Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire

[gilbert]

RE: Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire

(11/11/2012 00:33)mbonwick Wrote:  Or perhaps its just a reflection on how well informed some members are compared to the majority?

Glasgow hate their examples, East Midlands are cannibalising some of their ex-Manchester MANs....surely that's indicative of the general state?

Or a minority view? The majority know nothing..........

[cumbria0902150]

RE: Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire

(10/11/2012 23:42)gilbert Wrote:  I haven't heard of them being ''so much trouble ''anywhere else. There seem to be one or two posters who've just got it into their heads that they don't like them. Or maybe there's other reasons?

Plenty of places having problems with them, just Manchester don't get as many problems with them being used on city work, which they're designed and built for. I don't know if Manchester just aren't having the problems with them, if the MANs in storage have had issues, or if they do have issues but just aren't picked up by people outside of Stagecoach Manchester from the large amount of buses there, but it is certainly noticable outside of Manchester where fleets are much smaller.
Cumbria's 22104 and 22140 had to have major engine work done after having problems, Carlisle currently have 22137 and 22160 off the road waiting to have new engines fitted, and 22142 burst into flames last week from mechanical issues. Other MAN ALX300's in Cumbria have had plenty of reliability issues, and I'm told Lillyhall's 22108 constantly has problems with its gears.
Preston's 22257 is off service waiting for a new engine, then it is transferring to Chorley. The rest of the batch they had have had plenty of mechanical issues.
Glasgow's S/T reg's from Manchester are in awful condition, and despite having extra ones to cover for breakdowns they constantly have to use the spare allocation of coaches for X25 because the MAN's break down so much. They were due to be replaced by 55reg's from Bluebird but they've been diverted to Wigan instead.
East Scotland have had numerous problems, to the extent some were re-engined with a brand new Cummins engine rather than MAN engine, to try improve reliability as well as replace the blown engine.
A small number of MAN ALX300's in North East have had to be re-engined, namely 2 S/T reg's at Stockton, after suffering from engine failure.

The MAN thing can go further than older ALX300's too. One of Carlisle's MAN engined Solo's blew an oil piston in its first week of service back in 2010, and had to be re-engined earlier this year. At least one of Preston's MAN engined 08reg Versa's has been off service in recent months to be re-engined, 3 or 4 of Carlisle's 9 59reg MAN Enviro300's have had brand new engines fitted, along with 2 or 3 of Lillyhall's 11 08reg's. All of Lillyhall's 11 had to return to MAN in 2009/2010 for modifications to solve constant overheating issues. Just now, Stockton have had a MAN Enviro300 re-engined. West Scotland have had some of their MAN engined Solo's fitted with brand new Cummins engines after the MAN engines had blown. Versa's in Wales have had the same issues with MAN engined Versa's and Solo's, and some have been re-engined with either a MAN engine or a brand new Cummins engine. Right now, East Scotland have a 56reg East Lancs MAN off service to be re-engined after the MAN engine had blown, they could still have some other vehicles VOR too waiting to have broken MAN engines replaced.

[enrag2000]

RE: Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire

(13/11/2012 16:49)cumbria0902150 Wrote:  

(10/11/2012 23:42)gilbert Wrote:  I haven't heard of them being ''so much trouble ''anywhere else. There seem to be one or two posters who've just got it into their heads that they don't like them. Or maybe there's other reasons?

I'm told Lillyhall's 22108 constantly has problems with its gears.
Preston's 22257 is off service waiting for a new engine, then it is transferring to Chorley. The rest of the batch they had have had plenty of mechanical issues.

Coincidentally, 22108 was on the 1050 Carlisle-Keswick today. It reversed off the stand in the bus station ok, then the driver had difficulty selecting forward gear. He switched off and on a couple of times and eventually managed to go. Just as well as it was blocking the bus station.

Also I was on a bus in Preston Bus Station a week last Saturday and 22257 was being hooked up to a tow wagon. Our driver shouted to everyone in the bus "that's the worst bus we have got!" then shouted to the wagon driver "Don't bring it back!" If it is being transferred to Chorley, she will have had her wish granted!

[enrag2000]

RE: Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire
Olympian 16645 which I reported being towed in last week was soon back on the road and was on the 104 today along with 18361, 24123 and 24124. Unbranded 24121 is also at Penrith on the 108 together with one of the B10Ms - I think 20219 as the usual 20944 has been at Carlisle for a week or so now and 20456 is on the 94/97.

I have noticed recently that the Dart SLFs on Carlisle city services 67/68 have gradually been losing their side route branding and only 34708/9 still have it, if indeed they still do. Not sure of the reason for this. Another change is that all the Darts now run with the driver's cab screens down - this must be something to do with the competition from Reay's who do not have screens at all. Also a 90p fare on weekdays before 9.30am has been introduced for passholders on Carlisle city services - Reay's have had a £1 fare for some time now.

Two ALX300 MANs were on the 38 today - 22139 and 22143 - but I did not see any others about. Another bus I have not seen lately is Trident 18357, but I might just have been missing this.

[bramptontrev]

RE: Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire
Saturday 17th Nov - was heading north on M6 and just after 20.00 saw a long Alexander bodied Stagecoach Olympian on tow between Penrith and Carlisle heading south - one from Carlisle or one from Scotland?

We had been for a day trip to Lancaster, and whilst heading south in the morning we passed a tow truck with a red Stagecoach Alexander normal wheelbase Trident on tow going north between Kendal and Shap at about 10.15. Same tow truck for both trips? I am guessing the red Trident was heading for McGills.

[enrag2000]

RE: Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire
Carlisle seem to have another Trident as 18365 (from Lancaster) was on the 554 Carlisle-Keswick today. I also saw 18357 and 18361 on the 104 so 18365 may have replaced 17017 or Olympian 16645, neither of which was about today.

The 685 Newcastle had regular coach 52627 and 24122. I see from the latest fleetcard (thanks Michael!) that the other 685 coach 52626 is in reserve and I saw the only other coach at Carlisle, 52629, with a mechanic at the wheel so that would be why 24122 was on. If 52626 is out for a while, Carlisle could do with another coach although service buses are a common sight on Arriva's share of the 685.

I saw Solo 47721 on a city service, I think it was the 69. This is off the 77/77A Honister Pass for the winter and it seems to have had a repaint with more white on the front end. It certainly looks different.

The 38 Silloths were both SLF Darts today though a couple of the ex-Manchester MANs were on city services.

[cumbria0902150]

RE: Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire
18365 replaced 17017, which is now back at Morecambe.

22160 has been back in service with its new engine. A MAN has transferred from Preston to replace written off 22142.

[bramptontrev]

RE: Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire
SN11 reg Alexander Dennis double deck demonstrator in use in Carlisle on Tuesday - service 76 I think.

[mbonwick]

RE: Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire
It's a demonstrator with Reay's.

[Scania1996]

 RE: Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire
Are the Striders still in service in Lancaster? According to the January 2013 BUSES magazine a few had been reinstated.
Thanks in advance