Bedford Stagecoach happenings 2021

[al_557]

The latest repaint at Bedford paint shop is Peterborough's E200 37222 (SN64OKX)

[MIB]

I made an overdue visit into Bedford today as both 11135 and 11137 were on the 50 diagrams instead of 11126 and 11127. Both buses today were required for the year. This meant two hours to do a food shop so I reeled in 19706 on a 2, 10879 on a 9, 37234 on a 3 and 10878 on a 9 before getting home before the typhoon arrived.

It sounds like social distancing could be dropped in June which will be helpful if I am expected to travel on 36321 parked up at the bus station. Diddy buses are not suitable for the current distancing rules. Both 11279 and 10880 were on the 1/53 circuit and 36063 did the 3/4/10 diagrams with 37234. The 41's were in the hands of 37431.

I will return to Bedford tomorrow for some bus moves as my first haircut of the year is booked.

[al_557]

I made an overdue visit into Bedford today as both 11135 and 11137 were on the 50 diagrams instead of 11126 and 11127. Both buses today were required for the year. This meant two hours to do a food shop so I reeled in 19706 on a 2, 10879 on a 9, 37234 on a 3 and 10878 on a 9 before getting home before the typhoon arrived.

It sounds like social distancing could be dropped in June which will be helpful if I am expected to travel on 36321 parked up at the bus station. Diddy buses are not suitable for the current distancing rules. Both 11279 and 10880 were on the 1/53 circuit and 36063 did the 3/4/10 diagrams with 37234. The 41's were in the hands of 37431.

I will return to Bedford tomorrow for some bus moves as my first haircut of the year is booked.

The ex London E200's are mainly covering routes that were run with Solo SR's before they were sent on loan to London. I wonder if they will ever return to Bedford when no longer needed for schools in London or be sent elsewhere. I know my friend has his fingers crossed that they don't come back as he hates driving them and much prefers Darts and E200's when he has to drive town services

[MIB]

I think my beef with the Diddy buses is that they are restricted to 10 passengers and it strikes me that they should start in service once social distancing ends should that be June. Today people were turned away from both the new arrivals. They don't seem to be a great deal of use until they can take a full load again. The other issue is that one of them was on the 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10 routes today as there are several diagrams now where a single deck covers most town routes. There were a number of buses today displaying bus full on their screens as passenger numbers rise.

My moves today involved 35181 on a 50 into town which I have not done this year. I found winner 36323 on an 8 and was 9th to board before the driver rejected those behind me so a 30 minutes fester for the next one. I did it to Queens Park and walked back having missed 36301 coming the other way. I got back in time for second winner 36321 on a 2. Again people behind me were turned away for reaching the ten capacity so 20 more minutes for them. I bailed at Elstow and walked to Mile Road for 19705 on a 9 back to town.

By now 36321 was on a 6 so I did that via the station and returned with 37235 on another 6 which did the sensible thing and boycotted the station route going straight into Greyfriars from Union St presumably because it was 10 minutes late. Yet another year winner 39681 produced to take me home on the 1336 50. This was 15 minutes late as a trainee driver appeared to have issues with the ticket machine. In the end the mentor took over as they had a tight turn round at Kettering for their next duty. Not often I witness late running caused by the driver!

In addition to 36321 doing the 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10 routes you had 34535, 34536, 34538 and 34827 doing the same. Other stuff viewed on the 2/6 were 36062, 36065, 36042 and 34834. 36064 was on the Hitchin's with the usual 27520-523. 36012 did 73's whilst 10876 and 10880 were on the 1/53 turns.

[rm clippie]

 i have never seen 36060 and 36061 in service around bedford
did they ever enter service.

[MIB]

i have never seen 36060 and 36061 in service around bedford
did they ever enter service.

I have not seen them at all despite them showing on Bedford's allocation for months. I would have expected them to enter traffic now rather than the E200's. Today I viewed 36012 on an 81, 36062 on a 5, 36042 on a 51, 36063 on a 6 and 36065 also on a 6.

My wheels into town today were provided by 18104 on a 50. To use up time I did 34536 on a 7 for 36043 also on a 7 back to the bus station. There was no vehicle showing for my 50 home on the 1336 so 35176 was well received when it turned up as not been on it this year.

Others piffle out were 19893 on the Hitchin's making a change from the 27xxx stuff, 10877 on 1/53, 34535 on a 3, 34537 and 34538 on 5, 6, 7's, 34827 and 34834 on 73's. Both 11136 and 39687 also appeared on 50's. 36323 and 36301 were both still on the 8's and 36321 was also seen on an unidentified service which parked up at the bus station.

