TfGM Bee Network - fleet discussion

[507021]

Is anyone aware of which Enviro400 hybrids TfGM have purchased from Stagecoach, please? Also, if anyone could clarify who actually owns the hybrids used on the Vantage services, I'd appreciate it.

 

[Class 466]

Is anyone aware of which Enviro400 hybrids TfGM have purchased from Stagecoach, please? Also, if anyone could clarify who actually owns the hybrids used on the Vantage services, I'd appreciate it.

They’re the NK11 batch listed on Bustimes under Stagecoach currently.

The vantage Gemini 3s are all operated by Go North West but as with everything that’s permanently Bee Network I believe they’re TFGM owned.

It’s day 2 of there being 0 OmniCity’s in service… other fleets must be stretched a bit to cover for them now surely.

 

[Leyland Bus]

They’re the NK11 batch listed on Bustimes under Stagecoach currently.

The vantage Gemini 3s are all operated by Go North West but as with everything that’s permanently Bee Network I believe they’re TFGM owned.

It’s day 2 of there being 0 OmniCity’s in service… other fleets must be stretched a bit to cover for them now surely.

AFAIK Only the electric buses purchased new are owned by TfGM, everything else went through the asset pool and was purchased by GNW with the franchise...

AFAIK Only the electric buses purchased new are owned by TfGM, everything else went through the asset pool and was purchased by GNW with the franchise...

The OnmiCitys are withdrawn and won't run with GNW again. They will transfer to Stagecoach next month once works to them have been completed.

 

[Class 466]

50 new Zero Emission Buses and 84 new Euro 6 Bee Network buses introduced into phase two areas over the coming months:

Bee Network moves ahead as Greater Manchester gets ready for phase two of bus franchising

news.tfgm.com

• Half of Greater Manchester’s bus services will be under local control when phase two of bus franchising launches in Oldham, Rochdale and parts of Bury, Salford and north Manchester on 24 March.
• Bus service improvements include: more frequent and earlier and later services; pre-franchise service reductions reversed, and plans being developed to improve performance on the worst performing routes.
• All-night bus pilot set to launch later this year providing 24/7 bus services for people working in the night time economy on the V1 and 36 routes.
• New journey planner and bus tracker function on the Bee Network app due to launch by 24 March.
• A further 30 new TravelSafe Support and Enforcement Officers are being recruited to patrol franchised bus services, bus stations and interchanges.
• 50 more new Zero Emission Buses and 84 new, best-in-class fully branded, Euro 6 Bee Network buses will be introduced into the fleet in the coming months.
• The move paves the way for a fully integrated network across Greater Manchester by January 2025 – and savings of up to 20% available for passengers’ using buses and Metrolink using the Bee AnyBus + Tram ticket.

Greater Manchester will see its ambitious plans for the full delivery of the Bee Network – transforming public transport across the region – take a big step forward in just over one month’s time, with the launch of phase two of bus franchising.

On Sunday 24 March buses in Oldham, Rochdale and parts of Bury, Salford and north Manchester will come back under public control for the first time in almost 40 years.

The Bee Network is Greater Manchester’s vision for an integrated, ‘London-style’ transport system, which will change the way people travel across the city region. It launched on 24 September 2023 with the successful implementation of the first phase of bus franchising across Wigan, Bolton and parts of Bury and Salford.

The change will mean a total of 324 bus routes – 188 routes in phase one and 136 routes in phase two – totalling 50% of the bus network in Greater Manchester, will be managed by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) as part of the Bee Network. General bus services in phase two will be operated by Stagecoach, First Group and Diamond under a franchising arrangement.

