D&G Buses

[Baxenden Bank]

Maybe it will run again next Spring/Summer.
I do wish there were more Leek to Buxton journeys in the week, and adding them on 16 (as they did), instead of the 108

The arrangements suit the operator, allowing deployment of the 'one bus for every contract' standard, even if that results in an unattractive service. The arrangement results in a less frequent service on the 108 Leek to Ashbourne but the County Council can tick the box that says 'a bus service' is still available.

The previous arrangement, the extension of the 16, led to inefficient vehicle workings. Especially so when Leek to Haregate still ran with a very irregular and hard to remember timetable.

The best arrangement was the freestanding service running limited stop. But that ship sailed a long time ago.

 

[markymark2000]

An interesting note in the Govt announcements yesterday about spending HS2 money elsewhere, it specifically mentions increasing the frequency of the D&G 82 which I found very interesting as that is something that no one saw coming at all. Is D&G even aware of these proposals?

North West to benefit from £19.8 billion transport investment

Multibillion-pound plan to link major cities in the North via bus, rail and new and improved roads.

www.gov.uk

a £700 million bus funding package in the North will also see more buses and more frequent routes. They will include a new service to Royal Blackburn Hospital, doubling the service between Northwich and Chester and more buses to industrial estates and business parks

 

[SeanM1997]

D&G to change timings to routes 88/188 and 89 from 20 November - https://dgbus.co.uk/:

"Times are changed from 20th November to improve reliability."

88/188 - Altrincham-Wilmslow-Knutsford-Macclesfield - https://dgbus.co.uk/assets/88,188_2023-11-20.pdf:
Monday - Friday 0622 Knutsford-Macclesfield cut
Monday - Friday 0825 Macclesfield-Knutsford merges with 0945 Knutsford-Altrincham to become 0820 Macclesfield-Altrincham (with timing changes throughout)
Monday - Friday 1845 Macclesfield-Knutsford cut
All other services (Monday-Saturday) revised timings

89 Northwich-Knutsford - https://dgbus.co.uk/assets/89_2023-11-20.pdf:
Revised timings Monday-Saturday

 

[northwichcat]

D&G to change timings to routes 88/188 and 89 from 20 November - https://dgbus.co.uk/:

88/188 - Altrincham-Wilmslow-Knutsford-Macclesfield - https://dgbus.co.uk/assets/88,188_2023-11-20.pdf:
Monday - Friday 0622 Knutsford-Macclesfield cut
Monday - Friday 0825 Macclesfield-Knutsford merges with 0945 Knutsford-Altrincham to become 0820 Macclesfield-Altrincham (with timing changes throughout)
Monday - Friday 1845 Macclesfield-Knutsford cut
All other services (Monday-Saturday) revised timings

89 Northwich-Knutsford - https://dgbus.co.uk/assets/89_2023-11-20.pdf:
Revised timings Monday-Saturday

Oh dear God no! D&G's timetabling team have obviously ignored there's been significant disruption on the A50 in Knutsford for the past 2 months due to a complex repair being required for a sinkhole near the cinema. So basically they've added back in all the timetable padding they previously removed and retimed a service to depart Knutsford bus station off-pattern at 09:25 again, which will annoy pass holders.

Reliability has been poor some days (like today) because the vehicle off the 13:45 Altrincham-Knutsford has then operated the 14:45 Knutsford-Altrincham, instead of going on to the 188 and using the vehicle off the 89 to run the 14:45. That means a 3 minute turnaround and no chance to recover any late running.

I suspect the cut journeys are to allow them to run some journeys from the Macclesfield depot, instead of Wincham.


--------------------------------

I think one of D&G's drivers is lost (19:10 on 8 November).

Followed the wrong route to Knutsford on the 18:15 Macclesfield to Wilmslow and seems to have confused Wilmslow for the M6 northbound service station. Maybe someone thought they could sneak in a Burger King meal instead of finishing their journey and forgot to turn off the tracking?