[MIB]

Finally most of Bedford's fleet are now on the tracker as 36321, 36042 and 36043 seem to be the only three not on system.

Year winner 35175 took me into town on the 50 for 34535 on a 2 for 10881 on a 1 before heading home on 34422 on the 1436 50.

34827 and 19578 appeared on routes 3, 4, 10. 34538 did an 81, 41, 51 move. 11279 and 36062 were on 9a/b, 34537 did a 6 then a 2, 34535 came off a 73 to do a 2, 36012, 36065, 34834 each did routes 6, 7, 5. 36042 was on a 5, 36063 on a 51, 36064 on a 1 and 19587 on its usual 830.

19892 worked routes 9, 3, 4, 10, 2, 6, 4, 10, 5, 6, 5 in that order and 36323 did a 10, 4, 3, 7, 5, 6, 10, 4, 3, if anyone can fathom these diagrams.

[tomfrombedford]

48036 back in service on a 7 this afternoon

[al_557]

48036 back in service on a 7 this afternoon

This had been off the road for 15 months! It was always the most unreliable of the Solo SR's. Hopefully London will give the other 8 back soon

[rm clippie]

latest repaint is fenstanton E200 (AJ58PZV).

[rm clippie]

missed fleet number 36061

[MIB]

missed fleet number 36061

Yes it never worked in Bedford and I noticed it was on route 66 St Neots to Huntingdon on 11 May. I still have not seen 36060.

[MIB]

After 11 days enjoying the tropical wet weather of Wales I had to do a food shop in Bedford. Somehow the 1250 50 with 19083 was so late that 22832 on the 1436 50 made the minus 35 onto it. I don't understand how the 1250 could be so late it was hardly the busiest period of the day. Still it reduced the fester in town but meant there was no time to do any moves as I returned home on 19087 on the 1541 50.

Not much has changed I noticed in my absence. 19578 is still the go to decker for routes 10, 4 and 3 and 19587 on the 830. 34535 and 34537 were on 5's, 19698, 36041 and 36065 were on 2's, 36323 on 9's, 36064 and 34538 on 9a/b, 34536 and 34834 on 1's, 34830 on a 7 and 34828 on a 41.

[rm clippie]

another repaint is 34827 (KX06JYJ)
but this one is completely all white.

[MIB]

36321 didn't last long in Bedford as it has vanished from the allocations so that might be linked to 48036 coming back to haunt us albeit it has not worked since 24 May. 36042, 043, 060 are the only three not being tracked although I have doubts 060 is at Bedford.

I see 10874 is showing up on the 99 today, 10879 and 10881 on Hitchin's, 10880 on 53's, 10876 on 5's and 10878 on the 41 instead of being on 905's. I do hope that one of these will be on the 3, 4 and 10 tomorrow.

[MIB]

I did 22834 into town today on the 50 but my hopes of getting two MMC's on routes 3, 4 and 10 were dashed as I was served up with two E400's. However, as both 19890 and 19892 were required for the full 3, 4, 10 I did 19892 on the 4 and 10, then 19890 on the 4, 10 and 3 before doing 19892 on a 3. This took 4 hours to achieve before heading home on 19083 on the 1500 50.

I just made the 1500 with a minute to spare thanks to errant cars parked on a turning on route 3 as 19892 could not swing round them. A Stagecoach employee was called out to the scene to guide the driver to reverse the bus and squeeze through the tightest gap. Do people living in the area not realise they are parking on a bus route?

Other vehicles noted:
1 - 10874 / 11279
2,5,6,7,9 - 10879 / 10881 / 11280 / 19893
8 - 36302
41 - 10877
50 - 22835
53 - 10878 / 19587 / 19704

[al_557]

I did 22834 into town today on the 50 but my hopes of getting two MMC's on routes 3, 4 and 10 were dashed as I was served up with two E400's. However, as both 19890 and 19892 were required for the full 3, 4, 10 I did 19892 on the 4 and 10, then 19890 on the 4, 10 and 3 before doing 19892 on a 3. This took 4 hours to achieve before heading home on 19083 on the 1500 50.

I just made the 1500 with a minute to spare thanks to errant cars parked on a turning on route 3 as 19892 could not swing round them. A Stagecoach employee was called out to the scene to guide the driver to reverse the bus and squeeze through the tightest gap. Do people living in the area not realise they are parking on a bus route?

