So to summarise, let’s recap
Mid August 2018 (Phase 1)
Lothian Country expand their operations to West Lothian replacing the old 27/28 with their X27/X28 with a few tweaks to the route such as omitting Gorgie to speed the journey times (Good), they also introduced the 275 to Whitburn to Edinburgh Park to connect with the Tram for onwards travel to the city (Okay), Fares caused a controversial split with local commuters with some staying with First due to weekly and monthly passes with some giving Lothian a chance
End September (Phase 2)
Lothian introduce two new routes branching out to Armadale and Blackridge (furthest a Lothian service has ever been in the West), and connecting Wester Inch with Livingston Centre, overall some useful routes for locals in West Lothian.
December 1st (Phase 3)
4 months into West Lothian and they introduce the first night bus, N28 which partially mirrors the X28 except it omits Kirknewton, the X18 is also introduced offering a faster link to Edinburgh from Bathgate, Contactless is also brought on although a missed opportunity for a ridacard option
And now Phase 4
A new route connecting West Calder/Loganlea with Deans North is coming, a few tweaks and improvements to some services are here, and still no ridacard option sadly, I still have faith but obviously Lothian still seem hellbent on taking over all of West Lothian
So that must mean whenever Phase 5 kicks in that must be when they hit Kirkliston/Linlithgow, at this point they have nowhere else to expand to. Only time will tell though!
Phase 1
X27 /X28 lifted directly from First a route that had shed hundreds of thousands of pounds per year and once First had escaped the Railway linitations fron the scotrail deal they shelved it to save money , although their 15 min service was a touch over the top . Hard to see how LCB with competition from 26 26A and 23 X23 on sighthill can turn it around to be profitable.
275 Again lifted large parts of previous routes ,people of Broxburn always wanted quick service to Livingston, LCB added time to it ,although to be fair it seems to be doing quite well especially on Whitburn corridor
Phase 2
280 a direct copy of firsts 25 route only serving St Johns ,timings will always rule on this route and whichever bus turns up will generally scoop the pot , only downside for LCB is any money made during day will be lost at night running empty buses.
287
A dead Duck, wrong route no chance of success.
Phase 3
X18 Another service that will keep getting altered and it will never make money ,said at the time it will never compete with train and nothing I have seen has altered my opinion ,also the person who suggested using Gardenrs lane and up to Wester Inch must have been drunk as that's is absolute madness .
Phase 4
281 *another old smt number *Obviously seen 26 picking up numbers in Livingston and thought oh we shall duplicate that and see if we can make a shilling ,again though all it will do is dilute passengers and most will run empty as they duplicate 27 /28 around ladywell ,Knightsridge and Deans not sure the thinking behind that when Kirkliston would have been fresh area to tackle .
X18 altered which I think will be a common theme over next few changes to try and compete with a fantastic rail service.
Next move will be up to First to combat these changes and on and on we go.
Being told LCB new depot will be next month * but that's been said since inception, we shall see.