Saturday 27 November 2010

Ashton Routemaster Visit

Well it's been a very cold week of standing about watching buses and
checking tickets this week. Was in Ashton for three days with yesterday
being the more challenging. There was an accident in Bredbury which made all
the 330s very very late so I had to do a juggling act with other services to
ensure they ran as best we could until the road was opened. I had a 15
minute services to Hyde from Ashton and back and a bus going through
approximately every 30 minutes. Everything straightened up by lunchtime
luckily. Then this route master came in to collect come people from the bus
station. Looked in good condition too. From next week I am based in the
middle of Manchester on the side I am not too sure about so it will be a
good learning experience for me and I look forward to it. Sadly though I
think it might be a while before I am back at Ashton.

14 comments:

  1. wow great to see this bus saw a speedwell floater on the S48 yestaday N608 JLY did anyone see the Oldham cron last night an Oldham firstbus driver has been taken of driving duties due to making a gesture to a man in plaster cast I know how that feels broke my ankle 2 years ago also 2 letters in the paper about First Oldham drivers about manners etc and one that said they would wait for the 407 stotts bus to get home

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  2. the accident in bredbury did it invole an ashton based bus

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  3. see they now have another magic bus 16090 at Ashton for the 842

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  4. Its not just First drivers either Mic.
    I was on a 236 from Glossop last night, the bus was over 20 mins late, so the driver rushed through Stalybridge bus station without even stopping, even though there was a young lad stood at the front waiting to get off, altough he hadn't pressed the stop bell!
    Anyway when he realised the bus wasn't stopping he kindly asked the driver if he could get off, what followed was a barrage of abuse from the driver which wasn't very nice considering there was two elderly ladies at the front that heard it all.
    Now im pretty sure if i had spoken to the driver in that way the police would have been called and me arrested, but its ok for drivers to speak to us like that. There are a few drivers who forget its us passengers that pay there wages!

    Yes Mic ive seen the Magic bus in glossop last week, clearly the little Dart wasn't big enough for the school service.

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  5. The bus involved in the accident which was actually on Lower Bents Lane was one of Stockports Enviro 400s 19289.

    Look forward to seeing you in Manchester next week Oldham 100, I did hear from a City Centre Inspector I regularly speak to that you'ld be on Plaza side from next week, good luck with it m8 and hope you get a decent inspector as your Mentor down there if your getting one

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  6. felix I would not be a bus driver you can get passangers who can be nasty also the lastest fleet list now shows 40660 as an ancirrally bus officially but I guess it is still use as a back up for the 390

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  7. Sometimes, there is so much going on it front of us (where we should be looking anyway) you cannot see a secret assasing ! Is it rocket science to press one of the many buttons? Some people think they are so cool to do that , they sneer at you getting on , throw the fare at you, then expect you to be physic.
    It was a stockport taxi bus that had the accident, annomouse you know nuffing !

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  8. and I have seen some people get on and then look for their fare holding the bus up

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  9. Chris you are right, i see drivers being spoken to in that way everyday, and thats just outside Tameside College lol.
    But to be fair 99% of buses passing through Stalybridge Bus Station stop, even when theres no passengers waiting to board or get off, so i think the lad just asumed the bus would stop, but he did ask very politly if he could get off, he wasn't rude to the driver in any way, and even after the barrage of abuse from the driver, he still said thanks.

    I work in retail and have to deal with scum every day, but if i spoke to a customer that way, id be looking for a job now.

    Mic, how do you know the S48 you saw was a floater?

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  10. Yes in the Plaza from Monday. Not good to hear about the issues with the Glossop bus coming to Ashton. Sadly not all drivers are in the same mindset as others and if anyone should have cause for complaint then the company would look into it very seriously if the matter arose through the proper channels.

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  11. felix I saw V256 BNV parked up ready to go on the bus park on the full S48 then just left to come home and saw N608 JLY which just said Stalybridge S48 on the front and the dart had not left so what I can see is speedwell playing first at their own game

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  12. Actually. The S48 Terminates all of the buses last daytime journeys at Stalybridge, since its closer to the depot.

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  13. With Speedwell's current fleet they would never be able to play First at there own gain and as William as said all S48's finish in Stalybridge and i think the S50's finish there as well.

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  14. an S48 comes to hey Farm aswell in the evening then goes to stalybridge

    first Ashton have just gained another to 54 plates ex Metro shuttle

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