Key benefits include:

• Immediate service improvements to boost services on key routes in Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Bury, Manchester and Tameside, including more early and late services and better connections to first and last trams.
• Reversing frequency reductions introduced last year – before they were part of the Bee Network - delivering more daytime and evening services.
• Developing plans with bus operators to improve the worst performing routes across phase two services, with extra buses on standby, timetable changes and reviewing road junctions and signals to keep buses moving.
• A new journey planner will be added to the Bee Network app along with a live bus tracker by 24 March – so passengers can easily plan their journey, buy tickets, and see exactly where their bus is on the route.
• 30 additional TravelSafe Support and Enforcement Officers (TSEOs) patrolling franchised bus services, transport interchanges and bus stations, boosting the size of the team to 60 dedicated officers.
• 50 new Zero Emission Buses and 84 new Euro 6 Bee Network buses introduced into phase two areas over the coming months, with air conditioning, USB chargers, ramps, wheelchair bays, hearing induction loops, anti-slip flooring and AV announcement systems.

Passengers using both Metrolink and bus as a part of their journey will also benefit from savings of up to 20% using the AnyBus + Tram ticket. People using the network can also check how it’s performing with new weekly and monthly reports showing performance in phase two areas, as well as the wider network.

A full list of the bus service improvements set to be introduced on 24 March in phase two areas is available to view at https://tfgm.com/the-bee-network/bus-service-changes

 

[cnjb8]

Is anyone aware of which Enviro400 hybrids TfGM have purchased from Stagecoach, please? Also, if anyone could clarify who actually owns the hybrids used on the Vantage services, I'd appreciate it.

12024/27/31 were sold by Stagecoach Manchester to TfGM in October 2023 according to the fleetcards

 

[M60lad]

I might be jumping the gun here but it looks like the Scania Omnicities have from today been withdrawn from Heywood Depot as none were seen on 163, 472/474 this morning while I was in Bury Interchange and despite them still being on the fleetlist on BusTimes this morning by tonight the whole fleet of them had disappeared on there and also none seem to have tracked either today.

 

[Dallamlad]

I might be jumping the gun here but it looks like the Scania Omnicities have from today been withdrawn from Heywood Depot as none were seen on 163, 472/474 this morning while I was in Bury Interchange and despite them still being on the fleetlist on BusTimes this morning by tonight the whole fleet of them had disappeared on there and also none seem to have tracked either today.

Yes all withdrawn, as mentioned by Leyland bus above

 

[WWH44L]

6167, vinyls should land for it on Monday.

I'm pretty sure it was 3428, it was already yellow and that number is in my head... Will teach me to leave my notes behind... I'll check on Monday...

Numbers haven't been decided yet, could be that some blue ones go and get repainted on return as we had some scaffolding delivered at the close of the week..!

@Leyland Bus Did you manage to check if it was 3428 that had gone for refurb?

 

[Class 466]

@Leyland Bus Did you manage to check if it was 3428 that had gone for refurb?

Given it’s out in service today - I doubt it

 

[aswilliamsuk]

50 new Zero Emission Buses and 84 new Euro 6 Bee Network buses introduced into phase two areas over the coming months:

Bee Network moves ahead as Greater Manchester gets ready for phase two of bus franchising

news.tfgm.com

That number is interesting, seeing as recent reports (and the recent fleetbooks) have suggested:

Stagecoach
- 82 E40D
- 16 Volvo B8RLE/MCV eVoRa
- 4 Merc/Mellor Strata
- 50 BYD/ADL E400 City

First
- 16 Volvo B8RLE/MCV eVoRa
- 17 Merc/Mellor Strata

I make that a total of 135 Euro 6 buses and 50 EV - which suggests that some of these at least are not going to be arriving until much later in the year...

 

[mancbus]

50 new Zero Emission Buses and 84 new Euro 6 Bee Network buses introduced into phase two areas over the coming months:

Bee Network moves ahead as Greater Manchester gets ready for phase two of bus franchising

news.tfgm.com

What routes will they run on

 

[507021]

They’re the NK11 batch listed on Bustimes under Stagecoach currently.

The vantage Gemini 3s are all operated by Go North West but as with everything that’s permanently Bee Network I believe they’re TFGM owned.

It’s day 2 of there being 0 OmniCity’s in service… other fleets must be stretched a bit to cover for them now surely.

