Travel de Courcey -- General Thread

[winston]

Lol maybe Rotala will be knocking on their doors soon.

I'm not so sure on that one, especially as DeCourcey has a sizeable NX coach operation.

[MW]

I'm not so sure on that one, especially as DeCourcey has a sizeable NX coach operation.

Well, a buyer for Decourcey could simply purchase the bus side of things, leaving the Private Hire & NX side out of it? Isn't that what Rotala did when purchasing the Eccles depot?

Edit: just to add, I'm merely speculating. Haven't Rotala recently acquired funding for even more acquisitions. Given that Coventry & Tamworth are expanding markets for Rotala right now, after swallowing up Central Buses, I'd presume they'd have eyes in these areas. Given Decourceys recent bad luck with losing work, Rotala will probably be getting their chequebooks out to at least make an offer. They've just sold off Wessex too.

[winston]

Well, a buyer for Decourcey could simply purchase the bus side of things, leaving the Private Hire & NX side out of it? Isn't that what Rotala did when purchasing the Eccles depot?

Edit: just to add, I'm merely speculating. Haven't Rotala recently acquired funding for even more acquisitions. Given that Coventry & Tamworth are expanding markets for Rotala right now, after swallowing up Central Buses, I'd presume they'd have eyes in these areas. Given Decourceys recent bad luck with losing work, Rotala will probably be getting their chequebooks out to at least make an offer. They've just sold off Wessex too.

Could do, Goodwins retained the coach side only sold the bus op.

Yes, last July. The proposed other Manchester acquisitions hasn't happened, plus there will be the proceeds of the sale of Wessex's Avonmouth depot.

[MW]

Could do, Goodwins retained the coach side only sold the bus op.

Yes, last July. The proposed other Manchester acquisitions hasn't happened, plus there will be the proceeds of the sale of Wessex's Avonmouth depot.

I reckon if a deal was to be made, it'd exclude the NX work, the Private Hire work and the School Services because I don't believe this sort of work is compatible with Rotala for various reasons. But the service work, yep. I reckon if they've not made an offer already, they will soon.

What's also interesting is that the Solihull contracts are set for renewal this year at some point aren't they, if the bids haven't already been put through. A Coventry depot would be ideal to house routes 82 / 88 if they're still kept. If the 87 is gained, it'd be doubly ideal.

Having said all of that, previously I would have thought Johnsons would be the only competitor for the Solihull work, but having seen the aggression of Claribels (re: 75) coupled with the excessive lost mileage in Solihull, maybe Diamond won't retain the work in Solihull. But yeah this is going off on a tangent.

[winston]

I reckon if a deal was to be made, it'd exclude the NX work, the Private Hire work and the School Services because I don't believe this sort of work is compatible with Rotala for various reasons. But the service work, yep. I reckon if they've not made an offer already, they will soon.

What's also interesting is that the Solihull contracts are set for renewal this year at some point aren't they, if the bids haven't already been put through. A Coventry depot would be ideal to house routes 82 / 88 if they're still kept. If the 87 is gained, it'd be doubly ideal.

Having said all of that, previously I would have thought Johnsons would be the only competitor for the Solihull work, but having seen the aggression of Claribels (re: 75) coupled with the excessive lost mileage in Solihull, maybe Diamond won't retain the work in Solihull. But yeah this is going off on a tangent.

I believe all of Diamond's current Signature Solihull routes are up for re-tender this Oct. Potentially adding Johnson bus business to Rotala would also be a useful acquisition, maybe more so than DeCourcey.

[BN]

I'm not so sure on that one, especially as DeCourcey has a sizeable NX coach operation.

I think that would be safe as its not actually owned by decourcey.

[Dennis]

I reckon if a deal was to be made, it'd exclude the NX work, the Private Hire work and the School Services because I don't believe this sort of work is compatible with Rotala for various reasons. But the service work, yep. I reckon if they've not made an offer already, they will soon.

What's also interesting is that the Solihull contracts are set for renewal this year at some point aren't they, if the bids haven't already been put through. A Coventry depot would be ideal to house routes 82 / 88 if they're still kept. If the 87 is gained, it'd be doubly ideal.

Having said all of that, previously I would have thought Johnsons would be the only competitor for the Solihull work, but having seen the aggression of Claribels (re: 75) coupled with the excessive lost mileage in Solihull, maybe Diamond won't retain the work in Solihull. But yeah this is going off on a tangent.

Why would the coach part of the business not be compatible with Rotala? Seems to me like it would merge seamlessly into Flights/Hallmark with Diamond branding on what's left of the bus services (assuming there are any post October tenders).

X6 must surely be at risk as running anonymous vehicles in dealer white doesn't suggest much commitment in the longer term future for the route.

[winston]

I think that would be safe as its not actually owned by decourcey.

I was referring more to the loss of Flights Hallmark / NX Coach contract for the 210 a few years back & subsequent legal action that followed by Rotala.

[BN]

I was referring more to the loss of Flights Hallmark / NX Coach contract for the 210 a few years back & subsequent legal action that followed by Rotala.

Ahh, I see. Apologies.

[BN]

Why would the coach part of the business not be compatible with Rotala? Seems to me like it would merge seamlessly into Flights/Hallmark with Diamond branding on what's left of the bus services (assuming there are any post October tenders).

X6 must surely be at risk as running anonymous vehicles in dealer white doesn't suggest much commitment in the longer term future for the route.

The coach work is not strictly part of decourcey.

[JPC]

Sunday journeys on services X6 and 585 will no longer run.

Ref : https://www.traveldecourcey.com/news/article/79/service_revisions

[Solo1]

What buses are normally used on the Tesco services please

[Adam 404]

What buses are normally used on the Tesco services please

Refer to my spreadsheet found in this thread...
http://wmbusphotos.com/forum/index.php?topic=4104.0

[Dennis]

Sunday journeys on services X6 and 585 will no longer run.

Ref : https://www.traveldecourcey.com/news/article/79/service_revisions

585 Sunday being taken on by Stagecoach

[Sandy Lane]

585 Sunday being taken on by Stagecoach

Now that is interesting. I am told that way back in the days (decades ago) of Midland Red that for years MR used to operate a Coventry to Brinklow and the other villages but it did not pay and was then scrapped. What surprises me that MDC cant make it work on a Sunday and have walked away from it how can Stagecoach see it as profitable?