First Manchester

[Wright Eclipse]

RE: First Manchester
589 Is normally worked by Ex-London Marshall Darts Based at Todmorden

[M60lad]

RE: First Manchester
Not anymore it isn't, its very rare these days for a Dart to stray onto 589 whereas only about ayear ago they were a common site on the route, these days 589 is very much in the hands of either B7 singles or B7 Gemini deckers and maybe the odd ALX400 Volvo B7TL.

In fact the only time you will now get a First West Yorkshire Dart in Burnley now is on Saturdays when one of the London Marshalls is allocated to 517 Halifax-Burnley service, a service a recommend anyone to try as it takes the back route into Burnley via Heptonstall and Blackshaw Head

[joe_alker]

RE: First Manchester

(28/12/2013 22:35)Metroline1511 Wrote:  I was pleased to ride Marshall 41787 on route 333, as a 331 was a Solo.

The Marshalls are atrocious. So are the Solos (except the 54-reg ones, they aren't too bad, but under-seated for the school runs)

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester
Change of heritage liveries on the 425 last night, as 37451 with the Rochdale Corporation livery was operating on the route.

[Polo Mint]

RE: First Manchester
6 operates a mix of Citaros and B7's, maybe a Dart every now and again.
17 operates QS B9's, but has an occasional hybrid decker that are used on the 18.
58 is mainly B7RLE
24 these days sees a lot of B9's but I think B7's are still on the route. I haven't seen an Olympian operated for a while on the 24 either.
438 operates OM Solo's/darts
469 operates primarily with Bury Citaro's

Local tenders 435/451/452/455/458/462 are mainly Solo's

[33109]

RE: First Manchester
I had my first merc citaro today & was surprised/disappointed. They're a decent bus, quick off the mark, plenty of space inside but the down points are:

They rattle like crazy & very tired internally looking very tatty
The destination displays aren't that easy to read, the dot matrix displays are gd but in bright sun or when its dark their nigh on impossible to read sometimes. Why haven't the citaros been fitted with led displays???

Also dunno if anyone else has noticed this but a few of firsts drivers are incredibly rude to passengers. Couple i've come across talk really quietly to passengers then have a go when they've gotta repeat themselves c'mopn what gives what is their problem?

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(30/12/2013 22:00)33109 Wrote:  I had my first merc citaro today & was surprised/disappointed. They're a decent bus, quick off the mark, plenty of space inside but the down points are:

They rattle like crazy & very tired internally looking very tatty
The destination displays aren't that easy to read, the dot matrix displays are gd but in bright sun or when its dark their nigh on impossible to read sometimes. Why haven't the citaros been fitted with led displays???

Also dunno if anyone else has noticed this but a few of firsts drivers are incredibly rude to passengers. Couple i've come across talk really quietly to passengers then have a go when they've gotta repeat themselves c'mopn what gives what is their problem?

It's interesting you bring up rude drivers.
The Manchester Evening News ran a story on Saturday about rude drivers and what the big companies are doing to combat it.
It was certainly interesting reading. Ill try and post link later on.

Link to the story:
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/n...up-6449359

[jimbo]

RE: First Manchester
That woman who said "why are you late?" She must jot understand this world, buses are late due to traffic, slow buses, traffic lights, slow customers or those needing help, and annoying customers constantly asking them why they are late...

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(31/12/2013 06:49)jimbo Wrote:  That woman who said "why are you late?" She must jot understand this world, buses are late due to traffic, slow buses, traffic lights, slow customers or those needing help, and annoying customers constantly asking them why they are late...

It's a man Jimbo and he's a councillor who sits on the TfGM committee.
I do agree though that if your travelling at peak you should expect the bus to be slightly late.

But in the other hand a lot of bus drivers i experience (not just First either) are very rude. What's more despite the articles claims, stagecoach and First seem to be doing very little to combat the rude unhelpfulness of some of their drivers.

[M60lad]

RE: First Manchester
Running late, should have seen roads into/out off Trafford Center yesterday which were virtually gridlocked for the best part of the afternoon/evening, traveling from Eccles-Trafford Center at about 17:00 last night was taking upto and over and hour, one 100 that was going to Cadishead Vista ended up running as far as Trafford Center only due to the fact the driver was almost over his allotted driving hours