Cornish bus operators (excluding First Kernow)

[richw]

i swear I saw a picture on twitter or facebook as kernow fox playing with the solo

Kernow Fox deleted my comment on Facebook querying why they were implying with them. It was working a Travel Cornwall route yesterday.

 

[fgwrich]

Kernow Fox deleted my comment on Facebook querying why they were implying with them. It was working a Travel Cornwall route yesterday.

Playing no doubt being the operative word!

 

[DaveHarries]

Plymouth CityBus have entered registrations for changes to their Go Cornwall Bus operations, all wef 20-Sep-2015. Namely:

- 11 Saltash - Liskeard (TT changes)
- 12 Saltash - Launceston (TT changes)
- 12 Launceston - Bude (Route & TT changes)
- 32, 32B Plymouth - Torpoint (TT changes)
- 72 Plymouth - West Looe (TT changes)
- 73 Liskeard - Polperro (Route & TT changes)

Those go with changes to several of their Plymouth city routes.

Dave

 

[richw]

Plymouth CityBus have entered registrations for changes to their Go Cornwall Bus operations, all wef 20-Sep-2015. Namely:

- 11 Saltash - Liskeard (TT changes)
- 12 Saltash - Launceston (TT changes)
- 12 Launceston - Bude (Route & TT changes)
- 32, 32B Plymouth - Torpoint (TT changes)
- 72 Plymouth - West Looe (TT changes)
- 73 Liskeard - Polperro (Route & TT changes)

Those go with changes to several of their Plymouth city routes.

Dave

I believe it's all part of the First Stagecoach deal. Contacts in Plymouth from the bus industry have told me go ahead are involved in the deal also and agreement that they won't compete and will work together. The registrations seem to reflect this, stagecoach only registering some services, PCB pulling out of some routes including Tavistock.

 

[DaveHarries]

I believe it's all part of the First Stagecoach deal. Contacts in Plymouth from the bus industry have told me go ahead are involved in the deal also and agreement that they won't compete and will work together. The registrations seem to reflect this, stagecoach only registering some services, PCB pulling out of some routes including Tavistock.

Who knows? The other routes seeing changes from PCB wef 20-Sep-2015 (I didn't post them here as they are not in Cornwall) are:

4, 4A Mount Batten - City Centre (Withdrawn)
5, 5A Saltash - Elburton (Route & Timetable)
20, 20A Plymouth - Ivybridge (Route & Timetable)
21, 21A Plympton - Barne Barton (Route & Timetable)
32, 21B Plymouth - Torpoint (Timetable only)
42A, 42B Tamerton Foliot - City Centre (Route & Timetable)
45 Plymouth - Ivybridge (Withdrawn)
46 Tavistock - Okehampton (Timetable only)
46, 46A, 46B Plymouth - Tavistock (Timetable only)

Not quite a case of pulling out from Tavistock? The amendments for the 46, 46A & 46B are timetable changes, not cancellations. The withdrawl of the 4 & 4A are mentioned in a news article on the PCB website but First are dropping from Plymouth and I have seen no parallel registration from Stagecoach for a replacement.

Dave

 

[swifty]

One change that doesn't appear To have been picked up on is that Stagecoach will be running the 2 as a cross city service from Saltash to Mount Batten.

The 46 is only an hourly service to Okehmapton, the A/B are school workings, so it's not much of a presence on the corridor to be honest.

 

[richw]

Who knows? The other routes seeing changes from PCB wef 20-Sep-2015 (I didn't post them here as they are not in Cornwall) are:

4, 4A Mount Batten - City Centre (Withdrawn)
5, 5A Saltash - Elburton (Route & Timetable)
20, 20A Plymouth - Ivybridge (Route & Timetable)
21, 21A Plympton - Barne Barton (Route & Timetable)
32, 21B Plymouth - Torpoint (Timetable only)
42A, 42B Tamerton Foliot - City Centre (Route & Timetable)
45 Plymouth - Ivybridge (Withdrawn)
46 Tavistock - Okehampton (Timetable only)
46, 46A, 46B Plymouth - Tavistock (Timetable only)

Not quite a case of pulling out from Tavistock? The amendments for the 46, 46A & 46B are timetable changes, not cancellations. The withdrawl of the 4 & 4A are mentioned in a news article on the PCB website but First are dropping from Plymouth and I have seen no parallel registration from Stagecoach for a replacement.

