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Post by wirewiper on Sept 24, 2023 11:16:15 GMT
The Stockport MMCs are being repainted because they will be moving to Queens Road when Stagecoach take over tranche 2 in March, replacing the exFirst B9s GNW use which are above the age limit (15yrs) - Stockport is getting 170 new Volvo BZLs through ZEBRA funding - largely funded by Stagecoach but with a mechanism for them to transfer to another operator if they win Tranche 3 which includes Stockport Oh wow so Stagecoach hasn’t actually won Tranche 3 with the 192 in it yet?! Bit of a mick take if they fund the buses for someone else to potentially win the vehicles they bought for the routes they operated! Don't worry, Stagecoach will make sure they get a fair price if they don't retain Stockport in round 3. Rotala (Diamond Bus North West) has agreed to £30.4 million to dispose of assets with an estimated book value of £23 million.
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Post by TB123 on Sept 24, 2023 11:24:17 GMT
The Stockport MMCs are being repainted because they will be moving to Queens Road when Stagecoach take over tranche 2 in March, replacing the exFirst B9s GNW use which are above the age limit (15yrs) - Stockport is getting 170 new Volvo BZLs through ZEBRA funding - largely funded by Stagecoach but with a mechanism for them to transfer to another operator if they win Tranche 3 which includes Stockport Oh wow so Stagecoach hasn’t actually won Tranche 3 with the 192 in it yet?! Bit of a mick take if they fund the buses for someone else to potentially win the vehicles they bought for the routes they operated! The vehicle pool scheme (see the Diamond Streetdecks moved to GNW) is designed to ensure appropriate compensation for assets transferred. The ZEBRA Stockport bid with Stagecoach and TFGM money was drawn up pre confirmation of franchising. Although the vehicles were of course ordered by Stagecoach to their type preference. Tranche 3 is the biggest one and the competition for that is huge. I know First especially are throwing the kitchen sink at it.
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Post by Eastlondoner62 on Sept 24, 2023 12:22:24 GMT
Oh wow so Stagecoach hasn’t actually won Tranche 3 with the 192 in it yet?! Bit of a mick take if they fund the buses for someone else to potentially win the vehicles they bought for the routes they operated! The vehicle pool scheme (see the Diamond Streetdecks moved to GNW) is designed to ensure appropriate compensation for assets transferred. The ZEBRA Stockport bid with Stagecoach and TFGM money was drawn up pre confirmation of franchising. Although the vehicles were of course ordered by Stagecoach to their type preference. Tranche 3 is the biggest one and the competition for that is huge. I know First especially are throwing the kitchen sink at it. Would be a huge upset if Stagecoach ended up losing the 192, I'm sure they won't go down without a fight on that tranche.
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Post by wirewiper on Sept 24, 2023 17:09:03 GMT
Oh wow so Stagecoach hasn’t actually won Tranche 3 with the 192 in it yet?! Bit of a mick take if they fund the buses for someone else to potentially win the vehicles they bought for the routes they operated! The vehicle pool scheme (see the Diamond Streetdecks moved to GNW) is designed to ensure appropriate compensation for assets transferred. The ZEBRA Stockport bid with Stagecoach and TFGM money was drawn up pre confirmation of franchising. Although the vehicles were of course ordered by Stagecoach to their type preference. Tranche 3 is the biggest one and the competition for that is huge. I know First especially are throwing the kitchen sink at it. It would be hugely ironic if First won the main South Manchester (Round 3) contract. Before First largely withdrew from Greater Manchester, First was dominant in the North and Stagecoach in the South. Although as it will all be Bee Network it won't make much difference to the travelling public in the longer term.
