freetoview33
Established Member
But it is wrong! Like 2 saying no change of route!
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First West of England (Bristol, Bath & The West)
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ValleyLines142
Established Member
Today's oddities include 33797 on the 4 and 35167 and 33947 on the X39!
35162 is now red at Hengrove for the 90.
35162 is now red at Hengrove for the 90.
diffywood
Member
See picture below for details
Whiteway215
Established Member
Talking about Bustimes does anyone know if 35110 has left Bath? I haven't seen it in Bath since about June and it's recently shown as on 71. Also I see 30936/45 appear on the tracker
freetoview33
Established Member
Detailed Bath Changes
1: Weekday frequency increased from every 12 mins to every 10 mins.
2: On Sundays every other bus will use Bay 16 at the Bus Station instead of Bay 9.
3: Minor changes to timetable, no longer serving Mullberry Park and the use of Double Deckers, frequency remains the same.
3A: Rerouted to run Batheaston to Weston Via City Centre and RUH (No Longer serving Fox Hill), and use of Double Deckers, frequency remains the same.
4: Uses bus station from Weston to Odd Down and Dorchester Street from Odd Down to Weston. Frequency reduced to every 20 mins, use of Double Deckers.
5: Weekday frequency increase from every 12 mins to every 10 mins, and Saturday from every 15 to every 12 mins. Change from Bay 16 to Bay 14 at bus station.
6/6A/7: Change of Bay from Bay 9 to Bay 16. Sunday service withdrawn.
9: Change of Bay from Bay 7 to Bay 12.
37/37A: New timetable, new 37A to Bath, once a day.
39/X39: All morning trips start back at Bath Bus Station, a few early morning X39 run as 39.
42: New timetable, one evening trip removed.
172: Change of bay from Bay 7 to Bay 5, Minor timetable changes.
173/174: Change of bay from Bay 8 to Bay 5, Minor timetable changes.
179: Shows change of timetable but can't actually see any changes, I'm guessing it might be a change of bay away from Bay 14.
D1: Minor timetable changes, change of Bay from Bay 5 to Bay 8.
D2/D2A: Trips calling at Frome, Westover Renumbered D2A, also D2A will run from Bay 8.
D3: Minor timetable changes, change of Bay from Bay 14 to Bay 7.
U1: Increase in frequency to every 4 mins. Monday to Friday daytimes will no longer serve Oldfield Park.
U3: U1X renumbered and frequency increased to every 4 mins. Monday to Friday daytimes only. At high demand frequency may be increased further.
X31: All First Bus services now serve Batheaston.
Current Bath Bus Station Bays:
1) National Express
2) National Express
3) Other services
4) 4
5) D1
6) X31, X72
7) 9, 172
8) 173, 174
9) 2 (Sunday), 6, 6A, 7, 8, 11, 12
10) D2
11) 39, X39
12) 19/19A, 37
13) 1, 3 (Sunday evenings)
14) 179, D3
15) U5
16) 5
New Bath Bus Station Bays:
1) National Express
2) National Express
3) Other services
4) 4
5) 172, 173, 174
6) X31, X72
7) D3
8) D1, D2A
9) 8, 11, 12
10) 37, D2
11) 39, X39
12) 9, 19, 19A
13) 1, 3 (Sunday evenings)
14) 5, 179
15) U5
16) 2 (Sunday), 6, 6A, 7
1: Weekday frequency increased from every 12 mins to every 10 mins.
2: On Sundays every other bus will use Bay 16 at the Bus Station instead of Bay 9.
3: Minor changes to timetable, no longer serving Mullberry Park and the use of Double Deckers, frequency remains the same.
3A: Rerouted to run Batheaston to Weston Via City Centre and RUH (No Longer serving Fox Hill), and use of Double Deckers, frequency remains the same.
4: Uses bus station from Weston to Odd Down and Dorchester Street from Odd Down to Weston. Frequency reduced to every 20 mins, use of Double Deckers.
5: Weekday frequency increase from every 12 mins to every 10 mins, and Saturday from every 15 to every 12 mins. Change from Bay 16 to Bay 14 at bus station.
6/6A/7: Change of Bay from Bay 9 to Bay 16. Sunday service withdrawn.
