(08/11/2014 13:51)joe_alker Wrote: [ -> ]To me, it makes no difference what routes they are used on, it's still the same amount of diesel buses and the same amount of hybrid buses running.
I think Dentionan makes a good point though. Unlike the regular Enviro400's, the hybrids were part funded by the green bus fund. stagecoach bid for funding to make a certain service 'green' in this case it was the 219/197. stagecoach received the funding and bought the buses, but it's almost like they have gone back on the deal by increasing the number of diesel Enviro400's on the 219 and using the hybrids on services that wernt given green bus funding.
It's abit like First pioneer using thier Hybrid Solo's/Versa's on the commercial 348 instead of the subsidised services they were meant for.
(08/11/2014 14:22)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]Now that's a new one on me! A different set of duties/bus workings for days when a football match is on. Does that mean four different sets of schedules for Saturdays (1230 KO, 1500 KO, 1730 KO or no home match); 3 sets of Sunday schedules (1330 KO, 1600 KO & no match) and even two sets of Monday-Friday schedules to accomodate evening kick-offs? I've worked in and around the industry for nearly 35 years and I've never heard such a thing - besides, there is no seperate registrions to accomodate additional running times, which would surely be the only reason for seperate schedules. No, if there is a match on, you simply make sure there are additional resources available as and when they are required, bearing in mind HE/SH run extra 216s from Manchester to the Etihad and back anyway. Oh, and ftr, City are away today.
I never mentioned different duties. I was trying to point that when Manchester City are playing at home on a Sarurday it's quite often the case that different vehicles appear on different services. For example if Manchester city were playing at home it could explain the Hybrids on the 216 but as you say they are playing away.
Another possible theory is the 216/219's could possibly interwork on certain journeys which would explain the use of Hybrids on the 216 and Enviro400's on the 219 but as you cheaply point out I'm no expert you are!
I'm are though that Stagecoach will have checked the legality of using the Hybrids on other services otherwise they wouldn't be doing it.
(08/11/2014 14:01)Mayneway Wrote: [ -> ]It's abit like First pioneer using thier Hybrid Solo's/Versa's on the commercial 348 instead of the subsidised services they were meant for.
Well, no it isn't. The hybrid Solos/Versas are TfGM-owned. The E400Hs are Stagecoach-owned and used on Stagecoach commercial services.
(08/11/2014 15:27)joe_alker Wrote: [ -> ]Well, no it isn't. The hybrid Solos/Versas are TfGM-owned. The E400Hs are Stagecoach-owned and used on Stagecoach commercial services.
Stagecoach recieved fundin from the DfT's green bus scheme to purchase Hybrid vehicles, but when Stagecoach applied for the funding they had to specify a certain service that they wished to turn 'green' and with the support of TFGM they won the funding.
The point I was making is that just like TFGM specify what services their hybrids are used on. Stagecoach did commit when applying for the funding that the Hybrids would be used on the 219. Now obviously if a certain amount of Hybrids are off the road then regular Enviro400's would have to be used but it makes a mockery of the green bus grants when Stagecoach are flooding the 219 with standard diesel Enviro400's and using the hybrids elsewhere.
It's also worth mentioning that the hybrids have free wifi as does Metrolink I believe so some might argue that perhaps stagecoach are trying to compete with Metrolink on the 216.
(08/11/2014 17:35)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]If it was a "cheap" point, it wasn't aimed at you specifically. Perhaps I should have explained though; If buses stay on the same route (peaks apart) they will reappear at the duty relief point (in this case Ashton BS) at the same regular intervals. However, if buses interwork, they will re-appear at different times, and so drivers would be coming off for a mealbreak, or the end of their duty at different times. For instance, if the 219 should have 10 daytime workings, on an 8 minute service, then the bus will re-appear in Ashton every 80 minutes. At a guess, the 216 is 70 minutes round trip, so even though the difference is only 10 minutes, then it still affects all duties covering both services at any point between the peaks.
*clearly* not cheaply - bloody phone lol
(08/11/2014 17:47)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]No cheap points here, totally agree. IF the buses had been purchased without tax-payers money, then if I was Stagecoach Manchester's MD, I would be running the 216s with wi-fi fitted Hybrids *instead* of the 219, but the original commitment was to the 219. Therefore 219s should categorically not be interworking with anything else, and the Ashton Engineers should ensure that all available hybrids are routed out on to the 219. If there is a spare then yes, put on 216, 330, 347 or anything. Equally, if there is a breakdown or unexpected congestion, then obviously a diesel is better than nothing. However, for three to appear on 216s on a Saturday morning suggests no attempt to allocate the buses properly in the first place.
Incidentally, the reason why I seem a bit "obsessive" about this, is because for so many years attention to detail and standing by their commitments (Easy access buses; branded buses on the right route; and various other measures beyond just fundamental reliability, were Stagecoach Manchester's hallmark. But in the last year or so, it all seems to have disappeared - and just as their "Friends in the North" are getting their act together.
I do agree with you 100% regarding the hybrids. Route branded vehicles are a slightly different in that they are standerd vehicles with some exterior branding for a certain service, but as you have rightly mentioned above one could argue that the tax payer has been duped.
Does anyone know what gearbox the Scania's have? I presume Voith, but I've not heard L94/N94 with Voith, only N113's.
The forms for applying for GBF did not require a specific route to be mentioned, but that was encouraged to strengthen bids.
I would imagine that Stagecoach's response went something like "use mainly on 219, or other Manchester routes due to operational requirements"
More problems on 32s yesterday as it was taking about 20mins just to get from Hough Lane junction to Tyldesley Square on Manchester Road, I was on the late running 10:52 from Piccadilly (it left at 11:02) and by the time we got to Atherton he should have been almost arriving in Wigan
22393 currently running 169 towards Southern Cemetery passing through Droylsden atm.