First West of England (Bristol, Bath & The West)

[freetoview33]

Are the and 1 and 2 both based at LH? I have seen a few deckers on them which have come from Hengrove.
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Also maybe improvements to the 70 may come when the Romney Avenue bus link is completed (When ever that may be).

 

[swifty]

Yes the 1/2work out of LH. HE have loaned a few of the 37xxx B7TLs as paint floats while the LH fleet is painted, I believe it's at a rate of 3 a week.

 

[DaveHarries]

I think it is a case of preference: I have no problems whatsover with riding Eclipses. Indeed I would rather a '59' plate B7RLE than a '53' plate hand-me-down from London. Each to their own.

Dave

 

[stait.john]

LH have 121 double deckers while HG have 65.
As has been said, the 75/76 account for 44 of Hengrove's deckers and the 90 is now busy enough to warrant the double deck operation, particularly Inns Court to Bedminster. The 36 needs a further 2 deckers MF Schooldays. So that brings us up to 56 with 60 based, that is a tough ask even working on a 10% spare its 1 less than needed, and bear in mind some boards on the 50/51 could do with deckers. I don't have PVR details for LH.
One solution is possibly to move some B10BLEs to HG for the 50/51 as these are slightly bigger than the B6s but I can't see that happening.
Let's see how it settles down when the Streetlites are here and the paint programme is completed.
As for the 903, needs B9s in the Peaks no question, and I must admit to not knowing the routes well, but do the 6/7 require all deckers or could it be mixed?
John

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

LH have 121 double deckers while HG have 65.
As has been said, the 75/76 account for 44 of Hengrove's deckers and the 90 is now busy enough to warrant the double deck operation, particularly Inns Court to Bedminster. The 36 needs a further 2 deckers MF Schooldays. So that brings us up to 56 with 60 based, that is a tough ask even working on a 10% spare its 1 less than needed, and bear in mind some boards on the 50/51 could do with deckers. I don't have PVR details for LH.
One solution is possibly to move some B10BLEs to HG for the 50/51 as these are slightly bigger than the B6s but I can't see that happening.
Let's see how it settles down when the Streetlites are here and the paint programme is completed.
As for the 903, needs B9s in the Peaks no question, and I must admit to not knowing the routes well, but do the 6/7 require all deckers or could it be mixed?
John

As well as 36 having schools, I suspect the 6 also has a schools requirement, and think the 6/7 is often mixed anyway? See B10BLEs and B7TLs on there.

Problem with trying to mix the 903 is all it takes is a problem on the A370 (e.g. TTL, accident, badly parked van) and then you suddenly have motorists delayed so, for instance, the 0740 which is supposed to be a decker is half full and the 0800 which is a single deck is then overloaded.

 

[Private Baxter]

On the subject of painting, how does the paint program work? Are they doing it depot by depot, starting with Hengrove? That and the odd repaint elsewhere when necessary. What will happen when the Hengrove lot are done?

 

[freetoview33]

On the subject of painting, how does the paint program work? Are they doing it depot by depot, starting with Hengrove? That and the odd repaint elsewhere when necessary. What will happen when the Hengrove lot are done?

I think the Hengrove (Deckers at least) was done and now on to the Lawrence Hill Decekers

 

[stait.john]

Yes Hengrove's double deck fleet is done, now moved on to Lawrence Hill's large fleet of B9TLs which are being done mainly in fleet number order. Up to 37345 at present, and a handful of early B7TLs done too.

Effectively, 37011-37014 are at LH to provide paint cover.

John

 

[Private Baxter]

OK thanks for answering. Any chance some of the Somerset and Avon fleet will be done soon, either in Bristol, Bath, Weston or Wells? For some reason I thought 66734 was going in but I think I was wrong. How come they have to wiat for the Bristol city fleets to be done?

 

[freetoview33]

I guess that will follow at some point afterwards

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

OK thanks for answering. Any chance some of the Somerset and Avon fleet will be done soon, either in Bristol, Bath, Weston or Wells? For some reason I thought 66734 was going in but I think I was wrong. How come they have to wiat for the Bristol city fleets to be done?

I guess you can't repaint all the fleet at once so they have to have a plan. In this case, they've done Hengrove's decker fleet and with the new Streetlites arriving, that will be HE largely done. Therefore, they moved onto LH.

The only Eclipse painted thus far has been 66943 (I think) and only as it was in an overall advertising livery.

The "new" livery is now becoming quite common in Bristol but is still a bit of a novelty elsewhere

 

[Private Baxter]

I guess you can't repaint all the fleet at once so they have to have a plan. In this case, they've done Hengrove's decker fleet and with the new Streetlites arriving, that will be HE largely done. Therefore, they moved onto LH.

The only Eclipse painted thus far has been 66943 (I think) and only as it was in an overall advertising livery.

The "new" livery is now becoming quite common in Bristol but is still a bit of a novelty elsewhere

That is correct, 66943 is the only one done in Bath, and that's, as you say, because it needed doing. But I think it looks very smart. I suppose once the majority of the Bristol city fleet is done, then they'll probably move on to Bath. Some of the bendies were done last year, into that dreadful Devastating Dave brand, (which is quite embarassing really), but this was only half done, with the others staying in plain white. Was the project abandonned perhaps, or just put on hold? Meanwhile there's two other dual door buses in plain white, plus some other ones which are due a repaint anyway, but we'll wait and see.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

That is correct, 66943 is the only one done in Bath, and that's, as you say, because it needed doing. But I think it looks very smart. I suppose once the majority of the Bristol city fleet is done, then they'll probably move on to Bath. Some of the bendies were done last year, into that dreadful Devastating Dave brand, (which is quite embarassing really), but this was only half done, with the others staying in plain white. Was the project abandonned perhaps, or just put on hold? Meanwhile there's two other dual door buses in plain white, plus some other ones which are due a repaint anyway, but we'll wait and see.

