Diamond Bus North West

[Winston]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(01/07/2019 19:01)gilesbus1 Wrote:  Just seen Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse Urban30856 WX58 FSD heading for Atherton in the old version of Diamond livery with Red Diamonds on it, but looking ready for service tomorrow if required.

It arrived yesterday along with 30861 see above.

[Winston]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(01/07/2019 21:03)darylyates17 Wrote:  Apart from Vantage what routes if any are not included in the sale?

Tendered bits of 2 & 68 (evenings)
TfGM School services & Yellow Versa's, contract expired

[gilesbus1]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(01/07/2019 21:55)Winston Wrote:  Tendered bits of 2 & 68 (evenings)
TfGM School services & Yellow Versa's, contract expired

Presumably Rotala could re-bid for those if they so wish?

Vantage as I understand it is only until March 2021 then its due to be re-tendered anyway, presume then it will transfer back to someone with a base at this end (Stagecoach, Rotala, Arriva) and Rusholme will close permanently.

Guess future expansion could come from finding holes in the network that need filling, and there are probably quite a few, one example could be extending the 695 Leigh - Bolton Hospital onward to Bolton, thus re-establishing a direct link between Bolton and Tyldesley and Astley and introducing another service between Bolton and Bolton General Hospital.

[gilesbus1]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(01/07/2019 21:53)Winston Wrote:  It arrived yesterday along with 30861 see above.

Presume its been used in service then from Atherton as it was returning back towards the depot from the direction of Leigh?

[Winston]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(01/07/2019 22:15)gilesbus1 Wrote:  Presume its been used in service then from Atherton as it was returning back towards the depot from the direction of Leigh?

I assumed they had gone there for prepping & repainting, unless being used in service short term only?

[ant17612]

RE: Diamond Bus North West
30856 was on the 635 yesterday, still in old livery.

[Winston]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(01/07/2019 22:14)gilesbus1 Wrote:  Presumably Rotala could re-bid for those if they so wish?

Vantage as I understand it is only until March 2021 then its due to be re-tendered anyway, presume then it will transfer back to someone with a base at this end (Stagecoach, Rotala, Arriva) and Rusholme will close permanently.

Guess future expansion could come from finding holes in the network that need filling, and there are probably quite a few, one example could be extending the 695 Leigh - Bolton Hospital onward to Bolton, thus re-establishing a direct link between Bolton and Tyldesley and Astley and introducing another service between Bolton and Bolton General Hospital.

Yes, when they're up for renewal. But not gaining those two tenders with the Bolton op is no great shakes.

Not sure on date for Vantage, but it will be re-tendered, again Rotala may well bid as it's a decent chunk of work assuming the money is right.

Rotala will have some decent commercial services, plus the 571, 572 & 575 re-join under common ownership. There may also be opportunities to take on routes from First Oldham, should that depot ever be scaled back if no buyer is forthcoming. I also wondered at some point whether Jim Stones Leigh might sell out / retire. There seems plenty of scope to improve & integrate their various services from 11th Aug.

[gilesbus1]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(02/07/2019 23:37)Winston Wrote:  Yes, when they're up for renewal. But not gaining those two tenders with the Bolton op is no great shakes.

Not sure on date for Vantage, but it will be re-tendered, again Rotala may well bid as it's a decent chunk of work assuming the money is right.

Rotala will have some decent commercial services, plus the 571, 572 & 575 re-join under common ownership. There may also be opportunities to take on routes from First Oldham, should that depot ever be scaled back if no buyer is forthcoming. I also wondered at some point whether Jim Stones Leigh might sell out / retire. There seems plenty of scope to improve & integrate their various services from 11th Aug.

Jim Stones has been rumoured as maybe wanting to retire before, note that he is not renewing his fleet as often as he was, and also the fact that as a small individual operator he maybe someone who would struggle with Franchising so this opp is probably ripe for take-over, all an operator would really need to take on is the routes and the drivers as the buses are mainly on lease they could be returned by Jim himself and he probably could deal with the depot, if Rotala wanted to exploit this as an opportunity it would easily all fit into Atherton, and would expand Rotala's operating area to the South of Leigh and add Lowton to the map of area's served.

[johnluke]

RE: Diamond Bus North West
Jim stones has been going a long time..I'm very surprised that in that time nobody has registered on their routes and put them out of business as it would not be hard for a larger operator to do..but if he is to retire the I hope he gets a fair price for the goodwill and effort

[gilesbus1]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(04/07/2019 20:56)johnluke Wrote:  Jim stones has been going a long time..I'm very surprised that in that time nobody has registered on their routes and put them out of business as it would not be hard for a larger operator to do..but if he is to retire the I hope he gets a fair price for the goodwill and effort

He had a strong image in Leigh GM Buses tried with Little Gem's early on but it was a flop, however his image isn't now as strong as it once was, people are used to the Private Plates and vehicles and I guess when vehicles like Vantage's run alongside there isn't a lot of difference. He is though a decent chap and has served the people of Leigh well over the years.

I think really the best option would be now to sell, with so much for the Business e.g. Drivers, Engineer, Goodwill and Routes, and then he can sell on top of that the vehicles, plant and equipment, and continue to rent the building for some other use, he should make a reasonable amount out of that.

If Diamond wan't to build up the business further in the Leigh area, then another option is to extend a few 582's beyond Leigh to Lowton Lane Head and Newton-le-Willows as they used to be before GM North cut them back under FirstGroup ownership, the journey's were well used as people from South of Leigh liked there trips to Bolton and the service wen't back to LUT days originally going onward to Warrington. FirstGroup merely cut it back in order to make high frequency corridors, and they didn't want the 582 duplicating what was then the 600, which was another high frequency route. However neither the 582 or the 600 or 10 are no longer their concern.