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West Country Independents

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PhilStockley

Member
Joined
21 Jun 2016
Messages
75
It was BF16 XRD yesterday; it doesn't seem to have a fleet number. Is it dedicated to the Keynsham routes?

That’s the one. It was leased for that contract so I would imagine that will be it’s normal home, but all the Sprinters at Bristol are interchangeable so it would be equally possible for it to pop up on other routes.
 

-Colly405-

Member
Joined
25 May 2018
Messages
634
Location
Stoke Gifford
I see from yesterday's DVSA registrations that CT Plus have registered the U3 and T1 shorts.

Can't see First having registered the U3 anywhere...
 

carlberry

Established Member
Joined
19 Dec 2014
Messages
3,169
I see from yesterday's DVSA registrations that CT Plus have registered the U3 and T1 shorts.

Can't see First having registered the U3 anywhere...
Its shown as First on Travelline. Is this CT Plus slowly scaling up and does this mean they've got some new vehicles delivered?
 

-Colly405-

Member
Joined
25 May 2018
Messages
634
Location
Stoke Gifford
Its shown as First on Travelline. Is this CT Plus slowly scaling up and does this mean they've got some new vehicles delivered?
Thinking about it, the CT Plus-operated M1 will replace the U3 (definitely) and peak short T1s (presumably) so it makes sense for them to run these for now if they have (or can loan) the vehicles and drivers...
 

carlberry

Established Member
Joined
19 Dec 2014
Messages
3,169
DVSA error probably.
Highly unlikely. DVSA very rarely gets the operator wrong (most other details most of the time!!) and, I suspect, First would use electronic submission anyway. Scaling up like this means CT Plus don't have to have a big bang of taking on what is a substantial number of drivers and vehicles all at the same time.
 

PhilStockley

Member
Joined
21 Jun 2016
Messages
75
CT Plus is indeed operating these services under contract to First, for exactly the reasons Colly405 and carlberry have surmised to do with scaling up the driver requirement progressively.
 

-Colly405-

Member
Joined
25 May 2018
Messages
634
Location
Stoke Gifford
Not particularly good tis morning for T1 passengers aiming for the second of the doubled runs. The "regular" First journey came through Great Stoke, packed, at 0815 (15 late), followed by the CT Plus short working at 0816 (18 late).

Probably not helped by the fact that the vehicle for the short working was heading north NIS through Great Stoke at 0752, when it should have already left Aztec West.

For those interested, the vehicle on the short working was LR52BLV, in all over blue, fleet number 261, with CT Plus legals.

Also wondering why Traveline still shows the shorts starting at WIllow Brook, and shows them having started 2 weeks ago.
 

swifty

Established Member
Joined
19 Sep 2012
Messages
1,672
On the U3 shorts this morning were blue LR52 BNB (32234) and white LR52 BLZ which had a rather small first fleet number. Both had First logos but CT Plus legals.
 

freetoview33

Established Member
Joined
24 May 2009
Messages
3,721
Location
West of England
CT Plus is indeed operating these services under contract to First, for exactly the reasons Colly405 and carlberry have surmised to do with scaling up the driver requirement progressively.
It would be good if the 52 could be operated for First in the same way, hopefully it would boost passenger numbers again. Seems like HCT Group is going from strength to strength at the moment.
 

carlberry

Established Member
Joined
19 Dec 2014
Messages
3,169
It would be good if the 52 could be operated for First in the same way, hopefully it would boost passenger numbers again. Seems like HCT Group is going from strength to strength at the moment.
??? First don't operate the 52 do they, I thought that CT Plus operated it or has something been handed back?
 

TheGrandWazoo

Veteran Member
Joined
18 Feb 2013
Messages
19,969
Location
Somerset with international travel (e.g. across th
No but as I said it would be good if it could be. Similar to the 349 with abus.

I think I know what you're suggesting - that there is some sort of common marketing etc in that the operation is undertaken by CT Plus but comes under First's umbrella of services and is shown within their timetables and on their website, with commonality of fares/ticket availability?

The flipside is.... what's in it for First? You can see that with the 349 in that they were able to pull the 38 but not certain of the rationale (unless you're suggesting altruistic reasons) for the 52.

The other question is whether the move to Abus running the 349 on behalf of First is whether it has boosted passenger numbers at all. My experience (I travelled on the 349 a lot earlier this year) was of an under-resourced independent with increasingly tatty Spectras. Things like the Keynsham flat fare seemed confined to some photocopied notices on the vehicles themselves.
 

swifty

Established Member
Joined
19 Sep 2012
Messages
1,672
The other question is whether the move to Abus running the 349 on behalf of First is whether it has boosted passenger numbers at all. My experience (I travelled on the 349 a lot earlier this year) was of an under-resourced independent with increasingly tatty Spectras. Things like the Keynsham flat fare seemed confined to some photocopied notices on the vehicles themselves.

I’ve been using the 349 recently and some of the practices, drivers smoking whilst driving, using phones whilst driving, not selling/scanning tickets etc you do wonder if First turn a blind eye for convenience?
 

swifty

Established Member
Joined
19 Sep 2012
Messages
1,672
On the U3 shorts this morning were blue LR52 BNB (32234) and white LR52 BLZ which had a rather small first fleet number. Both had First logos but CT Plus legals.

I’ve seen it again and BLZ is 32230.
 

vicbury

Member
Joined
17 Mar 2012
Messages
901
Location
Bristol
I’ve been using the 349 recently and some of the practices, drivers smoking whilst driving, using phones whilst driving, not selling/scanning tickets etc you do wonder if First turn a blind eye for convenience?

I highly doubt it given that the first two are significantly compromising the healthy and safety of passengers whilst the latter would be costing revenue! My prior experience of reporting drivers using phones to First is that they seem to disappear from the company pretty quickly. I would suggest you report any dangerous driving to First/Abus (and the Police if you can get photographic evidence).
 

spw24

Member
Joined
13 Feb 2011
Messages
232
Location
bristol
I saw all bar one of the CT B7s yesterday but has anyone seen 32232 yet and what reg is it ?
 

LeylandLynx

Member
Joined
24 Oct 2015
Messages
180
I saw all bar one of the CT B7s yesterday but has anyone seen 32232 yet and what reg is it ?

It could be LR52 BNE, as that might be the last blue ex-Kingsley Coaches B7 to not have showed up, but don't quote me on that. Also, does anybody find it strange that First seems to be loaning CT their loans? How does that work? (And just to clarify, what I mean is First hiring vehicles from Dawsons and then loaning them to CT Plus).
 
Last edited:

ooo

Member
Joined
8 Jun 2015
Messages
707
Location
S
The other question is whether the move to Abus running the 349 on behalf of First is whether it has boosted passenger numbers at all. My experience (I travelled on the 349 a lot earlier this year) was of an under-resourced independent with increasingly tatty Spectras. Things like the Keynsham flat fare seemed confined to some photocopied notices on the vehicles themselves.
The Quality Bus Route slogan on some of their bus routes never seems very appropriate.
 

Marcus Fryer

Member
Joined
27 Dec 2014
Messages
732
It could be LR52 BNE, as that might be the last blue ex-Kingsley Coaches B7 to not have showed up, but don't quote me on that. Also, does anybody find it strange that First seems to be loaning CT their loans? How does that work? (And just to clarify, what I mean is First hiring vehicles from Dawsons and then loaning them to CT Plus).
Confirmed as LR52 BNE.
 

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