Tate's expand as Redline hit problems

Redline have been stuggling to operate services recently. Service 4 has not operated and i understand not many 6As/11As/43As/44As have operated ether. Some of the Grimethorpe/ Shafton services have failed to operate. This isn't good and the 4A is been operated by a Mercedes O405 Coach which they have been using 'very lightly' since they wasted money on it. Frankly im not sure whats left for Redline. It was a good idea when it started but its never gone anywhere really and they make Tate's look ok. I know they have some Solos and the Primos and vehicle quallity is better on avrage then you get at Tate's but whats vehicle quallity if the bloody thing never turns up. When i could i used the 4 but now the timetable is complete stupid and its unuseable. 4A runs 08:11 Mon-Fri only but then it says, This service is school days only so really its pointless been a service and not a schoolbus. So as for Redline, Im not sure what the hell is going on at the minute but i can't see it lasting if nothing is done by the management to look into the situation. Anyways onto Tate's who seem to have stopped competeing as much with Stagecoach and took all their might to fight Arriva Yorkshire. They have done this by taking tender work on routes 194/195 and 443 allong with the 96/97 they allready operate, they have now won tenders for routes 128, 205, 212, 213 around Wakefield, Morley & Dewsbury. I understand they will be getting up to 3 more ADL Dart Enviro 200 vehicles to operate these services, They'll probably not end up operating them but the effort is there.

More New Hybrids For Sheffield

The New ADL Enviro 400 Hybrids for route 52 (Hillsborough-Sheffield-Handsworth-Woodhouse). These are 12161-79 (YN62BBE/X/CY/EY/FP/SU/TV/VR/S/XA/O/S/X/YA/S/U/ZG/K/T). They are expected to enter service in early next year. The new Hybrids will be in the Hybrid Green veriant of Beachball. Its Just a green beachball really isn't it :/

One of the orringal Hybrids operating route 52 in Handsworth
in July 2012.

Overall they will lead to improve reliablity on route 52 for Stagecoach, Those DAFs can't keep to time. They will also push Firsts faces in it yet again after something simaler happend on Route 120 (Halfway-Crystal Peaks-Sheffield-Hallamshire Hospital). This will give Stagecoach an excerlant avrage vehicle age in Sheffield compaired to other operaters. Only Sheffield Community Transport come anywhere close. The vehicles should lead to the withdrawal of DAF SB220 East Lancs Myllennium 26100-10 and some Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spyrte. I expect the DAF SB220 Wright Commander will stay at Holbrook depot allong with MAN ADL Enviro 300 22560-3 leading to 22633-9 been reallocated to Ecclesfield depot and been branded/ maybe for Route 79/A. 22612-7/29/30 have allready been branded for the route. The above fleet movements are not confirmed so don't hold me up on them. For now all i can say is ADL have started building them with delivery expected next month and over the Christmas/ New Year period to Holbrook Depot.

Do you have the X19Factor

Well the X19Factor has been launched today between Barnsley-Goldthorpe-Doncaster Frenchgate and hourly to Doncaster Airport. Now its all well and good with Scania K230UB ADL Enviro 300 28671/2 been currently branded but they have failed to stop a few things. X-Factor the TV Show which im guessing the name came from is probably one of the worst things on the tele at present. I think Xpres19 or even better given the X19 interworks to X28 XpressBarnsley or something allong those lines which could be used on all the X services into Barnsley. That would ovcoruse allow for then other routes to be added, The X12 between Barnsley and Rotherham that Tate's have distoryed could be an option. Other then that the brandings look good but there not normal Stagecoach cheesy but maybe thats just down south and Mr Zoomers Manchester :). Slogans on 28671 are On Route to Commute and Hot To Shop. Again im not sure why its Red & Gold but it could have something to do with the routes line colour. For now thats it but keep a look out for X19Factor in West Yorkshire then as i can see one ending up on X28 very shortly indeed...

Local Fleet Changes - October 2012

Arriva Yorkshire:
New here are 40 VDL SB220 Wright Pulsar vehicles which have in large replaced older vehicles in the fleet. These are in service from Heckmondwick as 1456 (YJ62JHU). Belle Isle, Wakefield as 1457-70 (YJ62JJO/JNU/JPX/Y/JRV/JTO/JUA/JVE/G/JYH/Z/JZE/Z/JCZ). Castleford as 1471-8 (YJ62JDU/JGF/JHE/H/K/JOA/JRZ/JSY). And Dewsbury as 1471-95 (YJ62JUC/F/JVH/P/Y/JXT
/JYD/JBE/X/JDK/JEU/JFZ/JGX/JKY/JLU/JMU/X). In turn they should have replaced the DAF SB220 Alexander ALX300 which are utter sheds and need replacing. They have also cleared off the last of the Ikarus Citybuses that remained in service. This has lead to VDL SB220 Wright Commander 1409-15 to Belle Isle from Castleford. All Optare Spectras in this fleet now also operate out of Belle Isle depot.

Stagecoach Yorkshire:
In Service are the 8 new Scania K230UB ADL Enviro 300 for Barnsley, These are 28671-8 and have repalced MAN 18.220 Alexander ALX300 22113-5/24/6/22213/22923/4 of which 22213 has turned up at Ecclesfield and the rest have gone to Chesterfield i understand for storeage as 22203/22928/31 are there from Ecclesfield Reserve. Reserve fleet Dart 33345 was in use out of Rawmarsh on Saturday operating 220/221 between Rotherham and Doncaster. This should have been replaced by 33094/5 which have moved from Chesterfield to Rawmarsh. 33240 is here from Holbrook and persumed saved from withdrawal. From Barnsley to Holbrook and in Supertram Link livery for new SL3 linking Supertram with Killamarsh from Moss Way and Crystal Peaks are 47290/97-300. 47296 is now in use out of Chesterfield. At Ecclesfield MAN 18.240 ADL Enviro 300 22559/612/3/30 are branded for the 79/79A in the same style as the Alexander ALX300 they have replaced. 22614-7/22629 are expected to gain brandings shortly with more of this type expected at Ecclesfield soon to replace the remaining Oxford Boxford Alexander ALX300s still operating routes 79/79A. Transfers from Rawmarsh to Ecclesfield are ADL Dart Pointer 2s 35107/8/14 which have been noted operating the 57/265 and 83 routes in Sheffield.

Red Line Buses, RLB Trans Barnsley:
Plaxton Primo KX07KOA is here from Dawsons Rentals. Its understood Dennis Dart SLF East Lancs Spryte 8551 has been withdrawn and scrapped.

TM Travel (Wellglade):
Transferd here from Trent Barton are Optare Solo M920 437/44/5/63/4 which are in a Burgandy livery with gold fleet names and 418/22/4/5 which are in a Yellow/ Orange Line 30 livery for the new 30 between Sheffield and Crystal Peaks. Also here is Green (Se7ens) Liveried 423 and has been used in service in this condition. These are for new tenderd services on behalf of South Yorkshire PTE which operate under the new Simplicity brand (Sheffield Bus Partnership)