http://www.route-one.net/articles/Employees/Two_Manchester_depots_to_close__says_First
From this weeks London Bus News
"FirstGroup has put the Manchester bus operation on sale in cut-price deal.
The Manchester operation is FirstGroup's fourth largest regional bus network, with depots at Bury, Oldham, and
Bolton being included in the sale.
The move comes as FirstGroup recently found itself under pressure by activist investors to break up the firm after
it refused a takeover bid from Apollo Global Management in 2018."
Have they?
;
An item appeared first in the Telegraph on 4th February quoting unnamed industry sources . A response in the form of a notice to staff appeared on the Merseyside bus group, which of course merely stated that under stock exchange rules they couldn't say.
Quote from: mikestone on February 09, 2019, 05:51:06 PM
Have they?
;
An item appeared first in the Telegraph on 4th February quoting unnamed industry sources . A response in the form of a notice to staff appeared on the Merseyside bus group, which of course merely stated that under stock exchange rules they couldn't say.
Looks like it originated from the Telegraph article, has the same mistake i.e. Bury being a current depot, it's been closed down, it should read Queens Road, Oldham & Bolton depots instead.
Go ahead get Queens Road https://www.go-ahead.com/en/media/news/2019/go-ahead-agrees-terms-with-firstgroup-to-purchase-manchester-bus.html
I was expecting Go Ahead to acquire part of Manchester, I also think Transdev will take Bolton or Oldham.
Arriva North West or Stagecoach Manchester to buy one of them too I reckon.
I don't expect either of those two company's to be involved.
Quote from: markcf83 on February 19, 2019, 11:13:52 AM
Arriva North West or Stagecoach Manchester to buy one of them too I reckon.
Arriva won't buy anything, rumours not so long suggested Arriva would ideally like out of the UK altogether. DB have large debts & their monopoly on German trains is being eroded.
There was press speculation that DB might also be looking to partially float Arriva on the stock exchange to raise funds to pay down DB debt.
Stagecoach will be unable to participate in any deals due to competition concerns.
Is NX going to have a bash at Manchester?
New licence applied for by Go-Ahead to operate Queens Road Depot. I assume that the the name of "GO-AHEAD XX LTD" is a mistake and the XX will in fact be something more geographical to the area!
PC2021320 SN GO-AHEAD XX LTD
Director(s): DAVID BROWN, ELODIE BRIAN
4 MATTHEW PARKER STREET, Go-Ahead Group PLC, LONDON, SW1H 9NP
Operating Centre: QUEENS ROAD DEPOT, QUEENS ROAD, MANCHESTER,
M8 8UT
Authorisation: 165 vehicle(s)
Transport Manager(s): JOHN ROXBURGH, ANDREW WILSON
Quote from: D10 on March 03, 2019, 10:41:03 AM
New licence applied for by Go-Ahead to operate Queens Road Depot. I assume that the the name of "GO-AHEAD XX LTD" is a mistake and the XX will in fact be something more geographical to the area!
PC2021320 SN GO-AHEAD XX LTD
Director(s): DAVID BROWN, ELODIE BRIAN
4 MATTHEW PARKER STREET, Go-Ahead Group PLC, LONDON, SW1H 9NP
Operating Centre: QUEENS ROAD DEPOT, QUEENS ROAD, MANCHESTER,
M8 8UT
Authorisation: 165 vehicle(s)
Transport Manager(s): JOHN ROXBURGH, ANDREW WILSON
Go-Ahead XX Ltd is a dormant company that was used for the license application. It was renamed Go North West Limited on the 21st February so that will be the legal name on vehicles
Wonder who will buy the Oldham depot as rotala have Bolton go ahead have Manchester
Re Oldham. It's believed that it will be added to the West Yorkshire fleet.
First have sold their Bolton depot to Rotala. The Vantage busway is not included in the sale.
https://www.firstgroup.com/about-us/news/first-manchester-announces-intention-sell-bolton-depot-and-operations-rotala-plc
From the latest North West Notices & Proceedings dated the 24th July 2019: ???
Section 2.4 – Variation Applications Granted
PC0003680 SN FIRST MANCHESTER LTD
Director(s): DAVID ALEXANDER, Ian Humphreys
FIRST MANCHESTER LTD, WALLSHAW STREET, OLDHAM, OL1 3TR
New operating centre: First Manchester Ltd, 261 Wilmslow Road, Rusholme,
Manchester, M14 5LJ
New authorisation at this operating centre will be: 50 vehicle(s)
Rusholme depot had of course been closed by First at the start of this year.
