• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

First Hampshire & Dorset (Wessex, Dorset & South Somerset)

Status
Not open for further replies.

RT4038

Established Member
Joined
22 Feb 2014
Messages
4,180
There was the 213 that used to go from Taunton to Seaton with the 432 Weymouth to Axminster. Not certain if that was what became the 495 when the Seaton bit was dropped; I'm sure I have some old NBC timetable somewhere.

I didn't know if the vehicles and/or drivers went from end to end. During the 80s and 90s, the 31 was shown as a through route from Weymouth to Taunton except that you had to change at Axminster; I think only two schools journeys from Taunton ran south of Axminster and only to Lyme Regis. Otherwise, they operated as two totally separate but connecting services.

I did the full journey in 1991 - Weymouth to Axminster on a knackered VR, then onto an Iveco Turbo Daily to Taunton!!

If only you had page 87 to hand :D

I do hope that First can capitalise on the likelihood of more domestic tourism with the Dorset routes this year. Must try to get down after a years' absence.
In 1970/1 the 495 was the Lyme Regis town service (Somers Road-Talbot Road)
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

CD

Member
Joined
22 Jun 2014
Messages
990
Location
34004
In 1970/1 the 495 was the Lyme Regis town service (Somers Road-Talbot Road)
Ran in the 1980s. I did it regularly in the mid 80s. Just been looking up notes of trips in 1985/86 by then it was mainly Leyland Nationals and Bristol VRs.
Found this 1980 photo. https://www.flickr.com/photos/cliveabrown/2827300835

I tried to find a copy of the 495 timetable however I've got nothing from that period. However here is a previous version of a Taunton-Weymouth service from 1960!View attachment 94096
In the early 2000s the X88 ran on summer Sundays and Bank Holidays from Bridgwater, Taunton, Chard, Axminster, Lyme Regis, Bridport then the coast road to Weymouth. Regular Bridgwater driver using a Tacho fitted Olympian once the VRs had gone.
 
Last edited:

Whiteway215

Established Member
Joined
15 Sep 2015
Messages
1,989
Location
Bath
Ran in the 1980s. I did it regularly in the mid 80s. Just been looking up notes of trips in 1985/86 by then it was mainly Leyland Nationals and Bristol VRs.
Found this 1980 photo. https://www.flickr.com/photos/cliveabrown/2827300835


In the early 2000s the X88 ran on summer Sundays and Bank Holidays from Bridgwater, Taunton, Chard, Axminster, Lyme Regis, Bridport then the coast road to Weymouth. Regular Bridgwater driver using a Tacho fitted Olympian once the VRs had gone.
What was the experience like with an Olympian up the hill from Abbotsbury towards Burton Bradstock?
 

CD

Member
Joined
22 Jun 2014
Messages
990
Location
34004
What was the experience like with an Olympian up the hill from Abbotsbury towards Burton Bradstock?
Crawler gear at walking pace, usually stopped in the lay-by at the top to let the vehicles stuck behind overtake.
 

On the Buses

Member
Joined
14 Aug 2019
Messages
561
Location
UK
There was the 213 that used to go from Taunton to Seaton with the 432 Weymouth to Axminster. Not certain if that was what became the 495 when the Seaton bit was dropped; I'm sure I have some old NBC timetable somewhere.

I didn't know if the vehicles and/or drivers went from end to end. During the 80s and 90s, the 31 was shown as a through route from Weymouth to Taunton except that you had to change at Axminster; I think only two schools journeys from Taunton ran south of Axminster and only to Lyme Regis. Otherwise, they operated as two totally separate but connecting services.

I did the full journey in 1991 - Weymouth to Axminster on a knackered VR, then onto an Iveco Turbo Daily to Taunton!!

If only you had page 87 to hand :D

I do hope that First can capitalise on the likelihood of more domestic tourism with the Dorset routes this year. Must try to get down after a years' absence.
2022!
 

43055

Established Member
Joined
8 Mar 2018
Messages
2,884
Details have started to emerge for new timetables from 30th May. A real frequency uplift across the board which is good to see:

Main headlines so far:

X51 - Weymouth to Dorchester - Bridport - Axminster
Will now operate between Weymouth and Dorchester again for the first time in a few years now, then on from Dorchester to Bridport and Axminster. Operates every 2 hours daily.

