TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Seems I was lucky to travel on one of those the other week...except it was one of the worst buses I have travelled on in a while.
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First Essex
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buslad1988
Member
- Joined
- 28 Dec 2018
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Maybe potential candidates for the first ‘First’ buses to be sold on through Ensign under their ownership! Although off topic for this thread have no idea who’d be interested in buying them.
Adtrainsam
Member
First Essex are making a further round of 'service changes' from the 16th April. About 1 year since the whole network, these changes (surprisingly!) seem to mainly be improvements to the service, both in terms of reliability and frequency.
North Essex Service Changes:
Mid Essex Service Changes
South Essex Service Changes
Another 'tit-for-tat with Arriva' move is increasing Route S4 in Colchester to run every 8-10 minutes instead of every 12 minutes competing against Arriva's 1 service (every 12 min). It does seem quite clear that First are wishing to push Arriva out of the town, with the fleet profile at First much stronger than Arriva in Colchester. Arriva's fleet is in a dire and tatty state; only the P&R contract means Arriva are clinging on.
In another welcome move, First are introducing the X71 every hour M-F for the first time, meaning Chelmer Village, Witham and Lexden Road regain a regular every 30 minute service, which had previously been lost in previous service changes.
Certainly very interesting times for First Essex and the wider Essex bus scene after years of decline!!
North Essex Service Changes:
Mid Essex Service Changes
South Essex Service Changes
Most notable include the increase in frequency of Route 28 (Southend-Basildon) to every 10 minutes, which means First now dominate the A13 London Road Corridor (9bph on Routes 27/28 vs 6bph on Arriva 1) during day & night. Will Arriva step up their game? The rerouting of Route 22 to cover the withdrawn B5 service also means those along that stretch now have an every 20 minutes service.
Another 'tit-for-tat with Arriva' move is increasing Route S4 in Colchester to run every 8-10 minutes instead of every 12 minutes competing against Arriva's 1 service (every 12 min). It does seem quite clear that First are wishing to push Arriva out of the town, with the fleet profile at First much stronger than Arriva in Colchester. Arriva's fleet is in a dire and tatty state; only the P&R contract means Arriva are clinging on.
In another welcome move, First are introducing the X71 every hour M-F for the first time, meaning Chelmer Village, Witham and Lexden Road regain a regular every 30 minute service, which had previously been lost in previous service changes.
Certainly very interesting times for First Essex and the wider Essex bus scene after years of decline!!
The gaps in service was annoying - the 47 that was rerouted to cover the axed C12 still has an appalling frequency and route - it takes a good 25 mins in the evening as it operates straight into gridlock and goes round the houses. Still a lack of mid to late evening services too. Chelmsford could to with some competition and regulation as First are pretty tricky to get info out of and to respond to complaints
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
You would certainly have to agree with that sentiment.
There's clearly a concerted effort to simply put the squeeze on Arriva on the basis that Colchester especially will simply be too small/damaged to sustain itself, especially with an allocation of
0 vehicles. Even Southend seems relatively small these days.They are clearly having a clear out of the fleet too. There are still a lot of old B7TLs knocking about, and some of the e400s that helped oust Tridents are ones I know from Weston super Mare, date from 2006/7 and have been hammered. However, the purge of the Darts and old Eclipses is now nearly complete, the e350Hs are heading out and so are the 7900Hs apparently, assisted by the first new vehicles in some years for general fleet replacement (i.e. not for Airlink or P&R).
There also is the new fleet liveries (aided by cascades, new fleet and acquisitions) and that is a move to have a more distinctive, local and marketable product. However, there's still a lot to do!
Can only really comment of the Colchester changes as these are local to me. The changes to the 87 on weekdays are very welcome, gone are almost all of the short Uni workings with a 30 minute frequency restored to/from Brightlingsea between the peaks. It’s still only hourly on Saturdays in the middle of the day though.
Fleet wise there seem to be an influx of single deckers from Southampton (adverts for Fareham college anyone!) and I’ve seen 1 22 plate shuttle single decker. That said there are still plenty of 18-19 year old double deckers grinding and belching around though.
Fleet wise there seem to be an influx of single deckers from Southampton (adverts for Fareham college anyone!) and I’ve seen 1 22 plate shuttle single decker. That said there are still plenty of 18-19 year old double deckers grinding and belching around though.
Adtrainsam
Member
Also a local on the axed C12 route! Chelmsford really is a mixed bag. Some areas have pretty decent coverage (Beaulieu/Broomfield/Galleywood etc.) whereas other places like Chelmer Village, Boreham and Great Baddow leave a lot to be desired. Steady cuts to services in these areas over the years feel pretty irreversible now - it wasn't that long ago these places had regular 30 minute services day and night. But with the monopoly that First have over Chelmsford (and much of mid-Essex), I don't see any chance of competition within Chelmsford any time soon.
Southend, whilst small, isn't doing too bad. Their flagship routes 1/2/9 are pretty robust and their services dominate Eastern Southend and the Hockley/Rayleigh area. Many see them more as a local operator, whereas First operate the out-of-town routes.You would certainly have to agree with that sentiment.
There's clearly a concerted effort to simply put the squeeze on Arriva on the basis that Colchester especially will simply be too small/damaged to sustain itself, especially with an allocation of
They are clearly having a clear out of the fleet too. There are still a lot of old B7TLs knocking about, and some of the e400s that helped oust Tridents are ones I know from Weston super Mare, date from 2006/7 and have been hammered. However, the purge of the Darts and old Eclipses is now nearly complete, the e350Hs are heading out and so are the 7900Hs apparently, assisted by the first new vehicles in some years for general fleet replacement (i.e. not for Airlink or P&R).
