News, debate and discussion on the North West's Bus Operations.
Bus operators include the likes of Stagecoach, First, Arriva and many more.

Was out and about today and I stumbled across these at Washington Motorway Services.

512 BU13 ZTD Setra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...otostream/
515 BU13 ZTG Setra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...otostream/
(Rear 512) BU13 ZTD Setra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...otostream/

It's a few weeks old, but still relevant.

Interesting reading with regard to fares in Manchester on vehicles operated by First.

www.thebuspeople.co.uk/?p=2151

It also seems to show how effective TfGM are in encouraging growth in the area, including towns like Oldham, which are obviously beyond the City Centre boundaries.
How good would it be if local operators saw the benefit of reducing fares beyond the normal City Centres?

Did anyone happen to notice former Greater Manchester PTE's Atlantean 7777 in Newcastle yesterday? It's been branded in anti-austerity TUC livery, and was promoting a such event at Grey's monument. I seen it parked up near the Toby in Washington on Friday morning. Here's a pic from elsewhere on the tour (not by me).



More details here and here.

I think I'm headed off down this way at some point next month, so hoping to get a chance to grab some photos on an evening. Is there anything in Blackpool Transport's fleet to look out for, apart from the three Optare Excel's I spotted? Which I think are T880RBR (ex-GNE 8180) T881RBR (ex-GNE 8181) an T884RBR (ex-GNE 8184).

Snap! Next week for me. :p

I'm on the lookout for the above, plus:

• 312 (PJ03 TFN), Transbus Trident/East Lancs - Tower Eye Advert
  
• 313 (PJ03 TFU), Transbus Trident/East Lancs - Tower Dungeon Advert
  
• 314 (PJ03 TFV), Transbus Trident/East Lancs - Sealife Centre Advert
  
• 315 (PJ03 TFX), Transbus Trident/East Lancs - Tussauds Advert
  

And the two unlikely ones:

• 969 (K129 UFV), DAF SB220LC/Optare Delta - Driver Training
  
• 970 (K130 UFV), DAF SB220LC/Optare Delta - Driver Training
  

I think Stagecoach at Preston still have quite a few Olympians out. I'm hoping to pop over there if I get a chance too.

(30 Jul 2013, 8:10 pm)aureolin wrote I think Stagecoach at Preston still have quite a few Olympians out. I'm hoping to pop over there if I get a chance too.

Oooer, double snap! Next week on the same day :p
North West 4 in 8 day Rover. Bargain.

A few days ago, a dreadful incident occurred on one of Stagecoach in Manchester's vehicles.
Thoughts and feelings go out to the man's family.

You can read what happened in the incident here.

If the bus was pulling away from a bus stop as passengers were still taking a seat, it begs the question: Would bus operators be willing to put policies in place to prevent things like this happening? I understand passengers can request the driver waits until the passengers have sat down, but if the passenger thinks s/he can cope without causing a delay to the service, they may just try to sit down without requesting the driver to wait.

Did you catch any of the Excels, aureolin? Just noticed your photos going up on Flickr.
Managed to catch 221/T884 on 11s, but that's the only one I managed to get from the ones I wanted.

I managed to get a couple of days over Blackpool, but didn't have an awful lot of time to myself. I did have a look over the coastline on Wednesday evening though, and decided to go for the new trams rather than buses. Unfortunately I kept getting caught in showers, so the camera was packed away more than I would have liked only managed about 30 photos in total.

Couple of photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aureolindn/...081582709/

Hi, i will try to keep you all updated on the goings on in the North West!

I decided i would make a start with Arrivas Bolton Depot with it being the Best Depot (My opinion) that Arriva has.

All Marshall Darts (7615,7617 and 7621) have left the Depot and are all now Sat in the rear of St Helens Depot for Scrap.

Ex Blue Bus of Bolton MAN Millennium 2828 is having the last of its Engine work done, This has been away from Arriva for a while having repairs done to it.

