ON STAGEHelping the UK to weather the storms

More room for commuters

The newsletter of Stagecoach Group Issue 102 | March 2014

INSIDE Gearing up for Gleneagles page 2 | Jim’s a superhero page 7

A new integrated coach-rail service now provides a seamless link between London and the West Country using a combination of South West Trains rail services and megabus.com coaches.This has added significant extra public transport capacity to keep communities in Devon and Cornwall connected while one of the main railway lines is closed following the collapse of the sea wall and damage to the track at Dawlish.Stagecoach also increased capacity on its megabus.com services to Cornwall by 50% from around 400 seats a day to nearly 600.The moves followed a package of measures on Stagecoach’s local bus network in the south-west to deliver

Record-breaking businessboost for British industryA RECORD-BREAKING Stagecoach investment of more than £100 million has brought a major boost for British manufacturing.The Group placed orders for almost 570 vehicles for the financial year 2014-15, benefiting communities across England, Scotland and Wales.The investment in new, greener vehicles also includes a £21million fleet of hybrid electric buses for London and new coaches for the company's expanding megabus.com budget travel service in the UK and Europe.This is the largest set of orders ever placed by Stagecoach and is also understood to be the biggest placed by any bus operator in Britain.It takes Stagecoach Group's total orders of new buses and coaches for its regional bus operations in the UK to around £545 million in last seven years.The Group has also ordered more than £100 million worth of new vehicles for its London bus operations since buying the business in 2010.

STAGECOACH Group waded in to help storm-hit communities in the south-west of England following the wettest winter in 250 years.

discounted fares on key routes in Devon.“Daily life is a real struggle for families in the areas worst hit by the severe weather,” said Martin Griffiths, Stagecoach Group Chief Executive.“We appreciate that transport is absolutely vital. The priority is for everyone across the public transport sector to pull together to keep Britain moving and make sure communities remain open for business.”Stagecoach, which operates around 330 buses across the south-west of England, has also extended the travel zones covered by its multi-journey tickets to include areas affected by rail disruption and is accepting First Great Western rail tickets on its bus journeys between Dawlish and Teignmouth

while rail services remain disrupted.Employees at the South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance have worked tirelessly to deal with the impact of the storms which caused hundreds of trees to fall across the network and triggered flooding and landslips.Engineers have worked 24 hours

a day to repair the track damage and all Alliance staff – including those in the control room, customer information, commercial, stakeholder and timetable planning teams – have worked non-stop to minimise disruption and make sure customers have the latest information.

Work to repair one of the largest storm-triggered landslips at Botley.

NEW train carriages are adding extra capacity to South West Trains’ services.A total of 108 of the new carriages will be introduced over the next 12 months, with the first 10-car train rolled out to the London Waterloo to Windsor line from mid March.The £65 million investment will add more capacity for an extra 23,000 peak-time passengers every day. Christian Roth, Fleet Director for the South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance, said: “These carriages will provide significant improvements for passengers on some of our busiest services.“We will be able to lengthen many peak trains from eight carriages to ten, providing extra space for our commuters.”

A £65 million investment in new carriages will benefit thousands of peak-time passengers.

ON STAGE

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A bus driver in Australia posted on Facebook this conversation that he overheard while driving his bus.Child: “Mum, is that police car coming for us?”Mother: “No, why?”Child: “Because you told the bus driver I’m three and I’m really four!”If you have seen or heard something funny – online, in the papers, on social media or just while out and about – send your contributions for the ‘What a Laugh’ section in the next edition to lindsay.reid@stagecoachgroup.com

EAST Midlands Trains sponsored Dave’s Leicester Comedy Festival for the second year running, and a special ‘First Class’ performance took place at the train station for the first time ever. Also as part of the festival, a photography exhibition was on display at the front of the station and a range of station announcements were made by famous comedian Hardeep Singh Kohli.

Eddie’s still smiling after 53 years

nFestival of fun

nFresh investment in tram network

Did you know? Stagecoach North East has launched its official Twitter account at @stagecoachNE

What a Laugh!

STAGECOACH is teeing up for Gleneagles after being appointed transport operator for the 2014 Ryder Cup in September.The company will provide a fleet of 150 double-decker buses to and from Ryder Cup Park and Ride sites at Perth, Stirling and Kinross during the week of the event. “It is a huge operation to transport in the region of 45,000 people to and from the golf course every day during the week of The 2014 Ryder Cup,” said Richard Hills, Europe’s Ryder Cup Director.“We are delighted that Stagecoach, a company with its roots firmly in Scotland, will facilitate these transfers and ensure the smooth arrival and departure of the spectators at Gleneagles.” The majority of the operation will be managed by Stagecoach East Scotland, based in Kirkcaldy.

However, vehicles will also be provided by Stagecoach’s regional bus companies across the UK. Robert Montgomery, Managing Director of Stagecoach UK Bus, described the Ryder Cup role as ‘a great honour’.He continued: “Stagecoach has wide-ranging experience of providing transport services for major

sporting events including the 2012 London Olympics, the 2010 Ryder cup in Wales,

the British Grand Prix at Silverstone over a number of years and many more. “We will be calling on the significant resources of our regional companies

within our UK Bus division to help ensure the success of the operation and

we look forward to enhancing the experience for the spectators who play such an important

role in the event.”

