Sunday Variety

Stagecoach Stockport Switch Suspended

The cunning plan was to add all 170 electric buses to the Stagecoach fleet operated for Manchester's Bee Network. But it simply isn't going to happen for a good few years. The headline (above) quotes a "depot difficulty".

Here is the Stagecoach depot at Stockport, sheltering under the shadow of the famous railway viaduct.

A peep though the door reveals plenty of space.

Indeed, it appears that there is more than enough room for the depot to be used as a staff car park.

There are cars all around!

And there is still plenty of room. The depot has been rebuilt and is very good condition ...

... you couldn't even use the word "tired"!

GROAN!

So what is wrong with the depot?

Answer, nothing!

Those vehicles are being part-funded by the first round of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme via a successful bid led by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

Most recently it had been envisaged that the depot work in Stockport would be complete by Q3 2025. However, a report to go before the GMCA Joint Clean Air Scrutiny Committee on 26 September notes that “challenges to site availability” have pushed that back by at least a further three years.

In an indication of the scope of difficulty in finding a suitable location for large-scale battery-electric bus operation in Stockport, the report says that TfGM continues to work with Stockport Council to source one and that the new depot is expected to be operational no sooner than late 2028.

No sooner, so could be later, much later

The Volvo BZL fleet intended for Stockport will instead be deployed from depots including Middleton – which Stagecoach operates under the second tranche of bus franchising in the city region – and Hyde Road and Ashton-under-Lyne. The latter two are currently outside the Bee Network but will move from Stagecoach to Metroline in early 2025 under the third tranche.

But there is still no explanation of the "problem" at Stockport depot.

One of fbb's correspondents has hinted (expertly) at the depot difficulty.

There is not enough electricity. The pipes delivering the electric to that part of Stockport are far too small to fill up 170 batteries overnight. The only way it could be done is to switch off the whole of the rest of Stockport overnight.

This would not be the most popular decision.

It will take at least until 2028 to upgrade the supply and, it seems, the National Grid is uneasy about spending the money.

Blog readers may remember a relatively recent BBC documentary which revealed that the UK has a shortage of generating capability and, even it extra power stations could be built in time, the National Grid would need massive investment to deliver said juice to where the chargers would need to be charging.

And that means more and bigger pylons ...

... and we know how popular they will be - and very expensive!

It's all going terribly well - as confidently predicted in this blog.

First Has Another Trainset ...

... with second-hand rolling stock!

The story so far:-

ORR will allow Grand Union Trains to run four return services a day between Stirling and London Euston, starting in 2025.

The trains would call at Larbert, Greenfaulds (for Cumbernauld), Whifflet (for Coatbridge and Airdrie), Motherwell and Lockerbie, and in England at Carlisle, Preston, Crewe, Nuneaton and Milton Keynes Central. 

Larbert, Greenfaulds and Whifflet would all gain their first direct services to London.

The company said it will use former Virgin Class 220/221 trains that are stored off-lease. 

Some publicity shows 225s from the East Coast main line ...

... but, pre take-over, Grand Union has said that it would use diesels because of, guess what, "power supply problems on the West Coast main line"!

First has not, so far, revealed what trains it will operate.

In the longer term, Grand Union aims to use electric or bi-mode trains, but added that “with current power supply being an issue on the WCML” it would use diesel power throughout the electrified route.

Grand Union was also planning to run from Carmarthen to London but this project appears to be stalled and is not included in the First Rail take-over.

More New Old Trains

Strange things continue to happen in the OO gauge model railway world. 

In the good old days, you either started with a Triang set ...

... or, if your parents were indulgent, you had Hornby Dublo ...

... and you grew the model from there.

Now it is much more toys for very old boys! 

Recently there has been an outbreak of real nostalgia models, dating from before the current crop of wealthy old biys were alive.

First Hattons announced their "Genesis" range of generic four and six wheel coaches in a plethora of ancient liveries.

These coaches were not models of any specific type, but acceptable examples which would pass muster for all but the most pedantic and specialist of modellers.

Then Hornby did the same.

fbb had intended to get samples of both, but Hattons sold out so quickly that he missed out! But Hattons ordered a second batch from the factories way out East. Then Hattons closed down but the "second batch" was taken over by Rails of Sheffield from whom fbb has ordered a sample due for delivery very soon. Well, the old miser has paid for it!

Both companies offered a huge range of liveries all available with optional internal lighting.

But fbb suspects that no more will be produced from either stable,

So expect a very belated contrast and compare in a future blog.

Then Rapido, well known for its eclectic range of very accurate (and very expensive) old-style models, announced something out of character.

They would be offering a truly huge range of "generic" bogie non corridor (suburban) coaches in oodles of different liveries. And they would come with lighting as standard.

Their video explains.

In a rush of financial resource from the pocket and blood to the head, fbb has ordered one. He will have to wait until later in 2025 for it to materialise, by which time he will probably have forgotten that he ordered it.

He doesn't pay for it until the model is in stock.

For comparison, here is the very first clerestory coach (pronounced "clear story" being the extra "storey" on the roof with clear glass to allow more light into the carriage) offered by Triang in the very early 1960s.

Back then we thought it was wonderful!

Two New UK Platforms ...

... but not yet open. A Puzzle Picture.

But where are they. A clue?

The bus is on route 395 to Stony Stratford.

 4 Days to Go 

 Next Ashley Down blog : Mon 30th Sept