Only a trip back to ashton on this 7 and i'm done. Think i might head to head and pick up the trans pennine trail to glossop when i'm done. Seems a nicer run than mottram road. Although it's getting pretty warm out here now. I wouldn't like to be sat at the back of this scania anyway near the engine.
how do like the scania to drive quite comfy to ride on
ReplyDeleteIm surprised Stagecoach have kept them so long. I think there horrid buses to travel on and i know they were only used as spares while at Mayne's, but Stagecoach has done alot of work on them so perhaps they want to get there money's worth.
ReplyDeleteI have news regarding Tenders, with some expected and unexpected surprises:
ReplyDelete-Routes 353/354 have gone to Stotts of Oldham, with 364 retained as well
-Routes 346(tendered) have gone to The Coachmasters
-Speedwell retain the 341 & 342/4
-Bluebird pinched route 149 from first
-Stagecoach have gained the rest of route 270
-Routes 252 & 266/7 have been transferred from Arriva to Go Goodwins
...and they're laso lttle transfers involving other routes in GM
all on here: http://www.gmpte.com/upload/library/Contracts_May_2010.pdf
Thats great William. I had an idea earlier this week that Stott's would gain the 353/354 tenders as they have just aqcuired another 2 Solo's. This means they now have 7 Solo's so it was almost certain they would gain somthing.
ReplyDeleteStrange regarding the 346. I had heard Checkmate had lost the 346 but to Coachmasters - talk about dead running, from Rochdale all the way to Hyde every night lol.
I knew about the 353-4 as i was talking to one of the speedwell drivers the other day. I think thats a shame as they run it very well and know a lot of the customer by there names. I dont think thats a good change as speedwell were going to put optares on there if they won it too so thats nothing to do with it. Much be just money. As for the 346 im sure coachmasters are getting paid more than enough money to run the 346 to warrent sending a bus down every night. There has ben a lot of anti social behaviour on that route in the evening so maybe checkmate didnt really want it again. Windows are not cheap.
ReplyDeleteIm sure Stott's will make a good job of the 353/354. There buses are always clean and the drivers are very friendly.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware of the problems on the 346 but guess it could be that Checkmate haven't even tendered a price to continue running it - in effect washing there hands of it.
I see JPT have re-won the 169 evening contract. I would have liked to see Stagecoach take the 169 as i would be able to use a day saver when on a late shift.
Im sure Speedwell will have something in there hat. They never seem to be down for long.
Not really a loss for speedwell. The routes loss is about the same time the full S48 is installed...plus they retained the 341 so maybe 1 Primo is on its way.
ReplyDeleteFirst have lost a link to manchester and I think that was out of the blue...literally since bluebird pinched it hee hee
The coachmasters are in Rochdale ?!?! Checkmate probably didn't want it. I was aware they were avoisding bits as well but I thought this was temporary, have SC sufered from this anti social behaviour?
ReplyDeleteYes i was just going to ask about the 330.
ReplyDeleteWhich ever way you look at it its a loss to Speedwell in the fact that both the 353 & 354 were well used services. It always hits small operators hard when they run a good service and then loose it 12 months later, but yes William as a consolation there S48 service starts in full the same week.
The Coachmasters are a small firm based on the far side of Rochdale. Mainly a coach opp doing work for Megabus they do a number of schools in the Rochdale area and have also recently picked up a couple of tenders in that area. There bus fleet consists of ex Stagecoach Volvo B10Ms and a couple of ex EYMS Pointer Darts. I would guess they will look for a Solo with CCTV to use on the 346.
Rochdale to Hyde is a trek though. I wonder if we may see a positioning 409 service in the near future lol.
Coachmasters Volvo B10Ms are actually not ex Stagecoach but ex Nottingham, although easy mistake to make as I made the same mistake when I saw them.
ReplyDeleteActually not to sure how many they've got left as when I was up at the depot it Heywood a couple of weeks ago I only saw one B10M parked up. Also they've recently aquired an ex Bournemouth Optare Spectra for Schools Contracts
Ironically, coachmasters do the 409 school journey lol. A volvo B10M on the 353/4? now that would be a blast from the past lol.
ReplyDeleteChances are they'll just put their mp-dart on since, as far as I know, their other service (route 12 or 13, help) finishes in the afternoon...Maybe enough time to trek through from middleton to ashton...perhaps a 419 position journey is in order lol
It's a shame for tameside independents but checkmate will have the shuttle bus up and running soon, and speedwell have 2 more buses for a new route perhaps ? Plaxton Beavers doing a S09, S16 or S30 lol
No William the Volvo B10M would be on the 346 not the 353/4 lol. I dont think a Volvo B10M would fit on them roads up in Carcotte.
ReplyDeleteBut yes i would imagine they will use there MPD on it. I think its 13 Boarshaw circular they do in Middleton.
Speedwell will bounce back im sure, and i bet they are already planning there next Value service.
A B10M will fit around Carrcote no problem. First used to send their 12M B7 saloons around there before replacng them with deckers
ReplyDeleteSo when do these changes come into effect? I note my local service to university (X57) has been bought by Finglands...!
ReplyDeleteIts not been bought by Finglands, the evening service tender has been won by Finglands so Stagecoach will continue to run the daytime service and Finglands will do the evening service.
ReplyDeleteSimple!
Ah, where did you get this information?
ReplyDeleteI couldn't possibly say lol.
ReplyDelete