X54 - Weymouth to Poole, via Lulworth
Uplift in services to every 2 hours daily, including evening return trip and also additional morning journey including in school holidays to Wareham.

1 - Weymouth to Portland
Increase to every 10 mins Monday to Friday, every 12 mins Saturday and every 15 mins Sunday. Last journey from Kings Statue to Portland 0035am every day.

2 - Weymouth to Littlemoor
Increase to every 15 mins Monday to Saturday, every 20mins Sunday.

3 - Weymouth to Westham.
Remains every 40 mins.

4 - Weymouth to Preston
Improved evening service every 30 mins until 1130pm Monday to Saturday. Every 20 mins daytime Monday to Saturday, every 35 mins on Sundays.

10 - Weymouth to Dorchester
Increase to every 15 mins Monday to Saturday and every 30 mins on Sunday.

501 - Open Top - Weymouth to Portland Bill
Operates from 1st May to 28th May weekends and then daily, with hourly frequency from 23rd July.

502 - Weymouth to Littlesea
Operates from 11th April every 30 minutes.

503 - Weymouth to Waterside
Operates from 11th April every 20 minutes.


More to follow later in the week I'm sure!
The X52 and X53 are now showing in Traveline SW.

X53 - Weymouth - Bridport - Axminster
2 hourly daily, later evening journey

New X52 - Bridport - Weymouth - Lulworth Cove - Wool - Tank Museum/Monkey World
2 hourly daily

This now gives a hourly service between:
Bridport - Axminster (X51, X53)
Weymouth - Bridport (X52, X53)
Weymouth - Wool (X52, X54)
 

fgwrich

Established Member
Joined
15 Apr 2009
Messages
9,252
Location
Between Edinburgh and Exeter
More open top Gemini’s appear to be on their way to presumably Weymouth.
 

Attachments

  • 9522249A-E938-47D0-B669-366F9E113817.jpeg
    9522249A-E938-47D0-B669-366F9E113817.jpeg
    771.5 KB · Views: 76
  • A9E8E9B8-FF07-407B-A26F-98354993F8E5.jpeg
    A9E8E9B8-FF07-407B-A26F-98354993F8E5.jpeg
    465.8 KB · Views: 76

cnjb8

Established Member
Joined
26 Feb 2019
Messages
2,113
Location
Nottingham
More open top Gemini’s appear to be on their way to presumably Weymouth.
Three Geminis transferred from West of England to Weymouth for open top routes, I can't remember the fleet numbers but their part of the LK53 batch
 

43055

Established Member
Joined
8 Mar 2018
Messages
2,884
Little bit of a fleet update. Some info from FHD forums:
32329 has return to Weymouth and is now in Jurassic Coaster livery.
37581 is now in service in Wessex livery.
37582 has returned from repaint but not yet in service. Also in Wessex livery.
37583 is next for repaint. This is the final vehicle in the 'Olympia' Jurassic Coaster livery.

It sounds like the some of Streetlite's will be next in line for the Wessex livery.

There has been a shuffle of the City Red Streetlites which now at Weymouth are: 47412, 47421, 47422, 47423, 47424 and 47425 and are likely to stay until the end of the school term in July.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

dgl

Established Member
Joined
5 Oct 2014
Messages
2,391
It's certinaly getting interesting down here. Hopefully with more people holidaying in the UK these routes will be a success, and with the scenery we have down here traveling on some form of double decker is a must, especially on the coast road and around Lyme Regis.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

43055

Established Member
Joined
8 Mar 2018
Messages
2,884
It's certinaly getting interesting down here. Hopefully with more people holidaying in the UK these routes will be a success, and with the scenery we have down here traveling on some form of double decker is a must, especially on the coast road and around Lyme Regis.
Defiantly! Only been on the X51 between Winterboune Abbas and Bridport and still got some great views.

Looking at bustimes it seems that one of the Jurassic Coaster Open Tops is not ready yet so one of the Portland Coaster vehicles is covering on the X52.

The X51 looks to be self contained now while the X53 works with the X54. This means there is the possibility of going between Poole and Axminister on the same vehicle a bit like when the X53 ran between Exeter and Poole.
 

