Arriva North West - St Helens Depot

[gka472l]

RE: Arriva North West - St Helens Depot

(22/03/2013 22:27)sumner Wrote:  They were originally 26xx as well weren't they, being changed to 21xx once the Commanders/Centros arrived.

Correct, 2601-2608, 2601/2 were first used at Birkenhead, the rest were Wrexham if I remember correctly.

[CX54 DKD (Moderator)]

RE: Arriva North West - St Helens Depot

(23/03/2013 22:21)sth77 Wrote:  

(23/03/2013 21:41)SLTRegular Wrote:  It appears the 352 diverted today via Winstanley College/2 Mile Stretch route due to Road issues in Billinge. this is purely down to sightings alone but i have two confirmed sightings of this plus tfgm said that arriva where avoiding serving Billinge tat 12:30 today.

Also 3024 now has failed rear and side displays and 3023 is still a bloody cold bus out on 352 lates id assume it will get swapped out at some point i put gloves on when i got aboard the bus but didnt have any when i was outside showing how cold it was presumed failed heating?

The 352 was indeed diverted via Winstanley College today from early morning until mid afternoon as far as I am aware.

Yep, diverted down Wigan Road and Winstanley Road to avoid Upholland Road due to some severe snow drifts. My bus, 2693, got stuck behind a line of stuck and failed cars yesterday evening around 5 and was one of the last buses to serve the road. Ended up stuck ourselves though managed to get out of it. 45 minute delay and 3 buses one behind the other once we'd finally moved thanks to the driver and a passenger getting out to push cars out of the buses way. Service was diverted today from first thing with the first bus running back down Upholland Road at about half 1 Wigan bound.

3024 has had failed displays for a prolonged period. 3023 is either a recent heating failure or the driver had just not set the saloon heat correctly; it was warm, albeit sluggish, last week.

[SLTRegular]

RE: Arriva North West - St Helens Depot
With the extremely icy roads i assume the first 3/4 journeys tomorrow will be or atleast divert via st james rd

Was in the pub before and heard a horror story that at approx 9am a 352 couldnt get through Billinge and was stood revving like mad up the hill outside the Old Hospital also heard a 395 got stuck in Clay brow assume said guy wasn't a ex skem driver and didnt know that when it snows buses dont serve that estate. which all 385/375 where avoiding.

[CX54 DKD (Moderator)]

RE: Arriva North West - St Helens Depot

(24/03/2013 02:27)SLTRegular Wrote:  also heard a 395 got stuck in Clay brow assume said guy wasn't a ex skem driver and didnt know that when it snows buses dont serve that estate. which all 385/375 where avoiding.

What a truly ridiculous statement. Even if not 'ex-Skem' I'm fairly certain all drivers on the route would be aware of that area being troublesome following the last bout of snow. Are you also privvy to communications between drivers and depot as to which sections of route to avoid and which to try and get through as best they can? Seeing as you seem to have some sort of chip on your shoulder toward the drivers who haven't transferred over from Skem, let's not forget that the 352/395s are on a permanent rosta of drivers made up in the majority of the drivers who've moved over from Skem and are yet to drive a single other route in the depot.......

[sth77]

RE: Arriva North West - St Helens Depot

(24/03/2013 02:27)SLTRegular Wrote:  With the extremely icy roads i assume the first 3/4 journeys tomorrow will be or atleast divert via st james rd

Was in the pub before and heard a horror story that at approx 9am a 352 couldnt get through Billinge and was stood revving like mad up the hill outside the Old Hospital also heard a 395 got stuck in Clay brow assume said guy wasn't a ex skem driver and didnt know that when it snows buses dont serve that estate. which all 385/375 where avoiding.

I don't think the story about the 352 getting stuck at the old Hospital can be true, as far I as know the 352 was diverted via Winstanley Road from the first journey in the morning so it would not have been going that way unless there is another old Hospital that I don't know off.

I think we all know on here that you have a major problem for some reason with Arriva drivers and vehicles from St Helens.

On another not, quite an ultra rare sighting for a Sunday today is Solo SR 722 on the 32's. This, like many St Helens routes is normally fully Pulsar operated on a Sunday. It is the first time I can think of that I have seen a Solo SR out on a Sunday on local routes.

[CX54 DKD (Moderator)]

RE: Arriva North West - St Helens Depot
The 356 occasionally sees them of a Sunday but other than that, I've never noted them out either. Odd considering the loads some services see and, what I would assume to be, reduced fuel consumption compared to a Pulsar.

[St Helens Rider]

RE: Arriva North West - St Helens Depot
Probably due to the increased PVR the depot has now on a Sunday with the 329 requiring 3 vehicles on top of other services.

[SLTRegular]

RE: Arriva North West - St Helens Depot
My friend observed a Arriva bus stuck outside Billinge Hospital at approx 9am yesterday heading SH bound "I seen one early this morning before 9:00 that was really struggling going along Upholland Rd because of all the snow drifts. But not sure if the snows been cleared yet"

[CX54 DKD (Moderator)]

RE: Arriva North West - St Helens Depot
I live within viewing distance of the old Billinge Hospital and there was certainly no bus stuck there yesterday morning. The snow drifts are also all OK on Upholland Road today and no services have had issue to my knowledge. They've had to slow down and take care going through the section at the top of Billinge but other than that, there's no problem with it.

I'm not trying to be funny with you in the slightest but claims of buses being 'stuck' and 'struggling' are such exaggerations.

(24/03/2013 12:26)St Helens Rider Wrote:  Probably due to the increased PVR the depot has now on a Sunday with the 329 requiring 3 vehicles on top of other services.

From what I've worked out, Sunday PVR now stands at 30. The Pulsar fleet stands at 47 (12 x 58s, 19 x 09s, 14 x 59s, 2 x 10s) so there should still be around a good 17 going spare in the garage (with exceptions for monthly inspections and general maintenance).

[CX54 DKD (Moderator)]

RE: Arriva North West - St Helens Depot
Marshall 7665 now here, fully blinded, old livery and MTL moquette. Another fine addition to the St Helens fleet to dazzle passengers with. In service on 32s.

2214 also noted being booked off of 329s having just loaded passengers for a round trip. Replaced by Pulsar 2693.

Also, Renown 2713 is on the late 37/38/356 board having replaced 2494 at some stage. The two day boards saw 2 Cadets in the form of 2489 and 2495 after some time being allocated Darts again.