There also is the new fleet liveries (aided by cascades, new fleet and acquisitions) and that is a move to have a more distinctive, local and marketable product. However, there's still a lot to do!
R.E. the fleet - there is clearly an effort, with exteriors looking decently presentable - but there is a lot to be done. The ex-Glasgow E400 MMCs still haven't been repainted and the ex-London Enviro 200s acquired a few years ago (not the Shuttles!) are now very poor and the interiors of many vehicles is starting to look very worn and untidy.
The changes to the 87 are very similar to the 71/371/X71 changes where a consistent 30 minute service has been restored M-F only, with no more random gaps in the middle of the day.
On the ex-Halton Travel E200s, there are still many interior posters advising of Amazon jobs in Warrington!!
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
My experience of First Essex a couple of months ago featured adverts for various National Trust properties in Somerset (a former Weston e400) whilst the ex Leeds B9s look quite rough and still had First Leeds ads. I'm surprised the ex Glasgow MMCs weren't done quickly (modern fleet in new colours) but they were clearly getting some repaints done. I did travel on one of the e350Hs (being prepared for return to lessor?) and that was absolutely appalling internally.
I guess my point on Arriva in Colchester and Southend is that First seem to employ the same strategy of simply applying pressure on Arriva; very much the Stagecoach template in places like Northampton.
I arrived a Chelmsford last Tuesday from work in London to catch an evening service 71 which didn't run. Having exchanged views with some drivers that were outside of the office, they did little to try and find out what happened. As mentioned, the service is pretty poor for large parts of the city with late starts and early finishes and with a handful of services after 1900. There is no accountability on First by the local authority or traffic commissioner. The travel shops have been closed and any communication is by Twitter and not locally based. The Council's took the money for the replacement Eastern National bus station which isn't fit for purpose as its poor design and size means buses are dumped anywhere meaning passengers are confused or have to step out onto the road to flag buses down.
VioletEclipse
Member
I realise this is a very specific question, but I though this would be the place to ask if anyone where to know. Does anyone know what the bus service on Mersea Island was in 1999 and 2000? Having never been anywhere vaguely near the area I have no clue at all but if would be handy to know for a project.
Ooh. That would be nice. I really missed it when they axed the Colchester leg of the 133. (Not that I live there now!)
Bedford OB
Member
I can answer your question in respect of the 29 October 2000 Essex County Council North East Essex timetable. Unfortunately I have "archived" the earlier editions and cannot get at them at present. The situation as at 29 Oct 2000 was as follows:
First Eastern National 67 group ran Colchester North Station - West Mersea High Street. Every 30 mins M-S daytimes, commercial; hourly evenings, supported by Essex CC. The principal variants were 67 and 67A, alternating during the day, via Blue Row and Langenhoe (67) or Peldon Village (67A).
First Eastern National 76C provided the Sunday service, supported by Essex CC. West Bergholt to West Mersea via Colchester, Peldon Village and Blue Row. Every two hours all day.
Hedingham 176, Mondays only, East Mersea - West Mersea - Peldon - Wigboroughs - Shrub End - Stanway - Lexden - Colchester - Highwoods Tesco. Ex East Mersea 0930, return at 1230. Not listed as supported by Essex, so assumed commercial.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you need any more info.
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VioletEclipse
Member
that is very useful for the project, thanks so much for the information!
Feels like First are trying to put the squeeze on Arriva who operate the 133 from Braintree to Stansted Airport with certain projections to Colchester (numbered 132) early and late.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
That was my first thought but is this new X20 going to operate via Braintree and Dunmow? If not, then it's not much of a squeeze as those 132s are just placement journeys. Still, it's another interesting move.
Might we see some of the 66 plate e200mmc that used to work the X30 being used? Mind you, I hope it's a ticket machine swap and that 44909 isn't really on the X10 today.
northern506
Member
In the area today - can confirm it is on the service, but only operating short journeys between Wickford and Rettendon.
Bedford OB
Member
Sorry, I should have added that the timetables I mentioned are dated 5 July 1999 (67 group); 1 October 1998 (76C); and 7 September 1998 (176) - so two of the services had been unchanged throughout 1999 as well.
Adtrainsam
Member
I believe the ex-Chelmsford P&Rs are being repainted and having luggage racks installed. Those 9 (67189-67197) will be distributed between the X10 at Basildon and X20 at Colchester. Meanwhile, some of the ex-X30 MMCs will be upseated and going into Shuttles livery.
Makes sense I suppose as the ex-P&Rs have 6 cylinder engines and supposed air conditioning, whilst the ex-X10/X30s only have 4 cylinder engines (and no air con).
VioletEclipse
Member
thank you!
stevenedin
Established Member
I’ve noticed that most buses going through Ensign now are First. Have a lot of companies stopped using them since they bought Ensign?
On a First Buses Facebook group, there wax a photo of open top Ensign bus in Southend, I asked where the bus is based, as First Essex Hadleigh garage is about 7 miles away, so less dead miles than Ensign at Purfleet, which is about 25 miles away, and the reply was Purfleet
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Was that the longstanding Ensign operation of Southend open top service 68?
Think the question was weather the dealership business has been adversely impacted?
Yes it was the 68
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
The 68 has been an Ensign operation for several years. There's probably some logical reason why it makes sense for it to remain at Purfleet (e.g. fits in around other work, shortage of drivers at Hadleigh) rather than move it.
To and from Lakeside I believe
Sleepy
Established Member
Quite shocked at the state of some Chelmsford suburb routes these days - can't quite get my head round Chelmer Village being served on the Witham /Colchester route for example. Evening services look poor too. Comparative routes in Norwich 20+ years ago were slated for poor evening & Sunday services but what they have now shames Chelmsford.