Quote from: D10 on July 28, 2019, 11:33:14 AM
From the latest North West Notices & Proceedings dated the 24th July 2019: ???
Section 2.4 – Variation Applications Granted
PC0003680 SN FIRST MANCHESTER LTD
Director(s): DAVID ALEXANDER, Ian Humphreys
FIRST MANCHESTER LTD, WALLSHAW STREET, OLDHAM, OL1 3TR
New operating centre: First Manchester Ltd, 261 Wilmslow Road, Rusholme,
Manchester, M14 5LJ
New authorisation at this operating centre will be: 50 vehicle(s)
Rusholme depot had of course been closed by First at the start of this year.
That was Plan A - but I understand the drivers & union's were up in arms over operating Vantage from the opposite side of Manchester.
Plan B - Is to locate the Vantage Fleet at the same location as Arriva Bolton's depot which is still owned by former Blue Bus owner Roger Jarvis
The yard opposite the main Arriva Bolton depot is currently up for let, I assume it's hear where First are proposing to locate:
https://www.primelocation.com/to-rent/commercial/details/50719947?search_identifier=ba6dbe793e596190f9d82a23d20da1fc#Q0EsFgsItHZvfMFy.97
If you look at post #9940 on the below link it explains the change of heart & Bolton being 80% likely to go ahead:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/firstgroup-restructuring-and-survival.65668/page-332
Looks like the Bolton base for Vantage is going ahead:
PC0003680 SN FIRST MANCHESTER LTD Director(s): DAVID ALEXANDER, Ian Humphreys FIRST MANCHESTER LTD, WALLSHAW STREET, OLDHAM, OL1 3TR
New operating centre: BLUE BUS & COACH SERVICES LTD, GOODWIN STREET, BOLTON, BL1 1UN New authorisation at this operating centre will be: 40 vehicle(s)
Passed 2 First Manchester B9TLs just after leaving York on the A64, they were heading towards York. Guess these may have come from Bolton heading to York
Jungle drums suggest 12 single-decks leaving Manchester today (Sunday) bound for Midlands. Probably PMT first before going elsewhere.
Quote from: 47609FireFly on August 11, 2019, 10:39:44 AM
Jungle drums suggest 12 single-decks leaving Manchester today (Sunday) bound for Midlands. Probably PMT first before going elsewhere.
I assume those would be the 11 plate B7RLE (69521-31), I thought they may end joining Leicester with the 59 plate examples from Wells.
There are 9 Streetlites coming for Potteries and 3 for Leicester. I'm unsure on fleet numbers.
Quote from: Nathan on August 11, 2019, 11:25:26 AM
There are 9 Streetlites coming for Potteries and 3 for Leicester. I'm unsure on fleet numbers.
My presumption is they will be fleet numbers 63106-8, 63111-8 & 63146 (All currently allocated to Oldham depot who's PVR is expected to drop in September due to service cuts)
Also, I had heard it was the other way round (9 for Leicester & 3 for Potteries)
Quote from: willr7 on August 11, 2019, 11:55:18 AM
My presumption is they will be fleet numbers 63106-8, 63111-8 & 63146 (All currently allocated to Oldham depot who's PVR is expected to drop in September due to service cuts)
Also, I had heard it was the other way round (9 for Leicester & 3 for Potteries)
Ah yes, i hadn't took those service cuts into account. I knew they were coming from Oldham though. I was just going off what i read on the Firstbus Enthusiast Facebook group. I believe it was someone quite high up with First's Midland's division who commented it. I'm sure it said 9 to Potteries, but i'll have a look for the comment again in case i misread it.
Quote from: Nathan on August 11, 2019, 12:04:17 PM
Ah yes, i hadn't took those service cuts into account. I knew they were coming from Oldham though. I was just going off what i read on the Firstbus Enthusiast Facebook group. I believe it was someone quite high up with First's Midland's division who commented it. I'm sure it said 9 to Potteries, but i'll have a look for the comment again in case i misread it.
Have heard that those coming will be from the 47466-81 batch so the slightly shorter ones rather than the 63xxx ones.
The cascading has begun. 47466-473 & 69521-26 have gone to Sheffield while 37385/87 are at York. Slightly unrelated but relevant to Sheffield is the arrival from Leeds of 36254/5/6 & 37754/6.
Quote from: markcf83 on August 12, 2019, 04:19:34 PM
The cascading has begun. 47466-473 & 69521-26 have gone to Sheffield while 37385/87 are at York. Slightly unrelated but relevant to Sheffield is the arrival from Leeds of 36254/5/6 & 37754/6.
There was only 69521-31 at Manchester