(24/11/2018 16:29)Brickmill Wrote: [ -> ]Looking back, I suspect they bought it partly because "they could". ie. Stagecoach certainly couldn't and I'm guessing Arriva either couldn't financially or were "warned off"by the CMA/OFT. The latter doesn't make much sense though as even then, they had a declining prescence in South Manchester, but it seemed strange that (allegedly) it was Arriva NOT Stagecoach that officially objected to the CMA/OFT about First buying Finglands. First for their part would say, "well, if we hadn't bought it, it would have closed down making 90 (iirc) people redundant and handing a monopoly to Stagecoach anyway". The only other logical buyer would have been Bullocks, but they may have felt it was too much to take on and were happy with the security of running only contracted or otherwise supported services.
If it is true regards arriva, I wonder if their concern was first entering their patch in Trafford. If I remember rightly At the time of the sale, finglands were operating on the 19 in the daytime (and Doing relatively well loading wise).
(24/11/2018 22:09)Mayneway Wrote: [ -> ]But it's £50,000 that has effectively been frittered down the drain.
Not really £25,000 a year but what income have the 2 routes made? and what about the cost recruitment of drivers as they all been offered roles within First Manchester. I was always thinking they had plans to run V1,V2,V3 from that base over Bolton. But the issue of bad feeling with the management and drivers over the pay issues did harm the running of the depot. now they may get the money they wanted but for some now they have to pay more to travel to work more now and end up on some of the shitter routes that queen road has .
That stupid £1 price war with stagecoach will have probably done more damage profit wise.
(26/11/2018 01:49)Mrboo Wrote: [ -> ]Not really £25,000 a year but what income have the 2 routes made? and what about the cost recruitment of drivers as they all been offered roles within First Manchester. I was always thinking they had plans to run V1,V2,V3 from that base over Bolton. But the issue of bad feeling with the management and drivers over the pay issues did harm the running of the depot. now they may get the money they wanted but for some now they have to pay more to travel to work more now and end up on some of the shitter routes that queen road has .
(03/11/2018 21:53)Brickmill Wrote: [ -> ]33854 is one of them, it was on the 59 today.
I don't suppose anyone knows exactly which ex MetroShuttle hybrids are staying and which are going (let alone to where?). The electric Versas 49921-3 are definately staying and have received a yellow based livery. Versas 49102/11 & Solos 59001-4/7/8 seem to be retained in grey (or is it dull silver), but I reckon there should be at least two more (59005/6?) staying.
59005 was back in service on FreeBus 1 today. Surprisingly, given the weather and on going rail problems, this and another example were absolutely rammed leaving Piccadilly Station this lunchtime.
(02/12/2018 20:57)Brickmill Wrote: [ -> ]59005 was back in service on FreeBus 1 today. Surprisingly, given the weather and on going rail problems, this and another example were absolutely rammed leaving Piccadilly Station this lunchtime.
Was this one in Silver without the Green like the rest of the Solos?
(02/12/2018 22:06)darylyates17 Wrote: [ -> ]Was this one in Silver without the Green like the rest of the Solos?
No. 59007/8 were the silver ones. 59001-5/7/8 along with 49102/11 are now basically grey. 49921-3 were in a promotional yellow livery but at least two are now travelling billboards for an upmarket retailer. Still, I suppose if you aren't paying, you can't expect to be able to see out of the bus...........
(04/12/2018 20:09)Brickmill Wrote: [ -> ]No. 59007/8 were the silver ones. 59001-5/7/8 along with 49102/11 are now basically grey. 49921-3 were in a promotional yellow livery but at least two are now travelling billboards for an upmarket retailer. Still, I suppose if you aren't paying, you can't expect to be able to see out of the bus...........
I get you but what I meant was about 59005 being in the same grey/silver is the rest of the Solos now the green purple & orange branding has gone I guess it is
(04/12/2018 20:09)Brickmill Wrote: [ -> ]No. 59007/8 were the silver ones. 59001-5/7/8 along with 49102/11 are now basically grey. 49921-3 were in a promotional yellow livery but at least two are now travelling billboards for an upmarket retailer. Still, I suppose if you aren't paying, you can't expect to be able to see out of the bus...........
Somebody has mentioned elsewhere that according to a committee meeting earlier this year (minutes published on TFGM website apparently) it was revealed that not only do Selfridges contribute quite generously to the pot that funds the free bus services, as I'm sure other retailers do, but they are also paying TFGM £3000 a month for the 2 bus wraps so we shouldn't complain really.
This appeared on VOSA last Friday:
PC0003680/956 Cancelled
FIRST MANCHESTER LTD
Route: Middleton Bus Station to Manchester, Chorlton Street/Sackville Street via Bank House, North Manchester General Hospital, Cheetham Hill
Service number: 42 ()
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 27 Jan 2019
(10/12/2018 21:16)SF07 Wrote: [ -> ]This appeared on VOSA last Friday:
PC0003680/956 Cancelled
FIRST MANCHESTER LTD
Route: Middleton Bus Station to Manchester, Chorlton Street/Sackville Street via Bank House, North Manchester General Hospital, Cheetham Hill
Service number: 42 ()
Service type: Normal Stopping
Effective date: 27 Jan 2019
This is a good argument for the VOSA thread to be literally just a list of licence/registration changes (ie. purely admin/legal), rather than piecemeal, and therefore misleading, abstraction of one side of the equation.
Next weekend is 42 days notice, so the full details can be published then.