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Lothian Buses and ECB Discussion

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SpeedbirdA350

SpeedbirdA350

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scotrail158713 said:
Does anyone know if the Airlink 100 is still running? Surely it can’t be getting many passengers with the airport seeing 8 departures all day yesterday.
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Yes as people still working at airport, ATC/tower is active, ground crews still active, and crew who work at the airlines need to be active too as while aircraft sit doing nothing, they do need regular maintanance during this period of idolness. Plus, EDI is open for those 8 or so flights and any humanitarian cargo flights and repat if needed. Also emergencys.
 
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scotrail158713

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CN04NRJ said:
Yes, three buses on it.
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Ok. Does that mean it’s every 30 minutes?
SpeedbirdA350 said:
Yes as people still working at airport, ATC/tower is active, ground crews still active, and crew who work at the airlines need to be active too as while aircraft sit doing nothing, they do need regular maintanance during this period of idolness. Plus, EDI is open for those 8 or so flights and any humanitarian cargo flights and repat if needed. Also emergencys.
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I get that. It just surprises me as, in my eyes, I’ve always seen the 100 as a “tourist bus”, taking people to the city centre. Therefore it seems it serves little purpose in the current climate.
Skylink services, however, serve more residential areas so I can see the viability of them still running, as most workers probably don’t live in the city centre.
 
SpeedbirdA350

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Skylink not running did suprise me a little (300 mainly) even more with 35 not too, but I do get why.

While most workers might not live in city, they still need a bus to get in to the airport although the tram is also running, and every 15 minutes vs the 100s every 30 mins.
 
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CN04NRJ

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scotrail158713 said:
Ok. Does that mean it’s every 30 minutes?

I get that. It just surprises me as, in my eyes, I’ve always seen the 100 as a “tourist bus”, taking people to the city centre. Therefore it seems it serves little purpose in the current climate.
Skylink services, however, serve more residential areas so I can see the viability of them still running, as most workers probably don’t live in the city centre.
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Yes, every 30 I believe.
 
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buslad1988

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scotrail158713 said:
Does anyone know if the Airlink 100 is still running? Surely it can’t be getting many passengers with the airport seeing 8 departures all day yesterday.
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Don’t forget you can just look on Lothians website... there’s a full timetable on there. Every 30 minutes.

Many staff and locals use airlink, not just tourists.
 
OmniCity999

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scotrail158713 said:
Ok. Does that mean it’s every 30 minutes?

I get that. It just surprises me as, in my eyes, I’ve always seen the 100 as a “tourist bus”, taking people to the city centre. Therefore it seems it serves little purpose in the current climate.
Skylink services, however, serve more residential areas so I can see the viability of them still running, as most workers probably don’t live in the city centre.
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You'd be surprised mate, Airlink gets used by alot of Airport staff as it's often the quickest way into the Airport. Then as quoted above you've got cargo flights and maintenance teams. It's also a contracted service and the Airport pushed for it to stay, as it's their contract. It's the primary way to the Airport in their eyes.

It's not just the Airport traffic that will be using it too, its quicker to places like Drumbrae and Maybury too, especially since normal buses will be stopping to make up time.
 
scotrail158713

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OmniCity999 said:
You'd be surprised mate, Airlink gets used by alot of Airport staff as it's often the quickest way into the Airport. Then as quoted above you've got cargo flights and maintenance teams. It's also a contracted service and the Airport pushed for it to stay, as it's their contract. It's the primary way to the Airport in their eyes.

It's not just the Airport traffic that will be using it too, its quicker to places like Drumbrae and Maybury too, especially since normal buses will be stopping to make up time.
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Didn’t realise it was a contract actually. That makes more sense as to why it’s running then.
 
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NorthClyde320

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ScotRail158725 said:
said this all along, new standard for the livery now, 387 & 420 are like this aswell
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It's about time Lothian decided on what it's livery is and stuck to it, what was once a uniformed, proud fleet is now all over the place with swoops, straight lines, fotf with crests, fotf with gold bands, fotf without gold bands and plain white buses. I have tried to get used to the fotf livery, it works well on some buses but not others, just to much white for me, I liked the short lived straight lines livery, simple and smart. Just my own opinion though.
 
