Places where the big three bus operators (Arriva/First/Stagecoach) can currently be seen.

[swt class 450]

Does anyone have any advice on where the best place to get a photo of the big three bus operators (Arriva/First/Stagecoach) is? I have been trying to get a photo of all three in one shot for a while so i am just wondering what the easiest place would be?

The big three can currently be seen in:
• Bolton
• Bury
• Doncaster
• Leeds
• Leicester
• Leigh
• Manchester
• Salford
• Wakefield

The big three could previously be seen in:
• Camberley
• Carlisle
• Chester
• Glasgow
• Guildford
• London
• Reading

Out of all the places where the big three (Arriva/First/Stagecoach) currently run what do you think is the easiest place to attempt this? Does anyone have any advice on exact locations to attempt this?

Also have i missed anywhere on my list where the big three can currently be seen? I am not sure if i included everywhere?

I previously attempted this in Camberley and Reading (both of which are no longer possible) multiple times but i never got the timing right to get all three in the same shot. Also in Camberley and Reading it used to be possible to get the big four as they are or were also served by Go Ahead as well.

If anyone has any advice and suggestions on the best location that would be much appreciated.

Many thanks.

 

[Mwanesh]

Did Go Ahead have a route to Camberley i never knew that.Leicester is probably the easiest place to get a photo .

 

[swt class 450]

Thanks. Yes previously Go Ahead has served Camberley with their Thames Travel company before they withdrew from that area.

 

[Andyh82]

Are Stagecoach and Arriva seen in Bury?

You’d have to visit at a very specific time to see First in Wakefield and with Stagecoach being once an hour they’d unlikely match up.

Leeds is very easy, whenever a Stagecoach X10 or X62 appears there will always be Arriva and First in the background.

 

[Kahuna47]

Are Stagecoach and Arriva seen in Bury?

Arriva run the 510 and 494(?) tendered services on evenings and Sundays, and Stagecoach are only seen on Metrolink replacements.

You could technically see all three together, but your timings would have to be spot on!

K

 

[AB93]

Thanks. Yes previously Go Ahead has served Camberley with their Thames Travel company before they withdrew from that area.

I'm not sure that's the case, they had the Saturday-only return shoppers trip on the 122 which extended on Saturdays to The Meadows shopping centre on the outskirts, but as far as I'm aware they've never served the town centre.

Which makes getting the four not possible as while Stagecoach (and First at the time) served The Meadows, the Arriva 34/35 in from Guildford terminate in the town centre.

 

[gordonthemoron]

don't all of them operate buses under contract in London?

 

[Samuel88]

don't all of them operate buses under contract in London?

First pulled out of London a few years ago!

 

[Ayman Ilham]

Best places to take all three at once would be the bus stations of Trafford Centre, Leigh and Bolton; all of which have a fair share of routes from each company. Manchester and Salford both have a great mix of First and Stagecoach, but with very few Arriva routes: the 263 at Piccadilly Gardens (Manchester) and the 10 which runs through both cities starting at Shudehill; however, both routes are fairly frequent so you can still easily get a picture of all three companies! Leeds bus station is another good contender but rather awkward, as the Stagecoach services (X10 and X62) use the coach side rather than the bus side like First and Arriva, but if you count Megabus as Stagecoach, then that works as it uses the bus side; it's weird that the actual express coach services use the bus side but the bus routes, even if they use(d) coaches, use the coach side

 

[Ayman Ilham]

Ever since GoAhead took over First Queens Road depot, Manchester is officially the only place in the UK where you can see ALL FOUR of the big bus operators in one place; First still operating Oldham depot and Vantage routes for the time being; Stagecoach, of course, being the biggest network in the city as always; Arriva operating the 263 from Piccadilly and 10 from Shudehill; and GoAhead with their new brand Go North West, which I hope expands and introduces new route branding like sister company Go North East!

 

[bussnapperwm]

Birmingham you'll see all 3 big groups (Stagecoach via their Megabus ops, First with Salt Road branded Eclipses and Arriva with their Sapphire E400s) as well as NX Group, Go Ahead (on NX contracts from their Chester le Street depot) and Rotala. Only problem is that First terminate on the opposite end of Birmingham to where Arriva and Stagecoach stop.

