First Manchester

[P528LND]

RE: First Manchester
Well I can see the B7RLE's being shifted out of Oldham when the new buses arrive, and these would probably be the direct replacements of the Darts - I don't see B7RLE's lasting much longer at Oldham. Then again I am thinking Oldham keeping about 25 B7RLE's as direct replacements of the Darts, whilst these reported B7TL's displace the Cummins-engined MX54 Solo's from the Pioneer depot for use on the 415. There's all-sorts of things that could happen this end though, we're open to change here at the Oldham depot. Nothing ever happens the way it should here... :P

The way I see it, because I thought it was 25 each depot at first:

B7RLE's are moved off core routes 181/182, 81, 425 and replaced with B9TL's.

Darts are moved off the 415, and replaced by MX54 Solo's.

Darts are moved off Rochdale Local work and replaced by 20-25 B7RLE's.

B7RLE's are moved to Wigan depot to replace Darts/Excels.

Not true, but would be ideal: Wigan could do with some Solo's for the 625/626's, so 40318-40322 could move there. I know one of those is withdrawn but I don't see this being the end for them just yet, and we don't need them in Oldham since the Y reg's are sat around in the depot 90% of the time doing nothing, and the PVR as far as I know is 4 on the Beech Hill routes, so 5 would mean a spare would be sat around waiting.

Bolton will replace their Darts with B7RLE's, replace their B7RLE's with B9TL's and replace their B9TL's with their new buses. The Arrows would just be pulled out of service easily.

Speculated B7TL's for the Pioneer depot would recieve B7RLE's or B10BLE that have been displaced by B7RLE's I think. Maybe the B6BLE's would come here too.

As for remaining B9TL's they would go to Bury for the replacement of the 94UA's