Happy days!

Only been at work for an hour and i just had my first chuckle of the day. Starting as spare at 1530, no open work today so i just did my first floater to hyde. I have written many times about over riding and ease dodging. Well just had a lady get on at dukinfield paid 1.50 and expected to go to stockport .the look on her face when she realised this bus was only going to hyde. Which is one stop further than she paid for anyway. Lol will carry on now hoping for an easy evening really.

Another smashing time.

It seems the idiots were out in force last night. 15 windows in the bus station and every bus stop from ryecroft hall to ashton has been smashed up. I still cannot see the enjoyment in it and we all know where the money comes from in the long term don't we. Just got into ashton. Got a 330 followed by a nice pleasent 5 hours on the 217 218. I also noticed speedwell have announced there next venture in the ashton bus wars. They are doing service s48 which will follow the 348 route and hit first even more. It's clear they have been fighting back against the s50 with extra buses at peak times. I saw 4 buses chasing the speedwell bus the other day.

Feet off.

I saw last year the campaign first bus were doing about antisocial behaviour with posters asking people to keep music off and to keep feet off seats. Looks like we are joining in. Just noticed this poster on the ceiling of my bus above the back seats upstair. I doubt anyone will take notice. Common sense surely would be to turn the rear facing seats around! Or is that too simple. Would also like more publicity on fare dodging as i have noticed i huge increase in the amount of forged day tickets. They are far to easy to scan or alter. Only 15 minute ago i turfed someone off for one. They seemed to think it was my fault lol. Makes my day sometimes,

Idiot drivers!

I'm not in until 2 today so i'm off to the gym for a bit. Heading down oldham road towards ashton and this car is doing something very familiar. We get it all the time on ancoats when the road is open. They purposely drive along the line of the bus lane to stop anything going past. This unfortunatly includes the bus! It's times like this i wish we had bus lane cameras on the bus like they do in london. The cctv we already use would be good enough but no one has started to use it for this purpose in manchester as yet. My normal response is a long press of the horn until they move. Although the horns on our buses are toned down to avoid scaring people? Figure that one out. Anyway 330 and piccadilly to glossop late. Not limited stop yet so will probably be a rushed trip. And on another note just seen an enviro on the 7. Must be short of darts again!

Another blast from the past.

Just in the middle of my day. Had one day off out of my long weekend lol. Glad i didn't work yesterday city were playing at home and the roads were mad i believe. Anyway today has consisted of a trip on the 330 and i'm now sat in piccadilly on a 218. A friend gave me some old mega riders. Very old looking now with the old red white and blue colours on. Also the result of the 236/237 consultation has been published and it's back to limited stop between ashton and manchester. Personally i wanted a bigger change but this is what the people want although it does say there was no majority. Not sure how well the picture is might have to scan it when i get home.

Back again.

Final day of the littlemoss shuttle service. I started it on monday and now i'm finishing it this afternoon. It's a shame that despite all the signs and me asking if they all know where they are going i am still left with someone on who wants to go to gorton! Did 3 on the 216s earlier which was pleasant so been a nice day today. This free bus we have been doing has been pretty busy this week. At least the bus i have today is a nice warm one unlike the bus on monday. What is annoying though is, no matter how nice we are and help people to get to where they are going when there is a road closure there are always people who moan and moan and moan.

Very early

This is where the market was at denton. I took this at 5am this morning. Just done 4 trips on the 347 which were nothing less than very boring. When the schools are in this is a very busy route in the morning but this week it's very very quiet. Very uneventful apart from the usual idiots with out of date passes trying to get on without joy lol. Got a couple of trips on the 216 now and finish at 1. Back to bed then i think.

All alone

Half way through my duty at the moment. This one does two trips on a 330 which comes off at 5pm. Get an hour off and then finishes with a single trip on the same route. Pretty short duty to be honest and not much open in ashton at 5pm for something to eat so just had my salad which i bring with me. If not it would have been the trusty vending machine which i tend to shy away from reluctantly. Coffee is a must though although i use the word "coffee" very loosely. Just me and the cleaner here at this time although it's only because the kids are off this week that i'm sat here now. We run different timetables when it's holiday time as the traffic is lighter and because there are no school buses running. Very different tomorrow i'm in at 5am! Boooo.

Just a little!

Just off to the gym as i'm not in work until 12. This is the scene at king street roundabout in oldham right now. Its snowing heavy but not expected to last. There isn't as much in ashton so nothing to worry about for later. was pretty quiet yesterday due to the kids being off school. Should be similar for the rest of the week. only 3 trips on a 330 today then a couple of early starts then long weekend off.

Let the fun begin.