9: Change of Bay from Bay 7 to Bay 12.
37/37A: New timetable, new 37A to Bath, once a day.
39/X39: All morning trips start back at Bath Bus Station, a few early morning X39 run as 39.
42: New timetable, one evening trip removed.
172: Change of bay from Bay 7 to Bay 5, Minor timetable changes.
173/174: Change of bay from Bay 8 to Bay 5, Minor timetable changes.
179: Shows change of timetable but can't actually see any changes, I'm guessing it might be a change of bay away from Bay 14.
D1: Minor timetable changes, change of Bay from Bay 5 to Bay 8.
D2/D2A: Trips calling at Frome, Westover Renumbered D2A, also D2A will run from Bay 8.
D3: Minor timetable changes, change of Bay from Bay 14 to Bay 7.
U1: Increase in frequency to every 4 mins. Monday to Friday daytimes will no longer serve Oldfield Park.
U3: U1X renumbered and frequency increased to every 4 mins. Monday to Friday daytimes only. At high demand frequency may be increased further.
X31: All First Bus services now serve Batheaston.
Current Bath Bus Station Bays:
1) National Express
2) National Express
3) Other services
4) 4
5) D1
6) X31, X72
7) 9, 172
8) 173, 174
9) 2 (Sunday), 6, 6A, 7, 8, 11, 12
10) D2
11) 39, X39
12) 19/19A, 37
13) 1, 3 (Sunday evenings)
14) 179, D3
15) U5
16) 5
New Bath Bus Station Bays:
1) National Express
2) National Express
3) Other services
4) 4
5) 172, 173, 174
6) X31, X72
7) D3
8) D1, D2A
9) 8, 11, 12
10) 37, D2
11) 39, X39
12) 9, 19, 19A
13) 1, 3 (Sunday evenings)
14) 5, 179
15) U5
16) 2 (Sunday), 6, 6A, 7
Whiteway215
Established Member
Thanks Bradley-much appreciated.
It's very frustrating that First are doing their utter disservice to Redland (and beyond) with the Saturday change to the 72. Going from a 15 min combined frequency with the 9 to a 15/30 interval makes no sense.
I'm surprised Bristol uni is just letting this happen.
I'm not sure why it's anything to do with Bristol Uni, it's much more to do with people in Redland not using the bus!
freetoview33
Established Member
Looking forward there looks like there will be a new service to The Dings at some point over the coming 3/4 years, with changes being made to the Temple Way/Avon Street junction to allow buses to make right turns. With money coming from the Bristol Uni and Silverthorne Lane developments. It will be interesting to see if buses will come any closer to the developments than Avon Street/Kingsland Road and the future of the 506.
The U1, 3, 4, 9 and 72 are included in the bus passes that all students in halls get; the price of the pass is included in the rent. Northwell House is on Cheltenham Road, meaning this year's batch of freshers are going to be paying for this pass and all they're getting for their money is the worsening 72.
Further, two years ago the evening service through Redland was half-hourly on the 9, now it's only hourly on the 72. There's also the reduction in buses that all uni students can use to reach Temple Meads as part of their pass. Bristol uni('s students) are paying collectively huge sums for these services, yet they're degrading.
Even with the students from the University using services through Redland, if the demand was there to maintain an enhanced service it would remain. Clearly the number of passengers travelling in the evenings, including the students does not justify a higher frequency. It’s a commercial operation, so the revenue of a service has to cover the operating costs, if it doesn’t and a service becomes unviable unfortunately the service will be cut. If more people had used the 9 and the 72 in the past, the frequency would not have been reduced.
The students indeed pay for a pass, but I would have thought a lot of the revenue from these goes into the running of the U1, which does not carry many passengers which are not students.
I appreciate that it is a commercial operation, but once a city route's day service hits hourly then it's effectively a dead operation. I concede, I'm from London, so this service level is less commonplace than to non-Londoners; oh well.
I forgot about UWE in my whinge. It's already lost the 71 on the weekend, now this and at a time when the fare has gone up around 60%.
aswilliamsuk
Member
- Joined
- 10 Jul 2016
- Messages
- 173
There's some pretty hefty frequency increases here. Particularly on the Unibuses - what's going to be meeting that PVR increase?
