Stagecoach Group (Group-wide matters)

[Volvodart]

The plaxton coaches are the B8 Low floor coaches from last years order and the actually main purpose is for route X55 D/line to Edinburgh but a few will be used on the X51 to Livingston.

They were CANCELLED from last year's order and will be from the current year's order that has just started.

 

[overthewater]

They were CANCELLED from last year's order and will be from the current year's order that has just started.

There never told anyone, and kept saying there were coming since last year, there just had to be built, since... well first ones ever built.

 

[mbonwick]

They were CANCELLED from last year's order and will be from the current year's order that has just started.

No, they have been carried over as development has taken longer than anticipated.

 

[Volvodart]

They were not included in the April 2017 order announcement as such.

 

[overthewater]

Lets agree we all know there were coming At what point is only know to the head office.

 

[mbonwick]

They were not included in the April 2017 order announcement as such.

No they weren't, for fairly obvious reasons I think we can all agree.

However they have appeared on internal company lists right from the get-go, so I think it's fair to say that they have been planned for 2017/8, even if delivery actually ends up being 2018/9.

 

[47550]

Passed two Stagecoach Streetlites this morning heading south on the M6 near Preston. Presumably heading to Sheffield.

 

[Silverlink]

Stagecoach Northampton need some new fleet ASAP. All dirty inside and buses look run down

 

[overthewater]

There are few other places that also need some new fleet....

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Stagecoach Northampton need some new fleet ASAP. All dirty inside and buses look run down

The Northampton fleet isn’t that old but agree that presentation isn’t what it was and that has to be tackled or else you’d have filthy new fleet.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Most of North Scotland's Enviro400s (57 - 59 plates) are well in need of a full mechanical and cosmetic overhaul. The state some of them are in is shocking when compared to the First deckers here of the same age.

 

[GaryMcEwan]

Most of North Scotland's Enviro400s (57 - 59 plates) are well in need of a full mechanical and cosmetic overhaul. The state some of them are in is shocking when compared to the First deckers here of the same age.

When I was in Inverness back in December the 57 plated E400s did look and sound absolutely horrendous.

 

[Jordan Adam]

When I was in Inverness back in December the 57 plated E400s did look and sound absolutely horrendous.

A large number (Edit: Most/All) of the Aberdeen based examples struggle to get to 20MPH and rarely pass it. The condition of them really is shocking, large chunks of rust/mould hang from the sides too.

 

[overthewater]

At least none of them have gone on fire..... Oh wait..

 

[Jordan Adam]

At least none of them have gone on fire..... Oh wait..

Well that's with East Scotland, But yes! Stagecoach North Scotland's track record with fires is pretty awful. There's been at least 21 "thermal incidents" since July 2016.

 

[Swanny200]

How the mighty have fallen, I remember when it was Bluebird and although they inherited a lot of the fleet from Northern Scottish, none of them were anywhere near the state that the newer stuff is in now

 

[smtglasgow]

I see that Stagecoach Highland have cancelled all their Fort William services. Has there been any word about who is stepping in? I’m assuming that KInlochleven is mainly commercial, but other ops presumably Highland Council tenders? Would be good to see Shiel Buses expand further. They seem like a professional outfit (my aunt in Mallaig swears by them!) and I love the idea that they have a depot in Acharacle – surely a contender for most unlikely location for a depot in the UK.

 

[Volvodart]

I do not think much has happened yet. The council are awarding temporary contracts for the school holiday public services, but the tenders for the long term replacements to the Stagecoach cancelled services have yet to be issued (apart from the two as follows which will not be issued if these are resolved). The council are proposing to amend Sheil's Fort William town service contract to include Stagecoach's evening journeys and "another operator" has offered to operate the Achnacarry / Roy Bridge – Fort William service if Stagecoach will novate the contract to them.

 

[tbtc]

Local rumours are that the E400s on the "Gold" X17 (Matlock - Chesterfield - Sheffield) will move onto the 50 (Chesterfield - Mosborough - Sheffield).

The new buses for the X17 will enable the service to be extended to become Matlock - Chesterfield - Sheffield - Meadowhall - Barnsley (replacing the weekend-only X65 from Meadowhall to Barnsley).

