Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan

[gilesbus1]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester
Wigan Sightings 2nd and 3rd December 2012

Sunday 2nd December

Not really much more than others have reported, reached the depot late on after Boyle street at 3.40pm.

Seen was a line of MAN's and Enviro Enviro200's plus a solitary Enviro300 mixed, none of which are in service, I am told by someone that none will be in service until after driver familiarisation takes place, so possibly later in teh week or next week, hence why Excels and VolvO B10BLE's are still running around in number.

There was also a chap painting out the First Locket Road depot sign on the gable of the depot, and also a neew Stagecoach roundal applied to the top. Outside teh workshops there where still a B7RLE and a couple of Dart SLF's still with First Transfers and numbers having them removed. Noted amongst the transfered Manchester MAN's was S104TRJ.

MONDAY

Much better day today, spent the afternoon in Wigan as I am on holiday from work. Seen first of all was R623CVR which has been taken in lue of S655RNA which hasn't gone over, and has got its fleet number in the sequence, X699ADK also didn't go over and has transfered to First's Manchester depot.
Also seen was MAN S144TRJ which had brought two members of staff to the bus station but wasn't in service and Enviro E20D/Enviro Enviro200 MX62LVF being used for type familiarisation within the bus station, there was a crowd of about 4 or 5 drivers crowded around it while an instructor was showing then controls in the cab. Also seen was a surgence of deckers on the 540 namely an Olympian P294KPX and two Arrows all of which where carrying good loads.

Later went to the depot to find that another 3 MAN's had arrived along with what appeared to be a late model Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer II, thought these where no long due here??? or has it been sourced from elsewhere. These where all parked at the rear of the workshop, also about where a number of Vehixels and Optare Versa school buses that had returned from school journeys. Also parked at the end of the line of Stagecoach buses transfered in was a solitary Excel so maybe one has been withdrawn after inspection by Stagecoach already.