Ive done Exeter to Yeovil all stops on a Stagecoach Devon Solo which took ages but made a change from the train!
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Stagecoach West/South West/South Wales - Fleet News & Discussion
- Thread starter Temple Meads
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Ive done Exeter to Yeovil all stops on a Stagecoach Devon Solo which took ages but made a change from the train!
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Rapidash
Member
Anyone know if the madness of the 12 has been sorted? Before I went away, nothing was getting to Paignton in the evenings that wasn't over 1 1/2 hr late, which resulted in drivers timing out, and leaving us Brixhamites in a queue with 100 fellow wannabe passengers, resulting in a mad scramble for spare drivers to drive whichever bus has finished being cleaned for the night.
Would it be impossible to have 1 bph turn around at Lawes Bridge and just do a circuit of the bay? We have another month of this at minimum. ....
To misquote Dale Winton, Bring On The Bypass!
Would it be impossible to have 1 bph turn around at Lawes Bridge and just do a circuit of the bay? We have another month of this at minimum. ....
To misquote Dale Winton, Bring On The Bypass!
Temple Meads
Established Member
It wasn't too bad when I was there a couple of weeks ago, okay, there were delays, but most buses seemed to get where they were supposed to go.
I'm guessing there's been an influx of even more tourists and language students in the week following though!
How did you manage that?
4 goes from Exeter-Axminster and 99 from Chard-Yeovil, but no Stagecoach route in between?
iantherev
Member
Rail replacement service at a guess.
I can't see their being an issue with the CMA. Stagecoach don't operate in this area, and PCB are there for competition, so a straight swap first for stagecoach.
Colly405
Member
A bit delayed in posting, but on Saturday at 11am the Belles disgorged 12 passengers at Cribbs, and picked up 6 for the return.
And at 2pm at Cribbs, I didn't see the passengers, but the vehicle was a Gold 'decker.
ValleyLines142
Established Member
A bunch of Enviro 300s from Carlisle have arrived in Plymouth ready for the takeover of First operations. They are YY14 reg.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
And Solos and Tridents - all detailed on Plymothian Transit
E200s 37113-20. No E300s expected AFAIK. Solos from Exeter, and elderly Tridents from Manchester and East Scotland where they are too old for council contracts. For a full listing see this excellent blog:-
http://www.plymothiantransit.com/2015/08/stagecoach-plymouth.html#comment-form
DaveHarries
Established Member
It surprises me that Carlisle are getting rid of what are still fairly new vehicles quite so soon.
Dave
Stroud Valleys
Member
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belles express seems like a joke - even i could do a better job with the marketing and advertising - wouldn't be surprised if belles express was quietly withdrawn before christmas
I suspect that Carlise didnt want to get rid of them, they were told to! Stagecoach have done this a few times in the past where new vehicles are passed around if it benefits the group overall. The 'losing' depot usually get replacements from the next year's purchases.
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From what I've seen it's been advertised well, certainly better than the corresponding commuter services from North Somerset are. I cant see it changing before Christmas because the daytime service should get more popular at that time after which it might be reviewed.
Carlisle got new Solo SRs earlier in the year to replace the E200s. The logic being that the Solos are more size appropriate for most of the off-peak.
The Tridents from Fife have become available due to the loss of tendered school work - nothing to do with age this year for a change!
The Tridents from Fife have become available due to the loss of tendered school work - nothing to do with age this year for a change!
KendalKing
Established Member
The 14-reg'd E200's were recently replaced by 15-reg'd Solo's.
Rapidash
Member
Apparently there's a pay dispute in Torbay at the moment, with a slim possibility of strike action . If they do it at the same time as the trains, I may genuinely want to cry in frustration.
ValleyLines142
Established Member
I thought these were E300s, as they had a longer body length!
Must have read that wrong!
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
The big clue is that they're numbered in the 3**** series (midibus). E300s are numbered in 2**** series.
Think these Cumbrian ones are pretty standard machines IIRC
Viewed The Ride this afternoon and noted
17002/10/11/66 17289
18004
33870/74/76
34609/613
37114-37120 37113 was on promotion work in Plymouth City Centre
47086/89/90
Also present of interest was First 34177
This is not a complete list as some buses were not viewable.