Dave

I'm not sure why I put Tavistock, when I meant ivybridge.

 

[DaveHarries]

One change that doesn't appear To have been picked up on is that Stagecoach will be running the 2 as a cross city service from Saltash to Mount Batten.

Anyone know if the new Service 2 between Saltash and Mount Batten will also take Barne Barton? There is soon going to be a gap there: PCB have announced the network changes on their website and among these is that, wef 20-Sep-2015, Services 21 & 21A will not run between St. Budeaux Square and Barne Barton during the daytime which, from what I can work out, will leave Barne Barton with almost no bus service whatsoever unless Target Travel get the idea and increase Service 53.

Dave

 

[Busaholic]

This is slightly off topic, but...

Bus Fayre of Crowlas near Penzance operate an ex-Derby Corporation/Arriva Volvo Citybus with Marshall bodywork. You can go on it, but I'm not sure you can travel on it, even unofficially, the reason being it's a mobile cafe. It's to be found during daytime hours at the Tesco store just to the east of Pz on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Friendly staff when I happened upon it last week - didn't have time for a coffee, but I'll definitely go back. It's reg is B137 GAU.

P.S. Does that rather strange enthusiasts' mag of the same name still exist?

 

[njtruscott]

Anyone know if the new Service 2 between Saltash and Mount Batten will also take Barne Barton? There is soon going to be a gap there: PCB have announced the network changes on their website and among these is that, wef 20-Sep-2015, Services 21 & 21A will not run between St. Budeaux Square and Barne Barton during the daytime which, from what I can work out, will leave Barne Barton with almost no bus service whatsoever unless Target Travel get the idea and increase Service 53.

Dave

I don't read it as that. Having read and re-release the PCB press release surely the 21 is in Barne Barton every 15 mins during the day?

 

[richw]

This is slightly off topic, but...

Bus Fayre of Crowlas near Penzance operate an ex-Derby Corporation/Arriva Volvo Citybus with Marshall bodywork. You can go on it, but I'm not sure you can travel on it, even unofficially, the reason being it's a mobile cafe. It's to be found during daytime hours at the Tesco store just to the east of Pz on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Friendly staff when I happened upon it last week - didn't have time for a coffee, but I'll definitely go back. It's reg is B137 GAU.

P.S. Does that rather strange enthusiasts' mag of the same name still exist?

You have just solved a little mystery. I got a photo of it in a farm yard near ludgvan back in April and had been curious as to what was planned of it.

It most recently operated for tally ho in South Devon.

 

[Busaholic]

You have just solved a little mystery. I got a photo of it in a farm yard near ludgvan back in April and had been curious as to what was planned of it.

It most recently operated for tally ho in South Devon.

Back a quarter century ago when I had a lot more youth, enthusiasm and energy on my side, I seriously contemplated buying an old Atlantean or similar and using it as a mobile book bus, like a mobile library but with the books being for sale, in west and central Cornwall. My enquiries to the parish and town councils as to proper parking spaces I could use without a hassle on every occasion drew blanks, though, and even where they were prepared to allow a space the rents they expected to collect in return were way beyond a commercial proposition, so St Just (Penwith), St Just-in-Roseland and St Agnes were deprived of this entrepreneurship! A few months spent as a teenager working on the mobile libraries had given me the idea.

 

[richw]

My photo is on Flickr. https://flic.kr/p/sgcoSK

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

In the absence of a better place to post, another PCB Yellow Flash on delivery. WJ65BYU (I think) heading south near Falfield

 

[83G/84D]

This is slightly off topic, but...

Bus Fayre of Crowlas near Penzance operate an ex-Derby Corporation/Arriva Volvo Citybus with Marshall bodywork. You can go on it, but I'm not sure you can travel on it, even unofficially, the reason being it's a mobile cafe. It's to be found during daytime hours at the Tesco store just to the east of Pz on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Friendly staff when I happened upon it last week - didn't have time for a coffee, but I'll definitely go back. It's reg is B137 GAU.

P.S. Does that rather strange enthusiasts' mag of the same name still exist?

