No surprises in Stagecoach’s 2011/12 mega bus order, last week, for more than 580 units. Or were there?
Every order has some ADL element, whether this is chassis, body or both. Remember, Brian Souter has an interest in ADL, post Transbus/Mayflower collapse. Added to which, in spite of recessionary times, Stagecoach has steadfastly invested in new buses as a way of growing its business. Souter wins both ways: increased profitability at both operator and manufacturer.
| Provincial Orders | ADL E400 | ADL E300 | ADL E200 | ADL Plaxton | Other | Total |
| ADL E400 | 40 | 0 | 40 | |||
| ADL E400H | 47 | 0 | 47 | |||
| ADL E300 | 24 | 0 | 24 | |||
| ADL E200 | 127 | 0 | 127 | |||
| ADL E200H | 17 | 0 | 17 | |||
| Scania | 91 | 50 | 0 | 141 | ||
| Volvo | 28 | 0 | 28 | |||
| Others incl. integrals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 178 | 74 | 144 | 28 | 424 |
This time, though, there’s no Optare orders at all, continuing a worrying trend for the Leeds manufacturer that in recent years has seen the once popular Stagecoach Solo fall from grace. Stagecoach minibuses again are dominated by the ADL Enviro 200 Dart.
So as we say, no surprises. Except that Stagecoach has chosen Scania single as well as double decks. Scania deckers are no strangers to the Stagecoach fleet but single decks, to date, have hardly featured. And, gone is the MAN single deck chassis in 18.240 form (following predecessor 18.220) that feature currently. Might this have something to do with reliability, perhaps?
The other surprise (that isn’t really one) is the leasing of buses for London. When it reacquired East London, Stagecoach promised leased buses in future for the capital. This gives Stagecoach operational flexibility, though it will see the immediate break in traditional, easy cascading to the provinces.
The only other surprise was in Stagecoach’s arithmetic. Its press release clearly states it was to buy 360 new buses & coaches for the provinces. Adding up the constituent parts and the total is actually 424.
In addition to the provincial order, Stagecoach will lease 124 ADL E400s and 39 E200s in and for London.
15 comments:
Talking of arithmetic, what is your key figure 580 360 ?
Also, add 39 ADL 200 leased for London
TY Anon at 0812. Arithmetic corrected!
Solo, are not big enough, yes there powerful, but there having trouble keeping up with demand.
My local area has 10 solo, and many of the people complain there sardine tins, thus most are getting replaced with E200.
I dont think there have ever brought bigger than the 28 seat version
Could part of the reason that Solos are not featuring at present in orders is that there is no requirement for them?
After all, routes are frequently upgraded from Solos to larger buses, and pretty much all of the old minibuses - that Solos were ordered to replace - have now been ousted. So perhaps it's not quite as sinister as it first appears?
Their arithmetic goes like this. The 587 figure consists of their new announcement of 360 buses for outside London, and 163 for London plus the 64 hybrids announced previously.
As has been said, maybe they need bigger buses than Solos. Most of their step entrance bread vans seem to have been replaced by now anyway. While you can get long Solos, their wheelbases are hopelessly long.
However, if Stagecoach need bigger buses, why not the Versa? They've had a couple, do they not like them...?
Surely the larger Solos and E200 are the same size?
If the Solo nis too small, what s wrong with the Versa?
The long nose is a problem in some areas, the Batch ordered for Exeter were found to not fit the bus station bays with the doors being in line with the fence rather then the gap (not unique to the Versas - Western Greyhound's Solos only just fit)! They were swapped for Darts from North Devon.
There are still lots of Mini's in Somerset and Torquay - but those are going with a batch of E200s displacing Solos from Exeter - though then the E200s are limited to what routes they fit! (IIRC The Exeter Solos were the first Slimline models)
Also interesting is that the Enviro 300 body will be built on a Scania chassis - an option not officially available, according to the Alexander Dennis web site!
Anyone interested in why Optare gets no Stagecoach business should have a look at the first few pages of the Preston Bus provisional findings report on the Competition Commission website.
Anon @ 11:59, were is this or can you give more info?
If Stagecoach is leasing some 160 new buses for East London, what happenned to the buses if must have acquired from the former owner?
Anon on 23/1 @ 12.08
The quote about Optare comes from P6/7, para 3.4.1 of the Stagecoach response to the Provisional findings report, which can be found on the Competition commission website.
Anonymous said...
"The quote about Optare comes from P6/7, para 3.4.1 of the Stagecoach response to the Provisional findings report, which can be found on the Competition commission website."
Basically, here:-
http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/inquiries/ref2009/preston/main_party_responses_pf.htm
The paragraph says:-
"At any time after July 2006, PBL could have approached other operators to sell what was a profitable3 company and which, according to the CC’s findings, should have been expected to be less profitable going forward, in that it would have competition. The CC’s own findings suggest that an operator interested in purchasing PBL would have seen the opportunity for rationalisation and efficiency savings. PBL did not pursue this route. In 2007 PBL became aware from the bus manufacturer Optare (in breach of Optare’s confidentiality obligations to Stagecoach) of the scale of expected Stagecoach entry. It could have sold out then."
Optare's quality simply isn't there. the damn things arrive fresh off the line riddled with electrical & body gremlins, and they aren't that reliable in service.
They also have poor steering lock angle, and for the size of the bus, the wheelbase is just too long, causing much kerbing on housing estates.
I can see this year being Optare's last, as orders are in freefall. If Ashok Leyland hadn't got involved last year, they would have already gone bust again.
If Firstgroup need a Solo type bus now, they will just go for the Wright Lamp Post.
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