Nearby Coventry has all of the above apart from Go Ahead and Worst.

At one stage Reading had all 3 (stagecoach owned Fleet Buzz, Arriva shires and first beeline). As an aside, I'm not sure if Stagecoach or Arriva run to Heathrow otherwise that would possibly be a contender

 

[carlberry]

and GoAhead with their new brand Go North West, which I hope expands and introduces new route branding like sister company Go North East!

Andy Burnham will soon put a stop to different brands!

 

[Ayman Ilham]

Andy Burnham will soon put a stop to different brands!

That's Transdev's investments for Rosso down the drain then hopefully the 464 and Irwell Line will keep their brands since the majority of those routes are outside of Greater Manchester! What will happen to cross-boundary routes like the 125 to Preston, 199 to Buxton, 184 to Huddersfield, X43 to Burnley, etc. when franchising goes ahead by the way?

 

[Surreyman]

Does anyone have any advice on where the best place to get a photo of the big three bus operators (Arriva/First/Stagecoach) is? I have been trying to get a photo of all three in one shot for a while so i am just wondering what the easiest place would be?

The big three can currently be seen in:
• Bolton
• Bury
• Doncaster
• Leeds
• Leicester
• Leigh
• Manchester
• Salford
• Wakefield

The big three could previously be seen in:
• Camberley
• Carlisle
• Chester
• Glasgow
• Guildford
• London
• Reading

Out of all the places where the big three (Arriva/First/Stagecoach) currently run what do you think is the easiest place to attempt this? Does anyone have any advice on exact locations to attempt this?

Also have i missed anywhere on my list where the big three can currently be seen? I am not sure if i included everywhere?

I previously attempted this in Camberley and Reading (both of which are no longer possible) multiple times but i never got the timing right to get all three in the same shot. Also in Camberley and Reading it used to be possible to get the big four as they are or were also served by Go Ahead as well.

If anyone has any advice and suggestions on the best location that would be much appreciated.

Many thanks.

First currently operate in to Guildford with the RA2 Heathrow Coach service, although for how long I don't know as it's not carrying too many passengers.

 

[njlawley]

The big three can currently be seen in:
• Leigh

Best places to take all three at once would be the bus stations of Trafford Centre, Leigh and Bolton; all of which have a fair share of routes from each company.

Trafford Centre isn't the best place to photo buses because of the drive in-reverse out nature of the bus station. You may get all three by standing by standing by the entrance, but you'd end up with back ends. You may have a chance of getting front ends as they come around the roundabout, but I would imagine a lot of luck would be needed there!

As for Leigh, First only run on the Vantage, so they would be non-corporate liveried buses, and Arriva only run on the St Helens 34. Given the 34 stops on stand M outside the bus station, the only part of the bus station itself they generally use is the lane in between the out of service bays - unless by a miracle one is running early, or the driver comes in the other way round! Otherwise, you would need to take a gamble and hope that there are Stagecoach and First buses parked on opposite out-of-service bays (and not obstructed by a Diamond or Jim Stones bus), with the Arriva bus passing in between the pair. To do this, you'd need to face the out-of-service bay from the crossing point in between Stand M and the Spinning Jenny pub - and even then, the angle isn't brilliant.

 

[Simon75]

Birmingham you'll see all 3 big groups (Stagecoach via their Megabus ops, First with Salt Road branded Eclipses and Arriva with their Sapphire E400s) as well as NX Group, Go Ahead (on NX contracts from their Chester le Street depot) and Rotala. Only problem is that First terminate on the opposite end of Birmingham to where Arriva and Stagecoach stop.

Nearby Coventry has all of the above apart from Go Ahead and Worst.

At one stage Reading had all 3 (stagecoach owned Fleet Buzz, Arriva shires and first beeline). As an aside, I'm not sure if Stagecoach or Arriva run to Heathrow otherwise that would possibly be a contender

Arriva run the Greenline 724 Heathrow to Harlow (now with Arriva livery and basic Greenline branding)