First Manchester

[Brickmill]

RE: First Manchester

(21/02/2019 14:50)iMarkeh Wrote:  I think there will have to be a transition period of sorts because GoAhead can't just draft in a whole depot worth of new buses. It will be a confusing time for passengers but whenever there is any sort of takeover, the buses do run in other operators colors for a while. Though slightly different, the Wright Eclipse in Chester took 6 months or so for Stagecoach to repaint them.

I think what GoAhead will do is get some buses from their current divisions and repaint them into Go NorthWest livery (whatever that may be). They will then get a few First vehicles (possibly with First using normal spares from other garages to cover for the short term) while Go Ahead repaint a few of the existing First buses. That way, you have a few buses out on your first day, in normal livery. I would think that routes which run into other First areas are likely to get done first, like the 17, 18 so people can differentiate on main corridors with routes like the 92, 93, 95, 97, 98 and 135 left until last given almost the entire route will then no longer be served by First.

I think you are getting ahead (pardon the pun) of yourself. We are still a way off a decision on Bus Reform, never mind any actual standard livery. Besides, unless and until a decision in favour of Franchising is made, there will only be the very basic idea of the various contract groupings - a mixture of large and small to enable the widest range of competent to tender, I've heard - never mind who will win which. In other words it will be a year or more before GoAhead or any other company know how many buses (and which types) will need to be in any new standard livery..
In the meantime, it would probably make sense to adopt some sort of interim livery which maybe retains an element of First basic colours (assuming there is something in the sale deal to prevent any kind of "passing off" arguments) as they are familiar to existing customers, combined with GA branding.

The timeline is still of interest, but the comment about no change to services upon takeover does suggest it will be before 27th April.