Another 'rumour' going about at the moment is that of Optare Solos transferring from West Scotland for use at Hartlepool. I think this one may be a rumour too far, can't see much at Hartlepool for Solos or indeed at any other depot.
(01/10/2012 21:59)cumbria0902150 Wrote: [ -> ]The older ex London Tridents were owned by Stagecoach, but due to the way disposals from London works, they went out to "public" tender, leaving them open to transfer around the UK or for sale to dealers. Coupled with the poor condition of the vehicles and low book value, they're often not worth the conversion costs to make them suitable for standard operations. The newer Tridents (2003 onwards I believe) have some sort of finance, but I don't know how exactly they're financed, or what will happen to those vehicles when their London life is up. If they're on HP, which some sources say, they could be bought by Stagecoach and transferred around the UK, or they might just be sold on.
A lot of Tridents currently on disposal from London are the short wheelbase variety, with a maximum of 64 seats with separate wheelchair and pushchair areas, 68 seats with a single wheelchair area, or 72 to non-DDA. The low capacity often makes them useless for school contracts specifying 70+ seats, more so in the case of 85 and 87 seat school contracts.
I don't have any information on the rumours, but a personal opinion is that some sort of Trident for conversion to open top would be likely. Cannot pass comment on Stockton's Olympian's as I don't know if they're under contract for a minimum seated capacity beyond that of a Trident, or if commercially operated, passenger figures not exceeding the capacity of a 10.5m Trident. Then of course there's cost, do the school routes pull the money in to pay for the Trident's.
Stagecoach Manchester got 11 or so of these Ex London ones over the last few months, operating both school runs & regular routes. Fairly random V, W & X reg ones between 17151 & 17245. So far all going into Stagecoach standard livery. Maybe they will replace the current Olympians in the Magic Bus fleet eventually.
Yes, we know....
On paper for the moment all the Magic Bus Olympians are out of service, though on the ground is a different matter....
From VOSA last Thursday:
PB0002404/27 - BUSWAYS TRAVEL SERVICES LTD T/A STAGECOACH NORTHEAST, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, NORTH BRIDGE STREET, SUNDERLAND, SR5 1AQ
Variation Accepted: Operating between Freeman Hospital and Central Station or Metrocentre given service number 6/7/8 effective from 25-Nov-2012. To amend Timetable.
Olympians were about a plenty today:
16839 was on the 35
16834 was on the 13
16835 on the 52/58
16831/40 appeared on the 36
A window smash on 22065 on the 13 saw it replaced by 21141.
Some news has come to my attention in terms of some further Stand changes on Stockton High Street from the 29th October:
Service 13/13A: Will move from Stand 12 to Stand 13
Service 36/36A/37/38/537: Will move from Stand 10 to Stand 11
Service 59/61 (59 on evenings, 61s during the day): Will move from Stand 12 to Stand 14
Services 52/58 will contiune to use any stand to set-down
These changes bring the North End Southbound stands in-line with the stops at the South End.
After sisters 16831/40's appearances on the 36 yesterday, Olympian 16838 made a rare appearance on the 38 today replacing 22452 at 0925 (offical time, actually happened at 0930) before being replaced by 22452 at 1425-ish in Middlesbrough Bus Station for schools.
B10BLEs 21144/50 were on the 59/61 today with 21104 on 52/58 (21141/3 not noted). As such, the 35 (the route the B10BLEs are supposed to be used on) were in the hands of MANs 22208/11.
Other Olympians out today were 16831 on 52/58 and 16834/7 on the 13. 24111 was also on the 13 by mid afternoon.
I have just been informed that B10BLE 21142 is now in service at Stockton. It's on the half-past the hour 35s today.