First Manchester

[Brickmill]

RE: First Manchester

(21/01/2019 18:47)darylyates17 Wrote:  Has Rusholmes fleet gone to Queens Road since Rusholme is closing today I think

It closes next weekend with the service changes. It is also unclear whether the buses will simply transfer with the work or whether it will spark more complicated reallocations as neither type currently feature at Queen's Rd.

[Y458 KNF]

RE: First Manchester

(21/01/2019 20:42)Brickmill Wrote:  It closes next weekend with the service changes. It is also unclear whether the buses will simply transfer with the work or whether it will spark more complicated reallocations as neither type currently feature at Queen's Rd.

Ah I must have got confused what routes are run by Rusholme?

[Mrboo]

RE: First Manchester
Think the downfall to First Manchester is they Lost Last Year £5,374,000 and Year Before £4,969,000

So It Clear there issues and replacing buses is not on the cards and now with Metrolink fares far cheaper for many then a First Day they going to be more cuts. Newton Heath to Mumps on £3.40 day zone ticket on the tram ( £3 off-peak day ) or £5 on the bus Even off-peak the tram cheaper from Oldham mumps to Manchester

But it not just First feeling this as Even Stagecoach is moving buses off routes onto more profit routes or trying to tap into new markets like the killing of the 168.

What killing Manchester is the buses are now too big for routes apart from peak times so you got full-size buses running around all day. Numbers are down it clear due to Metrolink but the big thing is what happens when Metrolink breaks down and there no spare buses.

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/02818607

[Brickmill]

RE: First Manchester

(22/01/2019 12:54)Mrboo Wrote:  Think the downfall to First Manchester is they Lost Last Year £5,374,000 and Year Before £4,969,000

So It Clear there issues and replacing buses is not on the cards and now with Metrolink fares far cheaper for many then a First Day they going to be more cuts. Newton Heath to Mumps on £3.40 day zone ticket on the tram ( £3 off-peak day ) or £5 on the bus Even off-peak the tram cheaper from Oldham mumps to Manchester

But it not just First feeling this as Even Stagecoach is moving buses off routes onto more profit routes or trying to tap into new markets like the killing of the 168.

What killing Manchester is the buses are now too big for routes apart from peak times so you got full-size buses running around all day. Numbers are down it clear due to Metrolink but the big thing is what happens when Metrolink breaks down and there no spare buses.

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/02818607

Whilst there is no doubt that Metrolink is abstracting major patronage from bus operators, both First & Stagecoach refuse to criticise it! Further, they refuse to compete with it!! They would rather slash suburban routes - some well loaded - and blame city centre roadworks and poor road management for it.
I would tend to disagree about too many 'deckers as traditionally, at least, the running costs of full size single deckers was always at least 90% of running a 75-79 seat double decker. Also, with some services being slashed, the remaining services have to take up the slack in many cases and there is less and less of an "off-peak" nowadays anyway.

[Mrboo]

RE: First Manchester

(22/01/2019 20:57)Brickmill Wrote:  Whilst there is no doubt that Metrolink is abstracting major patronage from bus operators, both First & Stagecoach refuse to criticise it! Further, they refuse to compete with it!! They would rather slash suburban routes - some well loaded - and blame city centre roadworks and poor road management for it.
I would tend to disagree about too many 'deckers as traditionally, at least, the running costs of full size single deckers was always at least 90% of running a 75-79 seat double decker. Also, with some services being slashed, the remaining services have to take up the slack in many cases and there is less and less of an "off-peak" nowadays anyway.

Metrolink pay well when they ask for passengers to be carried.

[Bevan Price]

RE: First Manchester
Was a bit surprised to find 69539 on V1 / V2 today (26 Jan.). How long has it been fitted for guided busway operations ? And are any other single deckers so fitted ?
36279 was also out today on the busway.

[Brickmill]

RE: First Manchester

(26/01/2019 22:58)Bevan Price Wrote:  Was a bit surprised to find 69539 on V1 / V2 today (26 Jan.). How long has it been fitted for guided busway operations ? And are any other single deckers so fitted ?
36279 was also out today on the busway.

I think 69537-9 were acquired partly to run on LGB - a bit concerning that one was needed on a Saturday though, although it might have been a changeover in Leigh for a breakdown.

[Brickmill]

RE: First Manchester

(22/01/2019 23:14)Mrboo Wrote:  Metrolink pay well when they ask for passengers to be carried.

A former colleague who retired from First recently claims otherwise. The real issue (irrelevant of bus operator) is whether full fare paying loyal bus passengers are inconvenienced by buses overloading from Tram passengers.

[Brickmill]

RE: First Manchester

(21/01/2019 20:42)Brickmill Wrote:  It closes next weekend with the service changes. It is also unclear whether the buses will simply transfer with the work or whether it will spark more complicated reallocations as neither type currently feature at Queen's Rd.

I don't suppose anyone has any details of the moves yet? As suspected and reported in very general terns elsewhere, types are being kept together so no buses are reallocated directly from Rusholme to Queens. The Streetlites go to Oldham and the Enviro400s to Bolton, suggesting 10 B7RLEs from Oldham and c.9 B9s from Bolton will move to Queens.

[Bevan Price]

RE: First Manchester

(27/01/2019 17:59)Brickmill Wrote:  I don't suppose anyone has any details of the moves yet? As suspected and reported in very general terns elsewhere, types are being kept together so no buses are reallocated directly from Rusholme to Queens. The Streetlites go to Oldham and the Enviro400s to Bolton, suggesting 10 B7RLEs from Oldham and c.9 B9s from Bolton will move to Queens.

Rusholme yard was almost empty yesterday (26 Jan.) at about 1:00 p.m. - just a single Enviro 400, so apart from those buses actually in service, everything else had possibly moved.