Stagecoach West/South West/South Wales - Fleet News & Discussion

[TheWalrus]

Any thoughts on what Stagecoach sw will do in Plymouth depot now they have lost Megabus work? This was one of the main reasons they bought the depot off First in 2015 and the huge depot will be far too big for the few Plymouth area routes they have kept and the Falcon. Notice in the depot states lots of opportunities to grow the network from Plymouth depot...but what and where I wonder...Any thoughts?

Still no idea atm.

 

[Mwanesh]

Tri-axle Plaxton Panther Volvo B12Bs 54045 and 54070 reported to be at Plymouth depot as spare vehicles for the Falcon service.

Since Megabus are moving out of Plymouth there wont be spare vehicles to use on the Falcon thats why these have been transferred down there.

 

[DaveHarries]

Since Megabus are moving out of Plymouth there wont be spare vehicles to use on the Falcon thats why these have been transferred down there.

I wasn't aware that Megabus were going to move out of Plymouth: I wonder why they have gone and done this? Anyway where will they be operating from now? Exeter?

Dave

 

[DaveHarries]

Any thoughts on what Stagecoach sw will do in Plymouth depot now they have lost Megabus work? [.....] Notice in the depot states lots of opportunities to grow the network from Plymouth depot...but what and where I wonder...Any thoughts?

One route I would look into trying, if the choice was mine, would be a route which mixes parts of PCB Services 28, 28A, 50/51 & 5/5A as well as Stagecoach Service 2A. More specifically City Centre (Royal Parade) to Latchbrook (Yellowtor Road, jcn. Pondfield Road): City Centre to Eggbuckland (Fort Austin shops) via route of PCB 28, then Forder Valley Road and Novorossiysk Road (PCB 28A), then following route of PCB 51 to Derriford Hospital via. Miller Way (but not via. Keswick Crescent). Thereafter, from Derriford Hospital, route of Service 51 via. Tavistock Road, Crownhill Road (missing the Tesco) and Victoria Road to Penros Road, then via. route of PCB 5/5A to Oaklands Green, then route of ScSW 2A to Latchbrook (Yellowtor Road) to terminate at Pondfield Road: return journey to operate same route in reverse. Frequency every 30 minutes City Centre to Derriford Hospital, every 60 minutes Derriford Hospital to Latchbrook.

Just a thought but I have another idea or two if anyone is curious about those.
Dave

 

[mbonwick]

I wasn't aware that Megabus were going to move out of Plymouth: I wonder why they have gone and done this? Anyway where will they be operating from now? Exeter?

Dave

South Gloucester Bus & Coach supplying drivers; believe the coaches will nominally be allocated back to Rugby but obviously spend very little time there.

 

[MarkC]

One route I would look into trying, if the choice was mine, would be a route which mixes parts of PCB Services 28, 28A, 50/51 & 5/5A as well as Stagecoach Service 2A. More specifically City Centre (Royal Parade) to Latchbrook (Yellowtor Road, jcn. Pondfield Road): City Centre to Eggbuckland (Fort Austin shops) via route of PCB 28, then Forder Valley Road and Novorossiysk Road (PCB 28A), then following route of PCB 51 to Derriford Hospital via. Miller Way (but not via. Keswick Crescent). Thereafter, from Derriford Hospital, route of Service 51 via. Tavistock Road, Crownhill Road (missing the Tesco) and Victoria Road to Penros Road, then via. route of PCB 5/5A to Oaklands Green, then route of ScSW 2A to Latchbrook (Yellowtor Road) to terminate at Pondfield Road: return journey to operate same route in reverse. Frequency every 30 minutes City Centre to Derriford Hospital, every 60 minutes Derriford Hospital to Latchbrook.

Just a thought but I have another idea or two if anyone is curious about those.
Dave

It is whether or not Stagecoavh are willing to take on PCB? Mi d you if they did start to compete what retaliation could PCB do as they only have a few Stagecoach routes to pick from and they failed against First recently on all of them?

 

[Mwanesh]

I wasn't aware that Megabus were going to move out of Plymouth: I wonder why they have gone and done this? Anyway where will they be operating from now? Exeter?

Dave

Stagecoach Devon wanted more money from Megabus but they told them no ways.Hamilton Gray are supplying the drivers for the time being will keep the post updated.The coaches are all going on Midland Red licence Rugby depot .