Not entirely certain but I think the unpainted bendis were so that could reallocate to the Eden Project for the summer. The two white dual door Volvos are on long term loan from Volvo Bus so doubt that they'll be repainted.

The 55 plate Eclipses desperately need repainting so hope they'll be done soon. The 54 plates were repainted a few years ago from the rail link style livery but the 55s are as delivered.

 

[Private Baxter]

That's what I assumed with the bendies actually. Didn't realise the dual door buses were on loan, so yeah, doubt they'll be done.

The 54 reg eclipses were painted five years ago, they used to look so good in rail link imo. But one or two are a little rough looking since losing their X39 branding. And actually, believe it or not, they've been in standard First liver longer than what they were in rail link livery. But I agree, some of those 55s are looking pretty shoddy now, so hopefully not long.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

That's what I assumed with the bendies actually. Didn't realise the dual door buses were on loan, so yeah, doubt they'll be done.

The 54 reg eclipses were painted five years ago, they used to look so good in rail link imo. But one or two are a little rough looking since losing their X39 branding. And actually, believe it or not, they've been in standard First liver longer than what they were in rail link livery. But I agree, some of those 55s are looking pretty shoddy now, so hopefully not long.

I think they've spent some time on the 54 plates to get the adhesive from the vinyls off. There were a couple that were really bad whilst some of the others are ok.

 

[DaveHarries]

For anyone interested I saw 3x B7RLEs on the M4 this afternoon heading west this afternoon. They all had branding for the former Service 7 in Portsmouth and were, I guess, en-route to Swansea.

Didn't manage to ID the ones I saw.

HTIOI,
Dave

 

[anthony263]

If they are deckers then yes they will be destined for Ravenhill and Pontardawe depots however they will be given a good check over at Port Talbot depot.

 

[DaveHarries]

I went up to Hengrove depot (First Bristol) this morning and there were 8 StreetLites parked in a block (4 rows of 2) with 47449 & 47450 on the front row but I spoke to a driver who was taking pictures of one and he said there were 11 on site. I asked if he could get me the numbers and he came back with the following:

47449, SK63 KKJ
47450, SK63 KKL
47451, SK63 KKM
47452, SK63 KKN
47453, SK63 KKO
47454, SK63 KKP
47455, SK63 KKR
47456, SK63 KKS
47457, SK63 KKT *
47458, SK63 KKU *
47462, SK63 KKY *

* = presumed registration: vehicle not visible.

and, for anyone interested, the chassis & body numbers for 47450:

47450 SK63 KKL
B/N: AJ446 | Vehicle ID: *SA9DSRXXX13141358*

The driver told me there was some suggestion that a StreetLite or two might be out on Sunday or Monday but in view of the lack of visible tax discs I doubt this will happen. Also I thought the batch was supposed to start at 47435 so it would be interesting to know where 47435 - 47448 are. Who knows: perhaps they are due later.

HTIOI,
Dave

 

[ryson357]

Today waiting in Bristol bus station,I saw the X7 Severn express livery and took a photo (bad quality but best I could get). It looks very smart and has the bridge on the back. Nice blue and gold livery double deckers

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

If they are deckers then yes they will be destined for Ravenhill and Pontardawe depots however they will be given a good check over at Port Talbot depot.

B7RLEs are Eclipses

 

[freetoview33]

Looks nice, wonder if this will only be on the X7 (one of the only actual express services in the Bristol area)

 

[Private Baxter]

I like this. Was this bus transfered from elsewhere, or was it part of their existing fleet. Can't quite tell from the reg.

 

[Class 33]

Good news about the Streetlites then in that they have now actually arrived and will soon enter service on Bristol services. Give it a few weeks though till will start seeing them running around.

Now that Severn Express on the X7 does look very nice indeed! So much better than the old First livery. And also the newer First livery, which still has too much white on and not enough purple!

 

[ryson357]

I like this. Was this bus transfered from elsewhere, or was it part of their existing fleet. Can't quite tell from the reg.

I don't know the exact fleet number,but it's from the old bath park&ride buses
Fleet. I think it's 32688 wonder which others be in the X7 livery

 

[Private Baxter]

Ah thanks, I wondered if it was. They've gone through a few repaints in the last year then!

 

[starrymarkb]

It's on a Bristol "WX" plate so it's a native Somerset and Avon vehicle

 

[freetoview33]

I think the X7 branding looks better than the Xpress Yourself branding on the X1,2,3

 

[swifty]

I think the X7 branding looks better than the Xpress Yourself branding on the X1,2,3

I believe the Xpress Yourself branding is a TravelPlus (http://www.travelplus.org.uk/) livery so not designed by First, I really don't like it!

As for the X7 livery, it does look good. I had wondered why 3 of the P&R fleet had eluded a repaint for so long!

 

[freetoview33]

First could really doing with having an express X70 service non stop from the Centre to Ashley Down. Even just at peak times to take pressure off the 70 service at these times.

 

[Goldfish62]

Meanwhile, in Cornwall, the new timetables commenced, featuring some cuts and other changes covering withdrawn Western Greyhound routes.

In true FDC fashion, most printed timetables are not yet available and it appears that drivers have not been given details of the revised routes they're expected to drive.