Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan

[BHA]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(10/04/2013 09:05)Mayneway Wrote:  

(10/04/2013 06:39)BHA Wrote:  I was in Manchester and noticed 47822 and 47823 in Bluebird livery - nothing special in that but they were on the 173 to Stockport. Is that not the MCT route worked by the white 'van-conversion' minibuses. I know there is a regular Bluebird working to the bottom of Piccadilly station but there were definitely showing 173 Stockport or Stepping Hill.

Also at Shudehill GM owned Solo YJ61JGO was on the 96 showing a hastily added fleet number 25347 and Daw Bank legals on the 96 Simister.

Apologies if this info has been reported before. There seem to be a lot of threads involved with the changes happening to Manchester tendered routes!

The 173 was a MCT tender which they used them horrid bread vans on, but Bluebird won the tender off them roughly a year (maybe slightly longer) ago, and Bluebird have operated it ever since. No doubt it will eventually move to ST depot.

The 96 was until last week operated by Maytree travel of Bolton who suddenly ceased trading. All their tenders have been given to other operators on an emergency basis. As the 96 is a green bus tender it comes with a Hybrid Solo so this has gone to Stagecoach in the last few days. This Solo and several others are operated by Stagecoach's Middleton depot (former Bluebird base), so already it's earning it's keep.

Many thanks for the update. I had missed the change on the 173 - seems a lot less than a year since I saw one of those 'bread-vans' in Stockpoprt.

Must be getting old. Tempus fugit!