matt_splat
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only minor changes in Bath in March X39s and 13s so I was told unless its changed
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stait.john
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Today's sightings:
8/9 42704, 42961
X18 32019, 37623
75/76 42959, 33560, 33566
John
8/9 42704, 42961
X18 32019, 37623
75/76 42959, 33560, 33566
John
ValleyLines142
Established Member
So more or less all deckers on the X18?! Why?!
Forgot those Darts would also make an appearance back on the 8/9 too!
Off to Bristol today. I look forward to seeing some changes!
matt_splat
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with the x18 could it be the case of whats spare in the depot at the time
windnoise69
Member
And with less decker's now at Lawerence Hill I wouldn't be surprised it it happens more often; or with decker's on the 17/81/83
I struggle to see how B&NES would be able to scrap funding for the 768 when they'd need considerably more then to prop up the replacement extension to the 179 which would need at least two buses, probably three. This would also reduce the appeal of the quicker 179 from Paulton to Bath by dragging it out around Farrington Gurney.
ValleyLines142
Established Member
Private Baxter
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So the 8/9 has reverted to darts then? I know Hengrove lost a few streetlites but surprised this is the service to have been downgraded...
Has anyone sighted what's been working the 21 yet? I've just realised the funny route it seems to take between Redcliffe and Temple Meads, via the Centre and The Horsefair! http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/bri.../journey_planning/booklets/Service_21_Web.pdf
ValleyLines142
Established Member
No, Hengrove still have 47436-47465 (and 47566-47571). But occasionally as Darts are now back too some will pop onto the 8/9.
DaveHarries
Established Member
freetoview33
Established Member
I'd just prefer a 2 hourly service on the 21 (with just one bus needed)
ValleyLines142
Established Member
Yay!! I'm on 33564 on the 75 
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
With that frequency, you wonder what patronage it'll have. Surprised it doesn't go to the airport as its not exactly competition for the A1
Private Baxter
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I knew it was only a handfull of their newest 64 reg stuff that went, but glad to see they still predominently work the 8/9.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Ha, I've often tried to use the 121 on the rare occaion I go to the airport as I can use a FWoE ticket then, thus it's cheaper!
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
To be honest, you've always had a fair chance of seeing a Dart on the 8/9. A few months ago, I saw 42701 on there and that's a heap.
I don't doubt the 21 may struggle to justify a 2 hr frequency nor traffic to/from the airport. Would be nice for an alternative run from Bristol to Nellzee via the 21 & A2 but then again, that's not really the point!!
Class 33
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Got a very pleasant surprise this evening when at Cribbs Causeway and waiting for a 75 to go back home, and an Enviro 400 turned up working a 75! YES! I didn't think it would be as soon as this that I'd manage to get a ride on one of thse Hengrove Depot assigned Enviro 400's! Anyway the ride was nice. Lovely powerful sounding engine. These buses have some charactor to them! Very pleasant change to a Gemini. I allmost didn't really want to disembark the bus! The Enviro 400's on Bristol city services certainly gets the thumbs up from me!
Mind you, just now though I saw an Eclipse on a 75 going down Gloucester Road. Thumbs down from me on that!
Mind you, just now though I saw an Eclipse on a 75 going down Gloucester Road. Thumbs down from me on that!
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ValleyLines142
Established Member
That was probably 33566, which was on a northbound 75 going up Gloucester Road at about 4.30. I had 33564. Not sure where 33560 was today, no sign of that one at all.
As for the B7RLE Eclipse, that was probably 69454, which was on the 71 this morning but by the afternoon had somehow escaped onto the 75/76.
Class 33
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The 75 I was on departed Cribbs Causeway about 1620. So wasn't 33566. Though I did see another Enviro 400 on a 75 Northbound heading along Gloucester Road North about 1640, so that must have been the 33566 you saw a little earlier.
matt_splat
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I work at the airport and see lots of 121s and some can get to the airport heading to Bristol with people on board the first trip normally has about 9 or 10 on it.
i also always notice passengers traveling into Bristol quite a bit from Felton some times 4 or 5 people waiting at the stops depending on the time of day it makes you wonder how these people will get about now
i do wonder if the 21 peak trips will be ran using busses from the Airport Flyers i'd expect about 7 ish the night time drivers are finishing and would be revinue back into Bristol instead of a dead run terminating at temple meads so it can run back to the depot from there
i also always notice passengers traveling into Bristol quite a bit from Felton some times 4 or 5 people waiting at the stops depending on the time of day it makes you wonder how these people will get about now
i do wonder if the 21 peak trips will be ran using busses from the Airport Flyers i'd expect about 7 ish the night time drivers are finishing and would be revinue back into Bristol instead of a dead run terminating at temple meads so it can run back to the depot from there
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
It's a fair old cut for Felton and Winford! Guess the car will get used instead.
Mind you, don't the even services run TO Felton or have I misconstrued you?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Yep, and I assume the route is Paulton then Hallatrow then FG then back via Old Mills which would miss out Paulton Hospital - cue picture in local rag of disgruntled pensioners
stait.john
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The 21 will be operated by Hengrove and will be on route 8 boards. 2 journeys am inbound, 2 journeys outbound pm.
