First Greater Glasgow

[KendalKing]

Another airport decker left ADL tonight, SK19 EOP.

33103

 

[laststop@96]

Seen 5 ex first glasgow deckers in m8 recovery hillington the back one was a 53 plate alx400 with windows and panels missing is this m8 stripping this or has the panels and windows been removed in depot for buses still in service.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

New batch of E400City’s for the Airport 500 at Caley this morning. 1 was unbranded.

Not long left for the current E200MMCs.

 

[Volvodart]

I thought the launch was not until 13 April, so they would have some time yet.

 

[lastbus]

I thought the launch was not until 13 April, so they would have some time yet.

Buses will probably be on the road prior to the launch one has already been out for a short while.

 

[Volvodart]

Seems odd to leave the launch for so long then!

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Saw an ex-Caley Streetlite on the 240 today. Also saw an unbranded 68 plate E200MMC on the 240 yesterday and then again today.

The new stock is being delivered pretty early on in the year I wonder if anymore stuff will arrive or whether it’ll be next year now.

 

[SarahDFIG]

Saw an ex-Caley Streetlite on the 240 today. Also saw an unbranded 68 plate E200MMC on the 240 yesterday and then again today.

The new stock is being delivered pretty early on in the year I wonder if anymore stuff will arrive or whether it’ll be next year now.

68 plate been on 240 most of the week. From what I was told more due this year.

 

[route101]

68 plate been on 240 most of the week. From what I was told more due this year.

Yeah , was on one few days back , are they shorter than the 65 plates ?

 

[route101]

Two new airport buses were out in the City Centre but not in service .

Also seen LT02NWC trident on 19 yesterday and running not in service along Glassford st , maybe heading to depot and last run?

ALX 400s on 31 mostly with some on 19/46 and 60. One failed on 31 yesterday .

 

[route101]

Most of the caetano darts are in pretty good condition.

The seating inside is very tight , sit on the left hand side as the step rises in the bus . My legs were jammed against the seat in front, and im only 5 7

 

[route101]

New airport bus was in service for a bit today

Seen two on training runs , you sure it was in service?

 

[route101]

Never thought i would see the day avondale buses running buses 4 year younger than first glasgow on drumchape/clydebank and duntocher/clydebank

Avondale fleet always seems dodgy to me

 

[route101]

Perhaps a good example of a "Anti-Decker" operator was GRT/First Aberdeen. From 1988 to 2008 the only deckers they bought were 6 B7TLs in 2000, they only bought these because Culter Terminus on the 19 was unsuitable for Artics, if the terminus has been a normal style loop no doubt those 6 B7TLs would have been B7LAs.

Another point to note perhaps is on most standard deckers you can only realistically get 1 Buggy/wheelchair space before you start eating away too much at the lower deck seating capacity.

More deckers in Aberdeen now im sure ?

Dundee struck me as a singles city too .Maybe more now.

 

[route101]

In part, you have to to remember the issues with First Group nationally. For instance, with the large batch of 62 plate e300s, they'd had 4/5 years of significant underinvestment following the Laidlaw purchase nationally. PSVAR regs were fast approaching and they had a very old fleet so it made sense to invest in large numbers of single deckers rather than a smaller number of doubles.

In addition, there are certain bus company managers who just do not like double deckers because of the downsides - a large part of the travelling public being pensioners who are less enamoured with walking up stairs, longer dwell times at stops, increased level of vandalism etc. Seen this in the past with other major urban operations (e.g. both Stagecoach and Arriva in Merseyside) where deckers were out of fashion for a while.

Actually prefer deckers , old people can sit downstairs while the abled go upstairs . Hard to alight from a busy single , i will wait for a 61 over a 240 or 2

 

[route101]

The 66 used to be every 10 mins, mostly Scanias and some tri-axle Nordics (there were only 10 of the Nordics I think).
If I remember correctly, when the low height E400s arrived, they changed the 66 from every 10 to 12 minutes as it was to be all decker.
When Simplicity started, and renumbered the 6, it went back to every 10 minutes. (I think it was to give a 5 minute service with the 5 and 6 between Battlefield and St Enoch).
I suppose they don’t feel at 10 minute service that it needs to be all decker.
When I see the 6 it is mostly decker but do see some singles on it. It probably works for most of the day until the single deckers hit at peak times!
As they were brought in for the 12 min service, not sure if they could have run that at 10 mins but they have cut the Clydebank to Mountblow part, I’d guess they could run most of it if not all as decker.
They put some single deckers on the 38s at times, including peaks which wasn’t good. Now the 38 is all decker.
When First brought in the E300s, the focus was on single decks, they made that clear that it was the plan, lower cost buses/ fuel costs etc but is good to see that they realise Glasgow need deckers.

Was every 7 mins at one stage im sure . Then every 10 mins . I think it was every 20 in evenings then cut to every 30. I think on THU, fri and Sat night few extraservice are needed .

In 2007 there was Busby - Glasgow short workings during the day .

Seems about 50:50deckers to singles . Certainly not the best route for every 12 mins , been waiting more than that

 

[route101]

B10BLE on 38 this evening

 

[Jordan Adam]

More deckers in Aberdeen now im sure ?

Dundee struck me as a singles city too .Maybe more now.

First Aberdeen operate 32 deckers now (25 E500s, 12 Gemini's), so yes much more! The E500s were reluctantly (at the time) accepted as they were the only "big" option to replace the ageing Artics, had local management had their way new artics would have been bought. To compare in 2015 we had 36 Artics and only 20 deckers (12 Geminis, 8 Presidents).

