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Post by scania60066 on Apr 14, 2016 22:17:12 GMT 1
I'm very surprised the first we hear about a new order is in Metro Transport News, I'm a bit suspicious therefore. Have First actually announced an order for this year or are they just keeping it all under wraps? I don't see the point in everyone saying "Maybe they are for [insert every route First operate]" No the official announcement hasn't been issued yet, last year it was May when it was released. However, the 2015-16 order only comprised 65 Streetdecks and these were delivered from Aug to Dec 2015 as 35103-35167. New Streetdeck deliveries from 35168 have resumed this month to Leicester and Eastern Counties so these appear to be the first of the as yet unannounced 2016 order, indeed I think some folk were suprised when 35168 upwards started to appear so I suppose the West Yorks order is feasible. In other news I'm reliably informed that some or all of the 37021-35 Geminis that went to South Yorkshire are returning to West Yorkshire this year. Not sure where to yet and I use the word reliably with the caveat that this is subject to the usual First policy of last minute changes of plan 37031 won't be coming...
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Post by rst1987 on Apr 14, 2016 22:27:51 GMT 1
No the official announcement hasn't been issued yet, last year it was May when it was released. However, the 2015-16 order only comprised 65 Streetdecks and these were delivered from Aug to Dec 2015 as 35103-35167. New Streetdeck deliveries from 35168 have resumed this month to Leicester and Eastern Counties so these appear to be the first of the as yet unannounced 2016 order, indeed I think some folk were suprised when 35168 upwards started to appear so I suppose the West Yorks order is feasible. In other news I'm reliably informed that some or all of the 37021-35 Geminis that went to South Yorkshire are returning to West Yorkshire this year. Not sure where to yet and I use the word reliably with the caveat that this is subject to the usual First policy of last minute changes of plan 37031 won't be coming... Will be once it's fixed.
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Post by pub146g on Apr 14, 2016 22:40:00 GMT 1
.....I think work commenced on repairing fire damaged 37031 at Rotherham before Christmas, will probably be some time though before it's ready.
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simon
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Post by simon on Apr 15, 2016 10:07:25 GMT 1
Would like to think these were for Calderdale for the 503 as that's where they were used whilst on loan last year. I think there's more chance of getting a w**k off the pope than Halifax getting them!
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Post by 576 Gemini 2 on Apr 15, 2016 15:21:11 GMT 1
Sometimes I get a very subtle hint coming across that certain folk are dissatisfied with the spread of FWY's new vehicle allocations between its depots. Just a slight feeling I get.., Would new Streetdecks be diverted from elsewhere as it seems strange that a new batch of previously unexpected vehicles would appear. It has happen before in the past for example 69566-69587 meant for Bradford and Leeds when to Manchester due to First"s takeover of Finglands and when did get to West Yorkshire the ones for Leeds went to Halifax instead
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Post by westyorkshirebus on Apr 15, 2016 18:25:20 GMT 1
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Post by driver6540 on Apr 15, 2016 18:49:19 GMT 1
Would like to think these were for Calderdale for the 503 as that's where they were used whilst on loan last year. I think there's more chance of getting a w**k off the pope than Halifax getting them! Given recent tabloid headlines concerning the behaviour of RC priest's. I'd say you've a pretty good chance!. But the recent repainting and "Zest" branding of the B7TL's incumbent on this route suggest's they'll be on it a while longer.
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Post by driver6540 on Apr 15, 2016 18:56:32 GMT 1
Some of the withdrawn Merc Citaro's from FGM's Bury/Oldham depot's are believed to be coming to Old Fieldhouse Lane for storage.
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kendall17
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Justice for the 96!
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Post by kendall17 on Apr 15, 2016 23:32:37 GMT 1
That looks like a nice step for the wheelchair bound pupil to climb. First have missed a trick, a fantastic PR opportunity, it needs to be in corporate colours (see the NR dining car at Eureka for example)
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Post by driver6540 on Apr 16, 2016 21:53:58 GMT 1
Don't know which one, but have been reliably informed a further Hudds ALX400 is transferring to Bury. (Or has already done so).
