(02/11/2015 20:32)Dentonian Wrote:  Percentage wise, that's still a bigger spare capacity for single-deckers then D/Ds, but more to the point, which services are designated as "single-deckers"?

(02/11/2015 18:19)Mayneway Wrote:  Then why they so reluctant to use them?

This is not me just saying it I've heard two drivers say the week before half term that they were short of deckers, and if your theory is correct why are regular diesel Enviro400's still regular workers of the 219??

(02/11/2015 18:24)Mayneway Wrote:  Because the 192 is the 'golden goose' and with this new park and ride scheme at hazel grove no doubt thier keen to have it as green as possible.

Having said that according to a post on another site, drivers from the depot these hybrids have come from are glad to see the back of them apparently so perhaps they will spend the majority of there time over the pits

(02/11/2015 20:50)Dentonian Wrote:  I think a bit of a history lesson is required in answer to a number of these replies.

Stagecoach's Hybrid Enviro400s were initially part funded by the Government, to run on designated routes: 192 at Stockport, 42/43 at Sharston, 197/219 at Hyde Road. Subsequent commercial deliveries were also based on designated routes eg 50, 111, 256 etc.

For "operational" reasons, the 219 service was largely transferred from HE to AZ, supposedly with the equivalent number of Hybrids. However, the schedulers have decided to interwork 216s with 219s, so it can hardly be claimed AZ are short of Hybrids on that basis, just because they spend half their time on the 216. Similarly, why are HE suddenly short of Hybrids, when the requirement hasn't changed for some while, and it was always accepted that some peak extras on the 50 would be diesel operated.

As regards 19326-9, presumably it was decided that these were not good enough to replace younger Hybrids in Sheffield, so they have been dumped on Hyde Road, allowing the latter depot's newest mainstream* buses (19516 apart) to go to Sheffield instead. Of course, someone is going to say what about the 31 MMCs due at HE? Given the current operating environment, I can quite easily imagine them being branded for 38, 250 & X50, thus releasing the most of the other 09 reg diesels at HE (many of which are currently branded for the 38 & X50) to other depots to allow cascading of remaining Tridents.
* ie. not including X50 & 76 branded buses and tacho fitted 19528-31

(02/11/2015 23:06)Mayneway Wrote:  The first few paragraphs of this should explain it best:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tachograph

Obviously most service buses don't need them as they only do local service work but most coaches and trucks do have them fitted.

Obviously some buses within a large fleet will have them fitted so they can be used on private hires etc.

(03/11/2015 09:01)Dentonian Wrote:  What! Vehicle allocation is dependant on where a bus is parked? Don't Stagecoach employ shunters and/or routers any more? A professional company will organise where a bus should be parked at the end of its operational day, so that drivers take their properly allocated bus out the following morning.

As for single-deck allocation, 236/7 (at least the workings that pick up Students) & all 347 should be double-deckers.

(03/11/2015 09:06)Dentonian Wrote:  As for 19004, there isn't much wrong with this bus. I caught it recently on a typical off-peak 203 into Stockport ie. gawd knows how late, and full standing load, and it performed well. I certainly prefer it to the threadbare '08 regs.

(04/11/2015 21:47)Dentonian Wrote:  The first time I rode on 19130 - some time ago - it was actually quite rough. I seem to remember it struggling to get out of second gear, and at one point thought the driver was going to "demic" the bus. However, I did notice (as on subsequent journeys) that it is better upholstered than the vast majority of native examples. Whether it had a quieter life in Gloucester, or whether it was refurbised before transfer, I don't know.
I think, 19130/65/99 are now regarded as permanent fixtures. More surprisingly, I suspect 10031 is also now classed as a Manchester bus