Tommy Walters
Member
What about 66935? That one was supposedly in use at HE during the lockdown!
-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
First West of England (Bristol, Bath & The West)
- Thread starter Ivo
- Start date
What about 66935? That one was supposedly in use at HE during the lockdown!
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
freetoview33
Established Member
Another bit on the Temple Meads thing, apparently the plan is now to move all buses to new stops along the Friary,
Private Baxter
Established Member
- Joined
- 22 Sep 2013
- Messages
- 1,789
They have never been repainted. Neither has 66934, until now that is!
Tommy Walters
Member
If the tracker is to be believed, then Wessex Water liveried 44903 is running on the 1 in Bath! I didn't know they even had ticket machines on them!!
Whiteway215
Established Member
The tracker says 44522 has not been in use since early May and Steve has reported 44526 has suffered fire damage. The Wessex Water buses do not have ticket machines. Perhaps First Bath has hired 44903 from Wessex for use on normal routes?
Tommy Walters
Member
44526 catching fire is news to me! I'm very surprised it never featured in the Bath Chronicle knowing them! I guess it was in the depot yesterday morning by its tracker history?
Perhaps First are indeed hiring it, and maybe using one of their little pre-training minibuses on the Wessex Water duties instead?
Steve also reports 66734 as another one to receive the yellow training livery.
Private Baxter
Established Member
- Joined
- 22 Sep 2013
- Messages
- 1,789
I saw that though wonder if it's actually 66934.... either that or it is 66734 and not 934.... confused??!
I went through Bath on Tuesday and saw 44526 on the 42 so this must have been very recent.
Tommy Walters
Member
It might well be a typo actually. 66734 is an HE based bus, right?
Private Baxter
Established Member
- Joined
- 22 Sep 2013
- Messages
- 1,789
That's correct. It is in urban, whereas 934 is/was barbie
diffywood
Member
Changes from sunday fwoe
www.firstgroup.com
First West of England announces further minor changes to bus services in Bristol | Bristol, Bath and the West | First Bus
First West of England is introducing changes on many of its bus routes across Bristol and the West of England region from Sunday 2nd August, in response to the Government’s recent announcement that everyone can now return to use public transport again, with the use of face coverings and social...
www.firstgroup.com
freetoview33
Established Member
I'm guessing most services (if things don't get worse) will stay like that until mid/late September now.
Theres a lot reduced on Saturdays still so that might pick up and the return of schools is also going to effect peak services (both by delays as usual and by more people going to work in general).
I'd have thought that, if the A2 is picking up, they'd at least put the spare deckers onto it.
Tommy Walters
Member
Changes from sunday fwoe
First West of England announces further minor changes to bus services in Bristol | Bristol, Bath and the West | First Bus
First West of England is introducing changes on many of its bus routes across Bristol and the West of England region from Sunday 2nd August, in response to the Government’s recent announcement that everyone can now return to use public transport again, with the use of face coverings and social...
One thing I've noticed : no 39s on Sundays, only X39s! How are people supposed to get from Keynsham - Bristol then?!
The timetable shows only 39s on Sunday, no X39s.
https://www.firstgroup.com/uploads/node_images/39X39 (Bath) 2 Aug 20.pdf
Tommy Walters
Member
Hmm, that doesn't concur with the text then!
Mind you, that's not the only error I saw in that article. Apparently the 8 is going to "see a slight reduction on a Sunday from every 15 minutes to every 12 minutes"
freetoview33
Established Member
The school thing will be hard to manage in places. It might be worth having some school only services. Where they can all be squeezed on 1 bus.
The 15 minute frequency on 376 to Wells will require an extra 2 vehicles. This will put extra pressure on Bath to supply the vehicles.
Currently only 5 of the ex Bolton E400s are repainted and in service from Wells 33831/34/35/36/37.
On loan from Bath are 32338 32543/45 33722/53.
Nominally Wells vehicles 33832/57 are being used in Bath, neither have been repainted yet.
Currently only 5 of the ex Bolton E400s are repainted and in service from Wells 33831/34/35/36/37.
On loan from Bath are 32338 32543/45 33722/53.
Nominally Wells vehicles 33832/57 are being used in Bath, neither have been repainted yet.
Whiteway215
Established Member
44526 has suffered really serious fire damage around its engine compartment. Only my opinion but it could almost be terminal.
With the 24A currently not running couldn’t the Solo or short E200 (Whatever they’ve got at Hengrove now) be sent back to Bath to cover?
