(19/03/2022 19:46)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]First Student was effectively a private hire scheme based on the model that was working well for them in North America. OK it meant a coach used on a school contract wouldn't also be taking the pensioners to bingo but they were still hired out for school trips and other occasional school work like transporting primary school kids to the leisure centre for swimming.
Stagecoach Manchester have a large fleet of coaches at one of their depots. OK they are for Megabus but they could use them for other purposes if they wanted.
it only really SGB ( Stagecoach South West ) that does rail replacement with Megabus coaches but it their spares fleet most are ex NX coaches not ones on core megabus work. Megabus needs all there coaches as they have to hire in coaches from Snowdon Coaches and others with Stagecoach driving them.
The ones that was for schools at Hazal grove P&R was from SGB
Go Ahead is the only group that really does mix both private hire work and service work. one of the things that Go North West as not really looked at yet but I could see them with an NX route if they wanted.
(23/03/2022 21:53)Mrboo Wrote: [ -> ]it only really SGB ( Stagecoach South West ) that does rail replacement with Megabus coaches but it their spares fleet most are ex NX coaches not ones on core megabus work. Megabus needs all there coaches as they have to hire in coaches from Snowdon Coaches and others with Stagecoach driving them.
The ones that was for schools at Hazal grove P&R was from SGB
Go Ahead is the only group that really does mix both private hire work and service work. one of the things that Go North West as not really looked at yet but I could see them with an NX route if they wanted.
GNW have been on rail replacements recently, so maybe they are looking to branch into private hire (or at least contract work)
(23/03/2022 23:01)djb Wrote: [ -> ]GNW have been on rail replacements recently, so maybe they are looking to branch into private hire (or at least contract work)
They can only do rail replacement that’s timetabled as it can be done on domestic hours. Private hires and rail replacement on a bigger non local basis would mean drivers doing it on EU with tacho’s and can’t see them doing that.
(24/03/2022 10:11)Mayneway Wrote: [ -> ]They can only do rail replacement that’s timetabled as it can be done on domestic hours. Private hires and rail replacement on a bigger non local basis would mean drivers doing it on EU with tacho’s and can’t see them doing that.
At go ahead London we run all rail replacement on GB but often coach drivers will not play the game. even go ahead coaches are out of scope on rail work.
All rail replacement in North West can be run like this as there not many longer then 50km without calling at a station. only one I know is Manchester pic to Preston or Liverpool as that is just out by 1 or 2 km. But if they call at a station, they just need to wait for 5min
on Sunday this is how Go Ahead use service buses on long routes like last Sunday. with the single bus doing 54 miles on GB by breaking run into Peterborough to Huntingdon then wait 5mins then same bus does Huntingdon to St. Neots then wait 5mins before going onto Hitchin. Same bus and driver 2hrs 10m drive time.
![[Image: goahead.jpg]](https://i.ibb.co/BTDT9V8/goahead.jpg)
Couple of photos on Flickr tonight of Goodwins using one of the TFGM hybrids on the 391/392. Not sure how often it happens but wouldn’t have thought TFGM would be happy about it.
From what I remember they could only be used on TFGM tenders, nothing commercial or for other authorities.
(03/04/2022 22:32)Mayneway Wrote: [ -> ]Couple of photos on Flickr tonight of Goodwins using one of the TFGM hybrids on the 391/392. Not sure how often it happens but wouldn’t have thought TFGM would be happy about it.
From what I remember they could only be used on TFGM tenders, nothing commercial or for other authorities.
Was in an emergency scenario or planned? Local authorities tend to be more lenient about contract requirements if there's an emergency and the only options are cancelled journeys or a breach of contract over what vehicles get used where.
I can't see a recent working for them on the 391/392 on bus times. I notice one of the Evolutions has been on the route more than once, I thought only the Metrocities were supposed to cover for the MMCs due to a minimum age requirement in the contract.
(04/04/2022 11:00)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]Was in an emergency scenario or planned? Local authorities tend to be more lenient about contract requirements if there's an emergency and the only options are cancelled journeys or a breach of contract over what vehicles get used where.
I can't see a recent working for them on the 391/392 on bus times. I notice one of the Evolutions has been on the route more than once, I thought only the Metrocities were supposed to cover for the MMCs due to a minimum age requirement in the contract.
KCY on 2nd April did a trip on the 375 then spent the rest of the day on the 391/392.
When I did the routing out at MCT we were told the hybrids could not under any circumstances be used on the Macclesfields as it was a breach of contract with TFGM. It’s also one of the reasons the 391/392 had their own running boards and didn’t Interwork with anything in Stockport.
I also remember talking to a MCT Driver once and he mentioned that even MCT's own Hybrids weren't allowed on 391/392 route due to a low bridge on one of the routes as the roof box wouldn't fit under.
I'm pretty sure Diamond in the past have been in trouble with TfGM for using TfGM Hybrid's on their own commercial services.
(05/04/2022 05:49)M60lad Wrote: [ -> ]I also remember talking to a MCT Driver once and he mentioned that even MCT's own Hybrids weren't allowed on 391/392 route due to a low bridge on one of the routes as the roof box wouldn't fit under.
I'm pretty sure Diamond in the past have been in trouble with TfGM for using TfGM Hybrid's on their own commercial services.
There is a low bridge in Bollington on the the 391 that may 'de pod' a hybrid. The 392 is OK, although the routes interwork, so that's why it's always standard single deck. However, there is no reason why the last trip out of Stockport cannot be one (which has happened) as that terminates at Middlewood.
(05/04/2022 08:02)KXW212 Wrote: [ -> ]There is a low bridge in Bollington on the the 391 that may 'de pod' a hybrid. The 392 is OK, although the routes interwork, so that's why it's always standard single deck. However, there is no reason why the last trip out of Stockport cannot be one (which has happened) as that terminates at Middlewood.
I seem to recall a couple of times when one of the ‘white’ hybrids was used on the last trip due to vehicle faults etc, but we defiantly couldn’t use the TFGM hybrids.