PASSENGERS and staff at East Midlands Trains have said goodbye to one of Leicester station’s best-known faces.Edmond Isaac MBE (75) has hung up his whistle and baton and retired after 53 years of service.Known as Eddie to friends and colleagues, he first retired when he was 65 but wasn’t ready to give up the job he loved at Leicester station. Ten years on, he has now decided to take a well-earned break. Eddie joined the railway in 1961 in London dealing with parcels before transferring to London Road in Leicester shortly afterwards. He was responsible for the on and off loading and sorting of parcels at Leicester until the early 1980s when he was promoted to Leading Railman and has dealt with assisting passengers and dispatching trains ever since. Eddie said: “One thing I love about Leicester is the people. I've been here for over 60 years and the only time I've ever left the city was to collect my MBE from the Queen.

“I'm proud to say I've never missed a day's service in the 45 years I've worked on the station. It's my second home and my customers make me so happy.“I've never had a bad day in Leicester, which is why I believe 'happiness within' is the secret to good health. Keep happy, keep smiling.”

A POPULAR North East bus driver has earned a Service to the Community Award following commendations from members of the public in Newcastle.Terry Rooke has worked at the city’s Walkergate depot for 36 years and many passengers have written letters praising his polite and positive manner.As a result, Stagecoach North East has awarded Terry the prestigious Service to the Community Award, which recognises those who go ‘above and beyond’ in their role.“Terry is an asset to the team, and an inspiration to all of our drivers,” said David Wakefield, Walkergate depot Operations Manager.“His experience, positive outlook and work ethic mean he provides an excellent service for those on his buses – so much so that people actually took time out of their day to let us know what they think of him.”

Edmond Isaac MBE never missed a day’s service at Leicester Station.

In the driving seat for Ryder Cup

Terry goes the extra mile

Driver Terry Rooke shows off his Service to the Community certificate.

WORK to renew Sheffield’s tram network through a major programme of essential rail replacement works is set to resume.Network owner South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) and tram operator Stagecoach Supertram are funding the project, with the majority of work being undertaken during the next four years at an estimated capital cost of £32 million.The first stage of the project was completed in 2013 and saw almost 5,000 metres of rail replaced between Spring Lane and Park Grange Croft tram stops. The next stage of the works will see VolkerRail continue to replace worn out sections of tram track across the whole of the Sheffield Supertram network. The work is expected to continue until September.Supertram Managing Director Margaret Kay said: “During the works over the next few months, the majority of our services across the network will run as normal, however some sections of the system will be affected, with buses replacing trams at times.“This will cause short-term disruption for some customers but we will be doing everything we can to minimise the impact of the works on our passengers.”

ON STAGE

nAnd they’re off!

East Coast franchise bid

3

‘Eternal gratitude’ from happy passenger ... find out more on page 5.

STAGECOACH Group’s prequalification submission for the InterCity East Coast rail franchise with its partner Virgin Group has been shortlisted to receive an Invitation to Tender by the Department for Transport (DfT).The InterCity East Coast franchise provides frequent services connecting London with Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland.It is expected to run for around eight to nine years, with the provision for an extension of up to two years at the discretion of the DfT. An announcement about the successful bidder is expected in autumn 2014, with the contract expected to start in February 2015.Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Martin Griffiths

said: “Stagecoach and our partners Virgin have played a leading role in transforming rail travel in Britain over the past two decades.“We have a strong record of introducing new trains, maximising the benefit of infrastructure improvements and attracting growing numbers of passengers to the railway.“InterCity East Coast is a key part of the UK’s rail network and we have already started consulting with stakeholders along the route to understand their aspirations for the franchise.“We believe our private-sector expertise can deliver a better service to customers and an attractive deal for the taxpayer. We look forward to submitting an innovative and competitive bid in due course.”

STAGECOACH Group’s award-winning Buy As You Earn Share Plan (BAYE) is increasingly seen as a valuable benefit by many employees.The BAYE plan gives UK employees the chance to buy shares in Stagecoach each month and has been operating successfully for over two years.It’s a tax-efficient scheme whereby an investment of £10 per month from pre-taxed income could secure up to £30 worth of shares for a post-tax cash cost to the employee of no more than £6.80 per month.Shares must be held for a period of 5 years before they can be sold tax-free.What’s more the tax advantages are increasing in 2014, as the UK Chancellor has announced that the

PUNTERS are on to a winner at Fontwell Park Racecourse thanks to a new shuttle bus service.Stagecoach South are providing the free service from Barnham Train Station to and from Fontwell Park for every race meeting in 2014, so race-goers can avoid the hassle of driving and parking.Operations Manager Simon Tramalloni said: “We hope everyone has a great day out at the races, and they could even have an extra bet with the money they save by taking the bus!”

PRIMARY one pupils at Perth’s St Madoes school took a journey back in time recently.David James and Sam Ramage from Stagecoach’s Perth depot brought a vintage bus to the school as part of the youngsters’ project on the history of transport.The pupils thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the bus, climbing on board and even getting a trip around the playground on it.

COACH USA was selected as one of the official transportation providers for the 2014 National Football League’s Superbowl Championship Game. More than 450 charters were operated in the operation, which was led by Coach USA’s Suburban Transit Bus Company supported by its Community Coach, Dillon’s Bus Service and Olympia Bus services. Coach USA partner DATTCO Bus Company also took part. Scott Sprengel, General Manager Suburban Bus said: “It was an excellent team effort and was considered a success by our primary customer Gameday Management.“The entire Suburban Bus staff worked countless hours crossing over and sharing responsibilities to pull this off.”