90sWereBetter
Member
Just spent a week travelling around the West of England area, mostly in Bristol and North Somerset.
The "new" Solos in Bath are a very cosy fit, I didn't really how small they were until I caught them on the 6/7. Almost comparable to the Solos that go around Hampstead Garden Suburb. That being said they are a major step up from the 05-plate Solos. All the Solos had impressive climbing ability tackling Bath's hills, whereas when I sampled a B7LA on the U1 it almost came to a standstill going up the hill towards Bath Uni.
Having missed out on them last year, I deliberately made sure I caught a number of the 56-plate Enviros on the Excel services, and my god those seats are the most comfortable things I've sat on in any bus. They put the seats in our Excel Enviros to shame. 33415 and 33416 have a considerable turn of speed while on the X1. Unfortunately 33416 had a sensor going off on both journeys, meaning the driver had to slam his cab door at almost every stop to get brief respite from it. I also noticed most of the seats upstairs have buttons (which have long since stopped working), presumably to alter seat pitching.
I was able to sample every branded route with the exception of the A2. The Mint Route and 17 branded vehicles look very smart, but it's a shame they don't have anything inside. Ditto the 91/91 branded Enviros.
66723 has the roughest interior of any bus I've travelled on, it's even worse than the W-reg B7s we still have in East Anglia. I'd wager some of the moquette is original. Nevertheless, it gave me two spirited journeys on the 72, the latter of which was my final journey in the city yesterday morning back to Temple Meads where the driver raced a Streetlite on the 8 all the way through Cabot Circus, it was brilliant stuff. I do wonder what FWoE's game is with these 54 and 55-plate B7s (along with the WR03 B7TLs still in Barbie), they're clearly excellent buses underneath but they've been neglected inside and out.
There were several stray workings during my trip, most notably the 51-plate B7s branded for the 3/4 seeming roaming across most of the city away from Whiteladies Road and Avonmouth. Saw some on the 70/71 and the 2. There were Bath Spa Unibus branded B7s on the 19/19A most days, and even a Bath City Solo on the 19 one day. On the flipside, a 48/49 branded E400 showed up on the 4 at Cribbs Causeway on Friday evening.
Sadly, it did seem exterior vehicle presentation has taken a downturn in Bristol, compared to last year's trip, however I reckon this is mostly a case of the city depots being in a "holding pattern" until the new gas buses arrive en masse. May as well just keep the fleet on the road rather than splash out on more route branding and repaints. However, with the exception of the unrefurbished B7RLEs, B7TLs and Solos, the vast majority of the interiors were in tip-top condition, the 3/4 and 6/7 branded B7TLs being exceptionally smart. Wish First Eastern Counties had done the same to their similarly aged B7TLs.
I fell in love with the Metrobus system, having multiple rides on each route. It seemed to be well-used in the city, however a lot quieter around Cribbs Causeway and Emersons Green.
The "new" Solos in Bath are a very cosy fit, I didn't really how small they were until I caught them on the 6/7. Almost comparable to the Solos that go around Hampstead Garden Suburb. That being said they are a major step up from the 05-plate Solos. All the Solos had impressive climbing ability tackling Bath's hills, whereas when I sampled a B7LA on the U1 it almost came to a standstill going up the hill towards Bath Uni.
Having missed out on them last year, I deliberately made sure I caught a number of the 56-plate Enviros on the Excel services, and my god those seats are the most comfortable things I've sat on in any bus. They put the seats in our Excel Enviros to shame. 33415 and 33416 have a considerable turn of speed while on the X1. Unfortunately 33416 had a sensor going off on both journeys, meaning the driver had to slam his cab door at almost every stop to get brief respite from it. I also noticed most of the seats upstairs have buttons (which have long since stopped working), presumably to alter seat pitching.
I was able to sample every branded route with the exception of the A2. The Mint Route and 17 branded vehicles look very smart, but it's a shame they don't have anything inside. Ditto the 91/91 branded Enviros.
