Stagecoach North West Discussion

[mbonwick]

One at Carlisle in service, 2 at Lillyhall awaiting the start of school term.

So no, they're still soldiering on in their 21st year!

 

[darrenw29]

One at Carlisle in service, 2 at Lillyhall awaiting the start of school term.

So no, they're still soldiering on in their 21st year!

So have LL gained some school work?

 

[mbonwick]

Yes - actually rather a lot I believe.

 

[darrenw29]

What does that mean for the pvr?

 

[mbonwick]

It goes up how much I don't know.

 

[jonesy3001]

Scania's 15679,82,97 and 15698 are back at ME,
Tridents 18324,26,81 and 18382 have gone back to KL,
16634 is now in service,15683 is at carlisle for repaint and 22595 will be next for repaint.

Lancaster and morecambe service changes are up on the stagecoach website;

http://www.stagecoachbus.com/serviceupdatedetails.aspx?Id=6846.

Which scania's will they be using for the 2/12?

 

[mbonwick]

I presume they mean the ADL E400s for the 2/2A.

 

[KendalKing]

Lancaster and morecambe service changes are up on the stagecoach website;

http://www.stagecoachbus.com/serviceupdatedetails.aspx?Id=6846.

It be interesting to see, if these changes do improve relaibility. Which I very much doubt, due to the high number of roadworks taking place in the city centre until March 2015.

 

[jonesy3001]

I presume they mean the ADL E400s for the 2/2A.

They are fitting wi-fi to the scania`s.

 

[driver9000]

Scania's 15679,82,97 and 15698 are back at ME,
Tridents 18324,26,81 and 18382 have gone back to KL,
16634 is now in service,15683 is at carlisle for repaint and 22595 will be next for repaint.

Lancaster and morecambe service changes are up on the stagecoach website;

http://www.stagecoachbus.com/serviceupdatedetails.aspx?Id=6846.

Which scania's will they be using for the 2/12?

The way I read the changes to the 4 mean it will now make 2 circuits of the city centre?

 

[robertclark125]

Someone at Reays has told the News and Star that they're astonished that Stagecoach has registered the 35 in West Cumbria as a commercial service. But, i notice reays aren't astonished they've registered a former subsidised service as a commercial run themselves.

 

[Solway View]

Someone at Reays has told the News and Star that they're astonished that Stagecoach has registered the 35 in West Cumbria as a commercial service. But, i notice reays aren't astonished they've registered a former subsidised service as a commercial run themselves.

Put the spoon away Robert

 

[robertclark125]

Put the spoon away Robert

I felt hungry!

anyway, on a more serious point, what was the western scottish outstation which was switched many years ago from Stagecoach Western to what was then Stagecoach Cumberland?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I felt hungry!

anyway, on a more serious point, what was the western scottish outstation which was switched many years ago from Stagecoach Western to what was then Stagecoach Cumberland?

Was that not Annan? Used to be a yard on the edge of town (towards Carlisle - the old Western SMT depot is now derelict, btw) but I think it's all run from Carlisle now.

 

[robertclark125]

Slightly off topic, but still in Stagecoach NW territory, but Blackpool Transport has a new logo, with the lettering in lower case, with a tricolour sweep coming round the base of the tower, the tri colour being grey yellow and maroon.

 

[Ernie]

Hi
Was it not Longtown depot opposite to the old station next to auction market
Regards
Ernie

 

[TheHovisKid]

Did i see 16634 on While Lund this morning? What was and NC bodied olympian doing there?

 

[mbonwick]

16634 is a recent transfer up from Gillmoss. It's been allocated to Morecambe, something to do with the service changes to X1, 3/4 etc...

 

[TheHovisKid]

Oh, the changes.... Is it me, or as they as clear-as-mud

Always seems when stuff like that happens- one of a type ending up somwehere

 

[mbonwick]

I struggle to interpret things like that in words anyway, I need a diagram to properly get it
I think once they actually happen, things will become much clearer.

