Yorkshire Tiger acquired by Transdev

[Deerfold]

So perhaps one for the back burner then.

I can't see any reason it'd happen in the next decade, if at all.

 

[aswilliamsuk]

Interestingly, Phase 4 of the A629 upgrade between Huddersfield and Halifax makes specific reference to a Quality Bus Corridor, and bus priority improvements.

A629 phase 4 walking and cycling Halifax - Huddersfield (Paused) | Calderdale Next Chapter

calderdalenextchapter.co.uk

Creating a quality bus corridor with highway measures to improve bus journey times and journey quality.
Real-time information provision along bus routes, with improved stop locations.
Bus infrastructure that enables bus operators to introduce an express service between Huddersfield and Halifax.

 

[Deerfold]

Interestingly, Phase 4 of the A629 upgrade between Huddersfield and Halifax makes specific reference to a Quality Bus Corridor, and bus priority improvements.

A629 phase 4 walking and cycling Halifax - Huddersfield (Paused) | Calderdale Next Chapter

calderdalenextchapter.co.uk

It does specifically mention an express between Halifax and Huddersfield. I wonder if they've talked to bus operators about it.
The A629 (although not the bypass section) has had bus lanes added and removed several times in my lifetime as the political shape of Calderdale Council has changed.

 

[Glenn1969]

Given that Phase 1B has slipped to 2023 completion I think Phase 4 will be at best a 2030 completion project

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

If Transdev introduced a Halifax to Huddersfield express service running at a fairly decent frequency, using good quality buses (ie comfortable, branded, clean interiors with USB sockets, wifi etc...)... then surely there's a market for that when you look at what the competition is offering. Clapped out Enviros/ B7TLs/ B9TLs, with often filthy interiors.

Yes but as we've said before, Transdev don't tend usually go in for direct competition and they'd be unwise to change that

Transdev have been competing hard for tenders recently, winning the Keighley tenders back (except the 903, which hasn't come up yet), most of the Otley routes, the airport routes and just recently a lot of Lancashire routes

Absolutely. I don't know why @NorthernSpirit thinks that Transdev aren't interested in tendered work. As you allude to, they are just about to send 23 brand new minibuses onto newly won/enhanced tenders in Lancashire on little Hotline and these https://www.transdevbus.co.uk/burnl...try-more-buses-and-better-buses-ribble-valley

The tendered networks in Calderdale/Kirklees etc are exactly the sort of stuff that Transdev have been picking up

At the moment the airport has to subsidise the services to Leeds, Bradford and Otley that serve it. I can't see one from Huddersfield and Halifax being commercially viable. Especially as the airport is not at its best at the moment and there's about to be huge works on the Elland bypass.

Very true. Many airport bus services tend to be supported or appointed by the airport and given the current situation with air travel, I think that sort of thing is a very low priority

Not wanting to be pessimistic but I assume there priority would be to retain the tenders in Halifax and Huddersfield which as mentioned is 90% of their work and makes the depots viable. Ithey retain them that security may give them the confidence to explore new commercial routes, as mentioned competing with other operators isn't really there game - and hope it doesn't to be honest in the current climate.

Don't think you're being pessimistic but are being realistic. The tendered routes are the bedrock of the operations and cover most of the fixed cost overheads. They will want to maintain that before indulging in developing the commercial aspect

It does specifically mention an express between Halifax and Huddersfield. I wonder if they've talked to bus operators about it.
The A629 (although not the bypass section) has had bus lanes added and removed several times in my lifetime as the political shape of Calderdale Council has changed.

I suspect that First are already on it, being the pre-eminent operator in the towns and also not wishing to lose out vs their own slower 503.

 

[Glenn1969]

Any express bus needs the whole of the A629 Infrastructure project to be completed. The Calder and Hebble works say early 2023 completion, the Town Centre works say 2024 and the Kirklees elements are undated on the website. The works that involve the Railway station haven't been submitted for Full Business Case yet and are due to undergo more consultation this summer. Which suggests any express Bus service will not start before 2025. Or am I being too pessimistic?

 

[tbtc]

If TM Travel weren't part of Wellglade then I could see it fitting rather neatly into Transdev's operation - between the Waterloo services and the Nottingham ones (pure speculation on my part, but TM feels like more of a Transdev kind of operation than a dumping ground for ex-Trent vehicles)

My idea for Transdev to run a Queensbury to Leeds service via Illingworth, Halifax, Elland, Brighouse and White Rose Centre would be down to recreating the old M62 and X80 services but with more journeys and it gives Lord Hornby that chance to scream its amazing. The link into Leeds is only there to allow connections on to other Transdev services, plus it could in a way act as a CityZap 2 from the ashes

I get the impression that the bit highlighted above says more about the poster than it does about Transdev/ Mr Hornby...

So they’ve bought it, and now they’re immediately going to close a big chunk of it down? Why would they do that.....?

Exactly - I don't get why people assume that a company would spend a lot of time and money taking something over only to close it

If Transdev introduced a Halifax to Huddersfield express service running at a fairly decent frequency, using good quality buses (ie comfortable, branded, clean interiors with USB sockets, wifi etc...)... then surely there's a market for that when you look at what the competition is offering. Clapped out Enviros/ B7TLs/ B9TLs, with often filthy interiors.