John
John
THarris123
Established Member
I don't understand what the fuss is about all of this. The 179 is only just quicker to get to Bath from Paulton than the 178/179. Looping it around Farrington would only add on 10 minutes. People wanting to go to Bath from Paulton tend to use the 178/379 as it comes along every 30 mins compared to the 179 or 768 which turns up about 2 hours plus. I also didn't say that it would be hourly. What would be the point in that? I didn't say that the route from Paulton to Tesco would change (it would follow the route that 179 did when it served Farrington before November - I.e only misses out 1 stop in Hallatrow), meaning that the new 179 would still serve Paulton Hospital.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
I don't think there's any great fuss. I did say I "assume" the route would be back through Old Mills. Fair enough if you say its an out and back lollipop then the hospital will still be served.
However, no-one said it was hourly at this point (though it was mentioned some time earlier in the thread). You said either every 90 or 120 mins - well, adding in the FG loop means that frequency would require two buses, and you would still need the 768 so three in total.
Is there that much demand from FG to Bath, especially when you can get to Bristol every 30 minutes? I think it might just be better to up the 179 to hourly but have a slightly faster version that misses out Farmborough every other journey.
ValleyLines142
Established Member
So that means it will mainly be Streetlites then? Cool stuff!
Ah fair, in that case it may well have been 33560!
Some observations from yesterday include 66729 on the 2 (why is this happening?!), 42705 and 42706 on the 18, 42961 on the 24, 42703 on the 35, 32937 and 41162 on the 36, 32690 and 32292 on the 78 and on the 319, most embarrassingly, a mixture of five different vehicles, ranging from the usual Darts, to a Volvo B7/ALX 400 (32281), a Streetlite (47550) and whatever bus 62194 is called! 66935 was also on the X5. There was also a Gemini on the X18 but I couldn't tell which one it was.
The first bus of the day was 42706 on the 18. I was somewhat disappointed not to get a Streetlite (even though I've been on them before, just not on the 18), nor even the previously usual Darts for that matter! This was a short hop from Parkway to UWE. After a few errands I had to do at UWE, I caught 62194 on the 1422 to Cribbs Causeway. After a quick wee, I then waited for a bit to see if an Enviro 400 would show on the route. I sat at the bus station for about twenty minutes and saw the usual observations, with some oddities including 66729 on the 2 and 32690 on the 78. I then gave up and caught 37604 on the 75, in the hope that I'd see an Enviro 400 at some point along the route. We then got to the college opposite Airbus in Filton where several students got on. Then I turn around and look behind, and what is right behind on the 75, bloody 33564! I can only guess it had come up to Cribbs as a 76 but had then changed into a 75 afterwards. I then alighted 37604 at the top of Muller Road and changed onto 33564, which I took all the way down to Hengrove. I must admit, the route is really nice! I like the stretch through Bedminster and the college just after Hartcliffe is something else! Amazing stuff!
After a quick bite to eat in McDonald's, I then took a stroll over to the depot, where the usual Geminis and a B7RLE were present. I then returned to the bus stop and caught 37019 on the 90, again another nice route. This was nice as 37019 was the first bus I ever took on a day out to Bristol with my cousin, only from Redcliffe Hill to The Haymarket, but even so!
All in all a great day. The day ended with 47444 on the 8 to Temple Meads! My next work involves heading to Emersons Green on the 48/49, and clearing some more of the 1/2 at the southern end of the route, as well as more of the express routes out of the bus station!
Tomorrow I'll be on the lookout for our new toys from Leicester which may sneak out onto the 70/71.
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TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
It might just be that 66729 was covering a breakdown, or that some of the Southampton vehicles need a bit of work doing to them before entering service?
62194 is a Volvo B10BLE with Wright bodywork
I take it you were talking about the 319. I don't think it's embarrassing - most people won't even notice. What would be embarrassing is if it didn't turn up at all - "Yeah, sorry mate, the 1415 didn't run as we only had a Streetlite available so we cancelled it til we can get a B7RLE"
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Sure you'll love those. Those to displace some more DDA compliant Darts to Cornwall?
ValleyLines142
Established Member
Well two of the ex-Southampton vehicles were running around Broadmead out of service yesterday.
Not a problem for me as I would have just waited for the next bus (37762), plus I was waiting for the 75 anyway.
TheGrandWazoo said:
Ah, thanks for letting me know!
TheGrandWazoo said:I take it you were talking about the 319. I don't think it's embarrassing - most people won't even notice. What would be embarrassing is if it didn't turn up at all - "Yeah, sorry mate, the 1415 didn't run as we only had a Streetlite available so we cancelled it til we can get a B7RLE"
I was, apologies for the typo!
I agree but I just think it'd be nice to have a standard fleet to be honest!
Could you confirm is that 48211 (W811PFB) or 42821 (W821PFB) please?
Class 33
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Yes, at Cribbs Causeway the 75's become 76's and the 76's becomes 75's. A bit of an annoying instance for me the other day was when I had finished work and walking to the Cribbs Causeway terminus to get a bus home I saw one of those ex-Glasgow tridents on the 75 about to finish it's journey. "YES! I'll get that one on the 76 back!" I don't normally bother much with the 76 as I dislike the round the houses route via Henbury and Southmead it takes, but I wouldn't have minded the journey if it was on one of these beauties. However that bus must have been running a little late, as instead of a short rest in the bays at Cribbs Causeway it ran straight round to the 76 bus stop, swiftly picked up passengers and away it went. And I just missed it by about one minute!