43055

Established Member
Joined
8 Mar 2018
Messages
2,884
37583 has returned from repaint.
47425 has returned to Southampton and apparently after being repainted will transfer to the Hoeford depot.
 

43055

Established Member
Joined
8 Mar 2018
Messages
2,884
Now the schools have finished for the summer most of the cityred Streetlites have returned to Southampton with just 47421 remaining.

Repaints of the single decks have started with 63181 being branded for route 1 as 'the Portland link'. 63182 is away for repaint.

Reported on the FHD forums that due to low trees on the X52/X53 routes between Weymouth and Bridport a number of double decks are being damaged so single decks have been placed on the routes today.
 

Jamesbus80

Member
Joined
24 Jun 2016
Messages
44
Location
Fareham, Hampshire
My photo of 63181 taken inside the depot building at Weymouth on Saturday 17th July. It has since entered service.
63181-SN14DWZ-Weymouth depot-170721 a.JPG

I had noted that single decks were operating the X52 and X53 - 47409, 63184 and 65023 were on the X52 today, for example. I had wondered if First were a bit short due to the start of the Lyme Regis Park & Ride service, which seems to be operated by two double decks but have three for the service, but the issue with the trees makes much more sense.
 

Jamesbus80

Member
Joined
24 Jun 2016
Messages
44
Location
Fareham, Hampshire
35161 is getting a good trial at Weymouth - not just for the Jurassic Coasters it seems (although obviously could be the depot evaluating performance and keeping tabs on things).

It entered service on Monday (2nd) where it did runs to Portland on the 1 all day (with associated peak 10s to Dorchester), Tuesday (3rd) was the 10 to Dorchester all day (with associated peak interworkings on the 1 to Portland), yesterday (4th) was solely X51 all day, with today the X53 and X54 interwork.

35161-SK65PVZ-Bridport bus station-050821 a.JPG
I nabbed it in Bridport earlier in between the showers!

[I was going to post this on the continuing thread for First W of E, but decided it ought to go on this thread really].
 

pompeyfan

Established Member
Joined
24 Jan 2012
Messages
4,181
It’s a great picture but interesting choice of bus for rural work. We know engine size doesn’t always dictate power and hill climbing ability but I would imagine a Streetdeck may struggle.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

dgl

Established Member
Joined
5 Oct 2014
Messages
2,391
Some changes to routes from the 8th, with services going to off-peak timetables due to, I would assume, lack of staff, partially due (as I understand) to drivers who have been brought in from other areas needing to go back.

Changes to timetables from Sunday 8 August 2021

From Sunday 8 August there will be timetables changes on services 1, 10, 502 and 503. You can view and download the new timetable below:

Service 1 timetableMonday to Friday service will be reduced to operate every 12 minutes during the daytime.
Service 10 timetableThere will be minor timetable changes due to the timetable change on service 1.
Service 502 timetableThe 502 will operate the low season timetable. (Basically hourly)
Service 503 timetableThe 503 will operate the low season timetable. (Basically every 40 mins)
 

TheGrandWazoo

Veteran Member
Joined
18 Feb 2013
Messages
19,969
Location
Somerset with international travel (e.g. across th
It’s a great picture but interesting choice of bus for rural work. We know engine size doesn’t always dictate power and hill climbing ability but I would imagine a street deck may struggle.

That is the whole point of taking one on trial.
Absolutely though it's a curious one. 35161 is one of eight that were delivered to Wells depot for the 376 and they just couldn't cope with the mix of steep hills and high speed running, such that an additional example (and then another) were then allocated and availability was such that they were replaced by e400s that were 3.5 years older.
 

83G/84D

Established Member
Joined
28 Oct 2011
Messages
5,952
Location
Cornwall
Streetdeck 35161 was working an X53 service earlier today. I saw several people out photographing it in various places along the west end of the route.
 

TheGrandWazoo

Veteran Member
Joined
18 Feb 2013
Messages
19,969
Location
Somerset with international travel (e.g. across th
A surfeit of accrued holidays has allowed me to hop around and experience a number of different bus operators and geographies. This week, I enjoyed an extended bank holiday weekend and visited an area that is perhaps a little more familiar, and the end of the summer season on First Hampshire and Dorset.