It's annoying with all the 'one of a type' vehicles floating around - I can't help but feel in this case that it could have been avoided if Olys hadn't been disposed of in such numbers after the Olympics.
Either way, I'd hope that the entire Olympian fleet at Morecambe doesn't last too long (from an age/accessibility perspective - from an enthuiast view, I want them to stay!)

 

[jonesy3001]

16634 spends more time at garstang outstation then the actual depot!

 

[KendalKing]

Oh, the changes.... Is it me, or as they as clear-as-mud

I still trying to work-out how by reducing the number of buses from every 10-mins (2 / 2A) to every 20-mins (2A only), between Bowerham, Newlands, Hala and the University can be classified as an improvement

Also how 30-mins service (12), is going to interwork with a 20-mins service (2).

 

[driver9000]

I still trying to work-out how by reducing the number of buses from every 10-mins (2 / 2A) to every 20-mins (2A only), between Bowerham, Newlands, Hala and the University can be classified as an improvement

Also how 30-mins service (12), is going to interwork with a 20-mins service (2).

You're only losing a bus if you live on the Bowerham-Hala section. To Stagecoach that doesn't matter because the university is the real prize. Always has been. I remember having to sail past stops on that section numerous times because my decker was full and standing with students.

Looking at the new timetable for the 2/2A/12 (which looks a bit confusing) the xx:01 departure from Lancaster as service 12 becomes a 2 at Combermere Road while the xx:41 from Lancaster stays as a 12 throughout. Also interesting to note that they are breaking the terminating locations of the 2/2A which have been in the same places since they were renumbered from 271/272/273/274 around 1994 ie the 2 now terminate at Combermere Road while the 2A terminate at Heysham Towers.

New service 3 runs through to the university term time only terminating at Common Garden Street in university holidays. The Morecambe end has been cut back to Morecambe Bus station. New service 4 goes straight to George Street from Heysham then serves the railway station before finally calling in at the bus station having run along the quay.

The way I see it Bowerham and Hala Square now get a 20 minute 2A service and a 30 minute 4 service, Newmarket Avenue a 20 minute 2A (always was quiet on that section anyway) while Greaves sees an increase in service with the new 2/12 replacing the X1.

As long as the university is happy the rest doesn't matter.

 

[KendalKing]

You're only losing a bus if you live on the Bowerham-Hala section. To Stagecoach that doesn't matter because the university is the real prize. Always has been. I remember having to sail past stops on that section numerous times because my decker was full and standing with students.

Looking at the new timetable for the 2/2A/12 (which looks a bit confusing) the xx:01 departure from Lancaster as service 12 becomes a 2 at Combermere Road while the xx:41 from Lancaster stays as a 12 throughout. Also interesting to note that they are breaking the terminating locations of the 2/2A which have been in the same places since they were renumbered from 271/272/273/274 around 1994 ie the 2 now terminate at Combermere Road while the 2A terminate at Heysham Towers.

New service 3 runs through to the university term time only terminating at Common Garden Street in university holidays. The Morecambe end has been cut back to Morecambe Bus station. New service 4 goes straight to George Street from Heysham then serves the railway station before finally calling in at the bus station having run along the quay.

The way I see it Bowerham and Hala Square now get a 20 minute 2A service and a 30 minute 4 service, Newmarket Avenue a 20 minute 2A (always was quiet on that section anyway) while Greaves sees an increase in service with the new 2/12 replacing the X1.

As long as the university is happy the rest doesn't matter.

I have recently moved a number of sudents off campus to Newlands, Bowerham and Primrose areas of Lancaster, the reasons given for moving to these areas was the high frequency bus service.

As you said, I too have witnessed the 2's & 2A's leave passengers behind due to being full, the last couple years stagecoach were sending extra buses out on the 2's & 2A's left, right and centre to try to combrat the high demand from students trying to get the University!

It would appear from these alterations, that the management at Stagecoach Lancaster has lost the plot big time. If 10-min service can't cope with the demand, how the hell is a 20-min service going to cope ?

It is at times like this I am glad, I no longer work in the bus industy.

 

[Dallamlad]

I have recently moved a number of sudents off campus to Newlands, Bowerham and Primrose areas of Lancaster, the reasons given for moving to these areas was the high frequency bus service.

