MY SANITY IS FINISHED!...if cash was not a limitation...
(Is there not a 14ft bridge on the 2 route in Coatbridge on Woodside St? Or has First changed the route from what I remember.)
The 2 and 6 would gain New Mercedes Citaro G 18m Artics, due to there capacity I’d reduce the frequency on the 2 down to every 10 minutes, of course taking away any disambiguation from the low bridges on the 2 and 6 routes, I feel that with a suspension problem going unnoticed on a decker it would potentially leave very little room to pass, I wouldnt be risking deckers on the 2 or 6 if it were me.
Whilst I would maintain the Volvo/Cummins fleet commonality in glasgow as much as possible no artic exists at the moment with such engines in the UK in RHD form, Citaro it is then..
The 1, 1A, 240 and 267 would be maintained as is.
The 1B Helensburgh to Glasgow would be reduced to an hourly service with the introduction of the x1(below).
Operation with New Eclipse 3 B8RLEs @13.2m long, with 42, GTS 6600 seats, roof skylights and Alloy wheels.
Services 1D and 1C would be renumbered as the x2 and x3, respectively, this would collaborate with the numbering of the current x4 and the 6A would change to the x6, the x6 operating a Limited-Stop along great western rd to speed up journey times.
The x2, x3, x4, 5 and x6 would all operate with the current 2015 400 MMC’s, the x2, x3 and 1B would also omit Barns Rd in Clydebank, instead using Glasgow Rd after Chalmer Street, the 2, 6, 1 and 1A would continue to service Barns Street.
The New x1 would operate Helensburgh to Glasgow via Great western road, obviously instead of clydebank like the 1B does atm, on a limited-stop basis, with Plaxton Elite B9R’s sourced from Plaxon’s used range, refurbished and there D9B engines being E6 fitted.
The 7/7A would get renumbered as the 62/62A keeping numbers inline with the 60/61 and 64/65, using Volvo 7900e 12m Electrics using OppCharge Pylons at Summerston terminus, Electric buses in the current political and environmental climate we live in is good for a brash PR stint, and they are generally a niche yet seen in glasgow in full, great for a quieter passenger ride as well.
Services 9, 58(60A, renumbered) and current 60 could use Gemini 3 B5LH @ 11.3m, Deckers on the 9 would help them stand out amongst the singles McGills use on the 38, and of course the PR machine on the 9 with its “Hybrid Deckers”.. whilst both the 58/60 would benefit from a new bus whilst doing your bit for air quality in Milngavie and Drumchapel(haha).
The 57, 57A and 75, Gemini 3 B5TL @10.5m
The 21’s and 31’s would use the current MMC’s from the 18 and 75.
Service 18 would use the current 2011 Enviro 400 Diesels, refurbed and retrofitted with an E6 exhaust, New Alloy Wheels, Wood Flooring, reupholstered, White Hanover, USB chargers and Next Stop announcement tech, these have more seating down stairs for the old timers en route than the new 10.3m MMCs chosen.
Service 19 and 19A would be single decker op only.
The 34/34A would, Im afraid get refurbed 2006 B7RLEs, not the current branded buses.
The M11 and M60 would amalgamate on a new timetable as the renumbered 83 service with cascased streetlites, the ugly caetano darts would get burned down and the 81 would get refurbished Streetsh*tes in the hopes to go up against Avondales own heaps.
First have recently said they've seen patronage continually grow on the 500 over the past few years, knowing such is whats likely leading First to buy speculated Enviro 400 CITY Diesels for the route, Id go one better with the Fancy double-door 400XLB’s with substantial luggage racks and GTS 6700 Seating for an ultra comfortable ride, I’d also seek to negotiate to the Airport to actively prioritise traveling to the city centre by bus, as there website is off the bat about taxis and private car use.
The 8 and 90 would use current 2015 Enviro 200 MMC’s, I’d then burn most of the StreetLites.
Using heavily refurbished Enviro 300’s with new E6 Exhausts.