One thing to note is Most Services Arriva Bolton currently do are up for a Timetable change from 27/10/13 but i will touch more onto this when i get the Information.

(15 Sep 2013, 12:45 pm)Terence Price wrote Hi, i will try to keep you all updated on the goings on in the North West!

I decided i would make a start with Arrivas Bolton Depot with it being the Best Depot (My opinion) that Arriva has.

All Marshall Darts (7615,7617 and 7621) have left the Depot and are all now Sat in the rear of St Helens Depot for Scrap.

Ex Blue Bus of Bolton MAN Millennium 2828 is having the last of its Engine work done, This has been away from Arriva for a while having repairs done to it.

One thing to note is Most Services Arriva Bolton currently do are up for a Timetable change from 27/10/13 but i will touch more onto this when i get the Information.

Thanks for the updates, much appreciated!

Ahh i remember you you was part of that Forum i had a go of running last year, nice to catch up with some old Faces

A recent Update at this Depot is:

Marshall Darts 7640,7641 and 7644 are all Withdrawn Leaving 7634,7647,7650 and 7665, The Marshall Darts are the final remaining Buses in service from the MTL era and are being slowly withdrawn Across Arriva's North West Division.

Today was strange for Flagship route 500, the express route from Liverpool City Centre to the Airport, PVR is 3 and today Commanders 2601 and 2602 was on there, 2602 used to be in a special livery for the route and still to this day remains lugage racks, these days the service is normally ran by merc-bents bendies with deckers going on if no bendie is free so wright commanders is a rare sight on the route!

Was well funny in St Helens Bus Station at 9ish this morning, Pulsar 2 came in off a 10A and driver came up to me and the Drivers i was talking to and said *some Scruffy Drunk has decided to piss on the Bus* a min later he got of the Bus and smelt well bad, the Driver left the Bus to get the Supervisor and then the Drunk got back on and started falling asleep at the back of the Bus, must of been a good night in Liverpool

He must of had a good night, still what a dirty sod..how old did he look?

(18 Sep 2013, 10:26 pm)Michael wrote He must of had a good night, still what a dirty sod..how old did he look?

around 30 lol

Network Warrington are walking out on strike again tomoz, this will be the 2nd day in 2 weeks they have been on strike with more to come apparently, the strike is due to the fact they have not had a pay rise this year.

Our Manager is leaving on 7th October so new Manager on the way, my personal opinion was never to high about this manager as it was him who agreed to this Quality Bus Partnership, it was him who ruined the 33 service and its him who keeps saying no to Deckers on routes they are required desperately, if depot talk is true about who the new manager is then i cant wait!

dart 2249 X249 HJA is VOR AGAIN!!! electric fault as always....

Only 2 Wright Axcess Flolines are left now
Y961 XBU
Y962 XBU

Their time is limited however but i have to say Y961 XBU is a cracking bus!

I believe I managed to photograph both when I was down Chester and Liverpool. I didn't realise they were withdrawing them (they've not long been in Stagecoach livery!), so it's great I managed to photograph them.

(22 Sep 2013, 8:47 am)Daniel wrote I believe I managed to photograph both when I was down Chester and Liverpool. I didn't realise they were withdrawing them (they've not long been in Stagecoach livery!), so it's great I managed to photograph them.

Yes they withdrawing them but its a shame really as theres nothing wrong with them, hope they dont scrap them

Another day and another DAF Cadet already broken down, very little information about it as its a none bus enthusiast thats uploaded the photo to facebook but its blocking off the east lancs now.... getting sick of these Buses now, breaking down regular at Birkenhead so send them to St Helens Depot?! not impressed at all and to make things worse ANOTHER DAF Cadet is about to go into service here (2436)! why does St Helens depot have to take these buses i dont know.

