I wonder what's Happening with Birkenhead depot. Are they short of operational vehicles? There has been a gap of nearly six months since the new livery was applied to any of their buses. It almost seems that the sparkle has gone out of their drive to encourage more people to use their services in stark contrast to Stagecoach Wirral and Chester. One could jokingly think that Frau Merkel might want to offload the UK arm of DB because of Brexit.
(01/05/2018 09:33)lcm453 Wrote: [ -> ]I wonder what's Happening with Birkenhead depot. Are they short of operational vehicles? There has been a gap of nearly six months since the new livery was applied to any of their buses. It almost seems that the sparkle has gone out of their drive to encourage more people to use their services in stark contrast to Stagecoach Wirral and Chester. One could jokingly think that Frau Merkel might want to offload the UK arm of DB because of Brexit.
Arriva have also cancelled all of the next years new orders.
Seems they only really care about the trains in the UK now, constantly chopping routes and networks and depots across the UK, cant even remember the last they bought a company or new depot. First Wigan depot would have been an ideal add on in the North West half of the services are Arriva but they let Stagecoach take it and now Stagecoach are running riot, the same as in Chester and Wirral.
Until around 5 years ago they were all about expanding in the UK absolutely everywhere, but now its trim trim trim every year.
I beleive arriva bid on the first depot in wigan for around £8 million as they would have to invest a further £4-5 million on the fleet but first wanted £12 million and arriva wasnt prepaired to pay it so in come stagecoach and basically paid close to the asking price so they got it.
Looks like bad times ahead for Arriva, the cancelling of this year's order seems like a very bad sign, particularly with cleaner buses needed for Derby and Leeds the lack of new vehicles seems concerning. They do seem to be lacking in effort according to lots of people, and this seems all over.
(01/05/2018 11:00)mr t Wrote: [ -> ]Arriva have also cancelled all of the next years new orders.
Seems they only really care about the trains in the UK now, constantly chopping routes and networks and depots across the UK, cant even remember the last they bought a company or new depot. First Wigan depot would have been an ideal add on in the North West half of the services are Arriva but they let Stagecoach take it and now Stagecoach are running riot, the same as in Chester and Wirral.
Arriva will be opening up a new depot in Kent (Tunbridge Wells) later this month,but apart from that there doesnt seem to be much investment into the UK Fleet this year
(01/05/2018 11:30)motormayhem1 Wrote: [ -> ]I beleive arriva bid on the first depot in wigan for around £8 million as they would have to invest a further £4-5 million on the fleet but first wanted £12 million and arriva wasnt prepaired to pay it so in come stagecoach and basically paid close to the asking price so they got it.
I doubt that the CMA would of allowed Arriva to have such a greater monopoly in Wigan, especially after purchasing Blue Bus Bolton and operating on most of the main routes into the town from Warrington, St Helens and Southport.
The only other main operator would have been South Lancs Travel
Are the streetlites having problems ,487 operated by pulsars today the streetlites were on 408/9,410/1 and492/5.
It looks like the 487 has gone back to Pulsar operation again, with the Streetlights on the 410 - been like that all this week
The Streetlites are terrible and always have problems. They must single handedly be the worst 6 vehicles in the north west fleet!
I have to agree there. 1 of them was on the 410 aboyt 2 or 3 days ago ( 6004 I think ).
When it comes to ventilation on hot days like today and the last few days they are absolutely terrible as there are nowhere near enough windows to open and some of those that can be opened suddenly spring shut because the springs that hold them open are already goosed.