Transdev Blazefield

[Jordan Adam]

The circumstances around his departure from Transdev do certainly seem unusual. Normally when an MD is departing a bus operator there would be advance notice, but in this instance he seemed to just unexpectedly disappear overnight; it does give the impression that his departure was not on his own accord.

 

[GusB]

Anyone know why Alex left Blazefield in the first place? I've heard a few rumours. Was he let go due to the poor performance last year, or just moved on to bigger and better things? Or is there something more nefarious involved?

The question of where Alex Hornby has gone has already been answered - in the post immediately before yours.

 

[Deerfold]

The question of where Alex Hornby has gone has already been answered - in the post immediately before yours.

To be fair, Securoseve asked why, not where, though I'm not sure it's terribly important to the users of this forum.

Edited to correct name.

 

[GusB]

To be fair, Jordan asked why, not where, though I'm not sure it's terribly important to the users of this forum.

I wasn't replying to Jordan's post, though!

Edit: Anyhow, as said Mr Hornby has moved on, the rest of us should too. We'll perhaps never find out why he left Transdev and it's probably none of our business anyway!

 

[Stan Drews]

I wasn't replying to Jordan's post, though!

Edit: Anyhow, as said Mr Hornby has moved on, the rest of us should too. We'll perhaps never find out why he left Transdev and it's probably none of our business anyway!

Perhaps he had a 3 month notice period and handed in his resignation back in February. It isn’t unusual for such notice periods to be undertaken “in the garden”, although I appreciate that won’t fit some peoples agenda, and I could be completely wrong!

 

[RustySpoons]

Perhaps he had a 3 month notice period and handed in his resignation back in February. It isn’t unusual for such notice periods to be undertaken “in the garden”, although I appreciate that won’t fit some peoples agenda, and I could be completely wrong!

Not wrong. Especially as Transdev will want to keep their internal business affairs to themselves and want to reduce the risk of a soon to be ex member of senior management picking them up and taking them to their new employer.

For anyone wanting to follow his career away from Transdev his Twitter is now @alexhornbybus - which I keep reading as Alex Horn By Bus....

 

[Bletchleyite]

Perhaps he had a 3 month notice period and handed in his resignation back in February. It isn’t unusual for such notice periods to be undertaken “in the garden”, although I appreciate that won’t fit some peoples agenda, and I could be completely wrong!

Very much my thought. It's very common for departing senior management to go on gardening leave.

It will be interesting to see if he pursues the same approach in his new employer, and whether Blazefield "loses its touch" a bit having lost him as Trent has.

 

[GusB]

The speculation about the Hornby issue stops here. It's adding nothing to the discussion and, due to the fact that the individual concerned has moved on to another employer, it's off-topic.

 

[RustySpoons]

The ex Ribble Mellors have been flung far and wide. 5 have remained at Burnley and are currently in a mix of orange and orange or Ribble Country orange and yellow with Burnley Bus Co branding.

The 5 at Blackburn are still in their purple Little Hotline colours but have Rosso logos and are being used to 'upgrade' some of the vehicles on TfGM (Transport for Greater Manchester) routes.

5 are at York in the grey Transdev Go livery.

8 are either already at or in the process of being repainted at going into service at Keighley. At least one is already there and in service.

 

[Delenn]

The ex Ribble Mellors have been flung far and wide. 5 have remained at Burnley and are currently in a mix of orange and orange or Ribble Country orange and yellow with Burnley Bus Co branding.

The 5 at Blackburn are still in their purple Little Hotline colours but have Rosso logos and are being used to 'upgrade' some of the vehicles on TfGM (Transport for Greater Manchester) routes.

5 are at York in the grey Transdev Go livery.

8 are either already at or in the process of being repainted at going into service at Keighley. At least one is already there and in service.

An orange one was spotted in both Malton and York, but not sure if it has gone back.

 

[JetBlast]

The 5 at Blackburn are still in their purple Little Hotline colours but have Rosso logos and are being used to 'upgrade' some of the vehicles on TfGM (Transport for Greater Manchester) routes.