I’ll provide a little detail onto the 2021 FHD services but….it’s nearly 30 years to the day since I first visited the Jurassic Coast so I’ll try to intersperse some comparisons with then and now as I canter through the Dorset countryside. Hopefully, that won’t prove to be confusing or too self indulgent, and I hope it is of interest. As ever, feel free to expand or correct any errors etc, or just add your views whether in agreement or in contrast to mine. Also, as @RELL6L has raised the bar by including travelogue photos, I have shared some of the day.

I began my day very early, with a drive from my home near Bath to Poundbury. Back in 1991, Poundbury didn’t exist as, for the uninitiated, this development on the west side of Dorchester was a plan by the Duchy estate (of Prince Charles) to develop a new, chocolate box style model town. I parked my car there and caught the 0653 service 10 via Dorchester to Weymouth. The growth of Poundbury, and some competitive skirmishes in the past, has seen an unprecedented uplift of services over the years. In 1991, there were probably about a dozen journeys a day, operated by Southern National and Wilts & Dorset, all running through the town from Bridport, Salisbury and Poole. My steed for the next half hour was a Scania Omnicity, drafted in on loan from Hoeford for increased service commitments. It was quite smart internally, having been refurbished with eLeather. It had a few rattles but for a 2005 vehicle, it wasn’t bad though I understand that their days may be numbered, at least in Weymouth.

I arrived in Weymouth and grabbed a coffee from Nero. I’d intended to catch a later journey but realised I could actually get the 0749 X54 to Wareham. An ex Bolton/Diamond e400 newly repainted in Jurassic Coaster (JC) colours was on the stand at Kings Statue, the main terminus for most Weymouth services. One of the P&O liners that were massed in Weymouth Bay is still there and makes for a slightly different backdrop. Bang on time, we headed off with myself stationed on the top deck. The route takes you through Preston (served by First’s local service 4) before climbing up past the white horse and into rolling hilly countryside. The e400 had been treated to the paint job and appropriate, high quality internal graphics. However, as with the 2012 B9 I had in Norwich, this 2012 e400 was looking rather tired with the eLeather looking very battered and shiny, whilst the flooring and laminates could’ve welcomed a deep clean. This journey acts mainly as a placement run, bypassing Lulworth and heading to Wool and thence to Wareham. Whilst evident at Wool and on the JC stops en route, Wareham is where you realise that this is a competitive environment with Go South Coast More services 30 and 31 serving the same market as the X52/X54 running to Monkey World, Bovington, Lulworth and Weymouth via Wool. I have to say that at Wareham and Wool, GSC are certainly more effective with their marketing. Sadly, at Wool station, First had full timetables (two of them, contradicting one another) whilst the GSC departure list was much easier to fathom. Also, whilst First had the more eye-catching livery and won that marketing battle, the interior of the older More Omnidekkas was much more welcoming with smart dark blue moquette.

In 1991, I’d begun my day leaving the B&B in Swanage and catching the 0710 143 to Poole but only as far as Wareham. My Explorer ticket was valid on both Wilts and Dorset, and Southern National and my objective was to travel West. Instead of the expected Bristol VR, it was instead one of the last remaining Bristol LHs with the special cut away dash panel for the Sandbanks Ferry. New to Bristol Omnibus, it had moved when only two years old to Dorset, gaining the poppy red livery that it still retained in favour of the smarter W&D livery. It was a spirited run (as every LH was) and we arrived in Wareham, ready for me to catch the then 3 year old class 442 Wessex Electric to Weymouth; this was the reality in that prior to 1998 and the appearance of Weaverbus, the provision of bus services around Wool and Lulworth was almost non existent save for the odd market day and taxibus service. I travelled down to Weymouth arriving in good time for breakfast and my trip West) but it’s interesting that whilst the provision of bus services in the area is no longer as it was in the high water mark of the mid 2000s, it is still considerably better than it had been before that.

