For Sale

[sconehead85]

I honestly left out Northumberland Park when I counted the allocations in my HB Publications book, and may have counted buses which were in reserve or about to be cascaded.  If First sold all the London operations they'd lose a supply of LF cascades which could cost First more in the long run.

Theres nothing to rule out National Express  buying into London again I suppose.  Another thought, (unlikely) is again a First-Nat Exp swap, one London depot for Dundee, which is the lingo of the business "non-core".

First should keep some London depots.  I am unsure which depots would be sold in the event.
They would be unwise to cut off the cascade supply, particularly as Go-Ahead has woken up to the concept.

sconehead85

[winston]

I honestly left out Northumberland Park when I counted the allocations in my HB Publications book, and may have counted buses which were in reserve or about to be cascaded.  If First sold all the London operations they'd lose a supply of LF cascades which could cost First more in the long run.

Theres nothing to rule out National Express  buying into London again I suppose.  Another thought, (unlikely) is again a First-Nat Exp swap, one London depot for Dundee, which is the lingo of the business "non-core".

First should keep some London depots.  I am unsure which depots would be sold in the event.
They would be unwise to cut off the cascade supply, particularly as Go-Ahead has woken up to the concept.

sconehead85

This is the site where my figures have come from

http://www.londonbusroutes.net/garages.htm

I'm pretty sure Dundee makes quite decent profit margins, more likely to be greater than a London garage. There was talk that NX were potentially interested in First's Livingston & Larbert operations which aren't located that far from Dundee, but all has gone quiet on that & most other sale rumours

[Tony]

I honestly left out Northumberland Park when I counted the allocations in my HB Publications book, and may have counted buses which were in reserve or about to be cascaded.  If First sold all the London operations they'd lose a supply of LF cascades which could cost First more in the long run.

Theres nothing to rule out National Express  buying into London again I suppose.  Another thought, (unlikely) is again a First-Nat Exp swap, one London depot for Dundee, which is the lingo of the business "non-core".

First should keep some London depots.  I am unsure which depots would be sold in the event.
They would be unwise to cut off the cascade supply, particularly as Go-Ahead has woken up to the concept.

sconehead85

It is the London vehicle cascade that has caused most of First's problems! Sending almost all new vehicles to London then other operators getting 7-10 year old London spec vehicles is a disasterous way to run a business. If you notice when Stagecoach bought back into London they made a point of saying they would not be doing that. The vehicles they acquired with the purchase of East London/SELKENT are mostly owned so some of these are being sent around the country for school work replacing Olympians but all new vehicles are leased and will be returned to the leasor onced they have finished in London

[winston]

I honestly left out Northumberland Park when I counted the allocations in my HB Publications book, and may have counted buses which were in reserve or about to be cascaded.  If First sold all the London operations they'd lose a supply of LF cascades which could cost First more in the long run.

Theres nothing to rule out National Express  buying into London again I suppose.  Another thought, (unlikely) is again a First-Nat Exp swap, one London depot for Dundee, which is the lingo of the business "non-core".

First should keep some London depots.  I am unsure which depots would be sold in the event.
They would be unwise to cut off the cascade supply, particularly as Go-Ahead has woken up to the concept.

sconehead85

It is the London vehicle cascade that has caused most of First's problems! Sending almost all new vehicles to London then other operators getting 7-10 year old London spec vehicles is a disasterous way to run a business. If you notice when Stagecoach bought back into London they made a point of saying they would not be doing that. The vehicles they acquired with the purchase of East London/SELKENT are mostly owned so some of these are being sent around the country for school work replacing Olympians but all new vehicles are leased and will be returned to the leasor onced they have finished in London

Cascading from London can be a good source of 7-10 year old buses to replace older buses in other parts of the country, but it should be used in addition to buying new vehicles

[Cedric]

check this link first  have finally put something on there website   
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/worcestershire_herefordshire/travel_news/news_initiatives/?item=9581&conf=0
and this on  for services   
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/worcestershire_herefordshire/journey_planning/timetables/index.php?operator=14&page=1&redirect=no

[tank90]

check this link first  have finally put something on there website   
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/worcestershire_herefordshire/travel_news/news_initiatives/?item=9581&conf=0

as have diamond.
http://www.diamondbuses.com/news/DiamondareexpandinginWorcestershire_69.html

and they have released there fares too

http://www.diamondbuses.com/tickets.html

[PM]