I assume they won't be re-painted due to the possibility of needed to be done again in the Bee Network livery.

 

[LOL The Irony]

I assume they won't be re-painted due to the possibility of needed to be done again in the Bee Network livery.

Blackburn would be unaffected by the bee network, aside from losing a few routes.

 

[JetBlast]

Blackburn would be unaffected by the bee network, aside from losing a few routes.

But the busses are on TfGM routes - who's to say those won't stay. If they do there will be a new paint job.

 

[LOL The Irony]

But the busses are on TfGM routes - who's to say those won't stay. If they do there will be a new paint job.

Because bee network uses franchising, not tendering.

 

[JetBlast]

Because bee network uses franchising, not tendering.

I’m aware of that. But is there a reason why Transdev could win a franchise? They have indicated in the past they are interested in this.

 

[LOL The Irony]

I’m aware of that. But is there a reason why Transdev could win a franchise? They have indicated in the past they are interested in this.

There isn't a reason they couldn't win a franchise, but we're talking about Blackburn depot, which isn't going to be affected apart from losing some routes if Transdev don't win the franchise for the area of Manchester these routes operate.

 

[Leedsbusman]

There isn't a reason they couldn't win a franchise, but we're talking about Blackburn depot, which isn't going to be affected apart from losing some routes if Transdev don't win the franchise for the area of Manchester these routes operate.

The only Blackburn based routes part of the franchising scheme are the B1/B4 recently moved there from Rochdale.

 

[Seehof]

Why does York need five ex Ribble Mellors? Are they having problems with their little fleet they have for the 24/25/26 routes?

 

[dodecahedron67]

Why does York need five ex Ribble Mellors? Are they having problems with their little fleet they have for the 24/25/26 routes?

Putting Mellors on 24/25/26 means they’re able to displace E200MMCs onto 22/23 to replace 12 plate Versas as far as I know

 

[Delenn]

Just thinking about Harrogate to Wetherby and Connexions X70 competing with the top end of the 7. Is there really enough traffic to run 3 buses an hour all day during the weekday daytime (and 4 at times)? It doesn't appear to me to be that strong a corridor. Is it Connexions doing the pass revenue extraction like they seem to do on the X1? Are the buses anywhere near full ever?

 

[asw22]

Just thinking about Harrogate to Wetherby and Connexions X70 competing with the top end of the 7. Is there really enough traffic to run 3 buses an hour all day during the weekday daytime (and 4 at times)? It doesn't appear to me to be that strong a corridor. Is it Connexions doing the pass revenue extraction like they seem to do on the X1? Are the buses anywhere near full ever?

In the mid 2000s there were 2 770 journeys per hour (no Connexions). Then Connexions joined and then for or a while there were 3 Transdev journeys per hour between Harrogate and Wetherby. This then reduced to two and since Nov 2022 it is down to one Transdev 7 (+ 2 Connexions X70). My experience pre covid is that the 0745 Leeds to Wetherby and Harrogate would consistently be a full single decker (due to Seacroft and Boston Spa schools), whereas off peak it would be fairly quiet. Although my experience was on journeys out of Leeds I would imagine that the journeys left in the timetable since Nov 2022 have still been worth running. I haven't travelled on the X70 so not sure how it is doing.

 

[O539]

Putting Mellors on 24/25/26 means they’re able to displace E200MMCs onto 22/23 to replace 12 plate Versas as far as I know

I would assume as well that this would allow for better cost effectiveness on the 24/25/26 since they're shorter routes and the Mellors naturally get better fuel economy.

Similarly the 22/23 will probably be easier to run on the smaller E200MMCs as I'm pretty sure they're shorter than the current Versas, and probably more efficient.
Also I doubt that the Versas probably get up to full capacity frequently anyways due to the nature of the route, although I could be wrong on that of course since I don't get on it too often.

Also doing that might free up a versa or two for the Flyer routes as one or two of the current branded buses seem to have been out of service for quite a while, with a few Pride Of The North buses being used instead.