AFAIK Only the electric buses purchased new are owned by TfGM, everything else went through the asset pool and was purchased by GNW with the franchise...


The OnmiCitys are withdrawn and won't run with GNW again. They will transfer to Stagecoach next month once works to them have been completed.

12024/27/31 were sold by Stagecoach Manchester to TfGM in October 2023 according to the fleetcards

Thanks all, much appreciated.

 

[Mollman]

What routes will they run on

The ones which are part of the Tranche 2 franchise

 

[Leyland Bus]

@Leyland Bus Did you manage to check if it was 3428 that had gone for refurb?

Yeah I did, god knows where I got that number from! although I think I did a corner on it the same week which is probably why it was embedded in the front of my brain! Lol!

It was 3473 that's gone away, the other two on your list are at WN for mechanical rectification (overhaul) work.

 

[Class 466]

Looking the Queens Road main fleet from 24 March will be

All BN61 B5LH Gemini 2s (Loan?)
All MX58 B9TL Geminis (Loan)
20x Scania Omnicity (Short Term?)

The rest transferring away leaving a shortfall of 50 odd vehicles (mainly single deckers) to come from within Stagecoach if none of the new vehicles are ready.

I guess there’s a chance some of the painted up 400MMCs could transfer there but it looks more likely based on numbers that they’ll go to Oldham/Middleton with the new order due later in 2024 coming to Queens Road

Oh and there’s the 19 low height B5LHs bought by TFGM (not for Heywood) and those 11 plate Enviro 400Hs in the mix.

 

[darylyates17]

Looking the Queens Road main fleet from 24 March will be

All BN61 B5LH Gemini 2s (Loan?)
All MX58 B9TL Geminis (Loan)
20x Scania Omnicity (Short Term?)

The rest transferring away leaving a shortfall of 50 odd vehicles (mainly single deckers) to come from within Stagecoach if none of the new vehicles are ready.

I guess there’s a chance some of the painted up 400MMCs could transfer there but it looks more likely based on numbers that they’ll go to Oldham/Middleton with the new order due later in 2024 coming to Queens Road

Oh and there’s the 19 low height B5LHs bought by TFGM (not for Heywood) and those 11 plate Enviro 400Hs in the mix.

So the vehicles going to Stagecoach will be loans rather than purchased?

 

[Class 466]

So the vehicles going to Stagecoach will be loans rather than purchased?

Those pretty much life expired 58 plate B9TLs are only on loan whilst Enviro 400MMCs are manufactured. Stagecoach won’t have won a bid with vehicles that old in the long term plan (up to 2028)

 

[cnjb8]

Looking the Queens Road main fleet from 24 March will be

All BN61 B5LH Gemini 2s (Loan?)
All MX58 B9TL Geminis (Loan)
20x Scania Omnicity (Short Term?)

The rest transferring away leaving a shortfall of 50 odd vehicles (mainly single deckers) to come from within Stagecoach if none of the new vehicles are ready.

I guess there’s a chance some of the painted up 400MMCs could transfer there but it looks more likely based on numbers that they’ll go to Oldham/Middleton with the new order due later in 2024 coming to Queens Road

Oh and there’s the 19 low height B5LHs bought by TFGM (not for Heywood) and those 11 plate Enviro 400Hs in the mix.

Apparently a couple more transfers from other Stagecoach opcos are due. Some E400MMCs are transferring from Cumbria. What depot they are for I don't know

 

[gka472l]

Apparently a couple more transfers from other Stagecoach opcos are due. Some E400MMCs are transferring from Cumbria. What depot they are for I don't know

Can't post the source as it's from a private group on FB messenger but there are 29 loans from elsewhere in Stagecoach to go to Manchester, also a few of the new Solo's in build will be going too, although whether staying or loaned, I don't know for certain....

HTH

 

[Leyland Bus]

Looking the Queens Road main fleet from 24 March will be

All BN61 B5LH Gemini 2s (Loan?)
All MX58 B9TL Geminis (Loan)
20x Scania Omnicity (Short Term?)