The 3, 77, New 78(C/Centre to Paisley via Partick, Penilee) and New 100 route(The 41 and 9A joined every 15 Mins, but the route would split at Paisley Rd West, one section going to Penilee and Braehead every half-hour, the Other half-hourly bus to the Airport via Paisley Town Centre, connecting the south of Glasgow/Paisley Rd West and Paisley Town Centre to the airport, a few of the Enviro 300’s would be fitted with a single luggage rack for this).
(Midland Bluebird sourced)07/09 B7RLE’s, put through a Facelift and heavy refurb and E6 Retrofitted(they would be exchanged for giving FMB Glasgows 2006 B7RLE’s, of course they would get refurbed for Falkirk).
Services 24(89A to Torrance, renumbered) and New x38(Fastlink = Stagecoach Competition) would use these 07/09’s.
(First Aberdeen’s Euro5 B7RLE’s and E5 Enviro 300’s would be replaced by New Enviro 200 MMC 11.8m buses, With the Euro5 B7’s and 300’s being put through a refurb and E6 retrofit for Glasgow, these would also help replace a good few 2006 B7RLEs throughout the fleet).
The 38/38A/38B/38C/38E would be 38/38A/37/36/35, respectively, the 36 indeed operating C/Centre to Chryston Only via Alexandra Parade and Stepps).
The 43/46/61/63(B10, but renumbered and operated from Glasgow), and New 300 every 15 Mins(87 and 10 connected but with a Half-Hourly extension out to Neilston to complete with mcgills 3), the 88/89, the 88 frequency reduced to every 20 minutes with the 89 maintained.
The 06/07/08/09 B7TL/B9TLs would be put through a facelift(B9’s only) and refurbed inside for these and of course E6 Retrofitted, they may not cover the PVR for all these routes.
The 88 and 89 would use a few unfacelifted B7’s.
(In doing this I’d endeavour these B7/B9’s to be operated to a 20yr old life before replacement).
The B7’s would get new Avid electric engine fans to do away with the Roaring Hydraulic fans, the system would massively quieten these on the road for both passengers and pedestrains while the system is touted by Transdev to improve fuel economy as the hydraulic fans run directly from the engine and the electric fans don’t.
Service 18 would use the current 2011 Enviro 400 Diesels, refurbed and retrofitted with an E6 exhaust, New Alloy Wheels, Wood Flooring, reupholstered, White Hanover, USB chargers and Next Stop announcement tech, these have more seating down stairs for the old timers en route than the new 10.3m MMCs chosen.
The x85, x87 and reinstated/rerouted Half-Hourly x86(Banton to Glasgow via Kilsyth, Croy, Blackwood then directly onto the M80), the x86 express would also operate with lower fares to battle against the train station at croy which is heavily overcrowded, many also complain that the 89 takes a smidge to long going to glasgow via bishopbriggs, hence the reason many clamber to the train station, plus kirkintilloch already have express buses, disposing with the need the previously operated x86 ever had to go to glasgow via Kirkintilloch/M80.
The x87 would reroute in lenzie to use Lindseybeg Rd and Initiative Rd.
These routes would get New Enviro 400 CITY 10.9m Diesels fitted with comfortably superior Lazzerini GTS 6600 seats(the current 2015 MMC’s used on these would be cascaded to assorted city centre duties, namely the x2, x3, x4, 5 and x6)
The Cumbernauld x5, x80 and x4 would make a return with the x80 via central way/m80 using Plaxton Elites, the x5 using low-floor buses via North Carbrain and condorrat ring rd, the x4 would run with deckers from seafar to glasgow via Central Way, Condorrat Main St, st maurice's high school, westfield Rd then directly onto the M80.
(For a higher level of comfortable coaches through cumbernauld it wouldnt hurt for Midland Bluebird to operate there x36\x39 partly with coaches, it would help complete on a like for like basis with stageys x24’s etc).
All routes would certainly undercut the cost of the train and definitely stagecoaches fares.
If last but not least and with enough drivers possibly gained, I’d have many retiree 2005 B7TL’s refurbed to compete on a like for like on major routes in the paisley town/inverclyde area, such as the 23 and 26, McGills would not like it but Im sure that deregulation was ment to bring about more competiton and ergo lower ticket prices after all, plus as I’ve said before much of glasgow has not adopted to the Tripper Ticket.
