First Manchester

[WWH44L]

RE: First Manchester

(31/01/2014 18:24)Polo Mint Wrote:  Looks good, I expect it will be on the 88/89 and sometimes the 64/52/53/110 journeys in the future?

66194 is a Bolton vehicle. 66193 from QS was painted this week so should be out soon.

[Benzo]

RE: First Manchester
Looks like Ashton's remaining Dart 40403 has seen its time at Pioneer

[Metroline1511]

RE: First Manchester

(27/01/2014 19:39)SF07 Wrote:  Streetlite 63104 out in service on the 527 today (credit to photographer)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25878623@N02/12174708995/

Does this mean all those other "stored" Streetlites may, at last, get used in revenue earning service?
[/quote]

In stark contrast, I saw route 527 covered this afternoon by an Enviro400!

(28/01/2014 19:29)SF07 Wrote:  Confirmation on First's website about the cleared takeover of Finglands. They will announce soon plans about 'additional fleet investment', along with plans for tickets. Finglands current range of tickets will still be available along with FirstDay and FirstWeek tickets.

I wonder whether some of the newer vehicles with FM, such as this Streetlite and the 13-reg Eclipses, are just being run in prior to being diverted for Finglands routes?

I was incidentally shocked to see some of these Eclipses on routes 135 and 471 this afternoon.

(29/01/2014 15:30)Polo Mint Wrote:  I am not sure how First will go about operating on Oxford Road.

On one hand if Stagecoach flood the market then First may be able to hit back on the ex-Bluebird routes, however Stagecoach have more of a niche as opposed to Finglands duplicated services.

I'd personally like to see services 41 and 42 both every 10 minutes, with a 5 minute headway to Piccadilly, perhaps with them extending from Piccadilly to Shudehill to connect with the network. This may rile Stagecoach up a bit though.

I wouldn't mind seeing cross city route down Oxford Rd, but I am not sure of which services and whether it could be juggled about by the depots, perhaps some 135 services extended to Sale as 41 replacement. I am getting a bit carried away, but maybe over time.

I hope this doesn't mean that route 18 will be curtailed at Shudehill, the route seems to be a fair bit busier these days, and often gets very crowded at rush hour.

In the medium-term I can see 50% of 18s extended to East Didsbury, and the other 50% renumbered 18a and extended to Sale/ Altrincham. This would replace their initial operations on routes 41 and 42.

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester
Oldham depot mixing it up yesterday with the allocations. Enviro300 on the 180/184s, couple of Olympians on the 83 while the more surprising one was B9 37561 on the 408.

[Metroline1511]

RE: First Manchester

(02/02/2014 10:09)SF07 Wrote:  Oldham depot mixing it up yesterday with the allocations. Enviro300 on the 180/184s, couple of Olympians on the 83 while the more surprising one was B9 37561 on the 408.

I am thankful that they kept their allocations simple when I came to Oldham on December 28th to ride Metrolink via Oldham Mumps ex-BR, as my route 81a ride was east of Oldham. I notice that First resisted the temptation to keep allocations simple on the first Saturday of the new Metrolink service via Oldham Central!

[VolvoB10M]

RE: First Manchester
I've noticed 69566/7/8 all out today on different routes, which means Bury have at least 6 "13" reg B7RLE's.

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester
Can expect plenty of late-running 415s this week, as buses are being diverted due to closure of Grimshaw Lane at Middleton Junction. Buses having to divert via Broadgate, Broadway, Hollinwood Avenue to Moston Gardeners Arms, then Greengate before re-joining normal route at the top end of Greengate.

http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/greater_...911&conf=1

[jimbo]

RE: First Manchester
Bloody hell, big diversion...

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(01/02/2014 10:10)Benzo Wrote:  Looks like Ashton's remaining Dart 40403 has seen its time at Pioneer

It's still going Benzo. It's just left Ashton on a 346.

[joe_alker]

RE: First Manchester

(04/02/2014 12:39)Mayneway Wrote:  

(01/02/2014 10:10)Benzo Wrote:  Looks like Ashton's remaining Dart 40403 has seen its time at Pioneer

It's still going Benzo. It's just left Ashton on a 346.

Thought it was ironic seeing it today after that comment. And it was on the 346 at 8.30 as well.
31929 back again on 393 at same time