(12/01/2015 19:19)R971XVM Wrote: [ -> ]I highly doubt there would be 50+ people waiting at the bus stop for a 168/9...
Simple, if 3 buses are late with 20 people waiting for each it adds up quickly.
(12/01/2015 19:19)R971XVM Wrote: [ -> ]...and if there's one bus already pulled over allowing passengers on there's no point in the two behind pulling in at the same time. That always got my goat when passengers try to flag the same numbered bus down even though one has pulled up.
Don't forget, the 168/9 are two different services. For the record, it was 1 168 and 2 169s. I heard a woman complaining that only the 168 was boarding but she needed a 169. Remember that after Belle Vue they go completely different routes.
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Personally I think that seen as a lot of the problems seem to be stemming from the Longsight/Levenshulme end of the route (apart from the Greenside Lane traffic lights, but those have always been crap) surely it would be best to split the route say at Belle Vue (I don't know how much difference apart from the Clockhouse in Droylsden there is between the two) so there are 3 services eg 168 Belle Vue - Chorlton 169 Belle Vue - S. Cemetery and 170 Belle Vue - Ashton. The routes are far too long anyway
(13/01/2015 09:04)joe_alker Wrote: [ -> ]Simple, if 3 buses are late with 20 people waiting for each it adds up quickly.
Don't forget, the 168/9 are two different services. For the record, it was 1 168 and 2 169s. I heard a woman complaining that only the 168 was boarding but she needed a 169. Remember that after Belle Vue they go completely different routes.
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Personally I think that seen as a lot of the problems seem to be stemming from the Longsight/Levenshulme end of the route (apart from the Greenside Lane traffic lights, but those have always been crap) surely it would be best to split the route say at Belle Vue (I don't know how much difference apart from the Clockhouse in Droylsden there is between the two) so there are 3 services eg 168 Belle Vue - Chorlton 169 Belle Vue - S. Cemetery and 170 Belle Vue - Ashton. The routes are far too long anyway
I don't understand why the buses are not stopping though. If a bus is in service and isn't full too capacity if you request it to stop it should stop - whether there's a bus already at the stop or not.
When my partner lived in Gorton we would often catch the bus into town on Hyde road. Often there would be a 10/15 minute wait then 2 or three buses would come together so we would always request the second or third bus to stop as there was more chance of getting a seat.
The problem with the 168/169 is that there are days when things seem to run on time. I think if journeys were given extra time on timetables to do changeovers it might help.
Looks like AZ Have 19275 back from Hyde Road again. On the 236s today
(13/01/2015 13:59)Benzo Wrote: [ -> ]Looks like AZ Have 19275 back from Hyde Road again. On the 236s today
Yep just been on it going to work. Sadly no on board Wifi.
The 2.46pm 236 (dep Ashton) has been worked by a hybrid since last Monday so I'm wondering if if does the return 236 to Ashton then goes into a 219.
I was going to type something in reply to that particular statement although it would have been less "diplomatic" and probably involved 2 words... well done Dentonian.
(13/01/2015 16:05)mathias Wrote: [ -> ]Don't know about you, but the front of this new E400MMC decker reminds me of the shape of a milk bottle!
Stagecoach Manchester 10408 (SL64 HZR)....
https://www.flickr.com/photos/28562014@N05/16130883105/
(Photo Credit; hillsdeng)
It's all gone a bit wobbly if you ask me!
I think the design is fairly interesting, I like the Enviro400 MMC's more than the Enviro200 MMC's (
https://flic.kr/p/p1qjQX) but I think that has something to do with the fact that the body panels on the front are less symmetrical than Enviro400 MMC's. For me the only bus that gets away with that is the Mk1 Metrobus!
Has anyone seen any pic's of Enviro300 MMC's yet?
I saw a Stagecoach Manchester/Wigan Van Going past Alexander Dennis in Skelmersdale on Monday approx 11am any ideas?
(13/01/2015 21:02)VolvoB10M Wrote: [ -> ]Has anyone seen any pic's of Enviro300 MMC's yet?
E200MMC is replacing Enviro300 (or that's how things appear) given the expansion in max length of an Enviro200 to 11.8m (the same size as an Enviro300).
Enviro300 is believed to be being retained solely as a body for 3rd party chassis.
I've not driven the 168/9 for years but it was a nightmare for time then! An idea would become to have a 5 min dwell time added in at Belle Vue to assist late running and changeovers. They are awfully long routes!
And people here in Bristol are in the habit of flagging down the second bus too so it's not just Hyde Road!
John