Confirmation on the Hulleys Facebook page that the X57 will be withdrawn after the last service on 8 January 2022
Quote:Hello all. After what will be 441 days, the Snake X57 will be withdrawn after operation on Saturday 8 January 2022. This was a very difficult and even emotional decision to take, but for a myriad of reasons, ultimately the passenger numbers weren’t quite there. We feel that, despite a number of obstacles, we have given the service every opportunity to develop and succeed but, unfortunately, good will and kind words don’t pay the bills.
I would like to place on record my thanks to each and every customer for giving us and the X57 a chance to serve you. I would also like to thank our amazing team of Drivers who’ve battled their way through temporary traffic lights, snow, ice, road closures that were announced, road closures that weren’t announced along with some outrageous diversions, diversions on diversions, unannounced road closures on diversions on diversions and the infamous Mottram Moor bottleneck. Our Engineers for their skill, dedication and response, often dozens of miles away from base, whatever the time, whatever the day. To our Marketing team Alan, Jake, Jonny and Nathan for getting the stops up and the timetables out, spreading the word with some of the best creative thinking in the business. To Derbyshire County Council’s public transport team especially to Anthony, Janet and Phil, also to Alex for getting the bus stops out on the Snake Pass. To our Operator friends for their kind words of support, proving beyond all doubt that our industry is at its best when we support innovation, our people and most importantly each other. Thank you everyone. We hope you enjoyed the journey.
https://www.facebook.com/hulleys1921/pos...7197712666
I tried riding route X57 today. I arrived at Chorlton Street by about 11.10 for the 11.30 journey. By 12.30 I gave up as it never turned up. I heard there had been delays at Snake Pass.
Just as well I was in Manchester as I was able to make other use of my afternoon.
I could try again another day but don't really feel like it. After all, it was today that was my east Manchester trip.
(10/01/2022 18:49)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]Is there any truth in this: https://twitter.com/sghughes42/status/14...0588166144
I thought they were required to for off-peak travel for journeys starting in their area, even if any pre-09:30 reimbursement is optional.
I seen a post to say they did not even apply for the money they did not put in the paperwork. there would be no reason for Tfgm not to fund but they would also get money from Derbyshire and South Yorkshire so they could of turned the bus at Glossop. it more the Clean Air Zone and having to have buses that are euro 6. they messed up. I posted at start they should of ran from shudehill bus station and could of worked with megabus.
(11/01/2022 23:04)Mrboo Wrote: [ -> ]I seen a post to say they did not even apply for the money they did not put in the paperwork. there would be no reason for Tfgm not to fund but they would also get money from Derbyshire and South Yorkshire so they could of turned the bus at Glossop. it more the Clean Air Zone and having to have buses that are euro 6. they messed up. I posted at start they should of ran from shudehill bus station and could of worked with megabus.
There is a lot of things Hulleys should have done differently.
Maybe if they didn't do allocations by the roll of a dice and had more standard allocations, the CAZ wouldn't be as much of an issue. Instead they put every bus in the fleet onto the route and of course you will then get issues. Sort out 3 buses and run them on the route. It's not rocket science.
It's safe to say, some of the rubbish they kept throwing out on the route hardly encouraged passengers anyway and I can't have seen Megabus being too happy finding out passengers were getting dumped on a clapped out Dart or buses with Urban 90s
(11/01/2022 23:04)Mrboo Wrote: [ -> ]I seen a post to say they did not even apply for the money they did not put in the paperwork. there would be no reason for Tfgm not to fund but they would also get money from Derbyshire and South Yorkshire so they could of turned the bus at Glossop. it more the Clean Air Zone and having to have buses that are euro 6. they messed up. I posted at start they should of ran from shudehill bus station and could of worked with megabus.
It was obvious they were trying to make the X57 look like a low cost alternative to South TPE trains, they offered railcard discounts on their buses even though they didn't get any financial incentives from railcard sales.
They obviously thought there was a market for Manchester Airport services with the short lived X1 as well, plus partnering with Thomas Cook to offer discounts to holidaymakers using their service to get to Manchester Airport. I wonder how many Thomas Cook customers got a discount code for the bus and didn't get a chance to use it before the services got withdrawn.
The summer Saturday Manchester/Manchester Airport/Macclesfield to Alton Towers return working could have been popular with teenagers if they hadn't started the new timetable in September.
