First Manchester

[citario]

RE: First Manchester
458 returns then,did not take long.

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester

(01/07/2015 18:27)SF07 Wrote:  Free Wi-Fi to be rolled out across all First buses later this month, along with real-time information via the First Manchester website or First Bus app.

http://www.firstgroup.com/greater-manche...aunch-july

First have announced on their Twitter page that the free Wi-Fi will be rolled out across their fleet of buses from the week commencing 13 July. Would imagine the real-time information will be launched around the same time.

[Wright Eclipse]

RE: First Manchester

(01/07/2015 19:20)SF07 Wrote:  Looking on Traveline and the Forthcoming Timetables on the First website, there appears to be some changes amongst the summer timetables introduced:

*23/24 - Service 23 is withdrawn and partly replaced by service 24. Weekday off-peak and Saturday journeys to run between Thornham (Turks Head) and Manchester only. Peak time journeys will continue to/from Rochdale.
*81/81A - Times changed on service 81 with services 81/81A operating approximately every 15 minutes between Oldham and Manchester. Journeys to/from White Moss are re-routed to terminate at Moston, Gardeners Arms. 8 buses per hour will operate between Moston and Manchester, with gaps of 4, 6 or 10 mins in between (Buses depart Manchester at 03, 13, 17, 27, 33, 43, 47, 57).
*88 - Times changed in conjunction with services 81/81A with service operating every 14/16 mins between Manchester and White Moss. Services 81, 81A and 88 will operate a 4-6 minute frequency between Moston, Ben Brierley and Manchester.
*180/184/X80 - X80 service withdrawn with the 184 short journeys between Oldham and Manchester extended to/from Greenfield and numbered 180. 180/184 will now form 10 minute frequency between Greenfield station and Manchester calling at all stops.
*408 - Service to run a circular route in the Shaw area via Wren's Nest and Buckstones, partly replacing service 23. No changes to MCT/Stagecoach journeys.
*456 - Service to run as a circular route, continuing from Stubley to Rochdale via Halifax Road and Wardle. Journeys in opposite direction to run as 458.
*519 - Service extended from Bolton to Great Lever with some journeys numbered 520, replacing services 571/572.
*571/572 - Replaced by extended 519/520 services.
*X35 - Afternoon journeys to start from Piccadilly Gardens (stand E - same as 135) rather than Stevenson Square

I`m surprised they are scrapping X80,I Got this a few week back going into Manchester & it got a full Gemini load

[M60lad]

RE: First Manchester
Regarding the changes to 23/24 services does this mean apart during the peak no 24s will actually run to/from Rochdale, if this is indeed the case then this will be the first time that I can remember that 24 which dates back to Rochdale Corporation times that it hasn't run through to Rochdale which is a great shame for such a long running route

[citario]

RE: First Manchester

(03/07/2015 05:56)M60lad Wrote:  Regarding the changes to 23/24 services does this mean apart during the peak no 24s will actually run to/from Rochdale, if this is indeed the case then this will be the first time that I can remember that 24 which dates back to Rochdale Corporation times that it hasn't run through to Rochdale which is a great shame for such a long running route

What are the loadings like on this route I have not seen a bus loaf each time I was at Rochdale but it could be that I was looking at the wrong time.
Sam

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester

(02/07/2015 20:15)Wright Eclipse Wrote:  I`m surprised they are scrapping X80,I Got this a few week back going into Manchester & it got a full Gemini load

I catch the X80 regularly and its loadings do vary. Was quite busy this afternoon but then sometimes, it may have a maximum of a dozen people on it.

(03/07/2015 05:56)M60lad Wrote:  Regarding the changes to 23/24 services does this mean apart during the peak no 24s will actually run to/from Rochdale, if this is indeed the case then this will be the first time that I can remember that 24 which dates back to Rochdale Corporation times that it hasn't run through to Rochdale which is a great shame for such a long running route

According to Traveline, on weekdays, the only journeys from Rochdale would be at 0612, 0636, 0700, 0725 and 1744, while from Manchester, the departures are at 1620, 1650, 1720 and 1750. All other journeys run to/from Thornham except for 0722 from Manchester, which runs to Royton, returning at 0822. All Saturday journeys run Thornham-Manchester only.

[Nicholas]

RE: First Manchester

(03/07/2015 18:57)SF07 Wrote:  I catch the X80 regularly and its loadings do vary. Was quite busy this afternoon but then sometimes, it may have a maximum of a dozen people on it.

To put it a little more simply, the 184 shorts are withdrawn and the X80 is reverting back to an all-stops 180.

The timings mean that basically the X80 and 184 shorts are merged. It wasn't the case when the X80 was first introduced as they were evenly spaced at the Manchester end at a 7/8 minute frequency , more recently the 184 has been a straight 10 minute frequency with the X80s thrown out of the group.

It's just being done as a cost saving measure - we've seen plenty of these already over the last 12 months in that particular area (e.g. 83s being cut from 7/8 to 10 minutes).

[Metroline1511]

RE: First Manchester
Yesterday I caught the 19.00 journey on route 22 out of Stockport bus station. A few minutes later another 22 passed heading for Stockport. Both were Enviro400s, a rare feat for route 22 for successive journeys in particular. First 22s have regular double-deckers on Sundays, but these are usually Volvo B9TLs.

[M60lad]

RE: First Manchester
Odd for Enviro400s to find their way to Stockport during the week as the only booked working for them on 22 during the week is on the 22 that runs to/from Bolton-Stretford in the evening peak Mon-Fri

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester
Some more details about First changes that'll be taking place later this month:

*6 - Reduced to every 15 minutes.
*68 - Curtailed to run between Farnworth and intu Trafford Centre only
*135 - Additional Mon-Sat evening journeys at 2325 from Bury and 0015 from Manchester.
*168 - Sunday service taken over by Stagecoach.
*205 - Evening service taken over by Stagecoach.
*328 - Monday-Saturday evening service taken over by Stagecoach.
*335 - Weekday morning journeys taken over by Checkmate.
*346 - Evening service taken over by Stagecoach.
*425 - Reduced to every 15 minutes.
*X84 - The 0557 journey from Uppermill and 1841 journey from Manchester are withdrawn. All other morning journeys re-timed to run 5 minutes earlier and all other afternoon journeys re-timed to run 3 minutes earlier.