Tuesday 3 April 2012

So different.

Just cycling home from work. It's been a very mixed day today but ended well. Thought i'd snap this horrid looking sky. Should just get home before it comes.

33 comments:

  1. ...and did it come? Yes it did this morning, I got soaked and hailed on coming from a friends in the suburbs into my city centre flat this morning...Oh for last week's sunshine. Lovely atmospheric photo.


    Chrissy from Manchester: a photo a day at Mancunian Wave

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  2. it came in Mossley aswell but saw the 343 running as i was walking to train stn

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  3. Stotts get the 343 from the 15th April and lose the 41.
    But stagecoach get the 342/344.

    Still few more loans to pioneer daily, being 31948/52/34082/8/97/102
    the current vehicles off the road are 40135/40369/53145/7

    I was looking on google maps on streetview around stalybridge/ashton and i came to this;

    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll=53.481387,-2.05439&spn=0.000013,0.010525&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=53.481415,-2.054331&panoid=M6AxBOVtHTMKD_1l8syHXQ&cbp=12,223.75,,0,20.64

    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll=53.489699,-2.087971&spn=0.000013,0.010525&t=m&layer=c&cbll=53.489622,-2.087977&panoid=AxvUZJUimvrAs_xeezzbUw&cbp=12,344.05,,0,18.26&z=17

    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll=53.48693,-2.041781&spn=0.000003,0.002631&t=m&z=19&layer=c&cbll=53.486997,-2.041674&panoid=ifZ-TzUIPNf6lYsQGwsBtw&cbp=12,72.86,,1,13.35

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  4. 40362 of road aswell

    53145/47 accident damaged


    stagecoach 28507 looks to be withdrawn at AZ

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  5. Thats probably thats why 22134/81 have been at AZ lately to cover for 28507 and a spare vehicle during transfers to/from AZ. When stagecoach finish with the 343, think that 22105/20 will go back to reserve at Hyde Rd. the 342/4 will only require a mini vehicle such as a solo or a dart.

    Those 3 links posted in the previos comment were streetview shots of Ex pioneer buses 31950 and 40295 and the other one is 40371 that I found in Copley. Pioneer should need to get 40371/2 back when First do the 41 fulltime from 15th April - thats probably an extra 2 solos needed. As someone said that Pioneer are short of 2/3 buses but not sure if the new hybrids count for it?

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    1. they are short of 3 buses when 40315/16/17 went to Oldham so they have 3 on loan to cover those plus 4 more for 4 of the road

      Ex Pennine DOG 898 B201 DTU is perserved and is parked up the road from Pioneers depot in that yard they use to have

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  6. I think they should get 40363 aswell

    Pioneer fleet as of today

    allocation list

    31927/29/43
    40001
    40135
    40312/13/14/24/25/26/27/37/38/39/41/43/60/61/62/64/65/66/68/69/70/74/80/81/82/84
    40403/6
    40871/78/79
    42175
    49113 to 16
    50280
    53143 to 50 [53145/47 accident damaged at moment
    59010/11/14/15/16

    on loan

    31936/48/52
    34082/88/97/102

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    Replies
    1. 53147 seen back in service today, think it was on the 348

      Seen sharston Hybrid 12056 on the 219 ? another misallocation. 22100 returned back to Sharston but Ashton have 2 extra MAN's 22134/81, like you said Mic it could be to replace 28507. but ashton wont need that many MAN's when their contract finishes with the 343?

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  7. 12055/56 where swapped with 12108/9 and are transfers

    yes been told about 53147 40135 also back in service seen a photo of 40362 parked up at Bolton for MOT which is why 31936 is on loan

    with 5 new buses going into service this Sunday on 41 and 419 that should leave them with 3 more spare buses meaning the end of the loans

    wish Dukinfield had all the T-KLF batch allocated there

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    1. Wonder why they swapped 2 10 reg's for 2 12 reg's hybrids after just 2 weeks in service?
      and I did also see 12108 on the 219 on monday.

      would the 5 new buses fill in the 3 missing buses?
      And I wish all of the T-KLF buses were here too as I went on 34088 a few day ago, magnificent to ride on and comfortable.

      Wonder what bus AZ will use on the 342/4 on Monday?

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    2. the new buses can only be used on certain routes think darts 40363/71/72 might come

      2 of the T-KLFs not in the fleet 34101/7 are on loan to Hunslet park (Leeds) and Halifax to cover for the repainting of buses 7 has a bigger destation box

      AZ have 34080/81 some may be one of those 2

      also read that 40396 at Bryn depot is dead

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  8. all the Pionner buses have first Manchester tax discs now

    on loan are 30806/31936/48/52/34082/88/97/102

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  9. Seen 40313 at Oldham bus station with the driver switching to/from the 409, think 40313 has transferred to Oldham but still has Pioneer legals. Think 40312/4 may have gone too?

    seen new hybrids out on the 389 the odd 1 or 2 on on the 38/408.
    Also read from a few threads off dartslf.com that 40362 has been withdrawn with 40338 following the same fate? thought it was there for an MOT?

