Bedford Stagecoach happenings 2021

[al_557]

Steven Knight Media has reported that all 7 of Bedford's remaining Darts have now been relegated to the reserve fleet. Although 34536-38/830/34 (GX04EYK/L/M/KX06/JYN/S) were all in service today.

[al_557]

The first standard E200 at Bedford depot to receive local livery is 36044 (AE08NVU). Hopefully they'll start to paint the ones that still carry Citi branding soon

[MIB]

My first venture into town this week was made on 19084 on a 50 for 36065 on a 6 and 35221 took me home on the 1336 50 which I had not been on this year.

The 73 seems to be back to double decks with 11279, 19578 and 19890 all performing following on from 10877, 11279 and 19587 yesterday. Also yesterday 19891 appeared on the 4/10 but I didn't bother as dud for the routes.

39686 was also on the 50 today, 10876 on 9a, 48036 on 3/7, 34536 and 34537 on the 5/6, 34538 on 41's, 34830 on 2/81 and 34834 on 4/10/5/6.

[al_557]

Another repaint into local livery is E200 MMC 37436 (SN16ORF)

[MIB]

Today I did 35176 on a 50 into town for 34538 on a 3, 19578 back on a 9 before heading home on 19087 on a 50.

I was offered a third trip with 19890 over both routes 4/10 but declined as twice over the routes with it previously is more than enough. 39681 was also out on 50's, 10876 was on Hitchin's, 34536 and 34830 were also on 4, 10, 6 and 5's, 34537 was on a 5 and 34834 on 73's with 19889/19892.

[MIB]

I had intended to go out on Thursday but unexpected meetings and late running buses from Kettering ended those hopes. Rather annoying as 19705 and 10875 did routes 4/10 the latter required for the routes. 18104, 39686, 39688 and 39692 were all on the 50.

Today I did 39684 on the 50 to Clapham Road and got off to have 36012 behind it on a 6. This gave me a little time to fester for 19893 on the 1412 10 so off to Tesco on it and back on the 1427 4 as new routes for me on this vehicle. I then did 19890 on a 9a to have 10881 back on an 81 before heading home on 22835 on the 1541 50 running 12 minutes late.

Others buses seen were 19888 and 34834 on routes 3/7, 34538 and 34830 on routes 4/10, 27642 on 1's, 34536 on routes 2/81, 34537 on 73's, 19587 on 9's and 10876 on 41's. 11279 had been on route 9 but was reeled in and sent empty to the garage.

[tomfrombedford]

34535 has conked out in service on the 5 on Queen’s Drive

[al_557]

34535 has conked out in service on the 5 on Queen’s Drive

Those 04 plate Darts are knackered, They should all get withdrawn once the Solo SR's return from London in the next few weeks

[MIB]

My first venture into town this week was made today on 35175 on the 50 which I have not had previously this year. I then did 34834 on the 1200 9a to Mile Road for 19704 back on a 9. I made 34830 on the 1230 9b which departed late and took that to Harrowden Road for 19587 back on a 73. The driver did not like the look of my Bedford dayrider plus as not for the first time the fact it is issued by a Kettering driver and is cheaper than the Bedford version seems to perplex them. Anyway winner 22838 did the 1336 50 so I went home on that.

According to the tracker 34535 did the morning 828 and 6 school runs before going to the garage. 34536 - 38 were all on the 6, 5, 10, 4 duties. 48036 which had been shown missing since 6 July sadly returned today on the 3/7 routes. I don't know if Bedford are wrecking their buses but 6 MMC's were showing not in traffic this morning. Others buses spotted were 19706 on a 41, 19578 on a 9, 39681 on a 50, 19581 and 19889 on 73's before the latter went dead to Sharnbrook school.

19890 was on route 1 today after it had been allowed to do a return trip on the 905 to Cambridge on Wednesday morning. Also on Wednesday 19698 was out on routes 4, 10, 5 and 6.

[al_557]

My first venture into town this week was made today on 35175 on the 50 which I have not had previously this year. I then did 34834 on the 1200 9a to Mile Road for 19704 back on a 9. I made 34830 on the 1230 9b which departed late and took that to Harrowden Road for 19587 back on a 73. The driver did not like the look of my Bedford dayrider plus as not for the first time the fact it is issued by a Kettering driver and is cheaper than the Bedford version seems to perplex them. Anyway winner 22838 did the 1336 50 so I went home on that.

