Been a while since I have been to Ashton but I presume the routes First are surrendering don’t need deckers. Maybe the deckers are for a 409 takeover ? Pure speculation of course but you would have thought that Stagecoach would be interested in taking it on if it is as profitable as has been quoted and First are phasing a closure of Oldham if they cannot find a buyer ?
I am not overly familiar with Ashton routes but any time I have been over recently I have only seen saloons. May be a need for deckers at school in/out times. I wouldn't single out the 409 for special attention by Stagecoach as with the possible exception of the 6 (Rochdale to Kirkholt) I would have thought they would be interested in all remaining Oldham routes.
My thoughts are that First are looking at closure rather than a sale. The vehicles are a valuable asset that can be reused elsewhere within the group and the garage site is supposedly in an area identified for redevelopment. Andy Burnham gave them a great excuse to get out following years of large losses but the vehicles are the prize.
I borrowed the comment below from another site but I have yet to see and formal announcement but I would expect it to come to fruition. The 117 would, I assume, replace the recently withdrawn First 81 shorts between Manchester and Moston
'Following the withdrawal of the current operator, Stagecoach will be operating a number of new routes in North Manchester and Tameside from September:
117 - new route from Manchester to New Moston.
119 - current 118A journeys will be renumbered 119.
336/7 - replaces parts of routes 38/39, 331/333/393 withdrawn by First. The route will serve Ashton - Broadoak - Hazelhurst - Ashton in a loop.
389 - replaces part of current 389 route between Ashton and Yew Tree Lane in Dukinfield, current 389 route withdrawn by First.'