Double decker and minibus used on the same route at same time of day

[pemma]

When Arriva used to run the 300 Knutsford Circular service there was a short period where the evening bus services were run by an oversized Leyland double decker as they opted to use the bus off a college contract instead of sending that back to the depot after it's college run and sending a different smaller bus out.

When Arriva stopped running the evening services they were initially transferred to a minibus firm called Birtles who sometimes used an Optare Alero.

Are the any other routes which have seen that vast range of capacity on the same service at the same time of day?

 

[Mutant Lemming]

First Aberdeen quite often run single deckers, double deckers and articulated single deckers on their route 1 and have had five different vehicle types on the route on the same day. It also happens to pass First's global headquarters.

 

[vicbury]

First in Bath have a habit of mixing things up a bit. At one point it was quite possible to find the 14 using step entrance Pointer Darts, mini Pointer Darts, standard length Pointer Darts, super Pointer Darts, Optare Solos, Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipses, Volvo B7TL ALX 400s, and Mercedes Varios. I'm not sure if it ever had all 8 types of bus in one day, but it wouldn't surprise me. For those not familiar with the route, I would say that these are the best suited:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48632724@N04/7999375348/
(not my photo)

 

[tbtc]

Until the end of October (when the routes passed to TM Travel), First South Yorkshire would regularly use double deckers on minibus routes 4/6 (Darnall - Sheffield - Fulwood/ Millhouses) because they had long running reliability problems with their shortest buses (Optare Solos, Marshall Darts) and the double deckers were the shortest alternative vehicles that could squeeze round the Darnall estates.

Now that the routes have ended I'm annoyed I never got a picture of a Solo/ Dart in one direction on the 4/6 and an Olympian in the other direction - a nice contrast.

TM Travel can throw almost anything on some of their routes - or did at least before the October changes - so you'd see a Solo on a 252 with an ex-Dublin Olympian on the next duty.

 

[Eagle]

Stagecoach Warwickshire's route 16 is supposed to be all deckers*, but there's usually at least one of the Goldline-branded Optare Solos doing the route.

*which at the moment seem to be offcasts from Stagecoach Oxfordshire, as they're full of posters for Bicester Village and the like.

 

[moogal]

Stagecoach in Northampton used to send a rather random selection of vehicles round the (now defunct) 15A/B route when I lived there - anything from a "Street Shuttle" minibus, through its normal allocation of low-floor single deckers, up to a double decker and the occasional coach. Seemed to be a case of whatever was lying around the depot!

Of course, you could guarantee that the peak services would be the ones with the 23 seater minibuses... :roll:

 

[90019]

Lothian's 12 seems to quite often kick out a decker or two during the day.
There was one block in particular that would end up with one most days, but since the service changes, I'm not sure this is still the case.


The 21 is also one that can turn out almost any type of bus (apart from a Solo, to my knowledge). It's mostly Darts, but there are always Tridents and sometimes a few Volvos, either single deck or decker, too.

 

[Liam]

I have seen just about everything doing Stagecoach Fife's X4. Usually it's a Solo, switching to a decker after the school runs, but have seen coaches on the service. Probably just anything lying spare around Aberhill depot. Also 95 can be a Solo in one direction and a double decker in the other.

 

[Tramfan]

Not sure if this still happens, but Blackpool Transport's service 2 is Optare Solo operated, but at least 1 working is/was booked for a double decker.

I've also occasionally seen Solos on their normally Trident operated service 14.

 

[Statto]

Arriva do this quite often, although Arriva Merseyside have a handful of Minibuses quite often i'll see Deckers & Single Deckers allocated to the same route.

 

[Jollycam]

Stagecoach Warwickshire's route 16 is supposed to be all deckers*, but there's usually at least one of the Goldline-branded Optare Solos doing the route.

Unless it's changed recently, the 16 isn't all deckers as there's at least one Stratford Depot run that's interworked with the Solos on the 50/50A (not that it's a problem at that time of day). Stratford tend to get a Goldline when short of Solos, with a bigger bus bumping onto the G1.

Now the 67 a few years ago, when it was run by Mercedes-Benz 709D's, would have a random double decker working it filling in between School Duties (though I see the odd double is back on it now). I bet the double was fun to drive when the route used to do a loop round ASDA's car park!

 

[Ivo]

First in Bath have a habit of mixing things up a bit. At one point it was It is quite possible to find the 14 using step entrance Pointer Darts, mini Pointer Darts, standard length Pointer Darts, super Pointer Darts, Optare Solos, Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipses, Volvo B7TL ALX 400s, and Mercedes Varios. I'm not sure if it ever had all 8 types of bus in one day, but it wouldn't surprise me. For those not familiar with the route, I would say that these are the best suited:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48632724@N04/7999375348/
(not my photo)

Fixed Oh, and you forgot the Lances.

The 14 is an absolute classic for this kind of thing. Today example it had at least one B7TL decker, one low-floor B6 and one Step Dart, as well as several 05-reg Darts, and not so long ago I saw a Solo and a B7TL literally next to each other on the route. The 14 isn't the only culprit either; the 319 and 338 are little better. They, too, will run basically anything that isn't specified to one route!

I actually mentioned this off-the-record at our meeting last week. Needless to say, the lady I told, who lives in Chippenham, wasn't exactly impressed that her usually Lance/B7TL -operated route (today it had a Gemini) was run by a Solo ten days ago...

 

[MCW]

Centrebus 54 is also good for this, get to mid morning and you can have anything from a solo, dart or L113 to a brand new Optare Olympus.