Vehicles – 88 - Altrincham - Macclesfield – bustimes.org

 

[sonic2009]

D&G have recently acquired 2 ex Cardiff Bus Enviro 200 MMC former 558 CN17 BHA and 559 CN17 BHD now registered with D&G as 570 and 571.

Currently running around Macclesfield.

 

[northwichcat]

It looks like the MMCs are 35 seaters. I wonder if the intention is for them to stay on the 3/10 routes, as D&G had been using their little Enviros on those routes previously. Could the intention be for the 2 remaining 55 reg Solos to be released?

Apparently they've also received 4 x Enviro 200s from East Midlands Airport and 2 from Falcon Buses.

I also note Versa YJ60 LTK, still in Centrebus colours, is being used on the 38.

 

[SeanM1997]

42 Crewe - Leighton Hospital - Middlewich - Holmes Chapel - Congleton
Service 42 will change from 8th January. Buses will operate to a revised timetable. In Crewe, buses will operate via Harrison Drive and Dunwoody Way between Crewe Bus Station and Eagle Bridge Health Centre. The stop in Morrisons car park will no longer be served - passengers for Morrisons should use the Eagle Bridge Health Centre stops. In Middlewich Elm Road will no longer be served.

https://dgbus.co.uk/assets/42_2024-01-08.pdf

 

[SeanM1997]

19, 19A Macclesfield - Upton Priory - Prestbury / Whirley Barn
Service 19 will change from 8th January. Buses after 3.30pm will be retimed to improve reliability.

https://dgbus.co.uk/assets/19%2c19a_2024-01-08.pdf

95 Biddulph - Kidsgrove - Chesterton - Audley
From 8th January new service 95 will operate under contract to Staffordshire County Council between Biddulph, Kidsgrove, Chesterton and Audley. Buses will be restored to Mow Cop and Harriseahead, and the service will operate along Jamage Road in Talke Pits to provide connections to the Affinity Staffordshire shopping centre.

https://dgbus.co.uk/assets/95_2024-01-08.pdf

 

[Danfilm007]

It looks like the MMCs are 35 seaters. I wonder if the intention is for them to stay on the 3/10 routes, as D&G had been using their little Enviros on those routes previously. Could the intention be for the 2 remaining 55 reg Solos to be released?

Apparently they've also received 4 x Enviro 200s from East Midlands Airport and 2 from Falcon Buses.

I also note Versa YJ60 LTK, still in Centrebus colours, is being used on the 38.

I noticed they had a white and blue striped Solo SR too recently on the 31/37 - did they get that from Falcon too?

 

[northwichcat]

I noticed they had a white and blue striped Solo SR too recently on the 31/37 - did they get that from Falcon too?

Presuming you mean this bus. It's been with D&G for months - I travelled on it in August. It's one of two that arrived from Ross Travel. One remained with D&G, and the other has since gone to High Peak.

 

[Danfilm007]

Presuming you mean this bus. It's been with D&G for months - I travelled on it in August. It's one of two that arrived from Ross Travel. One remained with D&G, and the other has since gone to High Peak.

Yep that's the one! Haven't seen it in our area recently hence my confusion. Thanks for explaining!

 

[sonic2009]

D&G also have also acquired another Enviro 200 MMC in all Grey, this is former Xelabus G15 SSP, now 577 YX68 UNY with D&G, it was also at White Bus Services for a short time in between Xelabus and D&G.

Apparently they've also received 4 x Enviro 200s from East Midlands Airport and 2 from Falcon Buses.

It's noted on the Bus Shop website they have been sold to D&G but don't think i've seen any in service yet.

 

[northwichcat]

It's noted on the Bus Shop website they have been sold to D&G but don't think i've seen any in service yet.