Other vehicles noted:
1 - 10874 / 11279
2,5,6,7,9 - 10879 / 10881 / 11280 / 19893
8 - 36302
41 - 10877
50 - 22835
53 - 10878 / 19587 / 19704

The roads on the route are why smaller vehicles were always used pre pandemic. It used to be rare to see a Dart or E200 used to cover an unavailable Solo let alone an E400.
I don't recall a Bristol VRT, Leyland/Volvo Olympian, Leyland National or Volvo B6 ever covering the routes under their previous service numbers and letters when the Ivecos and Mercedes 709D's were used.
I could be wrong

[MIB]

No I don't recall ever having a trident or olympian on routes 3, 4, 10. Getting an oly on route 7 was hard enough as Sunday was the one day in the week double decks would appear but olys didn't get used on Sundays. You had to wait every two years for River Festival Sunday to bag an oly on the 7. I recall an oly one normal Sunday on a 52 but otherwise they were rare in the last 5 years of their lives on the sabbath.

Anyway today's sermon meant I had to return to Bedford as 19705 and 10881 were on routes 3, 4, 10 so my call for an MMC was answered as I have only had 11280 on the three routes previously. 19705 was dud for each route so I didn't bother with it. Not that I would have got far with it as it got swapped for 36323.

So I did 22835 on a 50 to have 10881 on the 3, 4 and 10 in that order and time for a food shop as no daft car parking on turning corners on the 3 like yesterday when my plus 12 onto the 1500 became a plus 1. Once again the 1500 50 was 19083.

Other buses out alongside 10881 on the 3/4/10
1 - 10879 / 19893
1/53 - 10878
2/5/6/7/9 - 10874 / 19704 / 19890 / 19892
3/4/10 - 19705 later replaced by 36323 in afternoon
8 - 36301
41 - 10875

[MIB]

Today was part 2 of my jabbing session so year winner 39692 dropped me into town on the 50 for 34536 on the 6 to the vac centre. My vehicles back were 37234 on the 6 and 22832 on the 1716 50.

No sign of anything to interest me on the Tesco and Fenlake routes. Buses observed were 10881 and 19705 on 9's after their ventures yesterday on 3, 4, 10: 34828 on a 51, 34535 on a 2, 34830 on a 73, 10874 on a 1, 10880 on a 53, 34834 on a 3, 34538 on a 6, 15401 and 39684 on 50's. Diddy buses 36301, 36302 and 36323 took turns on the 8.

[al_557]

Dart 34537 (GX04EYL) is dumped at the corner of the yard at Bedford depot with the front facing towards the fence. It hasn't been in service for a week now.
Also in the yard at Bedford depot were ex London E200's 36306/08 (LX56EAA/E). They've not been used since they transferred to Stagecoach East and are officially in reserve at Cambridge. Although this may be just on paper until they're officially allocated to a depot.
Steven Knight Media reported on Twitter that Solo SR's 48023-25/31-35 (YJ15ANR/U/V/YJ66ARZ/SO/U/V/X) are to return next month after more than a year on loan to London for extra school services. Their return should oust the remaining 7 Darts according to my usual contact at Bedford depot.
I hope their reliability has improved in their time away from Bedford as more often then not there was a Dart or E200 covering for a broken Solo SR on services 3,4,7 and 10. Only a Solo SR or short E200 can be used on the 8 due to the narrow streets of Queens Park

[al_557]

Enviro 200 MMC 37434 (SN16OPZ) has been repainted in into local livery and was on the 41 this morning. This brings an end to coast hopper livery in Bedford

[MIB]

Extremely bad news getting those joke solos back compared to the spacious Darts. Personally I find that proposal a retrograde step as people still feel more assured spaced apart whether they have had two jabs or not with this Delta variant knocking around.

36321 which disappeared from Bedfords allocated vehicles has returned to the fold as has 34537 out on a 6, 9 then a 7 today. They have finally sorted out 37437 and 54312 so now both can be tracked. 37437 is on 51's today and no longer pretending to be an Elite.

I did 11135 this morning on a 50 and got off in Clapham Road for 34535 following on a 6. I then did 10875 on a 9a for 34538 back to town on a 9. Then I went to Shortstown on 10878 on a 9b returning with 10879 on a 9a before heading home on 15608 on a 50. Also on the Hitchin's were 10874, 10876 and 10880 making a total of six MMC's taking over the services. 34830, 34834, 36012 were seen on 9's and 34828 on a 6.

[Palatine]

Extremely bad news getting those joke solos back compared to the spacious Darts. Personally I find that proposal a retrograde step as people still feel more assured spaced apart whether they have had two jabs or not with this Delta variant knocking around.

36321 which disappeared from Bedfords allocated vehicles has returned to the fold as has 34537 out on a 6, 9 then a 7 today. They have finally sorted out 37437 and 54312 so now both can be tracked. 37437 is on 51's today and no longer pretending to be an Elite.

