Diamond Bus North West

[gilesbus1]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(30/08/2019 07:40)motormayhem1 Wrote:  Was talking this morning and was told anything between 20-30 duties a day are open due to short staff as there was around 20+ buses parked up the other day around bolton due to no drivers.

I am guessing that is what comes with major change, First Vantage are also short of drivers as well. Guess there may be some improvement in due course once things settle down, holidays this time of year are also presumably an issue, and as the schools go back next week, that might start to improve a little. I had noticed on Wednesday a Diamond Bus abandoned with its flickers on opposite Salford Crescent Railway Station, and had initially thought it had broken down, but this maybe due to staff shortages as you have suggested, as there was no driver anywhere near it.

[Winston]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(25/08/2019 07:03)ant17612 Wrote:  Assume these to be B7RLE’s

The 3 First hire buses returned early / replaced by 3 new Streetdecks are as follows:

Enviro400 33732
B7RLE 69171
B7RLE 69224

Former Wrightbus Streetlite Demo SK17HHL has been allocated fleetnumber 32238

B9TL/Gemini 40625 has today left Bolton for DBWM at Redditch.

Citaro 30030 is now at Bolton in 2 tone Diamond base livery.

[WWH44L]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(31/08/2019 23:54)Winston Wrote:  The 3 First hire buses returned early / replaced by 3 new Streetdecks are as follows:

Enviro400 33732
B7RLE 69171
B7RLE 69224

Former Wrightbus Streetlite Demo SK17HHL has been allocated fleetnumber 32238

B9TL/Gemini 40625 has today left Bolton for DBWM at Redditch.

Citaro 30030 is now at Bolton in 2 tone Diamond base livery.

Thanks for the update, saw a photo of 30030 and noticed it’s been repainted in different proportions of blue than recent ones. Is that an error? Are repaints being done at Bolton now?
Also do you have a split of the Atherton allocation between Bolton and Eccles? TIA.

[Winston]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(01/09/2019 09:17)WWH44L Wrote:  Thanks for the update, saw a photo of 30030 and noticed it’s been repainted in different proportions of blue than recent ones. Is that an error? Are repaints being done at Bolton now?
Also do you have a split of the Atherton allocation between Bolton and Eccles? TIA.

I've not seen a photo of 30030 side on to comment. 30030 was repainted prior to leaving Tividale. I had thought the earlier Citaro's were due to go to Preston rather than Bolton.

I understand a couple of Preston Tridents 40630/1 have been repainted at Bolton in new all-over blue school bus livery.

No split of Atherton's fleet is currently showing on latest Rotala fleetlist dated 1st Sept.

Some of Atherton's fleet moved to Eccles in July, as follows:

20157; 20158; 20160; 20166 Atherton - Eccles
30102; 30140; 30141; 30142; 30143; 32220 Atherton - Eccles

[motormayhem1]

RE: Diamond Bus North West
69167 was on wigan before operating the 715 Bolton - Wigan service.
Been a while since I've seen a first livered bus in.

[gilesbus1]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(01/09/2019 13:12)Winston Wrote:  I've not seen a photo of 30030 side on to comment. 30030 was repainted prior to leaving Tividale. I had thought the earlier Citaro's were due to go to Preston rather than Bolton.

I understand a couple of Preston Tridents 40630/1 have been repainted at Bolton in new all-over blue school bus livery.

No split of Atherton's fleet is currently showing on latest Rotala fleetlist dated 1st Sept.

Some of Atherton's fleet moved to Eccles in July, as follows:

20157; 20158; 20160; 20166 Atherton - Eccles
30102; 30140; 30141; 30142; 30143; 32220 Atherton - Eccles

The list on West Midlands Buses was incorrect, the buses hadn't moved till yesterday, Indead TfGM Versa's were noted operating out of Atherton last week, as was Streetlite 32220 only yesterday on a 517 Leigh - Middlebrook.

What did transfer in July was several full size saloons to Bolton, namely Volvo B7RLE and MAN/Meridans, that were principally used on 571/2 and 575 services.

What is going to Bolton now is the Optare Solo's used on Leigh and Wigan locals, and ADL Enviro Enviro200.

What is going to Eccles you have listed above but its only actually gone at midnight last night not a month ago.

Also though but not confirmed as going to Preston along with service 635 is all the remaining Scania Saloons.

[SF07]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(01/09/2019 13:28)motormayhem1 Wrote:  69167 was on wigan before operating the 715 Bolton - Wigan service.
Been a while since I've seen a first livered bus in.

Photographed here along with 33722. Probably the first time a First liveried Enviro400 has appeared in Wigan town centre.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/firstmanch...659064881/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/firstmanch...655623512/

Looking on Bus Times live map, and 69141 is on the 715 now, running the 1650 journey from Bolton.

[Winston]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(01/09/2019 15:51)gilesbus1 Wrote:  The list on West Midlands Buses was incorrect, the buses hadn't moved till yesterday, Indead TfGM Versa's were noted operating out of Atherton last week, as was Streetlite 32220 only yesterday on a 517 Leigh - Middlebrook.

What did transfer in July was several full size saloons to Bolton, namely Volvo B7RLE and MAN/Meridans, that were principally used on 571/2 and 575 services.

What is going to Bolton now is the Optare Solo's used on Leigh and Wigan locals, and ADL Enviro Enviro200.

What is going to Eccles you have listed above but its only actually gone at midnight last night not a month ago.

Also though but not confirmed as going to Preston along with service 635 is all the remaining Scania Saloons.

The list on the WM Bus site was from taken from Rotala Group offical fleet list dated early August, so it's that which was updated prematurely.

Bolton wasn't even under Rotala control until 11th August, so the 571/2 & 575 routes plus buses didn't move during July.

[Winston]

RE: Diamond Bus North West

(01/09/2019 16:16)Winston Wrote:  The list on the WM Bus site was from taken from Rotala Group official fleet list dated early August, so it's that which was updated prematurely.

Bolton wasn't even under Rotala control until 11th August, so the 571/2 & 575 routes plus buses didn't move during July.

Scrap what I said above in blue, the routes & vehicles did indeed officially move from Atherton to Eccles on 21/22nd July as per the Rotala fleetchanges / WMB site fleet changes recorded. However, some of those now Eccles based buses have reappeared at both Atherton & Bolton at times.... see confirmation below:

As for the transfer to Eccles of routes, this happened on 21st/22nd July, there has been some crossover with drivers using Eccles based vehicles to cover work for Atherton, I myself saw a branded streetlight out on the 9 service Friday night with a driver I know for sure had transferred.

[gilesbus1]

RE: Diamond Bus North West
That must be it then, I know Atherton had been mostly cleared by Wednesday and very little was based in the yard.

Streetlites in Preston livery and a couple of Solo's from Preston were also used, so I guess perhaps they were also involved. Also one of the large Solo's, in Preston livery was noted heading towards Atherton one day last week. Bolton town routes operated by Bolton moved over on the week commencing 12th August, in dead Wigan has been largely absent of full size vehicles since then and it did make sense as the 571/2 pass the side of Bolton and the 575 is closer to Bolton depot obviously.

I believe one MAN is now SORN - PF09LCL, but the other two plus all but one of the Wright/Plaxton bodied Volvo B7RLE's moved over at the same time, indeed 575 Volvo's have been seen on such routes as 36's/37's, 8's, and 582's during the last week with Bolton crews driving them.

Sorry if there has been any misunderstanding, that wasn't my intention.