First Greater Glasgow

alangla · 26 Jan 2019

Aye, the late 90s and early 2000s Wrights had filthy seat cushions on the bays of 4 within weeks of entering service. The fact that First never seem to shampoo seats means it just gets worse. At least the e-leather should wipe clean. On the window etching, it was always interesting to contrast First Glasgow (etched to bits and nothing done) with First ScotRail (film over the windows, changed religiously at the first sign of damage) I never got why they didn’t put film over the glass, at least on the windows that weren’t designated emergency exits.

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Jordan Adam · 26 Jan 2019

alangla said:
Aye, the late 90s and early 2000s Wrights had filthy seat cushions on the bays of 4 within weeks of entering service. The fact that First never seem to shampoo seats means it just gets worse. At least the e-leather should wipe clean. On the window etching, it was always interesting to contrast First Glasgow (etched to bits and nothing done) with First ScotRail (film over the windows, changed religiously at the first sign of damage) I never got why they didn’t put film over the glass, at least on the windows that weren’t designated emergency exits.

There's probably little point replacing the window when it will happen again straight away. That being said whenever Aberdeen gets vehicles from Glasgow the damaged windows do get replaced. Probably to deter our "little angels" picking up the trend as it's not really an issue here.

TheGrandWazoo · 26 Jan 2019

Bus Lightyear said:
Some inaccuracies and unfair overgeneralisations in your post.

Majority of drivers I've encountered whether it be First, Stagecoach, Citybus or McGills (including Arriva before that) are very professional and very good at their jobs who do well to cope with the pressures of early starts, long shifts, poor weather, heavy congestion, rude and obnoxious passengers, inconsiderate road users etc. There are always a few that let the side down but you'll get that in any industry.

You're aren't comparing apples with apples when you use Lothian as an example as they are very well funded and are able to afford to run their business in a way that the big groups can't. Also, Edinburgh hasn't the suffered the same levels of depopulation (especially around the inner city) and deindustrialisation over a number of years like Glasgow has and many bus passengers have been lost as a result.

Nobody knows what the future holds but it seems to me that First are making a better effort under their new Scottish MD than previous leadership. No bus operator is perfect but I would say in Scotland only Lothian (for their presentation and clear information) and Stagecoach Fife Scottish (excellent long distance routes) are better than First Glasgow who at least offer good value with their monthly and annual tickets which Lothian don't.

The thing is that you won't get anything other than inaccuracies and overgeneralisations. This is a person who saved various First critical social media posts and recycled them, or thinks that Andrew Jarvis isn't a proper bus man despite working for his father's own independent bus company and then for Stagecoach before joining First.

We all know that First have got a backlog of issues and many of them of their own making. This has been covered ad infinitum - whether it be a lack of consistent investment in UK Bus in new vehicles, having to accommodate ex London kit in the provinces, or when the money dried up, both a focus on profit margins that were unsustainable. Clearly, Mr Jarvis has now managed to get new vehicle investment and it doesn't matter if the LEZ is the reason - it doesn't reduce the numbers required nor get away from the money being spent. Similarly, he has clearly looked at how to improve midlife fleet. I look at my local First fleet and there are still too many old vehicles running in Bristol/Bath with some very tired looking Barbie liveried Eclipses. However, they have got a lot right under the current regime and it looks like a similar pattern of new buses, refurbs, and improved branding is being rolled out in Scotland.

Being brutally honest, compare most fleets with Lothian and you'll be disappointed, and for the reasons mentioned - it really isn't a true comparison. It's like complaining that all the women in the pub on the works' night out aren't Rita Ora and so retreating into your bedroom for a night of bitterness, self abuse and self loathing, when failing to recognise that the girl from accounts has actually lost a dress size and done her hair

I'd add a little note here.... my theory (and it's just that) is the lack of a Glasgow specific livery is that you need something relatively neutral in order to make the route branding (on those routes so treated and that will be in the future) be more prominent.

alangla · 26 Jan 2019

TheGrandWazoo said:
I'd add a little note here.... my theory (and it's just that) is the lack of a Glasgow specific livery is that you need something relatively neutral in order to make the route branding (on those routes so treated and that will be in the future) be more prominent.

Agreed, but I have to say, the unlettered pink branding that the 68 plate E200s carry actually looks pretty good. Maybe that should be the default colour at the front with other colours used on branded routes

overthewater · 26 Jan 2019

The other problem has been changing landscape of Glasgow, the amount of housing being knocked, rebuilt or brand new is breathtaking. Bus routes which once had 8min service have ended up place that are now empty void of human life, and that list is growing by the year. I can now also count many places where Scotrail is now the dominant public transport operation, due to the quickness, especial on the south side.

