Western Greyhound Fire and subsequent WG general discussion.

[richw]

its looking like travel cornwall aka summercount travel have won quite a bit of work all over the place

They seem to have a number of buses in different liveries appear in the last month or so, must admit this made me assume they had won some more contracts.

 

[DaveHarries]

Evening all,

The VOSA Bus Service Registrations for the Western area are dominated today (20th May) by Western Greyhound, presumably as a result of the Cornwall retendering. Details as follows:

Variations Registered:
510 Okehampton - Launceston (Route & TT)
520 / 522 St. Austell - Truro (Route & TT)
521 Newquay - St. Austell (Route & TT)
524 / 525 Fowey - Mevagissey / LGH (Route & TT)
527 Newquay - Eden Project (Route & TT)
528 / 529 Bodmin - St. Austell (Route & TT)
550 / 551 Truro - St. Mawes (Route & TT)
555 Bodmin - Padstow (Route & TT)
556 Newquay - Padstow (Route & TT)
572 Looe - Plymouth (Route & TT)
573 Polperro - Liskeard (Route & TT)
573 / 574 Liskeard - Callington (Route & TT)
576 Plymouth - St. Stephens (Route & TT)
586 Truro - Newquay (Route & TT)
587 / 588 Newquay - Truro (Route & TT)
593 Liskeard - Plymouth (Route & TT)
594 Wadebridge - Truro (Route & TT)
594 / 597 Newquay - Truro (Route & TT)


Cancellations Registered:
502 Hayle - St. Ives
520 Truro - St. Austell
523 Bodmin - Truro
523 Bodmin - Gaia Energy Centre **
528 Newquay - St. Austell **
537 Newquay - Flambards
552 Wadebridge Area **
558 / 559 Quintrell Downs - Fistral Beach

** Route not advertised on WGL website.

So that is for starters. But I have a felling there may be a few more to come. The ones above are all wef 01-Jun-2014.

HTIOI,
Dave

 

[RELL6L]

Astonishing that there is still no news of Western Greyhound changes in not much more than a week's time now. Nothing on WG's own website, or Cornwall's website or Traveline. In the past WG have been pretty quick off the mark on publicising changes. Makes you wonder if there is a legal argument or something going on behind the scenes!

First have published their changes, which are not that dramatic apart from the loss of the 81 route from Torpoint to Insworke and their changes to the 300 West Cornwall open-top circular and associated routes. Plymouth Citibus have long since published their replacement 32 routes from Torpoint to Cremyll and Liskeard. A-Line Travel appear to have lost their 80, 80A and 80B routes except for one peak hour bus on what is now the 32. Summercourt Travel have posted updated timetables.

Nothing on any of these points to significant gains or losses by Western Greyhound except that they have won the tender for the 76/576 north from Launceston to Bude. Also someone - could well be WG - will have won the 79 (579?) previously 75% Citibus and 25% WG.

No mention above of the 547 - surely this is a money spinner and will return in the summer?

In the meantime we keep watching.....

 

[richw]

Wg posted on Facebook on Wednesday they are still awaiting approval before they can announce their confirmed changes, I assume this is vosa approval?

 

[83G/84D]

Not sure if it is a new arrival for Summercourt Travel or Western Greyhound however Dennis Dart SLF, W163 EAX formerly of Cardiff Bus seen at Summercourt depot today. It was still in Cardiff Bus colours.

Also seen was Optare Solo B17 PTL in a dark red colour & formerly of Premiere.
This has recently been used by Summercourt Travel on the Truro City service formerly operated by Fal River buses

W172 EAX ex Cardiff Bus here this afternoon. It wore the Cardiff Bus green/dark blue & orange colour sheme.

 

[Goldfish62]

No mention above of the 547 - surely this is a money spinner and will return in the summer?

In the meantime we keep watching.....

The 547 is back, but as one loop journey from Newquay to Land's End via St Ives and back via Penzance, Marazion and St Ives. Seems an odd choice, having a loop like this.

 

[SWTH]

The ex-Cardiff Bus MPDs belong to Summercourt Travel, as do the red Solos.

