(01 May 2018, 9:26 am)Kuyoyo wrote Still no sign of an order announcement but we do have some confirmations and some speculation:

Steven Knight Media have confirmed on the Fleet Rambling page of their website that Mansfield are due a batch of E400MMCs later in the year to replace 9 year old MAN E300s and 4 year old E300s on 'Pronto'.
Meanwhile, it has been mentioned on the 'Travel South Yorkshire' forum that new deckers (chassis type unconfirmed) are due for Chesterfield - either for services 50/50a/50b (Sheffield to Chesterfield via Eckington and Whittington) which is rumoured to be going 'Gold'; or service X17 (Sheffield to Chesterfield and Matlock), for which there are some 'improvements' coming soon. Rumour are that the X17 may be extended from Sheffield City Centre to Meadowhall - given the recent commercial risks made by Yorkshire (the X65 between Barnsley and Meadowhall, the X10 between Barnsley and Leeds and the 54/56 extensions to East Midlands Designer Outlet), that could be reality rather than rumour.

(04 May 2018, 8:27 pm)Cobalt271 wrote Just seen 5 of the new low entry Plaxton Leopard coaches heading North on the A1 just before the Scottish Border. I believe these are for East Scotland for the X55 route? All YX18L** reg’d.

(05 May 2018, 7:15 pm)Kuyoyo wrote And to show the branding, it is the same one during the delivery run (the original photo appears to have been taken at Plaxtons)

Stagecoach Fife YX18 LHN by Yorkshire  Paper Buses & Bus Photos, on Flickr

On the subject of Plaxton, a since-deleted tweet by Alex Hornby has revealed that Plaxton have secretly developed a double-decker coach bodywork in a similar styling to the Elite I. More as they confirm it

(05 May 2018, 7:15 pm)Kuyoyo wrote And to show the branding, it is the same one during the delivery run (the original photo appears to have been taken at Plaxtons)

Stagecoach Fife YX18 LHN by Yorkshire  Paper Buses & Bus Photos, on Flickr

On the subject of Plaxton, a since-deleted tweet by Alex Hornby has revealed that Plaxton have secretly developed a double-decker coach bodywork in a similar styling to the Elite I. More as they confirm it

(05 May 2018, 8:11 pm)mb134 wrote They look really quite smart. Any pictures of the interior anywhere? 

I'd assume that means no more Astromega's bought for Megabus?

(06 May 2018, 7:00 am)Kuyoyo wrote No interior shots now available - the aforementioned Tweet did include one which showed 2+1 seating in the low floor area (with the standard leather coach seating).

As for Megabus - Astromegas are now more-or-less only to be found on the M11 from Scotland to London and on any linked Scottish Citylink turn around from Glasgow. At present, only 50253 remain south of the boarder - for how long following the closure of the unit at Plymouth and the redistribution of their Elite Is between Rugby and Cwmbran (50253’s home) is unclear. Indeed, 50234 (one of the Cwmbran originals) is now in Fleet livery.

(09 May 2018, 3:45 am)mb134 wrote 50234 must have got repainted pretty quickly, was still Megabus branded two or three weeks ago! (Is it now Aberdeen based - it's been allocated to both of my last two journeys to Edinburgh?) I'll be sad to see the Astromegas leave the Megabus network, they've been brilliant workhorses over the past decade. I must say that I am a big fan of the Elite i bodywork, one of the best ever coach bodies imo.

(09 May 2018, 7:15 am)Kuyoyo wrote Aberdeen no longer have an allocation of Megabus stock - their allocation moved to Glasgow a few years back. Not sure where 50234 is allocated now.

(09 May 2018, 3:45 am)mb134 wrote 50234 must have got repainted pretty quickly, was still Megabus branded two or three weeks ago! (Is it now Aberdeen based - it's been allocated to both of my last two journeys to Edinburgh?) I'll be sad to see the Astromegas leave the Megabus network, they've been brilliant workhorses over the past decade. I must say that I am a big fan of the Elite i bodywork, one of the best ever coach bodies imo.

(09 May 2018, 7:15 am)Kuyoyo wrote Aberdeen no longer have an allocation of Megabus stock - their allocation moved to Glasgow a few years back. Not sure where 50234 is allocated now.

