Stagecoach West - Fleet News & Discussion

[Callum15632]

Few more guests drafted in for Cheltenham Race shuttles

18420 Patchway
11197 Hull
11300 Newcastle
19706 Bedford
15277 Canterbury
15328 Eastbourne
10989 Swindon
18413 Patchway
15330 Eastbourne

As is standard during Race week, the 94 seems to have a mixture of remaining Gold E400MMCs and Scania E300s.

Are you sure about 18420 from Patchway as it is in Bristol still on route 10 today? Could it be 18421 or 18422 that is at Cheltenham instead?

 

[ValleyLines142]

Deleted.

Are you sure about 18420 from Patchway as it is in Bristol still on route 10 today? Could it be 18421 or 18422 that is at Cheltenham instead?

No, this was yesterday.

 

[volvob12]

News that seems to have been missed from here is that Rhys Hand has been given a promotion from Operations Director and is now the Managing Director of the Transpora Group.


Also good news is that Transpora have now been awarded 3 school contracts from West of England Combined Authority. Routes 680, 963 and 967. All currently ran by Stagecoach
Quote from Rhys Hand's tweet (https://twitter.com/RhysHand/status/1636461245254475787)

Good news that these services have been saved.

And congrats RH...

Presumably that is the 2 month funded extension that Stagecoach declined to take up on those routes?

I presume so too.Gives those of us who rely on them chance to think of an alternative for next academic year, which will probably means taking the car at least one way as there is no alternative.
Unless, of course, they are taken on by anyone commercially. After all, 4 of Winterbourne's 5 school bus routes are commercial...

These posts were over on the transpora thread, but poses the question here, how much of the work acquired from Durbin’s is still undertaken at Bristol?

Apart from the 427, 458-460 school services mentioned and the commuter 462, most other work seems to have been lost? Turners seem to have picked up a lot of the private school work in Bristol that was previously undertaken and the Meagbus works seems to have dropped off considerably?

The Aztec West services, now 3X, set up by Durbins, sold onto Rotala (with their takeover of Durbin service work) and then sold onto Stagecoach has also considerably reduced since Covid.

 

[-Colly405-]

Is that
Durbin, that became South Glos Bus & Coach, the bit that then morphed into Wessex, that morphed into Stagecoach, or
Durbin, that became South Glos Bus & Coach, the bit that didn't morph into Wessex, that Stagecoach took over?
Or
Durbin, that sold out to First?

Either way, I think the answer to your question is, "not much"!!!

 

[JamesGoldsmith]

I spotted a gold E400 MMC with white destination screens (front and back) on a school service in Fishponds today. It usually gets an ALX400. I didn’t catch the number but it proudly proclaimed itself to be low emission luxury. Is it a new transfer in for the Stagecoach park and ride 9?

 

[Callum15632]

I spotted a gold E400 MMC with white destination screens (front and back) on a school service in Fishponds today. It usually gets an ALX400. I didn’t catch the number but it proudly proclaimed itself to be low emission luxury. Is it a new transfer in for the Stagecoach park and ride 9?

15982-15986 have transferred to Stagecoach West for Cheltenham Races and then for normal service work. Does anybody know which depot they are for? 10902/10983/10984 have transferred so far as I've noticed them on routes 427/3X today and 10983 hasn't been out on a route today yet. I've tracked them on bustimes this morning.

 

[ValleyLines142]

I spotted a gold E400 MMC with white destination screens (front and back) on a school service in Fishponds today. It usually gets an ALX400. I didn’t catch the number but it proudly proclaimed itself to be low emission luxury. Is it a new transfer in for the Stagecoach park and ride 9?

Could have been 10902-10905? They're Gold with white destination displays.

 

[Marcus Fryer]

Could have been 10902-10905? They're Gold with white destination displays.

I saw 10903 on the 963 this afternoon. It isn’t tracking on bustimes.org.



From today's (22 March 2023) South Gloucestershire Council's email newsletter:

School funding, new sports hub, climate friendly homes and more

"Bus services update
We recognise how important bus services are to our residents and that a reliable, high quality public transport network is essential for ensuring people are connected to their communities. We were therefore disappointed at the decision at last week's West of England Combined Authority (WECA) Committee meeting not to support our recommendation to provide funding that would have enabled bus services such as the 622 Thornbury to Yate service to continue for an additional two months. We will continue to fight to protect services like these and find ways for them to be supported."

