First Greater Glasgow

[Scotrail314209]

I'm quite curious, but is there anywhere in Glasgow that doesn't have a direct City Center bus?

 

[PaulMc7]

I'm quite curious, but is there anywhere in Glasgow that doesn't have a direct City Center bus?

Ruchill is one of the only ones I can think of although they're not miles away from other areas that do have city centre buses. There are parts of areas without one but I can't think of any other full areas that don't have them at all.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

I think the ex-FSE E400MMCs should have been used on the 61, given the fact that many of them are already branded for the 23 anyway and the refurbished B9TLs would have been better on the 60/60A and the 41 as there are more of them available to cover two routes. Unless of course there are plans to have new stock replace the 65 plate express E400MMCs and cascade them over too.

 

[overthewater]

X1 has seen a cut, 1 less bus AM Peak.. The last bus has been brought forward from 18.47 to 18.17, One of the PM journeys are gone, so basically its just every 30mins,

 

[Bus Lightyear]

I'm quite curious, but is there anywhere in Glasgow that doesn't have a direct City Center bus?

You'd be surprised.

Bellrock Street in Cranhill lost its bus service into town around 10 years ago when the 51 was withdrawn.

It's been at least 20 years since Ruchill lost the 23. Previously served by the 57 and 43.

Hawthorn Street hasn't had a bus into town since the 18 was diverted to Summerston around 20 years ago.

Kelvindale in recent years lost its bus into town.

Thorniewood hasn't had a direct bus into town for number of years although its not far from Dumbarton Road or Broomhill Cross depending where you are.

Mansewood and Hillpark only has a bus to Shawlands during the day.

 

[PaulMc7]

You'd be surprised.

Bellrock Street in Cranhill lost its bus service into town around 10 years ago when the 51 was withdrawn.

It's been at least 20 years since Ruchill lost the 23. Previously served by the 57 and 43.

Hawthorn Street hasn't had a bus into town since the 18 was diverted to Summerston around 20 years ago.

Kelvindale in recent years lost its bus into town.

Thorniewood hasn't had a direct bus into town for number of years although its not far from Dumbarton Road or Broomhill Cross depending where you are.

Mansewood and Hillpark only has a bus to Shawlands during the day.

Hawthorn St has the M3 but the rest are spot on. Surprised First don't have cover for everywhere for the city centre. Could do well if services were routed cleverly enough

 

[Bus Lightyear]

Hawthorn St has the M3 but the rest are spot on. Surprised First don't have cover for everywhere for the city centre. Could do well if services were routed cleverly enough

The places I've mentioned aren't big passenger generators and haven't been for a long time.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Hawthorn St has the M3 but the rest are spot on. Surprised First don't have cover for everywhere for the city centre. Could do well if services were routed cleverly enough

It's not a surprise, in many cases there are frequent shorter routes that connect with the main corridors.

 

[PaulMc7]

The places I've mentioned aren't big passenger generators and haven't been for a long time.

Kelvindale being the biggest surprise for a lack of customers tbh but a lot of people voted with their feet as soon as the 4A was cut. Same as Jordanhill and Knightswood too for the 4 being cut.

Definitely from experience, the 4/4A to Knightswood was busier than the X4/M4/94 are to Knightswood/Anniesland.

There's a ton of rebuild work still going on in Cranhill currently too. The 46 can still be fairly busy at times though from experience

 

[andy257]

You'd be surprised.

Bellrock Street in Cranhill lost its bus service into town around 10 years ago when the 51 was withdrawn.

It's been at least 20 years since Ruchill lost the 23. Previously served by the 57 and 43.

Hawthorn Street hasn't had a bus into town since the 18 was diverted to Summerston around 20 years ago.

Kelvindale in recent years lost its bus into town.

Thorniewood hasn't had a direct bus into town for number of years although its not far from Dumbarton Road or Broomhill Cross depending where you are.

Mansewood and Hillpark only has a bus to Shawlands during the day.

You'd be surprised.

Bellrock Street in Cranhill lost its bus service into town around 10 years ago when the 51 was withdrawn.

It's been at least 20 years since Ruchill lost the 23. Previously served by the 57 and 43.

Hawthorn Street hasn't had a bus into town since the 18 was diverted to Summerston around 20 years ago.

Kelvindale in recent years lost its bus into town.

Thorniewood hasn't had a direct bus into town for number of years although its not far from Dumbarton Road or Broomhill Cross depending where you are.

Mansewood and Hillpark only has a bus to Shawlands during the day.

that's not true the m3 goes into town from hawthorn street before that it use to be the service 3

 

[andy257]

You'd be surprised.

