Edinburgh Tour Operators: Bright Bus, Lothian (Majestic, Three Bridges) etc.

[Bluebirdscot66]

Well I hope they get the finger out and get those buses ready now

 

[overthewater]

First has nothing to fear if the tours are anything like 913

 

[In Focus]

Whilst phase one i.e. setting up Edinburgh Tours Op will have already been sanctioned by the BOD, depending on Lothian / LCB's response, I'm not so sure the BOD will allow further tranches of funding of significance to put towards a fight with Lothian, especially as the future of the whole First UK Bus op is now uncertain.

Although they are playing the ,"business as usual" care I suspect you are correct ,which is probably pretty obvious.
Of course the more revenue and profit a depot can show will surely make it an easier sell to any prospective buyers !

 

[overthewater]

That will Keep National Express happy

 

[SpeedbirdA350]

PM0000923/347 Registered
FIRST SCOTLAND EAST LDT
Route: Waverly Bridge, Edinburgh to Market Street, Edinburgh via Lothian Road, Chamber Street, Regent Road
Service number: A1 ()
Service type: Limited Stop
Effective date: 01 Jul 2019

I think it will be interesting to see after a few weeks of operation if this works or flops.

 

[In Focus]

I think it will be interesting to see after a few weeks of operation if this works or flops.

Hard to think how it will "flop" its obviously designed to only take a small market share ,which would put it into profit anything other than that shall be a huge bonus I'd imagine .

 

[Jordan Adam]

Given that FSE probably won't be around in 18 months time it could be interesting...

 

[buslad1988]

Hard to think how it will "flop" its obviously designed to only take a small market share ,which would put it into profit anything other than that shall be a huge bonus I'd imagine .

Can’t imagine it’ll be a flop; there’s more than enough business to go round for everyone.

Most tourists don’t really care about the age of a bus (just look at those old Titans/Olympians in San Francisco!) it really just comes down to value for money - so long as it covers the main sights, fairly frequent and ‘hop-on, hop-off’ you’re pretty much on to a winner.

What was a mega flop (IMO) was Lothians ‘60 days of summer’ tour last year using the RM’s - very expensive and never saw more than 3-4 people on.

 

[In Focus]

Given that FSE probably won't be around in 18 months time it could be interesting...

"Business as usual" until then though

 

[Jordan Adam]

"Business as usual" until then though

True...

 

[overthewater]

Has anyone seen any leaflets or website?

 

[SpeedbirdA350]

So, First are 6 days away from launching their open tour bus operation A1 in Edinburgh, however no prices have been spoken about, no livery on the red buses yet that I have seen, and no advertising what so ever. 6 Days. No website either and the last thing on First website is about this venture posted on 21st May and that has been that.

Also, with First in both Aberdeen and Glasgow wanting to sell up, and both councils looking at taking the buses and running them like LB, it does make me question if this is a venture they should be doing.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

So, First are 6 days away from launching their open tour bus operation A1 in Edinburgh, however no prices have been spoken about, no livery on the red buses yet that I have seen, and no advertising what so ever. 6 Days. No website either and the last thing on First website is about this venture posted on 21st May and that has been that.

Also, with First in both Aberdeen and Glasgow wanting to sell up, and both councils looking at taking the buses and running them like LB, it does make me question if this is a venture they should be doing.

Don't know about the publicity etc - perhaps there's been some last minute issue with the publicity? However, and appreciate your phrasing might not mean this but First aren't wanting to sell up. They are looking to separate UK bus from the rest of the group and that will probably be in one chunk rather than piecemeal. It is Aberdeen council that are making the noise about buying, not First about selling. Also, if First don't look to repulse Lothian from their WL operations, then they invite competition all over. This is a low cost, and potentially quite financially impacting, move on Lothian to make them reconsider their incursion.

 

[In Focus]

So, First are 6 days away from launching their open tour bus operation A1 in Edinburgh, however no prices have been spoken about, no livery on the red buses yet that I have seen, and no advertising what so ever. 6 Days. No website either and the last thing on First website is about this venture posted on 21st May and that has been that.

Also, with First in both Aberdeen and Glasgow wanting to sell up, and both councils looking at taking the buses and running them like LB, it does make me question if this is a venture they should be doing.

Official launch is Thursday afternoon.
All will be revealed

 

[carlberry]

So, First are 6 days away from launching their open tour bus operation A1 in Edinburgh, however no prices have been spoken about, no livery on the red buses yet that I have seen, and no advertising what so ever. 6 Days. No website either and the last thing on First website is about this venture posted on 21st May and that has been that.