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    1. been told 40362 is back at Dukinfield in service

      confirmed withdrawn are 31927 and 40338

      I think 31952 might have replaced 27 but to be confirmed

      Bryn based 40396 is also dead

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    2. 40312/13/14 remain at Dukinfield I know James from Pennine driver and he said it was on 354 last night

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    3. Im sure about 40313 being at Oldham, an oldham driver switched on to the 409 from the bus and the other driver driven it away. but i could be wrong though, not saying im right all the time.
      Shame to see another dart go dead thats 2 in 2 months 40347 and now 40396 - sad times, didnt 40390 get withdrawn for a similar defect?

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    4. I think you could be right only seen 40324/26 this week in Ashton sad times for the darts another one 40362 declared unfit for service that means withdrawn could this be the start of T-KLF buses moving in

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    5. Also saw 40314 on the 348, havent seen 40312/3 and 50280 today + 40313 was not on the 409, it was dead with driver swapping on to the 409 and the other driver driving 40313 away dead (in reply to dartslf.com)
      40362 was one of my favourites to ride on, a sad day indeed. Definately time for extra darts + few T-KLF's to join pioneer

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    6. I think Pioneer should get more darts they have newer ones down south but i think they would be older ones they get still another HPU running in Huddersfield 42178 P708 HPU

      good to hear the solos have not gone

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  10. A bit out of our way I know, but in Liverpool yesterday I saw a P-reg Wright-bodied Arriva single decker with its destination display set to say "Happy Retirement". Unfortunately, I didn't manage to get a photo, and I'm actually unsure of whether it was the bus or its driver retiring! But by a long shot if anyone can shed any light on that...?

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  11. I would imagine AZ will get a second Solo for the 342/4, the two Darts will probably go back to ST. The two solos could then be used on the 202 on a Sunday too.

    I'm not too clued up on Stagecoach nationally but saw an Enviro 400 in a purple stagecoach livery with 'connect 1' branding today in glossop on rail replacement service at around 12pm, anyone know what group this has come from? Was unable to get fleet number or reg as was on a 236 going the opposite way.

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  12. Felix, saw 47472 comming up on Roe cross, presume its from Glossop. Probably used 47559 on the 342/4 and 47472 on the 390(Glossop), think darts still in use

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for that Benzo, I would have been surprised if they had used a Dart although I wouldn't be surprised if they do keep a Dart at AZ for taxi duties, and as a spare for the 342/4. They can at a push use a Dart on the 342/4 but not the 390.

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  13. forgot to say 40338 was another pennine dart withdrawn at the sametime as 40362

    update fleet list not inculding the Hybrids

    pennine

    31929/43
    40001/40135
    40312/13/14/24/25/26/27/37/39/41/43/60/61/64/65/66/68/69/70/74/80/81/82/84
    40403/6
    40871/78/79
    42175
    50280
    53143 to 50

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  14. Saw 40313 on the 402 in Oldham bus station, 40313 is at Oldham but still with Pioneer legals???? not sure if 40312/50280 is there too, not seen at all this week but 40314 is Still at Pioneer as seen on the 393 today. 40369 is back in service on the 346
    Oldham definately run the 408 now as I went on 40425 to Oldham and saw 40430 (Stalybridge bound) going onto King St roundabout from Oldham centre.

    Been ages since i went on 22131 and it sounds very rough indeed!

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    1. You're right we do have the 408 now. Oldham have now got a dedicated "mini-bus" rosta, for the 402,403,404,406,408,410 and 411, also a few 415's thrown in for good measure. I've not done the Stalybridge section of the 408's yet - we only used to do the Oldham to Buckstones section originally.

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    2. Probably why Oldham gained an extra solo or 'solo's '
      the 428 is the Oldham-Buckstones route these days

      Seen Oldham run solos (mini bus tenders) on 12,125,149 (the odd one) and wright P-LND's on some rochdale routes like 6, 454 etc

      There was a debate over Oldham running the 419 but remained with Pioneer due to 'dead milage' anyway though the 419 is looked after with 3 12 reg Hybrids

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    3. smoke break

      does your depot still have dennis arrow 31952 S452 SLL or is it back at Pioneer full time

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    4. Not sure whats going on with 31952 at the moment?, still has Pioneer legals on it (even when its at Oldham)

      Seeing you mentioned 'your depot' i dont work for First bus. I take an interest in Buses.

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    5. I've not seen 31952 recently, so I would presume it's with Pioneer.

      I've also heard a rumour that Oldham will be getting some hybrids after the Olympics, but there's always gossip flying around at work :-)

      We do have some new hybrid Yellow School buses in the depot though.

      When Pioneer ran the 408's Oldham would just run an occasional 408 service, I think to cover meal breaks for the Pioneer driver. The only difference between the 408 and the 428 route was the section from Dogford Road to the Puckersley Inn - the 408 went straight up Dogford Road and turned right at the Puckersley, whereas the 428 went straight up Rochdale Road, along Springfield Lane and eventually came down to the Puckersley from the opposite direction (the remainder of the routes were identical).

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  15. changes at Pioneer reported withdrawn is 40337 this was one of the best also back is 31936

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  16. saw an Ashton based bus on the 219 service this morning do they still operate on the 219 ? Thanks

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  17. smoke break

    seen 31952 in Ashton tonight been told its a 3 month loan

    confirmed as a transfer to Pioneer is 31936

    anyone know the where abouts of Pioneer withdrawn bus 31925 seems to have disappered of the face of the earth

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