Simon Tramalloni, Operations Manager for Stagecoach, with Tracy Skinner, Executive Director at Fontwell Park Racecourse.

nTime travellersDavid (left) and Sam with the St Madoes Primary pupils.

Superbowl touchdown for Coach USA

Coach USA provided transport for the 2014 Superbowl.

Paul receives his award from Fiona Tordoff, Chief Executive of the Institute of Rail Operators.

EAST Midlands Trains employee Paul Williams, who was highlighted as an ‘unsung hero’ by his colleagues recently, won the award for Outstanding Individual Operator at the industry’s Golden Whistle Awards. The Driver Instructor has helped to successfully deliver a number of projects within East Midlands Trains, including supporting the development of new on-train software to help with fault-finding.He also worked on the Nottingham re-signalling project and, for the past four years, helped Network Rail develop a line-speed improvement scheme, bringing faster journey times for passengers.

Golden honour for Paul

limits on the market value of shares that can purchased by employees (known as partnership shares) will increase from £1,500 to £1,800 per year.All BAYE members will be contacted in April 2014, asking whether they wish to take advantage of the increased allowance, and any increases will be applied from June 2014.Annual benefit statements were issued to all members in March 2014. If you are a member of the BAYE and have not received your statement, please send an email to bayeadmin@stagecoachgroup.com and a new statement will be sent out to you.UK employees can join the BAYE plan when they have three months’ service with Stagecoach Group, or every six months in June or December each year after that.

Tax-free share plan gets even better

ON STAGE

nMegabus investment

4

nGreat service

nPICTURE THISOur Picture of the Season slot has now changed to Picture This. Photos no longer need to include a bus, train or tram but should be transport-related in some way.This edition’s winner is taken by Kevin Cooper, who works for Stagecoach London. It shows an early morning picture of West Ham Garage. Congratulations to Kevin who will shortly receive his prize of £50 of M&S vouchers.

Did you know? Scenes for a new movie featuring Simon Pegg were recently filmed at London Waterloo Station.

EAST Midlands Trains’ Neville Hill depot has marked the 30th anniversary of an HST power car being named in their honour. ‘Neville Hill’, otherwise known as power car 43049, was officially named on 21 January 1984 at the Leeds-based depot. Three decades later, the same power car is still in operation on the mainline route to London. Its original name plates are still intact, and it continues to be maintained at Neville Hill depot. Five of the members of staff who were at the original train naming in 1984 helped other employees at the depot to celebrate the special milestone. Linda Wain, HST Fleet and Depot Manager for East Midlands Trains, said: “The last 30 years have seen

A NEW $10.5 million investment means extra double-decker coaches for Stagecoach Group’s growing megabus.com network in North America.A fleet of 15 Van Hool TD 925 vehicles is expected to enter service as the market-leading brand plans further expansion in 2014.Megabus.com, which has created more than 1,000 new jobs over the past seven years, now operates in more than 30 states in the United States and two provinces in Canada, serving more than 120 destinations. Around 10 million customers travel on more than 200,000 trips with megabus.com every year, with more than 50% of passengers previously driving by car. Dale Moser, President and Chief Operating Officer of megabus.com, said: “These new state-of-the-art coaches are part of our exciting expansion plans for 2014 and will help bring safe, high-quality and affordable to travel to more people in North America.”

KEEPING customers informed earned East Midlands Trains a top honour at the 2013 Rail Business Awards.Judges praised the company for its great customer service during the Nottingham re-signalling scheme between July 20 and August 25 last year. Efforts to go the extra mile for its passengers included a 15% discount offered on tickets, which was a first for the rail industry. East Midlands Trains also provided free cupcakes, macaroons and live entertainment, while mascot ‘Shirley’ helped to keep passengers entertained at the station.This project was a tremendous challenge for everyone across our business,” said David Horne, Managing Director for East Midlands Trains.“We had some great feedback from our customers at the time, and I’m delighted that our work has been externally recognised with this award.”

A VERY special little guest was welcomed by London’s Plumstead garage recently.Bus fan Vincent Villiers (known as Dude) travels regularly on route 469 to have treatment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, for blood clots and bleeding around his brain.During his visit Vincent was shown all aspects of the garage, including a demonstration of towing a bus, as well as seeing his name up in lights on a destination screen and receiving a selection of bus goodies.He said he enjoyed his visit and all staff were happy to have him there.

SOUTH Wales apprentice Richard Williams has been hailed Bus and Coach Apprentice of the Year.The third-year apprentice received the honour at the Quality Skills Alliance 2014 Awards at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff after being nominated by the S&B Automotive Academy.“Richard is steady, even-tempered and unflappable,” said Clare Willis, Stagecoach UK Bus Training Co-ordinator.“He retains information and is a motivated individual who is not afraid of hard work. Richard is technically excellent and is well on the way to becoming one of our best tradesmen.”

If you have any good photos for Picture This please send them to Lindsay Reid, On Stage, Stagecoach Group, 10 Dunkeld Road, Perth, PH1 5TW, or email them to lindsay.reid@stagecoachgroup.com

Mascot Shirley helps out during the works at Nottingham.