Seeing this post on a different thread made me think of the short lived X57 and the fact that they didn't support SystemOne tickets (at least when I rang up to ask as I was wanting to use this between Manchester and the Airport whilst the trains were near enough none existent):
http://dartslf.com/forum/showthread.php?...#pid150410
(20/06/2022 20:08)Mayneway Wrote: [ -> ]System one isn’t admined by stagecoach, the MD of stagecoach happens to over see S1 as well, and any operator who won’t sell or accept S1 looses all other reimbursements like our pass etc, which is exactly what happened to UK North many moons ago. TFGM refused to give them there last last reimbursement which forced them to close, because of none compliance.
How was it that TfGM let them use Hyde bus station if they didn't accept the multi-modal ticket (if they did go there as tracking at the time only shown drivers sometimes stopping there with me overhearing reports of people waiting), create bus timetables for the route (
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12tIEvhq...p=sharing) and label up on TfGM stops (
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.478227...4!8i8192)?
Previous posts do state that Hulley's made some poor choices where they did have greater potential - I was gutted that only the once I was able to use it to get to Sheffield where from Glossop it was a very popular bus - to make it a financial success, but then I was also hopeful about the CityZap from Manchester to Leeds (actually taking it twice in it's run) which was also cut.
(21/06/2022 18:37)dounowhoiam Wrote: [ -> ]Seeing this post on a different thread made me think of the short lived X57 and the fact that they didn't support SystemOne tickets (at least when I rang up to ask as I was wanting to use this between Manchester and the Airport whilst the trains were near enough none existent):
http://dartslf.com/forum/showthread.php?...#pid150410
How was it that TfGM let them use Hyde bus station if they didn't accept the multi-modal ticket (if they did go there as tracking at the time only shown drivers sometimes stopping there with me overhearing reports of people waiting), create bus timetables for the route (https://drive.google.com/file/d/12tIEvhq...p=sharing) and label up on TfGM stops (https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.478227...4!8i8192)?
Previous posts do state that Hulley's made some poor choices where they did have greater potential - I was gutted that only the once I was able to use it to get to Sheffield where from Glossop it was a very popular bus - to make it a financial success, but then I was also hopeful about the CityZap from Manchester to Leeds (actually taking it twice in it's run) which was also cut.
It was mentioned on another forum that perhaps Hulleys might have fared better bringing the Transpeak back to it's previous Manchester - Derby route, especially now that High Peak will shortly be curtailing most journeys to Buxton - Matlock. Certainly wouldn't be a bad idea if it could be resourced properly and reliably which is probably highly unlikely at the moment.
I think one problem with Ashbourne to Manchester Airport is they made it so it competed with the contracted services between Ashbourne and Macclesfield, which meant they had to be withdrawn. But then they ensured it didn't compete with the 130 by not calling at Macclesfield Hospital, Alderley Edge, Wilmslow or Handforth.
So effectively Ashbourne to Macclesfield was the same service but with separate services joined together, not many new journey opportunities.
While pensioners in the Wilmslow area bemoan the loss of the 130 to Piccadilly but Hulleys did nothing to address that gap in the market.
(21/06/2022 18:37)dounowhoiam Wrote: [ -> ]Seeing this post on a different thread made me think of the short lived X57 and the fact that they didn't support SystemOne tickets (at least when I rang up to ask as I was wanting to use this between Manchester and the Airport whilst the trains were near enough none existent):
http://dartslf.com/forum/showthread.php?...#pid150410
How was it that TfGM let them use Hyde bus station if they didn't accept the multi-modal ticket (if they did go there as tracking at the time only shown drivers sometimes stopping there with me overhearing reports of people waiting), create bus timetables for the route (https://drive.google.com/file/d/12tIEvhq...p=sharing) and label up on TfGM stops (https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.478227...4!8i8192)?
Previous posts do state that Hulley's made some poor choices where they did have greater potential - I was gutted that only the once I was able to use it to get to Sheffield where from Glossop it was a very popular bus - to make it a financial success, but then I was also hopeful about the CityZap from Manchester to Leeds (actually taking it twice in it's run) which was also cut.
That's odd. I did once email to ask if I could use System 1 tickets between Glossop and Manchester. They said such tickets were valid over that section.