Modifying Stagecoach fleet numbers

[sconehead85]

The Stagecoach 2003 number scheme is the nearest to best system in the UK, but there is always room for improvement.

Double Decks

The double deck block, 1xxxx, is rather crowded. I would be inclined to clear the 14xxx series and split the Leyland Olympians into two blocks. 136xx for the few still in "normal" service as wel as open tops. 14259 to become 13659, 14667-74 with gaps to become 13667-74. Ex First Olympians if kept, would be 13660-5

The preserved Leyland Olympians 14000, 14701, 14951 would become 16000-2. . Basically these would move in with the Volvo Olympians which will be around for some time.
Another change would be to move the 168xx series Volvo Olympians into the vacant 164xx/165xx series numbers in order to allow for any diesel LF Volvo B7/9 double decks.

13xxx would be set aside for "miscellaneous" types which dont fit in the major blocks. 14xxx could be used again in the distant future.

Titans 11083/93 should become 19906/7, the Leyland Fleetline 15513 should become 19911. The RMLs should move to the 19972-9 range, (alongside those numbered internally 19960-71).
This clears the 12xxx fully for hybrids.

15xxx should be devoted to Scanias, with the two o/t step entry nos 15328/9 becoming 15998/9. 15175-15400 are available for newbies once the 158xx/9xx are full.

Enviro400 19900 should become 19319 so as to have the entire 19900-99 block for heritage dds.

Single decks

Scanias 24001-9 should move to 28001-9 to concentrate
all Scanias in 28xxx series.
29xxx should be set aside for miscellaneous single decks and hybrids.

30xxx and 31xxx should be cleared , with preserved Dart 32501 and Volvo B6 30359 becoming 39901/2.

The Leyland Leopard 25728 should become 39920, as there are few preserved saloons there is little point in another block.

32xxx series Darts are down to the final dozen, so 30000-32999 will soon be cleared.

35xxx series Dennis Darts should be renumbered as follows

351xx become 349xx, 352xx become 342xx, clearing 35xxx of Darts.

34212-21/37-49 should become 33712 etc, with 34251-3 becoming 33731-3.

Volvo B6BLE 31387/8, should become 35501/2

MANs 396xx/7xx should become 356xx/7xx

MINIBUS

Mercedes Benz to be concentrated in 42xxx series, those not in this series allocated 429xx numbers.

Other minibuses to move into the 46xxx series, with Optares in the nearly full 47xxx series. The Alero 47807 should become 47999.

COACHES I would not change, but any minibuses in this series should move to 429xx.

OK thats a bit to be getting on with, but what the aim is to concentrate oddments into larger blocks. Thus the 25xxx are dev oted to Optare full length, and the 29xxx series dedicated to "experimental" single deck buses which currently inhabit the 8xxxx range. 30000-32999 would soon be vacated and the 35xxx series applied to Optares, the last few Volvo B6BLEs, the shorter MANs and the small VDL fleet. 40000-41999 and 48/49xxx would be cleared as would all buses above 59999.
The 39000-39499 could be for lighter hybrid single decks, 39500-899 for MANs with 399xx for heritage vehicles. That all I wanted to add. Thanks Jamie!

sconehead85

[lbaspotter]

You always do this.

[Matty]

Yes and it is pointless, at the end of the day a number is a number and it doesnt matter what it is, staff and management know what bus they are. It would cost more to have new vinyls made up than owt else.

[Davidc]

I can't see any major bus operator taking on such a large scale overhaul of their fleet numbering system. Not only would it be very time consuming but it would also be very expensive.

When Rotala took on Preston Bus, following the forced sale by Stagecoach, they continued to use the 5 digit fleet numbers Stagecoach had allocated because of the time and money involved in changing them all over. The fleet has now been integrated into the Rotala national fleet numbering system, but that took place nearly a year ofter their takeover.

There's more to it then just changing a few numbers. The numbers carried on the buses would have to be changed, ether re-painted or re-vinyled. All paper work would have to be amended (fuel logs, maintenance rotors/logs, accident reports etc...). Computers play a major role in modern bus operations (GPS tracking for example) and these would have to be re-programed to allow the systems to recognise the new fleet numbers.

Its all time and money that would be better spent elsewhere.

David.c

[fwybuses]

Here we go again. It's survived and will so long it works. Leave the the companies to it, it's simply another way to identify a bus. ONE BUS. 4 Wheels, 1 Driver, 1 Steering Wheel, 1 ENGINE. It's a simple way to bring the recent maintenance logs upon a computer so managers and engineers can see the recent history of the bus.

[sconehead85]

All the above arguments could have been deployed nearly a decade ago when the current scheme was introduced.

Renumberings have taken place within Stagecoach, notably when they re-acquired their London fleet.

One little eccenrticity I would employ is to use window stickers with the Stagecoach number to preserved vehicles. These would be as small as Tilling style number plates.

sconehead85