Stagecoach East Scotland

[Volvodart]

Some Volvo 9700 double-deck coaches are on order for Aberhill and Glenrothes

The batch they are in is listed as being on order for 2024-2025, so they may not be for sometime (unlike the Megabus Scotland ones currently being built).

 

[CSB0241]

Some Volvo 9700 double-deck coaches are on order for Aberhill and Glenrothes

9700DDs are very blatant Plaxton Panorama/Vanhool Astromega rip offs, & I think that they just look really odd. Significantly better than the elites in use though!

 

[Scott mac]

Volvo 9700 double decks on order for the x24 and x27

 

[route101]

Aren't they double deck versions of the Volvo coaches that Flixbus have ?

Megabus have 69 plate Panoramas so unless they are replacing them.

 

[Ricky Kane]

Aren't they double deck versions of the Volvo coaches that Flixbus have ?

Megabus have 69 plate Panoramas so unless they are replacing them.

I believe 9700DD 50501-7 is to replace 50406-50411 Panoramas at Cumbernauld.

 

[PG]

I believe 9700DD 50501-7 is to replace 50406-50411 Panoramas at Cumbernauld.

Hmm they don't make them like they used to, 7 new replacing 6 old...

 

[Ricky Kane]

Hmm they don't make them like they used to, 7 new replacing 6 old...

All I know is paranorma 50406-11 are moving to Citylink work with different depots.

54218/19 have moved Cumbernauld and currently in use but are due to move to East Scotland to replace 50450/1 finally allowing them to go to Oxford.

 

[Jordan Adam]

I believe 9700DD 50501-7 is to replace 50406-50411 Panoramas at Cumbernauld.

Hmm they don't make them like they used to, 7 new replacing 6 old...

Citylink liveried 50412 is also allocated to Megabus duties so that would by why there's 7 new coaches.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Quite amazing to think that the oldest of the panoramas are now four and a half years of age, the Megabus ones in particular have been worked hard so probably need replacing on cumbernaulds London work in particular. The new allocation for 5 depots is welcome but nowhere near enough of them to a place the majority of the knackered Express City connect fleet

 

[aaronspence]

Had the misfortune of having to use the 99 service for work all this week, leaving St Andrews depot 10 mins late has happened 4/5 days. Most days also the buses have struggled to accelerate after the Tay Bridge, going at almost walking pace, beeps and buzzers blasting from the cab and the lights flickering.

Maybe I’m just incredibly unlucky but sounds like someone needs some new buses.

 

[overthewater]

It was finally confirmed internally at Stagecoach to the drivers that new double deck coaches are coming for the X24/X27. I dare say this will mean the oldest 13 coaches will be sent elsewhere. The 99 is due new stock however its unlikely they will get any until 2025, and let's not talk about Angus, which really needs some new coaches for the X7.

 

[route101]

It was finally confirmed internally at Stagecoach to the drivers that new double deck coaches are coming for the X24/X27. I dare say this will mean the oldest 13 coaches will be sent elsewhere. The 99 is due new stock however its unlikely they will get any until 2025, and let's not talk about Angus, which really needs some new coaches for the X7.

Is the X7 all E300s now are is there still the Plaxton Interdecks on the route?

 

[Bowie]

Is the X7 all E300s now are is there still the Plaxton Interdecks on the route?

Nah they seem to like going back on forth between the 2 types, there’s currently 3 E300’s on the X7 and 5 Interdeckers

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

Is the X7 all E300s now are is there still the Plaxton Interdecks on the route?

Nah they seem to like going back on forth between the 2 types, there’s currently 3 E300’s on the X7 and 5 Interdeckers

Nothing to do with "liking to go back and forth", the Interdecks cannot be used anywhere else. It is all dependent on vehicle availability - Arbroath have 9 coaches for a PVR of 8 ,so if there are more than 2 off the road (whether that be official VORs or routine maintenance) you will see Enviro300s on the service. The Enviro300s are not the typical allocation.

It was finally confirmed internally at Stagecoach to the drivers that new double deck coaches are coming for the X24/X27. I dare say this will mean the oldest 13 coaches will be sent elsewhere. The 99 is due new stock however its unlikely they will get any until 2025, and let's not talk about Angus, which really needs some new coaches for the X7.

I had a very similar discussion with someone else about this, the oldest Fife coaches are 62 and 63 plate so are older than the 64 plates used on the X7, so it's sensible that Fife express is being upgraded first. I dare say Fife express makes considerably more revenue than X7s also.

 

[Blindtraveler]

The 99 allocated MMCs were never great, even when they were new. They are worked hard and do a lot of high speed running and given that they are the usual Stagecoach ADL rubbish, it is unsurprising that they are now packing up. Again don't get me started on the X7, something needs doing about that but the new double deck vehicles for the x24 and 27 will be good and hopefully there are some more coaches to come next year.