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Post by rj131 on Sept 25, 2023 8:11:32 GMT
As I asked for it, I’m actually gonna make one myself. For all the people familiar to the Manchester area I’m going to make a bee network fleet and route list, and will put it in a new thread in this section. I’m in Manchester a lot so will probably end up trying to do all the routes of the bee network just I’m trying to them all in London 😂
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Post by TB123 on Sept 25, 2023 8:20:02 GMT
As I asked for it, I’m actually gonna make one myself. For all the people familiar to the Manchester area I’m going to make a bee network fleet and route list, and will put it in a new thread in this section. I’m in Manchester a lot so will probably end up trying to do all the routes of the bee network just I’m trying to them all in London 😂 Doing the gods work there!
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Post by rj131 on Sept 25, 2023 9:22:24 GMT
As I asked for it, I’m actually gonna make one myself. For all the people familiar to the Manchester area I’m going to make a bee network fleet and route list, and will put it in a new thread in this section. I’m in Manchester a lot so will probably end up trying to do all the routes of the bee network just I’m trying to them all in London 😂 Doing the gods work there! I’ve put the routes together, that was the easy bit. Working out the fleet will be more difficult as judging by LVF’s regional section, quite a few buses aren’t actually in yellow yet, looks like GNW have transferred (or hired in?) some Southampton buses up there judging by the HF number plates and weird fleet numbers going with them, no idea if they’re in yellow yet either 😂 But I’ll give it a go
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Post by TB123 on Sept 25, 2023 9:24:22 GMT
Doing the gods work there! I’ve put the routes together, that was the easy bit. Working out the fleet will be more difficult as judging by LVF’s regional section, quite a few buses aren’t actually in yellow yet, looks like GNW have transferred (or hired in?) some Southampton buses up there judging by the HF number plates and weird fleet numbers going with them, no idea if they’re in yellow yet either 😂 But I’ll give it a go They've got some E200s from Morebus and Swindon, HF67/HF18 plates. They are to cover for late delivery of 52 new diesel E200MMCs. 6784-6 from Metrobus Crawley and some Go North East stuff also there in same capacity.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2023 9:38:30 GMT
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Post by rj131 on Sept 25, 2023 9:51:36 GMT
Omg that website is a godsend, how have I never heard of this website before? Thanks!!
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Post by wirewiper on Sept 25, 2023 15:42:27 GMT
So it's live! RouteOne has an article to commemorate the launch of the first Tranche, which occurred just after 05.00 on Sunday 24th September. Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester and Christian Schreyer, Go-Ahead Group's Chief Executive were both present at Bolton's Weston Street Depot (which is now owned by Transport for Greater Manchester and leased to Go North West) to see the first Bee Network bus depart. Most of the 50 new BYD/ADL Enviro400EV which were ordered by Transport for Greater Manchester have taken to the road in the past two days. Another 50 have been ordered by TfGM for Tranche 2 services commencing in early 2024. 170 Volvo BZL electrics ordered by Stagecoach Manchester for its Stockport depot will become part of Tranche 3 early in 2025, the operators for this round have not yet been announced. As well as electrics, Go North West has also acquired the Volvo B5LH hybrids that First had operated on Vantage services, these are fitted with guidewheels for the Leigh Busway. There are also 101 Wright Streetdecks and around 30 single-deck vehicles that have been purchased from Rotala (Diamond Bus North West), many of which have already been repainted into Bee Network livery ahead of the transfer. Work to move buses around for the new set-up has been going on for some time. Bee Network vehicles will benefit from Ticketer's new integrated Smart Gateway and Next Generation ETM ticket machines. These have extra functionality including disruption management, corridor management and advanced vehicle tracking. Rotala has ordered 67 ADL Enviro200 MMCs of varying lengths which will be delivered in early 2024. In the meantime it is using a transitional fleet which includes a number of mid-life Wright Streetlites that have been returned off-lease by other operators. These carry Diamond Bus livery. Staffing-wise, Go-Ahead has loaned 83 drivers from other subsidiaries to help out whilst new drivers undergo training through their Bus Driver Academy. The temporary drivers have received route and vehicle type-training and an "Introduction to Manchester". They are expected to be on loan for around three months. Vision Bus has sportingly wished the new operations well, although notes that it had considerable operational difficulties in the last two weeks as drivers left to join other operators. Vision Bus still operates a number of school contracts for TfGM. www.route-one.net/bus/greater-manchester-bus-franchising-first-tranche-goes-live/#batteryelectric-bus-deployment-in-franchising-first-tranche