OmniCity999

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scotrail158713 said:
Didn’t realise it was a contract actually. That makes more sense as to why it’s running then.
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The 100 goes out to private tender ever five years and I believe, I may be wrong but I believe the average age of vehicles used on the tender has to be 2.5 years.

Skylink services are commercial and as such any vehicle can operate on them, although I believe there is an age limit of commercial vehicles at the airport of 5 or 10 years. I cant remember what it is.
NorthClyde320 said:
It's about time Lothian decided on what it's livery is and stuck to it, what was once a uniformed, proud fleet is now all over the place with swoops, straight lines, fotf with crests, fotf with gold bands, fotf without gold bands and plain white buses. I have tried to get used to the fotf livery, it works well on some buses but not others, just to much white for me, I liked the short lived straight lines livery, simple and smart. Just my own opinion though.
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You can blame the recently departed Richard Hall for that. He wanted his own livery to be used and he could never make up his mind what it would be. Noe hes gone, the company is in Limbo, with an interim manager and the livery is being applied at a base standard.

There is however only four all white vehicles in the fleet. Which are used for seasonal promotions and is available to any brand within Lothian which makes it operationally useful. The three singles in white were readied for sale so were painted white, but were required again. A few buses were painted in white last year to be used on both Lothian and Lothian Country services, while a decision was made if more second hand buses were to be bought or these were to be painted. Not ideal. These were then painted in Lothian Country colours.

We'll have a new manager soon who will have a different view for the company so it will likely be all change again. Hopefully the interim manager can be taken on full time, hes cracking.
 
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Auld reekie

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NorthClyde320 said:
It's about time Lothian decided on what it's livery is and stuck to it, what was once a uniformed, proud fleet is now all over the place with swoops, straight lines, fotf with crests, fotf with gold bands, fotf without gold bands and plain white buses. I have tried to get used to the fotf livery, it works well on some buses but not others, just to much white for me, I liked the short lived straight lines livery, simple and smart. Just my own opinion though.
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Just make the livery Maroon and White with no crap added.
 
ScotRail158725

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OmniCity999 said:
You can blame the recently departed Richard Hall for that. He wanted his own livery to be used and he could never make up his mind what it would be. Noe hes gone, the company is in Limbo, with an interim manager and the livery is being applied at a base standard.

There is however only 1 all white vehicle in the fleet. Which is used for seasonal promotions and is available to any brand within Lothian which makes it operationally useful. A few buses were painted in white last year to be used on both Lothian and Lothian Country services, while a decision was made if more second hand houses were to be bought or these were to be painted. Not ideal. These were then painted in Lothian Countey colours.

We'll have a new manager soon who will have a different view for the company so it will likely be all change again. Hopefully the interim manager can be taken on full time, hes cracking.
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3 all white buses left (115, 124, 135)

“while a decision was made if more second hand houses were to be bought” wouldn’t be surprised if houses were on hall’s plans considering LC, Motorcoaches etc.. :D
 
SpeedbirdA350

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scotrail158713 said:
I suppose that explains why new buses seem to appear on it so frequently
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It also is why the (old) 35 used to get ex airlink buses all the time, and was the only route that used the scanias full time. So, it makes me wonder if the Skylink fleet will be given the current Airlink B8Ls when they are being replaced next year (if 2 years is the limit) due to the interior having luggage racks etc
 
SpeedbirdA350

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OmniCity999 said:
I dont think that's appropriate for me to discuss in a public forum.
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Fair enough. Ive not heard any one speak bad of him personally, which is why I wondered. I'm still holding on for an outside remote chance of Andrew Jarvis who I think would be cracking appointment. Wont happen but hey ho
 
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OmniCity999 said:
I dont think that's appropriate for me to discuss in a public forum.
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How tall is Nigel Serafini? Is he tall enough to understand that 100 seats in an XLB is too many for comfort, however sexy the magic number sounds? I assume Hall was a (m)idget.
 
OmniCity999

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SpeedbirdA350 said:
Fair enough. Ive not heard any one speak bad of him personally, which is why I wondered. I'm still holding on for an outside remote chance of Andrew Jarvis who I think would be cracking appointment. Wont happen but hey ho
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You want someone who essentially runs the opposition to come run our company?

Nothing against the guy, think he's doing a great job.

But seriously?

Ludicrous
 
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overthewater

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He worked at Stagecoach, who nicked the queensferry route off First then went to First. Its not totally out of this world.
 
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