Stagecoach MCSL - Chester & Wirral Depots

[R879 HRF]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(26/02/2016 01:32)telf23 Wrote:  30 to 40 minutes really isn't that much. Obviously, if it was to travel to work, then yeah the X8 is the clear option, but for a leisure traveller, as I said, I'd rather spend that little longer on a higher spec bus with the added perks. I've once chosen before now to travel to Liverpool from Runcorn on the 82A rather than the X1 because of the quality of the bus and that journey adds at least an extra 50/60 minutes.

I agree in some respects. I personally use the 1 or 2 if I travel into Chester, purely because it's more frequent and during busy times , holidays, or in the event on an accident on the motorway the the x8 is up the wall

[wirralbus]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
Is there plans to improve the vehicles on the X8 you really would have thought that the X8 could have done with the gold treatment as well .

[SK15 GZG (Moderator)]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(26/02/2016 20:24)wirralbus Wrote:  Is there plans to improve the vehicles on the X8 you really would have thought that the X8 could have done with the gold treatment as well .

I personally don't see the point in making the X8 a Gold route. The vehicles currently used on the X8 are only 4 years old so I can't see them being replaced any time soon anyway

[Bevan Price]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(26/02/2016 01:32)telf23 Wrote:  30 to 40 minutes really isn't that much. Obviously, if it was to travel to work, then yeah the X8 is the clear option, but for a leisure traveller, as I said, I'd rather spend that little longer on a higher spec bus with the added perks. I've once chosen before now to travel to Liverpool from Runcorn on the 82A rather than the X1 because of the quality of the bus and that journey adds at least an extra 50/60 minutes.

I think that most non-enthusiast passengers might disagree with you. They want to spend maximum time at their destination, and then get home as quickly as possible. Long, slow bus journeys will not attract a lot of people out of their cars.

[MTL0201]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(26/02/2016 23:12)Bevan Price Wrote:  I think that most non-enthusiast passengers might disagree with you. They want to spend maximum time at their destination, and then get home as quickly as possible. Long, slow bus journeys will not attract a lot of people out of their cars.

Indeed if i caught the bus Liverpool to Chester it would be the X8, saving 30-40 minutes on the journey time is a big saving, main problem with the 1 & 2 are the torturous routes through Ellesmere Port & on the 1 Cheshire Oaks & Chester Zoo.

[wirralbus]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
Why have the 1 operate via both tourist destinations then or is it that First then Stagecoach have a contract with Chester Zoo and Cheshire Oaks to provide a bus service to these locations which Arriva are not allowed to operate on to.

[YK53 GXO]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
Volvo B7RLE MX05 CKK (21236) is out on the 471\2 today.

[Turbostar]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(27/02/2016 08:12)wirralbus Wrote:  Why have the 1 operate via both tourist destinations then or is it that First then Stagecoach have a contract with Chester Zoo and Cheshire Oaks to provide a bus service to these locations which Arriva are not allowed to operate on to.

Route 1 was created by First as a partial replacement to the old X8 quite a few years back, as well as the former C1 route. At the time, Cheshire Oaks wasn't as big as it is now & the bit to the zoo was operated as part of the original arrangement with Merseyrail as regards through ticketing between their stations & the zoo.

Arriva have never shown an interest in either of these locations, even when they operated some of the local services in Ellesmere Port, but I suspect that's mainly due to a reluctance to start a turf war. Cheshire Oaks certainly is a money spinner.

It could be argued that now the rail-zoo link is done via Chester station & the P&R service, that there isn't the need for a 20 minute headway at the zoo, but it is used by zoo staff throughout the year & seems to do well in good weather & at school holidays. Doubt Arriva will get a sniff of either location unless something dramatic happens in the future.

[YN05 WKE]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(01/03/2016 14:43)YK53 GXO Wrote:  Volvo B7RLE MX05 CKK (21236) is out on the 471\2 today.

MX06 VOT did a 471 from Birkenhead to Liverpool and died replaced by 19022

[YN05 WKE]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
After just under a month off the road 28550 returned to service yesterday it has also received a repaint.

18151 also returned back to service earlier this week after being off for roughly a month