Wigan Coachways

[Nicholas]

RE: Wigan Coachways
It tends to do the 656 college bus, although its sometimes hard to tell as three Wigan Coachways vehicles tend to arrive at Leigh at around the same time! (around 1705/1710)

[St Helens Rider]

RE: Wigan Coachways
Isn't this the same yellow Citybus that is branded as Student Link.

[Nicholas]

RE: Wigan Coachways
It sure is!

[St Helens Rider]

RE: Wigan Coachways
Thanks for the confirmation. I know I have seen this vehicle a few times on the 663/600.

[Jack]

RE: Wigan Coachways
A few years back I remember a period when First used yellow Citybuses on the 600, am I right or imagining this?!

[St Helens Rider]

RE: Wigan Coachways
Could this have something to do with the short lived Coachmasters service 456 in the late 90's/early 2000's. The service ran Wigan - Ashton - Leigh - Bolton - Bury - Rochdale. The route was as the 600 between Wigan & Leigh. I know when the service ceased First acquired some of their vehicles.

[Jack]

RE: Wigan Coachways
It would have been early 2000's but from what I remember it was a lot more short term than that, could it have been something to do with schoolbuses at Ince? That 456 service sounds like a trek though!

[Nicholas]

RE: Wigan Coachways
Yes, Coachmasters were based in Rochdale but ran a lot of tendered school services in Wigan, Leigh and Bolton. The 456 was designed to fill the void outside of school times, running via a combination of the 471, 582 and 600 routes.

First bought out the bus part of Coachmasters, with Coachmasters retaining the coach side of the business. The 456 was withdrawn as a consequence - after all it was duplicating services even if it was a through route - and the Schools Unit established at Ince. They retained the yellow base livery, just removing the red/grey vinyl stripes (and of course changing the fleet names), running it as "First Schools".

The buses were withdrawn once they reached their 15 years, replaced with the mass influx of Arrows.

[Jack]

RE: Wigan Coachways
Thanks Nicholas, thinking back I do remember red on these buses as well so that makes sense.

[thomasl1231]

RE: Wigan Coachways
According to the GMBuses group on Yahoo, Wigan Coachways now have N216TDU and N231TDU from Stagecoach. Does anybody know if / when these are going to see service? It'd be nice for them to turn up on my college route for a nice change instead of the usual F600GVO/M56AWW/N551VDC combination (not that I'm complaining about them turning up!)!