First Manchester

[iMarkeh]

RE: First Manchester

(21/02/2019 20:46)Brickmill Wrote:  I think you are getting ahead (pardon the pun) of yourself. We are still a way off a decision on Bus Reform, never mind any actual standard livery. Besides, unless and until a decision in favour of Franchising is made, there will only be the very basic idea of the various contract groupings - a mixture of large and small to enable the widest range of competent to tender, I've heard - never mind who will win which. In other words it will be a year or more before GoAhead or any other company know how many buses (and which types) will need to be in any new standard livery..
In the meantime, it would probably make sense to adopt some sort of interim livery which maybe retains an element of First basic colours (assuming there is something in the sale deal to prevent any kind of "passing off" arguments) as they are familiar to existing customers, combined with GA branding.

The timeline is still of interest, but the comment about no change to services upon takeover does suggest it will be before 27th April.

I think you misunderstood what I meant. My comment didn't mention and had nothing to do with the bus reform. The whole bus reform thing is completely unrelated to the sale or my comment.

[Brickmill]

RE: First Manchester

(22/02/2019 10:11)iMarkeh Wrote:  I think you misunderstood what I meant. My comment didn't mention and had nothing to do with the bus reform. The whole bus reform thing is completely unrelated to the sale or my comment.

I wouldn't say the sale was unrelated to Bus Reform but I,m sorry if I misinterpre ted what you are saying about livery in the shorter term.

[gilesbus1]

RE: First Manchester

(21/02/2019 22:38)T42 PVM Wrote:  The other 2 Depots are for sale and from what i have heard an announcement is due very soon

I don't want to say too much but Bolton's announcement is said to be imminent from what I understand.

[iMarkeh]

RE: First Manchester

(22/02/2019 15:20)gilesbus1 Wrote:  I don't want to say too much but Bolton's announcement is said to be imminent from what I understand.

Have you heard who bought it but can't say or are you just basing that off us all assuming the next 2 depots are due to be sold in the near future?

[Brickmill]

RE: First Manchester

(22/02/2019 17:58)iMarkeh Wrote:  Have you heard who bought it but can't say or are you just basing that off us all assuming the next 2 depots are due to be sold in the near future?

Can't you wait a few more days. Such things are highly confidential and speculation gives forums like this a bad reputation in the industry. I know this and other enthusiast's forums are monitored and Operators have been known to stop supplying information to enthusiast employees because it is being passed on. And I'm talking far less sensitive information than this.

[motormayhem1]

RE: First Manchester
I agree with Brickmill , certain things can affect the sale or operations of a company if certain things are leaked before being made official.

[iMarkeh]

RE: First Manchester

(22/02/2019 19:26)Brickmill Wrote:  Can't you wait a few more days. Such things are highly confidential and speculation gives forums like this a bad reputation in the industry. I know this and other enthusiast's forums are monitored and Operators have been known to stop supplying information to enthusiast employees because it is being passed on. And I'm talking far less sensitive information than this.

No no, I fully agree, if you can't state who won etc, that is fully understandable. I mean it more in the respect that we all know there are upcoming statements regarding the depot sales. Has something been said internally to give a hint or is what was said based off what we all know.

[Brickmill]

RE: First Manchester

(22/02/2019 19:44)iMarkeh Wrote:  No no, I fully agree, if you can't state who won etc, that is fully understandable. I mean it more in the respect that we all know there are upcoming statements regarding the depot sales. Has something been said internally to give a hint or is what was said based off what we all know.

I'm not quite sure what you are getting at here, or whether it is a question posed to the Forum or me in particular. However, in case its the latter, but to clarify for the forum's benefit:

1. I do not work for a bus company.

2. I have no contacts at First and haven't had for a couple of years

3. My only contacts with a couple of other companies are of non-senior staff and all are active on one or more forums/usergroups that I am on, so I rarely get info ahead of anyone else - and if I do, its about minutiae such as depot re-allocations. And to take a topical example, if someone were to reveal exactly which Enviro400s transferred from Rusholme to Bolton last month, I doubt very much it would scupper whatever announcement is made on Monday.

As regards this particular case, different posters on at least two of those forums have stated they expect an announcement about Bolton to made on Monday, but one hinted a decision on Oldham may not yet have been finalised. Let me re-iterate, neither of these sources dropped any hint whatsoever of what exactly the announcement would be, never mind a potential buyer. The only rumours/speculation about buyers of either/both remaining depots has come through gossip on this and other forums, based on who might want the ops and who would be allowed by the CMA to buy.

[johnluke]

RE: First Manchester
We all talk about companies but could this be a management buyout?

[gilesbus1]

RE: First Manchester
I had also read from an email made to the Bolton Evening News after an article had been published on Queens Road, that an announcement on Bolton is due on Monday and that it is currently embargoed until then, but the sale was carried out possibly at the same time as that involving Queens Road but to different parties.

I hadn't wanted to say any of this as its unsettling to staff regarding their jobs, but Brickmill has already more or less said the same from information he has gathered.

Wait till Monday is all I would say.