Lothian Group discussion (Lothian City, Lothian Country Bus and East Coast Buses)

[TheEastCoaster]

Guessing there is still no Christmas Timetable from Lothian yet

 

[Graham Alexand]

There is an official statement for West Lothian Council now for festive bus services however, not Lothian Buses themselves.

Festive buses given green light - West Lothian Council

West Lothian Council has awarded a number of contracts to support the local bus network during the festive period.

www.westlothian.gov.uk

Festive buses given green light - West Lothian Council​

West Lothian Council has awarded a number of contracts to support the local bus network during the festive period.
16 November
Each year the council invests funding to ensure residents have bus services over the festive period, which has a particular benefit to those working.
The council has historically provided an additional level of local bus provision on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, 1 January and 2 January.
Around 80% of the bus network is provided by commercial companies who, generally, do not operate on these dates. The subsidised bus network is also reduced leaving gaps in the network.
The festive service will provide a two hour service between 7am and 7pm with services designed as a hybrid approach using a basis of the commercial market amending and joining services to ensure as wide a coverage as possible.
Services to St John's Hospital are an important part of the service, with access to health care and essential work travel being the main focus.

The council's £34,520 invest will provide the following services on Christmas Day and 1 January:​

• 275 Broxburn via Wester Inch - Blackburn, Seafield, Livingston Village, Livingston Centre, Fastlink, Pumpherston & Uphall
• X27 Whitburn- Edinburgh via Blackburn, Seafield, Eliburn - Livingston Centre, Dedridge East, Mid Calder, East Calder & Wilkieston
• X28 Bathgate - Edinburgh via Deans North, Knightsridge, Craigshill, Dedridge East, East Calder & Kirknewton
• X38 Linlithgow - Edinburgh via Winchburgh
• 26 Fauldhouse - Deans via Whitburn, Bathgate, Bents, Stoneyburn, Loganlea, West Calder, Polbeth, Livingston Centre, Howden, Ladywell & Knightsridge
• X25 Blackridge - Livingston via Armadale, Bathville, Bathgate, Deans North, Ladywell East & Alderstone Road

Commercial local bus operators will operate reduced services on Boxing Day and 2 January.
Executive councillor for development and transport, Cathy Muldoon said: "It is important that people can access important services, such as Health care, visit friends and family and attend their work and the Festive Bus Services aims to provide that support to local people during a time when the bus service winds down.
"I'm very pleased that West Lothian Council is able to support these services and the people that rely upon them."

 

[Vectron383]

Last I heard was all new E400s were for Lothian with ECB getting cascades?

IIRC there was other chat on here that ECB would get 10 E400s, but I may be mistaken. What would be cascaded to ECB if they’re not due any new vehicles?

 

[ScotRail158725]

IIRC there was other chat on here that ECB would get 10 E400s, but I may be mistaken. What would be cascaded to ECB if they’re not due any new vehicles?

Does anything even need cascaded if LCB/ECB are getting merged in a sense? Lothian Country have a good surplus to their PVR so a few could easily get a repaint and move over to ECB.

 

[Graham Alexand]

Does anything even need cascaded if LCB/ECB are getting merged in a sense. Lothian Country have a good surplus to their PVR so a few could easily get a repaint and moved over to ECB

Probably the Gemini 3's as they are the newest.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Does anything even need cascaded if LCB/ECB are getting merged in a sense? Lothian Country have a good surplus to their PVR so a few could easily get a repaint and move over to ECB.

I agree, seeing as 926-927 have been upgraded to Euro 6 they could well be looked at along with some of 928-936. Oldest buses out for some of the next oldest?

 

[stevenedin]

I’ve just had a thought that if buses are to be cascaded to ECB/LC potentially 951-958 or -960 would be good candidates.

If it goes the way of 951-958 then possibly 959 and 960 would replace 905 and 906 for the 3 bridges tour buses

 

[stantheman]

369 and 395 on 44 today so Sat must have some Central workings as well as Sun
Does anyone know which of 351 to 400 still have roller blinds and numbers on the front below drivers window ...saw 368 a few weeks ago and it had the larger numbers

 

[stevenedin]

They lost the roller blinds last year and are all LED unfortunately

 

[CN04NRJ]

They're finally recruiting trainee drivers for Lothian (to start in January), I think the last few squeaked through just before the first lockdown (minus a handful this week);

Careers – Lothian Buses

careers.lothianbuses.com

 

[Lothian_Bus]

369 and 395 on 44 today so Sat must have some Central workings as well as Sun
Does anyone know which of 351 to 400 still have roller blinds and numbers on the front below drivers window ...saw 368 a few weeks ago and it had the larger numbers

676 and 677 also on the 44 from Central today.

 

[computerSaysNo]

Does anyone know which of 351 to 400 still have roller blinds

As far as I'm aware, out of the whole Lothian/Lothian Country/East Coast fleet, only 926 and 927 still have roller blinds, and are both currently at Central garage.

They're finally recruiting trainee drivers for Lothian (to start in January), I think the last few squeaked through just before the first lockdown (minus a handful this week);

Careers – Lothian Buses

careers.lothianbuses.com

What's the difference in terms of driving environment between Lothian (City), Lothian Country and East Coast? I'd imagine EC have a lot more rural running; is this more difficult than driving in the towns/city because of the higher speed? Or is city driving more difficult because of narrow roads, etc.?

