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RE: MP Travel - iMarkeh - 23/10/2020 01:34
(22/10/2020 18:11)Liamkennedy2231 Wrote: For the first two days, I observed and it stayed the same:Just to confirm, is 'Vehicle 1' the 04:58 off Beechwood, 05:55 off Liverpool 07:15 off Windmill Hill and so on, so forth.
Vehicle 1 - MP20 BUS - MCV Evora
Vehicle 2 - SN57 DDA - Wright Eclipse B7RLE
Vehicle 3 - MP68 BUS - ADL Enviro 200MMC
Vehicle 4 - W13 MPT - MCV Evolution
‘Vehicle 1’ is out the longest and ‘Vehicle 4’ is out the shortest’ from what I’ve deducted. I worked this out purely from the timetable, so this could be wrong.
So it’d make sense to have the MCV Evora as ‘Vehicle 1’ as it is MPT’s ‘flagship’ bus so to speak. With the Evolution being the least interesting/least favourite (in my view), it would make sense to have that as ‘Vehicle 4’. Therefore from the first two days, I assumed this was the logical answer to the allocations made, and that was how it was going to stay.
However, today I observed again (I didn’t have time to observe yesterday, so it could’ve also been the case yesterday), and new allocations had been made as follows:
Vehicle 1 - W13 MPT - MCV Evolution
Vehicle 2 - MP20 BUS - MCV Evora
Vehicle 3 - MP68 BUS - ADL Enviro 200MMC
Vehicle 4 - LX03 GMF - Plaxton President/SN57 DDA - Wright Eclipse B7RLE
The President ran up until the 1015 trip to Halton Hospital (and is probably the first decker to run X1!) and then had seemingly swapped with the Eclipse thereafter.
So, the allocations do seem to be changing at the moment, and interesting allocations at that!
I wonder when the Commuter will enter service?
Vehicle 4 I presume is the bus starting 08:55 at Halton Hosp
I think I may have to wait another week before trying it out as I am looking for specific buses and I don't fancy sitting around Liverpool 1 for 2 hours to get the right bus haha.
RE: MP Travel - M60lad - 23/10/2020 05:52
As fort the commuter entering service I spoke to the company on social media recently and they told me that its to be repainted before entering service, this is due to the fact that its in Stagecoach livery.
RE: MP Travel - Liamkennedy2231 - 23/10/2020 11:07
(23/10/2020 01:34)iMarkeh Wrote: Just to confirm, is 'Vehicle 1' the 04:58 off Beechwood, 05:55 off Liverpool 07:15 off Windmill Hill and so on, so forth.
Vehicle 4 I presume is the bus starting 08:55 at Halton Hosp
I think I may have to wait another week before trying it out as I am looking for specific buses and I don't fancy sitting around Liverpool 1 for 2 hours to get the right bus haha.
Yes that is correct. Off Runcorn, they go in the order of 1,2,3,1,2,4,3,1,2,4,3,1,2,4,3,1,2,3,1. Again that might not be strictly true, as I just attempted to find the sequence out of the timetable.
Vehicle 1: 6 round trips (First Trip to L1: 0458 | Last Trip to Runcorn: 2000)
Vehicle 2: 5 round trips (First Trip to L1: 0530 | Last Trip to Runcorn: 1755)
Vehicle 3: 5 round trips (First Trip to L1: 0628 | Last Trip to Runcorn: 1855)
Vehicle 4: 3 round trips (First Trip to L1: 0855 | Last Trip to Runcorn: 1535)
Luckily I live pretty near to the route, which is why I’m able to do this haha
RE: MP Travel - Liamkennedy2231 - 23/10/2020 11:13
(23/10/2020 05:52)M60lad Wrote: As fort the commuter entering service I spoke to the company on social media recently and they told me that its to be repainted before entering service, this is due to the fact that its in Stagecoach livery.
Ah okay. I did notice in one of the newer pictures the livery appeared to be being ‘scrubbed off’.
Is this Stagecoach’s policy? As Ashcroft have been running a Stagecoach-liveried Dart on the Widnes circulars and I too thought the livery had to be removed before entering service.
RE: MP Travel - knutstransport - 23/10/2020 11:42
(23/10/2020 11:13)Liamkennedy2231 Wrote: Ah okay. I did notice in one of the newer pictures the livery appeared to be being ‘scrubbed off’.
Is this Stagecoach’s policy?
You may recall a few years back an ex-Stagecoach Cumbria bus was involved in a crash while transporting fruit pickers in the West Midlands and images of the bus crash were all over the media. It was claimed the operator who had the vehicle got in trouble with Stagecoach because one of their requirements of the sale of the vehicle was to debrand it before putting it in to service.
RE: MP Travel - Liamkennedy2231 - 23/10/2020 12:52
(23/10/2020 11:42)knutstransport Wrote: You may recall a few years back an ex-Stagecoach Cumbria bus was involved in a crash while transporting fruit pickers in the West Midlands and images of the bus crash were all over the media. It was claimed the operator who had the vehicle got in trouble with Stagecoach because one of their requirements of the sale of the vehicle was to debrand it before putting it in to service.