 

[padbus]

The first I heard about Stagecoach pulling Megabus work out of Plymouth was this anonymous comment on the Plymothian Transit blog (
http://www.plymothiantransit.com/2018/02/devon-cornwall-transit-091.html#comment-form) posted on 28/2/18.

Maybe of intrest to some bad news for others but stagecoach plymouth are to lose there megabus work and coaches from the next timetable change. I beleve sgbc and cwmbran are taking over the plymouth duties and the coaches are due to rtn to rugby were they started life So anyone who wants to ride an eletei on falcon the clock is tickingm

Then, on 10/3/18, the Public Transport Experience blog (http://publictransportexperience.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/weekend-collection-1.html) posted a photo of a staff notice (again from an anonymous source) which gave more detail. The Fat Bus Bloke who runs the blog has extracted the salient points

I am writing to confirm that from the end of the financial year, Megabus will no longer be operated from Plymouth Depot. I appreciate rumours about this have been circulating for some time however it has only recently been confirmed. The work will be operated by other Stagecoach UK Bus companies, and also other subcontractors.

This was a strategic decision for Megabus and reflects how the relationship between Megabus and other UK Bus companies has changed over the past few years. It is not an indicator of poor performance at Plymouth; we have been a valued contractor for the network.

Ultimately the Megabus operating structure has been unchanged for many years, and like any other organisation it needs to adapt to the changing and challenging business environment. Cost benefit analysis has demonstrated that higher profitability can be achieved under an alternative structure, with Plymouth not being directly involved in operating the network.

There is a further paragraph on the notice which goes on to say there will be no job losses.

This does, as other have said, raise all sorts of queries about what Stagecoach are planning for the Plymouth operation now. I note that some Panthers have been drafted in as back ups for the South West Falcon although there was an Elite i working on it yesterday.

Does anyone know the date that this change will take effect?

 

[Dai Corner]

Does anyone know the date that this change will take effect?

'The end of the financial year' could mean Stagecoach's financial year (29 April) or the general UK financial year (5 April).

 

[MarkC]

The first I heard about Stagecoach pulling Megabus work out of Plymouth was this anonymous comment on the Plymothian Transit blog (
http://www.plymothiantransit.com/2018/02/devon-cornwall-transit-091.html#comment-form) posted on 28/2/18.


Then, on 10/3/18, the Public Transport Experience blog (http://publictransportexperience.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/weekend-collection-1.html) posted a photo of a staff notice (again from an anonymous source) which gave more detail. The Fat Bus Bloke who runs the blog has extracted the salient points
There is a further paragraph on the notice which goes on to say there will be no job losses.

This does, as other have said, raise all sorts of queries about what Stagecoach are planning for the Plymouth operation now. I note that some Panthers have been drafted in as back ups for the South West Falcon although there was an Elite i working on it yesterday.

Does anyone know the date that this change will take effect?

There are not many areas of the city they can go without potentially starting a bus war with PUB Go Ahead. Personally I think they would do quite nicely in the city as there are quite few areas that are always complaining to local press 're sub standard bus services from PCB ...Southway, Eggbuckland and Honicknowle to name a few. Any thoughts re potential new routes?

 

[goldisgood]

There are not many areas of the city they can go without potentially starting a bus war with PUB Go Ahead. Personally I think they would do quite nicely in the city as there are quite few areas that are always complaining to local press 're sub standard bus services from PCB ...Southway, Eggbuckland and Honicknowle to name a few. Any thoughts re potential new routes?

Southway would seem to complement the 1 - if they did a 15 minute service similar to PCB's 40/41 then they could fit it in with the 1 to have buses every 7-8 minutes from Crownhill to Plymouth.

 

[Charlie M.]

hello, i was on here years ago and thought I’d take a peep back.

Going off topic slightly, but who would agree that it is time for new buses for Stagecoach West around Gloucester and Stroud?

Also, any predictions for 18/19 order?

 

[thameslink2000]

hello, i was on here years ago and thought I’d take a peep back.

Going off topic slightly, but who would agree that it is time for new buses for Stagecoach West around Gloucester and Stroud?

Also, any predictions for 18/19 order?

Would think Swindon could do with some newer single decks too, some of the Darts are getting a bit old now.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

hello, i was on here years ago and thought I’d take a peep back.

Going off topic slightly, but who would agree that it is time for new buses for Stagecoach West around Gloucester and Stroud?

