(29/06/2016 22:44)M60lad Wrote: [ -> ]Noticed that so far this week the Metrolink Replacements are being operated by various vehicles from the Magic fleet and apart from Sunday no corporate vehicles seen doing X1-X3s.
Also a Hybrid Enviro400 was out this afternoon on a 142 to East Didsbury which could be confusing as it would have been charging Magicbus fares today but normally normally the Hybrids are on 42s to either East Didsbury or Stockport and would be charging normal fares
A magic bus Enviro400 was on the 76 as well yesterday.
I think HE's attitude that a bus is a bus despite the branding has been going on for a while now, infact daily now I'm seeing 76 & 38 branded vehicles appaearing the wrong side of Piccadilly, for example a 38 branded was on 15 yesterday afternoon.
Also a rather odd working yesterday saw one of HE's remaining MANs operating a full day's duty on 38s, not sure if a MAN has ever been on a 38 before yesterday
(01/07/2016 06:19)M60lad Wrote: [ -> ]I think HE's attitude that a bus is a bus despite the branding has been going on for a while now, infact daily now I'm seeing 76 & 38 branded vehicles appaearing the wrong side of Piccadilly, for example a 38 branded was on 15 yesterday afternoon.
Also a rather odd working yesterday saw one of HE's remaining MANs operating a full day's duty on 38s, not sure if a MAN has ever been on a 38 before yesterday
''A bus is a bus''.Quite right. There should be a mix of all on all routes.
(01/07/2016 19:46)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]Those days are well and truly gone. As regards the MAN on the 38; HE no longer have MANs on the permanent allocation - 22392 having returned to ST - so it was probably a loaned (MN?) bus. That said, the 38 is probably the only commercial HE route that would get away with a single decker.
76 can manage with a single decker off peak I reckon, between about 10 and 2 otherwise before 9 you've got to navigate through stacks of sometimes up to 4/5 prams (not sure that as a paying passenger I should have to move from a fold out seat for someone else's child who is riding for free) and after 3 loads of school kids who found it hard to speak at normal volume.
(01/07/2016 19:46)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]Those days are well and truly gone. As regards the MAN on the 38; HE no longer have MANs on the permanent allocation - 22392 having returned to ST - so it was probably a loaned (MN?) bus. That said, the 38 is probably the only commercial HE route that would get away with a single decker.
A very good friend of mine has literally (today) finished training at Hyde Road and earlier this week had VF on all operational vehicles at HE which included a MAN. He reckons there's currently 2 at HE although as he's not an enthusiast he didn't note any fleetnumbers.
(01/07/2016 20:54)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]IS the 141 commercial? Its a very mysterious service to everyone outside Stagecoach and MMU.
As far as I am personally aware, It's a commercial service with (atleast) the section between Booth Street and Birley Fields subsidised by MMU. Similar to how MMU pay a small amount to run the 147 (With UoM paying the most and subsidising their staff and sudents fares between campuses)
The 141 is a very mysterious service that could happily half-fill a single decker
(02/07/2016 09:08)Raawwwrrr! Wrote: [ -> ]As far as I am personally aware, It's a commercial service with (atleast) the section between Booth Street and Birley Fields subsidised by MMU. Similar to how MMU pay a small amount to run the 147 (With UoM paying the most and subsidising their staff and sudents fares between campuses)
The 141 is a very mysterious service that could happily half-fill a single decker
Stagecoach were approached by MMU to set the service up when they closed their Didsbury campus, and transferred to Birley Fields. They did so because students who had started their courses at Didbury and had accomodation in that area could claim they were disadvantaged by the move.
You are correct to say that loadings are very poor, and it will be interesting to see if the subsidy (and the service) continue in the next academic year, as if my sums are correct, the students who started at Didsbury will have finished this year. There has already been a reduction in the route for this academic year.
22392 is still on the HE allocation, and I believe reserve 22094 is also there.
Rightly or wrongly, the fleetcard reports all of 10578-608 as being into service at Ashton.
(02/07/2016 10:28)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]I wonder if a pair of AZ examples have transferred there, given their lack of use (off-peak) there. Reports on this thread about regular Enviro400 use on the 183, and my own (albeit very occasional) recent obs of Enviro200s rather than MANs on 345 would suggest this is a likely scenario. Next allocation list is due in a few days so it might reveal the answer.
Talking of which, where are we up to regarding MMCs entering service at AZ? I have 10578-87/90-4 in service, with 10588/9/95/6 prep'd and delivered to AZ. 10597 also arrived at Hyde Road some days ago, but has not been confirmed as reaching AZ yet.
Then there are the ones reported at Hyde Road a fortnight ago. These are now confirmed as part of the second batch for Manchester (early?), but fleet numbers are yet to be confirmed and certainly no suggestion of them being prep'd for service. Maybe they are being stored whilst HE engineering staff concentrate on Magic Bus conversions
I was In Ashton on Friday lunchtime and I'm pretty sure I saw both 10597 and 98 but nothing higher.
What was interesting was that both the 216 and 330 had very tired looking 07 reg Enviro400's leave virtually simultaneously while MMCs were seen working on the 231, 237, and no less than 3 were seen entering/leaving Ashton on the 347 - no doubt much to Dentonians delight
As for the MANs at Hyde road, given that new drivers are still having VF on them suggests they will probably continue to be used there for a while yet surly?
Didn't HE have a couple of Enviro200's/Solos allocated a while back? I guessing they have gone now?