For Sale

[winston]

Would the OfT allow a partnership eg Arriva and Centrbus aka Centrebus Holdings but replace Arriva with say Stagey for the Northampton sale? Or even a sort of High Peaks style merger/sell off!

The main question is would it work and would it be worth it??

Wyvern I could see Arriva, Abellio, Go Ahead or even National Express trying to bid for parts.

NX only seem interested in high frequency urban areas in the UK, if the whole of Wyvern was for sale which included the profitable Worcester operation then who knows??? NX could look to acquire the business to prevent another operator i.e. Arriva from increasing its presence in the surrounding areas

[Discodave]

The oft are just causing problems everywhere yes there needs to be competition but if no one else wants what is for sale why stop it.  First might just have to close up and go so a potential buyer will put on replacements so a monopoly is going to happen regardless.

[PM]

It seems irritating that the OFT and MMC always seem to intervene. Bet First are also annoyed-tbh to raise the £100 mil theyd be better to sell in London where MMC etc dont care

[winston]

Has anyone heard anymore on the proposed sale of First Wyvern Redditch & Kidderminster operations? As all seems to have gone quiet since that list of subsidiaries for sale was leaked to the press

Also of interest is an article on the website below which suggests not only FDC's Barnstable operation was for sale and could have included Plymouth as well, but this deal appears to have fallen through. Stagecoach as well? It also suggests other operations in Devon & Cornwall, Somerset & Dorset may be sale, so of which didn't feature on that leaked list. 

http://www.omnibuses.blogspot.co.uk/

[andy]

All seems to be up in the air Winston, I was driving back up from Cornwall on the M5 yesterday and around the Exeter area I passed about 8 - 10 Stagecoach Enviros heading the other way, all with Stagecoach logo but fleetnames painted over in white, so seems they're dragging vehicles in from Bluebird or somewhere already to start extra operations.

[D10]

Whittle seem to be getting ahead of any potential sale of the Kidderminster operations by increasing their own services. After increasing their services to Bewdley to every 20 minutes from July, from the 15th October, they will be running every 15 mins to Stourport by way of the 3 and 192, thus matching First's 3/X3 on this corridor:

http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/chym/FileHandlers/BusServiceTimetable.pdf?ID=1439

[Discodave]

seems the oft are being a little more sensible and thinking of peoples jobs not just oh no one big bad bus company taking all the money as they have provisionally accpeted the sale of arriva scotland to mcgills (see latest buses mag)

[Bruce_LOA400X]

Just wondering about this..

for all that has been said about selling some bits off, not much has happened.... just a few fleet changes...

Northampton have S reg Scanias now, two gemini's and the old Citybuses K-URP ones.

Leicester have a few buses transferred too, one route has the frequency upped, my local route is lowered along with the odd other... things seem to be ok on the outside????

but what is going on? I mean Leicester haven't had the new livery yet. where is it? the other areas have it! So I think something is cooking?

[D10]

Nothing seems to have been publicly announced, which isn't surprising really.

I have to say though that I was in Redditch last week one day and I noticed at least 2 First drivers had no uniform on at all, and were driving in jeans and casual tops. So I wondered if First had stopped uniform issues there if there was no future for their depot in the town?

[winston]

According to a couple of posts on the midlandred.net forum by two different reputable members both KR & RH operations are understood to be being sold/have been sold to NX Group/NXWM 

Elsewhere on the GM buses yahoo group it is reported a big announcement is expected for staff at First Manchester's Wigan depot, which is many believe to be an announcement regarding its sale by First Group, whether the above are all connected remains to be seen. But it finally appears things are starting to move regarding First Groups asset disposals

[jc]

There is planned to be an official announcement on the 16th October ... 67312 and 67256 have been moved to Worcester ready for scrap as they are not part of the deal with 67245 and 67247 looking set to follow. Apparently things are to be run seperate from NXWM ... Please can i keep my E300s?  :-[

[winston]

There is planned to be an official announcement on the 16th October ... 67312 and 67256 have been moved to Worcester ready for scrap as they are not part of the deal with 67245 and 67247 looking set to follow. Apparently things are to be run seperate from NXWM ... Please can i keep my E300s?  :-[

Thanks for the confirmation jc, interesting times ahead..... Roll on the 16th October. I would have thought that the E300's would be included in the deal being 8 yrs old and non-standard within First Group

I had originally thought that RH may have been of interest to NX but not KR, however, with investment in the fleet, improved service provisions & fare initiatives, both garages have the potential to grow significantly

I presume you wouldn't have any idea about the announcement expected for Wigan depot staff in the near future?

[jc]

I have no idea about Wigan sorry, but it would be ideal for Stagecoach ... but as an outsider i have heard Rotala O.o

[tank90]

Ok so what will the 51 buses NX have bought be, besides the Presidents?

And if they get any enviros i can see them moving to replace mercs and others in Birmingham and Cov. I cant see what first are selling for the two depots as a fleet as the fleet is a mish mash of buses ranaging from fully DDA to just step less entry. I ask as 67312 has gone to Worcester so that limits what darts get moved as i cant see Nx wanting darts that are like 67312. And if i'm looking at it you could get rid of a batch of enviros say 67631-51 (20 in there) and 67600-04 (5) (25 so far about half of the 51), then what?
And if they have bought RH and KD one has to ask why them and not say Glasgow or Bath or somewhere where they can make a hit.

[Tomjusttom]

There is planned to be an official announcement on the 16th October ... 67312 and 67256 have been moved to Worcester ready for scrap as they are not part of the deal with 67245 and 67247 looking set to follow. Apparently things are to be run seperate from NXWM ... Please can i keep my E300s?  :-[

Suddenly sees a load of b6les waiting outside Redditch depot with e300s heading out to Pensnett lol only joking