Also, any predictions for 18/19 order?

Would think Swindon could do with some newer single decks too, some of the Darts are getting a bit old now.

To be fair, Gloucester and Stroud have done ok with fleet upgrades over recent years. The new 94 fleet arrived and that allowed the 97/98 and the 63 to be upgraded with more modern fleet. Similarly, the 66 has also had newer fleet cascaded into the area.

Swindon has just received its new e400s for the 55, though in fairness, it does have some ropey Darts and I would anticipate them heading out of the fleet in the next year or so, perhaps replaced by cascaded e200 from elsewhere? One which might be a fair prediction might be new fleet for the Swindon 66, allowing the Gold deckers there to perhaps cascade onto something like the 49/51 routes.

 

[MarkC]

Southway would seem to complement the 1 - if they did a 15 minute service similar to PCB's 40/41 then they could fit it in with the 1 to have buses every 7-8 minutes from Crownhill to Plymouth.

Yes I believe that would be a good idea but are they willing to start a bus war to do it as i am sure PCB would retaliate although I think SC have more to win than lose and quite the opposite for PCB? Any thoughts on this and potential Plymouth expansion to replace lost Megabus work?

 

[matt_splat]

On the subject of SGBC doing the Plymouth and Falmouth megabus stuff apparently the drivers currently based in Barnstaple will do the falmouth runs taking the coach over at J27.

 

[83G/84D]

Stagecoach 54045 seen working an inbound falcon service in Plymouth at 1045 this morning.

 

[Charlie M.]

To be fair, Gloucester and Stroud have done ok with fleet upgrades over recent years. The new 94 fleet arrived and that allowed the 97/98 and the 63 to be upgraded with more modern fleet. Similarly, the 66 has also had newer fleet cascaded into the area.

I can’t really see any new double decks, but the singles in Gloucester and Swindon aren’t the best. The VX08 units in Gloucester are EXTREMELY loud, draggy, the doors are slow and make the bus cold through the gap at the bottom, it’s dirty and for the fairly populated Service 8 which is a 50 minute return it isn’t very practical. Also th3 MX59 units have had their days in Manchester, they aren’t the best.

Swindon darts are awful. No two ways about it.

 

[goldisgood]

I can’t really see any new double decks, but the singles in Gloucester and Swindon aren’t the best. The VX08 units in Gloucester are EXTREMELY loud, draggy, the doors are slow and make the bus cold through the gap at the bottom, it’s dirty and for the fairly populated Service 8 which is a 50 minute return it isn’t very practical. Also th3 MX59 units have had their days in Manchester, they aren’t the best.

Swindon darts are awful. No two ways about it.

Rumours circulating that there will be deckers for the Swindon 66. Some new single deckers would be good, I suspect there will be some new single decks for West in this year's order but we'll have to wait and see.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I can’t really see any new double decks, but the singles in Gloucester and Swindon aren’t the best. The VX08 units in Gloucester are EXTREMELY loud, draggy, the doors are slow and make the bus cold through the gap at the bottom, it’s dirty and for the fairly populated Service 8 which is a 50 minute return it isn’t very practical. Also th3 MX59 units have had their days in Manchester, they aren’t the best.

Swindon darts are awful. No two ways about it.

Rumours circulating that there will be deckers for the Swindon 66. Some new single deckers would be good, I suspect there will be some new single decks for West in this year's order but we'll have to wait and see.

I did suggest that the 66 Swindon to Oxford would be a reasonable bet I travelled on 15765 on Thursday and it was looking rather frayed around the edges as well as rain water leaking into the front o/s seat upstairs (onto me!). Given that the vehicles are coming up to 7 years old (mainly), and that the 66 has been a success story and more development is happening at Faringdon, it seems a reasonable bet.

A few weeks ago, I did a circular route from Bristol to Trowbridge via Dursley, Stroud, Cheltenham, Ciren and Swindon and did mention a) that I'd had one of the MX59 e200s and that Manchester had had the best of them - it was pretty awful for rattles and general condition and b) I'd also had 34563 (a 2004 Dart of Swindon's) and that it was a real dog. Some new single deckers might be welcome though I don't know which routes leap out as justifying them though but that's a reflection of ignorance on my part

 

[Charlie M.]

Gloucester City VX08 and MX59 need replacing. These buses operate busy services and have once operated far more than it should have, with the old service 66 and Manchester City.