It was a short wander around Wareham station, situated away from the town, and so a return back on the X54, retracing my steps to Wool and then to Lulworth Cove, passing through the true idyllic village with its thatched cottages. Absolutely stunning and whilst I’ve walked around Lulworth before (and would recommend it), I was happily waiting to head back to Wool on the newly introduced X52. New for 2021, this is a true innovation in having a Bridport to Monkey World open top service worked by some freshly cabrioletted B7 Geminis new to London and moved from Bristol. I was looking forward to this so it was disappointing to learn that 1/3 boards was being worked by a closed top and it was mine. So another ex Bolton e400 in JC colours duly arrived. I decamped in Wool and decided to kill time for 20 mins – not easy in Wool. There was a bit of Network South East signage to pass as intriguing but that was about it. My e400 arrived back from Monkey World and ready to head back via Lulworth, passing a well loaded More Omnidekka that had collected from Lulworth Cove and its caravans and chalets. To be honest, it highlights how much the bus industry failed to capitalise on domestic tourism in the past, though it is good to see some real entrepreneurial flair being displayed. I carried on my e400, arriving back in Weymouth. It is timed to connect with the X51, allowing you a choice of routes to head to Bridport, with that service being the time honoured successor to the 31 that travelled via Dorchester and Bridport to Lyme Regis and Axminster with onward connections.

My 1991 experience was on the 31. I was going “all in” as it was advertised as a through route to Taunton (3h 15) though in reality, you had to change at Axminster. It ran only 5 times a day from Weymouth to Bridport, with an hourly frequency from there via Lyme to Axminster which it still retains. My second bus of the day, a 15 yr old VR, was also still resolutely in NBC colours despite the years passing since privatisation. I remember the journey well noticing that the side panels of the bus as I leant against them, seemed to move independently of the back seat. I deduced the body was not in a good way with the chassis and I think that particularly VR met a premature end compared to other SN VRs. It went well though as we bounded across the A35 and via various places over the next two hours as we headed to Bridport and then to Axminster; at that time, Bridport bus station wasn’t served so we loaded on West Street but otherwise, the facilities there are barely unchanged in 30 years though the small depot adjacent is still intact but all maintenance is now undertaken at Weymouth.

For completeness, I made my way from Axminster to Taunton on a former East Midland Iveco minibus still in their green livery, doubtless retained for its similarity to SN’s adopted scheme. However, my next journeys, a double run to Bridgwater and back were on newly delivered Merc 811s (replacing conventional vehicles) in the standard SN yellow, whilst I returned back from Taunton on two VRs, changing at Axminster. This still happens today though as the Taunton to Axminster (now service 30) is every 90 mins, the connections are less convenient at times.


Interestingly, the coastal route to Bridport in 1991 was only served once per day by a shoppers service built around a schools contract whereas summer 2021 sees an hourly service from the all year X53 being joined by the summer X52. We passed an open top Gemini near Abbotsbury with a good load on top enjoying the fun. The e400 managed the climb up Abbotsbury Hill surprisingly easily and the views along Lyme Bay to Golden Cap are stunning – you really should do the trip and coming the other way affords you views of Chesil Beach and Portland. One of the UK’s most scenic routes. I elected to grab lunch in Bridport and then headed to the bus station and waited. I had hoped to get one of the luxurious ex Green Line examples but sadly, it was one of the standard B9s still in Urban colours. Delivered for that route, these well built vehicles are now looking a bit tired, even after a mid-life refurb. The X51 runs 8 times a day to Weymouth and now sticks to the A35 rather than diving off route. Again, there are fantastic views and at one point, we passed three separate kestrels all hovering by the roadside; West Dorset is a dangerous place for a vole! The X51 runs into Dorchester and unlike the more frequent 10, it diverts in to serve the South train station, where I got off. I wandered through to catch the 10 to discover it was the same Scania as 8 hours earlier! Ah well.

I headed back to Weymouth in order to experience the one local service I’ve not sampled. The 3 runs via a substantial 1950s council estate in Westham but the frequency is now a 45 min headway, allowing it to be operated by one vehicle, in this case, a 2013 Streetlite. Back in 1991, it would’ve been almost wall to wall Ford Transits, as only the 31, the Portland and Littlemoor services retained conventional VRs and Nationals. I know that Covid has only exacerbated the decline of town centres and local bus services and who knows what the future holds. However, it struck me that Weymouth is just the sort of place where First should be putting something like Mellor Stratas, and running them to places like Preston, Westham and Chickerell rather than the B7RLEs, Streetlites and Solo SRs that they currently use. More manoeuvrable and with lower running costs, you might be able to increase patronage to sustain better frequencies (e.g. 20 mins) rather than running big buses every 30 mins. It also gets me that Weymouth depot use Eclipses on the Littlemoor and Preston routes whilst Streetlites (only two years newer) are used on the punishing Portland route….seems counter-intuitive. I got off at Fiveways, catching the seasonal 502 (linking the sea front with a Haven holiday camp) operated by yet another ex Bolton e400, albeit newly repainted in the attractive Wessex green livery. It was back to the Esplanade and my final bus (an Eclipse) back to Poundbury.