Would there be much of a saving compared to the current First stoppers? (i.e. how much of the journey time is vehicles stuck in traffic versus sitting at bus stops)

From memory, it's the kind of thing that gets tried and then abandoned from time to time (?)

 

[Deerfold]

Any express bus needs the whole of the A629 Infrastructure project to be completed. The Calder and Hebble works say early 2023 completion, the Town Centre works say 2024 and the Kirklees elements are undated on the website. The works that involve the Railway station haven't been submitted for Full Business Case yet and are due to undergo more consultation this summer. Which suggests any express Bus service will not start before 2025. Or am I being too pessimistic?

According to those maps, Tiger services 343 and 563 will need substantial rerouting as Saddleworth Road between West Vale and Elland becomes one way.

Presumably there will also be changes required so some routes can access the new Elland rail station.

 

[Andyh82]

Would there be much of a saving compared to the current First stoppers? (i.e. how much of the journey time is vehicles stuck in traffic versus sitting at bus stops)

From memory, it's the kind of thing that gets tried and then abandoned from time to time (?)

The fast bus (X36) was withdrawn around when First launched the Overground

Instead of having the slow bus every 15 minutes and the fast bus every 30 minutes they changed it so the slow bus was the Orange Line running every 10 minutes (and for a short while actually ran every 8 minutes)

 

[Deerfold]

If TM Travel weren't part of Wellglade then I could see it fitting rather neatly into Transdev's operation - between the Waterloo services and the Nottingham ones (pure speculation on my part, but TM feels like more of a Transdev kind of operation than a dumping ground for ex-Trent vehicles)



I get the impression that the bit highlighted above says more about the poster than it does about Transdev/ Mr Hornby...


Exactly - I don't get why people assume that a company would spend a lot of time and money taking something over only to close it


Would there be much of a saving compared to the current First stoppers? (i.e. how much of the journey time is vehicles stuck in traffic versus sitting at bus stops)

From memory, it's the kind of thing that gets tried and then abandoned from time to time (?)

Back in the day (90s) the times for the X36/X37 were about 25 minutes compared with 35 minutes for the 502/3/4 (now all 503 except for some evening 501s).
The X36/37 ran every half hour (every 15 in the peaks) until about 1800. The X37 only ran hourly on a Saturday and for a while extended to Sheffield. It didn't call anywhere in Elland.

The 502 ran every hour from Keighley, the 503 every hour from Bradford and the 504 every half hour from Riley Lane, Ogden. Evenings and Sundays there was 1 502 and 1 504 an hour. Only the 2310-ish from Keighley did not extend beyond Halifax.

 

[cnjb8]

If TM Travel weren't part of Wellglade then I could see it fitting rather neatly into Transdev's operation - between the Waterloo services and the Nottingham ones (pure speculation on my part, but TM feels like more of a Transdev kind of operation than a dumping ground for ex-Trent vehicles)



I get the impression that the bit highlighted above says more about the poster than it does about Transdev/ Mr Hornby...


Exactly - I don't get why people assume that a company would spend a lot of time and money taking something over only to close it


Would there be much of a saving compared to the current First stoppers? (i.e. how much of the journey time is vehicles stuck in traffic versus sitting at bus stops)

From memory, it's the kind of thing that gets tried and then abandoned from time to time (?)

Pre-Wellglade TM certainly would be attractive to Transdev, it's been a bit run into the ground under Wellglade

 

[RustySpoons]

Pre-Wellglade TM certainly would be attractive to Transdev, it's been a bit run into the ground under Wellglade

Could that not be appealing to Transdev, or any potential purchaser? Acquire the company at its worst (and cheapest) and turn things around.

 

[cnjb8]

Could that not be appealing to Transdev, or any potential purchaser? Acquire the company at its worst (and cheapest) and turn things around.

True, but I don't think Wellglade will sell it anyways. TM used to be a huge operation, one of the biggest operations in Derbyshire, the same definitely cannot be said now.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Could that not be appealing to Transdev, or any potential purchaser? Acquire the company at its worst (and cheapest) and turn things around.

As someone who has used and continues to use services out of Waterloo depot, I can only hope they improve things. For the last 30 years the operation has been the "ginger stepchild" (as a ginger I'm permitted to use that expression ) of whichever owners were in place: with an ageing hotchpotch fleet of hand-me-downs. The only exception being at the start of the Centrebus Holdings era when the Plaxton Centros were introduced.

 

[Dusty_Bin]

As someone who has used and continues to use services out of Waterloo depot, I can only hope they improve things. For the last 30 years the operation has been the "ginger stepchild" (as a ginger I'm permitted to use that expression ) of whichever owners were in place: with an ageing hotchpotch fleet of hand-me-downs. The only exception being at the start of the Centrebus Holdings era when the Plaxton Centros were introduced.

I think the ginger will be going. Transdev already use Orange as a main base colour for Burnley, this will be something different.