Swindon’s full dart set needs replacing.

 

[carlberry]

I'm amazed at how badly Stagecoach Cheltenham and Gloucester (especially the Gloucester bit) manage route branding! Today was a fairly usual example.
One of the unbranded Gold deckers recently arrived from Oxford was on the 94. It's nice to see them being used (I assume they're for the 93 at the end of next month) however the route does have it's own set of branded buses.
Route 10 (gold branded) had a stagecoach standard decker on it. No problem, they may be short. Standing behind it in Cheltenham was one reasons they were short as a Route 10 branded decker was on route 97 (gold route with it's own branded buses). Slightly later the reason for the shortage of branded buses on the 97 showed up as another route 10 working was being operated with one of the route 97 branded buses. Clearly Gloucester depot hasn't got a vast amount of spare space however this hasn't happened suddenly so if the operations department cant, or cant be bothered to, allocate buses properly who bother with the branding, just have the gold bit!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I'm amazed at how badly Stagecoach Cheltenham and Gloucester (especially the Gloucester bit) manage route branding! Today was a fairly usual example.
One of the unbranded Gold deckers recently arrived from Oxford was on the 94. It's nice to see them being used (I assume they're for the 93 at the end of next month) however the route does have it's own set of branded buses.
Route 10 (gold branded) had a stagecoach standard decker on it. No problem, they may be short. Standing behind it in Cheltenham was one reasons they were short as a Route 10 branded decker was on route 97 (gold route with it's own branded buses). Slightly later the reason for the shortage of branded buses on the 97 showed up as another route 10 working was being operated with one of the route 97 branded buses. Clearly Gloucester depot hasn't got a vast amount of spare space however this hasn't happened suddenly so if the operations department cant, or cant be bothered to, allocate buses properly who bother with the branding, just have the gold bit!

Excuse my ignorance but I must have missed this. Which ex Oxford deckers are these, and the 93??

 

[carlberry]

Excuse my ignorance but I must have missed this. Which ex Oxford deckers are these, and the 93??

10902-10905 were delivered to Thames Transit last year then sat around until they were used on the Gold Cup service recently and it was quoted on the Oxford Chiltern site (http://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/S&J 108 upload/Main 108.html) that they were then going to be used on a new Park and Ride service. Bennetts have deregistered the 511 from the end of May and C&G have registered the same route as service 93. My assumption is that is where they'll end up, however I could be wrong.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

10902-10905 were delivered to Thames Transit last year then sat around until they were used on the Gold Cup service recently and it was quoted on the Oxford Chiltern site (http://www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk/S&J 108 upload/Main 108.html) that they were then going to be used on a new Park and Ride service. Bennetts have deregistered the 511 from the end of May and C&G have registered the same route as service 93. My assumption is that is where they'll end up, however I could be wrong.

Cheers Carl - not read Malcolm’s page for a bit. Remiss of me

 

[Charlie M.]

I'm amazed at how badly Stagecoach Cheltenham and Gloucester (especially the Gloucester bit) manage route branding! Today was a fairly usual example.
One of the unbranded Gold deckers recently arrived from Oxford was on the 94. It's nice to see them being used (I assume they're for the 93 at the end of next month) however the route does have it's own set of branded buses.
Route 10 (gold branded) had a stagecoach standard decker on it. No problem, they may be short. Standing behind it in Cheltenham was one reasons they were short as a Route 10 branded decker was on route 97 (gold route with it's own branded buses). Slightly later the reason for the shortage of branded buses on the 97 showed up as another route 10 working was being operated with one of the route 97 branded buses. Clearly Gloucester depot hasn't got a vast amount of spare space however this hasn't happened suddenly so if the operations department cant, or cant be bothered to, allocate buses properly who bother with the branding, just have the gold bit!

I must say those gold ones on the 94 were nice.

Back in 2015, I remember I saw my first non gold 10 and I remember thinking how rare this was. Now, it’s more surprising to see a gold on it.

On Thursday, on the 94 was the 93 buses. But, on the 94U was 2 94 branded buses. On the 31 was a gold branded 10 as well as the 9 and 97. On comes along one of the reserve fleet tridents on the 10. Up next on the number twelve is a trident which was pretty much empty, I take a step into the 50 seater E300 not late number 8 jam packed. Not to mention the awful bus but i will contain my anger.