(09 May 2018, 11:03 am)Kuyoyo wrote Sorry, got the wrong one    It's 50242 that's been repainted and moved to Ayr alongside the original batch of Oxford Tube examples. However, seems Ayr are due new coaches for the X77.

(09 May 2018, 11:50 am)mb134 wrote Ah okay, just assumed with the amount of services that end there late at night, and start there early in the morning it had some sort of vehicle/driver allocation. 

(09 May 2018, 11:50 am)mb134 wrote
Assuming it's currently seeing work on the X77 before the replacements arrive? Amazing how Stagecoach see express routes to how Arriva/GNE do...

Likely be a spare for the X77 for now - hard to see however where the displaced Astromegas will go. After all, not many other 'Express' routes in Scotland for them to be used on that don't already have quite modern coaches on already. Then there's the added complication of the present Oxford Tube Astromegas, which will be due for replacement next year.

---

RE: Stagecoach 2018/2019 Orders - Kuyoyo - 09 May 2018

Interior view of the B8RLE/Plaxton Panther LE looking to the rear - apologises for the mis-remembered interior, 2+2 in the low floor area apart from the single seat where the wheelchair bay is
View from the rear looking at the low floor area - showing the location of the Bells and USB ports
Photos @ 'Dunfermline Dave'

Also confirms the fleetnumbers are 54501 onwards - YX18LHM is 54503 and YX18LHP is 54505.

---

RE: Stagecoach 2018/2019 Orders - JM03 - 09 May 2018

Anything for Newcastle/Sunderland coming?

---

RE: Stagecoach 2018/2019 Orders - PH - BQA - 09 May 2018

(09 May 2018, 11:59 am)Kuyoyo wrote [/font][/size][/color]

Most of those that appear to finish there late evening and start there early morning will likely be the same vehicle and driver - so the 0245 M11 arrival will more than likely run to the depot for refuelling and driver break before working the 0440 departure. The same way in that Walkergate is used by Megabus vehicles on the terminates but doesn't have an allocation of vehicles at this present time (there is, however, a Megabus driving unit at Walkergate who work the M12s and M20 hauls)

Makes sense - would Stagecoach Bluebird have any drivers capable of operating a run should they be required, or indeed any obligation to provide a vehicle?

(09 May 2018, 1:02 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Interior view of the B8RLE/Plaxton Leopard LE looking to the rear - apologises for the mis-remembered interior, 2+2 in the low floor area apart from the single seat where the wheelchair bay is
View from the rear looking at the low floor area - showing the location of the Bells and USB ports
Photos @ 'Dunfermline Dave'

Also confirms the fleetnumbers are 54501 onwards - YX18LHM is 54503 and YX18LHP is 54505.

They really do look quite smart, I like the split-glass front section. I've said it before, but they'd be great Omni replacements...

---

RE: Stagecoach 2018/2019 Orders - RBZ 5459 - 10 May 2018

(09 May 2018, 7:43 pm)JM03 wrote Anything for Newcastle/Sunderland coming?

Preliminary lists no, but orders (UK Bus) can and have changed. 
There's been no official order release, so as it stands orders cannot be factually confirmed until vehicles are in the course of delivery or the list is published.

---

RE: Stagecoach 2018/2019 Orders - Youngymmv - 10 May 2018

Anything at all for north east preliminary? Always seems to be Scottish divisions that get investment upon investment with young vehicles replaced very early

---

RE: Stagecoach 2018/2019 Orders - Kuyoyo - 13 May 2018

With thanks to Steve Mutly over on the 'Stagecoach Enthusiasts' Facebook Page, we have some registration details on the 10 Plaxton Panther LEs for Fife:

54501 YX18 LHL
54502 YX18 LHM
54503 YX18 LHN
54504 YX18 LHO
54505 YX18 LHP
54506 YX18 LHR
54507 YX18 LHT
54508 YX18 LHU
54509 YX18 LHV
54510 YX18 LHW

A further 9 (54511-9) are also due for delivery shortly however their allocation is not yet confirmed as it appears management haven't decided for definite where they should go.

