First Manchester

[Damien]

RE: First Manchester
Of the indentifible fleet numbers of the Enviros at Wigan

The following

33691/4/5/6/9/700/1/4/19/22/4/30/3/4

[Damien]

RE: First Manchester
Don't know if was just for the day or longer, but I am 99.9% percent certain 37297 from Bury was working a 17 in Rochdale, meaning the bus is on loan to Manchester

[WWH44L]

RE: First Manchester
37427 is another repaint at Bolton which just leaves 37402/19/29/31 to be done. Only seen 402 this week so the others could have also been done.

[Nicholas]

RE: First Manchester

(22/09/2012 22:06)M60lad Wrote:  Some more news from First Manchester is that virtually all 81A's are now terminating either on Dale Street or Oldham Street and recommencing service on Church Street due to stand problems at the bottom of Oldham Street ie too many buses using the single stand at the bottom of Oldham Street

It should only be weekday peak journeys on the 81A between 4pm and 6pm that are starting on Church Street. At least this is what is timetabled. It used to be alternate 88s that started on Church Street, but this has been swapped around so that all 88s start on Oldham Street.

(22/09/2012 16:32)SF07 Wrote:  Also, interesting to see First increase the 180/184 to every 7/8 mins just after Stagecoach increased the 76 to every 10 mins.

With regards to the 180/184, what I am guessing is that there will be a slight reduction in the number of buses between Oldham and Manchester, with the 83 running every 7/8 minutes. That would mean a bus running every 3/4 minutes, alternating between the 83 and 180/184. I'm guessing the changes are not so much in retaliation to the increase in the 76, but due to competition from Metrolink. This will be more the case once the Metrolink line is fully opened, as the peak frequency is planned to be increased to every 6 minutes as far as Shaw.

(22/09/2012 16:14)SF07 Wrote:  

(22/09/2012 13:32)P528LND Wrote:  Can anyone give me information as to when the 149 route started and also some brief history of it until today?

I remember when I was a kid that the 149 was a Bee Line service (early-mid 90s) and that is used to run all the way to Heald Green, although I'm not sure what route it took south of Manchester. I think when the service was curtailed (which I think was pre-GMN), it was partly replaced by a 249.

The route south of Manchester followed the line of the former Beeline / Ribble 6 service, which ran between Manchester and Heald Green via Wilmslow Road, Parrs Wood Road, Wilmslow Road, Manchester Road , High Street (Cheadle), Gatley Road, Church Road, Park Road, Northenden Road, Springfield Road, Silverdale Road, St Ann's Road North, Finney Lane, Outwood Road, Cross Road, Bolshaw Road, Wilmslow Road (loops back round onto Outwood Road).

In August 1997, the 249 replaced the 149 except at breakfast time, evenings and Sundays (basically journeys terminating at Heald Green), continuing beyond Heald Green (serving Outwood Road both ways) via the 378 route pre-this month to Wilmslow Bank Square.

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester
I did wonder whether the 83 will get reduced with the 180/184 being increased and then run a combined 3/4 minute service. Does make sense in a way, the busier section of the route between Oldham and Manchester is between Failsworth and Manchester.

With the 350 being re-routed, I'm guessing that the 83 service east of Oldham towards Hill Stores (Tesco), Moorside and Sholver will increase to every 7/8 mins meaning no terminating buses at the bus station Mon-Sat daytime.

Have noticed that the 81As are now starting from Church Street during weekday afternoons. I'm guessing that the switch between the 81A/88 is also to do with JPT's 118 service, which (some journeys) also runs from Oldham Street to White Moss.

[P528LND]

RE: First Manchester

(23/09/2012 14:15)SF07 Wrote:  With the 350 being re-routed, I'm guessing that the 83 service east of Oldham towards Hill Stores (Tesco), Moorside and Sholver will increase to every 7/8 mins meaning no terminating buses at the bus station Mon-Sat daytime.

I'm thinking the Sholver run will be every 15 minutes, unfortunately, but you could be right. I just don't see the patronage for every 8 minutes personally.

[WWH44L]

RE: First Manchester
69175 is another BN repaint.