Yeah, I think that’s why I thought the livery had to be removed, I remember hearing about that on here actually. Let’s hope Ashcroft’s Dart doesn’t crash then!
RE: MP Travel - Mrboo - 23/10/2020 15:16
Nexus Move ended up upsetting Stagecoach Manchester when they ran a ex stagecoach bus into Ashton Bus Station when they started running buses on their first day.
MP is on good terms with Stagecoach so would not be a big issue if stagecoach logo was removed but it more the issue of the bus running alongside Their own buses and with the serice run for Arriva.
RE: MP Travel - iMarkeh - 24/10/2020 07:55
(23/10/2020 11:07)Liamkennedy2231 Wrote: Yes that is correct. Off Runcorn, they go in the order of 1,2,3,1,2,4,3,1,2,4,3,1,2,4,3,1,2,3,1. Again that might not be strictly true, as I just attempted to find the sequence out of the timetable.Cheers. I just wanted to clarify as that is how I would have done it but some people do things differently hence checking.
Vehicle 1: 6 round trips (First Trip to L1: 0458 | Last Trip to Runcorn: 2000)
Vehicle 2: 5 round trips (First Trip to L1: 0530 | Last Trip to Runcorn: 1755)
Vehicle 3: 5 round trips (First Trip to L1: 0628 | Last Trip to Runcorn: 1855)
Vehicle 4: 3 round trips (First Trip to L1: 0855 | Last Trip to Runcorn: 1535)
Luckily I live pretty near to the route, which is why I’m able to do this haha
(23/10/2020 15:16)Mrboo Wrote: Nexus Move ended up upsetting Stagecoach Manchester when they ran a ex stagecoach bus into Ashton Bus Station when they started running buses on their first day.I think even though MP are on good terms, you don't want to annoy anyone. Running around in an old operators livery in an area where the old operator runs, is very sloppy and it is very dodgy as it's impersonation and if anything happens while out on the road, Stagecoach could possible sue and say it is damaging their reputation and they are losing revenue as a result of impersonation. Yeah, you just wouldn't go there if you wanted your keep your business. In this instance as well, it could possibly jeopardise the contract with Arriva running around with their competitors livery.
MP is on good terms with Stagecoach so would not be a big issue if stagecoach logo was removed but it more the issue of the bus running alongside Their own buses and with the serice run for Arriva.
As much as I would like to see the Eclipse Commuter out, MPTravel are doing the right thing as it not only diminishes all the risk of kick offs from Stagecoach and Arriva and it also reinforces the fact that MP Travel has high standards for their vehicles.
The Lothian Eclipse is different simply because it's not a livery recognised locally (Except by enthusiasts) so you can get away with it more with passengers, Arriva and the past operator.
RE: MP Travel - knutstransport - 24/10/2020 09:29
(24/10/2020 07:55)iMarkeh Wrote: MPTravel are doing the right thing as it not only diminishes all the risk of kick offs from Stagecoach and Arriva and it also reinforces the fact that MP Travel has high standards for their vehicles.
I personally don't have that impression but that's partly because the first time I saw a MP Travel bus was when one was running the Howards 289 service, which was usually operated by a well presented new Metrocity. However, on this day a rattly W reg Dart turned up with MP Travel branding on it and the destination display was showing the wrong service number. It caught the attention of a couple of D&G drivers on their break, who questioned what scrap yard that bus had been salvaged from.
Quote:The Lothian Eclipse is different simply because it's not a livery recognised locally (Except by enthusiasts) so you can get away with it more with passengers, Arriva and the past operator.
As long as the operator's name and legal letter is removed there's obviously no issue, unless a condition of sale was that it needed to be rebranded. I think Warrington Own Buses' are still using buses in Jim Stones' livery and Lancashire United's livery but with their own logo and legal lettering replacing that of the previous operator.
On one occasion I observed Aintree Coachline were using a bus in the livery of another operator, which had the legal lettering for a business in Gravesend, which definitely isn't allowed, especially as it didn't even have an 'on hire to' notice on it.
RE: MP Travel - Mrboo - 24/10/2020 10:21
It all about if your fiends' MP owns a bus in ex stagecoach livery T728 OEF Alexander ALX300 that does run on Rail Replacement. but it not running head to head with Stagecoach. they could also paint just one of the colours. but it would still need painting in any case as it looks tatty and if they have the buses it best to just get the bus painted.
I remember in Perth someone who owes me money and also did tax man out of money and did time for it . upset stagecoach by buying a ex stagecaoch bus and went head to head with stagecoach on a route past there HQ and just renamed the bus stag coach but left the colours. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12611394.david-versus-goliath-battle-as-tiny-rival-takes-on-stagecoach/