Given the nature of the service I'm not sure what advance publicity would actually achieve. Tourists are mostly day or short stay visitors so if it isnt running this weekend advertising is going to be premature at the moment. Obviously getting publicity into hotels and the tourist office is useful but, again, until it actually runs it's generating interest that cant be satisfied.

 

[In Focus]

Obviously getting publicity into hotels and the tourist office is useful but, again, until it actually runs it's generating interest that cant be satisfied.

Which has already been done in many places.

 

[Bluebirdscot66]

V528ESC in orange seen in princes st today no vynls added yet but it’ll be something that will be bright and refreshing and stand out no doubt...well you would think .

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Official launch is Thursday afternoon.
All will be revealed

Given the nature of the service I'm not sure what advance publicity would actually achieve. Tourists are mostly day or short stay visitors so if it isnt running this weekend advertising is going to be premature at the moment. Obviously getting publicity into hotels and the tourist office is useful but, again, until it actually runs it's generating interest that cant be satisfied.

Phew! Does that mean that people don't need to be running around as if their hair is on fire?

 

[Jordan Adam]

Also, with First in both Aberdeen and Glasgow wanting to sell up, and both councils looking at taking the buses and running them like LB, it does make me question if this is a venture they should be doing.

Glasgow are not wanting to sell up, i know rumours for a Glasgow sale have been going about on Facebook and there's been mention on here of NX showing interest. But there is no proposed sale. Likewise with Aberdeen, the council have been blowing hot air, but as of right now there is no planned sale. For all the First Scotland opcos it's business as normal, if there was any sale in the works you'd probably find they wouldn't still be going ahead with this venture!

 

[carlberry]

Phew! Does that mean that people don't need to be running around as if their hair is on fire?

Why did nobody tell me my hair was on fire! (Actually it might stop it going a funny grey colour if it was).

 

[Big Ralphie]

You would think with only a few days to go to there tour bus venture in Edinburgh there would be some publicty on there website for people visiting the city with the school holidays starting on Friday prices route starting point etc

 

[In Focus]

Phew! Does that mean that people don't need to be running around as if their hair is on fire?

Who does that on holiday ?

 

[Robertj21a]

Glasgow are not wanting to sell up, i know rumours for a Glasgow sale have been going about on Facebook and there's been mention on here of NX showing interest. But there is no proposed sale. Likewise with Aberdeen, the council have been blowing hot air, but as of right now there is no planned sale. For all the First Scotland opcos it's business as normal, if there was any sale in the works you'd probably find they wouldn't still be going ahead with this venture!

Well, depending on the outcome of the meeting that starts in just over an hour, it may be that First opcos will have little say in what happens to them.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Well, depending on the outcome of the meeting that starts in just over an hour, it may be that First opcos will have little say in what happens to them.

That's true, however as of right now there are no sales!

 

[lastbus]

Well, depending on the outcome of the meeting that starts in just over an hour, it may be that First opcos will have little say in what happens to them.

No matter what the outcome of today’s meeting is a sale is not going to happen overnight. It’s very much business as usual.

 

[Volvodart]

Also, with First in both Aberdeen and Glasgow wanting to sell up, and both councils looking at taking the buses and running them like LB, it does make me question if this is a venture they should be doing.

It is highly likely First bus will be sold before any legislation is passed. All that happened was that the SNP were outvoted on a committee. There will be another vote at Stage 3 of the bill later this year.

 

[Volvodart]

So it is Bright Bus Tours, but the page is not active on firstgroup.com yet.

https://www.firstgroup.com/bright-bus-tours

 

[winston270twm]

So it is Bright Bus Tours, but the page is not active on firstgroup.com yet.

https://www.firstgroup.com/bright-bus-tours

You just get a brief glimpse before it diverts back to the main First Group page.

 

[christopherrfc]

Another tour company starting up in Edinburgh

• PM2014236/2 Registered
  AM BUS TOURS LIMITED
  
  Route: Bus Stop ZE, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh to Bus Stop ZK, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh via Queensferry Crossing
  
  Service number: 88D ()
  
  Service type: Excursion or Tour
  
  Effective date: 20 Jul 2019
  
  
• PM2014236/1 Registered
  AM BUS TOURS LIMITED
  
  Route: Bus Stop ZK, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh to Bus Stop ZE, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh
  
  Service number: 88A ()
  
  Service type: Excursion or Tour
  
  Effective date: 20 Jul 2019
  

 

[overthewater]

It will be interesting to see where it get launched. Castle is off limtes because of the tatoo, Dynamic earth has confrence going on, unless its castle street.