66723 has the roughest interior of any bus I've travelled on, it's even worse than the W-reg B7s we still have in East Anglia. I'd wager some of the moquette is original. Nevertheless, it gave me two spirited journeys on the 72, the latter of which was my final journey in the city yesterday morning back to Temple Meads where the driver raced a Streetlite on the 8 all the way through Cabot Circus, it was brilliant stuff. I do wonder what FWoE's game is with these 54 and 55-plate B7s (along with the WR03 B7TLs still in Barbie), they're clearly excellent buses underneath but they've been neglected inside and out.
There were several stray workings during my trip, most notably the 51-plate B7s branded for the 3/4 seeming roaming across most of the city away from Whiteladies Road and Avonmouth. Saw some on the 70/71 and the 2. There were Bath Spa Unibus branded B7s on the 19/19A most days, and even a Bath City Solo on the 19 one day. On the flipside, a 48/49 branded E400 showed up on the 4 at Cribbs Causeway on Friday evening.
Sadly, it did seem exterior vehicle presentation has taken a downturn in Bristol, compared to last year's trip, however I reckon this is mostly a case of the city depots being in a "holding pattern" until the new gas buses arrive en masse. May as well just keep the fleet on the road rather than splash out on more route branding and repaints. However, with the exception of the unrefurbished B7RLEs, B7TLs and Solos, the vast majority of the interiors were in tip-top condition, the 3/4 and 6/7 branded B7TLs being exceptionally smart. Wish First Eastern Counties had done the same to their similarly aged B7TLs.
I fell in love with the Metrobus system, having multiple rides on each route. It seemed to be well-used in the city, however a lot quieter around Cribbs Causeway and Emersons Green.
Whiteway215
Established Member
There's also a couple of notable decreases. The Centre to Foxhill and Centre to Odd Down services are being reduced from 10 to 20 minutes frequency although allegedly being converted from single to double deck operation.
I've attempted to work out the combined PVR of the 3/3A/4 from the new 1st September timetables and made it 14 but someone else might have a more official figure. Isn't the present pvr of the 3/3A ten buses and that for the 4 eleven buses?
London is different as services are operated for TFL and subsidised. Round here, very little subsidy is received from the councils, so most services are purely commercial.
The 71 may not run, but for the UWE Bower Ashton campus, the X3/X3a/X4 stop just outside on the road. You also have the rest of the Excel network stopping at Ashton Bridge a short walk away. This is a relatively small campus with far less students than at Frenchay Campus.
Between the City Centre and Frenchay Campus, you have the M1 and M3 which are much quicker as well as the 48A/70/72.
I catch the X1 and X1x regularly and it’s a much more pleasant journey when a 334** 56 plate E400 turns up. Those seats really are comfy, even if the buses themselves do look a little bit rough and ready and tired around the edges.Just spent a week travelling around the West of England area, mostly in Bristol and North Somerset.
The "new" Solos in Bath are a very cosy fit, I didn't really how small they were until I caught them on the 6/7. Almost comparable to the Solos that go around Hampstead Garden Suburb. That being said they are a major step up from the 05-plate Solos. All the Solos had impressive climbing ability tackling Bath's hills, whereas when I sampled a B7LA on the U1 it almost came to a standstill going up the hill towards Bath Uni.
Having missed out on them last year, I deliberately made sure I caught a number of the 56-plate Enviros on the Excel services, and my god those seats are the most comfortable things I've sat on in any bus. They put the seats in our Excel Enviros to shame. 33415 and 33416 have a considerable turn of speed while on the X1. Unfortunately 33416 had a sensor going off on both journeys, meaning the driver had to slam his cab door at almost every stop to get brief respite from it. I also noticed most of the seats upstairs have buttons (which have long since stopped working), presumably to alter seat pitching.
I was able to sample every branded route with the exception of the A2. The Mint Route and 17 branded vehicles look very smart, but it's a shame they don't have anything inside. Ditto the 91/91 branded Enviros.
66723 has the roughest interior of any bus I've travelled on, it's even worse than the W-reg B7s we still have in East Anglia. I'd wager some of the moquette is original. Nevertheless, it gave me two spirited journeys on the 72, the latter of which was my final journey in the city yesterday morning back to Temple Meads where the driver raced a Streetlite on the 8 all the way through Cabot Circus, it was brilliant stuff. I do wonder what FWoE's game is with these 54 and 55-plate B7s (along with the WR03 B7TLs still in Barbie), they're clearly excellent buses underneath but they've been neglected inside and out.