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Post by VMH2452 on Sept 25, 2023 16:37:53 GMT
So it's live! RouteOne has an article to commemorate the launch of the first Tranche, which occurred just after 05.00 on Sunday 24th September. Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester and Christian Schreyer, Go-Ahead Group's Chief Executive were both present at Bolton's Weston Street Depot (which is now owned by Transport for Greater Manchester and leased to Go North West) to see the first Bee Network bus depart. Most of the 50 new BYD/ADL Enviro400EV which were ordered by Transport for Greater Manchester have taken to the road in the past two days. Another 50 have been ordered by TfGM for Tranche 2 services commencing in early 2024. 170 Volvo BZL electrics ordered by Stagecoach Manchester for its Stockport depot will become part of Tranche 3 early in 2025, the operators for this round have not yet been announced. As well as electrics, Go North West has also acquired the Volvo B5LH hybrids that First had operated on Vantage services, these are fitted with guidewheels for the Leigh Busway. There are also 101 Wright Streetdecks and around 30 single-deck vehicles that have been purchased from Rotala (Diamond Bus North West), many of which have already been repainted into Bee Network livery ahead of the transfer. Work to move buses around for the new set-up has been going on for some time. Bee Network vehicles will benefit from Ticketer's new integrated Smart Gateway and Next Generation ETM ticket machines. These have extra functionality including disruption management, corridor management and advanced vehicle tracking. Rotala has ordered 67 ADL Enviro200 MMCs of varying lengths which will be delivered in early 2024. In the meantime it is using a transitional fleet which includes a number of mid-life Wright Streetlites that have been returned off-lease by other operators. These carry Diamond Bus livery. Staffing-wise, Go-Ahead has loaned 83 drivers from other subsidiaries to help out whilst new drivers undergo training through their Bus Driver Academy. The temporary drivers have received route and vehicle type-training and an "Introduction to Manchester". They are expected to be on loan for around three months. Vision Bus has sportingly wished the new operations well, although notes that it had considerable operational difficulties in the last two weeks as drivers left to join other operators. Vision Bus still operates a number of school contracts for TfGM. www.route-one.net/bus/greater-manchester-bus-franchising-first-tranche-goes-live/#batteryelectric-bus-deployment-in-franchising-first-trancheGo North West also have 52 E200MMCs on order which are entering service now.
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Post by riverside on Sept 25, 2023 17:51:55 GMT
The report on this evening's BBC Northwest Tonight about the new Bee Network was not particularly complimentary. Quite a focus on teething problems and many interviews with complaining passengers. Hopefully problems will soon be sorted as I wish the project well.
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Post by greenboy on Sept 25, 2023 18:01:31 GMT
The report on this evening's BBC Northwest Tonight about the new Bee Network was not particularly complimentary. Quite a focus on teething problems and many interviews with complaining passengers. Hopefully problems will soon be sorted as I wish the project well. Quite a lot of negative comments on social media too.
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Post by rj131 on Sept 25, 2023 19:06:06 GMT
The report on this evening's BBC Northwest Tonight about the new Bee Network was not particularly complimentary. Quite a focus on teething problems and many interviews with complaining passengers. Hopefully problems will soon be sorted as I wish the project well. The report on this evening's BBC Northwest Tonight about the new Bee Network was not particularly complimentary. Quite a focus on teething problems and many interviews with complaining passengers. Hopefully problems will soon be sorted as I wish the project well. Quite a lot of negative comments on social media too. What complaints were people making? I’m intrigued to know if they were valid complaints or just good for nothing moaners with nothing better to do 😂
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