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Post by TB123 on Apr 24, 2023 7:10:22 GMT
7 of 13 boards on the 75 ran light to Lewisham from C depot, 6 running light back. 10 of 14 on the 54 ran light to Woolwich, 9 running light back also. I think they were given up to 58 minutes to get to Woolwich and up to 42 minutes to get to Leiwsham. Some quite hefty dead mileage but despite that performance was above target. Interestingly the 54 and 75 at C were not far off 24 hour operations in practice, the first 54 signing on at 0312 and the last signing off at 0243, with the first 75 signing on at 0310 and the last signing off at 0246. 202 at C was another one with lots of dead mileage and long operating hours, 11 of 14 running light over to Blackheath and the first duty signing on at 0350, the last signing off at 0213 Yes Metrobus did run those routes well, although Stagecoach got them back in 2014. Metrobus ran the 54 and I think the 75 from Orpington originally. They then transferred the routes to Croydon in around 2012. Then in 2014, both routes returned to Catford. Perhaps Metrobus didn’t want to operate those routes again, I’ve no idea. It was quite simply that Stagecoach were cheaper than Metrobus/GAL for the tender, not about whether they wanted the routes or not. Given the long positioning runs and deadhead travel for drivers mentioned, it's not surprising Stagecoach could assemble a cheaper tender in this instance |
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Post by danorak on Apr 24, 2023 10:15:24 GMT
DX and SF had a allocation on the 68 in 1999. The 188 had a brief stint at Tottenham I think around the same time: didn't the 78 and 225 also find themselves at DX? I think these were down to Arriva trying to digest the Londonlinks operation but there were certainly some peculiar allocations around this time. |
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Post by WH241 on Apr 24, 2023 10:31:08 GMT
DX and SF had a allocation on the 68 in 1999. The 188 had a brief stint at Tottenham I think around the same time: didn't the 78 and 225 also find themselves at DX? I think these were down to Arriva trying to digest the Londonlinks operation but there were certainly some peculiar allocations around this time. 78 ran from DX from 1999 to 2010 and had also at SF from 98 to 99. |
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Post by ibus246 on Apr 24, 2023 12:38:23 GMT
Yes Metrobus did run those routes well, although Stagecoach got them back in 2014. Metrobus ran the 54 and I think the 75 from Orpington originally. They then transferred the routes to Croydon in around 2012. Then in 2014, both routes returned to Catford. Perhaps Metrobus didn’t want to operate those routes again, I’ve no idea. It was quite simply that Stagecoach were cheaper than Metrobus/GAL for the tender, not about whether they wanted the routes or not. Given the long positioning runs and deadhead travel for drivers mentioned, it's not surprising Stagecoach could assemble a cheaper tender in this instance I think it’s very safe to say that at the time Metrobus were more than happy getting rid of both of them. |
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Post by greenboy on Apr 24, 2023 14:10:37 GMT
It was quite simply that Stagecoach were cheaper than Metrobus/GAL for the tender, not about whether they wanted the routes or not. Given the long positioning runs and deadhead travel for drivers mentioned, it's not surprising Stagecoach could assemble a cheaper tender in this instance I think it’s very safe to say that at the time Metrobus were more than happy getting rid of both of them. I did hear suggestions at the time that Metrobus bit off a bit more than they could chew with the 54 and 75, it certainly seemed strange three Croydon based routes in Catford. |
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Post by southlondonbus on Apr 24, 2023 15:00:05 GMT
I think it’s very safe to say that at the time Metrobus were more than happy getting rid of both of them. I did hear suggestions at the time that Metrobus bit off a bit more than they could chew with the 54 and 75, it certainly seemed strange three Croydon based routes in Catford. Also under TUPE they had to take the drivers on higher wages then I think they would normally pay (particularly at MB where they often get drivers that live in Kent). They must have re bid quite high in 2014 as not only did Stagecoach get it back with new buses but also new hybrids when hybrids cost a fair bit more to buy. |
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Post by rogerout on Apr 24, 2023 18:38:46 GMT
Yes, I was at Catford when the 54s and 75s came back. I was a fairly new driver. If I remember rightly, a lot of the Metrobus drivers were TUPED over to Stagecoach. I don’t know if many of them had a choice in that or if Metrobus were quite happy to lose those drivers.
Us newbies were thrust onto the 75 route whilst the Metrobus drivers were mainly placed onto the 54 route, probably due to their contracts which Stagecoach had to honour under TUPE. Metrobus had different rules when it came to a driver being late, ie they had the choice to either get paid the overtime or they could take their full scheduled break and miss the next part of driving. Most drivers opted for the latter, understandably.
The buses were nice and new though.
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Post by jm on Apr 24, 2023 18:58:33 GMT
Two routes around Harrow that get me are the 258 running from Park Royal which I guess is mainly due to garage space and the 340 from I believe Palmers Green which seems to incur a lot of dead mileage
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Post by redexpress on Apr 27, 2023 10:56:51 GMT
DX and SF had a allocation on the 68 in 1999. The 188 had a brief stint at Tottenham I think around the same time: didn't the 78 and 225 also find themselves at DX? I think these were down to Arriva trying to digest the Londonlinks operation but there were certainly some peculiar allocations around this time. Yes, 78 was shunted around quite a bit after Londonlinks was shut down. A lot of these odd allocations were down to driver shortages, which were particularly acute in inner South London. That was why the 68 had to be taken on by Arriva London North East (the former Grey Green bit) at both DX and SF. They then found that it was easier to run the 78 from DX to allow SF to concentrate on the 68.
The 225 was a remnant of the short-lived Kentish Bus operation in Deptford / Lewisham. Most of the routes had been offloaded to Metrobus but they didn't really know what to do with the 225. It ended up being surrendered or subcontracted to Selkent for the last few years of the contract, before Go-Ahead won it on tender.
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Post by ronnie on Apr 27, 2023 15:42:18 GMT
Two routes around Harrow that get me are the 258 running from Park Royal which I guess is mainly due to garage space and the 340 from I believe Palmers Green which seems to incur a lot of dead mileage 340 was supposed to be run from Garston which was shut down resulting in AD picking it up. Despite the dead mileage they did a good job on it (others can correct me if I am wrong - not local disclaimer) |
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Post by kmkcheng on Apr 28, 2023 15:20:38 GMT
Two routes around Harrow that get me are the 258 running from Park Royal which I guess is mainly due to garage space and the 340 from I believe Palmers Green which seems to incur a lot of dead mileage Not just the 258 running from RP, both 223 and H17 are also run from RP |
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Post by rm1422 on Apr 28, 2023 18:28:35 GMT
What about the 85 in its London&Country days back in the 1990's. Buses based at Addlestone and then Leatherhead. Bonkers!
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