Stagecoach Manchester

[GRIMSTER02]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan

(19/02/2017 08:03)M60lad Wrote:  Its not the first time something like what you saw Dentonian has happened as the other week in Stockport during the day there was a mixture out on 325s including a Solo.

The only route at Stockport that seems to stick to vehicle allocation at the moment is 23/23A/24s as I very rarely see the new MMC400s for the route straying.

Also are HE's hybrid Enviro400s just counted as common user pool now? I only ask as they seem to be turning up on 201/203s regularly now and even 205/206s, even 15s get 2 or 3 during the day as well.

One Depot that is worse for branded vehicles straying at the moment is Ashton Depot as daily there's 330 branded vehicles on various Ashton Depot routes, which tells me that there either must be more branded vehicles than what's needed for 330 route or maybe their short of unbranded double deckers now at Ashton Depot, this past week there was even a branded 330 MMC400 on 770 St Damiens-Waterhead School Service.

The branding of buses is great but the Running boards can let it down there is a board that has a branded 38 on does the 38 all day then at like 7pm comes in and goes back out on 201

board where a 76 branded bus will do hyde road corridor before doing just the 76.
and this goes on with boards that do one thing all day then go off and do other stuff.

HE gain hybrids when they Lost the 50 route so yes are more common they still reduce emissions but as said batteries only work up to 10 mph ish but even when sat in traffic the bus may switch the engine off but then have to switch it back on to Charge the batteries along with the reliability of them seem to be rather poor across the Manchester recently. other issues with them when running out of service is they only do 122... do 45MPH Max and 120.. only seem to do 40MPH Max which can be rather annoying if you need to jump onto the Mancunian or a Motorway from like Hattersely or a quick to Oldham or even Ashton