Diamond Bus North West

[Gillmoss 0324]

RE: Diamond Bus North West
Just a thought could Diamond re-establish links with or competing routes to Bolton/Wigan to St Helens or would this be treading on Arriva/Stagecoach territory too much?

Blue Bus did bring the 620 to St Helens so something similar could happen or is the traffic conditions and profitability too much of a issue for that sort of route now?

[T42 PVM (Moderator)]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(05/07/2019 07:55)Gillmoss 0324 Wrote:  Just a thought could Diamond re-establish links with or competing routes to Bolton/Wigan to St Helens or would this be treading on Arriva/Stagecoach territory too much?

Blue Bus did bring the 620 to St Helens so something similar could happen or is the traffic conditions and profitability too much of a issue for that sort of route now?

a 620 style route would work if they did a 582 to Atherton, a 132 to Hindley then over to Platt Bridge Mc Donalds and as a 320 into St Helens, Another option is looking at taking the funding for the 559 and extending that into St Helens

[gilesbus1]

RE: Diamond Bus North West
I think the 559 option is probably a better one, that could give new business in Westhoughton and give an alternative to Stagecoach between Bolton and Westhoughton, and also the market to St Helens is also potentially good and underutilised.

I think in terms of the 582 it would be OK to extend to Warrington say on an hourly frequency via Lowton and Newton but no more than that, I cannot see Warrington's Own Buses coming into Bolton to compete with Rotala, so doub't they would worry about the 22 and 22A. Stagecoach however may be another matter and one were care is needed, before stepping onto routes in Wigan, however maybe if Stagecoach don't like franchising they might sell there Wigan operation onwards as its weak in potential to the main Manchester market, in order to concentrate on that, Rotala could be a buyer there eventually and also could stengthen and link operations by adding in a bid for the routes that link Wigan and Preston and Bolton, Chorley and Preston as well, thus linking up the Preston operations on as well, but all that is a big if.

[Jack]

RE: Diamond Bus North West
Didn't Blue Bus have another shorter lived Bolton-St Helens route that went through Leigh and Golborne? Can't remember the route between Bolton and Leigh but could that have been similar to an extended 582.

[T42 PVM (Moderator)]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(05/07/2019 17:01)gilesbus1 Wrote:  I think the 559 option is probably a better one, that could give new business in Westhoughton and give an alternative to Stagecoach between Bolton and Westhoughton, and also the market to St Helens is also potentially good and underutilised.

I think in terms of the 582 it would be OK to extend to Warrington say on an hourly frequency via Lowton and Newton but no more than that, I cannot see Warrington's Own Buses coming into Bolton to compete with Rotala, so doub't they would worry about the 22 and 22A. Stagecoach however may be another matter and one were care is needed, before stepping onto routes in Wigan, however maybe if Stagecoach don't like franchising they might sell there Wigan operation onwards as its weak in potential to the main Manchester market, in order to concentrate on that, Rotala could be a buyer there eventually and also could stengthen and link operations by adding in a bid for the routes that link Wigan and Preston and Bolton, Chorley and Preston as well, thus linking up the Preston operations on as well, but all that is a big if.

Only bad point about the 559 is some roads are tight and limits what Buses can go on it

[johnluke]

RE: Diamond Bus North West
I remember the the company but cant just remember the name.that did a route over the 582.the buses were yellow..not south lancs travel.. first ended up buying them I think they ran over to rochdale also

[St Helens Rider]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(05/07/2019 17:57)jcksmnr Wrote:  Didn't Blue Bus have another shorter lived Bolton-St Helens route that went through Leigh and Golborne? Can't remember the route between Bolton and Leigh but could that have been similar to an extended 582.

It was the 200 which went via 582 to Leigh, the via 600 to Ashton and same as 320/620 to St Helens. Probably lasted about 6 months if that.

[St Helens Rider]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(05/07/2019 19:30)johnluke Wrote:  I remember the the company but cant just remember the name.that did a route over the 582.the buses were yellow..not south lancs travel.. first ended up buying them I think they ran over to rochdale also

Getting wires crossed. That was the 456 run by Coachmasters which ran Wigan - Ashton - Leigh - Bolton - Bury - Heywood - Rochdale. It ran mostly off peak in between school runs. As you say, the operation was later bought out by First.

[Jack]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(05/07/2019 19:57)St Helens Rider Wrote:  It was the 200 which went via 582 to Leigh, the via 600 to Ashton and same as 320/620 to St Helens. Probably lasted about 6 months if that.

That's the one I was thinking 200 but wasn't 100% on it.

I vaguely remember Coachmasters too, yellow double deckers. I was only young at the time so always assumed these were First buses on the 600.

[St Helens Rider]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(05/07/2019 20:14)jcksmnr Wrote:  I vaguely remember Coachmasters too, yellow double deckers. I was only young at the time so always assumed these were First buses on the 600.

Just to add, that route has seen Yellow buses in regular service since Coachmasters as only a few years ago Wigan Coachways were using a Yellow Volvo City bus on their 600 journeys.