West Lothian buses

[Train368]

I've heard rumours the new coaches will be running a return of the old First X14 route extending Edinburgh to Glasgow via Bathgate, is their any truth to this?

 

[overthewater]

I've heard rumours the new coaches will be running a return of the old First X14 route extending Edinburgh to Glasgow via Bathgate, is their any truth to this?

Coaches I've heard are not being used on either X17 or X18, if that is not the case it's just a pure waste having stuff waiting around for 3 months doing nothing, You don't need 3 months to get driver familiar with new stock. There is also a rumor going around Stagecoach are not going to Glasgow anymore with the X51. Even X14 you don't need 8 coaches....

 

[CM]

Bus routes between Glasgow and Livingston were pretty much wiped out when the 4tph Train service started. The Train might cost more but it's a damn sight quicker than the bus. If Lothian want to play express bus then perhaps they should start at proper express service between Glasgow and Edinburgh that doesn't go mystery tours around Baillieston, Harthill and Maxim Park.

 

[alangla]

If Lothian want to play express bus then perhaps they should start at proper express service between Glasgow and Edinburgh that doesn't go mystery tours around Baillieston, Harthill and Maxim Park

AIUI, the Harthill & Baillieston/Maxim Park stops make the 900 a local bus service, so unlikely that anyone would want to miss them out. If I remember correctly, the Baillieston stop was originally a Bruce’s/Motorvator innovation, with Citylink running fast to Harthill but not registered as a local bus. When Stagecoach & Citylink buried the hatchet after the Motorvator takeover, the Baillieston stop, complete with a decent wee market Motorvator had built, went into the Citylink service. Obviously more recently half the services have started touring Maxim Park instead. Anyway, there’s possibly a bigger time saving by following the 900X route down the Western Approach Road & Calder Road to Hermiston Gate rather than spending an hour in the peak hacking through west Edinburgh to Newbridge

 

[CM]

The stops at Baillieston, Maximpark and Harthill are obviously usefull to people who want to go to/from those places but not everybody does. The people who board the 900 to go from Glasgow to/from Edinburgh probably don't expect the bus to go a magical mystery tour so a service that goes direct could be just as usefull.

 

[Train368]

What buses will be running the X17? I thought maybe they would use the double deckers currently on the X18 and move the X18 to the new coaches, but I gather not as they haven't mentioned new coaches starting from Monday?

 

[TheEastCoaster]

What buses will be running the X17? I thought maybe they would use the double deckers currently on the X18 and move the X18 to the new coaches, but I gather not as they haven't mentioned new coaches starting from Monday?

I figured with the new single dealers repainted for LCB they would put double deckers on the X17 and the singles on the 287 or 280 since that became a double decker again after the 281 was introduced

 

[Train368]

I think a express between Glasgow and Edinburgh via Harthill, Whitburn, Armadale and Bathgate would be a good idea. Yes their is the much quicker train but the Airdrie to Bathgate route does get a lot of cancellations and delays frustrating passengers. The X18 is really good but with the new X17 serving Broxburn to Edinburgh the same route they could make the X18 quicker via the A89 or M8.

 

[ScotRail158725]

I figured with the new single dealers repainted for LCB they would put double deckers on the X17 and the singles on the 287 or 280 since that became a double decker again after the 281 was introduced

287 cant take singles due to tight bends in Wester Inch

 

[Volvodart]

From their social media post, it appears they are using single deckers on the X17.

 

[Jordan Adam]

From their social media post, it appears they are using single deckers on the X17.

The buses on the X17 today are B7RLE's 106, 107, 116, 117, 118 & 119.

Does anyone know if 116/117/118/119 have been repainted or had any work internally? Must say i wouldn't like to be on a Voith 15 year old single decker for nearly two hours.

 

[smtglasgow]

The stops at Baillieston, Maximpark and Harthill are obviously usefull to people who want to go to/from those places but not everybody does. The people who board the 900 to go from Glasgow to/from Edinburgh probably don't expect the bus to go a magical mystery tour so a service that goes direct could be just as usefull.

The diversions into Baillieston or Maxim Park can be a pain for through passengers, but off-peak it probably only costs a few minutes. The bigger problem for through passengers is the journey time in the peaks with traffic on the M8 and the long crawl out to Newbridge. When I was doing my postgrad (and very poor) I had to do a few weeks research in Edinburgh and used Citylink every day. This was nearly ten years ago and I don’t think the bus ever did Bus Station to Bus Station in under an hour and three-quarters – over two hours several times. I only use Citylink now if the trains are really screwed, but the M8 seems worse than ever. So, through passengers in a hurry are always going to use the train. But Citylink do well picking up people at Bailieston, Maybury or Gogarburn – for them, the 900 makes sense.

