I think it's been on the cards for a while. Someone mentioned to me at tale end of last year that it would stay in Manchester permanently so it's no surprise.
It's not the first demonstrator to end up staying.
(11/02/2017 20:37)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]According to Buses mag that's running 4 days early this month (Don't tell VOSA lol), they will be, and will continue where Gillmoss's finish ie. numbered 10844-65. Mind you, Buses mag says they are "imminent" which I very much doubt.
As regards the 76 group of services, I must admit, I don't know the layout of Middleton depot (only seen it in passing), but I'm not sure it could take an extra 13 or so buses, especially as in total, it would represent a massive increase in the double-deck allocation (24).
What I would therefore like would be for route 76 still to move to Middleton, preferably using some of the new Enviro 400-MMCs, swapping with routes 171 & 172 moving to Hyde Road. I often wish route 76 were run by First at Oldham but at least Stagecoach at Middleton would be justifiable as it is a north Manchester route. Conversely, routes 171 & 172 serve Levenshulme & Didsbury in the heart of south Manchester, hence my choice of Hyde Road garage.
Although I'm not overly familiar with the 76, there is a lot less Dead running between Hyde Road and Manchester than there would be from Middleton to Oldham or Manchester
(18/02/2017 21:01)Solo40336 Wrote: [ -> ]Although I'm not overly familiar with the 76, there is a lot less Dead running between Hyde Road and Manchester than there would be from Middleton to Oldham or Manchester
They use Oldham Road to get between Hyde road and Oldham and vice versa usually. That being said Ashton might be even closer.
Its not the first time something like what you saw Dentonian has happened as the other week in Stockport during the day there was a mixture out on 325s including a Solo.
The only route at Stockport that seems to stick to vehicle allocation at the moment is 23/23A/24s as I very rarely see the new MMC400s for the route straying.
Also are HE's hybrid Enviro400s just counted as common user pool now? I only ask as they seem to be turning up on 201/203s regularly now and even 205/206s, even 15s get 2 or 3 during the day as well.
One Depot that is worse for branded vehicles straying at the moment is Ashton Depot as daily there's 330 branded vehicles on various Ashton Depot routes, which tells me that there either must be more branded vehicles than what's needed for 330 route or maybe their short of unbranded double deckers now at Ashton Depot, this past week there was even a branded 330 MMC400 on 770 St Damiens-Waterhead School Service.
(19/02/2017 08:03)M60lad Wrote: [ -> ]Its not the first time something like what you saw Dentonian has happened as the other week in Stockport during the day there was a mixture out on 325s including a Solo.
The only route at Stockport that seems to stick to vehicle allocation at the moment is 23/23A/24s as I very rarely see the new MMC400s for the route straying.
Also are HE's hybrid Enviro400s just counted as common user pool now? I only ask as they seem to be turning up on 201/203s regularly now and even 205/206s, even 15s get 2 or 3 during the day as well.
One Depot that is worse for branded vehicles straying at the moment is Ashton Depot as daily there's 330 branded vehicles on various Ashton Depot routes, which tells me that there either must be more branded vehicles than what's needed for 330 route or maybe their short of unbranded double deckers now at Ashton Depot, this past week there was even a branded 330 MMC400 on 770 St Damiens-Waterhead School Service.
The branding of buses is great but the Running boards can let it down there is a board that has a branded 38 on does the 38 all day then at like 7pm comes in and goes back out on 201
board where a 76 branded bus will do hyde road corridor before doing just the 76.
and this goes on with boards that do one thing all day then go off and do other stuff.
HE gain hybrids when they Lost the 50 route so yes are more common they still reduce emissions but as said batteries only work up to 10 mph ish but even when sat in traffic the bus may switch the engine off but then have to switch it back on to Charge the batteries along with the reliability of them seem to be rather poor across the Manchester recently. other issues with them when running out of service is they only do 122... do 45MPH Max and 120.. only seem to do 40MPH Max which can be rather annoying if you need to jump onto the Mancunian or a Motorway from like Hattersely or a quick to Oldham or even Ashton
The 7 has a very mixed bag of vehicles on it. I've seen Enviro400's leave Ashton Stockport bound only for the next working to be a Solo.
From what I was told recently by an AZ driver it was always expected that the branded MMCs for 330 would regularly apear on other services, not only because of the way services interwork but also because the MMCs are under warrenty there going to and to use them as much as possible to iron out issues etc.
Apparently it was part of subsidy deal was that stagecoach would brand and 'widely advertise' the extended service, presumably once the subsidy ends, and possibly the extension, the branding will go.
With regards to branded buses on the wrong route, I regularly see a 38-branded Enviro400 on the first weekday 76 journey from Oldham. This was after having a 50-branded E400H pretty much every day for a few weeks at the end of last year.
(19/02/2017 17:14)SF07 Wrote: [ -> ]With regards to branded buses on the wrong route, I regularly see a 38-branded Enviro400 on the first weekday 76 journey from Oldham. This was after having a 50-branded E400H pretty much every day for a few weeks at the end of last year.
Again quite common as a lot of early morning and evening journeys interwork and things will change at re-writes etc.
(19/02/2017 20:43)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]Unless that bus is one of the first back in depot after the evening peak, that's just bad scheduling.
I would think as I dont really now as its like a Service back after peak with enough Drop back time to ensure the evening services are able to leave ontime and don't have to start running late Im not really sure why its like that but there is lots that are like that and i am sure it be like that at the other depots