 

[SCH117X]

Just thinking about Harrogate to Wetherby and Connexions X70 competing with the top end of the 7. Is there really enough traffic to run 3 buses an hour all day during the weekday daytime (and 4 at times)? It doesn't appear to me to be that strong a corridor. Is it Connexions doing the pass revenue extraction like they seem to do on the X1? Are the buses anywhere near full ever?

Since the X70 came about the buses I have seen have never appeared that full - I use to see a packed 770 arriving in Harrogate at lunchime beforehand.

The whole service is a prime example of whatis wrong with comepetition, the 770 was providing a half hourly service via Follifoot as part of Transdevs self funded operation and there had been talk of increasing it to a 20 minute interval. Along came the X70 and the outcome was the Follifoot service having to be funded by the tax payer.

Connexions squealed about overbusing when Transdev had the contract for the Follifoot route as Transdev were running that in addition to their two services along the A661.

The timetable from Wetherby for large parts of the weekdays does not help the 7 with that departing at 5 pass the hour while the X70 along the same route leaves on the hour; the X70 via Follifoot being at 25 pass the hour.

 

[M60lad]

Mentioning the 2 Flyer Buses that have been out of service for a while I wonder if Transdev York are having the same problems other operators are in sourcing parts for them.

 

[SCH117X]

Think the York Versas that are not in use is due to accident damage. Also one of the Harrogate Electrics has been accident damnge sidelined for some time, albeit with the reduced serrvice it is probably not needed numbers wise although its still common to find a B7RLE substituting

 

[Delenn]

Thanks for all the info about the 7 and X70. I might take a few rides one day next week to see loadings etc myself.

 

[Andyh82]

The new timetables on the 64 & 72 came into force this week

One interesting quirk is that due to the 72 Skipton to Grassington now interworking with the 64 Ilkley to Skipton now interworking with the 62 Keighley to Ilkley, every 1 bus in 4 on the 62 is now a Solo

The other 3 buses in every two hour period continues to be a full sized bus, sometimes even a double decker

It’s the 0815, 1015, 1215, 1415 & 1600 from Keighley that are Solos

 

[Deerfold]

The new timetables on the 64 & 72 came into force this week

One interesting quirk is that due to the 72 Skipton to Grassington now interworking with the 64 Ilkley to Skipton now interworking with the 62 Keighley to Ilkley, every 1 bus in 4 on the 62 is now a Solo

The other 3 buses in every two hour period continues to be a full sized bus, sometimes even a double decker

It’s the 0815, 1015, 1215, 1415 & 1600 from Keighley that are Solos

Ah, I wondered what had caused that. Got the 1600 from Keighley yesterday. It got into Keighley about when it was due to leave, took an age to lower the wheelchair ramp and it was nearly 1610 when it actually left the bus station, with standees.

 

[Solent&Wessex]

The 62 / 64 / 72 circuit has the potential for serious late running. There are only a few minutes between each leg, especially in Ilkley and Skipton, which in some cases hardly looks like enough time to get folk off and on again.

Any congestion or roadworks en route will lead to all sorts of problems.

There is no reason that these curcuits couldn't be full sized single deck buses if needed, they will fit everywhere. They can't be deckers however due to a low bridge at Rylstone on the 72. Services which avoid Hetton and go main road between Rylstone and Cracoe could be deckers however, if needs be.

 

[northernchris]

The 62 / 64 / 72 circuit has the potential for serious late running. There are only a few minutes between each leg, especially in Ilkley and Skipton, which in some cases hardly looks like enough time to get folk off and on again.

Any congestion or roadworks en route will lead to all sorts of problems.

There is no reason that these curcuits couldn't be full sized single deck buses if needed, they will fit everywhere. They can't be deckers however due to a low bridge at Rylstone on the 72. Services which avoid Hetton and go main road between Rylstone and Cracoe could be deckers however, if needs be.

Off peak there's a lengthy layover at Keighley, so buses should at least be starting the circuit on time. I thought full size buses were unsuitable for those journeys which run via Hetton, hence the solos being required?