GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)

[T42 PVM (Moderator)]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)
On VOSA:

G1073209/44 - G H A COACHES LTD, UNIT 11, VAUXHALL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, RUABON, WREXHAM, LL14 6UY
Variation Accepted by SN: Operating between Mold and Chester given service number 9/109/99/X9 effective from 04-Apr-2016. To amend Route.

[knutstransport]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)
GHA livered Dart on the 88 this morning. I wonder if that has one of the new machines given it's not a bus usually used on a route going in to Greater Manchester.

[djb]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)
Are GHA reopening the macclesfield depot (at heapy street)? I've seen a registration that suggests they are, and heapy street could accomodate the local fleet again now that the schools have been dropped. Would also explain how they will be able to ensure the buses with the new ticket machines stay on the local services (except the 289 which was never operated from Macclesfield)

[knutstransport]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)

(06/04/2016 12:14)djb Wrote:  Are GHA reopening the macclesfield depot (at heapy street)? I've seen a registration that suggests they are, and heapy street could accomodate the local fleet again now that the schools have been dropped. Would also explain how they will be able to ensure the buses with the new ticket machines stay on the local services (except the 289 which was never operated from Macclesfield)

Macclesfield never had servicing facilities so there were always buses arriving from other depots to provide cover while the regulars went off for servicing.

[djb]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)

(06/04/2016 12:36)knutstransport Wrote:  Macclesfield never had servicing facilities so there were always buses arriving from other depots to provide cover while the regulars went off for servicing.

Ta for the reply. I'm think i'm missing your point though? There would be buses covering for service/VOR whichever depot runs the routes.

Re-opening macclesfield would mean less risk of a bus being used on a non-intended service when available, as its easier to micromanage a small yard (i think the registration was for 15 vehicles, vs ?50? at winsford&tarvin). Given that the majority from the depot would be gm, or branded other (eg beartown), having one extra vehicle (eg the 87 board) with a gm machine also would offer resilience for substitutions.

[knutstransport]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)

(06/04/2016 13:32)djb Wrote:  Ta for the reply. I'm think i'm missing your point though? There would be buses covering for service/VOR whichever depot runs the routes.

Re-opening macclesfield would mean less risk of a bus being used on a non-intended service when available, as its easier to micromanage a small yard (i think the registration was for 15 vehicles, vs ?50? at winsford&tarvin). Given that the majority from the depot would be gm, or branded other (eg beartown), having one extra vehicle (eg the 87 board) with a gm machine also would offer resilience for substitutions.

I think the previous allocation at Macclesfield was around 7 x Cheshire Connect Solos, 2 x Cheshire Connect Darts, 2 x Beartown Enviros and 4 x GHA Gold 88 Enviros. Yet while those were the buses that were officially allocated to Macclesfield and it included at least one spare bus - buses got sent to away for servicing (and were away for 2 or more days per bus) that resulted in various buses from Tarvin coming across to cover - anything from GHA branded Darts*, GHA branded Wright Renowns, GHA branded Solos, DeeBee branded Solos to In To The Port branded Solos. I don't know how practical it would be to make sure it's always the same bus that gets sent across to fill in, I don't imagine GHA have got enough spare vehicles to allow 3 or 4 spares to be sat at Macclesfield.

* One of the Darts which once got sent across to cover, got taken out-of-service itself due to an accident while on the 27 route meaning a replacement had to be found for the replacement.

[djb]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)

(06/04/2016 14:03)knutstransport Wrote:  I think the previous allocation at Macclesfield was around 7 x Cheshire Connect Solos, 2 x Cheshire Connect Darts, 2 x Beartown Enviros and 4 x GHA Gold 88 Enviros. Yet while those were the buses that were officially allocated to Macclesfield and it included at least one spare bus - buses got sent to away for servicing (and were away for 2 or more days per bus) that resulted in various buses from Tarvin coming across to cover - anything from GHA branded Darts*, GHA branded Wright Renowns, GHA branded Solos, DeeBee branded Solos to In To The Port branded Solos. I don't know how practical it would be to make sure it's always the same bus that gets sent across to fill in, I don't imagine GHA have got enough spare vehicles to allow 3 or 4 spares to be sat at Macclesfield.

* One of the Darts which once got sent across to cover, got taken out-of-service itself due to an accident while on the 27 route meaning a replacement had to be found for the replacement.

Like I said though, if some of the non branded, non gm route vehicles had a gm machine as well, then the tarvin vehicle simply goes on the non-branded route (eg 87), and that routes vehicle steps in on the 88/200/p1

[knutstransport]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)

(06/04/2016 14:17)djb Wrote:  Like I said though, if some of the non branded, non gm route vehicles had a gm machine as well, then the tarvin vehicle simply goes on the non-branded route (eg 87), and that routes vehicle steps in on the 88/200/p1

Not quite that simple - putting a Cheshire Connect Solo on the 88 could breach GHA's contract with Cheshire East which specifies a minimum seating requirement.

[djb]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)

(06/04/2016 14:45)knutstransport Wrote:  Not quite that simple - putting a Cheshire Connect Solo on the 88 could breach GHA's contract with Cheshire East which specifies a minimum seating requirement.

Out of interest what is the seating requirement? As gha dont have that many eligible options if its 35+ (the enviros seating).

[knutstransport]

RE: GHA Group (Bryn Melyn, Vale Travel + Others)

(06/04/2016 15:20)djb Wrote:  Out of interest what is the seating requirement? As gha dont have that many eligible options if its 35+ (the enviros seating).

35 was mentioned in the bidding document but I'm not sure if the extra services which have been introduced need 35 or not, hence why I said 'could' not 'would.' The Wright Renowns (which have over 35 seats) were regularly used as cover between the route going half-hourly and the route being run from Macclesfield but smaller Darts have appeared since.