First Manchester

[robertwest32]

RE: First Manchester
42940/941/944 AND 945 ALL ARRRIVED AT FIRST ESSEX CHELMSFORD ON 04/05/2019

[Y458 KNF]

RE: First Manchester
Is 59006 likely to return before the Go Ahead takeover it’s my only Free Bus/Metroshuttle Optare left and I’d love to get the whole fleet in before the take over

[PSbusdriver]

RE: First Manchester
Wright Streetlite's 63154/155/156 all seen operating on service 41 today (May 28th).

[jonesy3001]

RE: First Manchester
what has transferred to queens rd before the changeover at the weekend?

[gilesbus1]

RE: First Manchester
On a separate note, the demolish-on man looks like he's moved in to the former Bury Depot as all the doors were open and a pile of building rubbish was piled up outside.

[Atlanteanfan]

RE: First Manchester
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48456840

[NorthernCounties]

 RE: First Manchester

(30/05/2019 11:08)Atlanteanfan Wrote:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48456840

Complete and full official details here : https://www.firstgroupplc.com/~/media/Fi...update.pdf

[gilesbus1]

RE: First Manchester
Presume by this, rather than selling off individual depots, they will in the meantime look to restructure Buses as a separate company, Therefore it looks unlikely any further garages will be sold in the interim, and a new Chief Executive will look at it, and decide what he/she wants to do, regards to Manchester and any other operating companies that are losing money.

There would be a great opportunity to start to grow again given that the concentration would be on buses and there would be no diversion from management time by other area's of the business, plus a substantial quantity of the losses and debt would vanish as well.

If any of this is done quickly, but admittedly they aren't normally that leads it open to either take-over or in a position to take-over other operators, maybe from any divestment Stagecoach might be faced with making should it take over Arriva, so perhaps depots like Wythenshawe might appeal to regrow the Manchester operations, as might other take-overs.

The other option is that Stagecoach holts its take-over of Arriva as a take-over of Firsts Bus Operations might be easier for Stagecoach to come by and suit there existing market place of bus operations better.

Clash area's if Stagecoach did go for FirstGroup Buses rather than Arriva would be:-

Aberdeen
Greater Glasgow/Western
Greater Manchester
South Yorkshire
Portsmouth
The South West)- The issue here is every major operator outside Plymouth would be Stagecoach controlled between Gloucester and Lands End.
South Wales.

Looks interesting times ahead.

[Winston]

RE: First Manchester

(30/05/2019 19:49)gilesbus1 Wrote:  Presume by this, rather than selling off individual depots, they will in the meantime look to restructure Buses as a separate company, Therefore it looks unlikely any further garages will be sold in the interim, and a new Chief Executive will look at it, and decide what he/she wants to do, regards to Manchester and any other operating companies that are losing money.

There would be a great opportunity to start to grow again given that the concentration would be on buses and there would be no diversion from management time by other area's of the business, plus a substantial quantity of the losses and debt would vanish as well.

If any of this is done quickly, but admittedly they aren't normally that leads it open to either take-over or in a position to take-over other operators, maybe from any divestment Stagecoach might be faced with making should it take over Arriva, so perhaps depots like Wythenshawe might appeal to regrow the Manchester operations, as might other take-overs.

The other option is that Stagecoach holts its take-over of Arriva as a take-over of Firsts Bus Operations might be easier for Stagecoach to come by and suit there existing market place of bus operations better.

Clash area's if Stagecoach did go for FirstGroup Buses rather than Arriva would be:-

Aberdeen
Greater Glasgow/Western
Greater Manchester
South Yorkshire
Portsmouth
The South West)- The issue here is every major operator outside Plymouth would be Stagecoach controlled between Gloucester and Lands End.
South Wales.

Looks interesting times ahead.

Stagecoach will not be able to buy Arriva UK Bus or First UK Bus due to their current dominance in the market, the CMA won't allow such a deal.

[Mrboo]

RE: First Manchester

(31/05/2019 00:01)Winston Wrote:  Stagecoach will not be able to buy Arriva UK Bus or First UK Bus due to their current dominance in the market, the CMA won't allow such a deal.

I Could see a new player coming in from overseas to buy the best bits of Arriva and First Tower Transit maybe? for parts or maybe other EU transport group. Most of the issues with First and Arriva is down to them trying to run trains when they was good at running buses they looked at the bus side as too much hard work when you only need to tender for a TOC. Maybe there could be a big buyout from the staff like what happened with GMbuses but would take a lot of work to pull it off.