(09 Jan 2017, 9:08 am)Kuyoyo wrote Some other changes:
The 1330 from Newcastle (Sunderland at 1405 and Middlesbrough at 1445), which was previously an M34 to Portsmouth, is now an M35 to Cardiff (suggesting that will now be one of Cwmbran's Astromegas). There is now no direct return journey from Cardiff.
The Portsmouth journey now leaves Newcastle at 0910 (Sunderland at 0945 and Middlesbrough at 1025). The return journey now leaves Portsmouth at 0710, arriving in the North East at 1640 in Middlesbrough, 1720 in Sunderland and Newcastle at 1810.
There is now no direct M36 from Newcastle to Plymouth. The northbound journey now leaves Plymouth at 0830, arriving into Newcastle 2 hours later than now at 2040 (Middlesbrough at 1925 and Sunderland at 2005).
Newcastle to Manchester departures:
0530 M35 to Birmingham
0910 M34 to Portsmouth
1300 M34 to Birmingham
1840 M35 to Rugby
(09 Jan 2017, 8:24 pm)Kuyoyo wrote In other Meagbus news, Gold Astromega 50311 is currently on-loan to Walkergate depot for driver training duties (likewise its sisters 50312 and 50313 are in use as driver trainers at Rugby and Cwmbran). It spent the day in Middlesbrough today.
(10 Jan 2017, 8:10 pm)Kuyoyo wrote It spent half an hour doing laps of Pilgrim Street, New Bridge Street, John Dobson Street and Market Street.
Stagecoach Glasgow 50311 (YJ64 AUT) by Tony Kuy, on Flickr
In a big blow for Megabus employees, the Megabus Europe long hauls (ME1, ME14 and ME25) operated by Rugby depot are to cease from the 10th April.
(18 May 2017, 8:19 am)Kuyoyo wrote A few further changes to the Megabus network from this coming Monday:
The end of the Sleeper operation will see the Megabus Gold fleet reduced to a requirement of 5 between the G9 (Glasgow to Aberdeen) and G10 (Glasgow to Inverness). It is expected that the trio new in 2013 (50311-3) will remain in use with the Training School at various Megabus operations.
(01 Jun 2018, 1:37 pm)James101 wrote https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44312684
As discussed at length on other forums, First Group has this week posted a £326 million loss this week. The major losses have been pinned on Greyhound in the USA, as well as 'toxic' rail franchises in the UK. The new interim chief exec has since announced they will be looking to sell all or part of the business.
Not much has been said of UK bus, which is apparently just about on a even keel. While big changes high up don't necessarily have a huge impact on the ground for UK bus operations, I personally feel the next 18 months or so will see big changes in the bus scene regarding First. First have been retrenching operations for 3-4 years now, with Clacton in Essex being just announced as the latest operation to close. If First Group need to raise funds, I think marginal bus operations will be the easy target to sell.
Manchester could be an interesting one to watch. First in particular have been withholding investment for a while now, with depot closures to boot. Meanwhile Rotala & Transdev have crept into the periphery of the region, with first already surrendering commercial territory to them in Bolton & Rochdale. It's still unclear if bus franchising is going to go ahead in Manchester, but if it's going to happen anywhere it'll be there. There's obvious growing discontent with private operation of public transport in the region with the ongoing Northern fiasco. Where privatising the rail franchise may prove too complicated legally, financially and politically; I can see bus franchising sped up by Andy Burnham to at least appear like he's doing something about the situation. If/when it goes ahead, First will be the big losers. As well as their bigger overheads, their brand is toxic in Manchester and I can't see the them holding public contracts as winning favour, they certainly weren't popular locally when they briefly won the WCML a few years ago.
(23 Jun 2020, 4:28 pm)TEN 6083 wrote https://abtamag.com/2020/06/23/leger-hol...ngs-brand/
Leger Holidays revives Shearings brand
Sent from my iPhone XS using Tapatalk
(23 Jun 2020, 4:42 pm)streetdeckfan wrote I've heard from friends that work there that Hays Travel have bought the National Holidays brand, although it hasn't been announced yetYes I heard the same around the time they collapsed, so that all makes sense.
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