Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan

[ace]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester
Solos are much better than Darts in my opinion. They give a much smoother ride and are a bit newer in most cases.
The Darts all have knackered doors which slam against the front of the bus when they open.
I quite like the driver alert bell on the Solos with the charming door bell sound. They don't all have it but most do.

[ace]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(16/08/2012 21:34)mbonwick Wrote:  Don't forget though that 40 E400Hs start deliveries in December...so although I've no doubt routes may be going to double deck, that may not be just yet.

So I'm guessing the X reg MAN's will stay until then in that case.

[gilbert]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(16/08/2012 23:19)Mayneway Wrote:  

(16/08/2012 21:02)ace Wrote:  

(16/08/2012 20:46)Mayneway Wrote:  That's what I fear and I hate the bloody things

47559 is normally used in Glossop and has been for a good couple of years now. A second was brought in some weeks ago to replace the Dart used on the 342/4. I'm not 100% on the fleet number but I'm sure it ends **772. Today a completely different solo was in use in Glossop and when I enquired with a pal who's a driver at AZ he reckons the 3 should be permanent. Not forgetting the 202 requires 2 Solo's on a Sunday, having a third solo would make driver changeovers easier.

Getting back to the Enviro200's, I'm fairly certain the 347 will stay double deck operated, it seems to run a lot better and there's certainly less over crowding.

I can't find any that end in 772. Could it have been 47472 (PX07GZW) or 47672 (MX58HCL)?
There used to be 2 darts on the 342/4. 34080 and 34081 (S480/1BWC) but they seem to have vanished. Anybody know what's happened to them?
All the above mentioned are or were Stockport based so I wonder if the route is shared between depots.
Yes the 347 will probably remain double decker now. Probably one of the routes ear-marked for double deck with the departure of all the MAN's.

I'll try and make a note of the Solo's used on the Sunday 202 although Mic is most probably right.

The 342/4 is solely an AZ route. I'm told that the Darts had become 'unsuitable' and that once Stagecoach ended their tenure on the Stockport Metroshuttle a Solo would be strictly used as with the Glossop 390.

One of the Darts did remain at AZ until the end of last week (at least) as it was used daily on taxi duties, the other was returned to ST some time ago and is a regular performer on the 7 now.

1

Has there ever been a bus which is so uncomfortable to travel in as the Darts?

[SF07]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester
Spotted a training vehicle heading down John Dalton Street towards Salford Central this afternoon with a sign in the front window saying something about 50 route learning, so pretty obvious what was going on there.

Speaking of which, details of Stagecoach's changes now on their website (in case you haven't read the changes on here ). Some changes not listed previous include the 76 moving to stand D (with the 216/231) in Manchester and the 171 re-routed in Clayton, due to the no right turn onto Edge Lane taking effect once Metrolink starts. 171 runs normal route from Newton Heath to North Road then Canberra Road, Eastern by-pass, Scholfield Street, Ashton New Road then via 188 route to Openshaw, while 188 re-routed via North Road and Edge Lane to cover the 171 re-routing.

364 is re-routed in Heaton Norris and 378 re-routed in Lacey Green.

There's also a page on the 50 changes, which is being re-branded as 'CityConnect'. Fares for the route is mentioned with a special day/weekly ticket available between MediaCity and Salford Crescent, priced at £2.50 day and £8 week, so slight increase from the 9.

Stagecoach changes page
50 Change News page
CityConnect50 Home Page
50 fare information
50 timetable

[Nicholas]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester
We've been doing for the last two weeks - its being done several times a day so it can fit around shift times. The sign in the window is something the training department always does when running demonstrations (we did it with the hybrid vehicle familiarisation).

[mic]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(17/08/2012 19:13)Nicholas Wrote:  We've been doing for the last two weeks - its being done several times a day so it can fit around shift times. The sign in the window is something the training department always does when running demonstrations (we did it with the hybrid vehicle familiarisation).

do you still have 20970 last report on my list is it was on loan to Yorkshire Traction ie Stagecoach Yorkshire

[Nicholas]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester
20970 is back home, I saw it myself up at Ashton yesterday.

[mic]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(17/08/2012 20:09)Nicholas Wrote:  20970 is back home, I saw it myself up at Ashton yesterday.

ok thanks

[Mayneway]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester
There's also some minor stand changes in Ashton. Mainly all services will operate from the same stand all the time, ie, stands don't change after 7pm and on a Sunday's.

The 217/8 moves up a stand to stand c as currently driver change overs affect the 236/7s.

[Nicholas]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(17/08/2012 20:49)Mayneway Wrote:  There's also some minor stand changes in Ashton. Mainly all services will operate from the same stand all the time, ie, stands don't change after 7pm and on a Sunday's.

This is happening at Stockport too. I wonder if all stations are reverting back to this format, as only Bolton, Bury, Leigh and Wigan will otherwise remain with the different evening/Sunday format. Leigh was changed back in 2010 (I think) as originally only stands A, B and M were in use but A & B were getting too congested so C, D and E were brought into use. However, there is still some conflict as there are times where buses are timed at the same time or only a couple of minutes apart (582 and 658 spring to mind).