(14/06/2020 08:40)Rick Hunter Wrote: [ -> ]With drivers being disciplined for late running the company can not produce a running sheet where they would have to do exactly that. At least 5 minutes could be shaved off the time between Wilmslow and Morley green and maybe a couple between Morley Green and Hale Barns as it's a fast road through the tunnels.
The 88 timings are very generous but as Hale Barns is a timing point, the bus obviously can't depart early unless they revise the timetable.
It'll probably mean the bus off the 07:05 Knutsford-Altrincham will need to run empty back to Knutsford and then do either the Handforth Dean free bus or the 09:58 Knutsford-Macclesfield, with the vehicle which does the 08:05 Altrincham-Knutsford doing the other. That would also allow a driver swap with the 288 if they wanted.
It looks like this morning a 57 reg baby Enviro did both the 07:05 Knutsford-Altrincham and the 08:05 Altrincham-Knutsford, which the latter being on time in Knutsford. A large Enviro, presumably fresh from the depot, is running the Handforth Dean free bus.
The bus on the Handforth Dean free bus does the first 288s up to 09.07 in Altrincham. A bus comes from depot to carry on the 288 from 09.07. The free bus is normally a big Enviro200. I meant to check the graph to see how the 07.00 from Knutsford and 08.05 from Altrincham are worked. There are more than one 57 plate Enviro200s at Wincham.
(15/06/2020 09:19)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]It looks like this morning a 57 reg baby Enviro did both the 07:05 Knutsford-Altrincham and the 08:05 Altrincham-Knutsford, which the latter being on time in Knutsford. A large Enviro, presumably fresh from the depot, is running the Handforth Dean free bus.
(15/06/2020 19:39)Rick Hunter Wrote: [ -> ]The bus on the Handforth Dean free bus does the first 288s up to 09.07 in Altrincham. A bus comes from depot to carry on the 288 from 09.07. The free bus is normally a big Enviro200. I meant to check the graph to see how the 07.00 from Knutsford and 08.05 from Altrincham are worked. There are more than one 57 plate Enviro200s at Wincham.
I'm pretty sure all 3 x 57 reg Enviros were on the 88/89 yesterday but there is another option I didn't think of with one of them doing:
07:05 Macc-Knutsford
empty to Altrincham
08:05 Altrincham-Knutsford
and another doing:
07:00 Knutsford-Altrincham
empty to Knutsford
09:12 Knutsford-Northwich
Which would have kept the 3 x 57 reg Enviros and the 1 x 56 reg on the 88/89 services all day, without bringing in a 5th vehicle or having a Altrincham-Knutsford bus timetabled to depart before the inbound service had arrived.
My suggestion was also based on D&G not planning to arrange a vehicle swap part way through a 288 service, which you're saying they are doing!
The big Enviro for the Handforth Dean bus parked up at the side of Knutsford bus station at just after 09:30 yesterday, with the bus off the 08:05 Altrincham-Knutsford behind it, so I presumed the big one come from the depot and arrived there before the small Enviro. However, it might have been the driver reversed in to that space as he got there before the 09:30 Knutsford-Altrincham had left or the driver of the small Enviro took it out of the bus station and then back in again.
Presumably once things return to normal the 188 and Handforth Dean bus will be the same vehicle again and vehicles will switch between 88 and 288 workings at Altrincham around 8am again.
Your suggested 07.00 Knutsford-Altrincham empty to Knutsford
09:12 Knutsford-Northwich does happen. The 08:05 Altrincham-Knutsford bus comes from depot. D&G don't plan the vehicle change on 288, it's driver convenience really.
(16/06/2020 09:27)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]I'm pretty sure all 3 x 57 reg Enviros were on the 88/89 yesterday but there is another option I didn't think of with one of them doing:
07:05 Macc-Knutsford
empty to Altrincham
08:05 Altrincham-Knutsford
and another doing:
07:00 Knutsford-Altrincham
empty to Knutsford
09:12 Knutsford-Northwich
Which would have kept the 3 x 57 reg Enviros and the 1 x 56 reg on the 88/89 services all day, without bringing in a 5th vehicle or having a Altrincham-Knutsford bus timetabled to depart before the inbound service had arrived.
