(26/09/2020 20:26)Citibus Wrote: [ -> ]Does the new 20 go to Farnworth on any journeys? On the above map it has a random '20' near to Farnworth and a sort of greyed out routing to it.
Also the route around Cleggs Lane, Captain Fold Road/Old Lane estate seems to be missing from the map.
I think it's a case that the route is re-routed between Walkden and Bolton to run along the current 551/553 route with the diversion into Logistics North. So, Farnworth will no longer be served by the 20/68. Same would seem to apply to Cleggs Lane/Old Lane/Captain Fold Road, which is still served by the 38. The rest of the route between Little Hulton is covered by the 36 and 501.
(27/09/2020 05:47)Mikeonthebuses Wrote: [ -> ]According to the notes from GMCA with the introduction of the new 21 Trafford Centre to Clifton will see all the existing services removed from Clifton and rerouted elsewhere with number of them being withdrawn.
TfGM are planning several changes to services around the Salford area from late October, including the withdrawal of the service 73 and service 70 being re-routed to run between Pendleton and Eccles. The 21 will cover the Clifton Junction-Swinton/Eccles link lost from these services and will probably advise passengers to change at Swinton or Eccles to make their connecting journey.
https://democracy.greatermanchester-ca.g...rt%20A.pdf
Follow up from Diamond Bus...the 20 route will serve Old Lane and Captain Fold Road after all, running in the opposite direction to the current 68 route. The 20 route will follow the 38 route between Walkden and Logistics North.
https://www.diamondbuses.com/media/3104/20-21-22.pdf
The full set of changes from Diamond Bus have been posted on their website
Quote:October 25th Service Changes 02/10/2020 09:07:51
25/10/2020
Diamond Bus North West – Service changes 25/10/2020
From Sunday 25th October we will be making changes to some routes and timetables.
2 Bolton – intu Trafford Centre
We’re making the 2 better for you! From Sunday 25th October service 2 will be renumbered service 22. The route and timetable is largely unchanged. Additional journeys will operate between Pendlebury and intu Trafford Centre up to every 15 minutes. These new journeys will then continue to Clifton Junction and be numbered service 21.
27 Manchester Shudehill – Swinton
Following changes to TfGM contracts, this service will no longer operate. Most of the route is covered by revised service 29, and passengers in the Lower Broughton area are advised to use Arriva service 10 or Go North West services 52, 93, 97, 98.
29 Little Hulton – Pendleton
The route of this service will be revised to operate between Boothstown and MediaCityUK via Walkden, Swinton, Dorchester Rd, Barton Rd and Lancaster Rd. Passengers travelling to Pendleton can connect onto services 36/37 in Swinton or Stagecoach service 50 at MediaCityUK. New evening journeys are added to the timetable.
34 Manchester Piccadilly – Leigh
Following changes to TfGM contracts, the subsidised evening journeys will be operated by another operator, on a revised timetable. Please contact TfGM for more details.
65 Eccles – Ellesmere Park circular
The roue of this service is changed to operate from Eccles to Westwood Crescent and Alder Forest via Patricroft, instead of Ellesmere Park and Salford Royal Hospital. For Ellesmere Park please used revised service 70.
66 Eccles – Clifton
The route of this service is changed to operate between Eccles and Prestwich via Barton Lane, Peel Green Rd, then the existing 66 route to Swinton (but no longer serving Walker Rd estate), then via the Arriva 484 route to Prestwich. New journeys on Sundays and evenings are added to the timetable. Customers at Alder Forest are advised to use service 65 and customers at Clifton are advised to use new service 21.
68 intu Trafford Centre – Farnworth
Following a successful bid to the Better Deal for Bus Users fund, Diamond are pleased to extend the service from Little Hulton to Bolton via Logistics North. The service will operate via the current route between intu Trafford Centre and Walkden, then via A6, Cleggs Lane, Captain Fold Rd/Old Lane estate, A6, Logistics North, Four Lane Ends, St Helens Rd, Hulton Ln and Deane Rd to Bolton Interchange.
The service will operate up to every 30 minutes and new early morning journeys are added to the timetable.
