenty of Golds on the 1 and the newish 1 buses are spreading their wings on the 9 and 2 every now and then. Had a very speedy run on a new 1 bus to Sidmouth last week.

The traffic really is killing all services in Exeter. The 1525 9 from Honiton is often up to 30 minutes late and last week at one point there were 2 9's and a 9A together towards Exeter which should have been an hour apart!! The other way they were all 30 minutes late at least. I also think in that situation on the trip back to town it makes sense to bypass Sidmouth as you'd make up at least 15 minutes and it makes more sense than running 2 or 3 together.

The 55 on Sundays also can't keep time and is often 30 minutes late.

The old gold route followed the same as it does now from Torquay to Totnes, did you mean the section from Totnes to Plymouth?