The 547 idea is ridiculous and misses most of the potential revenue.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The 547 is back, but as one loop journey from Newquay to Land's End via St Ives and back via Penzance, Marazion and St Ives. Seems an odd choice, having a loop like this.

So the 547 is going via PZ and Marazion? Out of curiousity where did you get this info from? As is normal, WGL haven't yet told any of us what is happening - and I'm a regular 547 driver!

 

[Goldfish62]

The ex-Cardiff Bus MPDs belong to Summercourt Travel, as do the red Solos.

The 547 idea is ridiculous and misses most of the potential revenue.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


So the 547 is going via PZ and Marazion? Out of curiousity where did you get this info from? As is normal, WGL haven't yet told any of us what is happening - and I'm a regular 547 driver!

Traveline

 

[richw]

547 timetable is pointless for anywhere past St Ives as a once daily service on a circular so doesn't revisit any point on the route.

My only thought is trying to "Steal" some 300 circular passengers for that single journey, depends what bus is used,

http://www.travelinesw.com/swe/XSLT...=EFA03_31920503&itdLPxx_operatorCodeForTTB=WG

 

[SWTH]

Thanks for the link. I've been trying to prise that info out of the company for months.

As expected, it's ridiculous.

 

[RELL6L]

Quite a few new timetables for Western Greyhound now on SW Traveline from which some deductions can be made. Nothing yet on their own website. Changes I can see are:

524/525 (Fowey-St Austell-Mevagissey) Service from Mevagissey starts an hour later, evening service reduced to 2-hourly, Sunday service now every 90 minutes throughout instead of hourly to Mevagissey & 2-hourly to Fowey.

528 New service from St Austell to Bodmin, hourly Mon-Sat, complementing 529. As 529 route except different route in St Austell, omits Bugle, direct from Victoria to Bodmin, then continues to Bodmin Parkway.

547 As noted above, just the one journey from Newquay to St Ives, then anti-clockwise round West Cornwall, with a one hour break at Lands End, then back via Penzance to St Ives and then to Newquay.

558 (Newquay to Pentire) reduced from 7 journeys to 5.

576 (Plymouth-Callington-Launceston) extended 2 hourly to Bude (6 journeys) to replace First 76. Some journeys now omit Stoke Climsland but some add Downgate. Otherwise unchanged between Launceston and Plymouth except three evening journeys are added.

584 (Wadebridge to Camelford via Port Isaac). An extra journey added but no through 584 journeys beyond Camelford to Bude, these are now stand alone 595s, with the result that connections across Camelford are less good. Sunday service added Camelford to Wadebridge, presumably summer only.

585 (Newquay to Truro) withdrawn, was only 2 journeys each way, there are alternative services.

586 (Newquay to Truro) no change Mon-Sat, withdrawn Sundays

587 (Newquay to Truro via Perranporth and St Agnes) improved to hourly in the evenings

588 (Newquay to Perranporth) withdrawn, but replaced by the extension of the 594 from Truro to Perranporth at identical times - this ran through anyway so no real change.

593 (Newquay to Plymouth) Additional 'with the flow' journeys added from Liskeard to Plymouth at 8.00 and 9.00, returning at 16.00 and 17.00.

596 (Truro to Trelander) Appears to be withdrawn. This service was cunningly slotted in between runs on 522/550/551 for which no changes have been shown. Maybe it was just too tight or maybe there is more to come.

597 (Truro to Newquay) improved evening service to hourly. The timetable is shown as only running to 23 July, maybe there are more changes then (perhaps further evening enhancements)

599 (Exeter to Bude) appears to be withdrawn. As there is a perfectly good Stagecoach X9 service maybe this was just superfluous.

Minor timing changes also on 510, 521, 527, 529, 556, 559. Several Sunday services around Newquay, Truro & St Austell appear to be changed to operate on the opposite half hour to previously.

No changes yet show up on 520, 522, 550/1, 572, 573/4 so maybe more to come. And the 79 has gone, nothing shows up anywhere as to what service there might be here next week.

