First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset)

[Snozzel]

Truro city f.c had a open top bus for a parade today. Pic courtesy of reddit r/cornwall ( and probably other sources available) zooming in seems to show its 37797 maybe. Seems to me they're lucky an open top could still be rustled up.

 

[Westnat]

Truro city f.c had a open top bus for a parade today. Pic courtesy of reddit r/cornwall ( and probably other sources available) zooming in seems to show its 37797 maybe. Seems to me they're lucky an open top could still be rustled up.

It was actually LK59 CXJ 37792

 

[fgwrich]

Truro city f.c had an open top bus for a parade today. Pic courtesy of reddit r/cornwall ( and probably other sources available) zooming in seems to show its 37797 maybe. Seems to me they're lucky an open top could still be rustled up.

Presumably 37792 is one of the 3 stored in Long Rock.

 

[83G/84D]

Presumably 37792 is one of the 3 stored in Long Rock.

That one was the sole remaining example left at Camborne. AFAIK it didn’t return after the event so may be located at Truro or Summercourt.

 

[fgwrich]

Is Weymouth and Dorset now under South West or still Hampshire, Berkshire & Dorset?

Regarding the X50 route in Dorset - apologies as I’ve got a feeling it’s already been discussed somewhere, do we know what’s actually happening with that this year? I noticed over the weekend that First had obviously splashed out on the branding budget with a lot of Dorset bus stops carrying the X50 & X54 Jurassic Coaster branding, but so for the X54 seems to remain extending to Wareham.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Is Weymouth and Dorset now under South West or still Hampshire, Berkshire & Dorset?

Regarding the X50 route in Dorset - apologies as I’ve got a feeling it’s already been discussed somewhere, do we know what’s actually happening with that this year? I noticed over the weekend that First had obviously splashed out on the branding budget with a lot of Dorset bus stops carrying the X50 & X54 Jurassic Coaster branding, but so for the X54 seems to remain extending to Wareham.

It's all First South but believe it's still managed from Hampshire.

 

[OptareOlympus]

Is Weymouth and Dorset now under South West or still Hampshire, Berkshire & Dorset?

Regarding the X50 route in Dorset - apologies as I’ve got a feeling it’s already been discussed somewhere, do we know what’s actually happening with that this year? I noticed over the weekend that First had obviously splashed out on the branding budget with a lot of Dorset bus stops carrying the X50 & X54 Jurassic Coaster branding, but so for the X54 seems to remain extending to Wareham.

X50 is axed. X54 is 2 hourly daily extended to Swanage and no longer open top. New 55 runs hourly between Lulworth Cove, Wool and Monkey World/Tank Museum.

Jurassic Coaster branding being discontinued.

 

[fgwrich]

X50 is axed. X54 is 2 hourly daily extended to Swanage and no longer open top. New 55 runs hourly between Lulworth Cove, Wool and Monkey World/Tank Museum.

Jurassic Coaster branding being discontinued.

Thanks for the answer. Disappointing but not unexpected. Unsurprisingly means that all the newly branded bus stops are already out of date.

 

[DaveLondon]

It's all First South but believe it's still managed from Hampshire.

It is First Hampshire and Dorset.First South is not actually an operator merely a management area.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

It is First Hampshire and Dorset.First South is not actually an operator merely a management area.

First South is what it is "under" which is what I think the poster was referring to but yes, in terms of legal operating entities, Weymouth is still First Hampshire and Dorset.

 

[fgwrich]

First South is what it is "under" which is what I think the poster was referring to but yes, in terms of legal operating entities, Weymouth is still First Hampshire and Dorset.

I wasn’t sure if it it had been merged into one large operating unit or if it had remained under the Hampshire & Dorset banner - I can’t seem to find the relevant thread in here for H&D either for some reason.

 

[Goldfish62]

I wasn’t sure if it it had been merged into one large operating unit or if it had remained under the Hampshire & Dorset banner - I can’t seem to find the relevant thread in here for H&D either for some reason.

For clarity, First Bus South is one of several large business units created in 2023 with a single senior management team looking after a number of companies which previously had their own local senior management teams. All the companies retain separate legal entities with their own operators licences:

First Beeline Buses Ltd
First Hampshire & Dorset Ltd
First South West Ltd

In practice Beeline has been managed by FH&D since 2011 when First pulled out of London (it came under CentreWest prior to this, albeit with its own local management team).

 

[buscoaster]

So just to be clear, am I right in thinking the only open tops is the 55 and the 11? Only 3 PVR?

 

[Flange Squeal]

So just to be clear, am I right in thinking the only open tops is the 55 and the 11? Only 3 PVR?

In the Weymouth area, First's website specifically mentions open-toppers will be on the 11 and also the X52 (Weymouth to Bridport), but there is no such commitment for the 55.