 

[Drsatan]

The number 5 bus route in Winchester is seldom always worked by the 'Flock to Winchester' branded Enviro300s that are supposed to work all local buses around Winchester. In practice, either a Enviro300 or a double decker can turn up on any journey.

 

[starrymarkb]

First 57 out of Exeter on a Saturday morning is a Solo (all other services are Scania Enviro Deckers) - but I suspect the Solo is swapped at Exmouth with a Decker continuing into the Estates to form the next Exeter bound

It'll be to Swap the Exmouth town Solo

 

[MK Tom]

I live on Arriva Milton Keynes route 4 which can be anything from a 20-seater Wright Cadet right up to H197GRO, MK's sole surviving all-Leyland Olympian.

Arriva MK's policy is pretty much unashamedly now a case of absolutely anything on any working. I think they've given up all pretence of keeping certain vehicles to certain routes.

 

[W-on-Sea]

Thames Travel routes 32 and 36 (Grove/Wantage - Didcot - Abingdon or Wallingford) usually have a mixture of double deckers, full-length single deckers, and Solos. New deckers on the 32, old ones (which will be lucky even in the peaks to be even one quarter-full) on the 36. Solos on the 32 could easily get to standing-room only in the peaks. Very odd.

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

Preston bus 31. Either optare solo or a double decker. No enviros or 31215 to be seen.

 

[Lrd]

Bluestar 18 here in Southampton is a fairly busy, high frequency (every 7-8mins) route and we sometimes get a Solo running around, my luck that I get them during the peak as well . Bit different to our comfy Citaro's.

 

[vicbury]

Fixed Oh, and you forgot the Lances.

The 14 is an absolute classic for this kind of thing. Today example it had at least one B7TL decker, one low-floor B6 and one Step Dart, as well as several 05-reg Darts, and not so long ago I saw a Solo and a B7TL literally next to each other on the route. The 14 isn't the only culprit either; the 319 and 332 are little better. They, too, will run basically anything that isn't specified to one route!

I actually mentioned this off-the-record at our meeting last week. Needless to say, the lady I told, who lives in Chippenham, wasn't exactly impressed that her usually Lance/B7TL -operated route (today it had a Gemini) was run by a Solo ten days ago...

Ah yes I forgot the Lances and B6s. Thankfully it is quite rare to find a Lance on the 14 these days but at one point a few years ago it was usual for every other bus to be one of them. For a while there was also a Mercedes minibus with coach seating and no stopping bell, sign or buttons. Just what you need on a busy city service!

 

[swifty]

For a while there was also a Mercedes minibus with coach seating and no stopping bell, sign or buttons. Just what you need on a busy city service!

Wasn't this one was it?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtwelshbuses/5567921609/

 

[vicbury]

Wasn't this one was it?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtwelshbuses/5567921609/

Possibly although I can't confirm that. It was in service about 4-5 years ago. It had destination blinds rather than the destinstion window being blocked off as in that photo. Absolutely mad having it on the 14 with no stopping bells/buttons!

 

[KendalKing]

Stagecoach in Lancaster services 5, 6, 6A, 51 can have anything from an Optare Solo to Dennis Trident on them.

 

[221129]

STagecoach Southwest route 55 can be anything. From a pointer 2 to an E400 or a solo

 

[Ivo]

Thinking back a few years here...

Before Southend Borough withdrew bus subsidies, because they're idiots (source), there used to be a Service 6 that ran once an hour. It usually ran a minibus, but for some reason shortly before a mass-cascade that spelt the beginning of the end of Arriva Southend as a likeable entity Volvo Olympian N708 TPK was seemingly fixed on the route, which was all the more bizarre because the route never needed more than three buses during off-peak service. Things got even worse later on, when one specific duty on the then Trident-operated 7/8 somehow found itself providing one select journey on the 6 in the evening...

Actually, come to think of it, for AS this was pretty normal. In fact, the only route that never seemed to be a minibus was the 2 to Basildon!

Of course, these days AS have no minibuses, but they also have no deckers. Pretty lame in my opinion, especially considering that ten years ago 7A journeys were regularly full-and-standing even though they were usually Trident-operated!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

During the daytime, my local route (the 301/302 Golcar Circular) is operated by both First and Centrebus/K-line. First often put deckers on. K-line are singles only but quite often you'll get a Solo. Of course, First in Huddersfield don't have any Solos though.

Likewise, the Huddersfield-Denby Dale/Clayton West services (80-84) can be anything from a SWB Solo to an Olympian with coach seats.

 

[jamieintercity]

stagecoach east scotland operated a number of single and double deckers on the various services throughout the fife, dundee, perth and angus areas

 

[Ivo]

Seeing as this thread has been revived, I've got something worse than a decker/mini combination for you.

In Bath, the 18 is usually (roughly two-in-three journeys) operated by low-floor Volvo artics - albeit artics with a quite frankly hideous livery (example). On the other hand, as regulars on the SW&W thread will know, have a look at what turned up on Tuesday last week: pic

Only the latter of these two pictures is my own.

 

[Eng274]

In Doncaster the First 75 lakeside circular usually has double deckers, but occasionally gets a B7L single or even an Optare Solo.

 

[Liam]

Stagecoach Fifes 64, usually a decker, but could be anything. Quite often a Solo.

An interesting one is Moffat and Williamson's number 2. All day it is a Optare Versa, except for the 1554 from Markinch which is one of their Volvo coaches with 3+2 seating as it finishes an Auchmuty High School run.