Also recently delivered is E200MMC 37467 (YX18 KUW) - the first 8.9m example for Stagecoach. It's based at Porth depot for use on the Pontyprid Town Centre Circular service 99 during the day.
Stagecoach in South Wales - 37467 - YX18 KUW by philipweaver, on Flickr

---

RE: Stagecoach 2018/2019 Orders - Jamie M - 14 May 2018

(13 May 2018, 8:49 pm)Kuyoyo wrote With thanks to Steve Mutly over on the 'Stagecoach Enthusiasts' Facebook Page, we have some registration details on the 10 Plaxton Panther LEs for Fife:

54501 YX18 LHL
54502 YX18 LHM
54503 YX18 LHN
54504 YX18 LHO
54505 YX18 LHP
54506 YX18 LHR
54507 YX18 LHT
54508 YX18 LHU
54509 YX18 LHV
54510 YX18 LHW

A further 9 (54511-9) are also due for delivery shortly however their allocation is not yet confirmed as it appears management haven't decided for definite where they should go.

Also recently delivered is E200MMC 37467 (YX18 KUW) - the first 8.9m example for Stagecoach. It's based at Porth depot for use on the Pontyprid Town Centre Circular service 99 during the day.
Stagecoach in South Wales - 37467 - YX18 KUW by philipweaver, on Flickr

How do these smaller 200MMCs compare to Solo SRs?

---

RE: Stagecoach 2018/2019 Orders - Malarkey - 14 May 2018

(13 May 2018, 8:49 pm)Kuyoyo wrote A further 9 (54511-9) are also due for delivery shortly however their allocation is not yet confirmed as it appears management haven't decided for definite where they should go.

Should send them here, 3 to Sunderland for the X24 and 6 to Slatyford for the 100

---

RE: Stagecoach 2018/2019 Orders - JM03 - 16 May 2018

(14 May 2018, 5:44 pm)Malarkey wrote Should send them here, 3 to Sunderland for the X24 and 6 to Slatyford for the 100

100 ones Probs be better for 6/7 unless the then ex100s get transferred to them and if they would come up here, id expect to see them to follow the same codes as the other MMC (26XXX I think they are?)

---

RE: Stagecoach 2018/2019 Orders - Kuyoyo - 16 May 2018

Now been confirmed by press release that all 19 are East Scotland - remaining 9 are split between Perth for the X56 and Dumfirmline.

---

RE: Stagecoach 2018/2019 Orders - Kuyoyo - 17 May 2018

(01 May 2018, 9:26 am)Kuyoyo wrote Still no sign of an order announcement but we do have some confirmations and some speculation:

Meanwhile, it has been mentioned on the 'Travel South Yorkshire' forum that new deckers (chassis type unconfirmed) are due for Chesterfield - either for services 50/50a/50b (Sheffield to Chesterfield via Eckington and Whittington) which is rumoured to be going 'Gold'; or service X17 (Sheffield to Chesterfield and Matlock), for which there are some 'improvements' coming soon. Rumour are that the X17 may be extended from Sheffield City Centre to Meadowhall - given the recent commercial risks made by Yorkshire (the X65 between Barnsley and Meadowhall, the X10 between Barnsley and Leeds and the 54/56 extensions to East Midlands Designer Outlet), that could be reality rather than rumour.

From the same location, it has now been mentioned that 8 Enviro400MMCs to Gold specification are due for Chesterfield in August for the X17, which from July is to be extended from Sheffield to Barnsley via Meadowhall. This extension will replace the weekend-only X65 between Meadowhall and Barnsley.

---

RE: Stagecoach 2018/2019 Orders - Kuyoyo - 23 May 2018

Following on from the 7 for the Lakes last year, 6 Volvo B5TL/Wright Gemini Open Toppers are in the process of delivery for Cambridge City Sightseeing Duties. 13808-13

---

RE: Stagecoach 2018/2019 Orders - Malarkey - 27 May 2018

A new Plaxton Elite has been spotted heading south on the M1 in Stagecoach Corporate Livery (YX18 LKK) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/64518788@N05/27519731637/

---

RE: Stagecoach 2018/2019 Orders - Michael - 27 May 2018

(27 May 2018, 5:18 pm)Malarkey wrote A new Plaxton Elite i has been spotted heading south on the M1 in Stagecoach Corporate Livery (YX18 LKK) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/64518788@N05/27519731637/

X24

---