70 Clifton – MediaCityUK
This service will be re-routed to operate between Eccles Interchange and Pendleton Salford Shopping Centre via Ellesmere Park. The revised service will now operate 7 days a week replacing the revised 65 and withdrawn 73 services.
73 Clifton – MediaCityUK
Following changes to TfGM contracts, the service has been withdrawn. Passengers at Clifton are advised to use the revised 21/22 services, service 29 is being re-routed to serve Dorchester Rd and Barton Lane, service 70 will serve the Seedley area and revised service 79 will serve Ordsall.
74 75 Pendleton – Agecroft circulars
This service will be revised to operate via Duchy Rd instead of Doveleys Rd and Claremont Rd. No buses will operate along Doveleys Rd, passengers are advised to catch frequent services on either Bolton Rd or Eccles Old Rd.
This service will now operate later into the evening and on Sundays.
79 Swinton – Stretford
This service will now operate between Pendleton and Stretford only. Customers are advised to use revised service 29 on Barton Rd and revised services 74 and 75 on Duchy Rd.
95 Pendleton – Whitefield
Following changes to TfGM contracts, the subsidised Sunday journeys will be operated by another operator, on a revised timetable. Please contact TfGM for more details.
126 Leigh – intu Trafford Centre
Following a successful bid to the Better Deal for Bus Users fund, Diamond are pleased to add the following additional weekday early morning journeys to the timetable:
0546 Boothstown to Leigh; 0608 Leigh to intu Trafford Centre; 0640 intu Trafford Centre to Leigh.
132 Wigan – intu Trafford Centre
Following a successful bid to the Better Deal for Bus Users fund, Diamond are pleased to add the following additional weekday early morning journeys to the timetable:
0408 Boothstown to Wigan; 0458 intu Trafford Centre to Wigan; 0500 and 0600 Wigan to intu Trafford Centre.
The weekday 0613 journey from intu Trafford Centre will operate at 0610 and 3 minutes earlier throughout.
163 Bury – Manchester
To help you get around easier, we are adding additional journeys to the timeable on Sunday evenings. There are also minor timetable changes to most journeys.
260 Sale – Partington circular
Minor timetable changes.
281 Altrincham - Sale
Minor timetable changes.
283 284 Altrincham – Hale Barns circular
Minor timetable changes.
285 286 Altrincham – Timperley circular
Minor timetable changes.
471 Bolton – Bury – Rochdale
Minor timetable changes.
524 Bolton – Bury
These services will be increased to operate every 10 minutes. Services will revert to the pre-COVID timetable.
575 Bolton – Horwich
Daily evening journeys will extend from Horwich to Wigan, replacing the 576 service. Additional early morning journeys starting from Blackrod and Wigan are also introduced, as well as a new later departure from Bolton at 2325 following TfGM contract changes. All journeys will continue to operate via Old Lord’s estate.
576 Bolton – Wigan
Following changes to TfGM contracts, this service will be withdrawn. Customers are advised to use revised service 575.
584 Leigh – Crankwood
Minor timetable changes.
607 Ashton Heath – Wigan
Service to operate as a local Ashton town service providing increased penetration of Ashton and providing connections to frequent services into Wigan by interchange. Within Ashton-in-Makerfield an hourly Monday to Saturday daytime local service will be provided. This service will be withdrawn between Land Gate and Wigan where Stagecoach services 1, 2 and 10 provide frequent alternatives covering the withdrawn section of route.
630 Wigan – Ince
Following changes to TfGM contracts, this subsidised service will be operated by another operator, on a revised timetable. Please contact TfGM for more details.
682 Leigh – Hag Fold – Atherton
This service will be extended to Tyldesley Interchange via Shakerley, replacing service 683. New earlier and later journeys are added to the timetable. The service will also be renumbered to 583.
683 Leigh – Shakerley
This service withdrawn and replaced with revised service 583.
695 Leigh – Royal Bolton Hospital
Following changes to TfGM contracts, this subsidised service will be operated by another operator, on a revised timetable. Please contact TfGM for more details.