I did 11135 this morning on a 50 and got off in Clapham Road for 34535 following on a 6. I then did 10875 on a 9a for 34538 back to town on a 9. Then I went to Shortstown on 10878 on a 9b returning with 10879 on a 9a before heading home on 15608 on a 50. Also on the Hitchin's were 10874, 10876 and 10880 making a total of six MMC's taking over the services. 34830, 34834, 36012 were seen on 9's and 34828 on a 6.

With that lot out and about on other services it makes you wonder what was running the 905!

[MIB]

I let myself out this afternoon for good behaviour and did 39686 on the 50. Nobody had informed the driver that Clapham High Street was closed so we had to turn round and head back to the bypass to reach Bedford.

Still the delay did me a favour as it dropped me straight onto 48036 on the 1345 3 so as I wanted it for the year I took it to London Road and walked to Elstow Road to cover an inbound 9a which was not being tracked and it was just 19706.

Still this proved to be a good move as the elusive winner 36060 was on the 1430 2 also not tracked. It was my first sighting of it and was taken to the hospital for 19889 back on a 1. Another good move was supplied by the 1512 10 being 10874 so this was taken to Goldington and I stayed with it as it returned on the 1537 4.

As 36060 was on the 1615 81 I decided to have another run as I had an hour to kill. I had intended to do it for 36064 back on a 9 but a flaming roasted car apparently had other ideas. Our 81 was diverted down London Road and Mile Road with the police blocking off Elstow Road. I bailed off 36060 and walked to the park and ride as route 9 was closed. 10877 arrived from Flitwick to get me back for 39686 again on the 1716 50.

Other stuff poodling about were 10875 on Hitchin's, 34830 on 4/10, 34537 on 73's, 36321 on 51's, 34538 on 5/6, 27521-523 on 53's and 19587 on its regular 830 and 6 school runs before going onto a 2.

[al_557]

Ex London short E200 36322 (LX58CCD) has now entered service and was on the 8 today.
36306-08 (LX56EAA/C/E) still haven't moved from the depot since they arrived from London

[MIB]

I did 18108 on a 50 into Bedford this morning for 34537 on a 6 and winner 36322 on a 51 before going home on 11127 on the 1236 50. I didn't actually realise 36322 was new until I got home and saw Al's post.

37060 is now on the tracker and it was interesting to see all of the MMC's showing on the 905 for a change this morning. Other buses seen were 36301 on a 51 before 36322 appeared, 48036 was on a 7, 34830 on 9's, 34536 on 73's and 34538 on the 5 and 6.

[MIB]

I did 34422 on a 50 into Bedford and then foolishly did 34538 on the 1346 6 which took 20 minutes to reach Clapham Road. Looking at the tracker the other vehicles were also very late. I don't know how long they will persist going down Midland Road if the traffic is at a standstill off peak so the timetable goes out the window. Keen to avoid this nonsense I did 36301 on a 51 back. It appears the 8/51 now interwork so Diddy buses control these services.

I had planned to do 19706 on the 1415 3 as it had been on the 3 and 7 all morning but I was thwarted when 48036 replaced it on the 1325 7 so 19706 went out to do the 828. So I planned to head home on the 1436 50 but the inbound 1250 was not showing on the tracker at all. By 1500 there was still no sign of it so I jumped on 10879 on the 1 and returned with 19893 on another 1. Back at the bus station and the same faces were still there for the 1541 50 so clearly the 1436 failed to run. Very poor when it is an hourly service that Kettering could not spare a bus as I have to assume it never set off as nothing on the tracker. 19083 took me home 65 minutes later than expected.

Others noted were 19888 on the 830 as 19587 sneaked off to Hitchin, 34830 was on 41's, 27520 and 10881 on 53a's.

[Emms1]

.Others noted were 19888 on the 830

What is the 830 i am not aware of that one?

[al_557]

What is the 830 i am not aware of that one?

It's a school service

[MIB]

Before the football I headed into town with 19087 on the 50. I did 36063 on a 9 to Mile Road for the short walk to Elstow returning with 36064 on an 81. Much to my annoyance back in town we passed 10877 on the 1327 4 so that would have returned with a 10 so I missed a new one for those routes. Still I can't complain as required for the year 34421 was my bus home on the 1336 50.

In addition to working routes 4 and 10, 10877 did routes 5 and 6 before heading off to work the 830, it then did the school 6 and finished on the 1725 X5 to MK so reports the tracker.

Others noted were 27523 on the 828, 11279 on 1's, 34536 on a 5, 34830 on 73's, 34538 on routes 2 and 81 and 10876 on a 41.