First's policy is that no buses shall be sold on for further use as buses in the UK and I wouldn't be surprised if they make preservationists sign a disclaimer to that effect when they get hold of ex-First kit to preserve.
The whole preservation of First vehicles was almost scuppered a few years ago by one 'preservationist' who lost interest in his ex-First bus and sold it to an operator who put it back on the road. This needless to say found its way back to First management.
That aside, their paranoia about someone buying buses off them and then registering services against them is rather strange and, I suspect, one of the thankfully few surviving Moir Lockhead policies. Nobody in their right mind is going to buy an ex-First bus to run in service for obvious reasons as there are much better available on the second-hand market from more reputable sources.
Would this mean they are allowed to sell them to private groups to use as special promoting, advertising or broadcasting vehicle? For example
https://flic.kr/p/ifWZkC
Today I travelled on 32867 ex Sale route 99 @16:54. Got chatting to the driver who told me that although this was a Rusholme based journey, he actually was from their Leeds (Bramley) Depot. Apparently Rusholme are so short of drivers that they are using agency staff as well as drivers from other First depots. It was not his first day working out of Rusholme depot and several other drivers have come from Bramley to help out!!
(17/05/2014 22:25)John I Wrote: [ -> ]Today I travelled on 32867 ex Sale route 99 @16:54. Got chatting to the driver who told me that although this was a Rusholme based journey, he actually was from their Leeds (Bramley) Depot. Apparently Rusholme are so short of drivers that they are using agency staff as well as drivers from other First depots. It was not his first day working out of Rusholme depot and several other drivers have come from Bramley to help out!!
I would expect this is quite normal. Finglands were a small company with a small group of drivers who did things a certain way, then along come first and shake things up, change all the rules and all of a suddan drivers who were probably on first name terms with management have become small fish in a big pond - so I wouldn't be surprised if some have left.
The same happened when Stagecoach took over Maynes, i know of a good handful of drivers who went to Finglands because they didn't like the big company style, and similarly at Bluebird some drivers moved to JPT when Stagecoach took over, and look where that got them.
For anyone who's interested I spotted the following today:
53144 on 452
53143 on 456
47182 on 17:17 24 Piccadilly-Rochdale
Not sure if 53143/4 are the only 2 former Dukinfield Solo's currently at Oldham or whether there's any more at the depot but I'll keep my out while I'm out and about
Can anyone advise if 37289/290/297/430/451 still carry their heritage liveries?
Thanks Pete.
(21/05/2014 08:32)WWH44L Wrote: [ -> ]Yup, all still do
Thank you, much appreciated. Pete.
Bit of variety on the allocations at Oldham depot today with an Olympian on the 184, B7RLE on the 180 and B7TL on the 24.
(22/05/2014 20:43)SF07 Wrote: [ -> ]Bit of variety on the allocations at Oldham depot today with an Olympian on the 184, B7RLE on the 180 and B7TL on the 24.
Could of sworn I saw a 54-reg Solo on the 184 earlier on today as after it passed the first stop on Ashton Road it got into the middle lane which is the land for Copsterhill Road