How very DAFt

One of the old scania buses (15382) has taken a knock today whilst it was on the taxis. Might not look bad but there is some bent metalwork inside that means it will be off the road for a while. The replacement we have received is another old shed. The clue is in the posting lol.i have never driven it though so should be fun tomorrow when i get to have a nosey around. Also some posts have been lost somewhere so if they turn up duplicated this is why lol.

How very daf t

One of the old scania buses has taken a knock today. Might not look bad but there is some bent metalwork inside that means it will be off the road for a while. The replacement we have received is another old shed. The clue is in the posting lol.i have never driven it though so should be fun tomorrow when i get to have a nosey around.

Off home.

It's not often i get to finish at this time. It's just gone 3pm and i'm off my 330 and onto the speedwell super bus that is the 396. I got the staff bus in this morning for a change. Save a few quid on fuel. It's a busy trip this one in this little bus. Not as busy as some 216s have been today with 2 man buses and the b10 on there. Whilst 2 enviros are on the 217. Make of it what you wish. There are 4 bank holidays this christmas. 3 are being run from princess road the monday one is a sunday service run from ashton which i will be working. Hopefully a late as always on a bank holiday. I cannot be doing with buggie wars when it's sunday service. Will see. Off to gym after then i'm in on a split tomorrow which is ok i suppose. Friday will be tough with a 430 am start :(

Off home.

It's not often i get to finish at this time. It's just gone 3pm and i'm off my 330 and onto the speedwell super bus that is the 396. I got the staff bus in this morning for a change. Save a few quid on fuel. It's a busy trip this one in this little bus. Not as busy as some 216s have been today with 2 man buses and the b10 on there. Whilst 2 enviros are on the 217. Make of it what you wish. There are 4 bank holidays this christmas. 3 are being run from princess road the monday one is a sunday service run from ashton which i will be working. Hopefully a late as always on a bank holiday. I cannot be doing with buggie wars when it's sunday service. Will see. Off to gym after then i'm in on a split tomorrow which is ok i suppose. Friday will be tough with a 430 am start :(

Short week.

First day back after a couple of days off. Not bad considering i am off saturday and sunday too. Just using up excess holidays. Plus it's the ashton driver christmas outing on saturday. Should be fun. Anyway, i'm doing 5 hours on the 217 at the moment. It's been very very quiet on the roads today. I can only assume the lull is down to people being off work. The christmas duties are up at work too so all i heard this morning was moan moan moan. I'm not too bothererd what i do as long as i'm not sat around doing nothing.

Just me

I feel a bit like billy no mates here at the moment. I just got to stockport and there is only me here. There isn't even another bus here yet. I see a 192 and a 42 left as i got in. Got the 17642 trident today which is nice and warm and i keep it all day which is good for my 231s later.

Early morning

It's been a while since i have done an early on a sunday. Just passing katherine street in ashton. It looks so peaceful with no traffic or people about. This morning is empty to stockport then a couple me trips on the 330. I'm first in and first bus out this morning. I'm just happy we don't start at 4am on sundays although i have one of them on friday.

Let down.

This is the taxi bus at the moment. I'm was sat behind this on the way to work earlier. Not in the best of moods today. We have been told that we are no longer getting any new buses because the enviro 200s are being used on the 11 service instead of coming to us. We are getting more man buses instead which will be put on the 7s. Not good news for us. And bad news for the customers too.

This is good.

Nice to see the police are out with the inspectors today. It's always funny seeing the overriders and ticket fraudsters getting what they deserve. I'm waiting for my 7 and saw these getting off the 347 stand! It's just a shame they are never there when you want them to be.

Dont Play Chicken With Buses

Just got back. Not sure if i'm going home yet or not. I don't fancy the 216s now till midnight. Looks like we will be one marshall less in the morning. This has been involved in a bump this evening which is why i just covered the trip.

Mixed bag

This is the plaza theatre in stockport. Was hoping all the neon was turned on outside. It's being done up at the moment from what i see. It's a lovely building. Will get a better picture when it's finished and all the lights are on. Started at 2 today. I was spare but ended up with 3 trips on the blood boiling 216. It's wasn't too bad tonight considering manchester city are playing arsenal tonight at home. Been busy though. I had my break now i just come to stockport to cover the 2017 number 7. Something happened to the bus that was supposed to do it so i been sent. Not a bad thing considering i was going to be floating on the 216s all night.

Winter has come

First day of december has brought us some nice cold weather. It's -4 outside right now and i don't envy anyone sitting upstair on my bus at the moment. The window is all frozen still even though i just run to stockport on the motorway. The cab and lower saloon isn't too bad but could be warmer. This is the joys of a depot based outside i suppose. At least the canteen is nice and warm at work. Last year we just had portacabins which were very cold. One and a half 330s to do now. I just hope i can feel my toes soon.

Bad day.

Today started off very well. Gee cross, glossop, super and easy. Then came the trip and a half on the 7. As soon is i loaded, the half wit at the back of the bus decided that my marshall dart was a party bus with mobile phone music playing very loud. I won't go into any more details but the dummy left the bus before his stop although it was a challenging time. Anyway, the headlights also failed on the bus and once again i ended up in stockport depot getting something fixed on my bus. I did manage to have a peep at the new enviro whilst i was there. Looks nice. There are so many stories about what we are getting at ashton i have stopped believing anything till i see them with my own eyes. Got my training on friday morning before my duty and today i also completed my nvq so some good came from today. Split shift tomorrow so a long day with the gym inbetween. The pic is from the stand on piccadilly last week very peaceful for by change lol.

Perfect day

It might be cold and wet but today is going well. I'm on the 330s which apart from more roadworks at gee cross are pretty simple today. The morning made better by having one of the tridents. Later is a couple of trips on the 7s so i also avoid the football traffic. And then tonight i might pop out for a few beers as i am off tomorrow. Happy days.