According to the tracker 34535 did the morning 828 and 6 school runs before going to the garage. 34536 - 38 were all on the 6, 5, 10, 4 duties. 48036 which had been shown missing since 6 July sadly returned today on the 3/7 routes. I don't know if Bedford are wrecking their buses but 6 MMC's were showing not in traffic this morning. Others buses spotted were 19706 on a 41, 19578 on a 9, 39681 on a 50, 19581 and 19889 on 73's before the latter went dead to Sharnbrook school.

19890 was on route 1 today after it had been allowed to do a return trip on the 905 to Cambridge on Wednesday morning. Also on Wednesday 19698 was out on routes 4, 10, 5 and 6.

E400 MMC's 10878-81/11279/80 (YX67VDP/R/T/V/SN69ZPF/G) are on F1 park and ride duty at Silverstone this weekend

[MIB]

Thanks Al I had forgotten about Silverstone starting on Friday, rather than Saturday, that explains why 19581, 19587 and 19704 are on the 905's today (Saturday). I failed to appear on Look East yesterday as various bods were interviewed at Bedford bus station about face masks.

I did 18101 on a 50 into Bedford for 34535 out on a 5 and back in with 34536 on a 7. Dud for routes 4 and 10, 19891 was on the 1357 4 so was flagged. The 1412 10 was no better as that was dud 19892 for routes 4/10 but finally patience was rewarded when 19698 arrived for the 1427 4 so I did this to Goldington and back with it on the 1449 10 as required for both routes.

I then resorted to doing 34538 on the 1515 73 for the real 37437 back on a 9b not pretending to be an Elite. I went home on 22834 on the 1541 50 after making the minus 4 off 37437.

Not much else to report. 48036 still on the 3 and 7's, 34537 on 41's, 34830 on Hitchin's and 34834 on 53's.

[al_557]

The latest repaint into local livery is E200 MMC 37435 (SN16ORC)

[MIB]

I returned last night after a week in tropical Liverpool to discover that we only have one Dart 34834 still in service today. I did 22835 on a 50 into town landing me straight onto 19587 on the 1242 10 so this was done to Tesco and back on the 1307 4 as new routes for it. Also performing on the 4/10 was 19704 but dud for the routes so flagged. I went home with 18108 on the 1336 50 after doing a quick food shop.

[MIB]

I went to the excellent Whittlesey running day yesterday which involved doing 10879 out and back on the 905 to St Neots. Whilst away I missed out on 35222 on the 50 which I have not had this year. Still it was better to have 14054, 20202, 52442 and various other olympians than a Dart.

Today I had winner 22839 on the 50 to town and embarked on doing the diversions down Cardington Road as I last went that way on a oly on the 74. I did 11280 on the 1530 9a to Harrowden Lane and walked to Eastcotts St Martins Way for 37432 back on a 73.

I had to leave the 9 diversion for another day as winner 36307 did the 1632 51. I had planned to return on 36935 on the 6 but it simply vanished into thin air. The tracker showed it leaving Bourneside 10 minutes late and would be with me in Clapham Road at 1650. By 1700 it had still not reached me and disappeared from the radar. Its next duty on the 1655 5 didn't appear to run as nothing on the tracker for it so I had to do 22835 on the 50 into the bus station to go home with it on the 1714. There was still no sign of 36935...

[al_557]

The latest E200 to receive local livery is 36301 (LX56DZU)

[al_557]

Ex London E200 36306 (LX56EAA) has now entered service and was on the 3 this afternoon. It's not yet on the bus times tracker. 36308 (LX56EAE) is still yet to enter service.
It remains to be seen what these short E200's will be used on once the Solo SR's return from London very shortly as they're too small for the busier town services

[rm clippie]

could the solos be moved on to another part of stagecoach.

[al_557]

could the solos be moved on to another part of stagecoach.

The Solo SR's are coming back to Bedford very shortly. The ex London E200's are between 8 and 10 years older than them so would be very inferior replacements.
I have noticed that Stagecoach haven't bought any large batches of Solo SR's since 2016. Only a small batch of 3 for Wales in 2019 and just 2 for Scotland last year.

[al_557]

could the solos be moved on to another part of stagecoach.

Steven Knight Media has reported on Twitter that Solo SR's 48023-25/31 (YJ15ANR/U/V/YJ66ARZ) will not be returning to Bedford and will now move to Stagecoach Manchester.
48032-35 (YJ66ASO/U/V/X) will be coming back to Bedford.