I spent some time on the bus today having a chat with the friendly ladies on board and had a coffee.

They are to be found there on Thursdays and Fridays from the end of this month. The coffee was good as was the homemade cakes.

I certainly recommend a visit.

 

[83G/84D]

Olympian's T453 KDM and T533 KDM formerly of Happy Al's noted in the yard of Roselyn, St Blazey today. They were in a blue / yellow (ex Dublin Bus?) colour scheme.

 

[busconductors]

Where can I find the Winter timetable for Plymouth City Bus number 27 Bodmin to Truro, please?

 

[LAIRA]

​

Where can I find the Winter timetable for Plymouth City Bus number 27 Bodmin to Truro, please?

Plymouth Citybus do not run Bodmin to Truro thats a First service 27
Plymouth Citybus run Bodmin to Padstow service 75

 

[fgwrich]

Olympian's T453 KDM and T533 KDM formerly of Happy Al's noted in the yard of Roselyn, St Blazey today. They were in a blue / yellow (ex Dublin Bus?) colour scheme.

Indeed - Ex Dublin Bus colours!

 

[83G/84D]

A former Summercourt Travel / Travel Cornwall Solo is up for sale at:-

http://www.staffordbuscentre.com/vehicles-for-export.html

 

[richw]

KernowFox has confirmed on facebook what we all know.... It wont be operating any buses!

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO OUR FOLLOWERS.
Many of you will be wondering when Kernowfox will commence operations.
As some will know The Government has announced that from 2018 Cornwall Council will be able to Franchise Bus Services in the county. In effect this will put Cornwall onto the same basis as London in that commercial services will be abandoned and the County will specify the services and issue contracts only for those services it deems necessary and for which it has funding.
The main issue here for us is that if we spent the next 3 years developing a network in Cornwall it could be for nothing and our investment and work would be lost maybe to another operator. Any investment in new vehicles which would require years to recover the capital cost would also be lost.
From the passenger point of view this is bound to lead to 3 years of less than needed development of the Cornish Bus network. When the Council does franchise there is no guarantee that the existing successful services in the county would be retained or that there would be an improvement. Indeed most of the cuts to the network have been the result of Council spending cuts of supported services.
We would reiterate that this is NOT just a Kernowfox issue it affects all bus operators within Cornwall- However Kernowfox was at a point where it had to take a decision whether to invest in Cornwall's services- we had delayed that decision because following the demise of Western Greyhound some settling of the replacement network of First Kernow, Plymouth Citybus and Stagecoach South West was deemed right and needed for the first year.
The franchising announcement happened as we were considering which services would have been introduced. Following the announcement of Franchising we have decided it is not prudent to spend our resources unless we can be sure of a reasonable chance of making a return.
Passengers should now consider if they think the bus services will remain as good as they are (and we know that in some areas they are far from frequent) under Council control or whether the present system is more desirable. Information on those services the council supports can be found in the front of First's current Timetable booklet, There are a good number of First Services which are commercial and those services could be changed reduced in frequency etc under these measures.
For now at least Kernowfox will not invest in developing a Cornish network, and for that we are deeply disappointed.

 

[455driver]

KernowFox has confirmed on facebook what we all know.... It wont be operating any buses!

Well I am shocked, I didn't expect that!

 

[fgwrich]

Oh No, how could that be allowed to happen. Afterall, after the collapse of a badly run Western Greyhound, that's just what Cornwall really wanted - another new unknown operator to rival the big bad nasty old First with it's collection of older vehicles. I am devastated, after all, look at Something Fox Bus's other high class operations like Bristol's City Fox Bus - how could anyone be disappointed?

 

[Busaholic]

I'm not going to comment on the ability or otherwise of Kernow Fox to have developed any sort of viable network in Cornwall, but their statement makes absolute sense and they are right imo to cast grave doubts on the proposed franchising system for Cornwall, in which huge sums (comparatively, for the size of operation) will be unnecessarily expended to achieve.... well, what exactly? The best that can be expected is an approximation to the status quo, and many of us think that's far too much to hope for. Last night, for instance, I travelled from Goldsithney to Penzance about 12.45 a.m. on the last journey of the day on the 2 and had the whole of the double decker to myself. Now I know the outgoing journey to Helston gets reasonably loaded but what chance of it continuing under franchising? We may be living, without realising it, in halcyon days buswise in Cornwall.

