Stagecoach Manchester

[Metroline1511]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(21/08/2014 19:31)Dentonian Wrote:  Coincidentally, Buses mag is out today, and includes an article on the current competition between First and Stagecoach, with a "how did we get here" history of Maytree, Wigan, Bluebird, Finglands and Jpt. With a pic of YX60 DWZ, it notes that these are the only Prmos in the whole of Stagecoach. With that in mind, my guess would be that they will only last as long as needed for contract work, and then they would probably go on the basis that they could yield a good price for a small operator to whom they are more suitable.

This announcement may at least partially explain why so many (ex) London Tridents have stopped off on their way back from Glasgow. In saying that, keep an eye on the VOSA website for another partial reason for this!

I enjoyed reading that article. In a way, it could have been more interesting had they waited a few months until we saw some ramifications of the JPT takeover being cleared. For example, I wonder whether the imminent Enviro400s 10401-29 will be for routes 85 and 86, and whether these could be extended to Middleton and NMGH to replace routes 112 and 118 and thus provide new cross-city services?

(21/08/2014 21:46)Mayneway Wrote:  Despite the much speculated painting of Tridents I would imagine Stagecoach will now be keen to ditch the JPT livery once and for all, so I would think the Primo's will fairly quicky gain Stagecoach livery (which will be interesting!) so the annoying 'odd doors' will hopefully be a thing of the past.

I'm told Stagecoach had to carry out work on all the Primo's to bring them up to a serviceable standard, plus it was suggested elsewhere soon after the takeover that Stagecoach had paid off the remaining finance on these and possibly the Enviro's so I would think they have a rather high book price so Stagecoach will be keen to get their monies worth out of them, plus despite thier looks their young, low floor, tender spec buses so I can see them staying for now.

I reckon Stagecoach will repaint ex-JPT vehicles they are retaining sooner rather than later, potentially by Christmas.

(28/08/2014 09:14)mbonwick Wrote:  There isn't an excess of spare deckers at Stockport, so unlikely that any will move.

There are 31 MANs currently allocated, so there's no way 21 Enviro200s will replace them all.

As some MANs are 54 and 06-reg, I reckon these will stay at ST unless needed as replacements for other ex-JPT stock.

A rogue working was 38-branded Enviro400 19500 on route 197 this afternoon.