Despite not having an open topper on the X52, it was still a great day. I would say that First are being genuinely entrepreneurial though there are a few things that they need to improve upon. The only leaflet I found was on the X51 and even that was hidden in a box on the luggage rack. Their promotion at key stops like Wareham, Wool and Bridport could and should be improved, and the e400s really do need a refresh internally, even if that’s only a deep clean to get rid of accumulated grime. Also, the fleet was quite dirty – is the Weymouth wash broken? However, the services ran to time (not easy in Weymouth) and I can thoroughly recommend the JC services with stunning scenery all along the coast. With services to places that were barely on the public transport map, things are much, much better than the rose tinted days of the past.

Hope this hasn't been too self-indulgent and whilst the timetables change tomorrow (I think), you can still enjoy the scenery with the year round X51/53/54; hope you enjoyed it.
 

Attachments

  • DSC_7000.JPG
    DSC_7000.JPG
    287.2 KB · Views: 42
  • DSC_7009.JPG
    DSC_7009.JPG
    227.3 KB · Views: 41
  • DSC_7023.JPG
    DSC_7023.JPG
    242 KB · Views: 43
  • DSC_7038.JPG
    DSC_7038.JPG
    392.2 KB · Views: 43

Wessexbuses

Member
Joined
10 Mar 2018
Messages
118
Location
Weymouth
44509 and 65019 have now transferred to Buses of Somerset with 2 more buses expected to transfer soon.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

RELL6L

Member
Joined
19 May 2014
Messages
971
A surfeit of accrued holidays has allowed me to hop around and experience a number of different bus operators and geographies. This week, I enjoyed an extended bank holiday weekend and visited an area that is perhaps a little more familiar, and the end of the summer season on First Hampshire and Dorset.

I’ll provide a little detail onto the 2021 FHD services but….it’s nearly 30 years to the day since I first visited the Jurassic Coast so I’ll try to intersperse some comparisons with then and now as I canter through the Dorset countryside. Hopefully, that won’t prove to be confusing or too self indulgent, and I hope it is of interest. As ever, feel free to expand or correct any errors etc, or just add your views whether in agreement or in contrast to mine. Also, as @RELL6L has raised the bar by including travelogue photos, I have shared some of the day.

I began my day very early, with a drive from my home near Bath to Poundbury. Back in 1991, Poundbury didn’t exist as, for the uninitiated, this development on the west side of Dorchester was a plan by the Duchy estate (of Prince Charles) to develop a new, chocolate box style model town. I parked my car there and caught the 0653 service 10 via Dorchester to Weymouth. The growth of Poundbury, and some competitive skirmishes in the past, has seen an unprecedented uplift of services over the years. In 1991, there were probably about a dozen journeys a day, operated by Southern National and Wilts & Dorset, all running through the town from Bridport, Salisbury and Poole. My steed for the next half hour was a Scania Omnicity, drafted in on loan from Hoeford for increased service commitments. It was quite smart internally, having been refurbished with eLeather. It had a few rattles but for a 2005 vehicle, it wasn’t bad though I understand that their days may be numbered, at least in Weymouth.

