First Manchester

[WhiteVanMan]

RE: First Manchester
The registration numbers for the 27 Enviro Enviro400's due at the end of August are:-

33831-33833 SN14 CTV,X,Y
33834 SN14 TRZ
33835-33840 SN14 TSO,U,V,X,Y,Z
33841-33850 SN14 TTE,F,J,K,O,U,V,X,Y,Z
33851-33857 SN14 TUA,?,J,O,P,V,W

They are currently parked-up in Glasgow, awaiting use on the Commonwealth games services.

[acocker96]

RE: First Manchester
[quote='Dentonian' pid='59867' dateline='1405108422']

I thought Bury's ALXs saw quite a bit of normal service - its Bolton's that are as rare as hen's teeth. Even at last Sunday's Open Day, two of them were hidden away (along with most of the YSB fleet).

I've noticed that both of Oldham's see plenty of use mainly on the 83 but I've seen one on the X84, 58, 81A, 409 and 425 at different points.

[M60lad]

RE: First Manchester
Both of Oldham's? We've actually got 4 of them now and all 4 are to be found on various services during the week, we've actually got 30957,30958,30959 & 30962, not sure if any more are due to arrive in the near future

[acocker96]

RE: First Manchester

(12/07/2014 05:57)M60lad Wrote:  Both of Oldham's? We've actually got 4 of them now and all 4 are to be found on various services during the week, we've actually got 30957,30958,30959 & 30962, not sure if any more are due to arrive in the near future

Thanks for the correction I thought they still only had 2.

[VolvoB10M]

RE: First Manchester
From what I've heard there was a fire in Bury interchange involving 66917 on Friday at around 16:15 (shortly after I left).

[37554BY]

RE: First Manchester

(12/07/2014 18:40)VolvoB10M Wrote:  From what I've heard there was a fire in Bury interchange involving 66917 on Friday at around 16:15 (shortly after I left).

I travelled on 66917 during the day and later saw it minus the front hooked up to a tow truck but no obvious signs of fire at all. I came in on 37391 from Rochdale on the 471 parked right behind it, so whatever happened it can't have been anything major

[Benzo]

RE: First Manchester
Difficult day for Pioneer today (Saturday) with the staff shortages and the unfortunate bus breakdowns.

Mentioned over the tannoy from the TfGM supervisor
- Mid afternoon 41 trip cancelled due to a broken down bus
- 17:50 333 journey cancelled

And supposedly more throughout the day

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(13/07/2014 00:08)Benzo Wrote:  Difficult day for Pioneer today (Saturday) with the staff shortages and the unfortunate bus breakdowns.

Mentioned over the tannoy from the TfGM supervisor
- Mid afternoon 41 trip cancelled due to a broken down bus
- 17:50 333 journey cancelled

And supposedly more throughout the day

That will explain why I saw one of the BD12*** B9s heading towards Ashton on Oldham Rd not in service. The driver pulled over and was on his phone for several minutes making notes, then set off setting the blinds for '348 Carrbrook'. I assumed this was a mistake at first but I'm now thinking it was covering a missing journey.

It's pretty poor that these journeys, and possibly others, were dropped because of a shortage of drivers/vehicles considering First HQ is only up the road. It also begs the question why but out a company making a loss (Finglands), when several of thier own exsisting depots are struggling.

I've noticed a few ex Pionner drivers now working for Stagecoach, they are easy to spot as they still use thier First rucksacks. I'm assuming the pay and prospects are better at Stagecoach?

[acocker96]

RE: First Manchester

(13/07/2014 07:28)Mayneway Wrote:  That will explain why I saw one of the BD12*** B9s heading towards Ashton on Oldham Rd not in service. The driver pulled over and was on his phone for several minutes making notes, then set off setting the blinds for '348 Carrbrook'. I assumed this was a mistake at first but I'm now thinking it was covering a missing journey.

It's pretty poor that these journeys, and possibly others, were dropped because of a shortage of drivers/vehicles considering First HQ is only up the road. It also begs the question why but out a company making a loss (Finglands), when several of thier own exsisting depots are struggling.

I've noticed a few ex Pionner drivers now working for Stagecoach, they are easy to spot as they still use thier First rucksacks. I'm assuming the pay and prospects are better at Stagecoach?

I used to get on a stotts school bus coming home from school last year and I used to speak to the driver and he said that before stotts he worked for first and that Stagecoach paid significantly more (i think about £6) more per hour than first did and pioneer drivers get paid less than the rest of first Manchester's drivers, but I wonder why they are stop using their first rucksacks I thought they came with the uniform

[M60lad]

RE: First Manchester
One of the main differences between Stagecoach and First these days is that First don't have many "SPARE" duties anymore whereby drivers would just sit waiting in the depot for traffic to contact them to cover or all or part of a duty, I think they have the odd spare driver but certainly not as many as they used to hence the problems at Pioneer these days. I remember in the past that Pioneer used to ring up Oldham Depot virtually regularly asking for drivers to cover.

The other problem at the moment is the drivers Pioneer used to use from various other depots are now needed by their home depots so can't cover as it would leave the drivers home depot short.

As for the driver making notes on his way to Ashton its a shame I wasn't about as I could have shown him where to go on the 348s as its one of the many routes I know off by heart