D & G Bus Group

[Nicholas]

D & G Bus Group
There's no D&G group thread at the moment, so I've started this one with a bit of big news.

Arriva has announced that it will be purchasing Midland (Liyell Ltd) from D&G group, with the company merging into Arriva Midlands. Unlike Wardles, this acquisition will see the Midland name phased out in favour of the Arriva brand.

I wonder if the sale will see any vehicles moved around prior to the transfer?

[DVL418]

RE: D & G Bus Group

(10/08/2012 12:53)Nicholas Wrote:  There's no D&G group thread at the moment, so I've started this one with a bit of big news.

Arriva has announced that it will be purchasing Midland (Liyell Ltd) from D&G group, with the company merging into Arriva Midlands. Unlike Wardles, this acquisition will see the Midland name phased out in favour of the Arriva brand.

I wonder if the sale will see any vehicles moved around prior to the transfer?

Been speculation about this for several weeks.

Whilst D & G will shrink back to a single depot in Crewe, it has been probing possible expansion back into its original territory of north Staffs in recent months, and the proceeds of the sale could be a handy 'war chest' for investment both there and at South Lancs.

[Nicholas]

RE: D & G Bus Group
I was thinking that, particularly with SLT.

[SF07]

RE: D & G Bus Group
I wonder whether in addition to D&G being able to invest more on services in the North West that they may perhaps try and plug the geographical gaps in between its main D&G operations and its SLT/Strawberry operations.

[Nicholas]

RE: D & G Bus Group
Its an interesting idea, but the lack of sizeable towns in between would make it a little difficult, unless Arriva started cutting back. The only large town between SLT's area and D&G's home turf is Warrington, and WBT would not be happy if they found themselves with another competing operator.

[Metroline1511]

RE: D & G Bus Group
Midland also includes some former A2Z Travel routes so represents a significant expansion for Arriva around Walsall and Wolverhampton. Having won some tenders in April, Arriva could now be bigger in Walsall and Wolverhampton than Rotala, whose West Midlands operations would then mainly just be in the Solihull, Birmingham, West Bromwich, Sandwell and Dudley areas.

Rotala could then purchase the remaining D&G Travel operations, as these are basically between their Birmingham and Preston operations.

[gilesbus1]

RE: D & G Bus Group
I wonder if there could be something else in this, eg an attempt to perhaps raise capital to buy out some or all of First Mnachesters operations at Wigan in joint venture perhaps with Julian Peddle, other capital could be made available by selling off SLT's depot property but not routes or fleet at Atherton with everything moving to the FirstGroup depot at Bryn perhaps, but lets wait and see.

[DVL418]

RE: D & G Bus Group

(14/08/2012 15:51)gilesbus1 Wrote:  I wonder if there could be something else in this, eg an attempt to perhaps raise capital to buy out some or all of First Mnachesters operations at Wigan in joint venture perhaps with Julian Peddle, other capital could be made available by selling off SLT's depot property but not routes or fleet at Atherton with everything moving to the FirstGroup depot at Bryn perhaps, but lets wait and see.

Is this just speculation, or do you have any hard facts to support it?

[gilesbus1]

RE: D & G Bus Group
It is speculative, the words "I wonder" suggests that, and lets wait and see, I aren't reading any further into it except to say any move like this would be logical, and follows the same path as what happened with Staffordshire Operations at Stoke when SLT was bouyght in the first place, so something is perhaps in the pipeline with something somewhere, wether it is further purchases or just merely clearing any debts that they may or may not have well just have to wait and see.

[james solomon]

RE: D & G Bus Group
Noted yesterday at crewe several buses looking quite scruffy especially the capitall it has paint missing from the rear the advert was starting to bubble and it looks like some of the panes are worn plus the destination equipment looked to be in need of a reboot. For its age its starting to show in places. The darts have paint peeling in a few places but mostly the solos are in a nicer condition. The Tesco dart and the new SR's look quite smart in there respectable liveries i did however find the rest of the fleet in a varied state of TLC required one dart i noted had an advert for dirty dancing i think from 2011 with paint peeling on the engine door. The worst of the fleet id have to say was the capitall but the general untidyness of the rest of the fleet bar the MCV's SR's most of the solos and the Tesco dart looked quite smart. I was tempted to ride one of there vehicles or 2 but the general lack of TLC with D&G turned me off riding them. Is this scruffynes due to a lack of funds or is this a CBA attitude or something else would like to hear the groups opinion