Pictured, from left, are: Brendan Conlon, Steve Gormon, Allan Gant, Dave Tinnion and Paul Corrie – all of whom were at the original train naming ceremony for ‘Neville Hill’.

so many changes and improvements to rail services and they should be proud that ‘Neville Hill’ continues to play such a significant role in the delivery of today’s railway.”

Three decades in power

Bus and Coach Apprentice of the Year Richard Williams (centre) receives his award.

Richard reaches for the top

Vincent lifts a bus with one finger, under the watchful eye of Deputy Engineering Manager Andy Hammant.

One happy Dude

ON STAGE

nBuses have the X-factor

5

Dear Sir,I am writing to express my eternal gratitude to a young lady in your employ by the name of Kim Brooks for both her professionalism and exemplary service displayed at your Westwood depot.My five-year-old son has a keen interest in buses and specifically the Loop and I popped into your depot to enquire about purchasing a mini Loop model and spoke to Kim.Whilst sadly it was not possible to buy such a model, after hearing my plight Kim asked me to return the next day and she would make some enquiries about some branded items.Imagine my surprise when upon my return, Kim greeted me warmly and presented me with a whole bag of Loop branded goodies for my son. I was surprised and overjoyed with the plethora of mints, pens, torches, fridge magnet and even a T-shirt contained within the Loop-themed bag. I wanted to ensure you got this memo to highlight Kim’s actions and show just what a credit to your organisation she is.

Warmest regards, Carl

Dear Megabus,It’s been quite some time since I rode Megabus, however I was quite the frequent traveller approximately two years ago. Your phenomenal service and pricing were instrumental in changing my life, and I wanted to send a huge thank you to your company! In July 2011, I went to New York City from my hometown of Philadelphia, using Megabus of course, to see a friend play in a band. There, I met a girl that lived in New York, and instead of a trans-city relationship being cost or time-prohibitive, your service enabled me to commute every few days.After a year or so of frequent trips back and forth, I decided to move to NYC and now we are getting married on the 4th of July! Thank you for bringing this wonderful and cost-effective service to the U.S., and best wishes in your continued success. My fiancé and I, both in advertising, are some of your biggest advocates!

All our best, Jeff and the future Meghan Budden

The letters below were received from grateful customers – one at Stagecoach South East and the other at megabus.com in the USA.

LETTER OF PRAISE

If you or one of your colleagues has received a letter of praise from a customer, please email a copy to lindsay.reid@stagecoachgroup.com or post it to Lindsay Reid, Senior Group Communications Manager, Stagecoach Group, 10 Dunkeld Road, Perth, PH1 5TW. We will publish as many as possible.

CHRISTMAS shoppers boosted a great cause championed by Stagecoach South.The festive season charity appeal raised £1,500 for Help for Heroes, thanks to the generosity of passengers who travelled on the Chichester Park & Ride services.“We want to thank everyone for all the support and generous donations received,” said Simon Tramalloni, Operations Manager for Stagecoach in Chichester.“I am honoured to hand over this money on behalf of Stagecoach to such a worthy charity. Help for Heroes offers so much support to the men and women who are wounded to get their lives back on track.”

X-FACTOR’S Ryan Mathie entertained passengers and passers-by as he unveiled a fleet of stylish coaches in Hull city centre on Valentine’s Day.The former bin lorry mechanic boarded the X62 to serenade passengers as he launched Stagecoach’s new Love Your X fleet, which boasts free wi-fi and plush seats among its new features.Michelle Hargreaves, Stagecoach East Midland’s Managing Director, said: “The X62 is definitely on the up. It’s a frequent and reliable service, offering commuters and shoppers hassle-free travel to and from Hull city centre.“Shoppers and commuters can now travel in greater comfort, enjoy free wi-fi and save money in local stores thanks to Love Your X.”

EAST Midlands Trains is creating over 1000 extra cycle spaces at its stations.The new spaces are being introduced at a number of stations while Sheffield and Leicester will also benefit from new changing facilities and a repair shop.Neil Micklethwaite, Commercial and Customer Service Director, said: “We know that door-to-door journey times are a key factor for people when deciding which mode of transport to use and there is a case to be made for how cycling can help reduce overall travel times.”

THE HELP for Heroes charity has launched its Hero Ride which will take place on June 8.The event involves a series of bike rides across the UK, Belgium and France, with thousands of people uniting to recognise those who have been wounded or injured or who became ill in the service of their country.In 2013 the event raised an incredible £1.1m and 1300 people of all ages and abilities got on their bikes in support of the charity. More information on the Hero Ride can be found at www.helpforheroes.org.uk

Pictured, from left, are: Steve Thorpe, Stagecoach; Councillor Myles Cullen; Operations Manager Simon Tramalloni; James Burns from Help for Heroes and Chris Rogers, Stagecoach.

Christmas gift for great cause

Very appealingA VEHICLE from Bow Garage in London was involved in the launch of the Lord Mayor’s appeal at the Guildhall recently.Lord Mayor of the City of London Fiona Woolf launched the annual appeal which helps raise money for several charities.The Stagecoach London vehicle (centre) at the Guildhall launch.

X-Factor’s Ryan Mathie with the Stagecoach East Midlands team at the launch.

nHit the highway for heroes

nTicket to ride

Pop star’s praise for megabus ... find out more on page 7.

