Bedford Stagecoach happenings 2021

[MIB]

Today I replicated yesterday's move on 39687 on a 50 to town, 36062 on the 1447 5 to Putn for 27523 back. 22833 took me home on the 1541 50.

Others noted out were 36041 on a 4, 34538 on 5's, 34536 and 34828 on 81's, 10878 on 9's, 10866 on the 1/53 turns, 10875 and 11280 on Hitchin services and 10879 on the 830. Now that 37210 has become a TV celebrity it was promoted to route 1 for the day.

[MIB]

Thursday was my Manton Lane Covid vaccine day so to make my appointment I did 22832 on a 50 to Union St. This proved to be a good move as winner 36063 came round the corner on a 6. After I had been processed I had 36063 again back to town. To kill time I did 34536 6 on a 2 to the park and ride for 34538 back before going home on 22835 on a 50.

Observed floating around were 34828,  36041 and 36043 on 5's, 36062 on 7/3's, 27522 and 27523 on 6's, 10881 on 1/53's, 10877, 10875, 10878 on Hitchin's and yellow buses 36045 and 36309 parked at the bus station.

[TCD813]

Pleased that you’ve received your jab.

[busman]

Just come back from taking the dogs for their walk and blow me coming up King Hedges Road outbound MMC YX67 VDR running thru on a rail replacement service? Can't remember when the last train from Cambridge to Bedford ran (but I'm sure someone will tell me) But todays winner was Plaxton bodied Volvo YX64 WCD on a 905 back to Bedford!

[John Wakefield]

Can't remember when the last train from Cambridge to Bedford ran (but I'm sure someone will tell me)

Passenger services were withdrawn from most of the line on 1 January 1968, and only the Bletchley–Bedford section remained open for passenger traffic

[busman]

YX67 VDR Stagecoach in Bedford n King hedges Road Cambridge 19/3 r
showing rail replacement. It was followed by YX64 WCD covering a 905 to Bedford

[al_557]

Just come back from taking the dogs for their walk and blow me coming up King Hedges Road outbound MMC YX67 VDR running thru on a rail replacement service? Can't remember when the last train from Cambridge to Bedford ran (but I'm sure someone will tell me) But todays winner was Plaxton bodied Volvo YX64 WCD on a 905 back to Bedford!

I wonder how long it'll be before these are repainted in the yellow 'distance' livery which will make them look like school buses

[al_557]

Passenger services were withdrawn from most of the line on 1 January 1968, and only the Bletchley–Bedford section remained open for passenger traffic

Bletchley to Oxford was open for freight until 1993 until the line from Bletchley to Bicester was 'mothballed'. Bicester to Oxford reopened for passenger trains in 1989. Bletchley flyover reopened in 2006 for freight to Newton Longville

[MIB]

Today I did 39681 on a 50 to town to visit the bank. Rather conveniently 36041 was on the 1432 5 which was required for the year. This was done to Woodside for 36043 on a 5 back to town to do my banking.

I went home on 34422 on the 1541 50 which was packed and had a standing passenger something I have not seen this year. I think the passengers that boarded at Sainsburys had been for their vaccination at Manton Lane so the vaccine uptake is boosting passenger numbers. I can understand allowing one standing passenger as the next service after the 1541 is not until 1712.

37219 is still showing at Bedford garage. 19587 did the 828 and 19581 the 830. Other buses seen were 36065 on 1's, 34538 on 2's, 34536 and 34828 on the 4/10 duties, 10874 and 10881 on 1/53, 10877 on 9's, 10875, 10876 and 10878 on Hitchin's and 39684 on a 50.