I don't know if the X17 is to get more E400s or whether the 50 will be branded as a "Gold" route (there's been talk in the past of it being speeded up inside the Sheffield borders, but there's been a thinning out of parallel routes on the Mosborough - Manor Top - Granville Road - Sheffield corridor over the years, e.g. the half hourly First 49 from Killamarsh to Sheffield was replaced by the Stagecoach 72 that doesn't serve Mosborough... the frequent 41 down Granville Road replaced by additional journeys on the 120 via Duke Street), so I don't know if there's much scope for speeding it up.

 

[Volvodart]

http://www.route-one.net/articles/P...Business_change__programme__New_roles_for_MDs

Stagecoach instigates ‘Business
change’ programme: New roles for MDs
Stagecoach has created a Business Change team, to be led by a new yet-to-be-named Director, and run by senior managers to “deliver a business change programme” within UK Bus.


Mark Threapleton: “We are embarking on an exciting and innovative new programme”
As a result a number of senior managers have new roles, while one is leaving, leading to a change in MDs.

Stagecoach says: “The innovative new programme is designed to ensure Stagecoach is fit for the future across all parts of its UK Bus business and includes aspects relating to people, customers, commercial, safety and technology.”

The programme will be led by a newly-appointed Business Change Director. Stagecoach is “currently finalising this appointment and expects to confirm details shortly.”

London Engineering Director Darren Roe and East Midlands MD Michelle Hargreaves move to lead roles in the Business Change team.

Mr Rose will be the programme lead for safety and engineering, while Ms Hargreaves will lead on people, wellbeing, and employee engagement.

The changes prompt ‘backfilling’ with Cumbria and North Lancashire MD Matthew Cranwell becoming East Midlands MD, from July

North Scotland MD Mark Whitelocks becomes Cumbria and North Lancashire MD from mid-June

Stagecoach South Engineering Director Chris Remnant becomes London’s Engineering Director.

Also, after 10 years with the company, Stagecoach Midlands MD Steve Burd, 58, “is to move on from the business” in September.

Stagecoach says it “will announce in due course” newly-appointed MDs for its businesses in the Midlands, North Scotland, South East and Oxfordshire.

Stagecoach UK Bus MD for England and Wales, Mark Threapleton, said: “We are embarking on an exciting and innovative new programme within our UK Bus division to make sure we are fully equipped to take advantage of the opportunities that may present themselves in the future and to continue delivering the best possible services for our customers.

“I would like to congratulate Michelle, Darren, Matthew, Mark and Chris on their appointments. I look forward to working with them all in their new roles.

“I would also like to thank Steve Burd for his dedication and commitment to Stagecoach over the past 10 years during which time he has made a significant contribution to improving bus services within the Midlands area. We wish him every success going forward.”

Michelle Hargreaves started her career with Stagecoach in 1987 as a Cash Clerk, and has become a well respected and influential leader. Prior to being appointed MD of Stagecoach East Midlands in 2013 she was MD of Stagecoach South West.


Steve Burd: Leaving the bsuiness after 10 years
Darren Roe started his career as an apprentice in the bus industry and then moved into the commercial vehicle industry before joining Stagecoach in 2000 – he was appointed Engineering Director at Stagecoach Manchester, a position he held until 2011 when he took on the role of Engineering Director, Stagecoach London.

Matthew Cranwell began his career in Stagecoach South through the company's graduate training programme in 2004. After holding several managerial posts, Matthew joined Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire in 2012 as Operations Director. He then moved to Stagecoach North East as Operations Director in 2013 before being appointed MD, Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire in 2015.

Mark Whitelocks joined Stagecoach through the company’s Graduate Development Programme and has previously held managerial positions at Stagecoach West and Stagecoach South West. In September 2013 he took on the role of Operations Director at Stagecoach East Scotland before being appointed MD, Stagecoach North Scotland in 2016.

Steve Burd has been in the industry since 1980, and held a number of roles, initially with the National Bus Company and subsequently working in South Wales, United Counties, Eastern Counties, Southern National, Eastern National, and Thamesway. From 1992 to 1994, Steve was Operations Director of Stagecoach Cumberland, then Commercial Director of Arriva North East, until he joined Blackpool Transport in 2002. He was appointed MD of Stagecoach Warwickshire (later to become Stagecoach Midlands) in 2008.