It's true you will never see starched windows in Edinburgh but the buses are still dirty in places...

alangla · 26 Jan 2019

Jordan Adam said:
There's probably little point replacing the window when it will happen again straight away.

That’s the point-ScotRail are only replacing the film, the window underneath is undamaged. As said, I can see the difficulty in doing this on break glass emergency windows

Jordan Adam · 26 Jan 2019

alangla said:
Agreed, but I have to say, the unlettered pink branding that the 68 plate E200s carry actually looks pretty good. Maybe that should be the default colour at the front with other colours used on branded routes

I agree, another alternative would be to paint the fronts Maroon!

Jokes aside, if i'm not mistaken WOE paint the fronts of their unbranded vehicles a slightly darker shade of lilac?

alangla said:
That’s the point-ScotRail are only replacing the film, the window underneath is undamaged. As said, I can see the difficulty in doing this on break glass emergency windows

It's an interesting idea, i think i've seen it on a window of a E500s now that i come to think of it. could be wrong though!

alangla · 26 Jan 2019

overthewater said:
I can now also count many places where Scotrail is now the dominant public transport operation, due to the quickness, especial on the south side.

Also cheaper after 9am to travel by train generally. On the Cathcart lines I wouldn’t be surprised if it was cheaper in the peak as well

TheGrandWazoo · 26 Jan 2019

Jordan Adam said:
I agree, another alternative would be to paint the fronts Maroon!

Jokes aside, if i'm not mistaken WOE paint the fronts of their unbranded vehicles a slightly darker shade of lilac?

It's an interesting idea, i think i've seen it on a window of a E500s now that i come to think of it. could be wrong though!

First WoE have a few that are in a very subtle bluey/lilac hue - https://www.flickr.com/photos/59115...X-2cmGjS8-2bv6cQs-UpVyR5-HaTeVU-yYBAmj-bkBi2X

Basically it was to cover up the route branding when one route was reduced from 10-12 min frequency and so there was a surplus of branded.

First Midlands have a lot of ones with cerise fronts

https://www.flickr.com/photos/95376...dXbZF-2cP4TCe-2cSJj67-29iXeaY-29RyMxP-24ZJ2sf

Gingerbus1991 · 26 Jan 2019

Bus Lightyear said:
And that is thanks to our wonderful public, not the bus companies. Sadly some areas will never deserve new buses or refurbs but they still get them. I don't know if you remember Strathclyde's Buses and probably KCB Network the last 5 or 6 rows on the top deck the seats were hard plastic to save money on vandalism repairs. Was it not also the case about 10-15 years ago that Glasgow was the worst city in the UK for broken bus windows?

Broken windows seem to be a dundee thing these days, I can’t remember the last time I seen a broken window in Glasgow on a bus.

The fact that the fabric is on a 54 plate vehicle...14 year old fabric and 14 years of feet on them I understand, but to get that extent of worness? Mid-life refurbs I think not

But, check the interior of transdev B7TLs, a much better seating arrangement downstairs to avoid the “feet on seat” issue.

If in Glasgow the same vehicles were allocated to the same areas consistently a higher understanding can be sought to wear the damage is taking place(area of the city), much of the problem is many individuals accepting that this is the “Norm” for glasgow so why even bother, if perceptions were changed around Glasgow this would improve the likely hood that this wouldnt happen.

route101 · 27 Jan 2019

Dont think ive ever seen window etching outside the Glasgow area ! In Scotland , seen graffiti in London and Brum.

The tridents at caley are the worst for it.

Trains certainly offer return tickets and if you have a railcard , the fare to Queens Parks is £2 quid return.

route101 · 27 Jan 2019

Jordan Adam said:
Glasgow has a bad reputation for vandals etching on the windows. Further to that a number of E500s and the Tridents acquired by Aberdeen in 2013 all had plastic bits of trim over the first 1/3th of the lower seat to stop peoples feet damaging the fabrics. Truth be told this is a issue that extends way further back than First, and such damage to the seats shown in the photo can be done in quite a short period of time.

Yeah some Glasgow Geminis have a leather bit on the seat in bottom deck .