I arrived in Weymouth and grabbed a coffee from Nero. I’d intended to catch a later journey but realised I could actually get the 0749 X54 to Wareham. An ex Bolton/Diamond e400 newly repainted in Jurassic Coaster (JC) colours was on the stand at Kings Statue, the main terminus for most Weymouth services. One of the P&O liners that were massed in Weymouth Bay is still there and makes for a slightly different backdrop. Bang on time, we headed off with myself stationed on the top deck. The route takes you through Preston (served by First’s local service 4) before climbing up past the white horse and into rolling hilly countryside. The e400 had been treated to the paint job and appropriate, high quality internal graphics. However, as with the 2012 B9 I had in Norwich, this 2012 e400 was looking rather tired with the eLeather looking very battered and shiny, whilst the flooring and laminates could’ve welcomed a deep clean. This journey acts mainly as a placement run, bypassing Lulworth and heading to Wool and thence to Wareham. Whilst evident at Wool and on the JC stops en route, Wareham is where you realise that this is a competitive environment with Go South Coast More services 30 and 31 serving the same market as the X52/X54 running to Monkey World, Bovington, Lulworth and Weymouth via Wool. I have to say that at Wareham and Wool, GSC are certainly more effective with their marketing. Sadly, at Wool station, First had full timetables (two of them, contradicting one another) whilst the GSC departure list was much easier to fathom. Also, whilst First had the more eye-catching livery and won that marketing battle, the interior of the older More Omnidekkas was much more welcoming with smart dark blue moquette.

In 1991, I’d begun my day leaving the B&B in Swanage and catching the 0710 143 to Poole but only as far as Wareham. My Explorer ticket was valid on both Wilts and Dorset, and Southern National and my objective was to travel West. Instead of the expected Bristol VR, it was instead one of the last remaining Bristol LHs with the special cut away dash panel for the Sandbanks Ferry. New to Bristol Omnibus, it had moved when only two years old to Dorset, gaining the poppy red livery that it still retained in favour of the smarter W&D livery. It was a spirited run (as every LH was) and we arrived in Wareham, ready for me to catch the then 3 year old class 442 Wessex Electric to Weymouth; this was the reality in that prior to 1998 and the appearance of Weaverbus, the provision of bus services around Wool and Lulworth was almost non existent save for the odd market day and taxibus service. I travelled down to Weymouth arriving in good time for breakfast and my trip West) but it’s interesting that whilst the provision of bus services in the area is no longer as it was in the high water mark of the mid 2000s, it is still considerably better than it had been before that.

It was a short wander around Wareham station, situated away from the town, and so a return back on the X54, retracing my steps to Wool and then to Lulworth Cove, passing through the true idyllic village with its thatched cottages. Absolutely stunning and whilst I’ve walked around Lulworth before (and would recommend it), I was happily waiting to head back to Wool on the newly introduced X52. New for 2021, this is a true innovation in having a Bridport to Monkey World open top service worked by some freshly cabrioletted B7 Geminis new to London and moved from Bristol. I was looking forward to this so it was disappointing to learn that 1/3 boards was being worked by a closed top and it was mine. So another ex Bolton e400 in JC colours duly arrived. I decamped in Wool and decided to kill time for 20 mins – not easy in Wool. There was a bit of Network South East signage to pass as intriguing but that was about it. My e400 arrived back from Monkey World and ready to head back via Lulworth, passing a well loaded More Omnidekka that had collected from Lulworth Cove and its caravans and chalets. To be honest, it highlights how much the bus industry failed to capitalise on domestic tourism in the past, though it is good to see some real entrepreneurial flair being displayed. I carried on my e400, arriving back in Weymouth. It is timed to connect with the X51, allowing you a choice of routes to head to Bridport, with that service being the time honoured successor to the 31 that travelled via Dorchester and Bridport to Lyme Regis and Axminster with onward connections.

My 1991 experience was on the 31. I was going “all in” as it was advertised as a through route to Taunton (3h 15) though in reality, you had to change at Axminster. It ran only 5 times a day from Weymouth to Bridport, with an hourly frequency from there via Lyme to Axminster which it still retains. My second bus of the day, a 15 yr old VR, was also still resolutely in NBC colours despite the years passing since privatisation. I remember the journey well noticing that the side panels of the bus as I leant against them, seemed to move independently of the back seat. I deduced the body was not in a good way with the chassis and I think that particularly VR met a premature end compared to other SN VRs. It went well though as we bounded across the A35 and via various places over the next two hours as we headed to Bridport and then to Axminster; at that time, Bridport bus station wasn’t served so we loaded on West Street but otherwise, the facilities there are barely unchanged in 30 years though the small depot adjacent is still intact but all maintenance is now undertaken at Weymouth.

