First Manchester

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester
180/184 route branding starting to re-appear again, now branded on the Enviros. Same as the ones that were on the B9 except it says every 10 mins or better for 'Manchester-Oldham-Grotton.

[thomasl1231]

RE: First Manchester
34296 is now at Bryn too, I've just seen it on the 600 heading towards Leigh at Saddle Junction!

[P528LND]

RE: First Manchester
I love how half-arsed the 81A destination programming is.

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester
What was wrong with putting Holts Estate via Oldham and Waterhead? Get the feeling there may be some confusion for some passengers, particularly as they put Waterhead on the side too. I understood why they did it for the 58 when it ran to Bury (Oldham then Bury via Middleton/Oldham then Rochdale), to help passenger not confuse it with the more direct 469/471 services between Rochdale and Bury.

One of the ex-Tameside darts (may have been 40365) was on the X84 this afternoon. Luckily, it was able to display Carrcote but not the 'X' in X84 on the front display (sometimes 84 is displayed instead of X84 on the back). A couple of the 58/59 branded B9s were on the 83 and Citaros were on the 149.

[Nicholas]

RE: First Manchester
That's an oddity with the X34 too. The B10BLEs are able to display "X34" on the small flip-dot at the front, yet the side and rear blocks, which are the same size, cannot and have to just display "34" (yet others can display "X34" on side and rear). Mind you, the new Enviro400s are just as bad - the rear display just shows "34"... are these slightly narrower than the ones in Stagecoach Enviro400s?

[P528LND]

RE: First Manchester

(29/10/2012 20:44)Nicholas Wrote:  That's an oddity with the X34 too. The B10BLEs are able to display "X34" on the small flip-dot at the front, yet the side and rear blocks, which are the same size, cannot and have to just display "34" (yet others can display "X34" on side and rear). Mind you, the new Enviro400s are just as bad - the rear display just shows "34"... are these slightly narrower than the ones in Stagecoach Enviro400s?

Stagecoach use 36x19 displays, First use 32x17 recently.

[M60lad]

RE: First Manchester
Regarding destination displays I remember some of Stagecoach Manchester's old Tridents that had flip-dot displays fitted and when they were out on 23As the front and side would read 23A but the rear would still read 23

[SF07]

RE: First Manchester
Looked like one of the Alexander Royale Volvo Olympians (might have been 30806, couldn't see properly) broke down this afternoon. Was parked up at stand F on Lever Street in Manchester around 5.45pm with a tow truck in front of it.

37446 has had its 58-59 lower branding on the sides removed, possibly to be replaced with the standard 'Greater Manchester' brand. The route branding on the top windows still remain.

A few of the Enviros have now been branded for the 180/184. 33669/72/74/76 has been reported and believe that 33670/1 are also branded. Looks like First have learnt their lesson following the random branding of buses with the B9s earlier in the year.

Also, anyone know how well First have been doing with the extended 18 service? Saw two buses heading down Oxford Road towards Rusholme at around 5.30pm (both apart a few mins apart) and neither bus had any passengers on. Saw a couple of buses this morning and didn't seem to have any passengers on it either.

[Nicholas]

RE: First Manchester

(30/10/2012 20:22)SF07 Wrote:  A few of the Enviros have now been branded for the 180/184. 33669/72/74/76 has been reported and believe that 33670/1 are also branded. Looks like First have learnt their lesson following the random branding of buses with the B9s earlier in the year.

Of note, 33700 was on the 8 today despite being branded for the 36/37.

Quote:Also, anyone know how well First have been doing with the extended 18 service? Saw two buses heading down Oxford Road towards Rusholme at around 5.30pm (both apart a few mins apart) and neither bus had any passengers on. Saw a couple of buses this morning and didn't seem to have any passengers on it either.

My colleague who was at Dover Street this afternoon saw a maximum loading of... 2.

[Jack]

RE: First Manchester
This is interesting, wonder what exactly it is Stagecoach will be getting routes/vehicles wise.