Stagecoach MCSL - Gillmoss Depot

[M60lad]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
24166 was actually out on one of the late boards on 10A last night, it was actually a vehicle replacement as there was an issue with the bus the driver was meant to have, and I think this must have been the only vehicle available

[YN05 WKE]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
34806 was meant to be on it however 24166 replaced it

[MPTE1955]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
Just a point Andy, how do you know that ?

[YN05 WKE]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
I know the driver who was on it

[CX06 EBK (Administrator)]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
Mbonwick, when I say cascade I mean to replace the Olympians as I assume these are being replaced with Tridents with the 04 plate ones being likely. As for them meeting Merseytravel spec, there are plenty of former ex-London buses on Merseytravel tenders, such as ex-Arriva London DAF DB250s, ex-Stagecoach London Dennis Tridents (X-52 plate) so I don't think that's an issue. The Dart SLFs look pretty shabby on the whole although freshly repainted examples look nice, they're inferior in every way passenger wise to Arrivas B7TLs and DB300s. The Enviros are hardly any improvement capacity wise either. If not the 82/86, the 20/21 where Stagecoach face no direct competition would benefit deckers greatly. Really though as mentioned if the 471/2 can get deckers there is no reason why any of the main GM routes can't, the capacity boost would be a fantastic benefit to them.

[RSTurbo50]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
Is the Plaxton pointer 1 Dart still in use at Gillmoss or has it long gone now?

[mbonwick]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
Long gone to Preston, though one of the pair may be back in storage.

CX06 - I've no idea what the issue is with the ex-London Trident, just that apparently they are not compliant for schools contracts.
You're missing the point about deckers; Stagecoach (rightly or wrongly) believe that Merseyside cannot justify deckers (yet). They are not compelled to provide DDs on the 82/86 under the terms of the QBP. Nor is there any pressing incentive to change the 20/1.
Deckers are only used on the 471/2 because of the requirements of that QBP - remember Stagecoach didn't negotiate that - and the vehicles being used are some of the oldest available. (And before you say the 04 plate Tridents could be used, they weren't available at the time, and may still be needed for schools)

[CX06 EBK (Administrator)]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
Did Stagecoach not change the ticketing terms of the QBP? I seem to remember a lot of discussion on the subject a while back but can't remember an outcome. Whoever said the Tridents aren't compliant is obviously wrong as many operators in Merseyside use similar examples (some from the same reg batches) on Merseytravel contracts, Arriva have used much more oddly laid out DLAs on contracts without issue either.

Point is from a passenger point of view GM is being left behind by a former First depot for no apparent reason. It's clear that they don't really care about any of the GM routes in quite the same way. Shocking really.

[mbonwick]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
Stagecoach didn't change the ticketing accepted under the terms of the QBP - they just went back to the bare minimum required, and ceased the 'unofficial' agreement First had to accept a wider range.

While to a certain extent GM is being left behing by a new aquisition, its important to remember that the depots are in different stages of their Stagecoach 'life'. It would perhaps be more appropriate to compare Rock Ferry now with Gillmoss in 2006, as Stagecoach look to rapidly standardise etc.

[CX06 EBK (Administrator)]

RE: Stagecoach Merseyside - Gillmoss Depot
Rock Ferry have got deckers much quicker than Gillmoss did and to a much higher standard than Gillmoss have ever had under Stagecoach. Otherwise it is very similar.