 

[Bus9120UK]

As far as I'm aware, out of the whole Lothian/Lothian Country/East Coast fleet, only 926 and 927 still have roller blinds, and are both currently at Central garage.

346-350 also have these blinds.

 

[VioletEclipse]

346-350 also have these blinds.

also 926 and 927 as far as I'm aware

 

[scosutsut]

Passed Alexander's in Falkirk today, 6 more B5TL/E400 in Lothian colours visible from the roadside. No numbers/plates/photos unfortunately.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

also 926 and 927 as far as I'm aware

Post 4,393 was in response to post 4,392.

 

[Vectron383]

341 on the 113 today. Cascade foreshadowing?

 

[ScotRail158725]

341 on the 113 today. Cascade foreshadowing?

As mentioned already there’s a few SN59s at Musselburgh while 937-950 get repainted

 

[scosutsut]

ECB allocations seem to be all over the place too, with 20001 on the 104 and 10198 on the X7 for multiple journeys today.

Tended to much more regimented, the Gem 3s not often straying from the 124 and the B7RLEs rare appearances on the X7, tending to be almost exclusively B8RLEs.

 

[dgla]

Anyone know what’s happening with the Lothiancity brand? Was it a trial that’s since been scrapped? It only appears on one bus type and doesn’t feature on the website, social media etc.

 

[Mal]

Anyone know what’s happening with the Lothiancity brand? Was it a trial that’s since been scrapped? It only appears on one bus type and doesn’t feature on the website, social media etc.

Similarly with the Edinburgh coat of arms on some buses. It would be great to see it on all Lothian buses.

 

[Graeme Duncan]

Does anybody know if 436/7 will be converted to standard livery.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Anyone know what’s happening with the Lothiancity brand? Was it a trial that’s since been scrapped? It only appears on one bus type and doesn’t feature on the website, social media etc.

I was always told it was introduced to try and take away the TfE crest, Hall & Co. having a seemingly anti-TfE brand, whilst also retaining a collective image across the Lothian group. I always got the impression that the rapport between the Lothian group under Hall & Co. and the wider TfE organisation along with the council was a rather poor one. Whether any of this was actually true or not is another question, one that we may never know the true answer to.

I would expect the Lothiancity brand to be phased out as vehicles are repainted, perhaps even sooner than that.

Similarly with the Edinburgh coat of arms on some buses. It would be great to see it on all Lothian buses.

I agree, it would certainly look the part. Sadly I get the feeling that unnecessary costs may be an issue.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

I was always told it was introduced to try and take away the TfE crest, Hall & Co. having a seemingly anti-TfE brand, whilst also retaining a collective image across the Lothian group. I always got the impression that the rapport between the Lothian group under Hall & Co. and the wider TfE organisation along with the council was a rather poor one. Whether any of this was actually true or not is another question, one that we may never know the true answer to.

I would expect the Lothiancity brand to be phased out as vehicles are repainted, perhaps even sooner than that.
I agree, it would certainly look the part. Sadly I get the feeling that unnecessary costs may be an issue.

I thought the TfE crest was pretty nice and helped make Lothian and the trams stand out as one, I was gutted with LCB withdrew the crest and surprised that ECB never had a variant.

Guessing we won’t hear about Christmas timetables for another week at this point either.

 

[alexf380]

I'd be surprised if the Christmas timetables are released before the 1st of December, that's still over three weeks before Christmas. I also haven't been given my shifts for Christmas week yet so they are maybe still working them out.

 

[Lothian_Bus]

Does anyone know how services 4 and 5 integrate with each other now?

I thought it was just on a Sunday but can see this seems to happen on other days as well.

I assume the change happens at The Jewel after a complete cycle.

 

[Bus9120UK]

Does anyone know how services 4 and 5 integrate with each other now?

I thought it was just on a Sunday but can see this seems to happen on other days as well.

I assume the change happens at The Jewel after a complete cycle.

Correct. Something else to note is that two central buses (coming off the 23 and 37) go on the 19 each evening covering the Leith Street services.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Correct. Something else to note is that two buses (coming off the 23 and 37) go on the 19 each evening covering the Leith Street services.

I’ve noticed this, took 1068 home last night which felt just odd. The last 19 leaving Granton now only runs to Kings Road on a Sunday as well - as Marine still do Sunday evenings.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

I'd be surprised if the Christmas timetables are released before the 1st of December, that's still over three weeks before Christmas. I also haven't been given my shifts for Christmas week yet so they are maybe still working them out.

Lothian have confirmed on Twitter that the Christmas timetables will be released on 1st December!

“Hi ***. Unsure of this as of yet. Our Festive Timetables are due to be released on the 1st December. Keep an eye out on out Social Feeds and Website then. ”

Wonder if this will include the Hogmanay NightBuses also!

Does anyone know how services 4 and 5 integrate with each other now?

I thought it was just on a Sunday but can see this seems to happen on other days as well.

I assume the change happens at The Jewel after a complete cycle.

They change over at The Jewel as they share the same stop/terminus, I happened to be on a 5 last night which threw me off with the double doors

It was an interesting change to say the least

 

[Lothian_Bus]

They change over at The Jewel as they share the same stop/terminus, I happened to be on a 5 last night which threw me off with the double doors

It was an interesting change to say the least

I wonder why they do that now. I've no doubt there is a good operational reason but just seems to complicate things a little bit.