Does anyone think that the diamond redditch fares are unnecessarily confusing? And that it seems odd to have "red" in most of the fares when many of the buses there will ultimately be blue

[Cedric]

check this link first  have finally put something on there website   
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/worcestershire_herefordshire/travel_news/news_initiatives/?item=9581&conf=0

as have diamond.
http://www.diamondbuses.com/news/DiamondareexpandinginWorcestershire_69.html

and they have released there fares too

http://www.diamondbuses.com/tickets.html

the diamond  tickets and passes in Kidderminster are  the same as they are with first's are now

[Ash]

Does anyone think that the diamond redditch fares are unnecessarily confusing? And that it seems odd to have "red" in most of the fares when many of the buses there will ultimately be blue

I was just reading through them and they seem very complicated are the new fares of diamond cheaper/the same or more expensive compared to what first were charging. When are the buses that are supposed to be brought in for Redditch and Kidderminster going to arrive aren't there supposed to be a few solo's are darts from elsewhere in the group.

[Cedric]

check this link first  have finally put something on there website   
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/worcestershire_herefordshire/travel_news/news_initiatives/?item=9581&conf=0

as have diamond.
http://www.diamondbuses.com/news/DiamondareexpandinginWorcestershire_69.html

and they have released there fares too

http://www.diamondbuses.com/tickets.html


I had seen the diamond information on there site  ,  the links I  posted for first there site did  not have that information on at lunchtime  late as usual

[tank90]

All of firsts buses have been sent to the depots and some have started to loose some of there branding as well like the First (f) on the front and back in some cases. As for Diamond I wouldnt know but sunday is a quiet day for both garages anyway, less so for Redditch. Saturday night will be busy in Plymouth Road and or Sunday Morning with a load of Enviro 300s moving to Worcester on mass or in groups.

[PM]

I used them last week or so and the red diamond adult day was £1.80 then so no change but am I being thick what is the difference between red day town and red day extra?? Could be just me as I've been staring at exam papers all day but...?

[tank90]

check this link first  have finally put something on there website   
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/worcestershire_herefordshire/travel_news/news_initiatives/?item=9581&conf=0

as have diamond.
http://www.diamondbuses.com/news/DiamondareexpandinginWorcestershire_69.html

and they have released there fares too

http://www.diamondbuses.com/tickets.html


I had seen the diamond information on there site  ,  the links I  posted for first there site did  not have that information on at lunchtime  late as usual

First are never early with anything are they?
They will even be late as usual on Saturday as well, they were late as MRW and FMR they may have to change now lol

Peter if you look at the map it sort of explains it self. the Extra covers Tardebigge up to Bordsley (Bromsgrove) and Studley while the £1.80 covers every service in Redditch and the £1.50 will cover 51 55 56 57 58

[PM]

check this link first  have finally put something on there website   
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/worcestershire_herefordshire/travel_news/news_initiatives/?item=9581&conf=0

as have diamond.
http://www.diamondbuses.com/news/DiamondareexpandinginWorcestershire_69.html

and they have released there fares too

http://www.diamondbuses.com/tickets.html


I had seen the diamond information on there site  ,  the links I  posted for first there site did  not have that information on at lunchtime  late as usual

First are never early with anything are they?
They will even be late as usual on Saturday as well, they were late as MRW and FMR they may have to change now lol

Peter if you look at the map it sort of explains it self. the Extra covers Tardebigge up to Bordsley (Bromsgrove) and Studley while the £1.80 covers every service in Redditch and the £1.50 will cover 51 55 56 57 58

Oops, didnt look at the map-my bad

[tank90]

check this link first  have finally put something on there website   
http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/worcestershire_herefordshire/travel_news/news_initiatives/?item=9581&conf=0

as have diamond.
http://www.diamondbuses.com/news/DiamondareexpandinginWorcestershire_69.html

and they have released there fares too

http://www.diamondbuses.com/tickets.html


I had seen the diamond information on there site  ,  the links I  posted for first there site did  not have that information on at lunchtime  late as usual

First are never early with anything are they?
They will even be late as usual on Saturday as well, they were late as MRW and FMR they may have to change now lol

Peter if you look at the map it sort of explains it self. the Extra covers Tardebigge up to Bordsley (Bromsgrove) and Studley while the £1.80 covers every service in Redditch and the £1.50 will cover 51 55 56 57 58

Oops, didnt look at the map-my bad

Yeah its easy to miss as the font is so tiny and a tad chocolate teapot like.