There were several stray workings during my trip, most notably the 51-plate B7s branded for the 3/4 seeming roaming across most of the city away from Whiteladies Road and Avonmouth. Saw some on the 70/71 and the 2. There were Bath Spa Unibus branded B7s on the 19/19A most days, and even a Bath City Solo on the 19 one day. On the flipside, a 48/49 branded E400 showed up on the 4 at Cribbs Causeway on Friday evening.
Sadly, it did seem exterior vehicle presentation has taken a downturn in Bristol, compared to last year's trip, however I reckon this is mostly a case of the city depots being in a "holding pattern" until the new gas buses arrive en masse. May as well just keep the fleet on the road rather than splash out on more route branding and repaints. However, with the exception of the unrefurbished B7RLEs, B7TLs and Solos, the vast majority of the interiors were in tip-top condition, the 3/4 and 6/7 branded B7TLs being exceptionally smart. Wish First Eastern Counties had done the same to their similarly aged B7TLs.
I fell in love with the Metrobus system, having multiple rides on each route. It seemed to be well-used in the city, however a lot quieter around Cribbs Causeway and Emersons Green.
Those buttons were for listening to the radio like on planes and some trains. If you have a look at the back downstairs, they are in the ceiling. When they arrived in Weston from Plymouth, they did actually work. Likewise drivers could set for music to be played through the speakers. Sadly this was all disconnected once their Broadcasting Licences expired.
The reason they have those seats, the buttons and certain other features is because they were specified by Plymouth City Council for Park & Ride services. It was said at the time they were the most expensive deckers First had bought. They moved up to Weston in 2012, when Plymouth received some standard First spec 336** E400s ordered for the Olympics. I believe these are mainly now at Hengrove (Soon to be Wells) and a couple in Weston.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
On another forum there is a quote from Midland Red MD, saying 11 Citaros are going from FHD to Worcester which will release 9 Streetlites to Leicester.
As there are 9 59 plate B7RLEs in FWoE maybe they are now staying? Time will tell.
Who knows? I did have a little tot up on the number of single deckers they needed in Leicester and it was about 40 with the B7Ls and B7RLEs. They've 9 Streetlites but it was suggested that the 9 2009 Eclipses and 11 Max Streetlites would go there from FWoE. Mind you, think it has been mooted that the 9 Eclipses might now stay.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Just spent a week travelling around the West of England area, mostly in Bristol and North Somerset.
The "new" Solos in Bath are a very cosy fit, I didn't really how small they were until I caught them on the 6/7. Almost comparable to the Solos that go around Hampstead Garden Suburb. That being said they are a major step up from the 05-plate Solos. All the Solos had impressive climbing ability tackling Bath's hills, whereas when I sampled a B7LA on the U1 it almost came to a standstill going up the hill towards Bath Uni.
Having missed out on them last year, I deliberately made sure I caught a number of the 56-plate Enviros on the Excel services, and my god those seats are the most comfortable things I've sat on in any bus. They put the seats in our Excel Enviros to shame. 33415 and 33416 have a considerable turn of speed while on the X1. Unfortunately 33416 had a sensor going off on both journeys, meaning the driver had to slam his cab door at almost every stop to get brief respite from it. I also noticed most of the seats upstairs have buttons (which have long since stopped working), presumably to alter seat pitching.
I was able to sample every branded route with the exception of the A2. The Mint Route and 17 branded vehicles look very smart, but it's a shame they don't have anything inside. Ditto the 91/91 branded Enviros.
66723 has the roughest interior of any bus I've travelled on, it's even worse than the W-reg B7s we still have in East Anglia. I'd wager some of the moquette is original. Nevertheless, it gave me two spirited journeys on the 72, the latter of which was my final journey in the city yesterday morning back to Temple Meads where the driver raced a Streetlite on the 8 all the way through Cabot Circus, it was brilliant stuff. I do wonder what FWoE's game is with these 54 and 55-plate B7s (along with the WR03 B7TLs still in Barbie), they're clearly excellent buses underneath but they've been neglected inside and out.