If you’re referring to the A1 Scania E400s, they’re probably not allowed to use them or the A3 E200MMCs on other work as part of the contract with Bristol Airport. I did see a dual door Scania E400 on the A2 the other day as well as a B9 Gemini.
It would be good if the Airport Flyer buses could be used elsewhere save sitting in Hengrove or up the Airport being eaten by rats. Dibs on the deckers for the X1x lol
Perhaps if Weston are again using Darts, some of the ALX400 B7TLs borrowed from Bath may head to Wells?
Whiteway215
Established Member
Along with a load of sales Steve has reported 32009 is withdrawn. Is it still at Wells as a canteen?
The last I heard it was being used in Wells as an overflow canteen, complete with a hanging basket attached!
Whiteway215
Established Member
Perhaps it might win the ‘Wells in Bloom‘ competition.
Totally agree with you. Can't see college lot distancing going to Strode etc thus making it bad for normal passengers. Good idea to run a school/college bus if possible,
Mike R
freetoview33
Established Member
Well school children will not be required to distance anyway
Former 17 branded 37007 has been treated to a heritage livery in Essex. It’s freshly outshopped in Badgerine era Eastern National livery - https://www.flickr.com/photos/46986413@N07/50174879662/
Was still there on Thursday evening.
Steve also notes 32222/23 at Weston are withdrawn rather than stored.
Last edited:
Whiteway215
Established Member
Bath & North East Somerset Council have been offered and have agreed to accept an increased offer of funding from the Government to implement the Bath Clean Air Zone. The funding is not as much as the council originally requested so some aspects of the planned CAZ will have to be watered down. (In my humble opinion they are lucky to get any cash from the Government in the present circumstances)
No commencement date has yet been announced but the council had already stated the Government would require it to come into operation by the end of next year.
Anyway First Bath can go on running some old vehicles for the time being!
No commencement date has yet been announced but the council had already stated the Government would require it to come into operation by the end of next year.
Anyway First Bath can go on running some old vehicles for the time being!
Class 33
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Aug 2009
- Messages
- 2,362
Just been for a journey on the new 2A that was originally intended to be introduced back in April! I intended to get out on the Southmead Road/Pen Park Road junction bus stop, to get a bit of shopping in LIDL. However when running along Southmead Road, the driver then turned left into Doncaster Road! "Eh??!! He's going the wrong way!!!" I thought to myself. But I didn't bother saying anything to the driver(not so easy to do anyway what with having to wear a face mask and also the perspex screen in the way!). I thought I'll just get out by the Greystoke Avenue ALDI instead, and get the 2 back. After a very quick shop in ALDI, I returned to the bus stop waiting for a 2. And then along came a 2A! I thought the driver on there is going the wrong way too! Were these drivers both taking the wrong route? Or is this actually the correct route, and they're not running via the lower part of Pen Park Road after all? Also on the way back I noticed a couple more 2A's heading towards Brentry, but the destination displays on these buses said Brentry Charlton Road Junction. I thought the 2A's were supposed to actually run down Charlton Road and terminate at the layby? If this is the correct route and terminating point, then this new 2A didn't turn out to be as it was supposed to be, and is just in fact a slightly shortened version of the 2 with no actual route variation.
EDIT: Just checked the detailed timetable on TravelineSW. And it confirms the 2A is supposed to be running via the lower park of Pen Park Road, and not via Doncaster Road and Greystoke Avenue. So both those drivers were taking the wrong route! Wonder how many other drivers on the 2A will be taking the wrong route though Southmead! Also the timetable confirms the terminating/starting point of Charlton Road layby, and not Charlton Road Junction!
EDIT: Just checked the detailed timetable on TravelineSW. And it confirms the 2A is supposed to be running via the lower park of Pen Park Road, and not via Doncaster Road and Greystoke Avenue. So both those drivers were taking the wrong route! Wonder how many other drivers on the 2A will be taking the wrong route though Southmead! Also the timetable confirms the terminating/starting point of Charlton Road layby, and not Charlton Road Junction!
Last edited:
Once the governments cash has run out and the services have to be adjusted to the number of people who are left on public transport after all this I doubt there will be any old vehicles left!
Thankfully the local motorists can carry on using old vehicles forever, including all the extra ones they've acquired recently, which should make the air much cleaner.
father_jack
Member
- Joined
- 26 Jan 2010
- Messages
- 1,130
Made an enquiry with a bus company fiend and whatever internal tracker they have has automatically picked up an alert about the wrong routing and those concerned will be rebriefed........