[al_557]

Whilst visiting Halfords I found that ex London E200 36321 (LX58CCA) has now arrived at Bedford depot in local livery pending onward transfer to Cambridge. Also parked in the corner of the yard was Solo SR 48036 (YJ66ASZ) which has now been out of use for nearly a year after it broke down on its way to London. There must by something majorly mechanically wrong with it for it to be out of use for soo long. Although it did pass an MOT in July
Steven Knight Media tweeted that E400 MMC 11279 (SN69ZPF) has now been repainted into local livery and is expected to gain an updated tribute to Captain Sir Tom Moore

[busman]

Out with the dogs again and noted on the 16.00 905 from Cambridge to Bedford was YX67 VDP & YX67 VDV . With YX67 VDV bringing up the rear.https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr-bg/50997332835/in/dateposted-public/

[MIB]

I knew it was only a matter of time before I would be hit by a bus conking out on an hourly bus service. I was going to do 22833 into Bedford on the 50 but it burst at Rushden. Eventually 39692 rescued the passengers and departed 45 minutes late for Bedford.

I don't recall having 22834 before and never had it this year so I did that to Bedford on a later 50. If I had my wits about me if I did 39692 to town I would have had 20 minutes to do my food shop for the following 50 so I missed a trick there in reducing the hanging around in Bedford for the next 50. As it was I had to do 36043 and 36063 on 6's to kill before doing 15607 home.

Other stuff out were 34828 on 6's, 27522 on 5's, 34538 on 3/7's, 34830 on 1's, 34536 did the 1225 51, 10875 and 10876 on Hitchin's.

[rm clippie]

noticed today the vast majority of the E200 MMC are off the road
are these for m o ts or are they being moved form bedford to another depot?

[al_557]

noticed today the vast majority of the E200 MMC are off the road
are these for m o ts or are they being moved form bedford to another depot?

The only one due an MOT was 37439 (SN16ORJ). It could just be the tracker being on the fritz as all the E200's that returned from London still don't track

[MIB]

It appears that 36041, 043, 063 and 065 are all in service but invisible to the tracker. I have not seen 044 and 062 for a few weeks since 041 and 063 appeared in service and the rest I have not seen. I wonder if they are just using 4 of them at any given time as the darts and 275xx cling on.

I was not planning to go into Bedford today but on discovering my last bus for the year was out I gave in to temptation. So I did 22835 on the 50 running 20 late and we dropped more time arriving at 1600, 19 minutes after it should have set off for Kettering.

I had hoped to do the 1615 1 to reel in 19705 but the inadequate 27523 was on it and with all the school bods that piled off 10875 on the 828 and 19889 on the 830, meant 27523 was overloaded and the bus full sign soon appeared. This meant I was forced to do 10878 on the 1615 9b to Elstow Road which oddly left 5 minutes late for no apparent reason. I had 10 minutes to get to the hospital from the former Angel site. Fortunately 19705 was 6 minutes late on the 1 so I made it on a plus 2 to finally mop up the fleet until the next new arrival appears.

A food shop was reeled in before going home on 15401 on the 1712 50. Other buses observed were 27522 on the 1, 36041 on a 2, 36065 on a 6, 34536 and 34830 on 5's, 10876 on a 9 and 10877 on a Hitchin.

I also viewed 27681 and 28622 on the W7 with the tracker indicating 37071 and 37061 on the other diagrams.

[al_557]

Dart 34827 (KX06JYJ) has turned up at Cambridge depot

[MIB]

On my way home and as if by magic 36062 has appeared in the bus station which is what happens when you state it has disappeared. 11279 is now in the new livery heading off to the garage. My chariot home on the 2019 50 is required for the year 11136. As it is 15 minutes late it should be stripped of its gold status.

[tomfrombedford]

From the 12th Bedford timetables largely reset to pre-pandemic service levels... any idea where the extra vehicles are going to come from

[rm clippie]

 11 Enviro 200s returned from stagecoach london before christmas
plus 6 short E200s transfered from stagecoach london
my guess is that they Will have a P,V.R about 62/63 buses?.
X5 will require just 5 coaches being hourly.

[al_557]

11 Enviro 200s returned from stagecoach london before christmas
plus 6 short E200s transfered from stagecoach london
my guess is that they Will have a P,V.R about 62/63 buses?.
X5 will require just 5 coaches being hourly.

