Arriva North West - Bootle Depot

[J654UHN]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot
from what i have been told X-ancs will be coming from bootle to cover the route

[ste]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot
for years the 68 has been with out deckers when its needed them at peak times, it finally gets them at Bootle and they move the route to Green Lane, bad luck for the passengers on that route at a peak time.

[K853 MTJ]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot
Thing is though, GL is better equipped with full size single decks, at Bootle it was the 2 extremes in that most of the time it was a Dart, or an Enviro or Palatine. At least at GL, it will consistently be a Dart, or perhaps maybe an ALX300, Prestige, or Renown.
Plus if the rumours are correct, GL may possibly be getting deckers soon enough anyway!

[P450 SWX]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot
I recon the 68's might have the bigger buses like the B10BLE or ALX300/Prestigue as these be more suitable for the routes

[M113 YKC]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot

(25/06/2012 10:16)P450 SWX Wrote:  I recon the 68's might have the bigger buses like the B10BLE or ALX300/Prestigue as these be more suitable for the routes

The problem is that they're already allocated out onto other services that they're needed on, such as the 6/7 for the B10BLEs and the 12/13/26/27 for the DAF SB220GS'.

[K853 MTJ]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot
I dont really think the 6/7 needs the B10BLEs, it seemed to cope perfectly well with Darts prior to their arrival, so theres not really any reason why they could be allocated elsewhere if the extra capacity is needed!

EDIT: Its also debatable that GL could get the cascaded T reg Prestiges from Speke shortly once they have been P&Pd, so thats another possible 3 buses for GL.

[M113 YKC]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot

(25/06/2012 10:26)K853 MTJ Wrote:  I dont really think the 6/7 needs the B10BLEs, it seemed to cope perfectly well with Darts prior to their arrival, so theres not really any reason why they could be allocated elsewhere if the extra capacity is needed!

I couldn't agree more, however the B10BLEs are on those services because of the longer Warrington journeys. The Darts were too unreliable for those hourly journeys and missing a journey off, as a last resort, results in an hour wait in Warrington Bus Station!

[K853 MTJ]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot
The I'd be inclined to say thats a problem with Green Lane maintenance, not the buses. (Controversial I fear, but hey ho, thats my opinion)
Other depots successfully run Darts on services that are just as long (The 311 springs to mind, as well as Darts appearing on services like the X94 at Wrexham) with no trouble whatsoever, and they turn out to be great workhorses that do the job excellently. Questions have to be asked if the same sort of buses can't withstand a trip to Warrington.

[M113 YKC]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot

(25/06/2012 10:58)K853 MTJ Wrote:  Other depots successfully run Darts on services that are just as long (The 311 springs to mind, as well as Darts appearing on services like the X94 at Wrexham) with no trouble whatsoever, and they turn out to be great workhorses that do the job excellently. Questions have to be asked if the same sort of buses can't withstand a trip to Warrington.

Bootle do have trouble with that 311 and Darts, however because it's half-hourly, people in Skelmersdale aren't likely to be waiting around too long for the next bus - unless the last bus breaks down, like it did for me...!

[M113 YKC]

RE: Arriva North West - Bootle Depot
X-ANC Plaxton Pointer 2s still here, from what I seen today, are as follows...
X224 ANC (2224) - 53A
X226 ANC (2226) (seen, but not noted down)
X227 ANC (2227) - 58
X233 ANC (2233) - 58
X234 ANC (2234) - 53A
X235 ANC (2235) - 62
(See the Green Lane thread for information on what X-ANCs have transferred with the 68.)

Unusual Sightings:
Marshall V667 DVU (7667) - 53
DAF/ALX400 T304 FGN (4064) - 53A
Plaxton Pointer 2 R569 ABA (7569) - 56A (this evening)
DAF/ALX400 S260 JUA (4090) - 58 (LOL)!
2235 and an unidentified Marshall - 62
Cadet CX07 CSO (2638) - 345 (on the duty that performs the evening Skelmersdale journey)

The 54 was in the hands of three ALX200s - X263 ANC (2263), X265 OBN (2265) and X268 OBN (2268) - and a Marshall - V626 DVU (7626). All featured manual destination equipment - surely a first?