Someone's posted in buslists.uk that there's 4 at Adderley Green, not yet in service and YX18 KYF has been given D&G livery. Obviously, that's unverified but if true it's interesting they are repainting them before entering service, when they still have a Solo in the base colours for Ross Travel (as mentioned above) and various other vehicles that haven't been painted red, and it doesn't look like YX68 UNY has a D&G logo on it yet.

Quack77 - D & G Bus fleet list

buslists.uk

 

[sonic2009]

And it doesn't look like YX68 UNY has a D&G logo on it yet.

I think they had to get it out in service pretty much straight away, as the 38 can be very busy in the mornings during school term. Although it was out on 31/37 runs the Saturday just gone.

It will be interesting to see what happens next year with D&G and new buses/2nd hand coming to Crewe.

 

[northwichcat]

I think they had to get it out in service pretty much straight away, as the 38 can be very busy in the mornings during school term. Although it was out on 31/37 runs the Saturday just gone.

It will be interesting to see what happens next year with D&G and new buses/2nd hand coming to Crewe.

Well T21 TYB, WA09 FHL, YJ67 GBX, MX60 BXC and YX63 LGG haven't tracked for over a month, so maybe they don't have surplus buses with over 30 seats, even though they appear to have quite a few new ones. Last time I was on YY64 GWE it had an issue with the door jamming but it didn't result in D&G arranging a vehicle swap.

I would have expected the remaining 2 55 reg Solos to have gone as soon as 2 MMCs entered service, but they remain in use.

 

[sonic2009]

Well T21 TYB, WA09 FHL, YJ67 GBX, MX60 BXC and YX63 LGG haven't tracked for over a month.

I've just asked on Facebook regarding these buses, and had the following replies.

T21 TYB is off the road at Longton Depot.

WA09 FHL is in Longton having work done.

YJ67 GBX is in Cannock having repairs to the body work.

YX63 LGG needs some gearbox work and is at Macclesfield.

Interestingly I've just found out tonight that next week D&G service 12 (Crewe) isn't running in the evenings Wednesday 27th Thursday 28th & Friday 29th due to D&G operating a Saturday service on these dates, usually Monday-Friday these late number 12s operate. The evening services are still used for hospital staff and visitors, and Cheshire East council subside the services at night, would be interesting to find out if there's anything in the tender contract about the service provision over the Christmas period.

 

[northwichcat]

I've just asked on Facebook regarding these buses, and had the following replies.

T21 TYB is off the road at Longton Depot.

WA09 FHL is in Longton having work done.

YJ67 GBX is in Cannock having repairs to the body work.

YX63 LGG needs some gearbox work and is at Macclesfield.

That might partly explain why the Cheshire Versas have moved back to Staffordshire, with the exception of one vehicle. WA09 FHL was last used in Cheshire but it didn't sound that healthy when I last saw it.

It's also interesting that the 64 reg Enviros have gone back on to the 82, when previously they weren't deemed to be good vehicles for the route due to their hill climbing ability. It sounds like the ex-Centrebus ones have different engines, so they might be a different matter.

I have noticed there's been quite a few vehicle swaps between Macclesfield and Wincham. Quite a few of the Solos usually at Macclesfield have ended up on Wincham routes, before going back to Macc.

Interestingly I've just found out tonight that next week D&G service 12 (Crewe) isn't running in the evenings Wednesday 27th Thursday 28th & Friday 29th due to D&G operating a Saturday service on these dates, usually Monday-Friday these late number 12s operate. The evening services are still used for hospital staff and visitors, and Cheshire East council subside the services at night, would be interesting to find out if there's anything in the tender contract about the service provision over the Christmas period.

D&G are inconsistent with that period. In most previous years it's been normal weekday service for the Cheshire East contracted services between Christmas and New Year, but there has been one previous occasion when they resorted to a Saturday timetable.

It also affects the services available to Macclesfield Hospital in that period.

