Stagecoach North West Discussion

[randyrippley]

some never had the 3/4 branding restored when they came back from the Olympics.....and some never came back at all, but instead ended up in deepest Cumbria, running round Maryport.
Watching the way buses have migrated over the last few years has convinced me that Morecambe is seen as a reservoir for the rest of Cumbria......knackered buses come to Morecambe to be fettled while the good ones get sent out to replace them. Every few years we get a new fleet in a fanfare of publicity, and then after six months they bleed away in ones and two to other sites.

 

[childwallblues]

At least new 10538 10539 and 10540 were in service from Gillmoss on route 14 yesterday.

 

[TheHovisKid]

Is there a particular way of allocating Morecambe's short buses? The 6/6a have Solos, Versas, Darts and MANs on them, and it seems fairly indiscriminate (although it might not be, as you're never more than 6 feet from a Westgate bus).

 

[randyrippley]

Is there a particular way of allocating Morecambe's short buses? The 6/6a have Solos, Versas, Darts and MANs on them, and it seems fairly indiscriminate (although it might not be, as you're never more than 6 feet from a Westgate bus).

I always thought they used Solos and Versas in the morning, but in the afternoon it was whatever was lying spare at Lancaster bus station that hadn't broken down.......essentially the afternoon 6A appear to be "fill in" trips before the 5pm commuter rush for anything spare capable of moving. The Versas usually get moved to Marsh or other Lancaster city routes in the afternoon. When the Versas are being serviced the Darts get used instead. Random deckers get used on some of the afternoon 6A from Lancaster to get the shoppers home, and deckers are put on when Morecambe football play at home.
Thats not an official fact, just what it looks like

 

[childwallblues]

It is reported that movements from Gillmoss have been :-
19034/39 to Preston
17021/272 to Chester
17491 to Rock Ferry

 

[LAIRA]

It is reported that movements from Gillmoss have been :-
19034/39 to Preston
17021/272 to Chester
17491 to Rock Ferry

and 47482-47489 are supposed to have gone to FI.t where is FI?

 

[Volvodart]

and 47482-47489 are supposed to have gone to FI.t where is FI?

Some have replaced older Solos with Stagecoach Bluebird, but not all are here.

 

[LAIRA]

Some have replaced older Solos with Stagecoach Bluebird, but not all are here.

Thanks for that FI must = Fife!

 

[childwallblues]

47083 also noted by SKN Media as unallocated was on Preston route 113 in Wigan on Tuesday.

 

[darrenw29]

What are the 4 MMCs for Kendal going to be used on?

 

[gka472l]

What are the 4 MMCs for Kendal going to be used on?

There's more than 4 due, 10552-10563 are down for Kendal.....555 maybe? Can't think of anything else that it might be, although the Scanias are only '61' plate.....

 

[Whistler40145]

Maybe for the 555 otherwise I could only think of the Barrow to Kendal or Barrow to Windermere services.

 

[KendalKing]

I could only think of the Barrow to Kendal or Barrow to Windermere services.

These two routes are operated by Barrow depot.

 

[Whistler40145]

Cheers Kendalking.

 

[childwallblues]

Twelve is a lot to cover the 555. We will soon find out as deliveries to Gillmoss have reached at least 10544.

 

[Y961 XBU]

I hear some 04 Reg Tridents from Devon are due at Morecombe very soon to replace Olympians, Does anyone know if theres any replacements due for Olympians at other Cumbria Depots?

 

[gka472l]

Twelve is a lot to cover the 555. We will soon find out as deliveries to Gillmoss have reached at least 10544.

Although there quite often seems to be Tridents working on the 555 along with the Scanias so maybe to have a uniform allocation on it?

 

[Brilliantbert]

Fm36 E200 is at Preston at moment, was on 111s yesterday

 

[mbonwick]

The E400s are to be split between Kendal and Morecambe so the route has a uniform allocation in high summer season. Obviously Kendal's will be used on 555 year-round, but Morecambes will be put onto more mundane work over winter.

As far as I'm aware, C&NL are not expecting any Tridents - the belief is that Olympian replacements will be in the form of early E400s from major fleets.

 

[TheHovisKid]

The E400s are to be split between Kendal and Morecambe so the route has a uniform allocation in high summer season.

Does chassis make much of a difference (to the passengers)? If you made Morecambe E400 only, you'd only need one type of spares, and have a common user fleet, rather then E400s for this and Scanias for that?

 

[Whistler40145]

Presumably, the E400s could find work on the 755 Morecambe to Kendal services?

 

[mbonwick]

Does chassis make much of a difference (to the passengers)? If you made Morecambe E400 only, you'd only need one type of spares, and have a common user fleet, rather then E400s for this and Scanias for that?

Uniform was perhaps the wrong word to use. The intention is that ME will have a set of vehicles allocated to the 555, rather than the current situation of chucking whatever is available out. It doesn't look great to passengers if half the workings are brand new, leather seated E400s with Wifi while the other half are 12 year old ALX400s that have been worked hard.

In the grand scheme of things, the spares aren't much of an issue as most of them are compatible mechanically from ADL E400 to E400MMC, and body-wise compatible from E400 (regardless of chassis) to MMC.

 

[Whistler40145]

I see what you mean mbonwick.

It would look better to passengers having a uniformed fleet of E400s on the 555, rather than a mix and match depending on what was available.

 

[darrenw29]

Will they be green?

 

[TheHovisKid]

Will they be green?

And why are they green anyway?

 

[Whistler40145]

Probably to tone in with the Lake District scenery.

 

[TheHovisKid]

Probably to tone in with the Lake District scenery.

Hiding your light under a bushel, isn't it? Let's have swanky buses and make sure they blend into the scenery so nobody notices them....
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Saw 22611 today- no route branding, but has acquired Lancaster University logos

 

[mbonwick]

And why are they green anyway?

Because someone thought it was a good idea to have all the buses operating in the Lakes the same colour.
Obviously the open top services have a long history of using green vehicles, and the 555/Solos/Darts painted in the last few years were based off that.

I suspect the logic is something to do with foreign tourists not realising that the green and orange/red buses were the same company and tickets could be used on both....

 

[Brilliantbert]

Because someone thought it was a good idea to have all the buses operating in the Lakes the same colour.
Obviously the open top services have a long history of using green vehicles, and the 555/Solos/Darts painted in the last few years were based off that.

I suspect the logic is something to do with foreign tourists not realising that the green and orange/red buses were the same company and tickets could be used on both....

It's just branding. Stagecoach have increasingly used local identities and liveries lately, Winchester have a maroon 'Kings City' livery, Corby for a long time have had an orange 'Corby star'. Probably biggest suprise is a green based livery for Norfolk Green being abandoned. Lakes Connection is just a brand for a central lakes. It's an attractive livery and imho suits the buses in the area, which is probably why it's been adopted.

 

[TheHovisKid]

It's just branding. Stagecoach have increasingly used local identities and liveries lately, Winchester have a maroon 'Kings City' livery, Corby for a long time have had an orange 'Corby star'. Probably biggest suprise is a green based livery for Norfolk Green being abandoned. Lakes Connection is just a brand for a central lakes. It's an attractive livery and imho suits the buses in the area, which is probably why it's been adopted.

I remember the old green and cream livery from the stripes era- I'd wondered back then if it was a throwback, but both Cumberland and Ribble were red in NBC days. It was the choice of green buses in a green landscape i was wondering about.