First Manchester

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(09/03/2021 21:47)Mrboo Wrote:  Well they be Stuck if GNW has got it as and runs it out of Queen road.
But they would be best to just get some land next to the busway and fit charging points and only return buses to Queen road for any repairs, maybe even ok for them to base on the M60 park and ride site.

Your missing the point. The union wouldn’t allow first to move the vantage to rusholme because it was deemed as unreasonable to expect drivers to travel so far, I’d imagine they would take the same approach if it was moved to Queens road, however it couldn’t move to QS because the depot is full to capacity.

[Mrboo]

RE: First Manchester

(09/03/2021 22:11)Mayneway Wrote:  Your missing the point. The union wouldn’t allow first to move the vantage to rusholme because it was deemed as unreasonable to expect drivers to travel so far, I’d imagine they would take the same approach if it was moved to Queens road, however it couldn’t move to QS because the depot is full to capacity.

What is the unions going to do as First or GNW dont own a depot in Bolton at the time. what happens if Arriva dont want them anymore. You dont need to keep the buses at Queens road or they can move out the free bus. GAL Luton dont own a Depot they run from a car park and a office. Also will drivers be Tupe over to GNW

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(09/03/2021 22:16)Mrboo Wrote:  What is the unions going to do as First or GNW dont own a depot in Bolton at the time. what happens if Arriva dont want them anymore. You dont need to keep the buses at Queens road or they can move out the free bus. GAL Luton dont own a Depot they run from a car park and a office. Also will drivers be Tupe over to GNW

I believe the drivers could Tupe over to the company that wins or takes over the contract.
The union doesn’t care what is owned and what isn’t. It was seen as unreasonable to expect drivers to travel from Bolton to Rusholme every day for work so Firsts plans to reopen Rusholme were dashed.
Tbh I think they only retain Oldham as they need it to maintain and inspect the vantage buses.

[Mrboo]

RE: First Manchester

(09/03/2021 22:34)Mayneway Wrote:  I believe the drivers could Tupe over to the company that wins or takes over the contract.
The union doesn’t care what is owned and what isn’t. It was seen as unreasonable to expect drivers to travel from Bolton to Rusholme every day for work so Firsts plans to reopen Rusholme were dashed.
Tbh I think they only retain Oldham as they need it to maintain and inspect the vantage buses.

Well they could of offered relocation help or make their role redundant like what Arriva did when they moved the rail replacement unit from Cardiff to Manchester and now Derby. As the Depot was sold.
Think someone came up with the outstation offer at Arriva for Vantage that worked out cheaper then reopening Rushoime. Oldham Mumps does lots of MOT work for First as they have lots of pits and Bodyshop so Oldham does have a 2nd use for First and they can hide buses there at the back wall. I have seen buses after crashes there as they are hidden from view.

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(09/03/2021 23:42)Mrboo Wrote:  Well they could of offered relocation help or make their role redundant like what Arriva did when they moved the rail replacement unit from Cardiff to Manchester and now Derby. As the Depot was sold.
Think someone came up with the outstation offer at Arriva for Vantage that worked out cheaper then reopening Rushoime. Oldham Mumps does lots of MOT work for First as they have lots of pits and Bodyshop so Oldham does have a 2nd use for First and they can hide buses there at the back wall. I have seen buses after crashes there as they are hidden from view.

They were forced to look for space in Bolton. The plan was to sell all 3 depots and re open Rusholme to run the vantage, various tenders and schools they wanted to retain and also move the driving training school, the union scuppered the plans with the vantage drivers not wanting to work out of Rusholme because most lived in the vicinity of Western street.
As I understand the space they use at Arriva is and always has been temporary, wouldn’t call it an outstation.

[Solo40336]

RE: First Manchester

(09/03/2021 22:34)Mayneway Wrote:  I believe the drivers could Tupe over to the company that wins or takes over the contract.
The union doesn’t care what is owned and what isn’t. It was seen as unreasonable to expect drivers to travel from Bolton to Rusholme every day for work so Firsts plans to reopen Rusholme were dashed.
Tbh I think they only retain Oldham as they need it to maintain and inspect the vantage buses.

The vantage buses are maintained on a Contract with Volvo at Thomas Hardies, all Mechanical and electrical work is done by them along with 35 day inspection and MOTs. Only bodywork was done by First as Hardies dont have any bodymen. Only basic jobs are done by First, low coolant, bulbs, mirrors etc.

[Mrboo]

RE: First Manchester
What happened with the new bus order as they are past there renew point?

[WhiteVanMan]

RE: First Manchester

(10/03/2021 03:52)Mrboo Wrote:  What happened with the new bus order as they are past there renew point?

Good Question.

According to wikipedia

"In February 2019, TfGM were successful in bidding for funding support in buying an additional 10 electric buses for busway operation, to enter service in March 2020".

As of November 2020, the construction of these buses hadn't begun.

So just what is going to happen next month?, when according to the contract, the current fleet will be to old, due to the five year age limit.

[thomasl1231]

RE: First Manchester

(10/03/2021 03:52)Mrboo Wrote:  What happened with the new bus order as they are past there renew point?

Not sure if you've noticed but there's been this Covid 19 pandemic happening since last year that has disrupted a lot of plans etc.

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(10/03/2021 16:46)thomasl1231 Wrote:  Not sure if you've noticed but there's been this Covid 19 pandemic happening since last year that has disrupted a lot of plans etc.

Agree with you BUT TFGM are still happy to fine companies who use vehicles over the age limit on contracts, they happily fine companies for failing to run journeys on tendered services, even if the reason it’s not running is covid related so it begs the question will they turn a blind eye to vehicles over the 5 year limit running on the busway??