(20 Jul 2017, 1:57 pm)RBZ 5459 wrote One of the new open topper B5s will be used in Manchester this coming Monday for the day, and then in Liverpool on Tuesday and Preston on Wednesday - services are still to be confirmed. Local plans are in place to use them in Lancaster and Carlisle over the next couple of weeks.

(20 Jul 2017, 7:27 pm)GuyParkRoyal wrote The Gemini OT's out in service today.

I have created an album showing exterior and interior views which can be viewed at:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gpr_bus_photos/albums/72157684013794461

(20 Jul 2017, 8:55 pm)James101 wrote Interesting, is it in aid of anything in particular? Wondee if a promo team will accompany it to explain why it's in service

• Monday in Manchester: 192, 203, 250 and X50 
  
• Tuesday in Liverpool: 82 and 86 and 
  
• Wednesday in Preston: 2/2A
  

(03 Sep 2017, 12:45 pm)peter wrote https://www.flickr.com/photos/williamsonm/36585688840/in/photostream/

Wish it had been on it's normal Honister Rambler duties! Ended up with 47616 instead which was struggling to cope...the bus arrived late in Buttermere after already having to stop at Honister Pass...we ended up departing 30 minutes late as we had to wait for the bus to cool as there was smoke coming from the wheel-arch. Had to stop again near High Lorton due to a warning sound from the dashboard but the driver was told to continue. In the end we were just 5 minutes away from reaching Keswick in Braithwaite when the driver told us all to get off, again due to the smoke, and ended up having to wait 20 minutes for an X5 (in the meantime though 47616 had sufficiently cooled down and tbh I think the driver could have kept going after having managed to get the bus all the way there with only a short flat stretch on the A66 left to go). The driver blamed it on the fact that "some buses are made to go up those mountains and this isn't one of them...can't be helped when the usual bus is in for a service." As we were getting on the X5, 47774 also pulled up behind us which seemed a strange exercise as the driver had already rang and it had been agreed we would be transferred to the X5 (though the driver had been told it would only be a few minutes when it was timetabled to be due in 20 so perhaps they sent it in case the X5 was late) plus there were no remaining 77/77a journeys for the day that 47616 would have had to run onto. Later saw 47774 in Keswick Bus Station with our original driver which seems strange to have it run light to Keswick to run light back to the depot, when after sufficiently cooling the driver probably could have just taken 47616 back to the depot.

(21 Jul 2017, 7:26 am)RBZ 5459 wrote Still 13806 to land, plus the NSAs need installed with audio sorted soon too.

(05 Oct 2017, 6:48 am)Dan wrote 13801 - 13807 had Next Stop Announcements installed on Monday and Tuesday.

Old perspex screen incorporating the bus stopping sign on upper-deck has been removed - new fibreglass cut and fitted incorporating Hanover's LED internal sign and new bus stopping sign (similar to Go North East's Castles Express StreetDecks). Hanover's LED internal sign also retrofitted on the lower-deck too.

Unsure if the audio has been sorted yet, but system as well as bus stopping sign now works.

(05 Oct 2017, 9:22 am)RBZ 5459 wrote Some have, with some still to do I'm told.
Bus stops were automatically being announced/interrupting the audio tour prior to screen installs, so suspect it (hopefully) all syncs together now. Just in time for the winter season!

(05 Oct 2017, 9:33 am)Dan wrote 13801 - 13807 were all definitely done over the course of Monday and Tuesday.

web-sc-cnl-open-day-2018-copy_orig.jpg (Size 212.69 KB | Downloads 37)

(08 Mar 2018, 12:51 pm)GuyParkRoyal wrote The Lakes Connection Summer 2018 travel information from Stagecoach is now available online or in a printed version. The start date for summer services is 24th March 2018. Some prices have increased with the Explorer day ticket increasing to £11.30 for an adult and £8.30 for a child, the group Explorer price has been reduced by £1.

(08 Mar 2018, 5:47 pm)Michael wrote Where abouts, i can't see any information on the Stagecoach site?

(08 Mar 2018, 5:55 pm)Jimmi wrote Info and timetable can be found here:  https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/cumbria-and-north-lancashire/buses-to-the-lake-district

(09 Mar 2018, 10:06 am)RBZ 5459 wrote Volvo Olympian 16534 has been sold to Classic Bus/Catch 22.

Slight change, looking like E200s landing from Manchester will be 36100/01/04/05/06.

(18 Mar 2018, 4:12 pm)Tamesider wrote Is there any update on these moves? Last report from the Manchester end was "a couple are ready to go" and that was about 7/8 March. Since then, all the Contract service changes (including commercial replacements) have been approved and I reckon that Stagecoach Manchester's PVR will reduce by about 7 buses. With a bit of simplification, this can be assumed to be 7x "single deckers" redundant at Stockport depot.

(18 Mar 2018, 5:08 pm)Dan wrote 36100 is now at Carlisle undergoing repaint.

36100 (MX59JBV) Carlisle Depot by Carlisle Bus Group, on Flickr

(21 Mar 2018, 1:17 pm)RBZ 5459 wrote 36106 also arrived last week, just them two at present.

(25 Nov 2018, 8:11 pm)RBZ 5459 wrote Now out in the open.... I can say that Lancaster are due 18 new E400MMC in the coming weeks for service 1. There are also two new E400MMC for Carlisle depot for use on the 685 to solve capacity issues.

All the above are to be delivered in corporate livery with minimal branding for each service.

These additional buses for Cumbria & North Lancashire are included in an extension of the 2018 order.

(25 Nov 2018, 8:21 pm)S830OFT wrote Will the 685 have the Deckers for all journeys?

(25 Nov 2018, 9:46 pm)RBZ 5459 wrote Sure will. 27141 and 27142 will move onto the 104s, displacing two MANvro to disposals. 

Similarly in Lancaster, current E400 on the 1 will move to the 2 displacing MANviro to disposals.

(25 Nov 2018, 9:51 pm)Michael wrote Surprised the MANviro's aren't moving else where to replace the MANs (such as 22082 at Newcastle)