Chris Remnant began his career as an apprentice mechanic in 1990 and, after a short break, re-joined the industry in 1995 with Stagecoach Wales as a shift mechanic. He moved to Basingstoke in 2007 to become Engineering Manager at Stagecoach South and in 2011 transferred to Stagecoach London as Workshop Manager at West Ham Depot. In 2013 Chris was promoted to Engineering Manager at Plumstead Garage before taking on the role of Engineering Director at Stagecoach South in 2015.

 

[overthewater]

At long last Aberdeenshire and the Highlands might get a decent operations now with that guy gone, you watch this certain cuts etc are rolled back, happened in East Scotland aswell. I do feel sorry for the poor people of Cumbria and North Lancashire, Here come cuts cuts and more cuts.

 

[Megafuss]

http://www.route-one.net/articles/P...Business_change__programme__New_roles_for_MDs

We need this badly. I just hope the progressive types get heard over the pale, male, stale types

 

[Jordan Adam]

At long last Aberdeenshire and the Highlands might get a decent operations now with that guy gone, you watch this certain cuts etc are rolled back, happened in East Scotland aswell. I do feel sorry for the poor people of Cumbria and North Lancashire, Here come cuts cuts and more cuts.

I can only hope. Although they're stuck with Daniel Laird, he's the one who mucked the First Aberdeen network up in 2016/17. Thankfully the issues were fixed in the most recent changes!

 

[johnw]

They guy that ran Stagecoach Cumberland seems to have done an excellent job, he made the business case to bring in new Volvo oppon tools.

 

[johnw]

Open topps

 

[AY1975]

Local rumours are that the E400s on the "Gold" X17 (Matlock - Chesterfield - Sheffield) will move onto the 50 (Chesterfield - Mosborough - Sheffield).

The new buses for the X17 will enable the service to be extended to become Matlock - Chesterfield - Sheffield - Meadowhall - Barnsley (replacing the weekend-only X65 from Meadowhall to Barnsley).

I don't know if the X17 is to get more E400s or whether the 50 will be branded as a "Gold" route (there's been talk in the past of it being speeded up inside the Sheffield borders, but there's been a thinning out of parallel routes on the Mosborough - Manor Top - Granville Road - Sheffield corridor over the years, e.g. the half hourly First 49 from Killamarsh to Sheffield was replaced by the Stagecoach 72 that doesn't serve Mosborough... the frequent 41 down Granville Road replaced by additional journeys on the 120 via Duke Street), so I don't know if there's much scope for speeding it up.

Possibly, as Stagecoach is also currently consulting on plans to make the 50 a limited-stop service between Sheffield Interchange and Birley Lane, Hackenthorpe. I've created a separate thread on limited-stop services at https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/trivia-limited-stop-bus-services.164833/

The consultation runs until 15th June. There is an online consultation form at https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/yorkshire/50-consultation

 

[driver123]

hi all,
just curious, how come some service buses are fitted with seatbelts for passengers, but none at all for the driver, how does that work

 

[Jordan Adam]

hi all,
just curious, how come some service buses are fitted with seatbelts for passengers, but none at all for the driver, how does that work

It's not a requirement for buses to be seat belt fitted, although most modern buses are. In most areas school buses need to be seat belt fitted (passengers only), many older buses get refitted with seat belts so they can operate such work.

 

[Dentonian]

It's not a requirement for buses to be seat belt fitted, although most modern buses are. In most areas school buses need to be seat belt fitted (passengers only), many older buses get refitted with seat belts so they can operate such work.

Apart from a few buses dedicated to long distance routes and dedicated School bus es I don't recall ever traveling on a bus with seat belts

 

[Statto]

The Stagecoach realtime is awful, one of my local bus routes is Stagecoach 38/38A Mill Park/Croft Retail Park-West Kirby every 30 minutes daytime Croft Retail Park-West Kirby but when i click my local stop it still shows hourly to Heswall even though the Heswall extension was withdrawn a couple of years ago.