 

[carlberry]

Oh No, how could that be allowed to happen. Afterall, after the collapse of a badly run Western Greyhound, that's just what Cornwall really wanted - another new unknown operator to rival the big bad nasty old First with it's collection of older vehicles. I am devastated, after all, look at Something Fox Bus's other high class operations like Bristol's City Fox Bus - how could anyone be disappointed?

Hopefully this will mean that City Fox can put all their energy into the various Bristol services they've claimed to run in the past/present/future. Without they find something to blame for the none arrival of all of those at some point!

 

[richw]

http://www.cornishman.co.uk/St-Ives...metable-time/story-28148919-detail/story.html

A 26-year-old family run bus company in St Ives have received positive feedback after releasing their new timetable.

Royal Buses in St Ives released a new timetable in October, which also provides a cheaper service.

The new timetable connects St Ives and Hayle and in December will also travel to the West Cornwall retail park, just off on Loggans Moor roundabout.

Nick Eastwood, who owns Royal Buses, has been pleased with the positive feedback, he said: "This was a financial gamble but I felt it was right. We haven't had a route with concessionary passes for five years but everyone seems very grateful.

"I received a thank you card from an 85-year-old lady who had arthritis and can't make it to the other bus stops. The new timetable really makes a difference."

The timetable, which runs nine trips a day, also provides the opportunity for commuters to take a local bus service to and from St Ives.

The 105 service has been split into three different services. Nick said: "Concessionary pass holders can catch any of the three services (150, 150A and 150B) to the shopping park from St Ives.

"However the bus users interested in Halsetown and Hayle Towans need to use a sharper eye and pick the correct one."

"We run this new service between St Ives and Hayle calling at holiday parks, the Towans town centres and soon the West Cornwall retail park. We had so many requests from our concessionary pass holders to go to the retail park.

"A lot of fare-paying passengers don't know that our new service is 50 per cent cheaper than First Bus."

Some example of fares include: Royal Square to Longstone Cross £1 or £1.70 return, Penbeagle to Carwin Rise £3.80 return and Royal Square to Hayle £1.50 or £2.30 return.

The West Cornwall retail park will be added to the new timetable on Monday December 14 in time for Christmas shopping.

For more information about the new timetable go to https://www.facebook.com/Royal-Buses-263408983698761/?fref=ts


Read more: http://www.cornishman.co.uk/St-Ives...tory-28148919-detail/story.html#ixzz3r7p1Kj7n
Follow us: @CornishmanPaper on Twitter | Cornishmanpaper on Facebook

They have obtained amongst others ex Western Greyhound Dart NA52AWM which has been painted red for the new route.

 

[Busaholic]

Royal Buses has had a chequered history to say the least, as has the founder Nick Eastwood Snr - I am sure anyone interested can find some of this via a search engine. All credit to the current owner then in reviving the facility formerly provided by Western Greyhound, which itself developed from the seasonal Newquay to St Ives route. Very few bus passengers seem to use the existing services to Hayle Retail Park, though, which to the unitiated includes one of the very few (three) Marks and Spencer stores in Cornwall.

 

[richw]

Royal Buses has had a chequered history to say the least, as has the founder Nick Eastwood Snr - I am sure anyone interested can find some of this via a search engine. All credit to the current owner then in reviving the facility formerly provided by Western Greyhound, which itself developed from the seasonal Newquay to St Ives route. Very few bus passengers seem to use the existing services to Hayle Retail Park, though, which to the unitiated includes one of the very few (three) Marks and Spencer stores in Cornwall.

Is the current owner the son? They seem much improved in recent times to the olden days, and it appears the council have limited the number of buses calling at the square, seems much less chaotic this summer!

 

[Busaholic]

Is the current owner the son? They seem much improved in recent times to the olden days, and it appears the council have limited the number of buses calling at the square, seems much less chaotic this summer!

Nick Jr is indeed the son and appears to be trying to put past misdemeanours behind them. The Royal Square situation was, I believe, tackled by a combination of council, police and Traffic Commissioner, but not necessarily in concert.

 

[83G/84D]

A former Western Greyhound Dart in use in St Ives today!