First Manchester

[Metroline1511]

RE: First Manchester
First withdrawing the main 42 service between Piccadilly and East Didsbury is quite a climbdown from when it ran every 7-8 minutes. After Rusholme closes, I think First will eventually withdraw route 41, but would probably keep route 53 as Queen's Road is a convenient garage to run it from.

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(24/11/2018 04:11)Metroline1511 Wrote:  First withdrawing the main 42 service between Piccadilly and East Didsbury is quite a climbdown from when it ran every 7-8 minutes. After Rusholme closes, I think First will eventually withdraw route 41, but would probably keep route 53 as Queen's Road is a convenient garage to run it from.

Just goes to show how they have waisted money. Can't remember how much they paid for Finglands but what a pointless excercise if years later they just give up.

[Mrboo]

RE: First Manchester

(24/11/2018 05:45)Mayneway Wrote:  Just goes to show how they have waisted money. Can't remember how much they paid for Finglands but what a pointless excercise if years later they just give up.

£50,000 so was not really big money.

[Brickmill]

RE: First Manchester

(24/11/2018 05:45)Mayneway Wrote:  Just goes to show how they have waisted money. Can't remember how much they paid for Finglands but what a pointless exercise if years later they just give up.

Looking back, I suspect they bought it partly because "they could". ie. Stagecoach certainly couldn't and I'm guessing Arriva either couldn't financially or were "warned off"by the CMA/OFT. The latter doesn't make much sense though as even then, they had a declining prescence in South Manchester, but it seemed strange that (allegedly) it was Arriva NOT Stagecoach that officially objected to the CMA/OFT about First buying Finglands. First for their part would say, "well, if we hadn't bought it, it would have closed down making 90 (iirc) people redundant and handing a monopoly to Stagecoach anyway". The only other logical buyer would have been Bullocks, but they may have felt it was too much to take on and were happy with the security of running only contracted or otherwise supported services.

[Brickmill]

RE: First Manchester

(21/11/2018 21:56)darylyates17 Wrote:  So are the Hybrid Versas leaving with the full electric Versas staying with the Solo Hybrids?

As you should have seen, I effectively asked the same question in message #6298, but the truth is that (still) nobody seems to know. There have been no updates since my question, other than someone saying some of the Versas were being worked on at Stagecoach Hyde Road. Remember, Stagecoach Group have the contract to refurbish them, so there is no suggestion any will go to them. Indeed, I don't think Stagecoach Manchester have any relevant contracts left, after losing the Stockport ones.

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(24/11/2018 16:29)Brickmill Wrote:  Looking back, I suspect they bought it partly because "they could". ie. Stagecoach certainly couldn't and I'm guessing Arriva either couldn't financially or were "warned off"by the CMA/OFT. The latter doesn't make much sense though as even then, they had a declining prescence in South Manchester, but it seemed strange that (allegedly) it was Arriva NOT Stagecoach that officially objected to the CMA/OFT about First buying Finglands. First for their part would say, "well, if we hadn't bought it, it would have closed down making 90 (iirc) people redundant and handing a monopoly to Stagecoach anyway". The only other logical buyer would have been Bullocks, but they may have felt it was too much to take on and were happy with the security of running only contracted or otherwise supported services.

But in theory nobody had to buy it. Look what happened with eyms trying to sell their Whittle operation. A buyer couldn't be found and Peter Ship ended up closing the operation down. I suspect had First not shown such an interest in Finglands it would have gone the same way, First could have registered the Finglands services and run them from Queens road saving cash and resources.

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(24/11/2018 07:37)Mrboo Wrote:  £50,000 so was not really big money.

But it's £50,000 that has effectively been frittered down the drain.

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(24/11/2018 16:38)Brickmill Wrote:  As you should have seen, I effectively asked the same question in message #6298, but the truth is that (still) nobody seems to know. There have been no updates since my question, other than someone saying some of the Versas were being worked on at Stagecoach Hyde Road. Remember, Stagecoach Group have the contract to refurbish them, so there is no suggestion any will go to them. Indeed, I don't think Stagecoach Manchester have any relevant contracts left, after losing the Stockport ones.

I don't think Stagecoach would want them anyway. Stagecoach see the maintiance contract with optare at Trafford park as 'very frustrating' so I would imagine these will end up with MCT unless tfgm attempt another oldham or Rochdale metroshuttle type thing again.

[Citibus]

RE: First Manchester
33677 SN12AEY Enviro 400 was involved in a minor crash on 36 this morning in Farnworth






from GMP Traffic Twitter

[Brickmill]

RE: First Manchester

(25/11/2018 15:05)Citibus Wrote:  33677 SN12AEY Enviro 400 was involved in a minor crash on 36 this morning in Farnworth

Looks a bit more than minor, though presumably no one was injured and no question it was a genuine accident with both drivers above suspicion. Otherwise, why is the road open. If that happened on the east side of GM, the Police would close the entire road for hours on end.