 

[SeanM1997]

Service 385 will change from 28th January. Southbound journeys will be retimed between Heaviley and Marple to improve reliability.

https://dgbus.co.uk/assets/385_2024-01-28.pdf

Service 94 will have Saturday journeys introduced from 24th February, operating every 90 minutes between Newcastle and Congleton.

https://dgbus.co.uk/assets/94,94a,94b_2024-02-24.pdf

 

[northwichcat]

Service 94 will have Saturday journeys introduced from 24th February, operating every 90 minutes between Newcastle and Congleton.

https://dgbus.co.uk/assets/94,94a,94b_2024-02-24.pdf

That'll be reintroducing Saturday journeys - they used to exist on that route. D&G went through a phase of reducing/removing Saturday services claiming they had low usage. In some cases they got introduced as subsided journeys, in others they disappeared.

If this tracking is correct it won't go down well with Cheshire West council. 28 seaters are not compliant with the contract terms due to it carrying Weaverham High pupils and the council did take a dim view when Howards Travel used a 28 seater Dart on that route:

35 - KX57 FMD

ADL Enviro200

bustimes.org

It's also very likely they put a 26 seater on the Knutsford Academy service yesterday morning. I did see that vehicle operating 88/89 services later in the day, so the tracking's probably right. However, I doubt Cheshire East will do anything in response. Maybe they'll send a polite reminder email if they're made aware of it and hadn't been informed by the operator.

Vehicles – 188 - Mobberley - Knutsford Academy – bustimes.org

 

[Danfilm007]

That might partly explain why the Cheshire Versas have moved back to Staffordshire, with the exception of one vehicle. WA09 FHL was last used in Cheshire but it didn't sound that healthy when I last saw it.

I saw T26 TYB on 31 earlier today so maybe they are coming back here too?..

 

[northwichcat]

I saw T26 TYB on 31 earlier today so maybe they are coming back here too?..

That's the one that remained in Cheshire, when the other 2 went back to Staffordshire. T25 TYB and T28 TYB were also in Cheshire for a few years (they moved up a few months after D&G took over the 82), but they've back tracking on Staffordshire services for the last couple of months.

 

[Martin2012]

Since D&G took over from Arriva the last journey on the 38 has now been an hour earlier in both directions departing both Crewe and Macclesfield at 22.35 rather than 23.35.

Based on my experience of using that 23.35 journey out of Crewe I can see why D&G may not have viewed that journey as being commercially viable but am rather surprised the 23.33 arrival into Macclesfield doesn't run back to Crewe in service or at least as far as Sandbach. Or is there a more direct route between Macclesfield and D&G's Crewe depot?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Since D&G took over from Arriva the last journey on the 38 has now been an hour earlier in both directions departing both Crewe and Macclesfield at 22.35 rather than 23.35.

Based on my experience of using that 23.35 journey out of Crewe I can see why D&G may not have viewed that journey as being commercially viable but am rather surprised the 23.33 arrival into Macclesfield doesn't run back to Crewe in service or at least as far as Sandbach. Or is there a more direct route between Macclesfield and D&G's Crewe depot?

Am I being a bit thick here?

You're saying that you can understand why the 23:35 ex Crewe would not be commercial, but you're surprised why there's not a service at the same time from a similar yet smaller town? Weren't the evening services subsidised on Mon-Thurs in Arriva days.... are they all subsidised now?

Also, having a look on bustimes, it looks like the vehicle that does the 2235 ex Crewe is a Macclesfield bus, judging by it operating a 10, 3, 19, or 130 the following day?

 

[northwichcat]

Also, having a look on bustimes, it looks like the vehicle that does the 2235 ex Crewe is a Macclesfield bus, judging by it operating a 10, 3, 19, or 130 the following day?

Indeed. It looks like there's 2 return workings from Macclesfield to Crewe in the evening operated from Macclesfield, usually by a Solo but occasionally a short Enviro.

It looks like the bus that runs empty back to Crewe comes off the 18:45 ex Crewe, but that terminates at Congleton and presumably it runs back out-of-service as it gets into Congleton just 10 minutes before the 19:15 Macclesfield-Crewe.

