Jim Stones Coaches
Encyclopedia
Jim Stones Coaches is a bus operator that operates a number of commercial and supported routes on behalf of Transport for Greater Manchester in the town Wigan Borough
Town of Leigh
in Western Greater Manchester
area. Their main hub is Leigh bus station
.
of October 1986 the company started bus operations with two routes, 596 from Leigh to Landside and 599 Leigh to Higher Folds, and soon built up a loyal following of passengers. The company expanded operations by filling the bus network where the larger incumbent operator GM Buses
retracted services, as well as winning school and tendered contract services on behalf of Transport for Greater Manchester.
The fleet livery has been very similar since its inception being white upper body separated by light blue stripes from a much darker blue waistline scheme.
The fleet used today on all routes is 100% low floor buses for easy accessibility (except school services).
The company was awarded the Route ONE 'UK Bus Operator of The Year' for 2005 and the Pride of Leigh award in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
In the 1990s the company ran occasional day trips to various places including theatres, using its historic AEC coach registered TEC 599N.
Jim Stones became an early operator of a Dennis Dart bus (with Wadham Stringer Portsdown bodywork) in October 1990 registration plate H1 JYM. The company later was the first operator of a Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart midibus
, entering service in August 2006, using a 10.7m version of the model - the bus being a Dennis Dart successor, which Jim Stones had been using over the last few years. The older examples of the Dennis Dart are now being sold and replaced by further Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart. Replacement of vehicles is frequent to maintain the low age profile of the fleet. The company continues to use personalized number plates.
Previous vehicles operated in service, either new or second hand, include an Optare StarRider
, several former military transport buses, a Leyland Swift
with Reeve Burgess
bodywork a single deck Leyland Atlantean
, a Leyland Tiger
bus with Plaxton
bodywork, various Leyland Leopard
and Ford
coaches and various models of Mercedes-Benz minibuses .
Metropolitan Borough of Wigan
The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. It is named after its largest component town, Wigan and also includes the towns of Leigh, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Ince-in-Makerfield, and Hindley. The borough was formed in 1974 and is an...
Town of Leigh
Leigh, Greater Manchester
Leigh is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Wigan, and west of Manchester. Leigh is situated on low lying land to the north west of Chat Moss....
in Western Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
area. Their main hub is Leigh bus station
Leigh bus station
Leigh bus station is a bus station located in the town of Leigh, in Greater Manchester. It is run by Transport for Greater Manchester.-Services:...
.
History
Set up in 1968 the company operated coaches only for private hire and contract duties prior to the deregulation of buses in 1986. Upon the bus deregulationBus deregulation
Bus deregulation in Great Britain came into force on 26 October 1986, as part of the Transport Act 1985.The 'Buses' White Paper was the basis of the Transport Act 1985, which provided for the deregulation of local bus services in the whole of the United Kingdom except for Northern Ireland and...
of October 1986 the company started bus operations with two routes, 596 from Leigh to Landside and 599 Leigh to Higher Folds, and soon built up a loyal following of passengers. The company expanded operations by filling the bus network where the larger incumbent operator GM Buses
GM Buses
GM Buses was the main bus company serving Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. The company was public owned by Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, which is a public body responsible for helping to co-ordinate public transport services in the Greater...
retracted services, as well as winning school and tendered contract services on behalf of Transport for Greater Manchester.
The fleet livery has been very similar since its inception being white upper body separated by light blue stripes from a much darker blue waistline scheme.
The fleet used today on all routes is 100% low floor buses for easy accessibility (except school services).
The company was awarded the Route ONE 'UK Bus Operator of The Year' for 2005 and the Pride of Leigh award in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
In the 1990s the company ran occasional day trips to various places including theatres, using its historic AEC coach registered TEC 599N.
Jim Stones became an early operator of a Dennis Dart bus (with Wadham Stringer Portsdown bodywork) in October 1990 registration plate H1 JYM. The company later was the first operator of a Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart midibus
Midibus
A midibus is a classification of single-decker minibuses which generally are larger than a traditional minibus but smaller than a full-size single decker and can be anywhere between and long...
, entering service in August 2006, using a 10.7m version of the model - the bus being a Dennis Dart successor, which Jim Stones had been using over the last few years. The older examples of the Dennis Dart are now being sold and replaced by further Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart. Replacement of vehicles is frequent to maintain the low age profile of the fleet. The company continues to use personalized number plates.
