Stagecoach Manchester

[Mayneway]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(21/08/2014 19:18)Owl Wrote:  So Middleton will become the home of all Stagecoaches non-standard stuff. I suppose that it makes some sort of sense to have it all in one place.

That's exactly how it was put to me earlier this week, excluding Magic buses all the non standard odd balls will be based at Middleton.

[Mayneway]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(21/08/2014 19:45)Polo Mint Wrote:  The primos look like microwaves, one has a different colour door!! But they are pretty modern and may be suited to tenders.

Despite the much speculated painting of Tridents I would imagine Stagecoach will now be keen to ditch the JPT livery once and for all, so I would think the Primo's will fairly quicky gain Stagecoach livery (which will be interesting!) so the annoying 'odd doors' will hopefully be a thing of the past.

I'm told Stagecoach had to carry out work on all the Primo's to bring them up to a serviceable standard, plus it was suggested elsewhere soon after the takeover that Stagecoach had paid off the remaining finance on these and possibly the Enviro's so I would think they have a rather high book price so Stagecoach will be keen to get their monies worth out of them, plus despite thier looks their young, low floor, tender spec buses so I can see them staying for now.

[wirralbus]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester
Does Stagecoach have a company somewhere in the country , that operates a significant amount of Primo's . Stagecoach normally tries to keep vehicles together of various types as it helps with costs in the longer term that is if they keep them .

[jimbo]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester
I'll see if I can spot the promos at HE today. Will be interesting livery change

[M60lad]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester
I wonder whether we'll now see former JPT vehicles on normal Middleton Depot services now the takeover has been cleared.

As for the Primos it will be interesting to see what happens to them as Stagecoach lose 276 Trafford Hospital-West Didsbury service from the end of the month which is one of the main services the Primos have been used on, if Stagecoach do keep the Primos I can see them being sent to Stockport as they woud be ideal for 328 route as they can fit round it no probem in fact when JPT had the evening tender for 328s it was virtually always a Primo as it was the only vehicle that would fit down St Petersburg Road in Edgeley

[Owl]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(21/08/2014 20:05)WhiteVanMan Wrote:  The sooner, the better. JPT buses were in a right state.

I always thought it spoke volumes for JPTs maintainance standards that Stagecoach preferred to use the two green and white double deckers, rather than some of the younger vehicles.

[Mayneway]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(22/08/2014 06:30)Owl Wrote:  I always thought it spoke volumes for JPTs maintainance standards that Stagecoach preferred to use the two green and white double deckers, rather than some of the younger vehicles.

I've never been JPTs biggest fan but at one point a few years ago they seemed to have it all and were doing rather well. Maintiance wise they always seemed to turn out a decent bus, but they became fixated on trying to compete hard with other companies and virtually over night standards very quickly started to drop, and when the pots running dry where better to save some money than to start skimping on maintenance and buy a job lot of extra strong gaffa tape

My personal belief is that if JPT hadn't tried competing the way they did, Bluebird would still be around today, but I think the nails were driven firmly into JPTs coffin the day the day Bluebirds owner sold out to Stagecoach.

The final few weeks summed it up for me perfectly. They had gone from operating brand new Enviro's and Primo's to old tired 24 year old Olympians.

[Owl]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(22/08/2014 07:09)Mayneway Wrote:  I've never been JPTs biggest fan but at one point a few years ago they seemed to have it all and were doing rather well. Maintiance wise they always seemed to turn out a decent bus, but they became fixated on trying to compete hard with other companies and virtually over night standards very quickly started to drop, and when the pots running dry where better to save some money than to start skimping on maintenance and buy a job lot of extra strong gaffa tape

My personal belief is that if JPT hadn't tried competing the way they did, Bluebird would still be around today, but I think the nails were driven firmly into JPTs coffin the day the day Bluebirds owner sold out to Stagecoach.

The final few weeks summed it up for me perfectly. They had gone from operating brand new Enviro's and Primo's to old tired 24 year old Olympians.

Absolutely, totally agree with you. As someone who lives close to the depot, and has seen a lot of their buses, it was incredible how quickly they went from being a tidy operation, with a modern, well turned out fleet, to running some absolute wrecks. They also became PR obsessed, and seemed to concentrate on that at the expense of day to day operations. Who can forget the debacle of the facebook page, quickly taken down when people started to use it to complain about late running and missed services, or all the PR about the new depot in Middleton.

I also agree that it seemed to occur when they became obsessed with trying to drive competitors off routes. It is ironic that it was their success in putting Bluebird out of business that led to their own downfall, as Stagecoach were never going to give in to those tactics.

[Owl]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(21/08/2014 21:46)Mayneway Wrote:  I'm told Stagecoach had to carry out work on all the Primo's to bring them up to a serviceable standard, plus it was suggested elsewhere soon after the takeover that Stagecoach had paid off the remaining finance on these and possibly the Enviro's so I would think they have a rather high book price so Stagecoach will be keen to get their monies worth out of them, plus despite thier looks their young, low floor, tender spec buses so I can see them staying for now.

If that is the case I can see them moving out of Middleton, as Stagecoachs business model seems to have the higher value buses on the most remunerative routes. It did not take them long to move the four modern Solos away when the Bluebird deal went through.

[Mayneway]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(22/08/2014 07:39)Owl Wrote:  Absolutely, totally agree with you. As someone who lives close to the depot, and has seen a lot of their buses, it was incredible how quickly they went from being a tidy operation, with a modern, well turned out fleet, to running some absolute wrecks. They also became PR obsessed, and seemed to concentrate on that at the expense of day to day operations. Who can forget the debacle of the facebook page, quickly taken down when people started to use it to complain about late running and missed services, or all the PR about the new depot in Middleton.

I also agree that it seemed to occur when they became obsessed with trying to drive competitors off routes. It is ironic that it was their success in putting Bluebird out of business that led to their own downfall, as Stagecoach were never going to give in to those tactics.

I won't go into details for obvious reasons but the person at the healm was power mad, and as you say image was everything but a lot of it was fake. It's very easy to buy Facebook friends and likes on eBay - but I'll say no more on that one

Technically Bluebird didn't go out of business. The owner had other business comittments that took him away from running things at Middleton and just like with Maynes several years earlier his children wernt interested in the bus business, although it's no secret the business wasn't running at its best it was bought as a going concern. Stagecoach didn't get Bluebird that cheap either where as JPT was handed to them on a plate.