Bellrock Street in Cranhill lost its bus service into town around 10 years ago when the 51 was withdrawn.

It's been at least 20 years since Ruchill lost the 23. Previously served by the 57 and 43.

Hawthorn Street hasn't had a bus into town since the 18 was diverted to Summerston around 20 years ago.

Kelvindale in recent years lost its bus into town.

Thorniewood hasn't had a direct bus into town for number of years although its not far from Dumbarton Road or Broomhill Cross depending where you are.

Mansewood and Hillpark only has a bus to Shawlands during the day.

the service 157 went to ruchill via possilpark into the town

 

[Bus Lightyear]

that's not true the m3 goes into town from hawthorn street before that it use to be the service 3

I forgot the M3 went that way. I remember the old M18 from many years ago which only went as far as St George's Cross.

 

[Bus Lightyear]

Another area not linked into town is Titwood Road and Haggs Road which only has the 34/A

 

[PaulMc7]

Another area not linked into town is Titwood Road and Haggs Road which only has the 34/A

Amazed I forgot there considering I was on a 34A twice on Sunday at that very area

 

[Busman84]

The 4/4A should have been left as it was going to Knightswood. This service is defo quieter than it was now before it was cutback to Broomhill only.. I mind the late 90s/2000 era the 44A did Crookfur to Kelvindale and ran only to Kelvindale and it had a half hour service in evenings running only from City Centre to Kelvindale and 20 minute daytime (I think) while the 44/44D did Knightswood via Broomhill up to Eaglesham or Crookfur during evenings and all day Sunday. I can remember before Overground days Knightswood shared the 44 with Larkfield.

 

[PaulMc7]

The 4/4A should have been left as it was going to Knightswood. This service is defo quieter than it was now before it was cutback to Broomhill only.. I mind the late 90s/2000 era the 44A did Crookfur to Kelvindale and ran only to Kelvindale and it had a half hour service in evenings running only from City Centre to Kelvindale and 20 minute daytime (I think) while the 44/44D did Knightswood via Broomhill up to Eaglesham or Crookfur during evenings and all day Sunday. I can remember before Overground days Knightswood shared the 44 with Larkfield.

There was a lot of schoolkids who used it to Hyndland secondary from Jordanhill/Knightswood when I used it for St Thomas Aquinas. The X4 should be peak only with a 4 extending every 20/30mins to Knightswood. The X4 runs completely dead most of the time outside peaks or with 5/6 passengers at most

 

[KendalKing]

Only ever 2 things I've always believed in for operating public transport companies and they're this:

1) Investing in your fleet constantly is a must
2) Customer relations will make you or break you

As a former Transport Manager, I couldn't agree more. The biggest problem is that a lot of services, that used to make healthy profits, no longer do so.

 

[PaulMc7]

As a former Transport Manager, I couldn't agree more. The biggest problem is that a lot of services, that used to make healthy profits, no longer do so.

Yeah definitely. Far tougher market now especially with the improvements to trains. Think it's going to take a lot of innovation from First to keep the customers that they do have

 

[PaulMc7]

On the subject of innovation, "the one" is how good First can be here. Constant full buses at peaks and they are very busy most of the day even towards Glasgow until later.

Got the 17:09 1C today from Osborne St and not a seat in sight and people standing up to the very back of the bus. It's amazing that services can have success like this where they're full even with an every 3/4min frequency and there's others that struggle so much even on an every 30mins/hourly frequency.

First did fully reinvent the 204/205/215/216 series though and it shows that if they try to do more things like this then good profit can be made even in a declining industry

 

[christopherrfc]

Update
This week we have seen some more movements but these should have been posted elsewhere for viewing.

As I posted previously saying I did think it was paint shop movements rather than permanent movements this has been confirmed by what you see on the roads with express E400MMCs and E200MMCs Branded vehicles will not have the front touched.

Express services will all be getting the gold branding removed from what I have been advised. As posted above the 1st 201 vehicle has finally been branded and already been put onto the road. I do believe another has at least been done or is in the process.

Sorry for the lack of information but my info will be watered down in future so an certain someone else can get the credit

the xpress branding has been reapplied to the x3 65 plate e400mmc

 

[PaulMc7]

Was on a 6 from Battlefield Road to Scotstoun West there and it was 22mins late by the time I got off. This happens quite a lot throughout the day tbh and it does really make me think the route should be split in 2.

Clydebank to Battlefield
Renfrew Street to Calderwood is what I'd go with tbh. Would make it at least semi reliable because a 2 hour plus route that involves anywhere around Glasgow is just very impractical and rarely leads to a bus running on time.