• Route 11 (Weymouth – Portland Bill Open Top) – The service will resume for the summer season. Buses will operate every 2 hours daily (hourly during School Summer Holidays).
• Route X52 (Weymouth – Abbotsbury – Bridport Open Top) – The service will resume for the summer season using open top buses. Buses will operate every 2 hours Monday to Saturday, providing a co-ordinated hourly service between Weymouth and Bridport with route X53.
• Route 55 (Lulworth – Wool – Bovington Tank Museum & Monkey World) – New service operating between Lulworth Cove, Wool Station and tourist attractions at Bovington. Buses will operate hourly every day of the week. Passengers to/from Weymouth and connect to route X54 at Lulworth or Wool Station.

Source: https://www.firstbus.co.uk/wessex-d...es/updates/summer-timetables-announced-dorset

Elsewhere around the area, First will also be running open-toppers on the Exmoor Explorer (renamed Exmoor Coaster) from 24 July to 31 August.

From 24 July onwards, the service will run on a high season timetable, with open top buses. The last day of service for the season will be 31 August 2025. During high season, the service is also being extended down to the Blue Anchor holiday park in Minehead**.

Source: https://news-ssandsw.firstbus.co.uk...plorer-exmoor-coaster-returns-for-summer-2025

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

In the Weymouth area, First's website specifically mentions open-toppers will be on the 11 and also the X52 (Weymouth to Bridport), but there is no such commitment for the 55.

There's 9 open toppers, if the bustimes listing is correct (big caveat). So ordinarily, 6 allocated for the 11 and X52. They may want a hot spare in Weymouth for traffic, so 7.

That leaves a couple spare so you could have one on the 55 but if they're short for servicing etc, then that's a shuttle service that can easily be left to a closed top.

 

[Goldfish62]

Back to First South West three Yutongs in Flixbus livery have just arrived at Truro depot (photo on Friends of Buses and Coaches FB group).

 

[Goldfish62]

Could I humbly suggest that someone starts a First Hampshire and Dorset thread and moves the recent discussions over to that? However much you try to spin it Weymouth is not part of First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset).

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Could I humbly suggest that someone starts a First Hampshire and Dorset thread and moves the recent discussions over to that? However much you try to spin it Weymouth is not part of First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset).

There is one https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/first-hampshire-dorset-wessex-dorset-south-somerset.206141/

@GusB set them up for all First opcos when he was a mod

 

[Cowley]

There is one https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/first-hampshire-dorset-wessex-dorset-south-somerset.206141/

@GusB set them up for all First opcos when he was a mod

I’ve moved a few posts over so that the conversation can be picked up over in that thread now.

 

[Andyh82]

What numbers did the T1, T2, U1, U2, U4 have before they were rebranded in the Kernow era?

I’m wondering now the Tinner and U Lines brands are on their way out, whether their old numbers are still free

 

[Goldfish62]

What numbers did the T1, T2, U1, U1A, U2, U4 have before they were rebranded in the Kernow era?

I’m wondering now the Tinner and U Lines brands are on their way out, whether their old numbers are still free

18, 14, 88, 41, 2. There's no current U1A.

14, 18 and 41 are currently available.

 

[GBM]

What numbers did the T1, T2, U1, U1A, U2, U4 have before they were rebranded in the Kernow era?

I’m wondering now the Tinner and U Lines brands are on their way out, whether their old numbers are still free

The Penzance to Truro via Helston and Stithians used to be an 82, then went to 82A

 

[Goldfish62]

The Penzance to Truro via Helston and Stithians used to be an 82, then went to 82A

When did that operate? I've had a look through my timetable collection, which intermittently goes back to 1954 and can't find it.

 

[GBM]

When did that operate? I've had a look through my timetable collection, which intermittently goes back to 1954 and can't find it.

2011'ish for a while, then it morphed into a different number.
Dates not my strongest point.
That said, I was one of the drivers.

 

[Goldfish62]

2011'ish for a while, then it morphed into a different number.
Dates not my strongest point.
That said, I was one of the drivers.

Ah, thanks. There was a lot of chopping and changing of routes in the 90s and 2000s which was difficult keeping up with!

 

[GBM]

The Penzance to Truro via Helston and Stithians used to be an 82, then went to 82A

And only on Sundays did it go through Devoran village.
A nightmare to go through with anything at the best of times, let alone a bus.

 

[Lizard1324]

Have the first kernow repaints stopped?

 

[fgwrich]

Have the first kernow repaints stopped?

I don’t believe so, Bustimes reports 5 MMCs now in Ultravoilet;
WK18CFO (33301)
WK18CFU (33303)
WK18CGV (33313)
WK18CCJ (33454)
WK18CCY (33460)

As several haven’t tracked since around the 10th or 15th of May it’s hard to work out which is next to sadly lose Kernow livery.

 

[Sleepy]

Anyone observed the operation of the replacement service for St Ives - Lands End open top route this weekend ?

 

[fgwrich]

Unsurprisingly the Exmoor Explorer doesn’t seem to be gaining the traction it’s had over previous years. It’s almost as if making it Open Top only in the high season, combined with to a rather poor timetable and virtually no route branding could have absolutely no negative effect on it all…