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Steve Macz403
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Waits at the bus stop for his bus, 2 days later bus turns up :D
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Post by Steve Macz403 on Apr 16, 2016 22:16:44 GMT 1
Don't know which one, but have been reliably informed a further Hudds ALX400 is transferring to Bury. (Or has already done so). i think that bus is 30947, i saw it in Manchester Shudehill with Manchester lettering on. Was thinking this was strange as Manchester own all ex york 30954-65 and some older 308xx ALX400s too.
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Post by 576 Gemini 2 on Apr 17, 2016 9:34:27 GMT 1
Don't know which one, but have been reliably informed a further Hudds ALX400 is transferring to Bury. (Or has already done so). i think that bus is 30947, i saw it in Manchester Shudehill with Manchester lettering on. Was thinking this was strange as Manchester own all ex york 30954-65 and some older 308xx ALX400s too. They got 30894,30912 & 30915 ex Bradford. 30871-30880 were there but are now in Cornwall
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Post by michael1971 on Apr 17, 2016 9:43:10 GMT 1
Don't know which one, but have been reliably informed a further Hudds ALX400 is transferring to Bury. (Or has already done so). i think that bus is 30947, i saw it in Manchester Shudehill with Manchester lettering on. Was thinking this was strange as Manchester own all ex york 30954-65 and some older 308xx ALX400s too. 30947 was moved over in 2015 in the swap with B9s
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Post by ricardoat4 on Apr 17, 2016 12:00:59 GMT 1
FIRST WEST YORKSHIRE NEWS Streetdecks - 37 are due and will be split between Hunslet Park, Bramley and Bradford depots. Route allocations yet to be finalised. Several Volvos with ALX and Gemini bodies due from within First to enable all Olympians to depart by end July and oldest B7TLs to go by December. From my source at FirstLeeds.
This from Facebook (I know it's possibly not the most trusted source)
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Post by 112jct41 on Apr 17, 2016 12:26:46 GMT 1
FIRST WEST YORKSHIRE NEWS Streetdecks - 37 are due and will be split between Hunslet Park, Bramley and Bradford depots. Route allocations yet to be finalised. Several Volvos with ALX and Gemini bodies due from within First to enable all Olympians to depart by end July and oldest B7TLs to go by December. From my source at FirstLeeds. This from Facebook (I know it's possibly not the most trusted source) so Huddersfield and Halifax will both become predominantly Geminis and "younger" alx400s whilst the others have will a variety whilst and every depot is already wrightbus for single deckers. Is it me or do Kirklees depots (First Huddersfield, Arriva Dewsbury & Arriva Heckmomdwike) and First Calderdale always have delays getting new buses eg the last new buses at Arriva Heckmondwike were the geminis and the 2 61 plate pulsars so surely they're due some and i dont mean cascades either. First Huddersfield dont have any brand new deckers either they've only had the 12 plate eclipses and 14 plate streetlites as brand new buses recently. Okay Arriva Dewsbury got New e400s for 202/203 but the only new buses before were the pulsars and the geminis the year before. First Calderdales latest new buses were the 13 plate eclipses and last years streetlites. (I'm also aware thats what Bradford got) Why push brand new on the big city depots yearly and the others have to have such big gaps between orders?
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Post by westyorkshirebus on Apr 17, 2016 12:35:17 GMT 1
New buses go to the most profitable depots or onto the services that have the best growth potential. Cascades of still modern older buses go to the less profitable, so you can improve two places at once. The older ex Manchester Gemini's at Huddersfield being an example of this.
Very off topic but you are telling me that Arriva Dewsbury and Heckmondwike are starved of new buses? Did you miss the vast numbers of new buses they have both received in the last 10 years?
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Post by michael1971 on Apr 17, 2016 12:55:27 GMT 1
any ids of the Manchester withdrawn citros moved to Huddersfield yet
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Post by 112jct41 on Apr 17, 2016 15:03:48 GMT 1
New buses go to the most profitable depots or onto the services that have the best growth potential. Cascades of still modern older buses go to the less profitable, so you can improve two places at once. The older ex Manchester Gemini's at Huddersfield being an example of this. Very off topic but you are telling me that Arriva Dewsbury and Heckmondwike are starved of new buses? Did you miss the vast numbers of new buses they have both received in the last 10 years? Arriva Dewsbury and Arriva Heckmondwike only get new buses every 2 to 4 years whilst Wakefield and Castleford are every 18 months at least and Selby are due their share as the last new additions were the geminis in 2009 and the 4 solos on 2013 and prior to that 260-262 were the last new buses in 2005. Its alright saying send new to the moneymaking depots but the others need their fair share of new buses.