Previous vehicles operated in service, either new or second hand, include an Optare StarRider
Optare StarRider
The Optare StarRider was a midibus/midicoach body produced by Optare between 1987 and 1994. It was based on a Mercedes-Benz 811D/814D chassis, with its body made from a steel frame with aluminium alloy and GPR exterior panels....
, several former military transport buses, a Leyland Swift
Leyland Swift
The Leyland Swift was a midibus chassis built by Leyland Bus from 1987, sharing many components with the Roadrunner light truck but with the engine relocated to behind the front axle which was itself set back to permit a passenger entrance in the front overhang...
with Reeve Burgess
Reeve Burgess
Reeve Burgess was a bus body manufacturer based in Pilsley, North East Derbyshire in the United Kingdom. It was a subsidiary of Plaxton from 1980 until its closure in 1991....
bodywork a single deck Leyland Atlantean
Leyland Atlantean
The Leyland Atlantean is a model of double-decker bus built by Leyland in the United Kingdom from 1958 to 1986....
, a Leyland Tiger
Leyland Tiger
The Leyland Tiger, also known as the B43, was a mid-engined bus and coach chassis which was built between 1981 and 1993. This name had previously been used for a front-engined bus built between 1920s and 1950s. It replaced the Leyland Leopard, which had been in production for over 20 years...
bus with Plaxton
Plaxton
Plaxton is a builder of bus and coach vehicle bodies based in Scarborough, England.-History:The Plaxton of today is the successor to a business founded in Scarborough in 1907 by Frederick William Plaxton.-Beginnings:...
bodywork, various Leyland Leopard
Leyland Leopard
The Leyland Leopard was a mid-engined single-deck bus and coach chassis built by Leyland between 1959 and 1982. It was popular with bus and coach operators throughout the British Isles...
and Ford
Ford R-Series
The Ford R-Series is a range of bus and coach chassis evolved from designs made by Ford's Thames commercial vehicle subsidiary until the mid-1960s. A number of components were shared with the D-series lorry, including the engine which was mounted vertically at the front of the vehicle, ahead of the...
coaches and various models of Mercedes-Benz minibuses .
Routes
These are the bus services run by Jim Stones Coaches:| No. | From | To | Via | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 584 | Leigh | Crankwood | ||
| 587 | Leigh | Dakins Road | ||
| 588 | Leigh | Lowton Lowton Lowton is a village, part of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is around from Leigh and south of Wigan. The settlement lies across the A580 East Lancashire Road.... , Scott Road |
||
| 589 591 |
Leigh | Lowton, St Luke's | Garton Drive (589) | Circular |
| 590 | Leigh | Lowton St Mary's | The Poplars | |
| 592 | Leigh | Plank Lane | Lowton | Circular |
| 593 | Leigh | Tamar | ||
| 594 | Leigh | Hindley Green Hindley Green Hindley Green is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. The village lies to the east of Hindley and is centred on the A577 Atherton Road to its boundary with Leigh.-History:... |
Westleigh | |
| 595 | Leigh | Abbey Lane | Westleigh | |
| 596 | Leigh | Landside | Pennington | |
| 672 673 |
Leigh | Higher Folds | ||
| 681 | Atherton Atherton, Greater Manchester Atherton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of Lancashire. It is east of Wigan, north-northeast of Leigh, and northwest of Manchester... |
Hag Fold | ||
| 682 | Leigh | Atherton | Hag Fold |
Fleet
| Quantity | Type | Seats + Standing | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart | 35+28 (x1) 37+24 (x1) |
New 2006-2010. | |
| 1 | Volvo B7RLE Volvo B7RLE Volvo B7RLE is a low-floor single-deck citybus launched initially in Australia in 2001, and then in the United Kingdom in 2003 to supplement the B7L single-decker, which was unsuccessful in both countries. It is similar to the B7L's predecessor, the B10BLE... / Wright Eclipse Wright Eclipse The Wright Eclipse is a low-floor single-deck bus body built by Wright on Volvo B7 chassis. It shares its design with the Wright Solar on Scania L94 chassis.... |
New 2008, acquired secondhand from Worcestershire County Council. Mostly used on service 672. | ||
| 1 | Alexander Dennis Enviro300 | New 2005, acquired secondhand from BT in 2010. Mostly used on school services. | ||
| 1 | Leyland-DAB Tiger Cub | New 1984, acquired from Leyland Bus in 1986. Now semi-preserved, but still a PCV and occasionally used for private hire or as back up for low-floor fleet. |