First Greater Glasgow

[alphabravo43]

Indeed, in reply to being asked if it has left Glasgow he states it has not.

https://x.com/zak_nelson22/status/1772571658030658028?s=46&t=c3twmV5vkBvlIcNCtqHEFg

Image of the entire bus in the electric livery has been posted by Zak.

https://x.com/zak_nelson22/status/1772607464698999286?s=46&t=c3twmV5vkBvlIcNCtqHEFg

TikTok - Make Your Day

Link above is to a video by Zak on TikTok explaining things better, it’s the 1st First bus in Scotland in this livery and will be appearing in a marketing video.

 

[LT02 NVV]

TikTok - Make Your Day

Link above is to a video by Zak on TikTok explaining things better, it’s the 1st First bus in Scotland in this livery and will be appearing in a marketing video.

That’s interesting, hopefully it’s in service again soon.

 

[EMU303]

The new livery is miles better than the urban livery. It has so much more character and it’s very striking unlike its predecessor.

Having a standard livery will prevent the constant cycle of repaints too.

I think the branding is pretty anonymous. I’m surprised by how small the “First” labelling is. Blink and you’d miss it. Perhaps it doesn’t really matter since passengers will be looking up at the destination display for their bus.
But I thought the company might have gone with something like “First Electric” with an easily applied/removed “serving Glasgow” (apply your own location) below it.

 

[G42]

I think the Olympia livery had the right idea with the First emblem in isolation - no text.

“From First Bus” works best in the context of Bee Network or another local master brand. “Electric” is a bit too generic.

 

[fife_circle]

Perhaps there will be ‘Glasgow’ on the livery somewhere much like the Leeds and Norwich examples after the bus has been used in the campaign, in the video he mentions it is a national one.

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

New lecky livery is a cracker.

 

[SarahDFIG]

I have noticed a few airport buses running today with branding either all removed or partially. Anyone any idea's what is happening with them? new branding or they getting electrics?

Edit: Looking on Flickr it looks like they have just had a repaint to freshen them up

 

[route101]

I have noticed a few airport buses running today with branding either all removed or partially. Anyone any idea's what is happening with them? new branding or they getting electrics?

Edit: Looking on Flickr it looks like they have just had a repaint to freshen them up

They are coming up for five years old. I guess they are not getting replaced soon.

 

[JD2168]

Indeed, in reply to being asked if it has left Glasgow he states it has not.

https://x.com/zak_nelson22/status/1772571658030658028?s=46&t=c3twmV5vkBvlIcNCtqHEFg

Image of the entire bus in the electric livery has been posted by Zak.

https://x.com/zak_nelson22/status/1772607464698999286?s=46&t=c3twmV5vkBvlIcNCtqHEFg

The electric livery looks much better than First Urban livery which is a bit dreary.

 

[SarahDFIG]

Spotted a ex London E200 parked in Overtown today. Never caught fleet number

 

[jazza374]

Spotted a ex London E200 parked in Overtown today. Never caught fleet number

44449 is definitely there. Possibly 44445 as well. Been mentioned elsewhere that ADL200 MMC’s 44679-44690 are off lease as from 18th April and the ex London vehicles are replacing them at Overtown.

 

[LT02 NVV]

44449 is definitely there. Possibly 44445 as well. Been mentioned elsewhere that ADL200 MMC’s 44679-44690 are off lease as from 18th April and the ex London vehicles are replacing them at Overtown.

According to a First Glasgow driver who I’ve spoken to at GVVT (Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust) today, some of the E200s at Caley are moving to Overtown, with one or two more to join the E200s at Dumbarton.

Also, currently one or two of the ex-Manchester Gemini’s have been repainted.

 

[smtglasgow]

ADL200 MMC’s 44679-44690 are off lease as from 18th April and the ex London vehicles are replacing them at Overtown.

Given their age the 09 plates must be a temporary fix – even with a refurb, a 15 year old ex-London E200 is still a 15 year old ex-London bus – so hopefully more electrics will allow something more modern to reach Overtown sooner rather than later.

I always thought the Lanarkshire locals did OK, but maybe the numbers don’t stack up to support new(ish) buses.

 

[cnjb8]

Given their age the 09 plates must be a temporary fix – even with a refurb, a 15 year old ex-London E200 is still a 15 year old ex-London bus – so hopefully more electrics will allow something more modern to reach Overtown sooner rather than later.

I always thought the Lanarkshire locals did OK, but maybe the numbers don’t stack up to support new(ish) buses.

Electric buses are uneconomical to purchase without government funding at the moment, and because First have promised not to buy diesel buses anymore it means that cascades of older diesel buses will be required unless funding becomes available or the price of ZEBs becomes economical enough to be bought without government funding

 

[92002]

N

Electric buses are uneconomical to purchase without government funding at the moment, and because First have promised not to buy diesel buses anymore it means that cascades of older diesel buses will be required unless funding becomes available or the price of ZEBs becomes economical enough to be bought without government funding

No doubt an electric bus lease could be arranged if the will was there to become emission free.

 

[Noddy1]

N

No doubt an electric bus lease could be arranged if the will was there to become emission free.