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Post by whereami on Apr 17, 2016 16:20:17 GMT 1
New buses go to the most profitable depots or onto the services that have the best growth potential. Cascades of still modern older buses go to the less profitable, so you can improve two places at once. The older ex Manchester Gemini's at Huddersfield being an example of this. Very off topic but you are telling me that Arriva Dewsbury and Heckmondwike are starved of new buses? Did you miss the vast numbers of new buses they have both received in the last 10 years? Arriva Dewsbury and Arriva Heckmondwike only get new buses every 2 to 4 years whilst Wakefield and Castleford are every 18 months at least and Selby are due their share as the last new additions were the geminis in 2009 and the 4 solos on 2013 and prior to that 260-262 were the last new buses in 2005. Its alright saying send new to the moneymaking depots but the others need their fair share of new buses. Don't forget 2008, when Hecky got the 13 Volvo Eclipses & 14 ADL Enviro 400's in the same year, then it was 3.5 years, before Hecky got the 61 plates after those. BUT.......before 2008, it was 2002, when Hecky last got new buses, which were 718 - 23 DAF Optare Spectra's for X33, so, this theory of it being approx every 4 years, goes out of the window, when you then think back to the K & L reg Dennis Lance's (801 - 18), which, I, believe were the last new ones for Hecky, before the W reg Volvo Renowns (102 - 4/6 - 9) & X reg Volvo Plaxton Presidents (687 - 96) arrived in 2000/1
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Post by 112jct41 on Apr 17, 2016 17:37:39 GMT 1
Arriva Dewsbury and Arriva Heckmondwike only get new buses every 2 to 4 years whilst Wakefield and Castleford are every 18 months at least and Selby are due their share as the last new additions were the geminis in 2009 and the 4 solos on 2013 and prior to that 260-262 were the last new buses in 2005. Its alright saying send new to the moneymaking depots but the others need their fair share of new buses. Don't forget 2008, when Hecky got the 13 Volvo Eclipses & 14 ADL Enviro 400's in the same year, then it was 3.5 years, before Hecky got the 61 plates after those. BUT.......before 2008, it was 2002, when Hecky last got new buses, which were 718 - 23 DAF Optare Spectra's for X33, so, this theory of it being approx every 4 years, goes out of the window, when you then think back to the K & L reg Dennis Lance's (801 - 18), which, I, believe were the last new ones for Hecky, before the W reg Volvo Renowns (102 - 4/6 - 9) & X reg Volvo Plaxton Presidents (687 - 96) arrived in 2000/1 the lances were numbered 801-830 and were purchased under west riding/Yorkshire buses/selby and district. Then it was the alx200s (and these were the last if i remember under this umbrella)then the alx300, spectras 624-641 AND after them it was the the Renowns and alx400s then the presidents when arriva started to be phased in then it was the 02 plate spectras then the 04 plate commanders then the 06 plate lowlanders and 56 commanders then the 57 plate commanders then we know the rest however the only ones not to be bought but are on lease from AB&C (apart from 1496-98) are 57 and 58.
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Post by whereami on Apr 17, 2016 18:15:39 GMT 1
Don't forget 2008, when Hecky got the 13 Volvo Eclipses & 14 ADL Enviro 400's in the same year, then it was 3.5 years, before Hecky got the 61 plates after those. BUT.......before 2008, it was 2002, when Hecky last got new buses, which were 718 - 23 DAF Optare Spectra's for X33, so, this theory of it being approx every 4 years, goes out of the window, when you then think back to the K & L reg Dennis Lance's (801 - 18), which, I, believe were the last new ones for Hecky, before the W reg Volvo Renowns (102 - 4/6 - 9) & X reg Volvo Plaxton Presidents (687 - 96) arrived in 2000/1 the lances were numbered 801-830 and were purchased under west riding/Yorkshire buses/selby and district. Then it was the alx200s (and these were the last if i remember under this umbrella)then the alx300, spectras 624-641 AND after them it was the the Renowns and alx400s then the presidents when arriva started to be phased in then it was the 02 plate spectras then the 04 plate commanders then the 06 plate lowlanders and 56 commanders then the 57 plate commanders then we know the rest however the only ones not to be bought but are on lease from AB&C (apart from 1496-98) are 57 and 58. Yes, I know the Lance's were 801 - 30, I, did drive them all, when I worked there, but, I was pointing out, that only 801 - 18, were NEW to Hecky, seeing as it was quoted that Hecky got vehicles every 4 years
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Post by westyorkshirebus on Apr 17, 2016 18:34:11 GMT 1
Not sure it's true that Castleford get more new buses more frequently
Wakefield obviously do as their depot is much bigger than the others.