715 Bolton – Westhoughton – (Wigan)
This service will be renumbered to service 520. Combined with new service 20, there will be buses along Deane Rd into Bolton every 15 minutes Mon-Sat daytimes. There are also some minor timetable changes.
Following changes to TfGM contracts, the subsidised evening journeys will be operated by another operator, on a revised timetable, and will only operate to Westhoughton, no longer extending to Wigan.
X8/X39 Bolton/Farnworth – Manchester Piccadilly Express
Minor timetable changes.
https://www.diamondbuses.com/north-west/...e-updates/
Does anybody know whether there's any truth in the rumour thats going round that Diamond have bought the former MCT Depot in Chadderton/Hollinwood? The past couple of weeks when I've been on my way to work and been passing the yard has been empty and the gates closed so maybe someone has got it and just waiting to move in.
(10/10/2020 05:25)M60lad Wrote: [ -> ]Does anybody know whether there's any truth in the rumour thats going round that Diamond have bought the former MCT Depot in Chadderton/Hollinwood? The past couple of weeks when I've been on my way to work and been passing the yard has been empty and the gates closed so maybe someone has got it and just waiting to move in.
If true, it would be a good base for routes 163 & 217 at least.
(10/10/2020 05:45)Metroline1511 Wrote: [ -> ]If true, it would be a good base for routes 163 & 217 at least.
If they can remember to avoid the railway bridge whilst driving deckers .... the late and unlamented JPT had their problems with a depot adjacent to a low bridge.
(10/10/2020 05:25)M60lad Wrote: [ -> ]Does anybody know whether there's any truth in the rumour thats going round that Diamond have bought the former MCT Depot in Chadderton/Hollinwood? The past couple of weeks when I've been on my way to work and been passing the yard has been empty and the gates closed so maybe someone has got it and just waiting to move in.
The site has been empty for a couple of months now with all engineering work back at Leeds but the big ‘TO LET’ signs in front of the site suggest it’s not for sale and it’s not been taken on by anyone as well it’s still too let.
Big issue with the site is it’s got far too office space and the yard although it looks big some of the area isn’t suitable for parking so it would require some groundwork to make suitable. Other issue is knotweed!
There’s lots of rumours that Diamond are looking to move Eccles over to Bolton and run everything from there (as they have the space), either sell the Eccles yard or return it to goodwins (never found out if they own or rent the yard), but in all honesty the Eccles yard is a dump.
Only Reason Diamond would take on the HCT/MCT base would be to take over Oldham Road services from First. would not really be an issue with the low bridge next to site being so close to A62. If that did happen would be very clear First group are walking away from Oldham and selling mumps.
The Metrolink bridge on Drury Lane has a height of 16'0", so more than adequate for double deckers. I think the 81 has diverted that way when there's been closures on Turf Lane or Broadway. 149 used to run that way for a while, but don't think First put any double deckers on that route.
I think if Diamond is going to rent/sublet the ex-MCT depot, then that would suggest that there could be something happening with First's Oldham services. Probably more likely to pick up some routes rather than whole depot. First changing/splitting some of the services in the last twelve months suggests it's been tailored to getting rid of routes in groups to one or more operators rather than the whole depot to a rival. Chances are that Manchester services (59, 81, 83, 84, 181, 182, X84) could be passed on to one operator, local services (57, 180, 408, 425, 426) will go to another, the 409 could go in either group, while the 184 could easily switch to First's Huddersfield depot with some tweaks to the timetable.
If they are taking on the depot and it's not to do with First services, then I'm not sure what the appeal would be to Diamond. There aren't many contracted services in the Oldham area and those services have undergone changes recently (356, 402, 403, 408 and 415 changed routes/operators in April). Tameside also saw changes in April following MCT's demise with Stagecoach and Stotts picking up work there, while Diamond lost work in Stockport in April to Stagecoach and Go Goodwins. Rochdale saw changes with local services last year with Rosso picking up the contracts there.
South Chadderton location would allow close access to Middleton area, if there are any plans to relocate the 163 workings or if they gain contract work from Stagecoach or Stotts there or if they have ambitions to take on Go North West and Stagecoach with more services in North Manchester.