The change to the 547 is a great step back from the good service provided last year which seemed to me to be quite busy - I went (on a fine day) on a hired Stagecoach Dart from St Ives towards Newquay and had to stand for some way past Hayle. There are quite a few holiday places on the coast road from Hayle to Portreath. I wonder whether there is a concessionary fares issue here, with this being a seasonal service? A great shame none the less.

 

[richw]

WG have today posted on Facebook,

We are pleased to announce that our new summer timetables starting Sunday 1st June 2014 are now on the website to download. Please go to the drop down boxes and look for the service number you want and click to go to the service where you will find the new timetable from 1st June 2014.
Please note we are still awaiting approval from the Traffic Commissioner for the 547 and as soon as we have news we will post the new timetable.
We have been able to keep a higher level of service than we feared with the cuts announced by Cornwall Council earlier in the year, and with a delayed tendering process we have had to work to a very tight timescale which has resulted in delays to posting the new timetables

I appreciate the tight timescale however WG and Summercourt Travel (Travel Cornwall) both managed to post their new time tables nearly 2 weeks ago (They were both published before I went on holiday on 16/5/14).
Surely all operators are in the same timescales?
As the 547 is commercially operated and not a council tendered route, why have they left it so late submitting to the Traffic Commissioner?

 

[matt_splat]

the 528 looks like a response to the new Cornish busways services.

the 574 and 575 replace the 79
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
maybe the 547 change could have been last minute because they were unsure what other work they were going to win?

it looks like the 599 is going to be sunday only running as far as Oakhampton connecting into 510s as well

 

[DaveHarries]

Western Greyhound have uploaded the details of service changes effective 01st June 2014 along with the new timetables. Every single route in their list is affected some way or another.

http://www.westerngreyhound.com/routes_and_times.php

HTIOI,
Dave

 

[RELL6L]

An update to my earlier post acknowledging the posts in the meantime on the service changes starting this weekend.

522, 550, 551, 596 The 596 is indeed withdrawn and instead of this the other services are extended from Truro to Treliske Hospital. Maybe it was too tight with the 596 or maybe passenger demand makes this a better use of resources. The services are all trimmed a bit at the edges with fewer early and late journeys. The 551 now omits Portloe, said to be due to very poor loadings. Oddly this means that every journey spends 38 minutes layover time at Veryan. You would have thought at least one journey each way would be worth keeping via Portloe. Maybe there is another reason, such as being able to use larger buses round the very narrow lanes here?

528, 529 The service changes are perhaps a pre-emptive retaliation against new services which appear on the Cornwall website as starting at the end of June. A new operator, Cornwall Busways, is shown as operating hourly services: 29/29B (St Austell to Bodmin and Bodmin Parkway) and 30 (St Austell to Roche via Bugle). Interesting to see some genuine competition!

555,556 Minor timetable changes only but the new timetables boasts that the services are now operated by low floor buses. The 556 timetable also shows that all journeys work through to the 555 and the previous reference to some journeys being operated by double deckers has gone. It would be a shame if the double decker journeys have been withdrawn as this is a very scenic route and, on a fine day, carried very good loads into Padstow for a fine lunch.

572, 573 and also new 574/575, replacing the 79. The 573 will now only run from Polperro and Looe to Liskeard, where it will become a 574 and continue to Callington and Tavistock, the latter part replacing the79. Some journeys run via Cotehele and are numbered 575. This is not as good a service as the old 79, using only two extra buses against the four on the 79, but at least it is a reasonable hourly service. The western end of the 79 to Downgate and Kelly Bray has gone entirely, hence the diversion of some 576 journeys via Downgate. Also peak hour journeys from Looe to Plymouth on the 572 (into Plymouth in the morning, return in the evening) have been removed, these buses instead running as a 573 to Liskeard and a 593 from Liskeard to Plymouth, giving the extra journeys here. This is a loss to the villages on the 572 but one presumes the loadings are better via Liskeard. Again trimmed at the edges with fewer early and late journeys.

599 This is withdrawn during the week, as I said yesterday, but retained on Sundays until 6 July. The implication is that there could be a Sunday service on Stagecoach X9 after that.