In any case new buses "every 2-4 years" isn't exactly bad. Do you expect every years order to have to be distributed across every depot regardless of any specific requirement?
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Post by 112jct41 on Apr 17, 2016 19:07:39 GMT 1
Not sure it's true that Castleford get more new buses more frequently Wakefield obviously do as their depot is much bigger than the others. In any case new buses "every 2-4 years" isn't exactly bad. Do you expect every years order to have to be distributed across every depot regardless of any specific requirement? you would expect everyone to get a fair share not. Castlford had the pulsars then the hybrids then the 8 mini e200s one year after the other.
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sharksmith
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Post by sharksmith on Apr 17, 2016 19:14:47 GMT 1
To bring this back to First buses instead of Arriva surely the 72 at Bramley, X84 at HP and X6 at Bradford would be the obvious routes involved although I doubt the numbers add up for all of those.
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Post by stevieinselby on Apr 17, 2016 19:55:22 GMT 1
Arriva Dewsbury and Arriva Heckmondwike only get new buses every 2 to 4 years whilst Wakefield and Castleford are every 18 months at least and Selby are due their share as the last new additions were the geminis in 2009 and the 4 solos on 2013 and prior to that 260-262 were the last new buses in 2005. Its alright saying send new to the moneymaking depots but the others need their fair share of new buses. Arriva only have about 34 buses at the Selby depot. On the basis that buses typically last about 15 years, that means that they would expect to have a couple of new buses every year if they were evenly distributed. That's unlikely to be the most efficient way of doing things. Yes, that kind of plan works well for a small independent company like Dales & District, who have tended to do just that – every year or two they will buy a handful of new buses and pension off the oldest, and that means that they can keep both their fleet and their finances in good shape, without any huge splurges of expenditure. It helps that the majority of their routes serve similar needs, so they can mix the buses around and no-one will really notice. But for an individual depot within a much larger parent company? No. Much better to have batches of buses, and replace them en masse. That doesn't mean doing the entire depot fleet all at once, but it means you do one group of vehicles at a time. So Selby had the 8 Geminis in 2009, and it had the 4 Solo SRs in 2013 – this is a more effective way of managing the fleet, and in particular in dealing with changes to service patterns or in implementing step changes, than drip feeding a couple of new buses in here and there. That's especially true when you have wide and varied needs within the fleet, as Selby does. But then you get the question about whether a depot does need new buses at all. And I'm not sure that Selby really does, for the most part. The Geminis were a good investment because the 415 is a high-profile route, but since the recent refurbishment they are still in good nick and should be quite happy doing a few more years in front-line service there yet before they would even be considered for moving onto lower-profile routes. The Solo SRs were needed because York Council specified low emissions vehicles for the contract. But apart from that, the routes run from Selby are not high-profile, they are not particularly popular, and they don't carry most passengers over great distances. Even the longer routes like the 402/403 and 405 aren't generally used as end-to-end routes because they are so much slower than the trains – most passengers are only going part-way. As a Selby resident and occasional bus user, I have no problem at all with Arriva buying new buses for other more profitable depots and routes and then passing them on to Selby and other lower-profile routes when they reach mid-life ... as long as they are still in reasonable condition and suited to the services they are deployed on. The E200s are fine for local routes, although I'm not mad keen on seeing them running on the main services. The Olympuses are fine. The Darts are still perfectly OK for town services. With the loss of the 42 and now the 492/493 and Sherburn shorts, they are losing a lot of the "middle ground" routes and all they are really left with now are interurban routes and town services. The Presidents (many people will already know my views on these) were unfit for purpose from the day they were bought and I think the person who signed off on the order should be made to travel everywhere in an Urban90 seat for the rest of his life, but apart from disposing of those hateful things I don't see any need to drastically modernise the Selby fleet.
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