cnjb8
Established Member
It's a common problem for E40Hs. That's one of the reasons why most have been converted to diesel, that and most of them are Euro 5 but an air zone thingy is coming on their route so need to be converted to Euro 6
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First Greater Glasgow
- Thread starter KGGXXXY
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R
RailUK Forums
Having a look at older pics on Flickr and it's a real shame that passenger numbers have only gone in one direction because we used to have some fairly handy routes. Services like the 53,92,109,119 etc and then cross-city links like the 9, 11, 41, 42, 59, 64 etc
Yeah a lot of routes have been truncated and are tenders. More people live out in the outskirts in new housing and need a car.
The problem is people don't actually realise how good their local bus services are at times. Seen plenty of people say they have little service yet the bus is every 10/15 mins and there's more than 1 option
On the main corridors yes, multiple routes. Further out if buses are late and no show your snookered like where I stay.
Yeah it's definitely not great in some areas. Evening and night travel has definitely taken a fair hit over the years. Out of the city centre the 18 seems to be the last service to drop to every 30 mins and even that's at 9pm
Yes I remember the services used to drop to every 30 at 10pm or i could be lying. The nightbus network has shrunk. Castlemilk is not even served now.
Yeah I remember when the night buses were packed every single time but then people started to just all get taxis
I recall using the night bus a few times, either that or £30 taxi fare!
DC21
Member
I've noticed a white coach with no branding around 2/3 o'clock every few days driving through Motherwell. It's got a paper label on the windscreen saying on loan to First Glasgow. Any ideas? I'm thinking it's maybe not been taking down. Also why would First have a coach on hire? Not seen any them in service since X1,X11,& some peak time 1 services.
Parks and West Coast Motors had coaches ‘on loan’ to First Glasgow around here a while back to help with carrying school kids. Don’t know if that’s what’s happening with this example though, given the schools are meant to be shut.
Would probably have previously been used on one of the S series school routes registered by First Glasgow to supplement capacity due to social distancing requirements. I think the operation of all of these was sub contracted, the registrations were supposed to expire on 04/01 but in the current climate they could still be running.
Thinking back to those coaches that appeared on the 1s at peak time it was always weird to me that when I got them it was mainly short workings to Clydebank or for the 1C to Drumchapel. On the odd occasion I did see them running to Dumbarton or Balloch but I can't imagine they'd have been ideal for the narrow roads at Bowling or small areas after Alexandria into Balloch either to be fair
Stena Galloway
Member
Thos B12Ms were highly manoeuvrable with a great turning circle in them. Pretty much the same length as a Renown or Floline that where based at Dumbarton as well.
Thanks for the info. Can remember seeing one handle the turn onto Achamore Road at Drumchapel up to the 1C terminus pretty well to be fair. Can imagine the road through Bowling not being too great given that it's pretty narrow and there's always cars parked everywhere
Jordan Adam
Established Member
Probably more manoeuvrable than the 67xxx E200MMCs at that! Many people don't realise but the wheelbase on those full size E200MMCs is almost the same length as a Interdeck or 15 metre Tri-axle Panther.
I'm glad the B12Ms are gone, while they might've been nice to drive they were very much in need of a refurb at that point and sounded pretty knackered.
Had to be careful what route they were on if sent to Balloch, at the time they were too high to get around the Vale Hospital. As the services interwork it could only have been extras on the 1A or on the 1E. 20504 did manage to escape and take a turn on the 81 once (my image)
First Glasgow 20504 at Clydebank Bus Station
The destination does not lie, 20504 did manage a turn on the 81! After this it was replaced by a more typical for the route Solo.
flic.kr
Given what's been on the 81 over the years, passengers would have gotten quite a shock when that turned up hahaHad to be careful what route they were on if sent to Balloch, at the time they were too high to get around the Vale Hospital. As the services interwork it could only have been extras on the 1A or on the 1E. 20504 did manage to escape and take a turn on the 81 once (my image)
First Glasgow 20504 at Clydebank Bus Station
The destination does not lie, 20504 did manage a turn on the 81! After this it was replaced by a more typical for the route Solo.
Zakforbes4
Member
Passengers on the 81? that's a new one
When Blantyre had them , they turned up on a 267 and 18.
They were quite grubby but comfortable.
It's never been that quiet when I've seen it to be fair. Still at a good frequency too given that the 2 covers most of the route and Avondale and West Coast Motors also serve DuntocherPassengers on the 81? that's a new one
Yeah that I agree with
DC21
Member
They turned up on the 240,241,242, and on occasion 243 that went from Carluke when that was a service
Thanks for the info. Think I do remember seeing one on the 240 before in the city centre
DC21
Member
It wasn't the present day 242 it was when it ran Larkhall/Overtown to Motherwell/Hamilton
I mind that route to Larkhall. First dont bother with Larkhall now.
DC21
Member
Nah the 251 is rarely busy from Larkhall to Wishaw Hospital. Whitelaw's have the Larkhall area well run. Back in day when First had the red buses from Kelvin there was a service from Hamilton to Birkenshaw in Larkhall the 250.l, Whitelaw's run that service now. They also had SPT route 231 when McKindless hit the wall that was Hamilton - Larkhall - Lanark again that's changed operator to Stuart's. There was even a point maybe 10 or a bit more years ago First ran the 240 from Larkhall/Overtown- Wishaw-Motherwell-Bellshill-Parkhead-Glasgow BBS. Could also say they serve Larkhall with the 854 one journey early Sunday to start to 251 and one to finish it when it's a Blantyre run. Service runs to and Blantyre depot
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Strathclyder
Established Member
For the sake of context, am speaking as a near 20-year Clydebank resident here.Passengers on the 81? that's a new one
Pre-COVID, it did fairly well for itself passenger-number wise. There were quieter periods outwith the morning & afternoon school/peak periods during the week of course, but on the whole, it was a decent enough earner. One has to keep in mind that it has weathered competition from Avondale for nigh-on 20 years now, so it wasn't a black hole First were blindly shovelling money & resources into.