For completeness, I made my way from Axminster to Taunton on a former East Midland Iveco minibus still in their green livery, doubtless retained for its similarity to SN’s adopted scheme. However, my next journeys, a double run to Bridgwater and back were on newly delivered Merc 811s (replacing conventional vehicles) in the standard SN yellow, whilst I returned back from Taunton on two VRs, changing at Axminster. This still happens today though as the Taunton to Axminster (now service 30) is every 90 mins, the connections are less convenient at times.


Interestingly, the coastal route to Bridport in 1991 was only served once per day by a shoppers service built around a schools contract whereas summer 2021 sees an hourly service from the all year X53 being joined by the summer X52. We passed an open top Gemini near Abbotsbury with a good load on top enjoying the fun. The e400 managed the climb up Abbotsbury Hill surprisingly easily and the views along Lyme Bay to Golden Cap are stunning – you really should do the trip and coming the other way affords you views of Chesil Beach and Portland. One of the UK’s most scenic routes. I elected to grab lunch in Bridport and then headed to the bus station and waited. I had hoped to get one of the luxurious ex Green Line examples but sadly, it was one of the standard B9s still in Urban colours. Delivered for that route, these well built vehicles are now looking a bit tired, even after a mid-life refurb. The X51 runs 8 times a day to Weymouth and now sticks to the A35 rather than diving off route. Again, there are fantastic views and at one point, we passed three separate kestrels all hovering by the roadside; West Dorset is a dangerous place for a vole! The X51 runs into Dorchester and unlike the more frequent 10, it diverts in to serve the South train station, where I got off. I wandered through to catch the 10 to discover it was the same Scania as 8 hours earlier! Ah well.

I headed back to Weymouth in order to experience the one local service I’ve not sampled. The 3 runs via a substantial 1950s council estate in Westham but the frequency is now a 45 min headway, allowing it to be operated by one vehicle, in this case, a 2013 Streetlite. Back in 1991, it would’ve been almost wall to wall Ford Transits, as only the 31, the Portland and Littlemoor services retained conventional VRs and Nationals. I know that Covid has only exacerbated the decline of town centres and local bus services and who knows what the future holds. However, it struck me that Weymouth is just the sort of place where First should be putting something like Mellor Stratas, and running them to places like Preston, Westham and Chickerell rather than the B7RLEs, Streetlites and Solo SRs that they currently use. More manoeuvrable and with lower running costs, you might be able to increase patronage to sustain better frequencies (e.g. 20 mins) rather than running big buses every 30 mins. It also gets me that Weymouth depot use Eclipses on the Littlemoor and Preston routes whilst Streetlites (only two years newer) are used on the punishing Portland route….seems counter-intuitive. I got off at Fiveways, catching the seasonal 502 (linking the sea front with a Haven holiday camp) operated by yet another ex Bolton e400, albeit newly repainted in the attractive Wessex green livery. It was back to the Esplanade and my final bus (an Eclipse) back to Poundbury.

Despite not having an open topper on the X52, it was still a great day. I would say that First are being genuinely entrepreneurial though there are a few things that they need to improve upon. The only leaflet I found was on the X51 and even that was hidden in a box on the luggage rack. Their promotion at key stops like Wareham, Wool and Bridport could and should be improved, and the e400s really do need a refresh internally, even if that’s only a deep clean to get rid of accumulated grime. Also, the fleet was quite dirty – is the Weymouth wash broken? However, the services ran to time (not easy in Weymouth) and I can thoroughly recommend the JC services with stunning scenery all along the coast. With services to places that were barely on the public transport map, things are much, much better than the rose tinted days of the past.

Hope this hasn't been too self-indulgent and whilst the timetables change tomorrow (I think), you can still enjoy the scenery with the year round X51/53/54; hope you enjoyed it.
That was a fabulous and interesting report; thanks for sharing. It's great to have an up to date account of how First are working in the Weymouth area and it sounds much improved in many ways. I hope the ambitious extra services put on this summer have paid off. It sounds like there were quite a few passengers aboard some of the popular services, which is good. The X52 finishes today I think, hope it returns in 2022.

It's a Good use of positioning journeys to do things that would have involved more waiting in normal service times. I agree on Wool - there is nothing to do! Central Wareham is more interesting. Great pictures, especially West Lulworth - it looks like some reversing was required! There never used to be any public transport in these parts. It was a good idea to visit Poundbury; it's on my agenda to see how it has developed, rather a building site when I was last there.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top