Earlier this morning two Enviro400 MMC together on RouteX8 all the way to Liverpool were 10835 front and 10831 behind. To cover rail replacement. Full loading of passengers on board. Could be later again on peak time in afternoon.
At peak time, I jumped on what I thought was the 17:09. I asked the driver and it was the 16:34 because of traffic. He was 39 late at COaks.
To be honest, given the length of the X8, I think the amount of recovery time it gets at either end is pitiful, and it's no wonder it's routinely running behind time, which of course affects passenger numbers / attitudes negatively.
At Chester, do buses step back or do they have 2 minutes layover? If it is the latter then it is absolutely disgusting. 51, 53, 1/1A none of them can cope on Sundays when they have 2 minutes (1/1A used to have 2 minute before SC added in 1 additional bus) These are smaller local routes which have a running time of around 30 minutes. X8 takes around 2.5 hours to do a round trip so the layover time is bad. I think what has happened on the Liverpool 1s is very good so that they have 20 min layover at Chester. I do often see some buses sit round for 20 minutes but some just 5 so it does prove such a system works. A PVR Increase would be useful but we will have to see when the announcement is made in July regarding the depot situation.
(14/03/2017 22:58)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]At Chester, do buses step back or do they have 2 minutes layover? If it is the latter then it is absolutely disgusting. 51, 53, 1/1A none of them can cope on Sundays when they have 2 minutes (1/1A used to have 2 minute before SC added in 1 additional bus) These are smaller local routes which have a running time of around 30 minutes. X8 takes around 2.5 hours to do a round trip so the layover time is bad. I think what has happened on the Liverpool 1s is very good so that they have 20 min layover at Chester. I do often see some buses sit round for 20 minutes but some just 5 so it does prove such a system works. A PVR Increase would be useful but we will have to see when the announcement is made in July regarding the depot situation.
What announcement about the depot
The land where Chester lies has been sold on for more student development. The current plans are to either move Chester to Rock Ferry (lots of dead mileage) or build a new depot in Eport so a more central location. We are expecting an announcement around July. I know the land is sold and I was told all ops moving to RF but I have since been told be a friend they are looking for land in Eport and an announcement is expected in July so both options are basically open at the moment. Nothing is confirmed (Except the land in Chester has been sold) so it is more a waiting game.
I am told that employees havent been told fully by management. I was told originally by a friend of Rob Jones about the move but it has recently been confirmed to myself about the land being sold.
(15/03/2017 07:00)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]The land where Chester lies has been sold on for more student development. The current plans are to either move Chester to Rock Ferry (lots of dead mileage) or build a new depot in Eport so a more central location. We are expecting an announcement around July. I know the land is sold and I was told all ops moving to RF but I have since been told be a friend they are looking for land in Eport and an announcement is expected in July so both options are basically open at the moment. Nothing is confirmed (Except the land in Chester has been sold) so it is more a waiting game.
I am told that employees havent been told fully by management. I was told originally by a friend of Rob Jones about the move but it has recently been confirmed to myself about the land being sold.
I personally cannot see Chester being moved to Rockferry as you say a lot of dead mileage, and plus there simply insnt the room to accomodate Chesters vehicles as well as their own, I'm sure a while ago developers where hoping to acquire the land At Rockferry for housing so whether SC are going to combine the 2 depots and have one central depot for both operations there is plenty of brown land off oil sites road which is available and directly adjacent to the motorway which could be potential!
I was going to say the same the depot is just so tight for space already at Rock Ferry , many years ago part of the depot site furthest away from the main buildings was sold for housing if that had not been sold then maybe they would have had the space to do it .
If that had been the case then only some of Chester's routes would be viable maybe not all the ones they have now as you would have to factor in other variables.
I was thinking the same as you two but I was told by the GM driver that everything would be the same and that there is plenty of space (I wasn't too sure) PRs were staying at Bumpers Lane as they dont take cash or anything so that is 12 buses down but still, it wouldnt work. Ellesmere Port I think is the best option at the moment.
A new depot in Ellesmere Port makes quite a lot of sense to be honest. Saves quite a bit of dead mileage & some of the gold vehicles from RF could stable overnight for the late finishes/early starts. Other routes such as SP1/2 & 6 also wouldn't have to run empty as they do now.
However, unless there's some secure area in the Chester area, the vehicles used on Chester locals would have dead mileage (although some could cover early/late turns on services 1/2, X2, X8 to get between Ellesmere Port & Chester.