(30/11/2016 15:13)33109 Wrote: [ -> ]Not entirely sure but i'd imagine it'll not be long now till D&G start withdrawing the few remaining darts that are working around the stoke/hanley areas. Most seem to be ex arriva judging by the interiors, the long wheelbase optare versas they use on the buxton - hanley route are really smart though.
D&G acquired Wardle Bus who were a subsidiary of Arriva but not branded as Arriva, so a number of their older buses did used to belong to Arriva.
I think they took many of the Darts out of service but reintroduced some when GHA collapsed and Cheshire East were looking for operators to run emergency contracts but they since acquired the extra Enviros and 4 of those have just transferred to Adderley Green, although the 42 route also transferred. I noticed D&G were still using the green+blue Solo with an on hire notice yesterday.
I find it a bit strange that the fleet allocations are:
Solo SRs:
Crewe - 11, Adderley Green -1
Old style Solos:
Crewe - 3, Adderley Green - 17
Enviro 200 (8.8m model):
Crewe - 8, Adderley Green - 4
Darts:
Crewe - 1, Adderley Green - 10
It just seems they could move around a few buses and have much more consistent fleets at both their depots.
(30/11/2016 16:21)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]D&G acquired Wardle Bus who were a subsidiary of Arriva but not branded as Arriva, so a number of their older buses did used to belong to Arriva.
I think they took many of the Darts out of service but reintroduced some when GHA collapsed and Cheshire East were looking for operators to run emergency contracts but they since acquired the extra Enviros and 4 of those have just transferred to Adderley Green, although the 42 route also transferred. I noticed D&G were still using the green+blue Solo with an on hire notice yesterday.
I find it a bit strange that the fleet allocations are:
Solo SRs:
Crewe - 11, Adderley Green -1
Old style Solos:
Crewe - 3, Adderley Green - 17
Enviro 200 (8.8m model):
Crewe - 8, Adderley Green - 4
Darts:
Crewe - 1, Adderley Green - 10
It just seems they could move around a few buses and have much more consistent fleets at both their depots.
Do they have engineering at both sites? It could be to standardise vehicle types for workshops as much as possible?
Also the scania omnicity's left as well that were used on 85s & replaced by either solos or an mcv evolution.
(30/11/2016 20:48)djb Wrote: [ -> ]Do they have engineering at both sites? It could be to standardise vehicle types for workshops as much as possible?
That's what I don't get if it was to standardise the fleet why didn't they move the 1 x Dart and 3 x Standard Solos so that all the Darts and Standard Solos were based at Adderley Green?
As it is now half the 09 reg 8.8m Enviros are at Crewe and the other half are at Adderley Green, when a couple of weeks ago they were all at Crewe.
I don't know where they do their servicing but I would hope given the size of their operations that they have at least one mechanic at both sites who is able to sort out things like a brake light not illuminating.
(01/12/2016 09:00)33109 Wrote: [ -> ]Also the scania omnicity's left as well that were used on 85s & replaced by either solos or an mcv evolution.
Weren't the Ominicities transferred to South Lancs Travel in exchange for the 64 reg Enviro 200s in preparation for the deal to sell SLT to Rotala?
(01/12/2016 09:54)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]Weren't the Ominicities transferred to South Lancs Travel in exchange for the 64 reg Enviro 200s in preparation for the deal to sell SLT to Rotala?
Yes, they were.
The SLT Enviros were less than three months old before coming to D & G, the Scanias going the opposite way were considerably older though!
And it seems Rotala don't like Omnicities as they sold the SLT ones to Ominicity Enthusiast Company Connexionbus (Harrogate Coach Travel).
Something unusual going on in Knutsford. The bus that was running the 300 service this morning (an ex-Goodwins Enviro) left Knutsford towards Longridge/Mobberley presumably not in service or on the 88 13:05 departure at around 13:10. An Evolution then left Knutsford on the 300 route 5 minutes later (first time I've seen one of those on the 300 route.) The 88 arrival at 13:20 was a usual Solo SR.
Does anyone know which Depot runs 88 Altrincham-Knutsford service at the moment? The only reason why I ask is that another friend of mine has actually been told by a D&G Driver that its currently being run out Addley Green Depot, or is it that Adderley Green are just providing some of the drivers with vehicles coming from Crewe.
I know that some 88 drivers are currently or were on loan from Transdev Lancashire as I know at least one has gone back to his home depot (Blackburn) this week.
I also asked a couple of my friends recently why would Transdev help out D&G when their both seperate companies and I was told that this was due to the fact that Julian Peddle has got shares in both D&G and Transdev so drivers can be swapped between operations.
(05/12/2016 23:11)M60lad Wrote: [ -> ]Does anyone know which Depot runs 88 Altrincham-Knutsford service at the moment? The only reason why I ask is that another friend of mine has actually been told by a D&G Driver that its currently being run out Addley Green Depot, or is it that Adderley Green are just providing some of the drivers with vehicles coming from Crewe.
I know that some 88 drivers are currently or were on loan from Transdev Lancashire as I know at least one has gone back to his home depot (Blackburn) this week.
I also asked a couple of my friends recently why would Transdev help out D&G when their both seperate companies and I was told that this was due to the fact that Julian Peddle has got shares in both D&G and Transdev so drivers can be swapped between operations.
It's running out of Crewe I believe.