First West & North Yorkshire

[P528LND]

RE: First West & North Yorkshire

(07/06/2012 09:26)SF07 Wrote:  

(07/06/2012 02:44)P528LND Wrote:  

(06/06/2012 20:05)Wright Eclipse Wrote:  Theres 1 trip currently run by huddersfield what means it runs dead from oldham to huddersfield anyway (not sure on the last one)

This statement is completely untrue.

I don't know where you've got that information from and this isn't the first piece of information I've noticed from you to be far from the truth to be honest. There are 18 miles between Huddersfield Bus Station and Wallshaw Street Depot at Oldham, which is easily a 40-50 minute drive and at the time you're implying it would run dead, that time could easily double to an hour and a half. No bus company would allow this to happen, never mind a well-managed international company like First even if we do struggle to notice their 'skills' in management

The timetables are arranged so that full-stretch 184's run from 0630 in the morning until 1730 in the evening. Huddersfield run the 0630 & 0730 184's from Huddersfield to Manchester and both arrive in Manchester at 0825 and 0925 respectively. Then they leave at half-past the hour every hour from either destination giving this pattern:

Huddersfield - Manchester: 0630 - 0825 / 0730 - 0925
Manchester - Huddersfield: 0830 - 1025 / 0930 - 1125
Huddersfield - Manchester: 1030 - 1225 / 1130 - 1325
Manchester - Huddersfield: 1230 - 1425 / 1330 - 1525
Huddersfield - Manchester: 1430 - 1625 / 1530 - 1725
Manchester - Huddersfield: 1630 - 1825 / 1730 - 1925

The two buses start and end their duties in Huddersfield, leaving minimal dead mileage.

Oldham depot buses (Manchester) are a little more complex - this is their working:

Grotton - Manchester: 0535 - 0625 & Uppermill - Manchester: 0620 - 0725
Manchester - Huddersfield: 0630 - 0825 / 0730 - 0925
Huddersfield - Manchester: 0830 - 1025 / 0930 - 1125
Manchester - Huddersfield: 1030 - 1225 / 1130 - 1325
Huddersfield - Manchester: 1230 - 1425 / 1330 - 1525
Manchester - Huddersfield: 1430 - 1625 / 1530 - 1725
Huddersfield - Manchester: 1630 - 1825 / 1730 - 1925

Both buses then go onto other duties for evening services only in the Greater Manchester area.

Unless First are planning on introducing more journeys on the 184 in the near future, those two B9TL's we sent in your direction won't be returning to Greater Manchester for a long while yet, if ever.

(Times are not those exactly stated on the timetables, however they aren't far off.)

I believe that Oldham depot have now changed the workings of their Huddersfield journeys, as First Manchester's 180/184s journeys now get 15 minutes waiting time in Manchester to improve reliability.

So, First Manchester buses that arrive at Manchester at 1015, 1115, 1415 and 1515 will set off to Huddersfield at 1030, 1130, 1430 and 1530. Buses from Huddersfield arriving into Manchester at 1025, 1125, 1425 and 1525 now leave as a 184 to Uppermill at 1040, 1140, 1440 and 1540.

Huddersfield depot buses only get 5 mins waiting time on its 1230 and 1330 weekday and all Saturday departures from Manchester with First Manchester buses that arrive at Piccadilly at xx15 leaving at xx40 (waiting at Stevenson Square for about 20 mins). This usually means that Huddersfield depot 184s end up running late back from Manchester (although they'll make up for lost time by the time it gets to Uppermill or Marsden).

Thanks for this information, I was getting quite confused as to why buses to Huddersfield were inconsistent from our end, and I was going by Oldham-depot run 184's old workings so that's benefited my knowledge fully, thanks

I personally would prefer all 184 journeys to be run by the Oldham depot - it would give room for extra morning journeys and extra late-night journeys, including short runs between Huddersfield and Oldham. First are too persistent at getting people between places and the City Centre, forgetting there are other towns people want to get to too!

Huddersfield - Manchester every 30 minutes, now that would be of benefit. First are just too scared to!