As you said, I too have witnessed the 2's & 2A's leave passengers behind due to being full, the last couple years stagecoach were sending extra buses out on the 2's & 2A's left, right and centre to try to combrat the high demand from students trying to get the University!

It would appear from these alterations, that the management at Stagecoach Lancaster has lost the plot big time. If 10-min service can't cope with the demand, how the hell is a 20-min service going to cope ?

It is at times like this I am glad, I no longer work in the bus industy.

What they are trying to do is get the students from town to take the fast direct buses leaving space on the Bowerham buses for Bowerham students. The problem is that students from town are getting on the services that run through Bowerham. If they got on the direct services that there will now be more of they will get to the University quicker and more space will be left for Bowerham residents.

This is the theory, we'll see how the practice works out.

 

[driver9000]

What they are trying to do is get the students from town to take the fast direct buses leaving space on the Bowerham buses for Bowerham students. The problem is that students from town are getting on the services that run through Bowerham. If they got on the direct services that there will now be more of they will get to the University quicker and more space will be left for Bowerham residents.

This is the theory, we'll see how the practice works out.

That was tried with the multitude of X2 buses and extra 3 buses throughout the day and at peaks when I was driving it was an X2 every 2-3 minutes, they still insisted on getting on the 2/2A despite being told the X2 was quicker. "Oh it's alright mate, not in a rush".
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I have recently moved a number of sudents off campus to Newlands, Bowerham and Primrose areas of Lancaster, the reasons given for moving to these areas was the high frequency bus service.

As you said, I too have witnessed the 2's & 2A's leave passengers behind due to being full, the last couple years stagecoach were sending extra buses out on the 2's & 2A's left, right and centre to try to combrat the high demand from students trying to get the University!

It would appear from these alterations, that the management at Stagecoach Lancaster has lost the plot big time. If 10-min service can't cope with the demand, how the hell is a 20-min service going to cope ?

It is at times like this I am glad, I no longer work in the bus industy.

The students now seem to be spreading to north of the river too, maybe one day the 55 or 51 will go to the university?

The biggest joke was converting the 2/2A to B10 saloon operation - the Olympians were struggling so how they thought a 49 seat saloon would cope was and still is beyond me! It was embarrassing to have to sail past stop after stop being unable to collect passengers.

I share your sentiments about no longer working in the bus industry.

 

[KendalKing]

The biggest joke was converting the 2/2A to B10 saloon operation - the Olympians were struggling so how they thought a 49 seat saloon would cope was and still is beyond me! It was embarrassing to have to sail past stop after stop being unable to collect passengers.

I share your sentiments about no longer working in the bus industry.

You had Gary Mack and Andrew Parrington, to thank for that.

The other big joke, regarding the university service, was when the 15-mins double deck service (471 / 472) was cut back to termimate at Hala, and replaced with the 30-min Uni-sprint minibus service, the forerunner to the X1 service. It was not uncommon for double decks to duplicate the minibuses, due to the demand.

The students now seem to be spreading to north of the river too, maybe one day the 55 or 51 will go to the university?

That would make very good sence. It would be of great benefit to lot of people, trying to get from the north of the city to the Hospital, etc.

 

[driver9000]

You had Gary Mack and Andrew Parrington, to thank for that.

The running sheets always carried "2/2A via Scale Hall Lane" in big letters across the top, the de-roofing incidents were all years before the conversion to saloon operation. You never got 2/2A and 3 on the same duty either. Service 2/2A was worked by deckers when I started there, I think it was converted late 2002. The incoming B10s came from Glasgow (P540ESA onwards) and a few H reg B10s that had been new to Burnley. Obviously it didn't last as it was converted back to deckers when the S-BWC Tridents arrived. A wise move.

I've often wondered why there was no direct service across the city from the Carnforth/Slyne direction. There was a solitary X55 on a Sunday when the Kendal service was introduced for summer Sundays.

 

[jonesy3001]

Anyone know why kendal open-top 17016 is at morecambe?

 

[Mshaplin]

Has a Noisy diff

Anyone know why kendal open-top 17016 is at morecambe?