Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan

[VolvoB10M]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester
I presume the Spectras are extinct now, have they all gone?

[mbonwick]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester
Both 13995 and 13996 have been dispatched to PVS, Barnsley. Whether they're still intact in the PVS yard is unknown.

Still a good number of Spectras existant around the country, Stagecoach Norfolk (formerly Norfolk Green) have a few.

[SF07]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester
19475 has been involved in an accident on Chester Road near Tesco. Accident happened around 5.45pm-6pm. Was reported to have been on the 256 route at the time.

From MEN:

https://twitter.com/KatieButlerMEN/statu...32/photo/1

[SLTRegular]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester
Attended a gig at the Appollo on Wednesday and i was Amazed at just how Frequent the 192 is.. Surely it's more than 18 an Hour at Times?? I also noted a 38 Branded Bus on Taxi Duties

[djb]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(17/07/2015 04:17)SLTRegular Wrote:  Attended a gig at the Appollo on Wednesday and i was Amazed at just how Frequent the 192 is.. Surely it's more than 18 an Hour at Times?? I also noted a 38 Branded Bus on Taxi Duties

At certain times it's 24ph, with the following every 10 mins.

1x hazel grove
1x stepping hill
1x Stockport college
1x Stockport

There are other times in the evening peak where the buses appear more frequently at manchester southbound, because of the traffic hit enroute.

[gilbert]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(17/07/2015 20:23)Dentonian Wrote:  I think the Stockport shorts (recently re-introduced and usually run with diesels) are off-peak Mon-Fri only and will be dropped over the Summer hols). Normally, its the morning peak that is hit hardest on the 192, but resultant gaps notwithstanding, its way overbussed, as any Hyde Road corridor commuter will tell you.

Agreed. Often to other routes detriment.

[WhiteVanMan]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(17/07/2015 20:23)Dentonian Wrote:  Normally, its the morning peak that is hit hardest on the 192, but resultant gaps notwithstanding, its way overbussed, .

If other bus routes had the same high number of buses on them as 192 as, then I for one would use buses more often.

[SLTRegular]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester
from my observations between 3-11 (between 7-10-30 i was at the gig) the pvr of the 192 on the Manchester end is exactly whats needed

[Mayneway]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(17/07/2015 22:59)WhiteVanMan Wrote:  If other bus routes had the same high number of buses on them as 192 as, then I for one would use buses more often.

Overbussed is an interesting term. It's always been suggested that the 192 is the main 'golden goose' for Stagecoach Manchester. Could it be that they simply throw so many buses at it to protect thier interests? Since the Denise of UK North 10 years ago it's the longest stretch Stagecoach have had the 192 to themselves so perhaps they don't want to leave 10 minute gaps between buses incase another operator tries to muscle in.
I have to say though 192's always seem to leave Manchester half full when compared to 201's (for example) which always seem to leave full.

[Mayneway]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(18/07/2015 09:48)Dentonian Wrote:  There is probably something in this. A friend and former Stagecoach ermployee who is sadly no longer with us, used to say that Stagecoach management only really cared about Wilmslow Road, 86 and 192. That said, the likes of UKN and virtually all other indys proved the total absence of innovation in the deregulated industry, by simply copying the "orange" buses' best served routes - hence, protecting these routes against potential competition. Also, I don't think 192 single fares are still cheaper than 201/3-7 between Ardwick and Piccadilly, as they were for some time after Magic 192s were withdrawn.
Nevertheless, having worked for GMT/GMB until 1993 (in a position to regularly see the performance figures of each depot/route) and observed local ops for four decades, its absolutely clear that Stagecoach accept lower profit margins (in percentage terms, if not straight cash) on favoured city routes, than they do on suburban routes and "captive market" corridors.

I'm not completly disagreeing with your comment regarding the lack of independants innovaton but let's not forget that where the 192 is concerned even Stagecoach with their original Stagecoach Manchester waged war on the orange buses