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Messages - arrifirststage

#61
Quote from: Winston on March 13, 2015, 11:45:16 AM
Quote from: arrifirststage on March 13, 2015, 11:26:41 AM
Quote from: Tony on March 12, 2015, 07:38:32 PM
Where are  all those people who keep posting NXWM 'don't want to operate outside the West Midlands' ?
Tony,can you please explain how this subsidy works? On the face of things it appears almost illegal that a competitive route can be introduced with a subsidy unless there is a restriction that passengers can only travel to i54.........or am I missing something?
Could you please explain.
They are not competitive routes, they are being introduced with funding to give I54 new transport links and were put out to tender, which NX won. I'm sure Arriva would have also submitted bids to operate them.

Winston,I realise they were put out to tender,and if only passengers to the i54 could use them I could understand,but if. Route from Wolverhampton to Stafford,or to Hednesford,is not competing with the incumbent operator then what is it?

Could I give a sum of money under tender to an operator to compete on say the outer circle would that not be illegal,if not,then why not.
#62
Quote from: Tony on March 12, 2015, 07:38:32 PM
Where are  all those people who keep posting NXWM 'don't want to operate outside the West Midlands' ?
Tony,can you please explain how this subsidy works? On the face of things it appears almost illegal that a competitive route can be introduced with a subsidy unless there is a restriction that passengers can only travel to i54.........or am I missing something?
Could you please explain.
#63
Quote from: Steveminor on March 11, 2015, 11:46:57 AM
Following on from the discussion in the heartlands thread,  what is everyone's view on the national concessionary scheme. Is it a good thing, a bad thing, should it be discontinued & if so replaced with what?
I personally would like to see the pass discontinued & replaced with the national transport token scheme of old where pensioners & disabled were given a set amount of tokens each month to spend on transport as & when needed. The reimbursement for operators was much better & there was far less abuse of the scheme as the amount of travel was finite people would travel for essential purposes & save up for more improptu days out. Not as now hop on  & off in one stop "because it's free".

I am a pensioner and pass holder.........I use my pass quite frequently,but I think a fairer method would be to withdraw the pass completely and increase the old age pension instead...at least then ALL pensioners would benefit instead of only those who use public transport.
No need then for continual squabbling about reimbursement for bus operators.
#64
Quote from: The Real 4778 on March 08, 2015, 10:42:20 AM
Quote from: Mike K on March 08, 2015, 10:40:35 AM
Quote from: Kevin on March 08, 2015, 10:30:09 AM
Quote from: karl724223 on March 08, 2015, 10:10:29 AM
Only five pages of drivel

That was since I last checked the forum  ;)

Let's face it a brand new vehicle type, a brand new livery and a new style of route branding are bound to provoke comment and debate.

The drivel in this thread comes from a running commentary of how many Tridents are on the 9 each day, a daily essay on the goings on on the 243/244, plus 100 or so pages on a bunch of 14 year old Tridents being transferred from BC.

Eloquently put, sir.
Unfortunately,too much of most threads is cluttered with the minutiae of NXWM  daily observations......it is good to see a wider view of bus operations being discussed,even if many views differ from my own.
Surely this is the point of a forum.
#65
Quote from: Tony on March 07, 2015, 10:25:33 PM
Quote from: The Real 4778 on March 07, 2015, 10:19:43 PM
Quote from: RW on March 07, 2015, 10:11:50 PM
Oh dear the vinyl vandals have been at it again. Classy new livery and look what they do to it.

Completely agree.

You get a stylish livery at long last, and then mash completely random shapes and Wacky Warehouse kiddy colours all over it. 

NX marketing team should be sacked for approving it, and the branding expert who came up with it really should give up smoking crack.

The person who designed that branding, and the previous ones, was stood next to me while I was watching it being applied. He says he quite enjoys the comments on here, including the negative ones!
Alas,all so boringly predictable.......hideous as it is,at least branding partly hid the unimaginative old colours (can't be dignified with the word livery) but this new livery is very attractive.
Vandalising it with anything would be sad,but with this rubbish it is criminal.......any yobs with a spray can could do a better job,and to describe the branding as "designed" really does stretch credibility to the limit.
Cannot these PR and marketing wonks be found anything better to do?
Words like dignified or proud are beyond the vocabulary of these people.
I cannot believe I am saying this,but at least TrentBarton branding looks professional.
Management will doubtless console themselves with the belief that it will increase patronage,if this is so then the public are even more gullible than I would suppose.
Afraid we must suffer it unless.............please Sir Brian can you increase your offer?
#66
Quote from: monkeyjoe on March 07, 2015, 09:36:15 AM
The whole business is going to be taken over by Stagecoach and re branded Midland Red, so NX won't have any say ;)