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GREEN SCENE

Local investment benefits passengers

New buses clear the airnA lot more luxury

Did you know? South West Trains stations reduced their energy consumption by 37% by dimming and turning off lights on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Hybrids make their mark

STAGECOACH Midlands is spending a massive £5.6 million on 37 new single-deck, low-emission buses for major bus routes in Northampton.“This is the largest single investment in new buses for Northampton’s bus network and represents an unprecedented upgrade in the quality of vehicles,” said Steve Burd, Managing Director of Stagecoach Midlands.“We believe this will encourage more people to try the bus and persuade them that travelling by bus not only makes environmental sense but is also a cost-effective means of transport.”

TWENTY-ONE greener buses are bringing down emissions in the Sunderland area.The new ADL 200s, which have eco-friendly Euro 5 engines, are the result of a £2.5 investment by Stagecoach North East.Rachel Geliamassi, Operations Manager at Sunderland Depot, Stagecoach North East, said: “To have 21 new lower-emission buses on the road across the city is fantastic and another step forward on our green agenda.”

STAGECOACH East Scotland's coach tours and private hire operator Rennies of Dunfermline started the new year in style with the launch of two luxury vehicles. The new 49-seater coaches feature toilets, leather seats and free wi-fi access.Andrew Jarvis, Managing Director of Stagecoach East Scotland, said: “We are delighted to launch these vehicles, further enhancing our Rennies fleet with luxury vehicles that are ideal for executive travel or special occasions.”

Welcoming the new investment are, from left: “Councillor Andre Gonzalez de Savage, Northamptonshire County Council; Steve Burd, Managing Director of Stagecoach Midlands; Councillor Michael Clarke, Northampton County Council and Nick Small, Strategic Development Manager.

Stagecoach North East Managing Director Phil Medlicott and Sunderland Operations Manager Rachel Geliamassi unveil the new fleet.

The new Elite coaches in the shadow of the iconic Forth Bridge.

ON Stage is offering Stagecoach employees up to 10% off electrical appliances.We’ve teamed up with Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), one of the largest energy suppliers in the UK, to offer a great deal on energy-efficient appliances.So, if you’re going to treat yourself to a new fridge freezer, oven or state-of-the-art 3D smart TV, don’t

SSE Special offermiss this special offer. All Stagecoach employees can take advantage of SSE’s exclusive variable discount of up to 10% on its complete product range, including free UK delivery.Just visit www.thesseshop.co.uk and use your

exclusive promotion code COACHSSE to get yourself a deal.SSE offers competitive prices on lots of great brands such as BEKO, Panasonic, Samsung and Hotpoint. It also offers a wide range of energy-saving items, from vacuum cleaners to washing machines.

Terms and conditions apply: SSE reserves the right to withdraw or amend any promotion, bonus or special offer at anytime without notice. Only one promotion code can be redeemed per purchase. The use of promotional offers / promotional codes cannot be redeemed in conjunction with any other offer, promotional code or discount coupon. The promotional code must be registered at the time of purchase, by entering the valid code on the checkout page.

MANCHESTER’S Route 50 is now being served by 14 new hybrid buses, all with free wi-fi.Christopher Bowles, Managing Director of Stagecoach Manchester, said: “The increase in passenger numbers on the route not only shows how we are helping to take cars off the road, but also that we are offering customers a reliable service.”To further celebrate the launch, a Stagecoach Manchester ‘angel’ took to the streets and handed out 14 Valentine’s Day gifts to people in MediaCityUK, East Didsbury and the city centre. The gifts included vouchers for popular restaurants and bars along the 50 route.

Councillor Roger Jones, Transport for Greater Mancherster’s Ryan Carter, Councillor Warner and The Lowry’s Tania Mahmoud join Stagecoach Manchester Managing Director Christopher Bowles on a new hybrid bus.

nNew hubs for bike-friendly stationsSHEFFIELD Station is to play host to a new state-of-the-art cycle hub.The work is part of a multi-million pound scheme to install cycle hubs at three of East Midlands Trains’ largest stations.Work is already under way at Leicester station with attention turning to Nottingham this summer as part of the wider Nottingham station hub redevelopment scheme.The cycle hubs – which are being delivered as part of a £2.5m investment by East Midlands Trains, Network Rail and the Department for Transport – will be available free of charge to cyclists. As well as offering secure storage for bikes, they will also contain changing facilities, toilets, bike repair tools and local cycling information for customers.

ON STAGE

nWorking together

Playing it safe

MEGABUS.COM recently helped out music star KT Tunstall with an urgent delivery from London to Glasgow.KT was in Glasgow for a gig at the new Hard Rock café but needed her famous rainbow braces – worn on the cover of her first album – delivered overnight from London to hand them over as a gift to the venue.After a chance meeting on a flight, it turned out megabus.com was able to transport the braces on the overnight sleepercoach from London to Glasgow, getting them there in perfect time for her show.The Scots singer was so grateful she tweeted a thank you message to megabus.com on Twitter, to her 65,000 followers!If you, or one of your colleagues, have a claim to fame – perhaps a hidden talent, a meeting with a celebrity or an interesting hobby – please email details to lindsay.reid@stagecoachgroup.com

KT Tunstall turned to megabus.com for an extra-special delivery. (Picture by Kirk Stauffer).

Brace yourself, KT!

megabus.com

Make your own delicious flapjacks ... find out more on page 9.