Would of been bad 10 to 15 years ago , back then there was more NEDs out and about

JumpinTrainz · 30 Jan 2019

lastbus said:
Overtown still has them but unfortunately both are off the road long term.

One was on the 34A yesterday morning.

jazza374 · 30 Jan 2019

JumpinTrainz said:
One was on the 34A yesterday morning.

44529 was on the 240 this morning. Not sure if that’s Overtown or Blantyre based.

lastbus · 30 Jan 2019

jazza374 said:
44529 was on the 240 this morning. Not sure if that’s Overtown or Blantyre based.

Blantyre have got one of these smaller enviros now although other pages state it was 44530 they maybe wrong or maybe both have now moved from Caledonia

AlexanderPS · 30 Jan 2019

lastbus said:
Blantyre have got one of these smaller enviros now although other pages state it was 44530 they maybe wrong or maybe both have now moved from Caledonia

44530 still at Caledonia. Seen today on the 34.

SarahDFIG · 30 Jan 2019

44530 & 42958 were suppose to be going to Blantyre for B7s in return .

42958 has transferred already as it's currently on a 266

44529 seen running full length 240 Overtown-Glasgow

Guessing it was this vehicle transfering rather than 44530 or did Blantyre already have that ?

Also noticed 14 plate streetlight on 266 with suspension issues with passengers having to take a large step to get on n off vehicle.

JumpinTrainz · 30 Jan 2019

Am I right in saying I saw an E300 tarted up in FSE livery outside Caledonia? Where have these come from and does anyone know what they’re for?

AlexanderPS · 30 Jan 2019

JumpinTrainz said:
Am I right in saying I saw an E300 tarted up in FSE livery outside Caledonia? Where have these come from and does anyone know what they’re for?

There are supposedly 2 old style Enviro 300 for FSE, formerly Compass Bus .

Observer · 30 Jan 2019

Old style E300? What is entirely the point of buying those? Are they that desperate for stock that they would resort to buying such older vehicles for First?

Jordan Adam · 30 Jan 2019

Observer said:
Old style E300? What is entirely the point of buying those? Are they that desperate for stock that they would resort to buying such older vehicles for First?

I'm probably wrong but perhaps acquired vehicles which have been in First possession for a number of years?

lastbus · 30 Jan 2019

Jordan Adam said:
I'm probably wrong but perhaps acquired vehicles which have been in First possession for a number of years?

No these arrived at Caledonia in previous operators colours.

Jordan Adam · 30 Jan 2019

lastbus said:
No these arrived at Caledonia in previous operators colours.

As i said i thought i was probably wrong. That's rather weird!

Gingerbus1991 · 30 Jan 2019

Is it a stretch to think they are using these 300s to help send other buses away for refurb?

GaryMcEwan · 30 Jan 2019

Gingerbus1991 said:
Is it a stretch to think they are using these 300s to help send other buses away for refurb?

Who knows what hare-brained scheme they're up to now...

Jordan Adam · 30 Jan 2019

Gingerbus1991 said:
Is it a stretch to think they are using these 300s to help send other buses away for refurb?

GaryMcEwan said:
Who knows what hare-brained scheme they're up to now...

Having had a thought, they'll be the vehicles which were exchanged with a dealer in Bolton for First Aberdeen's 23021 and 23305. I was told the vehicles exchanged were meant to be for FSE so this would be them.

lastbus · 30 Jan 2019

Jordan Adam said:
Having had a thought, they'll be the vehicles which were exchanged with a dealer in Bolton for First Aberdeen's 23021 and 23305. I was told the vehicles exchanged were meant to be for FSE so this would be them.

Good possibility that they are they are definitely from down south.

SarahDFIG · 31 Jan 2019

61593 toiletbox reported to be scrapped.

Robertj21a · 31 Jan 2019

TheGrandWazoo said:
First WoE have a few that are in a very subtle bluey/lilac hue - https://www.flickr.com/photos/59115...X-2cmGjS8-2bv6cQs-UpVyR5-HaTeVU-yYBAmj-bkBi2X

Basically it was to cover up the route branding when one route was reduced from 10-12 min frequency and so there was a surplus of branded.

First Midlands have a lot of ones with cerise fronts

https://www.flickr.com/photos/95376...dXbZF-2cP4TCe-2cSJj67-29iXeaY-29RyMxP-24ZJ2sf

It's actually referred to as Fuchsia, not cerise.

Jordan Adam · 31 Jan 2019

Robertj21a said:
It's actually referred to as Fuchsia, not cerise.

It's Pink

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