 

[SouthEastBuses]

15982-15986 have transferred to Stagecoach West for Cheltenham Races and then for normal service work. Does anybody know which depot they are for? 10902/10983/10984 have transferred so far as I've noticed them on routes 427/3X today and 10983 hasn't been out on a route today yet. I've tracked them on bustimes this morning.

15982-15986 are for Swindon (and possibly also Cheltenham?) and were transferred to allow 10902/10903/10982/10983/10984 to go to Bristol. As a result, Guildford (where 15982-15986 came from) now have 36138/36139/36175/36176/36381 from Bristol.

 

[JamesGoldsmith]

10749-52 (4) 10902/3 (2) and 10982-7 (6) appear to be the transfers for service 9 so far. Is the PVR expected to be 12?

Wonder if they’ll stay gold or get a snazzy new livery.

 

[AllanMacF]

10749-52 (4) 10902/3 (2) and 10982-7 (6) appear to be the transfers for service 9 so far. Is the PVR expected to be 12?

Wonder if they’ll stay gold or get a snazzy new livery.

As a matter of interest, yesterday (Friday 24th), north Bristol's services 10 and 11 & 12 were operated entirely by double-deckers. At the time of monitoring about 09:15, the 10 had 18413, 15769 and Gold 10752, the 11 had 18314, 15768 and Gold 10984 and the 12 had Ocean-green 18420 and Gold 10749. The 11 and 12 interwork, of course.
History has been made today, however, because the services have been 100% Stagecoach Gold d/d's! From about 9 o'clock, the 10 had 10751/902/983/4. The 11 and 12 had 10749/982, plus Patchway's sole surviving Enviro400-Scania to remain in Gold, 15766. The fourth bus was not appearing on the bustimes.org tracker. From observation, however, it turned out to be 10903, which has not tracked since 7th January.
There has been no sight yet of 10750 here, nor 10985-7.
Presumably, from the 2nd April, Bristol's P&R service 9 will be the last service in the country to be turned over to Stagecoach Gold operation!

 

[matt_splat]

As a matter of interest, yesterday (Friday 24th), north Bristol's services 10 and 11 & 12 were operated entirely by double-deckers. At the time of monitoring about 09:15, the 10 had 18413, 15769 and Gold 10752, the 11 had 18314, 15768 and Gold 10984 and the 12 had Ocean-green 18420 and Gold 10749. The 11 and 12 interwork, of course.
History has been made today, however, because the services have been 100% Stagecoach Gold d/d's! From about 9 o'clock, the 10 had 10751/902/983/4. The 11 and 12 had 10749/982, plus Patchway's sole surviving Enviro400-Scania to remain in Gold, 15766. The fourth bus was not appearing on the bustimes.org tracker. From observation, however, it turned out to be 10903, which has not tracked since 7th January.
There has been no sight yet of 10750 here, nor 10985-7.
Presumably, from the 2nd April, Bristol's P&R service 9 will be the last service in the country to be turned over to Stagecoach Gold operation!

The 60 today also had decker action passed it running dead up the M5 very slowly this morning

 

[AllanMacF]

The 60 today also had decker action passed it running dead up the M5 very slowly this morning

For the record, 10985-7 are also now at Patchway and were in service yesterday on the 10 and the 11/12. That brings the total to eleven. 10750, however, is still tracking on Cheltemham's 94, so will it be moving to Patchway?

 

[SouthEastBuses]

Wonder if 10993 is also being transferred or if it's staying at Swindon for the S6

 

[ValleyLines142]

I feel as if there is just a lot of unnecessary moving around. Half of the S6-branded E400MMCs are now at Patchway, which has meant in turn that 55-branded 15340-15349 are now split between S6 and 55s, and in turn the 55 is now being operated with a mixture of remaining Scania E400 and E400MMCs. Just all seems a bit higgledy piggledy at the moment.

Correction: it does look as if half the Scania E400MMCs have been de-branded from the 55, but even so!

 

[wiltshirebloke]

I feel as if there is just a lot of unnecessary moving around. Half of the S6-branded E400MMCs are now at Patchway, which has meant in turn that 55-branded 15340-15349 are now split between S6 and 55s, and in turn the 55 is now being operated with a mixture of remaining Scania E400 and E400MMCs. Just all seems a bit higgledy piggledy at the moment.

Correction: it does look as if half the Scania E400MMCs have been de-branded from the 55, but even so!

I guess it's the best they can do at 'short notice' - having to source a 'somewhat luxury' bus fleet that also complies with the Bristol ULEZ for the P&R service rather than launch it with any old tat

 

[TheWalrus]

I believe the fleet movements are only temporary until Witney receives new buses for the S1 later this year which cascades the current S1 vehicles to Bristol.