MEGABUS.COM has expanded its North American network to cover new locations in North and South Carolina.The latest routes mean that Stagecoach Group’s low-cost inter-city bus service now covers 34 US states in the United States as well as serving the District of Columbia and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec.megabus.com now offers fares from $1 linking Columbia, South Carolina and Fayetteville, North Carolina. “Our state-of-the-art double-decker buses give customers the option of staying connected and entertained with free wi-fi and power outlets throughout each vehicle, or they can relax in our comfortable reclining seats and catch up on some shut-eye,” said Dale Moser, President and Chief Operating Office of megabus.com.

CYCLISTS are being sought by The Railway Children charity for a challenging fundraising event.The charity – which fights to improve the lives of children living alone and at risk on the streets in the UK, India and East Africa – needs volunteers to take part in the Tour de Yorkshire.The cycling event starts in Ilkley, and follows the Stage 1 route of the Tour de France to Harrogate before returning to its starting point, 120 miles later.It promises to be a tough day of cycling on undulating terrain over the Yorkshire Dales, but the sense of achievement will be unforgettable.Entries are welcome from individual cyclists or teams of four people who each ride 30 miles.To find out more visit www.railwaychildren.org.uk/tourdeyorkshire

A POSTER competition was a crafty way to get railway safety messages across to London schoolchildren.South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance organised the event, and Community Safety Manager Lindsay Banks joined a Rail Community Officer at an assembly in St Mary Madgalen’s Catholic Primary School, Mortlake.Designing posters taught the children about rail safety and how to safely use the two footbridges on their way to school. The whole school took part and each year-group

STAGECOACH has received recognition for its support for the Westfield Health British Transplant Games in Sheffield.The company transported athletes during the Games held across the city in August last year, and was thanked at a recent special presentation.Stagecoach Yorkshire Managing Director Paul Lynch said: “It was a fantastic tournament for Sheffield to host and I am proud that Stagecoach was involved in such an inspiring event.”

Graham Moore (left), chairman of the Games Local Organising Committee and chairman of Westfield Health, hands

over the award to John Young, Acting Commercial Director for Stagecoach Yorkshire.

An inspiring event

Community Safety Officer Lindsay Banks with the school poster competition winners.

winner received a certificate and medal, as well as having their poster design displayed at the local station.

STAGECOACH South Wales has been working with adults with learning disabilities in Rhondda Cynon Taff to help identify and solve problems they may face when using public transport. Through the Mencap Cymru ‘Older Voices’ project, Stagecoach provided a bus, allowing the group to go through potentially intimidating scenarios they may face while travelling. The group and Stagecoach staff then worked out how to resolve each situation. Susan Wheeler from the Treforest Older Voices group said: “As someone with a learning disability I think it is important that we are involved and can participate in the training – it keeps it real.“Thank you to Stagecoach and Mencap Cymru for making it a great day.”

BY day, Jim Henderson is a mild-mannered bus driver with Stagecoach in Orkney...but, outwith working hours, he morphs into a superhero!Jim has been dressing up as Santa, Superman and Morph to entertain locals with singing and good cheer to raise money for local charities in

Orkney.

Superhero bus driver Jim Henderson.

Jim’s a charity superhero

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nmegabus broadens its horizons in USA

nJoin the Tour de Yorkshire

ON STAGEDid you know? Stagecoach Chief Executive Martin Griffiths is also Chairman of the Rail Delivery Group.

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nCalling all heroes

nJobs boost for Scotland

nA good run, by George!

Chris Ball – a tributeIT is with great sadness that we pay tribute to Stagecoach UK Bus employee Chris Ball who passed away in February. Chris, who worked in Operational and Technical Audit and Support, had nearly 30 years’ association with the company.He successfully completed our internal Staff Development Programme in 2000 and was appointed as an Operations Auditor in 2001 when that team was first established.He contributed greatly to the development and implementation of robust processes across Stagecoach and his calm approach and friendly manner endeared him to everyone he came across, making him very popular.Arguably Chris’s greatest contribution to Stagecoach was the Ecodriver Project and in 2012 he received the Gold Environment Stagecoach Champions Award for his

commitment, as project manager, in delivering the scheme at bus companies across the UK.Chris’s commitment continued after he became ill, and he was working and supporting colleagues whenever he felt able to. Stagecoach Regional Director Robert Andrew said: “Chris is a tragic loss to his family. He is also a tragic loss to Stagecoach.“In an industry in which people are key, Chris was inspirational, popular and, without doubt, one of the good guys.”

The late Chris Ball (left) with Stagecoach Chairman Sir Brian Souter.

MEGABUS.COM is once again supporting the Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards and recently joined the event organisers for a promotional tour of Scotland.The specially-branded Young Scot megabus.com vehicle helped mount a series of roadshow events attended by celebrities and previous award-winners where members of the public nominated young heroes.It’s hoped the tour will help generate a record number of entries for this year’s event in Glasgow this April.megabus.com Managing Director Elizabeth Esnouf said: “We’re delighted to be involved with the Young Scot Awards again. We have many inspiring young people in Scotland and it’s only right that they should be recognised.”

VALENTINE’S Day was extra-special for Thurso bus driver James Allan, who retired on February 14 following over 50 years’ service.James started in the industry as a driver at the ‘Yankee Base’ in Forss in 1963 before joining Morrison’s Coaches in his home-town of Castletown in the early 80s. He has been the regular driver on the Bower to Thurso High School run in recent years.James plans to spend more time with his grandchildren – and his wife Valerie has a long list of jobs around the house to save him from boredom!