There were several stray workings during my trip, most notably the 51-plate B7s branded for the 3/4 seeming roaming across most of the city away from Whiteladies Road and Avonmouth. Saw some on the 70/71 and the 2. There were Bath Spa Unibus branded B7s on the 19/19A most days, and even a Bath City Solo on the 19 one day. On the flipside, a 48/49 branded E400 showed up on the 4 at Cribbs Causeway on Friday evening.
Sadly, it did seem exterior vehicle presentation has taken a downturn in Bristol, compared to last year's trip, however I reckon this is mostly a case of the city depots being in a "holding pattern" until the new gas buses arrive en masse. May as well just keep the fleet on the road rather than splash out on more route branding and repaints. However, with the exception of the unrefurbished B7RLEs, B7TLs and Solos, the vast majority of the interiors were in tip-top condition, the 3/4 and 6/7 branded B7TLs being exceptionally smart. Wish First Eastern Counties had done the same to their similarly aged B7TLs.
I fell in love with the Metrobus system, having multiple rides on each route. It seemed to be well-used in the city, however a lot quieter around Cribbs Causeway and Emersons Green.
Really interesting to read your comments. The external presentation has declined and that is partly because of the "imminent" gas buses which seem to be taking longer than anticipated, and the pressures on the PVR from Wessex closing and the Bath University debacle have just meant few buses have been repainted.
66723 (and others of its ilk) are absolutely terrible, inside and out. They actually go well but they are awful in terms of image and same for the B7TLs that you had. They were at Bath and so avoided being refurbished a few years ago - don't know why! The ex Plymouth e400s (33411-9) are indeed some of the most comfortable machines going but now being 12/13 years old, they are starting to show their age both cosmetically and mechanically.
Robertj21a
On Moderation
- Joined
- 22 Sep 2013
- Messages
- 7,518
On another forum there is a quote from Midland Red MD, saying 11 Citaros are going from FHD to Worcester which will release 9 Streetlites to Leicester.
As there are 9 59 plate B7RLEs in FWoE maybe they are now staying? Time will tell.
I've already said a while ago that Leicester is now only getting 5 of the 14 Eclipses.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Yeah, there's been so many posts about so many moves, I assume Ron might have missed that. Mind you, not heading to Leicester doesn't necessarily mean staying with FWoE (though it would be good if they did).
EnviroExplorer
Member
A few photos from Friday on Flickr confirm that ALX Volvos 31144, 31146 & Plaxton B7TL 32225 are heading for Bristol. As they carry Purple fronts, I assume intended for the 3/4
https://www.flickr.com/photos/45060815@N07/48567943816/in/faves-128470593@N05/ - 31143
https://www.flickr.com/photos/45060815@N07/48568092227/in/faves-128470593@N05/ - 32225 with 31146 in front
https://www.flickr.com/photos/45060815@N07/48567943816/in/faves-128470593@N05/ - 31143
https://www.flickr.com/photos/45060815@N07/48568092227/in/faves-128470593@N05/ - 32225 with 31146 in front
Private Baxter
Established Member
- Joined
- 22 Sep 2013
- Messages
- 1,789
Thanks for sharing details about your trip - quite productive I'd say!Just spent a week travelling around the West of England area, mostly in Bristol and North Somerset.
The "new" Solos in Bath are a very cosy fit, I didn't really how small they were until I caught them on the 6/7. Almost comparable to the Solos that go around Hampstead Garden Suburb. That being said they are a major step up from the 05-plate Solos. All the Solos had impressive climbing ability tackling Bath's hills, whereas when I sampled a B7LA on the U1 it almost came to a standstill going up the hill towards Bath Uni.
Having missed out on them last year, I deliberately made sure I caught a number of the 56-plate Enviros on the Excel services, and my god those seats are the most comfortable things I've sat on in any bus. They put the seats in our Excel Enviros to shame. 33415 and 33416 have a considerable turn of speed while on the X1. Unfortunately 33416 had a sensor going off on both journeys, meaning the driver had to slam his cab door at almost every stop to get brief respite from it. I also noticed most of the seats upstairs have buttons (which have long since stopped working), presumably to alter seat pitching.
