First Manchester

[Mrboo]

RE: First Manchester

(04/10/2018 18:21)33109 Wrote:  Who knows yet, was just a shock seeing a decker on metroshuttle duties.

Had the electric optare the other day 49921 I think it was. Nice bus & quite nippy acceleration, a touch jerky in stop start traffic but otherwise good.

I seen a Decker on metroshuttle when xmas market on a few times.

[Brickmill]

RE: First Manchester

(05/10/2018 14:16)Mrboo Wrote:  I seen a Decker on metroshuttle when xmas market on a few times.

Geminis regularly appear on MetroShuttle. It is more likely than ever at the moment as the hybrid fleet are being re-furbished and prepared for either the new "Free Bus" network or cascade to other TFGM contracts.

[Brickmill]

RE: First Manchester

(04/10/2018 13:28)Mrboo Wrote:  Be down to there branding buses. but it still a bit fishy it not been confirmed that First will still be running the new routes. as MCT has gone for more op discs there maybe a shock on the way.

Current operational conditions bear no relation to the Free Bus contracts. The only practical problem in delaying the award is that the drivers might not know which depot they will be signing at come 8th November. TUPE will apply, and because there are no fares it is irrelevant to the travelling public who will be running the buses - at least until the revised service starts.

[Brickmill]

RE: First Manchester

(02/10/2018 11:13)Mayneway Wrote:  I think in places like Tameside they would actually be doing punters a favour if they did pull out. Sadly there's a massive difference between the quality of service as well as punctuality between First and Stagecoach. You only have to look at the investment Stagecoach have made at each depot to see how it should be done!

Must have been a completely different Ashton that I have been visting recently. Apart from old Solos on the 353/4, First buses in Ashton seem to be predominantly Streetlites, supplemented by the odd Enviro300 and Enviro400 on 348/350 and a mix of Enviro400s and Geminis on 409. Meanwhile, Stagecoach run middle aged Enviro200s (and the odd Enviro400) on 346 and apart from the 330, the remaining routes are either a mix of variously powered or designed Enviro400s - except the 347 which seems to have settled back to its natural historical place of just having the oldest buses in the fleet.
The 346 stands out like a sore thumb; 5 years ago, Stagecoach ran nothing but nearly new Enviro200s whilst First chucked out any old rubbish. Nowadays, the situation is almost reversed.

[Brickmill]

RE: First Manchester

(01/10/2018 11:10)T42 PVM Wrote:  Latest Fleet Changes:

60188 V136 DND Driver Trainer - Withdrawn
60405 X699 ADK Reserve - Preserved

I thought 60188 had been sold/scrapped some while ago.

Do you/anyone know if 60405 has been preserved privately or by First Manchester themselves? The latter would seem unlikely.

ta

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(05/10/2018 20:48)Brickmill Wrote:  Must have been a completely different Ashton that I have been visting recently. Apart from old Solos on the 353/4, First buses in Ashton seem to be predominantly Streetlites, supplemented by the odd Enviro300 and Enviro400 on 348/350 and a mix of Enviro400s and Geminis on 409. Meanwhile, Stagecoach run middle aged Enviro200s (and the odd Enviro400) on 346 and apart from the 330, the remaining routes are either a mix of variously powered or designed Enviro400s - except the 347 which seems to have settled back to its natural historical place of just having the oldest buses in the fleet.
The 346 stands out like a sore thumb; 5 years ago, Stagecoach ran nothing but nearly new Enviro200s whilst First chucked out any old rubbish. Nowadays, the situation is almost reversed.

Read my comment I said quality of service nothing about the age of vehicles used. You travel into Ashton once in a blue moon. Speak to any regular bus users in Ashton and they will tell you they prefer Stagecoach services over Firsts. Main reason being punctuality and buses actually turning up at all. Only the other day there was a debate on a local Facebook group about whether the 350 was the worst bus service going! I didn't contribute but it got quite a few comments.

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(05/10/2018 20:42)Brickmill Wrote:  Current operational conditions bear no relation to the Free Bus contracts. The only practical problem in delaying the award is that the drivers might not know which depot they will be signing at come 8th November. TUPE will apply, and because there are no fares it is irrelevant to the travelling public who will be running the buses - at least until the revised service starts.

Maybe but the fact drivers and management at queens road still are non the wiser it's pretty poor really. Whys it such an issue for tfgm to simply announce who's running it!

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(04/10/2018 13:28)Mrboo Wrote:  Be down to there branding buses. but it still a bit fishy it not been confirmed that First will still be running the new routes. as MCT has gone for more op discs there maybe a shock on the way.

Can't see MCT going for it tbh it will be out and out between First and Stagecoach. MCT do have an extra 20 ops disks to play with now but have just picked up a handful of contracts in stockpot and I believe they want to do more with their Rochdale operation.

[Brickmill]

RE: First Manchester

(07/10/2018 18:06)Mayneway Wrote:  Still I suppose you are not the best person to judge seat cushion softness or quality of service given your use of your staff pass! Some of us actually pay!

I'm sorry! Have we been introduced?

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester
5 weeks after Oldham depot installed new ticket machines and saw two buses yesterday which had signs up saying that the machines weren't working.