----------------
Update - 29 Dec
The number of MMCs is increasing.

Two brand new ones - YY73 RFF and YY73 RFE have appeared on 38 Crewe to Macclesfield this week.

 

[SeanM1997]

D&G changes from 5th February 2024

D&G Bus

www.dgbus.co.uk

31 Crewe - Leighton Hospital - Winsford - Northwich

Some weekday journeys in the morning will run earlier, and some journeys in the afternoon will run later as we have given extra time at key points where we have been experiencing traffic congestion, particularly around Leighton Hospital and Winsford.

We have also added an additional weekday evening journey between Winsford and Crewe.

Bus times during the middle of the day on weekdays, and all day on Saturdays, remain unchanged.

https://dgbus.co.uk/assets/31_2024-02-05.pdf

37 Crewe - Sandbach - Middlewich - Winsford - Northwich

Some weekday journeys in the morning will run earlier, and some journeys in the afternoon will run later as we have given extra time at key points where we have been experiencing traffic congestion, particularly around Sandbach and Winsford.

Some journeys that currently terminate in Sandbach in the early evening have been extended to Crewe.

Bus times during the middle of the day on weekdays, and all day on Saturdays (excluding one early evening journey between Winsford and Sandbach), remain unchanged.

https://dgbus.co.uk/assets/37_2024-02-05.pdf

 

[markymark2000]

I guess it wouldn't be D&G without a stupid amount of added time. The 37 on some trips are extended by 30 minutes! (Current 15:05 trip has it's journey time increased by 28 minutes. Current 16:05 trip takes 1h33, it's now retimed to leave Crewe at 16:15 and will take 2h 5 minutes!

I standby the fact it's a shame that there isn't an express placement trip between Crewe and Sandbach. Sandbach to Crewe is such a key corridor and yet the buses just run empty between the two towns. So much wasted mileage.

 

[SeanM1997]

D&G changes from 22nd January 2024

88 Altrincham - Wilmslow - Mobberley - Knutsford - Macclesfield

Service 88 will change from 22nd January.

The 0705 Monday to Friday journey from Macclesfield to Knutsford will run at 0650 and will run 15 minutes earlier throughout.

https://dgbus.co.uk/assets/88,188_2024-01-22.pdf

 

[northwichcat]

D&G changes from 22nd January 2024

88 Altrincham - Wilmslow - Mobberley - Knutsford - Macclesfield

https://dgbus.co.uk/assets/88,188_2024-01-22.pdf

Only logical reason for that appears to be so the next working for that driver & vehicle is the 07:30 Knutsford to Macclesfield, instead of the 188 school working. That would presumably mean the vehicle that does the early 89 instead goes on to the 188. Possibly to allow some 88 journeys to be operated from the Macclesfield depot, while keeping the 89 and 188 workings as Wincham work?

 

[SeanM1997]

Only logical reason for that appears to be so the next working for that driver & vehicle is the 07:30 Knutsford to Macclesfield, instead of the 188 school working. That would presumably mean the vehicle that does the early 89 instead goes on to the 188. Possibly to allow some 88 journeys to be operated from the Macclesfield depot, while keeping the 89 and 188 workings as Wincham work?

That would be a logical move - based on some of the other proposed changes stated, there does seem to be a slight change to reduce dead mileage which is a good thing

It would be useful if some of the 31/37s that start in Northwich actually come from Wincham depot but alas they don't seem to want to change that at the moment

 

[ACBest]

I guess it wouldn't be D&G without a stupid amount of added time. The 37 on some trips are extended by 30 minutes! (Current 15:05 trip has it's journey time increased by 28 minutes. Current 16:05 trip takes 1h33, it's now retimed to leave Crewe at 16:15 and will take 2h 5 minutes!

Taking a look at some data from the last couple of months, it’s evident those journeys do actually need that amount of added time - they frequently become heavily delayed en route.