Look What I Found

I just finished work and noticed we have driver training next week on the new Enviro 200s. Then when i went outsie look what i found. it looks a nicer bus than i first thought. Can't wait to have a go. I have had to touch the pics up slightly but im sure you get the idea.

Almost goodbye

I heard today that the enviro 200s have started to arrive at hyde road. Thats good because today i have a crap marshall dart. The only good things about the ones we have is the screen can be taken up to there is nothing between you and The passenger. I hate the assault screens, most the time i cannot hear what people are saying and it can cause more problems than it saves when it comes to customer service. Apart from that this bus is rubbish. It's even raining more on the inside than the outside lol. Rant over. Back to ashton for lunch i think.

Royal visit

Just got off the taxi bus to start my day. I noticed the police at the probation officex next to the bus station. Someone said princess anne was visiting for some reason. It's a bit wet to hang around to see so i'll go wait for my 389 instead. Got one trip again followed by 5 hours on the 217. Although i'm pretty wet and cold already so my bus had better be warm.

Long week

I'm just sat at gee cross on my 389. Only got one trip then it's off to glossop which then does the 1850 from town to glossop with about 4 people on. Was hoping to get to hyde road before work to get a picture of the bus which caught fire on gorton lane last night. Not sure of any details but sounded like it's a nasty fire but no casualties luckily. Not had time though so i might nip down tomorrow.

Welcome

Just arriving into work. I remember when i got my transfer up here last year. It took me three attempts to find the place. These two signs were all there was and they are very easy to miss. The bigger of the signs has taken a bit of a beating from the current winds and rain and makes it almost impossible to find us without directions. I just hope today isn't as bad as yesterday. Had a nightmare journey on the 7s last night which started with a breakdown then followed on with bad passengers and a blocked road. So hoping today will be kind.

Break time

Just finished my two very hard trips on the 216. I'm just having my lunch in ashton bus station. Was hard finding something to eat in ashton tonight. The break time on this duty makes it hard to find anywhere still open. So i have opted for the unhealthy option of chippy. Normally a weekend treat but will pretend it's weekend today lol. 7s next. Hope it's an easy couple of trips. Feel drained after them 216s.

Long wet day.

Just on the way to work. Got a long tough day today with a couple of trips on the 216 followed by 2 trips on a 7. This is the council offices in ashton. Interesting building. Not sure which looks worse, this or the civic in oldham.

It's here again.

This stupid thing that is supposed to look like a christmas tree is back in piccadilly this year. I am glad this year it's been tied up properly as last year it fell over. I have a picture of it somewhere will look when i get home.

Another sunday

Just started work. I'm doing the 217 which only goes from stalybridge to piccadilly on a sunday. Nice and simple. I have done it before and picked about 3 people up. Just waiting to start the trip and noticed these ads although i don't think anyone else will because they are on the roof of the lower saloon for some reason. Few problems coming up this week with a diversion being applied on the 216 in clayton. Just when things were getting easier!

Late and wet

Got a few late days now and to kick off i was 2pm spare driver today. Not for long though. Been sent out on the 330 for 3 trips. That will see me out until 9pm so i might sack it day off after that and go home if there is nothing to do. I can stay until 11pm and do nothing with pay if i wanted but i get bored far too easily as i'm sure you know from reading this lol. Just sat in stockport for a change. It's interesting to see stockport are using use charles street minibuses on most of there routes in the evening now.i suppose it reduces antisocial behaviour and many even costs somehow. Anyway on with the next trip.

Update

A few months ago i did a post about the jam factory on ashton hill lane. This is it today. The front walls are all that is left and they look like they will only be there for another few days. On the 217 at the moment. 5 hours on here in a decent bus so not too bad. Did the yawn yawn 389 earlier. Was ok. Although the only excitement was finding market street in hyde closed. They are turning the fairy lights on at the town hall today so the road is closed. Just what we needed on a friday afternoon.

All finished

This is the view from the wash right now. Only one spare bus. The man would have been the 1714 346 from ashton. It's the first one back in after afternoon peak time. Off home for me until tomorrow.

Bored now

Just sat at longendale once more. Waiting for the little cherubs to come out. Not a bad half this. It's a nice drive to hyde from here as long as they behave. I just hope that hyde road have the 219s under control i could do with an easy trip. Not sure if the route is back to normal in manchester yet either.i will guess when i get there.

Council strikes again

This is the very busy bus top for the market. This council worker thinks its for him to load up his van. The annoying thing is there is a loading space only 10feet in front of his van. Just noticed the stage is up too for the lights switch on tonight. I doubt the council would appreciate me parking my bus in front of it so they cannot do there job.

Dirty folk

I took this after my first trip to ashton from gee cross. Already people are leaving there rubbish on the bus as if it's a bin. It annoys me sometimes, only last night i sent two girls back upstairs to collect the chippy trays they got on with. Anyway. I'm sat at glossop now waiting to leave for ashton on my last trip of the morning. It makes me chuckle, in glossop as soon as the bus pulls up at the royal oak people appear wanting to get on. I have 15 minutes here so they will have to stand the cold for 10 minutes whilst i have my cornflakes. I really don't do mornings in the winter, it's ok in summertime because i can disappear on my bike for the afternoon. Off to the gym next to see if i can shift the last bits of this cold then it's off to longendale school and a trip on the 219 to town and back. Simples

Early morning

It's a bit early for me today. Doing a split shift today which isn't good when i have been on lunchtime starts for the past few weeks. Off to the gym inbetween so i might get a sleep in the sauna after. Doing a couple of trips to gee cross first thing then a school later on. I have a feeling its going to be a busy old day.