(19 Feb 2019, 10:25 am)James101 wrote Good news at least part of First GM is going to an operator new to the area, rather than being swallowed up by the existing ones. This will be very different to the EYMS acquisition where keeping the status quo is fine. First is a toxic brand in Manchester, so big changes above and beyond a new name/livery will be needed.
It'll be interesting to see how Go Ahead attack the GM market, as in terms of the routes they acquire with Queens Road, it's all a bit haphazard. A lot of what Queens operate is along corridors supplemented by other First depots; meaning once Go North West are going it alone they will be very much the smaller player. Core corridors 'as-is' would be the 17/18 Manchester-Middleton-Rochdale (this is the only Queens route into Rochdale, the remainder of the network around there being Oldham operated), and the Manchester - Bury corridor incorporating the 135, 93, 95, 97, 98. Even here, however, the same issue is present at the Bury end where the bulk of services here are operated by First Bolton (or whoever is operating Bolton by then), leaving GNW the smaller player.
The rest of what they acquire is very 'standalone'; the 53 has always been a territorial oddball; is it even worth continuing with the 42...etc. That all said, Queens is in a prime location to through the status quo out of the window and draw up a new network entirely - though this will need deep pockets and it's a risky game poking Stagecoach, especially when Go Ahead Group co-exist with Stagecoach in other territories.
Just one of note - First no longer operate a 42 in Manchester. The Northern half of their old 42 (Middleton to City) now connecta with the 41 to Sale. First have pulled off the East Didsbury route leaving it entirely Stagecoach-operated, be it a 42, a 42A, a 42B or a 142.
Go Ahead also gain the First depot where the youngest owned vehicle is 9 years old - Queens Road is the poorer relation in terms of its fleet. The last new vehicles delivered to Queens Road were the Volvo B5LHs used on the 18 between Middleton and Manchester Royal Infirmary. Queen Road do however operate what was the ‘Metroshuttle’ now know as ‘Free Bus’.