Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan

[Benzo]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester
22147 loaned out to Ashton at the minute, caught it on an evening 237.
Also has Middleton rider stickers on the windows

[ace]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(05/03/2014 21:44)Benzo Wrote:  22147 loaned out to Ashton at the minute, caught it on an evening 237.
Also has Middleton rider stickers on the windows

Talking of the MAN's, has anyone seen 22167 recently? It seems to have gone 'missing'. I know Middleton tend to borrow a few from Hyde Road, but I haven't seen this one for weeks.

[Mayneway]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(05/03/2014 21:44)Benzo Wrote:  22147 loaned out to Ashton at the minute, caught it on an evening 237.
Also has Middleton rider stickers on the windows

Is that the one with Led destinations Benzo? Spotted it from a distance in Glossop tonight.

[Benzo]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(05/03/2014 22:25)Mayneway Wrote:  Is that the one with Led destinations Benzo? Spotted it from a distance in Glossop tonight.

Thats the one Mayneway, Has LED displays fitted front, side and rear

[Mayneway]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(05/03/2014 21:39)ace Wrote:  I also think the tridents, certainly the Manchester-born ones are a lot more comfortable to sit in than the Enviro400's. The seats are a single long 2 seater cushion, as opposed to a split 2 seats on the Enviro400's.
Be careful what you wish for 507009. A few 56 reg Enviro400's are earmarked for M&SL I believe

The Trident that went missing from AZ last year (can never remember the fleetnumber) actually had DP seating and despite the 90's style moquet it was a really cunfy bus but yes the bench style seating for me will always rival the modern plastic seating.

Interesting despite my hatred of the ex London deckers I'm informed most drivers actually prefer them to the Enviro400's as the cabs actually have fully working air con as apposite to the small 12V fans fitted in the cabs of the Enviro400's

[Mayneway]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(05/03/2014 00:01)Wright Eclipse Wrote:  wonder if some of the more elderly Enviro400s will go onto magicbus - i mean it must be going to happen at some point

I don't know about that one. With so many other groups around the country crying out for Manchesters cast off elderly Enviro400's I really carnt see that happening.
I'm not that familiar with the London fleet but perhaps some younger Tridents cascaded and properly converted to single door would do for Magic buses.
Ensign recently sold a load of 51 reg tridents that were ex Stagecoach London I would have thought they could have got another 4/5 years out of them in Magic blue.
Although I hate to speculate but depending on how First get on I wouldn't be surprised if Magic bus gets dropped in the near future.

[Wright Eclipse]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(06/03/2014 00:00)Mayneway Wrote:  I don't know about that one. With so many other groups around the country crying out for Manchesters cast off elderly Enviro400's I really carnt see that happening.
I'm not that familiar with the London fleet but perhaps some younger Tridents cascaded and properly converted to single door would do for Magic buses.
Ensign recently sold a load of 51 reg tridents that were ex Stagecoach London I would have thought they could have got another 4/5 years out of them in Magic blue.
Although I hate to speculate but depending on how First get on I wouldn't be surprised if Magic bus gets dropped in the near future.

i know but it just seems odd,Magicbus is one of stagecoach`s high profile brands in Manchester & as such i would of thought they`d want to use more modern vehicles,it obviously makes enough cash to earn its keep (hence the very high frequency).As for dropping it against firstbus,considering theyve taken on UK North,Finglands,Arriva along Wilmslow road on/off for years now & have been the only company left standing (Arriva is much less competition these days) plus first bowing out at the first sign of a "bus battle" in Other places (Scotland & Devon spring to mind) i`d say stagecoach have got a big head start.

[Mayneway]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(06/03/2014 00:26)Wright Eclipse Wrote:  i know but it just seems odd,Magicbus is one of stagecoach`s high profile brands in Manchester & as such i would of thought they`d want to use more modern vehicles,it obviously makes enough cash to earn its keep (hence the very high frequency).As for dropping it against firstbus,considering theyve taken on UK North,Finglands,Arriva along Wilmslow road on/off for years now & have been the only company left standing (Arriva is much less competition these days) plus first bowing out at the first sign of a "bus battle" in Other places (Scotland & Devon spring to mind) i`d say stagecoach have got a big head start.

I think I've mentioned before about one idea that's been mentioned elsewhere where by the magic bus routes go corporate but the range of magic tickets is still used on the Wilmslow rd routes in a similar way to how they have the Middleton range of tickets on ex Bluebird routes.
I personally think the Magic bus livery is a little old and outdated. I think they could earn a lot of brownie points by perhaps using Hybrid Enviro400's in corporate livery with some suttle Magic bus branding on them.

Wilmslow rd has changed a lot over recent years and I think the need for Stagecoach to compete in a vigorous way is over, I carnt see them battling with First and it just seems like a gooder time as ever to simplify things.

[Wright Eclipse]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(06/03/2014 01:14)Mayneway Wrote:  I think I've mentioned before about one idea that's been mentioned elsewhere where by the magic bus routes go corporate but the range of magic tickets is still used on the Wilmslow rd routes in a similar way to how they have the Middleton range of tickets on ex Bluebird routes.
I personally think the Magic bus livery is a little old and outdated. I think they could earn a lot of brownie points by perhaps using Hybrid Enviro400's in corporate livery with some suttle Magic bus branding on them.

I Actually think this would be a good idea (might be too much of a jump though - Early ALXs to Hybrids!),if they was to go Corporate they might as well merge the 142 & 42 Together (they take the same routes dont they?)

[Mayneway]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(06/03/2014 01:29)Wright Eclipse Wrote:  I Actually think this would be a good idea (might be too much of a jump though - Early ALXs to Hybrids!),if they was to go Corporate they might as well merge the 142 & 42 Together (they take the same routes dont they?)

It would be a huge jump although if you consider that the majority of the Magic fleet is now getting on age wise (I think the youngest is the ex Dennis's trident which is 52 reg) then it would also take a major cascade to get most of the Magic Tridents replaced.
Plus given that the Magic routes run through the city centre and are quite flat routes they could probably go for green bus funding so it wouldn't be that much of jump.

Also don't forget that First are adding wifi to all thier buses this year so this could could be a thorn in Stagecoach's eye where Wilmslow rd is concerned.