STAGECOACH in Fife provided a boost for jobseekers in the East of Scotland with the recruitment of more than 30 new drivers at the start of this year.Local staff held an open day in Alloa in January to welcome potential recruits, talking them through the application process and training, as well as providing information on the benefits of working for Stagecoach.Mark Whitelocks, Operations Director, Stagecoach East Scotland said: “There have been a number of significant changes to the East Scotland network recently, not least the opening of Halbeath Park and Ride in November.“As a result of some of these changes we were looking for more drivers and mechanics across the regions.”

JUST a year after taking up running, North East driver George Clark tackled his first half marathon and raised £2,600 for Pancreatic Cancer research.George (55) completed the race in two hours and four minutes alongside several colleagues, raising £1,300 which was matched by Stagecoach.“I only started running to lose weight and get fit, but I enjoy it so much I thought I’d enter the Redcar Half Marathon as an additional incentive and to raise money,” said George.“My brother suffers from this form of cancer so to fund-raise for it and do some good means a lot.”

STAGECOACH employee Lesley Grozier and her partner Brian Banton have raised £3,000 for two breast cancer causes.The Chesterfield couple organised a charity night, barbecue and raffles, while Brian also ran the London Marathon. The events raised £1500 for Breast Cancer Care and a further £1500 for the Cavendish Ward Chemotherapy Unit at Chesterfield Royal Hospital.Lesley, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012, joined Brian in thanking all of the local staff who contributed.

All for a good cause

Valentine’s Day farewellThe cheques are handed over to both good causes.

Chuck-agoMEGABUS.COM Student Ambassadors met with the company’s mascot Chuck at a recent training session in Chicago.The Student Ambassador Programme works with college students at universities in 41 megabus.com cities in North America to build brand awareness and increase ticket sales among students, faculty, alumni and administrative staff by participating in on-campus, sports and community events.

James and Valerie Allan with flowers presented by Stagecoach.

The student ambassadors with Chuck.

ON STAGEDid you know? Stagecoach has more than 150 on-going bus and rail apprenticeships.

9

Flapjacks

Ingredients6oz butter, 4 tbsp golden syrup,6oz brown Muscovado sugar, 10oz porridge oats,4oz sultanas, 2oz glace cherries.

• Lightly grease and line a shallow tin (approx 8”x10”) with greaseproof paper.

• Put butter, syrup and sugar in a pan. Heat gently until all the ingredients have melted. Remove from heat.

• Stir in porridge oats and fruit, mix well.• Spread mixture evenly into tin and press down

with the back of a spoon or fork.• Bake in the centre of a moderate oven (gas 4,

350F, 180C) for 25 minutes.• Remove from oven. Leave to cool in tin for 5

minutes.• Cut into strips to make about 12-15 bars. Leave

in tin until cold. Break into bars.

Smarter travel for ScotsSTAGECOACH Midlands Engineering Administrator Maggie Kingston shares her recipe for her flapjacks which are very popular among colleagues.

TOP RECIPE

TRANSPORT journalist Steven Knight has produced a series of detailed Fleet Handbooks as a useful reference guide for the industry as well as something of interest for bus enthusiasts.The Stagecoach handbooks so far cover East, West, Norfolk Green, East Midlands and Yorkshire companies.The Stagecoach Yorkshire book is priced at £5.95 and the Norfolk Green one at £2.75. All others are £5.50. However, they are available to Stagecoach staff at the reduced price of £4.95 inclusive of postage (£2.75 for the Norfolk Green edition).They can be ordered direct, with cheques payable to Steven Knight Media, and orders should be sent to Steven Knight Media. PO Box 1299, Peterborough PE2 2NX.

A new series of Fleet Handbooks have just gone on sale.

SCOTTISH Transport Minister Keith Brown has praised Stagecoach’s innovative smartcard ticketing scheme in West Scotland. Stagecoach Smartcard – which is now live across Stagecoach services in Glasgow, Ayrshire, Arran and Dumfries and Galloway – allows Stagecoach bus passengers to store their travel electronically on a smartcard instead of using paper tickets.For the first time, it also gives customers the chance to pay for their travel through hassle-free automatic payments.

Keith Brown said: “Stagecoach’s launch of commercial smart ticketing in South West Scotland, the first phase of a nationwide roll-out, is an exciting and welcome development for passengers.“I hope to see other operators follow this lead so that commercial smart ticketing becomes widely available and that national ambitions are met to see a Scotland where all journeys on bus, rail, ferry, subway and tram networks can be accessed using some form of smart ticketing or payment.”

THANET bus driver Garry Warren is running this year’s London Marathon in aid of Pilgrims Hospices.Inspired by the care given to several of his work colleagues, Garry hopes to raise £2,000.He said: “I’ve run a marathon once before so would ideally like to beat my personal best of 4 hours 38 minutes. But that was back in 2005 so now so it will be challenge just to get around!”To donate visit www.justgiving.com/garrywarren

TWO busloads of enthusiasts visited Plumstead garage recently as part of a tour organised by the Classic London Bus Society.The society has some 120 members and organises trips in which they hire historic ex-London buses and retrace routes on which the various vehicles operated during LT service.They visited Plumstead when re-running two of the tram replacement routes in South London.

