Wednesday 18 August 2010

Long Tough Day

I am Back at Princess Road today. Its 515am I start at 7. Yesterday was a
very long day indeed. Needless to say I reach my daily driving limit. I will
probably be doing the same today too. It's incredible, well I think it is,
how they managed to cover every single Metrolink journey from Trafford bar
to Altrincham and back at the drop of a hat. It's not just a case of sending
a bus out and letting it drive around for the day. People were called in on
there holidays, days off and taken off other things to cover the work which
is from 5am till 2am. I have never seen anything like it before anyway.
Suppose if you don't know the system it's hard to explain how great it was
run yesterday. Today is a little easier though. I'm not sure when on
Thursday the tram is going to start running. Hopefully later on in the day.
I like the overtime. I'm really missing the gym though with these longs days
and 10 hours sat on a bus seat makes you ache a little when you get home.
Yes sitting on your arse hurts oddly. This picture by the way was taken on
Monday. You can't even catch a bus now without someone asking you to buy
something. This one was selling Talk Talk telephone service?

9 comments:

  1. Creating all those duty rotas must be so tedious even with the help of computers. I often wonder how they manage to provide replacement services so apparently easily.

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  2. I was mithered by these botherer's in Ashton Bus Station on Monday. Its bad enough when your out shopping, but when your waiting for a bus lol, but no doubt GMPTE is getting a hefty amount to let them do it.

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  3. had a good race last night at Meltham trail race very tough over styles walls etc good fun then of to compos at Holmfirth nice sunny eveing in Yorkshire I am from Holmfirth use to live there and remember travelling on Yorkshire Traction nationals with 2 doors I have read in buses that 20602 has gone there and 20604 to north west got report in my news that 20602 is a loan but in buses says they are both transfers

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  4. Anonymous20/8/10 10:33

    How are drivers supposed to learn the routes for the replacement tram services so quickly.

    Or are they just given a broad outline & a few directions of where the bus is supposed to go?

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  5. it said on first manchester website the 350 peak times would be changed to improve travel times as far as I can see there are 9 buses on the route an hour what is there to change 3 of those be S50

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  6. Thats a very good idea anon. Well. By pure coincidance there have been planned works ongoing with the metrolink all month so about 20 driver have been doing sunday evening shifts piccadilly to altrincham which we route learned over the space of the past 3 weeks. As this was a much bigger operation with more drivers needed we just sent them out shadowing a driver who knew the route. All buses were doubled up at peak times anyway so it worked out well. Was a Brilliant week.

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  7. how come the new unused buses are in green/white livery

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  8. Because they are green buses! And at 300k a pop im not suprised the company want to advertise that fact lol.

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  9. seen firstbus arrows 31930/39 back at Ashton this week repainted not sure if transfers or loans as they still carry First Manchester Legals but having said that 40435 was the same for a few weeks till changed not seen any of the volvo double deckers wonder if they have moved

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