Wishful thinking perhaps??
#67
Garage threads / Re: Perry Barr Garage
March 06, 2015, 02:06:36 PM
Quote from: trident4370 on March 06, 2015, 01:25:43 PM
You see worse than that on television  ;D
Maybe,but it doesn't make it acceptable.
However,I have received a private message from Kevin and the whole matter is now closed,except to say I now have far more respect for Kevin than before.
#68
Garage threads / Re: Perry Barr Garage
March 06, 2015, 11:08:14 AM
Quote from: Kevin on March 05, 2015, 08:39:17 PM
Quote from: John on March 05, 2015, 07:51:31 PM
From next Monday, all 28s will be serving Scott Arms, so no daytime 28Es to Dyas Road

!!!!!!
FINALLY! Thank fuck for that
Evenings and Sundays as well?
I realise I may be old fashioned,but can we not attempt to moderate language when posting on this forum.
I find myself quite offended by this and if a poster cannot express himself more lucidly perhaps he shouldn't post at all.
#69
Arriva / Re: Arriva New Bus Orders 2014/15
March 05, 2015, 11:27:45 AM
Quote from: arrifirststage on March 05, 2015, 09:28:30 AM
Quote from: Tony on March 04, 2015, 01:09:05 PM
Cannot see much for the Midlands here


Arriva UK Bus is investing £45m in new buses over the next 12 months. The operator is implementing a three stage roll out of over 230 new carbon efficient vehicles, which are expected to improve service provision across both new and existing routes nationwide. It is investing in: 165 ADL Enviro400s, 11 ADL Enviro200s, 12 Wrightbus 10.8m StreetLite Midi Hybrids, 34 Wrightbus 11.5m StreetLite Max Hybrids, four Wrightbus 8.8m StreetLite Micro Hybrids and six Optare 8.8m Solos.

The first wave of investment will see 62 ADL Enviro400s go into service across the north west. Each will be fitted to Arriva's standard spec with e-Leather seating, CCTV and free Wi-Fi. They are intended to reinforce capacity on key city routes, whilst also freeing up the one and two year old single deckers for refurbishment and redeployment elsewhere in its Midlands, south east and north east operations. A further 47 Enviro400's will enter service in the north west in the latter half of the year. The following stage, due to launch in the autumn, will see six premium Sapphire and two inter-urban express MAX routes bolstered by the introduction of a further 56 Enviro400s.

A further 28 buses, built to Sapphire's exacting specification, including e-leather seating, power points and extra leg room, are on route for use on Durham's route6 and in Northfleet. These will be Wrightbus StreetLite Maxs with Cummins Euro5 engines and Wrightbus' Micro Hybrid Technology. The remainder of the investment will include the addition of 12 Wrightbus Hybrid StreetLite Midi vehicles for use in the Southern Counties. The Wrexham, Rhyl and Luton depots will then receive a fleet of ADL Enviro200s, which utilise a new automated manual transmission (AMT) designed to cut fuel consumption and emissions by around 13%
This whole order seems pretty few.........I must admit I would have thought that 232 buses would be for the North West alone,never mind the other fleets.
Makes you wonder if Arriva plan any retrenchment anywhere,possibly starting with Wardles?
Also noticeable is the absence of any Wright Streetdeck order.Is this because there has been insufficient time to test the Derby example so far or ..................
#70
Arriva / Re: Arriva New Bus Orders 2014/15
March 05, 2015, 09:28:30 AM
Quote from: Tony on March 04, 2015, 01:09:05 PM
Cannot see much for the Midlands here


Arriva UK Bus is investing £45m in new buses over the next 12 months. The operator is implementing a three stage roll out of over 230 new carbon efficient vehicles, which are expected to improve service provision across both new and existing routes nationwide. It is investing in: 165 ADL Enviro400s, 11 ADL Enviro200s, 12 Wrightbus 10.8m StreetLite Midi Hybrids, 34 Wrightbus 11.5m StreetLite Max Hybrids, four Wrightbus 8.8m StreetLite Micro Hybrids and six Optare 8.8m Solos.

The first wave of investment will see 62 ADL Enviro400s go into service across the north west. Each will be fitted to Arriva's standard spec with e-Leather seating, CCTV and free Wi-Fi. They are intended to reinforce capacity on key city routes, whilst also freeing up the one and two year old single deckers for refurbishment and redeployment elsewhere in its Midlands, south east and north east operations. A further 47 Enviro400's will enter service in the north west in the latter half of the year. The following stage, due to launch in the autumn, will see six premium Sapphire and two inter-urban express MAX routes bolstered by the introduction of a further 56 Enviro400s.