This is the turning point of the 169 from ashton at the moment. A little lane just off lumb lane near the m60 motorway bridge. There are signs on every stop near here but people are still waiting for buses that are not coming. This little stumpy thing is ideal though on here. It's a shame it's the coldest thing i have ever driven. I certainly won't be doing this route again as this is the only bus we have for it. My feet and fingers are like ice. Got 7s and 330s after which i can't wait for to warm up.

Sunny sunday

It might be nice and bright today but it's still -3. Not much happening over the past couple of days. My 3am start wasn't too nice. Very early for me that. And yesterday i was just on 216 which were mayhem due ve roadworks and the football on. Today i'm on a couple of 330s followed by a few on a 231. Long weekend off coming up so i'm hoping for a day out on the mountain bike next week at some point. We will see.

Long day

I'm currently sat at the royal oak in glossop waiting to go back to ashton on a 236. Been a weird morning really. Came in as spare and done odds and sods all day. After this trip i'm route learning a school for another driver then home time. Tomorrow is a first for me. I'm starting at 3am. I'm not normally one for getting up in the middle of time night but needs must i suppose. I will be done for 11 though which isn't too bad. It's been crazy week on our buses. Hyde road had problems yesterday 216s are still struggling to keep time and on monday the 231 168 and 169 cop for it. There is a shuttle bus running from ashton to the m60 motorway bridge near littlemoss but thats as far as it will go. I'm first on it monday morning so i'm sure it will be a bit of a headache. All details are on the website now. This pic shows snow still on the hills still lots about.

More traffic problems

We all know that wherever you put a supermarket, traffic becomes a problem. This the the old gec site on fairfield road in openshaw. It's about to be regenerated into a morrisons. I think there will be other things here too judging by the size of it. On the old road at the moment heading to grey mare lane to pick up my last 216. I been running about 20 minutes late since i took it off and it's been impossible to claw it back so i am having to miss part of this trip to get this bus back on track. I have finished when i get back so will be a good start for the next driver.

Not going well.

This is a familiar picture on L stand at the moment. The introduction of more roadworks coupled with the diversion in manchester means the 216s are going through a pretty rough patch at the moment. it's in the peak times when the real problems are due to the amount of traffic trying to get in the city. I believe it's calmed down a little since the monday morning chaos we saw yesterday when some buses were running an hour late but it's still not too good at the moment. I had one trip on a 330 yesterday at 930am this was changed to a 216 as one didn't run for 25 minutes. got 3 on here now so hoping it goes ok.

Nice and peaceful

Just on the way to work on a very fresh and early sunday morning. I was off yesterday good job too, had a nasty bug which ment i wasn't feeling my very best but such to get better now. Normally sunday duties are a bit of a choare and pretty long but this on today is nice and simple. stalybridge to town and back twice on a 217 218 followed by a single trip on a 216. All the stands change tomorrow in town due to oldham street being shut. All our buses are coming into town via piccadilly station and stopping at the 76 stand on lever street. This is for about 6 weeks. Personally i think everything will run better but we will see. Update! Just come through 4 way lights at droylsden and 4 way lights at edge lane. Not too bad at the moment but god help up later on when the tesco faithful arrive! Wish i stayed in bed lol.

Bad service

Just on the 419 from ashton after a very mixed day. What started with a nice couple of hours on the 216 ended up with some parasite thinking he was travelling with a 4 day old train ticket on my 346! Needless to say i won that row despite the barrage of abuse which made me chuckle slightly. i was going to get the 409 but as always at 1630ish you don't see one for 30 minutes then 4 come. Yes they really do. Everyday! Going to head home for tea and then go to vent some steam at the gym. On a split day tomorrow with 218 in the afternoon so i'll look forward to them. I notice a few of our inspectors on there this week checking out the passenger numbers. I doubt it will be long before that route is changed somewhere along the line. Although i think the mossley stalybridge section has got a little busier recently. Will see.

It's back

Just when things were getting back to normal it looks like we are in the middle of another heavy snow fall. I'm on the 330 at the moment at stockport and already the roads are slowing to snail pace. I just hope it doesn't turn as bad as last time or i'll be sleeping in the car at work tonight lol. Just kidding. Anyway we will see. Nothing special today just a 7 and 2 330s, seems pretty quiet out at the moment.

Bit boring

It doesn't come more mind numbing than this. As if driving an optare wasn't bad enough. It's on the 390 local bus for local people route. I believe the local council pay a lot of money to make sure this service runs. It is busy but not many people have to pay. Finish at 3 so not too difficult i suppose.

Bit of a change

Just done my first weekday 231 in ages. We only do a few peak time buses now. Got the 390 glossop thing after too. that is as boring as the taxi bus to ashton and back. Ancoats is back to it's usual mess so it's going to be a hard trip to ashton i think.