TV 60301 is parked up with the other trainers at BN as well

Dart 40370 a Mk1 Pointer are also down in the scrap corner area as well.

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester

(23/09/2012 17:13)P528LND Wrote:  

(23/09/2012 14:15)SF07 Wrote:  With the 350 being re-routed, I'm guessing that the 83 service east of Oldham towards Hill Stores (Tesco), Moorside and Sholver will increase to every 7/8 mins meaning no terminating buses at the bus station Mon-Sat daytime.

I'm thinking the Sholver run will be every 15 minutes, unfortunately, but you could be right. I just don't see the patronage for every 8 minutes personally.

I'm a bit worried it'll be every 15 mins to Sholver too. Can see the complaints coming if it's true, with the 83 reduction, 180/184 alterations (mainly in Saddleworth), 350 re-routing, 415 curtailment and 82 withdrawal.

[mic]

RE: First Manchester

(22/09/2012 16:32)SF07 Wrote:  

(22/09/2012 06:44)M60lad Wrote:  Just found the following First Manchester changes for 28 October reported on another forum:

18 extended to run Langley-MRI via city centre

64 Oldham-Middleton section reduced to hourly

67 Daytime reduced to every 15 mins.

82 withdrawn. Replaced by additional 83s. Overall, less buses direct down Oldham Road, with Uppermill extensions also withdrawn. Nightbus unaffected, though.

100 Trafford Centre-M'cr reduced to every 15 mins Mon-Sat. Warrington/Hollins Green retimed, but current frequency maintained.

180/4 Totally revised, with 180 reduced to hourly, but additional shorts between Grotton & M'cr meaning 8bph (M-Sa day) on this section. Diggle Sam Road will now be served by through Hudd-M'cr journeys. NB; FWY (HU) will no longer run on this route - all workings will be OM.

350 Route changed to serve Greenacres Road (see 415). Minor t/t changes

415 Truncated to run between Middleton and Oldham only

Minor t/t changes: 58, 59, 68, 98, 348, 472/4, X84

Sad to see the continuing demise of the 82. Gone from prominent service in Oldham area to virtually scrapped (with exception of Nightbus) journeys in about 4 years. Wouldn't be surprised to see the Sunday journeys replaced by the 81/81A by extending the short journeys between Moston and Manchester to Waterhead, giving a 15-minute service between Oldham, Moston and Manchester.

Not surprised with the 350 re-routing and the 415 curtailment, although I imagine there'll some complaints if there is no service along Stamford Street and St John's Street or between Lees and Holts. Expect a TfGM tender to come up, which will probably be won by First.

The 180/184 is a slight surprise. Can imagine a few complaints in Saddleworth with the 180 being reduced and presumably Dobcross no longer being served. I'm guessing it'll be 3ph to Uppermill, with one 184 continuing to Huddersfield and combined 15 mins with 180/184 to/from Saddleworth. Also guessing that because the 184 will become wholly-First GM, that we'll see an extra morning journey to Huddersfield and extra early evening journey from Huddersfield. Interesting to see if the first journey from Huddersfield and last journey to Huddersfield will stay in place.

Shame that the joint operation is over between First GM and First WY though. Caught the 184 to/from Huddersfield a lot, particularly, as I was at uni at the time the 184 was extended over to Huddersfield. Used to have the same drivers from Huddersfield depot, which meant me becoming familiar with the drivers and vice versa (some drivers knew I got on with a student bus pass so just waved me on when I got on before I had chance to show it).

However, reliability has a major issue with the 180/184 for the last few years (speaking from personal experiences as it's my local route), so hopefully, a new timetable will help because it does become frustrating when waiting for a bus that turns up 7 mins late regularly. Also, interesting to see First increase the 180/184 to every 7/8 mins just after Stagecoach increased the 76 to every 10 mins.

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when FGM took over 562 it was not long before they got rid of that doing the same here makes you think

[james]

RE: First Manchester

(23/09/2012 17:33)WWH44L Wrote:  69175 is another BN repaint.

TV 60301 is parked up with the other trainers at BN as well

Dart 40370 a Mk1 Pointer are also down in the scrap corner area as well.

You sure its 40 370 as it was in service last night at ashton