Regards Colin
17002/10/11/66 17289
18004
33870/74/76
34609/613
37114-37120 37113 was on promotion work in Plymouth City Centre
47086/89/90
Also present of interest was First 34177
This is not a complete list as some buses were not viewable.
Regards Colin
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Invariably when heading north on the M5, I seem to pass something coming the other way at Falfield. A few weeks ago, it was PCB Yellow Flashes on delivery.
Today it was 2 ex Stagecoach NE Darts and a Trident. Think one Dart was 34612. Assuming these are heading for Plymouth
Today it was 2 ex Stagecoach NE Darts and a Trident. Think one Dart was 34612. Assuming these are heading for Plymouth
Temple Meads
Established Member
Have heard a rumour that a couple of the MCV Evolutions will be settling at Exeter with some Exeter Pointer Darts heading to Plymouth.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Was mentioned on one of the Yahoo groups by an Exeter driver/controller.
Sounds like the MCVs might be a little temperamental and IIRC, they've been held in reserve so makes sense to send some tried and tested kit to Plymouth.
The MCVs will need a fair bit of TLC.
Due to the weight of the MCV body, the engine is worked harder than in more 'normal' darts. Additionally, these vehicles suffered terribly from a lack of proper maintainence when Bluebird finances were going down the pan before Stagecoach bought them.
Add to that several months in reserve without turning a wheel and I'm amazed so many made it down to the South West!!
Due to the weight of the MCV body, the engine is worked harder than in more 'normal' darts. Additionally, these vehicles suffered terribly from a lack of proper maintainence when Bluebird finances were going down the pan before Stagecoach bought them.
Add to that several months in reserve without turning a wheel and I'm amazed so many made it down to the South West!!
Yep. There was a fast but I fancied a tour around.
I have gained the (not very scientific) impression that MCV bodied MAN 14.220s are not the most popular vehicles around, I note that Stagecoach have withdrawn the South Wales fleet and are starting to withdraw the Yorkshire fleet (one sold), I suspect they are only keeping them in reserve as they are DDA compliant.
iantherev
Member
Stagecoach Cymru are not that keen on the MAN engine in any shape or form - all but 2 of the Enviro 300s have gone or received Cummins engines and some of the Solos have received similar treatment.
To be fair though, most of the Wales fleet is based on the lower power 14.190 chassis. Even then it's not surprising that they've been pulled from service as they are rather non-standard within that fleet.
In Yorkshire, none of the MCVs have been withdrawn yet - those that have gone are East Lancs bodied. (*Insert comment about typical EL build quality*)
The plan in Yorkshire is for all the East Lancs MAN 14.220s to be gone by the end of the year, but the MCV examples will be staying.
In Yorkshire, none of the MCVs have been withdrawn yet - those that have gone are East Lancs bodied. (*Insert comment about typical EL build quality*)
The plan in Yorkshire is for all the East Lancs MAN 14.220s to be gone by the end of the year, but the MCV examples will be staying.
There was a Van Hool TD9 Astromega in full Stagecoach livery in Exeter bus station this afternoon. I assume this was on Megabus duties as it seems a bit grand for the X38 to Plymouth.
Any news on the Gold E400s for the 57 (Exmouth) service? Earlier reports suggested they should be due about now.
Any news on the Gold E400s for the 57 (Exmouth) service? Earlier reports suggested they should be due about now.
Rapidash
Member
57 is going gold? Seems an odd choice! Surely the X services to Plymouth/Dartmouth are more Gold friendly? I can imagine the 56 going gold, but I doubt an E300 could do some of the tighter corners....
Hang on, would they be sending the 400's from the 57 down to Torquay to eliminate Tridents? Nooooo......
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Temple Meads
Established Member
Yes, that Astromega would have been on Megabus - Stagecoach South Wales have a couple in S/C corporate livery.
Golds are due in November now, apparently. That is third-hand information to me though, so the usual disclaimers apply.
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