TfGM Bee Network - fleet discussion

[M60lad]

Regarding the above considering we're now in middle of January do we know when deliveries are due to start?

 

[WWH44L]

With the new E200mmcs entering service at Diamond NW, looks like there has been some movements,

Solo 20054 is tracking at Bolton!
20607-11 newbies entering service at Bolton
20186,31434/5, 32220, 32275, 32302/3 now tracking at Eccles previously Bolton

Loans back at Preston 20158/60/6 with 40716/7 looking like they’ve moved back today.

 

[F262YTJ]

Will 40716/7 need repainting back into Preston livery as they are in Bee Network yellow?

 

[Leyland Bus]

Will 40716/7 need repainting back into Preston livery as they are in Bee Network yellow?

Both are in Preston Bus livery and have never been yellow. HTH.

 

[F262YTJ]

Both are in Preston Bus livery and have never been yellow. HTH.

Ok. I got the livery information from the Quack77 site which isn't 100% accurate, unfortunately.
Thanks,for your confirmation.

 

[kiewilk0970]

With the new E200mmcs entering service at Diamond NW, looks like there has been some movements

Solo 20054 is tracking at Bolton

This is actually 20610 tracking under the wrong fleet number

 

[Class 466]

There’s a reply on Twitter from the current MD at Stagecoach Manchester suggesting that at least some of the GNW B9TLs will stay at Queens Road and transfer to Stagecoach for the short term at least. One would assume that it’ll be until replacements are delivered rather than them forming a part of the permanent fleet plan given the age and tired state of them.

 

[xitz2012@gmail]

There’s a reply on Twitter from the current MD at Stagecoach Manchester suggesting that at least some of the GNW B9TLs will stay at Queens Road and transfer to Stagecoach for the short term at least. One would assume that it’ll be until replacements are delivered rather than them forming a part of the permanent fleet plan given the age and tired state of them.

Are you able to post a link to the tweet? Thanks. The GNW B9s don’t seem tired at all, sure the interior could do with an overhaul but mechanically they seem in great condition.

 

[MSO69]

Are vision ever going to paint their buses yellow or was that never going to be the case?

 

[Leyland Bus]

Are vision ever going to paint their buses yellow or was that never going to be the case?

School buses are bizarrely not included in the whole yellow "Bee Network" scheme...

 

[MSO69]

Strange, is that including school services with Go North West or will the buses be yellow?

 

[xitz2012@gmail]

There’s a reply on Twitter from the current MD at Stagecoach Manchester suggesting that at least some of the GNW B9TLs will stay at Queens Road and transfer to Stagecoach for the short term at least. One would assume that it’ll be until replacements are delivered rather than them forming a part of the permanent fleet plan given the age and tired state of them.

The Managing Director at SC Manchester has confirmed that the B9TLs will remain in service at Queens Road with Stagecoach until at least the end of 2024.

 

[GCH100]

The Managing Director at SC Manchester has confirmed that the B9TLs will remain in service at Queens Road with Stagecoach until at least the end of 2024.

Have these been re-engined to Euro 6, or is it quite simply because nothing else is available, possibly until the 2025 orders to replace them?

 

[andrewbowden]

School buses are bizarrely not included in the whole yellow "Bee Network" scheme...

Perhaps an attempt to reduce costs for the operators, or an acknowledgement that the vehicles will only be doing Bee Network stuff for a small part of the day, so may be used for non-Bee Network tasks at other times. Although Belle Vue is quite happy using it's TfGM branded yellow buses to take pupils to the baths for school swimming! (Although using a school branded bus makes sense in that context.)

 

[Fox192]

A couple of the b9tls are off East Yorkshire end of February.

 

[Leyland Bus]

Strange, is that including school services with Go North West or will the buses be yellow?

Any franchised school routes are to be run with non yellow buses... I'd imagine yellow ones would cover non yellow ones for maintenance issues etc but that would be about it...

Perhaps an attempt to reduce costs for the operators, or an acknowledgement that the vehicles will only be doing Bee Network stuff for a small part of the day, so may be used for non-Bee Network tasks at other times. Although Belle Vue is quite happy using it's TfGM branded yellow buses to take pupils to the baths for school swimming! (Although using a school branded bus makes sense in that context.)

Bizarrely, cost isn't the factor...

 

[Class 466]

A couple of the b9tls are off East Yorkshire end of February.

GNW are already utilising most of their fleet daily so it’ll be interesting to see how they’ll do with even fewer vehicles.

 

[WWH44L]

Bolton update:

4033 is this weeks repaint, this one has had the most body prep so far of the E200s as it was in quite poor condition...

Anything due on for repaint at Bolton this week?

 

[Leyland Bus]

Anything due on for repaint at Bolton this week?

There's a big debate going on over what to do next as some B7RLEs and some E400s need repainting in grey and blue for schools work starting in March and time is marching on... So we're not sure yet...

 

[Class 466]

There's a big debate going on over what to do next as some B7RLEs and some E400s need repainting in grey and blue for schools work starting in March and time is marching on... So we're not sure yet...