I was able to sample every branded route with the exception of the A2. The Mint Route and 17 branded vehicles look very smart, but it's a shame they don't have anything inside. Ditto the 91/91 branded Enviros.
66723 has the roughest interior of any bus I've travelled on, it's even worse than the W-reg B7s we still have in East Anglia. I'd wager some of the moquette is original. Nevertheless, it gave me two spirited journeys on the 72, the latter of which was my final journey in the city yesterday morning back to Temple Meads where the driver raced a Streetlite on the 8 all the way through Cabot Circus, it was brilliant stuff. I do wonder what FWoE's game is with these 54 and 55-plate B7s (along with the WR03 B7TLs still in Barbie), they're clearly excellent buses underneath but they've been neglected inside and out.
There were several stray workings during my trip, most notably the 51-plate B7s branded for the 3/4 seeming roaming across most of the city away from Whiteladies Road and Avonmouth. Saw some on the 70/71 and the 2. There were Bath Spa Unibus branded B7s on the 19/19A most days, and even a Bath City Solo on the 19 one day. On the flipside, a 48/49 branded E400 showed up on the 4 at Cribbs Causeway on Friday evening.
Sadly, it did seem exterior vehicle presentation has taken a downturn in Bristol, compared to last year's trip, however I reckon this is mostly a case of the city depots being in a "holding pattern" until the new gas buses arrive en masse. May as well just keep the fleet on the road rather than splash out on more route branding and repaints. However, with the exception of the unrefurbished B7RLEs, B7TLs and Solos, the vast majority of the interiors were in tip-top condition, the 3/4 and 6/7 branded B7TLs being exceptionally smart. Wish First Eastern Counties had done the same to their similarly aged B7TLs.
I fell in love with the Metrobus system, having multiple rides on each route. It seemed to be well-used in the city, however a lot quieter around Cribbs Causeway and Emersons Green.
Buses for both uni campuses do show up on the 19 from time to time, and more so at the moment, due to reduced timetables. Typically the older deckers in Bath work the route, and it is not uncommon for one of the W PAEs to show up either. There is also, as you spotted, at least one evening diagram which uses a solo, and tends to now to be one of thr new ones. I'm glad you liked those buses, I had my first trip on one not too long ago and agree think they are lovely!
As for 66723 and friends, they do look really bad, and who knows what is going on with them. If they were to be short term, then it's a long short term! None are in their original livery from 2004, as they were all repainted in to barbie late 2008, but that was over ten years ago and looking pretty bad now. The seats on most are original too, and very worn. Compare it to 66722 which was redone a year or two ago, which looks much better! Hope to see something done with then soon, as they are otherwise superb buses!
WelshBluebird
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Jan 2010
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I think that is a separate issue that deserves mentioning tbh because it isn't just students being affected by it. Especially as buses like the 73 are also being reduced in frequency, it has felt like recent changes are essentially cutting Temple Meads off from bus users! I know part of the reasons for the changes have been the delays in the area thanks to roadworks etc, but in my view we should be making Temple Meads more connected not less! I've already said before it is a joke that MetroBus doesn't directly serve Temple Meads, but cutting existing bus services from the station too is just stupid imo, even if it directly makes commercial sense because of the services involved, it hardly encourages people to use public transport and in reality makes it much more likely someone will pull up an Uber on their phone to get to the station!
I very much agree. I'm not completely au fait with how Temple Gate is going to look like once it's finished, but I'm hoping bus services will be conveniently loacted and sped up considerably. Additionally, hopefully the day service on the 70 will return.
Thanks for that, there has been some conflicting information floating about, good to get a definitive answer.
32009 has been working from Wells for several days, tonight its joined in the yard at Wells by 30877.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Thanks for that, there has been some conflicting information floating about, good to get a definitive answer.
32009 has been working from Wells for several days, tonight its joined in the yard at Wells by 30877.
Cheers Ron - was in your manor today; 32544 was also operating a 174 when I saw it at Stratton. At the risk of incurring the might of the FSW rebuttal unit from their Camborne lair, I have to say the Yeovil fleet didn't look great.
Seen mention made of the 7XP being operated by a pair of Geminis yesterday, with 33488 not having operated it for 10 days (IF bustimes is to be believed) so wonder if they're being repainted out of that livery already?
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