A further 28 buses, built to Sapphire's exacting specification, including e-leather seating, power points and extra leg room, are on route for use on Durham's route6 and in Northfleet. These will be Wrightbus StreetLite Maxs with Cummins Euro5 engines and Wrightbus' Micro Hybrid Technology. The remainder of the investment will include the addition of 12 Wrightbus Hybrid StreetLite Midi vehicles for use in the Southern Counties. The Wrexham, Rhyl and Luton depots will then receive a fleet of ADL Enviro200s, which utilise a new automated manual transmission (AMT) designed to cut fuel consumption and emissions by around 13%
This whole order seems pretty few.........I must admit I would have thought that 232 buses would be for the North West alone,never mind the other fleets.
Makes you wonder if Arriva plan any retrenchment anywhere,possibly starting with Wardles?
#71
Rotala / Re: Diamond Bus North West
March 01, 2015, 05:01:08 PM
Quote from: Winston on March 01, 2015, 03:33:31 PM
Quote from: bwsau cymru on March 01, 2015, 03:04:29 PM
Absoutely brilliant great to see Rotala expand and hopefully see the Diamond brand expand into the north west. I think it will be an excellent opportunity for expansion into the Manchester market!!
Seem to have a good fleet for me personally nice to see scanias and optare tempo's hopefully some of the tempos and wright bodied buses move to other parts of Rotala and maybe some darts send to SLT!!

There may be a bit more opportunity in NW Manchester to expand, but Rotala will be flanked by Stagecoach in Wigan & both Arriva & First in Bolton. Stagecoach Manchester have gobbled up quite a few Manchester independents of late. Jim Stones of Leigh might be a useful bolt-on acquisition to add to the newly acquired network of routes or if Rosso or Warrington BT were ever put up for sale.

Don't forget Rotala sold the ex Ludlows Scania/Wright Access-Ultralows & Solars
Rotala are either very brave or very foolish to go into that area,never a huge money spinner in the past.
Good luck to them,but they could ,if they make much progress,find themselves overwhelmed by Stagecoach or First the former particularly don't pussyfoot about if they ever feel threatened.
Suppose it all depends on what they paid (if anything) and how carefully they tread............still,best of luck Rotala.
#72
Quote from: RW on February 25, 2015, 09:29:07 AM
Please no branding. At least let them hit the road in pristine livery before anyone is let loose on them with yards of vinyl. Sadly!

At last!!!........someone else who recognises the aesthetic damage caused by this legalised vandalism.
Where have you been these last couple of years while I have been almost a lone voice in stridently criticising this mutilation.
Alas,We still appear to be very much in the minority.......these PR wonks have convinced themselves of the huge illusory benefits of this "branding".
I imagine that people who scribble on buses with felt tip pens are still prosecuted if caught,although,other than being the legal owner of the vehicle,I cannot see much difference.
#73
Quote from: Gareth on February 15, 2015, 04:05:50 AM
'Quite a young member', I like that! 😃 I'm 35. So as a child growing up in the 80s it's the 6301 onwards batch that I know of the most. I have vague memories of the 45** batch that lasted until 1987, but late BCT, early WMPTE and ex Midland Red are a bit too early for me.
No offence meant........believe me 35 to me is very young,I have Grandchildren that age.
Seriously,we all remember our favourite era as being when we were in our teens.......my favourites are Bimingham City Transport early post-war buses,immaculate and reaching a standard we will never see again.
Just wait a while,these new MMC's will be officially vandalised with pointless branding before you know it.
#74
Arriva / Re: Cannock Garage
February 15, 2015, 11:18:18 AM
Quote from: Bob on February 15, 2015, 09:44:55 AM
Quote from: BN on February 13, 2015, 09:00:09 PM
3811 delivered today.

Yep and broke down on its first day in use...lmaoooo
Have you yet been able to spare a minute to write to the managing director of DB in Germany.......anyone can moan ceaselessly,time you did something about it.
#75
Arriva / Re: Cannock Garage
February 14, 2015, 07:12:17 PM
Quote from: Bob on February 14, 2015, 06:56:07 PM
If he asked me what my views were id have said "give us back what we own you privatising right wing t##t". Remember when the tories tried to sell off the chase? He put a column in the local paper saying he basically agreed with it. The following week they had to have two extra letters pages for the backlash.  He then went on to say he thought public ownership was best after that.  Opportunistic t####r. Never trust a tory.
Whatever my political views,I would imagine they would be better expressed in less profanity strewn language than that.
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