 

[richw]

I'm imagining something like this turning up for Cornish busways

[/url]
VDV137S Cornwall Busways Bristol VR 937 by Sharksmith, on Flickr


Their registered address is the same as The Buses Of Cornwall's address, a residential property in penwithick. That registered name will stop first Cornwall naming similar to Somerset!

 

[South Westerly]

I'm imagining something like this turning up for Cornish busways

[/url]
VDV137S Cornwall Busways Bristol VR 937 by Sharksmith, on Flickr


Their registered address is the same as The Buses Of Cornwall's address, a residential property in penwithick. That registered name will stop first Cornwall naming similar to Somerset!

That's never been the plan!

 

[richw]

That's never been the plan!

I know, all said tongue in cheek!

 

[83G/84D]

I know, all said tongue in cheek!

The VR pictured still exists, last reported at Winkleigh so you never know!

 

[richw]

The VR pictured still exists, last reported at Winkleigh so you never know!

It ran in the running day last September from Westpoint Exeter,
From the pictures I've seen it looks in better condition than most of First deckers round this part! Its in Devon General Red and White.

 

[83G/84D]

I am hearing that the Western Greyhound Running Day that was due to take place on Saturday 28th June is cancelled.

Is anyone able to confirm this?

 

[Goldfish62]

I am hearing that the Western Greyhound Running Day that was due to take place on Saturday 28th June is cancelled.

Is anyone able to confirm this?

Yes, it's cancelled. No idea why.

 

[83G/84D]

I am also told that a red Y reg decker had a argument with a low bridge in the Halloon / St Columb Rd area yesterday. I have found out it was a Dennis Trident Y522 NHK of Western Greyhound.

 

[SWTH]

Yes, it's cancelled. No idea why.

Because there are no vehicles to run it with.

 

[richw]

I am also told that a red Y reg decker had a argument with a low bridge in the Halloon / St Columb Rd area yesterday. I have found out it was a Dennis Trident Y522 NHK of Western Greyhound.

A friend was following at the time. Open topper conversion now for the 547 or not bad enough?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Western Greyhound appear to have deleted/removed their facebook page. I'd always followed it for their daily service updates and live running updates. Disappointing to see this info gone.

 

[Qwerty133]

Western Greyhound appear to have deleted/removed their facebook page. I'd always followed it for their daily service updates and live running updates. Disappointing to see this info gone.

Not a good sign, often happens just before a company is placed in administration, of course I'm not saying that this is happening but it isn't the kind of thing that a successful company would do.

 

[richw]

Not a good sign, often happens just before a company is placed in administration, of course I'm not saying that this is happening but it isn't the kind of thing that a successful company would do.

This was one line of thought, as they have sold newer DDA compliant vehicles and replaced with older vehicles, despite still operating a number of non DDA beavers. This to me suggests potentially raising capital.

I have however heard that it was removed due to the constant flow of negative reviews and complaints being received.

 

[Goldfish62]

This was one line of thought, as they have sold newer DDA compliant vehicles and replaced with older vehicles, despite still operating a number of non DDA beavers. This to me suggests potentially raising capital.

I have however heard that it was removed due to the constant flow of negative reviews and complaints being received.

That's pathetic and really poor if true. I don't see other public transport companies closing their social media operation because of the inevitable negative comments. But then the whole ethos of the management at WGL seems to be the they're always right and how dare anyone criticise them. Such a shame for such a good company.

 

[Qwerty133]

This was one line of thought, as they have sold newer DDA compliant vehicles and replaced with older vehicles, despite still operating a number of non DDA beavers. This to me suggests potentially raising capital.

I have however heard that it was removed due to the constant flow of negative reviews and complaints being received.

Get a member of staff on there responding to the criticism and find the cause of the complaints... stopping complaints being publicised doesn't make the service better!

 

[Volvodart]

That's pathetic and really poor if true. I don't see other public transport companies closing their social media operation because of the inevitable negative comments. But then the whole ethos of the management at WGL seems to be the they're always right and how dare anyone criticise them. Such a shame for such a good company.

Up in Scotland, McGills did exactly the same some time ago for the same reasons.