Stagecoach MCSL - Gillmoss Depot

[jtd508110]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
Will any of the darts be staying? They are my fav types of busses tbh...

[MPTE1955]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot

(07/08/2013 15:03)jtd508110 Wrote:  Will any of the darts be staying? They are my fav types of busses tbh...

Each to their own on their favourite type of bus, bus anyway there won't be enough Enviro300's coming to replace all of the darts so the answer to that is highly likely to be yes. However, you would imagine a few of them will be off to pastures new along with the SPD's.

[mbonwick]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot

(07/08/2013 14:11)CX06 EBK Wrote:  If Rock Ferry can justify Enviro 400s, then Gillmoss can.

Not quite that simple - DDs are a requirement of the QBP, so Stagecoach have no say. The Enviro400s aren't exactly new either, they're 7 years old already.

[CX54 DKD (Moderator)]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
The point isn't really massively about the age, it's the capacity. Arriva operate the 82s and 86s with deckers, it'd be beneficial if Stagecoach did too. The B7s at Speke are 7/8 years old now too.

[mbonwick]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
Indirectly the point is about the age though - a 7 year old decker has a much lower book value than one that is brand new.

Yes, older decks could be transferred into Gillmoss, but there is a lack of spare ones within Stagecoach, and it wouldn't help address the age issues for QBP work as effectively as new Enviro300. I wouldn't be surprised to see deckers in the future though, but remember a change in normal vehicle type requires discussion and consent of all the parties involved in the QBP.

[CX06 EBK (Administrator)]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
Why would the QBP for the 471/2 stipulate deckers but the one for the 82 and 86, a far busier and frequent route, not? Didn't Stagecoach recently change what tickets they accepted over there from the First days on this QBP? They may be 7 years old but they're much newer than the deckers Gillmoss have, which are very dated inside and badly utilised. If there is such a lack of deckers, I don't know why GM didn't take the 04 plates and cascade the current stock over to Rock Ferry, as the current Tridents, much like all of Stagecoaches buses used on the 82 and 86, are really lagging behind Arrivas efforts.

[Raawwwrrr!]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
The reason the 82/86 has deckers is nothing to do with the QBP, but the 86C and the amount of student accommodation in the South Liverpool Area, as well as Hope Uni. The 82/86/86C all interwork. Stagecoach use the deckers on the 82/86 outside of term time.

[mbonwick]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
Stagecoach were involved in the negotiations for 82/6. Remember that First didn't really negotiate for the 471/2 as any work given to them was a lifeline to try and save Wirral, so they didn't complain too much about vehicle types. Stagecoach now have this legacy.

GM didn't take the 04 plates because
1. They don't have the required Volvo software to diagnose them
2. Fife was/is crying out for mid-life deckers of any sort to avoid their school contracts crisis (age limit is 15 years, and they have about 50 Olympians still)
2a. Fife have the required software, and already operate B7TLs, so it makes sense from a standardisation point of view.

With regard to cascading the GM ex-London Tridents to RF, I doubt that they meet the spec for the QBP and in any case would have been a step backwards from First days.

Don't forget that GMs Tridents are used on the Hope University contracts as well - a passenger demographic that is not conducive to new vehicles.

[gka472l]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
I suspect the '04' plates might mean the Tridents now at Rock Ferry rather than the B7TL's

(07/08/2013 19:34)mbonwick Wrote:  Stagecoach were involved in the negotiations for 82/6. Remember that First didn't really negotiate for the 471/2 as any work given to them was a lifeline to try and save Wirral, so they didn't complain too much about vehicle types. Stagecoach now have this legacy.

GM didn't take the 04 plates because
1. They don't have the required Volvo software to diagnose them
2. Fife was/is crying out for mid-life deckers of any sort to avoid their school contracts crisis (age limit is 15 years, and they have about 50 Olympians still)
2a. Fife have the required software, and already operate B7TLs, so it makes sense from a standardisation point of view.

With regard to cascading the GM ex-London Tridents to RF, I doubt that they meet the spec for the QBP and in any case would have been a step backwards from First days.

Don't forget that GMs Tridents are used on the Hope University contracts as well - a passenger demographic that is not conducive to new vehicles.

[mbonwick]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
04 plate Tridents may yet go back to GM, they've won 5 of the 7 ex-Napier schools routes. I don't think the ex-London Tridents meet Merseytravel spec for schools though, and they certainly have fewer seats than a provincial Trident.

A lot rather depends on potential (or not) decker deliveries to other MY&SL depots.