GLOUCESTER driver Darryn Stenning has been named the annual Service 10 Gold winner.To mark the award – which takes into account driving performance, attendance and customer service – Darryn was given £200 worth of Love to Shop High Street vouchers.

Darryn strikes gold

A classic day out

Garry puts his best foot forward

nNew fleet handbooks

Can you feel the love?STAFF from Stagecoach Bluebird helped ‘spread the love’ on Valentine’s Day morning.The team handed out a free breakfast to customers at the Ellon Park and Ride facility. Operations Director Stephie Barber explained:“It was a good opportunity to meet up with customers. To encourage a high attendance we organised a ‘Do You Love Us?’ event for Valentine's Day to get passengers’ views about the service.“It was a very productive way to get passengers’ attention and they all seemed to have seen the striking posters our marketing team designed for the event.”

Stagecoach Gloucester, Wye & Dean Operations Manager James Williams congratulates Darryn Stenning on his Gold award.

Marathon fund-raiser Garry Warren.

Two of the classic buses on the forecourt at Plumstead Garage.

10

Editor: Lindsay Reid, On Stage, Stagecoach Group, 10 Dunkeld Road, Perth, PH1 5TWEmail: lindsay.reid@stagecoachgroup.comwww.stagecoach.com

If you have a story for On Stage, please contact Lindsay Reid as above. The copy deadline for the next edition of On Stage will be Friday, 18 April 2014.

nCONTACTS

nAPPOINTMENTS nGETTING TO KNOW YOU...

n Who are you? Dean Bolton, Manager of Safety and Compliance for Coach Canada.

n What do you like most about your job? Meeting and talking with drivers and other employees about safety and related issues and making a difference.

n What do you like least about your job? Seeing people do something unsafe that could potentially cause an accident.

n Favourite food? Good ole country cooking – meat and potatoes.

n Least favourite food? Spicy food. I find ketchup hot!

n What are you most proud of? My two children. Watching my son and daughter grow and mature gives me so much pride.

n Favourite holiday destination? A warm climate, sun and beach. I love exploring new territory.

n Most embarrassing moment? Taking my daughter to a busy public washroom. I didn’t think about it really – I just walked into the ladies’ washroom. I was inside in the line and noticed all the women looking at me. I soon realised I was the odd person in the room so I

smiled and quietly walked out and took her to the men’s washroom.

n Favourite music? Top 40 but I still like all the oldies.

n Person you would most like to have dinner with? James Dyson, inventor founder of the Dyson company and best known for his bagless vacuum cleaner. His perseverance and dedication to excellence is a great inspiration to others. I love thinking about new ideas and inventions.

n First thing you would buy if you won $1million? I’d buy a houseboat to live on the water.

Dean Bolton, Manager of Safety and Compliance, Coach Canada.

nRETIRALS

nLONG SERVICE

ON STAGETHE PEOPLE PAGE

Getting To Know You features in every edition of On Stage and we want to hear from as many staff as possible. To suggest the next participant, email lindsay.reid@stagecoachgroup.com

nIN MEMORY OF...WEST Scotland employee Jimmy Young has retired after a long career.He started work with Western Buses in 1978 as a driver and worked on the London routes which operated from the Ayr depot.For the past 21 years he has been the Union Convenor and the Chairperson for the National Delegates Conference and the National Liaison Committee. He was also Chairperson of the Passenger Group in Scotland for 20 years. As a retiral gift Jimmy was given travel vouchers which he will use for a trip to New York where he plans to meet up with his old boss Bryony Chamberlain.

STAGECOACH South has welcomed aboard Alex O'Loughlin as its new Marketing Manager.Alex will be responsible for the continued development of marketing strategies for Stagecoach across Hampshire, Surrey and West Sussex to encourage more people out of cars and onto public transport. Managing Director Andrew Dyer said: ‘We’re delighted to welcome Alex to Stagecoach. Her wide-ranging experience in marketing will be central in our aim to attract even people on to our greener, smarter bus services.”

New Stagecoach South Marketing Manager Alex O’Loughlin.

CUMBRIA driver John Graham recently retired after almost 47 years in the bus industry. John, from West Cumbria depot, started his career with Cumberland Motor Services in 1967 at the age of 18 as a conductor. He became a driver in 1972 and remained in that post until his recent retirement.Everyone at the company wishes him well in his retirement.

FORMER Gloucester driver John Copeland recently passed away after completing 49 years’ service with the company.Staff at the depot wanted to do something to remember John, so they held a collection – to which the company also contributed – and the team ordered a special clock and plate in John’s honour.The clock is on display in the driver canteen at the Clarence Street bus depot.The special clock, displayed in memory of John Copeland.

ABERDEEN’S engineering team is gearing up with a new management team.James Ardley joined the team on March 3 as Engineering Manager for the Aberdeen Depot.James is from Stagecoach South and has 13 years’ experience in the industry, so he'll be a great asset for Stagecoach Bluebird.In addition, Paul Coackley is the new Assistant Engineering Manager. He too has a wealth of experience and knowledge in the bus industry.

THE SOUTH West Trains-Network Rail Alliance held a dinner in Winchester to mark long-serving and retiring employees.Those attending were presented with a certificate by Alliance Managing Director Tim Shoveller to celebrate their service.

West Scotland Managing Director Edward Hodgson and Operations Director Alison McCluskie bid farewell to Jimmy Young (centre).

John Graham, in his old driver’s uniform, which he wore to work on his last day.