The ex London short E200's are for Cambridge reserve fleet according to Steven Knight Media on twitter

[rm clippie]

Bedford service 8 will need 2 shorts E 200s
bedford have just got two on the books so some back will be needed for this route.
anything larger than a solo or a short E200 are too big for queens park streets.

[al_557]

Bedford service 8 will need 2 shorts E 200s
bedford have just got two on the books so some back will be needed for this route.
anything larger than a solo or a short E200 are too big for queens park streets.

Maybe they'll finally fix 48036

[busman]

SN69 ZPF Stagecoach in Bedford Captin Tom Moore new livery 30-03-21
Bedford based MMC SN69 ZPF dedicated in memory of  the late captain Tom Moore last year. During March, 11279 entered the Bedford paintshop and outshopped in the new corporate livery, retaining it's Captian Tom Moore logos.I caught up with the MMC on March 30th as she made her way out of Cambridge on the 905 service. I also think this is the first sighting of this livery in Cambridge.

[chris johnson]

al_557 heads up mate them e200 from london are going for bedford not cambridge they are up parked in bedford depot somewhere i got few people in cambridge said they not there they staying at bedford depot plus i know they might be in bedford yard as been there few times

[al_557]

al_557 heads up mate them e200 from london are going for bedford not cambridge they are up parked in bedford depot somewhere i got few people in cambridge said they not there they staying at bedford depot plus i know they might be in bedford yard as been there few times

Thanks for that. 36308/21/23 (LX56EAE/LX58CCA/E) are at Bedford depot in Local livery but still with their London roller blinds still in situ. I have contacts at Bedford depot who tell me when anything interesting arrives. 36322 (LX58CCD) is due imminently if not arrived already. No sign of 36306/07 (LX56EAA/C) yet. They're all being repainted at Eastbourne before transfer to Stagecoach East. They're apparently extra vehicles for Stagecoach East which is probably why they were down as Cambridge reserve. Although London still have Bedford's Solo SR's on loan except for 48036 (YJ66ASZ) which is still in the yard at Bedford in disgrace after it broke down on its way to London. It hasn't seen service in a year

[chris johnson]

Al_557 your welcome plus they will change it over from London roll blind to the blinds what use around here might start next few days or so maybe next few weeks plus not sure when they go into service when they do think they need few tests on the destination blinds before go on the road that my thoughts on it that’s why there few good people help one and over out things like this

[al_557]

Al_557 your welcome plus they will change it over from London roll blind to the blinds what use around here might start next few days or so maybe next few weeks plus not sure when they go into service when they do think they need few tests on the destination blinds before go on the road that my thoughts on it that’s why there few good people help one and over out things like this

When Bedford got 36301/02 (LX56DZU/V) from London, they used flip dot blinds from scrapped Darts. They don't have any to use this time unless the remaining Darts at Bedford and Peterborough are withdrawn which could be likely when all the E200's are repainted and if or when the Solo SR's return from London.
34537 (GX04 EYL) is the only one that's been stood down recently.

[al_557]

E400 19888 (AE11FUD) was on the 3 this afternoon. That's the first time I've seen a decker on that service.
An E200 or Solo is adequate for that service normally.

[al_557]

Ex London E200 36307 (LX56EAC) is now Bedford depot in local livery. That's 4 of 6 due for Stagecoach East now at Bedford depot. Just 36306 and 36322 to see now unless they're hiding them away somewhere.
Parked in the yard next to out of use Solo SR 48036 (YJ66ASZ) was Peterborough's E200 37233 (SN64OLO) which has now been repainted into local livery and will no doubt be replaced in the paintshop by another of Peterborough's E200's soon.
It looks like Dart 34536 (GX04 EYK) may have been stood down as it was parked with it's front facing the fence and the tell tale red cover was on the steering wheel.
E200 36064 (AJ58PZY) has now entered service and was on the 2 today.

[busman]

905 service is on diversion in Cambridge as a result of East Road being closed for road works. Its entering via Short Street and running around the town to get to the parkside bus stop.