My suggestion was also based on D&G not planning to arrange a vehicle swap part way through a 288 service, which you're saying they are doing!
The big Enviro for the Handforth Dean bus parked up at the side of Knutsford bus station at just after 09:30 yesterday, with the bus off the 08:05 Altrincham-Knutsford behind it, so I presumed the big one come from the depot and arrived there before the small Enviro. However, it might have been the driver reversed in to that space as he got there before the 09:30 Knutsford-Altrincham had left or the driver of the small Enviro took it out of the bus station and then back in again.
Presumably once things return to normal the 188 and Handforth Dean bus will be the same vehicle again and vehicles will switch between 88 and 288 workings at Altrincham around 8am again.
(15/06/2020 19:39)Rick Hunter Wrote: [ -> ]The bus on the Handforth Dean free bus does the first 288s up to 09.07 in Altrincham. A bus comes from depot to carry on the 288 from 09.07. The free bus is normally a big Enviro200. I meant to check the graph to see how the 07.00 from Knutsford and 08.05 from Altrincham are worked. There are more than one 57 plate Enviro200s at Wincham.
I visited the yard last week and present were Versa': 26, 28 and Enviro200s: 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36, 41, 53, 120 and 122.
(17/06/2020 00:16)ant17612 Wrote: [ -> ]I visited the yard last week and present were Versa': 26, 28 and Enviro200s: 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36, 41, 53, 120 and 122.
While that's more consistent than what they had in the past (when they had Versas, large Enviros and various sizes of Solos) it does mean if one of the two Versas can't be used for some reason then they have to use an Enviro, which I thought they wanted to avoid due to Enviros not liking Kelsall hill. I do understand that like with Solos, there's different types of engines that can be fitted to Enviros so some may be worse than others.
Also if Enviros aren't good on Kelsall hill, I imagine they also aren't on Winnington Hill and the roads around Barnton, if they are used on the Sunday Northwich services, while I understand they've had problems when using a big bus on the Sunday Northwich services due to parked cars in Rudheath.
I notice on D&G's Enviros they've put pieces of paper in the window next to door saying the maximum capacity is 6 or 8, depending on the length of the bus. I hope there's some driver discretion with that e.g. if a parent is taking a child to the doctors and the child sits next to their parent on the very back seat, that the driver allows 5 further passengers (if needed) on a small Enviro, not just 4.
The modified seating capacity is advisory. In the instance you suggest both live in the same household so can sit together and be counted as one.
(19/06/2020 09:44)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]I notice on D&G's Enviros they've put pieces of paper in the window next to door saying the maximum capacity is 6 or 8, depending on the length of the bus. I hope there's some driver discretion with that e.g. if a parent is taking a child to the doctors and the child sits next to their parent on the very back seat, that the driver allows 5 further passengers (if needed) on a small Enviro, not just 4.
Change to 89 route:
Between 0930 and 1530 from 1st to 3rd July buses will be diverted via Plumley due to the closure of Northwich Road in Knutsford. Buses will operate via the normal route between Watling Street in Northwich and Church Street in Wincham, then will run non-stop to Knutsford Bus Station.
Presumably the 09:12 & 16:02 Knutsford-Northwich services will go via the usual route, as well as the 06:45 & 16:50 Northwich-Knutsford.
It sounds like they don't think going out of Knutsford on Tabley Hill Lane and then crossing to Pickmere Lane is possible, due to it almost being driving directly across 4 lanes of the A556 by being a left turn on to the A556 then immediately a right off and presumably they also think going via Mere would make the diversion too long. Although, given the buses diverting via Plumley aren't stopping anywhere I'd have to question why they can't run via Pickmere and Tabley Hill Lane in the Knutsford direction as long as those boarding in Pickmere are made aware there won't be a return bus until 16:50. If they were doing that they could also go via Gaskell Avenue which would allow an alternative pick up/drop off point for those who would usually board/alight on Northwich Road.