There's a few routes that length too:

3,6,8,60 and 90 are all 2 hour plus and none are very reliable at any time of the day. Goes with the 201 in Lanarkshire too. Another 2 hour plus route that's just not reliable at all

 

[JumpinTrainz]

the xpress branding has been reapplied to the x3 65 plate e400mmc

Do you have a photo? Also has the gold been applied in full this time to the front?

 

[Scotrail314209]

Was on a 6 from Battlefield Road to Scotstoun West there and it was 22mins late by the time I got off. This happens quite a lot throughout the day tbh and it does really make me think the route should be split in 2.

Clydebank to Battlefield
Renfrew Street to Calderwood is what I'd go with tbh. Would make it at least semi reliable because a 2 hour plus route that involves anywhere around Glasgow is just very impractical and rarely leads to a bus running on time.

There's a few routes that length too:

3,6,8,60 and 90 are all 2 hour plus and none are very reliable at any time of the day. Goes with the 201 in Lanarkshire too. Another 2 hour plus route that's just not reliable at all

That situation sounds very similar to the 11 we have here. 60 minute route but buses back up most times during the day, throwing the 10 minute frequency out the window.

 

[PaulMc7]

That situation sounds very similar to the 11 we have here. 60 minute route but buses back up most times during the day, throwing the 10 minute frequency out the window.

Yeah most of our frequent buses are horrific for reliability. Most of the every 10 mins ones come in 2/3s then you get left waiting for 20/30mins just for another 2/3 to come together

 

[83G/84D]

Plea to any Glasgow locals. Whilst sat in stationary traffic on the M8 yesterday near Hillhead I noticed a blue decker parked up on display by Peter Vardy’s car store.

Anyone have an identity for it? TIA.

 

[christopherrfc]

I see from today mcgills has reg the service 72 but still from the Monday 28th October.it will be to c over the 19a coming off as the x2 is every hour

The change is minor route change within the city centre nothing to do with the 19a being withdrawn

http://www.spt.co.uk/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/service-72-booklet.pdf

 

[PaulMc7]

Given how pointless the X2 looks on the face of it I feel rather sorry for the people in Robroyston who do use the bus. Not even a connection to the Asda etc now. Been years in the making tbh. Always been a poorly bussed area even back to the days of the 11. First could even have used the 87 and extended some of them onto Robroyston Asda in a circle via Glendale then out via the roundabout instead of going back the same way

 

[Bus Lightyear]

Given how pointless the X2 looks on the face of it I feel rather sorry for the people in Robroyston who do use the bus. Not even a connection to the Asda etc now. Been years in the making tbh. Always been a poorly bussed area even back to the days of the 11. First could even have used the 87 and extended some of them onto Robroyston Asda in a circle via Glendale then out via the roundabout instead of going back the same way

I wouldn't say it's always been poorly bussed. First did try running the 11 every 15 minutes. It was also extended to Bishopbriggs for a while.

They also tried extending the 12 from Balornock to Robroyston Asda around 2009.

Going back to Strathclyde's Buses days there was the 11A every 30 minutes and the 42A via Riddrie every 30 minutes then the 42A was replaced by the 38A which for a short time extended out to Glenboig of all places. After that you had routes like the 30, 35, 58 and 59 serving the area.

 

[PaulMc7]

I wouldn't say it's always been poorly bussed. First did try running the 11 every 15 minutes. It was also extended to Bishopbriggs for a while.

They also tried extending the 12 from Balornock to Robroyston Asda around 2009.

Going back to Strathclyde's Buses days there was the 11A every 30 minutes and the 42A via Riddrie every 30 minutes then the 42A was replaced by the 38A which for a short time extended out to Glenboig of all places. After that you had routes like the 30, 35, 58 and 59 serving the area.

I think the problem is that the 11 was just horrific in terms of reliability even when congestion wasn't as big an issue as it is now. I used to use it a lot because of having family near Archerhill Road and there were countless times where it never turned up at all or was extremely late. More so than a lot of buses at that time

 

[Bus Lightyear]

I think the problem is that the 11 was just horrific in terms of reliability even when congestion wasn't as big an issue as it is now. I used to use it a lot because of having family near Archerhill Road and there were countless times where it never turned up at all or was extremely late. More so than a lot of buses at that time

Most buses serving Great Western Road are notoriously bad for timekeeping. The 11 was slightly different in that it via Woodlands Road instead of West Graham Street but it still got caught up in rush hour traffic at Charing Cross.

For a few years it went via University Avenue, Hyndland and Kelvindale but that made it a miserably slow journey for anyone travelling from Garscadden and Knightswood into town.

Going back even further during the early years of deregulation the 11 went all the way out to Cumbernauld.