 

[Wirewiper]

Any thoughts on what Stagecoach sw will do in Plymouth depot now they have lost Megabus work? This was one of the main reasons they bought the depot off First in 2015 and the huge depot will be far too big for the few Plymouth area routes they have kept and the Falcon. Notice in the depot states lots of opportunities to grow the network from Plymouth depot...but what and where I wonder...Any thoughts?

Just to add to this, Stagecoach are now advertising driver jobs at Plymouth, with "opportunities" in Tavistock and Dartmouth (presumably these are outstations of Plymouth).

https://twitter.com/JCPinPlymouth/status/984869101037334528

 

[MarkC]

Just to add to this, Stagecoach are now advertising driver jobs at Plymouth, with "opportunities" in Tavistock and Dartmouth (presumably these are outstations of Plymouth).

https://twitter.com/JCPinPlymouth/status/984869101037334528

Just to add to this, Stagecoach are now advertising driver jobs at Plymouth, with "opportunities" in Tavistock and Dartmouth (presumably these are outstations of Plymouth).

https://twitter.com/JCPinPlymouth/status/984869101037334528

Yeah and some pretty large fare increases from start of May too.

 

[Wirewiper]

Stagecoach have just announced a consultation on significant improvements to the 13 (currently Newton Abbot-Brixham, irregular), and on amalgamating routes 70, 77 and 88 to provide new links to Newton Abbot Station and a Buckland-Mile End service operating every 30 minutes.

From 22nd July route 13 would be increased to hourly, and would be projected to and from Kingsteignton to support route 2. In Newton Abbot it would be diverted via East Street and Torquay Road (instead of the Railway Station) as this area has a high density of housing but no regular bus service currently.

Between Marldon and South Devon College the 13 would be revised to operate via Marldon Road, Paignton Bus Station, Colley End Road and Waterleat Avenue. This is to restore many of the links to Torbay Hospital and The Willows which were lost when Local Link route 67 was withdrawn in April 2017. Passengers travelling to and from Foxhole can connect with the 13 at Paignton Bus Station. In Brixham the terminus would be moved to Bank Lane, and the timetable co-ordinated with route 18a to offer convenient connections to Summercombe and Kingswear. Most of the existing variations for schools and colleges would continue.

Route 88 will lose its additional Newton Abbot - Ashburton short journeys from 8th July. These were supported by funding from the Lemon Grove development which is ceasing, and they have not generated sufficient additional custom to be operated commercially. From 22nd July routes 70 and 77 would be combined into route 88. The combined route would offer new links to Newton Abbot Railway Station, and a 30-minute service between Buckland and Mile End.

Consultation on the changes closes on 18th May.

www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south-west/newton-abbot-consultation

 

[TheWalrus]

Stagecoach have just announced a consultation on significant improvements to the 13 (currently Newton Abbot-Brixham, irregular), and on amalgamating routes 70, 77 and 88 to provide new links to Newton Abbot Station and a Buckland-Mile End service operating every 30 minutes.

From 22nd July route 13 would be increased to hourly, and would be projected to and from Kingsteignton to support route 2. In Newton Abbot it would be diverted via East Street and Torquay Road (instead of the Railway Station) as this area has a high density of housing but no regular bus service currently.

Between Marldon and South Devon College the 13 would be revised to operate via Marldon Road, Paignton Bus Station, Colley End Road and Waterleat Avenue. This is to restore many of the links to Torbay Hospital and The Willows which were lost when Local Link route 67 was withdrawn in April 2017. Passengers travelling to and from Foxhole can connect with the 13 at Paignton Bus Station. In Brixham the terminus would be moved to Bank Lane, and the timetable co-ordinated with route 18a to offer convenient connections to Summercombe and Kingswear. Most of the existing variations for schools and colleges would continue.

Route 88 will lose its additional Newton Abbot - Ashburton short journeys from 8th July. These were supported by funding from the Lemon Grove development which is ceasing, and they have not generated sufficient additional custom to be operated commercially. From 22nd July routes 70 and 77 would be combined into route 88. The combined route would offer new links to Newton Abbot Railway Station, and a 30-minute service between Buckland and Mile End.

Consultation on the changes closes on 18th May.

www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south-west/newton-abbot-consultation

Why not extend the 13 even further up the A380 to Exeter? Would be nice! Not sure how viable though.