But, getting back on topic, I don’t think there is room (or much of a market) for Lothian to compete on Edinburgh-Glasgow. Not sure there’s much of a market from West Lothian into Glasgow – train is always going to win. West Lothian into Edinburgh, maybe serving areas away from the rail lines, might work if they get the fares right, but it’s a bit of a gamble.

 

[Jordan Adam]

But, getting back on topic, I don’t think there is room (or much of a market) for Lothian to compete on Edinburgh-Glasgow. Not sure there’s much of a market from West Lothian into Glasgow – train is always going to win. West Lothian into Edinburgh, maybe serving areas away from the rail lines, might work if they get the fares right, but it’s a bit of a gamble.

The X51 somewhat fills the bulk of that market, so i can't see any point.

 

[LiviCrazy]

I’ve said before Lothian Country could have success if they provide West Lothian with connections to Edinburgh we don’t currently have. Eg doing the Broxburn Corridor then through the Gyle to Sighthill or Connect West Lothian directly to the Universities (Craiglockhart, Merchiston etc). Both Napier and Edinburgh College have a significant number of students who commute in from West Lothian.

They could also look at including the much neglected Ratho in their travels into Edinburgh, if I drive into Edinburgh I often go through Ratho at commuter time as it actually shortens the journey in comparison to the long queues at Hermiston.

 

[Train368]

When do we think Lothian will reveal the new coaches routes as it's been a few weeks since the coaches were announced?

 

[Jordan Adam]

When do we think Lothian will reveal the new coaches routes as it's been a few weeks since the coaches were announced?

If i'm not mistaken they did say they'd be on the road by May, a insider did say to me they're meant to be for the X18. Which seems the most likely outcome at the moment given that there's not going to be any more new routes this month.

 

[A330Alex]

The buses on the X17 today are B7RLE's 106, 107, 116, 117, 118 & 119.

Does anyone know if 116/117/118/119 have been repainted or had any work internally? Must say i wouldn't like to be on a Voith 15 year old single decker for nearly two hours.

116 passed me at Waverley Steps and hasn't been refurbished internally which surprised me - would've thought they'd want to put a decent fleet out for the first day at least. Was in LCB colours.

 

[Jordan Adam]

116 passed me at Waverley Steps and hasn't been refurbished internally which surprised me - would've thought they'd want to put a decent fleet out for the first day at least. Was in LCB colours.

I don't know why i asked if 116/117/118/119 had been repainted, must have been a slip of the mind as prior to typing that post i had already seen photos of them in LCB colours! It would appear none of the 4 have had any work at all other than fresh paint. People criticise First for this so i'm going to criticise Lothian. .

I should also note in all bar 1 of the photos of the X18 i've seen it's been empty. Of course on the first day it's rarely going to be buzzing, however i really can't see this route picking up anytime soon and the allocation of end of life single deckers on a 2 hour route shows me that.

 

[OmniCity999]

116 passed me at Waverley Steps and hasn't been refurbished internally which surprised me - would've thought they'd want to put a decent fleet out for the first day at least. Was in LCB colours.

As previously mentioned. They are a stop gap.

 

[Observer]

If they're just a stop gap I'm surprised they got full livery rather than just a plain white coat. But then again we all know Lothian aren't too fussed about frequent repaints.

 

[CM]

As previously mentioned. They are a stop gap.

Stop gap for what?

 

[OmniCity999]

Stop gap for what?

I'm not at liberty to discuss.

 

[overthewater]

Here comes phrase 6....

 

[CM]

I'm not at liberty to discuss.

Then why mention it?

 

[Jordan Adam]

Here comes phrase 6....

New Service linking Fauldhouse to Livingston via Bathgate.

 

[Driver362]

287 cant take singles due to tight bends in Wester Inch

Yes it can ive done 287 in single deck many a time

 

[Driver362]

The buses on the X17 today are B7RLE's 106, 107, 116, 117, 118 & 119.

Does anyone know if 116/117/118/119 have been repainted or had any work internally? Must say i wouldn't like to be on a Voith 15 year old single decker for nearly two hours.

Why not ? Would you rather sit on a 14 year old one with ZF box ?personally i think the ratios in the voith box are better suited to our work . I would say most certainly in the case of the B9 tls . Personally i don't think they hunt for gears the same . But appreciate that could be down to map in gearbox ecu . But in my personal experience a gearbox /retarder/diff at 14 years old from voith or zf without rebuild be well worn . Again my own experience of voith is the initial application of the brakes can be a tad jerky/abrupt

 

[Driver362]

Then why mention it?

Because i can , why not ?

 

[Driver362]

Here comes phrase 6....

And phase 7&8

 

[Jordan Adam]

Why not ? Would you rather sit on a 14 year old one with ZF box ?

Actually yes, the 6 speed ZF means the engine is straining less while traveling at speed. That being said I wouldn't want to sit on a early Euro3 B7RLE for 2 hours full stop!