 

[woodhouse122]

True, but I don't think Wellglade will sell it anyways. TM used to be a huge operation, one of the biggest operations in Derbyshire, the same definitely cannot be said now.

If anyone was to make an offer to TM Travel it would be CT Plus (who took a lot of TMs tendered routes when they took over Powell's ) I don't think Transdev would be too interested

 

[cnjb8]

If anyone was to make an offer to TM Travel it would be CT Plus (who took a lot of TMs tendered routes when they took over Powell's ) I don't think Transdev would be too interested

I could see the main routes being transferred to TrentBarton and then the contracted routes could go to CT Plus.

 

[John B]

I could see the main routes being transferred to TrentBarton and then the contracted routes could go to CT Plus.

Can't see the relevance of this regarding Transdev and Yorkshire Tiger.

 

[RustySpoons]

Can't see the relevance of this regarding Transdev and Yorkshire Tiger.

Relating to the speculation that Transdev could acquire TM Travel, starting in Post #127. Even though not strictly relevant it'd be better as a passing discussion here than a short thread on its own with no context.

 

[Andyh82]

Team Pennine launches 25th July

https://twitter.com/TeamPennine/status/1410148930759897091?s=20

Tweet shows image saying 25.07.21

Service 233 will be renumbered D1 and branded as "Denby Darts" with better buses from day one

https://twitter.com/TeamPennine/status/1411601763938062336?s=20

Tweet shows image of an Enviro 200 branded as Denby Darts

 

[aswilliamsuk]

Team Pennine launches 25th July

https://twitter.com/TeamPennine/status/1410148930759897091?s=20

Tweet shows image saying 25.07.21

Service 233 will be renumbered D1 and branded as "Denby Darts" with better buses from day one

https://twitter.com/TeamPennine/status/1411601763938062336?s=20

Tweet shows image of an Enviro 200 branded as Denby Darts

The six newer vehicles for the D1 are youthful E20Ds, according to reports elsewhere. The first two are 16-reg examples that were new as airport vehicles.

It's also understood that there are six more (new) Merc/Mellor due soon for the Halifax operations.

The latter is particularly interesting as Arriva Yorkshire have reportedly taken back the six newest Solo SRs for the main fleet...

 

[Andyh82]

I'm hoping they are aware of the capacity required for Shelley College at school times, as Yorkshire Tiger have already gone through the process of removing double decks, getting complaints and then having to bring some back/run extra journeys

 

[317 forever]

The six newer vehicles for the D1 are youthful E20Ds, according to reports elsewhere. The first two are 16-reg examples that were new as airport vehicles.

It's also understood that there are six more (new) Merc/Mellor due soon for the Halifax operations.

The latter is particularly interesting as Arriva Yorkshire have reportedly taken back the six newest Solo SRs for the main fleet...

Although Arriva did indeed take back those Solo SRs, they are used in part on an extension of an Arriva route (261) to cover a hitherto Yorkshire Tiger route (262).

 

[py_megapixel]

Where have the new 'Denby Darts' E200s from and what are they replacing on the 233/D1?

I assume the rest of the routes are keeping the vehicles from Tiger for now?

 

[Deerfold]

Where have the new 'Denby Darts' E200s from and what are they replacing on the 233/D1?

I assume the rest of the routes are keeping the vehicles from Tiger for now?

For now. Team Pennine have said they're going to replace a third of the fleet over the next 3 months.

Team Pennine buses set to take to the roads across Calderdale this Sunday

New bus operator for the Kirklees and Calderdale districts of West Yorkshire takes to the road this Sunday, securing and creating jobs.

www.halifaxcourier.co.uk

We will invest in the quality of service immediately by replacing one in three of the old Yorkshire Tiger bus fleet by the end of October, as part of our mission to create buses people will be proud to be seen on.

 

[cnjb8]

Where have the new 'Denby Darts' E200s from and what are they replacing on the 233/D1?

I assume the rest of the routes are keeping the vehicles from Tiger for now?

The E200s were used on car park shuttles around Gatwick Airport I think

 

[SCH117X]

According to the West Yorkshire Information Service fleetlist accessible from https://www.wyis.org.uk/ that carrying the reg P77TDV was a Heathrow vehicle (YX16ODF)

 

[py_megapixel]

The E200s were used on car park shuttles around Gatwick Airport I think

Ah right, doesn't sound like it would have been massively taxing work for them then. Though I didn't know Transdev had any work there - have they bought them from someone else?

 

[WY Bus Spotter]

Ah right, doesn't sound like it would have been massively taxing work for them then. Though I didn't know Transdev had any work there - have they bought them from someone else?

They will most likely be dealer stock. I believe the days of Blazefield/ Transdev buying vehicles outright ended a while ago

 

[py_megapixel]

They will most likely be dealer stock. I believe the days of Blazefield/ Transdev buying vehicles outright ended a while ago

What do you mean 'buying vehicles outright'? Clearly they get vehicles built to their own spec - e.g. the new 'Sky Class' MMCs for Cityzap and Witchway - but are those leased or what?

(Sorry if I sound a bit stupid, this really isn't my area of knowledge)