The rest transferring away leaving a shortfall of 50 odd vehicles (mainly single deckers) to come from within Stagecoach if none of the new vehicles are ready.

I guess there’s a chance some of the painted up 400MMCs could transfer there but it looks more likely based on numbers that they’ll go to Oldham/Middleton with the new order due later in 2024 coming to Queens Road

Oh and there’s the 19 low height B5LHs bought by TFGM (not for Heywood) and those 11 plate Enviro 400Hs in the mix.

Sorry, which B5s have TfGM purchased? I must have missed that announcement?

 

[Class 466]

Sorry, which B5s have TfGM purchased? I must have missed that announcement?

351-368 at Oxford Bus Co - some are already reported as departing from their fleet for Manchester

 

[xitz2012@gmail]

Looking the Queens Road main fleet from 24 March will be

All BN61 B5LH Gemini 2s (Loan?)
All MX58 B9TL Geminis (Loan)
20x Scania Omnicity (Short Term?)

The rest transferring away leaving a shortfall of 50 odd vehicles (mainly single deckers) to come from within Stagecoach if none of the new vehicles are ready.

I guess there’s a chance some of the painted up 400MMCs could transfer there but it looks more likely based on numbers that they’ll go to Oldham/Middleton with the new order due later in 2024 coming to Queens Road

Oh and there’s the 19 low height B5LHs bought by TFGM (not for Heywood) and those 11 plate Enviro 400Hs in the mix.

Where might the yellow Tridentviros go to?

 

[jonesy3001]

What's happening to the evoseti deckers?

 

[Class 466]

What's happening to the evoseti deckers?

Some are going to Heywood for Schools contracts I believe with the rest moving elsewhere. I won’t miss them and those awful seats

 

[WWH44L]

Some are going to Heywood for Schools contracts I believe with the rest moving elsewhere. I won’t miss them and those awful seats

There is a bit of an update on the Go North West Enthusiasts page:

MX58 B9TLs, BN61 B5LHs, Free Buses and the 36xx Scanias to Stagecoach on loan.

E400s, B7RLEs 6167-70 plus two BG reg ones plus 8 Evosetis to Heywood.

Remaining 9 Evosetis to Bolton but not confirmed.

07 reg B9TLs to North East but not confirmed

6101-4 to training school

3355 to Bolton training, 3353/7 for scrap

Question over remaining Citaros, B7RLEs, Solos, Streetlites and E200s so still a big chunk there to be reallocated etc.

 

[Fox192]

I heard the 07 plates were coming to hull

 

[darylyates17]

There is a bit of an update on the Go North West Enthusiasts page:

MX58 B9TLs, BN61 B5LHs, Free Buses and the 36xx Scanias to Stagecoach on loan.

E400s, B7RLEs 6167-70 plus two BG reg ones plus 8 Evosetis to Heywood.

Remaining 9 Evosetis to Bolton but not confirmed.

07 reg B9TLs to North East but not confirmed

6101-4 to training school

3355 to Bolton training, 3353/7 for scrap

Question over remaining Citaros, B7RLEs, Solos, Streetlites and E200s so still a big chunk there to be reallocated etc.

I'm pretty sure the Free Bus Optares are owned by TfGM and if so they were always staying at Queens Road. I can see 6230-6332 going to Bolton alongside the rest of the batch. The 3 other Citaros will probably be disposed of or become training vehicles.

 

[Ron H]

Is it known where in Stagecoach, the Omnicities will be going?

 

[Class 466]

Is it known where in Stagecoach, the Omnicities will be going?

Queens Road whilst awaiting new vehicles

 

[Ron H]

Queens Road whilst awaiting new vehicles

Thanks for that! I just looked on Bus Times and Googled "Stagecoach Queen's Road Depot" and both came up with nothing. Could it be known as something else on there or do you know another vehicle that's allocated to Queen's Road and I might be able to find it that way. I'm presuming Queen's Road is in Manchester?