(20/01/2015 05:20)jcksmnr Wrote: [ -> ]The X2 was originally coaches wasn't it?
Yes it was. Also, it was operated out of GM depot and, in order to maintain its 'Express' credentials, initially missed out Formby and Freshfield and just bombed along the A565. Wisely, it was quickly amended and additional stops included so that it could actually pick up passengers. I suspect the recent additional stop at Port Sunlight for the X8 won't be the last to be added.
(19/01/2015 22:00)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]I think the success of this route looks like its tapping the market along the Hoole Road to Ellesmere Port and Liverpool , a market that has been a bit slow to show to its head but is now starting to show some fruit , not sure there is enough yet throughout the day for double deckers , but Stagecoach unfortunately cant just run them in the peak hours , they'll have to be used all day .
I'm not sure what the procedures are for this sort of thing, or what the score is with intra-depot competition, but if Chester did operate the X8 peak services with Enviro 400s, could Chester not interwork their last few morning peak services from Liverpool with the 471/472 until the evening peak, at which point the 400s return to Chester and get replaced by the usual 300s? It might be logistically complex, but if it increases potential for revenue during peak times on the X8 and reduces the effective dead-milage to and from Chester and Liverpool by operating a proven service, surely this would make sense if it were all worked out properly? Especially considering the apparent shortage of deckers at Rock Ferry at the moment.
(20/01/2015 08:34)Barney Wrote: [ -> ]Yes it was. Also, it was operated out of GM depot and, in order to maintain its 'Express' credentials, initially missed out Formby and Freshfield and just bombed along the A565. Wisely, it was quickly amended and additional stops included so that it could actually pick up passengers. I suspect the recent additional stop at Port Sunlight for the X8 won't be the last to be added.
It has to be at locations that will not be detrimental to the quick end to end running time of this route compared to the normal service buses , do beware too many stops on the route between the M53 and port sunlight may just wind up arriva into something similar and then the QBP is on rocky ground .
Route 16 liveried 36804 was noted on the X8 last night,
(20/01/2015 23:10)childwallblues Wrote: [ -> ]Route 16 liveried 36804 was noted on the X8 last night,
The last X8 is always operated by the first 16 out in the morning. So if it was the last X8 it was noted on then thats normal.
(20/01/2015 12:19)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]It has to be at locations that will not be detrimental to the quick end to end running time of this route compared to the normal service buses , do beware too many stops on the route between the M53 and port sunlight may just wind up arriva into something similar and then the QBP is on rocky ground .
It may surprise you to learn that the X2 observes
all stops between Liverpool and Southport and has done for many years. I know it sounds unlikely but when this all stops policy was implemented it was given about an additional ten minutes running time at off-peak times but obviously more at peak times. Rather than have a negative impact it had a positive impact on passenger loadings.
I am not suggesting that this should be applied to the X8 along the entire route but surely carrying fare-paying passengers is the primary objective for any bus company and therefore it has to balance additional running time against increased revenue.
As regards upsetting Arriva, I don't this is an issue. The X2 between Liverpool and Crosby closely follows the 53QBP and Arriva's 47.
Im just wondering whether Arriva would jettison the remaining journeys on the 2 for all the journeys on the 471/2 , may sound a bold step considering both are QBP services at the moment .
(20/01/2015 08:34)Barney Wrote: [ -> ]Yes it was. Also, it was operated out of GM depot and, in order to maintain its 'Express' credentials, initially missed out Formby and Freshfield and just bombed along the A565. Wisely, it was quickly amended and additional stops included so that it could actually pick up passengers. I suspect the recent additional stop at Port Sunlight for the X8 won't be the last to be added.
You're right! 52414 (P114 DCW) B10M/Plaxton coach, May 2007. Check the blue sticker in the windscreen...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bigdan14025/8220413279/
(Photo Credit; Daniel Mears)
(22/01/2015 16:41)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]At the risk of sounding awkward, why is it obvious that more additional time would be needed at peak times when converting from Limited Stop to all stops? The main reason for Stagecoach ditching the concept of limited stop/expresses in Manchester was the fact that they were driving so slowly past stops at peak times that they might as well stop. ie. Peak hour congestion meant stopping services only took slightly more time than Limited stop buses, but would have taken a lot more time off-peak when general traffic was lighter.
Most, if not all, bus services within the area are given additional running time to services at peak times simply because of the increased volume of traffic on the roads (motorists who don't like using buses). On the Wirral - which is not Manchester - travelling from A-B at 8am or 5pm on a Monday-Friday takes considerably longer than doing the same journey at 11am or 2pm unless, of course, you own a helicopter. That is why additional running time would be needed. However, this is purely academic as there are no plans at present to further alter the X8, as far as I am aware.
One alteration which could be on the cards is the diversion of the daytime X8 into Bromborough Cross and pull the existing stop in Bromborough , to avoid the queues at Croft Avenue East the service could take the junction on to the A41 at Matalan , Liverpool bound as per the Crosville/North Western X8.
The peak hour service already operates via Bromborough Cross.