Are these vehicles already in the Bee Network fleet or the Queens Road fleet?

 

[Leyland Bus]

Are these vehicles already in the Bee Network fleet or the Queens Road fleet?

The buses in question are the Cross City pinks that are based at Queens Road.

 

[xitz2012@gmail]

Have these been re-engined to Euro 6, or is it quite simply because nothing else is available, possibly until the 2025 orders to replace them?

Those B9s have been Euro 6 for a few years now.

GNW are already utilising most of their fleet daily so it’ll be interesting to see how they’ll do with even fewer vehicles.

Yeah can’t wait for another service cut

A couple of the b9tls are off East Yorkshire end of February.

I think it might be the last few 07 plate B9s going

 

[Fox192]

Those B9s have been Euro 6 for a few years now.


Yeah can’t wait for another service cut


I think it might be the last few 07 plate B9s going

Oh, I would have thought 07 was a bit too old. I thought the 58s were but that’s even older.

 

[WWH44L]

There's a big debate going on over what to do next as some B7RLEs and some E400s need repainting in grey and blue for schools work starting in March and time is marching on... So we're not sure yet...

I would have thought getting the yellow fleet repainted would have been priority first. Personally I dont think it matters what colour the school fleet is at the moment. Would have thought it easier to paint them yellow though.

 

[Leyland Bus]

I would have thought getting the yellow fleet repainted would have been priority first. Personally I dont think it matters what colour the school fleet is at the moment. Would have thought it easier to paint them yellow though.

That's certainly a decision above my pay grade!

We're having a pause for a week whilst we complete some in-house depot painting, then we'll be starting on the schools fleet...

 

[Class 466]

That's certainly a decision above my pay grade!

We're having a pause for a week whilst we complete some in-house depot painting, then we'll be starting on the schools fleet...

Going to be interesting if the Schools fleet are still in service at Queens Road I guess… a Solo is already now a regular on the 33 again after a number of years

 

[WWH44L]

That's certainly a decision above my pay grade!

We're having a pause for a week whilst we complete some in-house depot painting, then we'll be starting on the schools fleet...

Must be all part of the master plan!

Apart from the cross city vehicles, do you know how many others will make up the schools fleet yet? And also any planned moves from queens rd to either Bolton or Wigan?

 

[Citibus]

3023 BL65 OXV was involved in a crash on the first V1 Leigh - Manchester this morning

Multiple people hurt as smash between bus and bin lorry shuts road

Police and paramedics were called to the scene of the crash this morning

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Multiple people were left hurt after a crash between a bus and a bin lorry in Tyldesley in the early hours of this morning.

The smash happened on Hough Lane at around 4am. Police and paramedics were called to the scene.

Three passengers and the bus driver suffered minor injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment, a spokesperson for Transport for Greater Manchester confirmed. Pictures from the scene this morning showed a Bee Network V1 bus left with damage on its side.

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The bin lorry was also left with a smashed windscreen and damaged front. The road was reportedly closed off between Bodmin Road and Manchester Road as emergency services responded.

A road clean-up was carried out and it was reopened again by around 7.30am. In a statement, a TfGM spokesperson said: "At around 4am this morning, Friday January 26th, there was a road traffic collision between an HGV and V1 Bee Network bus on Hough Lane, Tyldesley.

 

[GCH100]

3023 BL65 OXV was involved in a crash on the first V1 Leigh - Manchester this morning

Multiple people hurt as smash between bus and bin lorry shuts road

Police and paramedics were called to the scene of the crash this morning

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

This brings the question, whats heppened with 3042 (BT66 MRU), it is ages since that was involved in an accident, and its been out of service for more than 5 months, I know the car that crashed into it was destroyed by fire, but as far as I was aware the bus wasn't touched by the fire, as the fire started once the car had bounced off it. What is taking the time with it, as there seems to now be a shortage of Vantage stock, as 3302 (BX14 SYT) seems to regularly end up being used, and as far as I am aware, doesn't carry Guide Wheels. What is actually happening on those journeys? Is it operating along the Busway without Guide Wheels, as the time keeping appears to be very good, when you look on Bus Times, or is it being used on nearby roads, as was the case under First when they had shortages of Vantage buses?

 

[xitz2012@gmail]

This brings the question, whats heppened with 3042 (BT66 MRU), it is ages since that was involved in an accident, and its been out of service for more than 5 months, I know the car that crashed into it was destroyed by fire, but as far as I was aware the bus wasn't touched by the fire, as the fire started once the car had bounced off it. What is taking the time with it, as there seems to now be a shortage of Vantage stock, as 3302 (BX14 SYT) seems to regularly end up being used, and as far as I am aware, doesn't carry Guide Wheels. What is actually happening on those journeys? Is it operating along the Busway without Guide Wheels, as the time keeping appears to be very good, when you look on Bus Times, or is it being used on nearby roads, as was the case under First when they had shortages of Vantage buses?

BX14 SYT does have guide wheels, the other Heywood based B5TL BF63 HDC doesn’t.