Commonwealth Games Fleet

[the trainbasher]

Apologies if I've missed it being mentioned but all the buses on the Stafford Tenterbanks - Cannock Chase shuttle today had MR(S) discs and legal lettering.
Not sure quite what was going on but one noted disappearing down Doxey Road and another passing the front of the station with passengers still on and turning into the other part of Tenterbanks.

Yeah, all of the CG Buses stagecoach are running have been licenced to Midland Red (South)

[markcf83]

Apologies if I've missed it being mentioned but all the buses on the Stafford Tenterbanks - Cannock Chase shuttle today had MR(S) discs and legal lettering.
Not sure quite what was going on but one noted disappearing down Doxey Road and another passing the front of the station with passengers still on and turning into the other part of Tenterbanks.

They're hired to Midland Red South for the duration of the Games. 

[Tony]

Apologies if I've missed it being mentioned but all the buses on the Stafford Tenterbanks - Cannock Chase shuttle today had MR(S) discs and legal lettering.
Not sure quite what was going on but one noted disappearing down Doxey Road and another passing the front of the station with passengers still on and turning into the other part of Tenterbanks.

All the vehicles are Midland Red (South) as they are the company with the West Midlands TA operators licence. I have so far photographed 395, around 200 more to see if I can get before they go home

[2900]

i have been driving on the 12 service route Brum to Dudley all this week never seen loads like it in my 25 years to Queens head Londonderry , Many are CWG spectators heading to Sandwell Aquatics Centre, i am looking at the Stagecoach shuttle buses from Brum running basically empty. IS there a lack of knowledge/awareness  etc, i heard one rumour that stagecoach drivers are telling folks to use service buses, i doubt it myself though. I had to leave regulars behind on broad st, hagley rd etc which i thought most unfair as they are the bread and butter for the company.

[Stu]

i have been driving on the 12 service route Brum to Dudley all this week never seen loads like it in my 25 years to Queens head Londonderry , Many are CWG spectators heading to Sandwell Aquatics Centre, i am looking at the Stagecoach shuttle buses from Brum running basically empty. IS there a lack of knowledge/awareness  etc, i heard one rumour that stagecoach drivers are telling folks to use service buses, i doubt it myself though. I had to leave regulars behind on broad st, hagley rd etc which i thought most unfair as they are the bread and butter for the company.

For the Aquatics Centre, I think the problem is that the free shuttle buses only run to and from The Hawthorns. So in order to make use of the shuttle buses, one has to travel first to The Hawthorns station.

If I use the journey planner on the B2022 website, it tells me to get a bus into Birmingham, get the train from Moor Street to The Hawthorns, and then get a shuttle bus.

But for people using regular journey planners (such as on the TfWM website or Google Maps), they will just be directed onto public bus services such as the 12.

[karl724223]

Aquatics centre buses are running down Hagley road to wolves road then going down the 126 route  we to are getting asked by a lot of people for service buses to the aquatics centre with them saying the shuttle buses have not turned up

[2900]

Aquatics centre buses are running down Hagley road to wolves road then going down the 126 route  we to are getting asked by a lot of people for service buses to the aquatics centre with them saying the shuttle buses have not turned up

yes that,s what i have seen the route stagecoach shuttle buses take, come end of the days events its a nightmare around queens head, the 12 is only buses an hour, 89 1 bus an hour.
David Bradford has said stagecoach handling of the shuttle buses contract has not been great, that part from his weekly brief to staff. 

[Westy]

Were the bidders allowed to make their suggestions regarding the specs of the contract or not?

Would've been interesting to see NX's suggestion, if they put in for it in the first place?

[2206]

Would've been interesting to see NX's suggestion, if they put in for it in the first place?

Would they have enough euro 6 vehicles in the first place, as well as having enough for their own normal service requirements (NX have also be duplicating some services I think).
Think stagecoach have sourced those MMC's from a larger fleet across england and scotland..

[mesub]

Would they have enough euro 6 vehicles in the first place, as well as having enough for their own normal service requirements (NX have also be duplicating some services I think).
Think stagecoach have sourced those MMC's from a larger fleet across england and scotland..

I'm sure NX would have seriously considered it, but overall decided against running shuttles for the reason you've said.

[Tony]

I'm sure NX would have seriously considered it, but overall decided against running shuttles for the reason you've said.

Stagecoach won the service via a bidding process. NX like other operators bid. It has nothing to do with them deciding not to run them. In the end it was probably good not to win them with the current nationwide driver shortage. Stagecoach are getting a lot of bad press around the country 

[don]

I've noticed from the videos available on You Tube several curiosities - a number of Cambridge (there are various sites with separately liveried vehicles) Park and Ride vehicles are in use - makes you wonder how the Cambridge p and r is operating? Presumably vehicles from elsewhere or reduced frequency?

It is surprising holiday area buses like Thanet Loop and the Eastbourne - Hastings (Wave) can be spared - at the height of the school holiday staycation and day trip season?

The buses all seem to have had Midland Red South legal lettering applied on a patch along with Bham 2022 patches over the Stagecoach names - quite an undertaking to prep them all and with programmed blinds? They all look to be in v good condition, panelling and paint work wise, from the videos.

Curious to see the odd one v obviously lost - a Stagecoach E400MMC driving down the tram tracks at the bottom of Corporation St (towards the New St station entrances.....)

[the trainbasher]

I've noticed from the videos available on You Tube several curiosities - a number of Cambridge (there are various sites with separately liveried vehicles) Park and Ride vehicles are in use - makes you wonder how the Cambridge p and r is operating? Presumably vehicles from elsewhere or reduced frequency?

It is surprising holiday area buses like Thanet Loop and the Eastbourne - Hastings (Wave) can be spared - at the height of the school holiday staycation and day trip season?

The buses all seem to have had Midland Red South legal lettering applied on a patch along with Bham 2022 patches over the Stagecoach names - quite an undertaking to prep them all and with programmed blinds? They all look to be in v good condition, panelling and paint work wise, from the videos.

Curious to see the odd one v obviously lost - a Stagecoach E400MMC driving down the tram tracks at the bottom of Corporation St (towards the New St station entrances.....)

Thanet have had some loans from SC East (ex Dover E300s) to cover for some of the loans to Midlands

Plus iirc Stagecoach has a "reserve fleet" of older buses for stuff to cover for things like this, the gold Cup etc

[ellspurs]

Stagecoach Oxford have a number of single-deck vehicles out on routes that I've not seen serviced by them before. Main one in my mind is the 10. 

It is also a lot quieter over there at the moment as it is the University holiday time.

[B61 ANDREW]

I guess that the Stagecoach vehicles will start to head home on Tuesday morning ?