So which Government has withdrawn funding, Holyrood or Westminster? There seems to be plenty of new electrics being ordered in England with First almost entirely ordering from Wrightbus rather than ADL or anyone else. Are you saying that First will only cascade old buses to Scotland? That was certainly the case as far as deckers were concerned for First Glasgow about seven to ten years ago when any "new" deckers were cascades from London or other parts of England. I don't think ADL would be too happy if bus companies in Scotland stopped ordering new vehicles because of lack of funding.

 

[cnjb8]

So which Government has withdrawn funding, Holyrood or Westminster? There seems to be plenty of new electrics being ordered in England with First almost entirely ordering from Wrightbus rather than ADL or anyone else. Are you saying that First will only cascade old buses to Scotland? That was certainly the case as far as deckers were concerned for First Glasgow about seven to ten years ago when any "new" deckers were cascades from London or other parts of England. I don't think ADL would be too happy if bus companies in Scotland stopped ordering new vehicles because of lack of funding.

Westminster just announced ZEBRA funding which is why some English operators are ordering buses. Holyrood I believe isn't providing funding to any bus operators in Scotland for ZEBs at the moment, just to some coach operators

 

[92002]

N

Electric buses are uneconomical to purchase without government funding at the moment, and because First have promised not to buy diesel buses anymore it means that cascades of older diesel buses will be required unless funding becomes available or the price of ZEBs becomes economical enough to be bought without government funding

No doubt an electric bus lease could be arranged if the will was there to become emission free.

Westminster just announced ZEBRA funding which is why some English operators are ordering buses. Holyrood I believe isn't providing funding to any bus operators in Scotland for ZEBs at the moment, just to some coach operators

Holyrood has had their budget cut by Westminster and are spending it in other areas that they deem is more important.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Blantyre is getting EV charging ports so I imagine some sort of electric order is going to follow otherwise they wouldn’t bother.

Plus the B9TLs will be coming up for renewal in the very near future so they’ll require a pretty big order to replace them - no doubt new generation E400EVs making the fleet almost all ADL minus the Streetlites.

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

They've bought brand new MCV Evora Volvo B8RLEs for Manchester so promising not to buy new diesels is kinda debunked

 

[LT02 NVV]

I’m near Caley depot right now, and I just saw 34394 pass me being towed after having a crash (pictured below). I also saw a possible Dumbarton Streetlite (dunno what number) and E300 (67723) enter Caley.

 

[cnjb8]

They've bought brand new MCV Evora Volvo B8RLEs for Manchester so promising not to buy new diesels is kinda debunked

Sorry, I should have added that the promise goes for 'non-contracted' routes, so services like Bee Network, East Midlands Airport, the Hinckley Point buses are still eligible for diesel buses

 

[LT02 NVV]

I’m near Caley depot right now, and I just saw 34394 pass me being towed after having a crash (pictured below). I also saw a possible Dumbarton Streetlite (dunno what number) and E300 (67723) enter Caley.

Does anyone know what happened to it?

 

[Volvodart]

37738 is now in the current livery, previously Glasgow Corporation livery.

 

[G42]

Does anyone know what happened to it?

It last tracked on the 89B to Torrance.

According to local Facebook pages, there was an accident involving a car and a bus at Torrance roundabout.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

37738 is now in the current livery, previously Glasgow Corporation livery.

Perhaps with the new Glasgow electric livery being introduced - First don’t want too many different liveries flying around in Glasgow.

 

[SarahDFIG]

Perhaps with the new Glasgow electric livery being introduced - First don’t want too many different liveries flying around in Glasgow.

It was due a repaint as when I seen it about a week ago or so I noticed the rear emergency exit door had new panels which weren't painted yet.

 

[LT02 NVV]

It last tracked on the 89B to Torrance.

According to local Facebook pages, there was an accident involving a car and a bus at Torrance roundabout.

So it must of been that then.

37738 is now in the current livery, previously Glasgow Corporation livery.

And I’m pretty sure 37189 is being repainted into urban right now. But if I’m wrong, feel free to correct me.


NEW POST
Did 37145 get scrapped or something? Bus seems to have been removed from most fleet list sites recently.

 

[ScotRail158725]

So it must of been that then.


And I’m pretty sure 37189 is being repainted into urban right now. But if I’m wrong, feel free to correct me.


NEW POST
Did 37145 get scrapped or something? Bus seems to have been removed from most fleet list sites recently.

37145, 203, 266, 269, 270, 272 are all off fleet and have been for months. They’re all lying in bits in Caley depot.

 

[LT02 NVV]

37145, 203, 266, 269, 270, 272 are all off fleet and have been for months. They’re all lying in bits in Caley depot.

37266 and 32769 haven’t been out into service for like a year now. I do remember that 37145 was out back from October 2023, to January 2024 (as I did catch it on the 38/38B/38E, 57/57A, and X3 a couple of times).

I’m pretty sure that 37145, 37266, and 37269 are now spare donors (I don’t know about 37270, and 37272 [the latter being still listed on bus-times]). I also don’t get why 37203 was withdrawn, but not 37201, which has its engine sounding like its on it’s last legs at this point, even after it got de-branded from the 61 with a repaint, it still sounds really rough.