 

[aaronspence]

The 99 is due new stock however its unlikely they will get any until 2025

Sad its so long away, the price they charge for such a short journey it has to be their most profitable route in Fife, And it's always packed.

 

[overthewater]

A few things people need to remember, covid wiped out 2 years so I dare say life Expectancy of per buses will have been extended. Secondly Manufactories are badly delay in building new stock, which means longer wait times.

Another new route that could do with new stock is 747, those buses make a killing but are now 7 years old, and they just been repainted.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Another new route that could do with new stock is 747, those buses make a killing but are now 7 years old, and they just been repainted.

They’re just over 6 years old.

The likely replacement in the years to come for the 99 and 747 surely has to be something like Evora’s. Although I’m not sure how much longer the B8RLE will be around for.

 

[Fifescottish]

Was on one of the 747 single deck buses earlier this week, was struggling to climb hills and there was lots of warning signs flashing on the dashboard. They will have been worked hard with the 24 hour service!

Good news about the coaches, could do with a lot more of them!

 

[Busman84]

The likes of the 99 the B8RLEs proper heavyweight would be ideal for it but Stagecoach will look now at new Volvo BZLs although taking a chance as they may not last a full day plus is there any charging points at St Andrews?

 

[Blindtraveler]

Electric would work on the 747 as it's close to its Home depot and vehicles could be swapped in and out or possibly even charged during layover at the P and r, the b8 mcv would indeed be fantastic on the 99 and I can't see Volvo stopping making these anytime soon as they are euro 6 and probably potentially euro 7 without too much modification whenever it comes in and we're going to need diesel vehicles for rural services or trunk Express work for a while to come yet

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

Electric would work on the 747 as it's close to its Home depot and vehicles could be swapped in and out or possibly even charged during layover at the P and r, the b8 mcv would indeed be fantastic on the 99 and I can't see Volvo stopping making these anytime soon as they are euro 6 and probably potentially euro 7 without too much modification whenever it comes in and we're going to need diesel vehicles for rural services or trunk Express work for a while to come yet

Stagecoach has pledged Zero Emissions by 2050, so there will be some more diesel orders to come for a few more years yet where they're needed.

 

[Yorkshireguy]

St Andrews depot staff are the best in the area - genuine culture for getting people moving, especially during the Tay Bridge works. They definitely deserve buses that actually work…

 

[Blindtraveler]

I'll agree with that and every bus station supervisor I've ever had dealings with their has been good too

 

[Legomaster1]

Stagecoach has pledged Zero Emissions by 2050, so there will be some more diesel orders to come for a few more years yet where they're needed.

It’s 2035 for a zero tailpipe emissions across the entire UK fleet

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

It’s 2035 for a zero tailpipe emissions across the entire UK fleet

Best of luck where coaches are concerned

 

[Blindtraveler]

Best of luck wear any of it is concerned. That's just 11 years away and I can't see large parts of the network either in East Scotland or elsewhere being diesel free by then

 

[Spsf3232]

It's 2035 for zero emission new vehicles, not existing vehicles as they can remain after 2035.

I would expect more diesel vehicles if still produced up until that date

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

Best of luck wear any of it is concerned. That's just 11 years away and I can't see large parts of the network either in East Scotland or elsewhere being diesel free by then

There is a fact remaining.

If you go to Dunfermline for example the majority of road space is still being used by diesel or petrol cars, not buses, yet politically the big push is that public transport must be zero emission despite the fact that a bus can carry upto 120-160 people depending on the type of vehicle.

 

[Ohnolookwho]

There is a fact remaining.

If you go to Dunfermline for example the majority of road space is still being used by diesel or petrol cars, not buses, yet politically the big push is that public transport must be zero emission despite the fact that a bus can carry upto 120-160 people depending on the type of vehicle.

That's because they know there's no way that everyone could switch the EVs, for one there isn't enough lithium in the world, and secondly the UK power grid would have to double its current capacity to allow for the charging of just Electric Cars, let alone trucks and busses.

But it is feasible to transition all local busses to EVs in terms of both those issues, and then ban cars from being used in towns and cities. Although downright impractical. Just yesterday, using my staff pass, it took me an 1 hour, and three busses (39, 46, X58) to do a journey that in a car normally takes about 16 minutes, less so at night and when the road is clear.

For that push to be made to encourage public transport, a major shakeup of the network needs to occur. The Express Network in East Scotland is an excellent backbone to start with, but local busses need to be filtering into more limited stops that the express services use to provide proper connecting services, rather than what current happens, where an express service is the only bus access some areas have (see the X58 in Largoward and Victoria Rd, Kirkcaldy).