Very rare sighting today Mini Pointer Dart 894 was on the 10 from Manchester to Brookhouse via Eccels, normally this service is ran by the Hybrid Geminis

From 7th October our current Manager is leaving via permotion and the Manager from Bootle will move to St Helens Depot

Bit of an update

the allocation on the 500 express service between Liverpool and Liverpool Airport has changed, it was 3 Merc-benzs Bendies but now its 1 Bendie and 2 Wright Commanders (normally 2601 and 2602)

a bit of a rare sighting today we got the Interurban Plaxton Prestige on the 81 service between Liverpool Airport and Bootle Bus Station, normally this service is ran by DAF Mylleniums!

since these buses are the last sign of MTL the biggest company in Merseyside its best to keep tags on these buses

7612 T612 PNC - withdrawn for scrap at green lane
7613 T613 PNC - withdrawn for scrap at Wrexham l
7614 T614 PNC - withdrawn for scrap at Green lane
7615 T615 PNC - Withdrawn at St Helens
7616 T616 PNC - withdrawn for scrap at Wrexham
7617 T617 PNC - Withdrawn at st Helens
7618 T618 PNC - Withdrawn at Southport for spares
7619 T619 PNC – Withdrawn at St Helens, engine donor
7620 T620 PNC - For Scrap at St Helens
7621 T621 PNC – Withdrawn at St Helens
7622 T622 PNC - withdrawn for scrap
7623 T623 PNC - For scrap at st helens
7624 V624 DBN - withdrawn at Green Lane
7625 V625 DVU – Chester depot
7626 V626 DVU – Withdrawn at Chester
7627 V627 DVU - Withdrawn at St Helens
7628 V628 DVU - withdrawn at Winsford
7629 V629 DVU - withdrawn for scrap at Green Lane
7630 V630 DVU - Withdrawn Green Lane
7631 V631 DVU - withdrawn at Green Lane
7632 V632 DVU - withdrawn at chester for spares
7633 V633 DVU - Bootle
7634 V634 DVU - St Helens
7635 V635 DVU - unallocated at Birkenhead
7636 V636 DVU - Southport
7637 V637 DVU - Southport
7638 V638 DVU – Withdrawn at Green Lane
7639 V639 DVU - Southport
7640 V640 DVU - Withdrawn at St Helens
7641 V641 DVU - Withdrawn St Helens
7642 V642 DVU - withdrawn for scrap at Wrexham
7643 V643 DVU - Southport
7644 V644 DVU - Withdrawn St Helens
7645 V645 DVU - Withdrawn at Chester
7646 V646 DVU - withdrawn at Southport
7647 V647 DVU - St Helens
7648 V648 DVU - Southport
7649 V649 DVU - Bootle
7650 V650 DVU - St Helens
7651 V651 DVU - Southport
7652 V652 DVU - Southport
7653 V653 DVU - Southport
7654 V654 DVU - Southport
7655 V655 DVU - Southport
7656 V656 DVU - Southport
7657 V657 DVU - Green Lane
7658 V658 DVU – Withdrawn at Green Lane
7659 V659 DVU - Bootle
7660 V660 DVU - Bootle
7661 V661 DVU - Bootle
7662 V662 DVU - Bootle
7663 V663 DVU - Bootle
7664 V664 DVU - Southport
7665 V665 DVU - St Helens
7667 V667 DVU - Bootle
7668 V668 DVU - Withdrawn Green Lane
7669 V669 DVU - Bootle
7670 V670 DVU - Withdrawn at Runcorn
7671 V671 DVU - Withdrawn at Green Lane
7672 V672 DVU - Withdrawn at Runcorn
7673 V673 DVU - Southport
7674 V674 DVU - Bootle, repaired after fire damage :O
7675 V675 DVU - Bootle
7676 V676 DVM - unallocated at Wythinshawe

I plan to keep this list up to date, any information you may have would be great

One of First Boltons Renowns seen service today and not just any old service as it went on the 8 from Bolton - Manchester, i cant begin to tell you how rare this is! photo and more info tomoz