 

[-Colly405-]

Is this the first time since the days of the CT Plus bendies that the Bristol P&Rs haven't received new kit?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Is this the first time since the days of the CT Plus bendies that the Bristol P&Rs haven't received new kit?

That's only one generation of buses ago, mind Arguably, the Long Ashton P&R 903/m2 received fleet that was a year old having been used on various work (U1 and A1) before gaining m2 livery, replacing the 2008 B9s that had been moved onto the 903.

 

[rcro]

Portway started out with an ex demo Dart and Commonwealth Games B7Ls - first new buses were the Centros when Wessex took over in 2007.

 

[Callum15632]

Does anyone know if 15972 has transferred to Bristol as it is tracking in Bristol Depot now?

 

[father_jack]

Proving that route branding never really works a "94" and "S6" could be seen at Bristol Parkway today on the 10/11.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

15359 (YT21 DVM) transferred to Stagecoach Oxfordshire, Oxford depot. Why?

(Don't get me wrong, I welcome N250UDs at my local [uni] bus depot, I'm just curious what could possibly be behind the decision)

(I also think the YT21 Scanias should go to Witney for use on S1 & S2, which are far more suited to those routes. The current SN69 E40Ds could then go to Gloucester for use on routes 10 and 97)

 

[DaveHarries]

15359 (YT21 DVM) transferred to Stagecoach Oxfordshire, Oxford depot. Why?

(Don't get me wrong, I welcome N250UDs at my local [uni] bus depot, I'm just curious what could possibly be behind the decision)

(I also think the YT21 Scanias should go to Witney for use on S1 & S2, which are far more suited to those routes. The current SN69 E40Ds could then go to Gloucester for use on routes 10 and 97)

I doubt that will happen: IIRC I read that the S1 is due new buses later this year.

Dave

 

[SouthEastBuses]

I doubt that will happen: IIRC I read that the S1 is due new buses later this year.

Dave

I have the same opinion as you, but I still think Scanias are better suited to fast running routes like the S1/S2.

 

[GoneSouth]

I have the same opinion as you, but I still think Scanias are better suited to fast running routes like the S1/S2.

The one I went on in Cheltenham last week had every window and internal panel rattling for the whole journey. Not ideal for a long distance journey. I’ve had a few experiences like that when visiting Cheltenham on the Yellow buses (sorry, can’t tell you how old they were). I don't know why this batch should be so be of worse quality than the previous ones but they are.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

The one I went on in Cheltenham last week had every window and internal panel rattling for the whole journey. Not ideal for a long distance journey. I’ve had a few experiences like that when visiting Cheltenham on the Yellow busus (sorry, can’t tell you how old they were). Don’t know why this batch should be so much worse quality than the previous ones but they are.

The yellow ones are from 2021, so 2 years old.

If you say those are bad then you haven't been on Swindon's YP67s (15340-15349). As much as I like that batch, they're clearly starting to have their issues now. For example 15341 and 15349 have a broken diff making them sound weird, and they're also fairly slow at accelerating unlike Gloucester's YT21s (15350-15370)

 

[GoneSouth]

Also when in Cheltenham I noticed the 97 wasn’t using the yellow ones as before. If the timetable have been thinned out so much recently, how can they still need 15 year old Tridents to run the routes. Having said that I have noticed some of them parked in the Scannia garage on the way into Cheltenham from the M5

 

[CharlesR]

The one I went on in Cheltenham last week had every window and internal panel rattling for the whole journey. Not ideal for a long distance journey. I’ve had a few experiences like that when visiting Cheltenham on the Yellow buses (sorry, can’t tell you how old they were). I don't know why this batch should be so be of worse quality than the previous ones but they are.

Most drivers hate them. Very slow off the mark, can’t move until the doors are completely shut (they take ages to close), next stop announcements far too loud, build quality hit and miss. From a passenger perspective, the COVID window jabs still remain making it a chilly journey at speed in winter.

Tridents generally run to time a lot better on the 10, a stop-start route that only has at most a few minutes over 40mph. These N250UDs would be much better suited on distance work where you’re predominately sitting at 40 or 50mph, i.e the forest work that they seem to do semi-regularly at the moment anyway…

97/98 has had a Running Week by the looks of things, using the 5 tridents that are freed up be lack of school work. Will return to MMC operation, when they’re all back and working that is…

 

[SouthEastBuses]

. These N250UDs would be much better suited on distance work where you’re predominately sitting at 40 or 50mph

This is exactly why I think they should transfer to Witney for use on the S1 & S2