I suppose that as Ashton is the only garage not to have any double-deckers from the 10s it makes sense to allocate some new buses there.
I was secretly hoping that my first Stagecoach Enviro400-MMC with new seating would be in Liverpool in September, but I may find it useful to ride one here sooner. As it is, route 330 is a useful bus to and from work.
(21/05/2016 20:08)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]I think you are forgetting Middleton. Until, '56 regd 19087/9/103 were moved there last month, they didn't have any Enviro400s except for the odd loan. I won't second guess why you want to sample the new seating as either I've misunderstood comments on the Gillmoss thread combined with notes elsewhere, or you are a - shall we say - a very well built gentleman! With a BMI of barely 20 and an incurable bone disease I am just hoping the HE examples keep well away from Hyde Road corridor.
It's the fact that the seating is new for Stagecoach plus having a personal incentive for timing my next visit to Liverpool for September. I admit to having seen some members express doubts about the seating but more for the lack of Wi-fi on some buses.
I think I forgot Middleton (and Wigan which does have some modern stock) as these are recent additions to Stagecoach Manchester.
(21/05/2016 16:32)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]I've not heard of any pressure either way, and in a free market, there shouldn't be.
If that's the case why has there been no obvious direct compititon from Stagecoach? Turn the clock back 12/13 years and on the very same corridor Stagecoach were slowly stamping on Dennis's for daring to try and compete yet they have sat back and done nothing with Metrolink. I always thought the 216 was one of the 'golden eggs' in Stagecoach's basket along with the 192, 219 and 250 ect but when you compare the level of investment on other major corridor services the 216 looks like a poor relation, except Sundays when on probably the quietist day of the week (when city arnt playing at home) it gets upgraded to Hybrid operation due to HE's interference on the 219.
10578 in service on the 38, pic to follow later
HTH
I've just seen 10582 on the X57.
(25/05/2016 18:52)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]Can we keep a close eye on registrations for these - not to mention allocations - as there are at least three different versions going round?
Are these recent arrivals now for Hyde road or will they move to AZ eventually?
(25/05/2016 19:20)Mayneway Wrote: [ -> ]Are these recent arrivals now for Hyde road or will they move to AZ eventually?
Latest I've heard is the first 31 for HE and the next 20 for AZ
of course this could turn out to be total bull but who knows until they get delivered?
(25/05/2016 19:49)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]AFAIK the order is still 53 buses not 51, but plans for Manchester seem to change more than the rest of Stagecoach put together. I've seen one list that states 10578-90 will be for HE, and another saying 10578-83 HE, then 10584/5 AZ with nothing allocated after that. However, neither of these sources are local. There is also now a question of seating, as these first few (at least) are reported as having "coach" seats, presumably similar to the Wigan ones.
The seating of the current 16 plate batch that have entered service is the same as Merseyside without the added extra's, unlike Wigans.
(25/05/2016 20:29)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]First batch or second batch? I heard that 10564-77 are/will be at loss less comfy that 10534-51.
As an aside, and as they haven't been seen anywhere else, I'm guessing you have travelled on one (or more) on Wilmslow Road. Have you noticed if Stagecoach (and First, for that matter) are sticking to the official diversion routes, and, more importantly, if so, are they observing stops at the back of MRI on UBS?
Sorry I'm unsure of batch details but the one I saw was 10578.
I live not far from the Hospital and both First and Stagecoach have largely been following the diversion route and observing all bus stops along the route (which has been delightful for me!). The only buses not following the UBS diversion were first buses running dead to Rusholme Depot and quite a few late running 147 buses that have ran dead from Piccadilly and commenced service from Hathersage Road/Plymouth Grove.
Interestingly the 18/147 turn back onto Oxford Road (to access the Hospital) shortly before UoM's student union. However, the additional magicbuses that provide capacity for UoM students between the UoM student union and Withington have been stacking outside of Factory Night Club/East Z East on Princess Street instead of their usual location on UBS (to prevent blocking traffic) and running directly down UBS and Hathersage Road, quite some distance from the 'official' starting bus stop of Brunswick Street.