[tomfrombedford]

Appears as though the main town services will be sticking with the 15 minute frequency post-pandemic judging by the timetables finally put in place in the bus station

It doesn’t seem as though the short e200’s will be going anywhere soon as they’re being repainted

[al_557]

The first Solo SR to arrive back at Bedford after long term loan to London is 48032 (YJ66ASO)

[MIB]

On Sunday my hopes of having 11134 required for the year on the 50 into town ended when it failed to stop as workmen were packing up close to the bus stop and the driver gestured towards them that he could not pull over. My view is that the stop was not closed and he could have stopped further up the road as it was 2 hours until the next service. I have complained to SC but doubt it will do any good. A great example why people won't leave the car at home to use the bus.

Later in the day both the 1309 50 and 1509 with 35219 were running 25 minutes late from Kettering for whatever reason on a Sunday.

Today my 50 did stop for me and was winner 22837 into Bedford. I had hoped to have 36306 but no sign of it. There were no missing journeys showing on routes 8, 51 and 2 so I assumed it was not out. I did 19889 on a 1 to have 19581 back on a 1 as I didn't relish doing 37434 on 9's to get the diverted route in. I went home on 11128 on a 50 as not ridden it this year.

The tracker now shows 13812 allocated to Bedford which is a wild claim. I do like the new concept of looking at a route and seeing vehicles already allocated hours in advance. That won't last.

I came back out on 22837 back to town as 19706 was in line to give me a run from 19698 to 706 for having all of them on routes 4/10. So it was I did 19706 on the 1612 10 to Goldington returning on the 1637 4 with it. Job done so I went home on 39681 with the 1716 50.

[AD70DBL (Jonny)]

On Sunday my hopes of having 11134 required for the year on the 50 into town ended when it failed to stop as workmen were packing up close to the bus stop and the driver gestured towards them that he could not pull over. My view is that the stop was not closed and he could have stopped further up the road as it was 2 hours until the next service. I have complained to SC but doubt it will do any good. A great example why people won't leave the car at home to use the bus.

Later in the day both the 1309 50 and 1509 with 35219 were running 25 minutes late from Kettering for whatever reason on a Sunday.

Today my 50 did stop for me and was winner 22837 into Bedford. I had hoped to have 36306 but no sign of it. There were no missing journeys showing on routes 8, 51 and 2 so I assumed it was not out. I did 19889 on a 1 to have 19581 back on a 1 as I didn't relish doing 37434 on 9's to get the diverted route in. I went home on 11128 on a 50 as not ridden it this year.

The tracker now shows 13812 allocated to Bedford which is a wild claim. I do like the new concept of looking at a route and seeing vehicles already allocated hours in advance. That won't last.

I came back out on 22837 back to town as 19706 was in line to give me a run from 19698 to 706 for having all of them on routes 4/10. So it was I did 19706 on the 1612 10 to Goldington returning on the 1637 4 with it. Job done so I went home on 39681 with the 1716 50.

Someone has been playing around with the list and moving buses around on the tracking system.

13812 is back on the right list now same with the livery people like playing around with then so be very careful.

[al_557]

Solo SR 48034 (YJ66ASV) has now arrived back at Bedford and has now been painted all over white with Stagecoach branding as has 48032(YJ66ASO).
Does anyone know why they've been painted white instead of local livery?

[Steven Knight Media]

There had been suggestions the Solos may be earmarked for a new contract, but not seen anything specific

[al_557]

There had been suggestions the Solos may be earmarked for a new contract, but not seen anything specific

That's what the ex London E200's had been rumoured to be for which was a mysterious contract in Cambridge that never materialised

[Steven Knight Media]

That's what the ex London E200's had been rumoured to be for which was a mysterious contract in Cambridge that never materialised

I understand the contract was let but then 'handed back' and went up for re-tender.

[al_557]

Volvo B11R's 54306-08 (YX64WCK/L/M) have been transferred to Stagecoach South West

[rm clippie]

That will only leave one working spare for the X5/99.
also noted today parked at the back of bedford garage
peterborugh E400 10053 (SN12EHO) also Trident18104 (KX04RFE)

[MIB]

I gather there are roadworks in Finedon hence 22835 on my 50 into town was 25 minutes late. At least the tracker and app show this so I can stay indoors until it nears. Rather conveniently winner 36306 was following on the 51 so I got off for it. 11126 departed 32 minutes late on the 1236 50 taking me home. Bizarrely upstairs the floor was soaking wet with a strong smell of bleach. As it had departed over two hours previously from Kettering it seemed strange the whole floor was swimming in water and had not dried out.

There were four fire engines in Greyfriars when I departed so I missed out on what was occurring. Other stuff viewed were 10876 on Hitchin's, 10880 on 1's, 10881 on a Flitwick 2, 19578 on a 10/4 and 37231 on a 9.