Forum | Merseyside Dennis Dart Website

(11/06/2020 00:38)ant17612 Wrote: [ -> ]40715 appears to of left the fleet and gone on trial in Ireland.

It’s still here on the 163s

Bolton depot now doing some of the ex Manchester Community Transport work around Stockport. 44, 382 & tendered 197 journeys

Recently repainted YY16YJJ 30976 coming into Stockport on the 44 from Albert Square, Manchester


Diamond Bus YY16YJJ by Mike McNiven, on Flickr

ex YourBus YX67USL 31415 coming into Stockport on the 382 from Woodley


Diamond Bus YX67USL by Mike McNiven, on Flickr

Other routes transfered from Eccles to Bolton are the rest of the Trafford Centre Routes:

126 Leigh-Trafford Centre
132 Wigan-Trafford Centre
300 Bolton-Trafford Centre EXPRESS

Also VH1 and VH2 services are also being operated by Bolton Depot for the time being.

Vehicle wise it seems that the 126/132 Trafford Centre Streetlites are now allocated to Bolton Depot who are using them on various routes despite what their branded for.

(15/06/2020 18:54)M60lad Wrote: [ -> ]Other routes transfered from Eccles to Bolton are the rest of the Trafford Centre Routes:

126 Leigh-Trafford Centre
132 Wigan-Trafford Centre
300 Bolton-Trafford Centre EXPRESS

Also VH1 and VH2 services are also being operated by Bolton Depot for the time being.

Vehicle wise it seems that the 126/132 Trafford Centre Streetlites are now allocated to Bolton Depot who are using them on various routes despite what their branded for.

Sounds like Diamond took on too much agreeing to run the MCT tenders.

(15/06/2020 20:49)Mayneway Wrote: [ -> ]Sounds like Diamond took on too much agreeing to run the MCT tenders.

Not really they just need to open an outstation in South Mcr but they be wise to keep out of the way of stagecoach.

(16/06/2020 11:54)Mrboo Wrote: [ -> ]Not really they just need to open an outstation in South Mcr but they be wise to keep out of the way of stagecoach.

Up until the start of covid 19 they struggled to staff the two depots they had in Manchester opening a third wouldn’t make sense.
Personally I think if they are going for work in other parts of Manchester like Ashton and Stockport they need to relocate Eccles to somewhere more central.

(16/06/2020 15:47)Mayneway Wrote: [ -> ]Up until the start of covid 19 they struggled to staff the two depots they had in Manchester opening a third wouldn’t make sense.
Personally I think if they are going for work in other parts of Manchester like Ashton and Stockport they need to relocate Eccles to somewhere more central.

But what about ex MCT drivers I am sure they be more happy in East Manchester or South as in Bolton there a number of company's you can work but if they looked at maybe Finglands or MCT Stockport depot or i can think of few others places in Gorton they may find they could staff imore easy as it case of work for Stagecoach or a smaller coach firm. you have to think if you can`t hire drivers you have an issue with your pay or rep or both.

Eccles is not the best place for Manchester or Stockport routes but even an outstation in Stockport with a few drivers in there pool would be a start.

Are we sure Diamond actually want to expand right now in Manchester? They took on the routes under emergency tenders and at the time they took them on, no one knew how quick or slow the lockdown and thus reduced services would go on for. Diamond jumped on an opportunity to keep buses out on the road and drivers in work rather than furlough. It also helped increase revenue to help sustain the business at a time when the commercial route revenue is down.

Chances are, with the retendering, Diamond will lose some of the routes and it will become more manageable for them. It's just dealing with it short term until the retendering is complete.

(16/06/2020 18:47)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]Are we sure Diamond actually want to expand right now in Manchester? They took on the routes under emergency tenders and at the time they took them on, no one knew how quick or slow the lockdown and thus reduced services would go on for. Diamond jumped on an opportunity to keep buses out on the road and drivers in work rather than furlough. It also helped increase revenue to help sustain the business at a time when the commercial route revenue is down.

Chances are, with the retendering, Diamond will lose some of the routes and it will become more manageable for them. It's just dealing with it short term until the retendering is complete.

Forget the MCT emergency tenders.
Diamond successfully tendered to operate the 217 and at the time it was announced it was quoted they were very keen to pick up work in the Ashton/Oldham/Stockport areas.
One of my ex colleagues who’s now at Diamond reckons they are very keen to retain as much of the MCT work as possible but with 50 min dead runs to and from Bolton depot I would think there would be a reshuffle with more of Eccles work going up Bolton and Eccles running new work up this way.

Is space limited at Eccles?