 

[Gingerbus1991]

Was every 7 mins at one stage im sure . Then every 10 mins . I think it was every 20 in evenings then cut to every 30. I think on THU, fri and Sat night few extraservice are needed .

In 2007 there was Busby - Glasgow short workings during the day .

Seems about 50:50deckers to singles . Certainly not the best route for every 12 mins , been waiting more than that

Realistically what would the frequimcy have to be on the 6 for it to be singles all day?

 

[38A-Z]

Realistically what would the frequimcy have to be on the 6 for it to be singles all day?

Just did a bit of arithmetic on this, if they were happy to make it all double decker at 12 minute frequency, to go all single, the closest would be 9 single deckers per hour. So following the frequency of the 2, ie 6mins then 7mins then 7 mins, then 6/7/7/6/7/7.

 

[route101]

Just did a bit of arithmetic on this, if they were happy to make it all double decker at 12 minute frequency, to go all single, the closest would be 9 single deckers per hour. So following the frequency of the 2, ie 6mins then 7mins then 7 mins, then 6/7/7/6/7/7.

Thing is its hard to keep it at that frequency!

Trident on 31 today , has to be last time ha

 

[Gingerbus1991]

Just did a bit of arithmetic on this, if they were happy to make it all double decker at 12 minute frequency, to go all single, the closest would be 9 single deckers per hour. So following the frequency of the 2, ie 6mins then 7mins then 7 mins, then 6/7/7/6/7/7.

Ive not been the far west of glasgow in a while, that must means that most people will likely use the 2 over the likes of the 6 in the clydebank area?

If for what ever reason the 6 could run as singles on a slightly increased frequency could the 6A not be changed to the x6 limited-stop or something on a reduced frequency?

 

[38A-Z]

Ive not been the far west of glasgow in a while, that must means that most people will likely use the 2 over the likes of the 6 in the clydebank area?

If for what ever reason the 6 could run as singles on a slightly increased frequency could the 6A not be changed to the x6 limited-stop or something on a reduced frequency?

Sorry, I just meant the 6 could use a similar frequency that the 2 uses if all single decker, didn’t mean that they interwork as the 2 serves all Dumbarton Rd but the 6 moves over to Great Western Road. The 6A would still be needed for GWR. The 6 at all single decker, 9 per hour, would give nearly the same capacity as double deckers at every 12 mins so to reduce the 6A or make it limited stop would then massively reduce the capacity on GWR.

The current 6/6A gives an every 5 minute service on GWR which is why I suppose it makes sense to run each at every 10 mins rather than the 6 running at a higher frequency on singles.

 

[route101]

Ive not been the far west of glasgow in a while, that must means that most people will likely use the 2 over the likes of the 6 in the clydebank area?

If for what ever reason the 6 could run as singles on a slightly increased frequency could the 6A not be changed to the x6 limited-stop or something on a reduced frequency?

I think the 2 and 6 take similar time . Maybe the 2 a little longer , Partick is a Slog yet so is GWR road. The 1 services are more attractive going to town , you see people changing to them at Scotstoun.

I think the southern portion of the 6 is a little busier .

The 6A should be a different number or retained 20

 

[route101]

Sorry, I just meant the 6 could use a similar frequency that the 2 uses if all single decker, didn’t mean that they interwork as the 2 serves all Dumbarton Rd but the 6 moves over to Great Western Road. The 6A would still be needed for GWR. The 6 at all single decker, 9 per hour, would give nearly the same capacity as double deckers at every 12 mins so to reduce the 6A or make it limited stop would then massively reduce the capacity on GWR.

The current 6/6A gives an every 5 minute service on GWR which is why I suppose it makes sense to run each at every 10 mins rather than the 6 running at a higher frequency on singles.

GWR road and the windy run through town is what kills the 6 running to time (other routes too)

6A is quite well used to Drumchapel from Town . The 6 i think is link from Clydebank /Yoker to the Gartnavel .

 

[awsnews]

I think the 2 and 6 take similar time . Maybe the 2 a little longer , Partick is a Slog yet so is GWR road. The 1 services are more attractive going to town , you see people changing to them at Scotstoun.

I think the southern portion of the 6 is a little busier .

The 6A should be a different number or retained 20

The 6 does very little business to the west of Anniesland with the 2 being busier along Dumbarton Road in general. The one services seem to pick up the city bound passengers, in addition to changing at Scotstoun quite a few people change from the 2 to the 1 services at Clydebank. Those heading to Gartnavel from Clydebank appear to be using the M11 more these days.

 

[route101]

The 6 does very little business to the west of Anniesland with the 2 being busier along Dumbarton Road in general. The one services seem to pick up the city bound passengers, in addition to changing at Scotstoun quite a few people change from the 2 to the 1 services at Clydebank. Those heading to Gartnavel from Clydebank appear to be using the M11 more these days.

Id thought the M11 would be less attractive with lesss frequent service . I take it goes into the Hospital grounds?

 

[awsnews]

Id thought the M11 would be less attractive with lesss frequent service . I take it goes into the Hospital grounds?

Yes, the M11 does go into the Hospital itself. Of late it has been using larger buses although recently transferred 44906 has become a regular of late. https://flic.kr/p/2fhrELX

 

[Swanny200]

First Aberdeen operate 32 deckers now (25 E500s, 12 Gemini's), so yes much more! The E500s were reluctantly (at the time) accepted as they were the only "big" option to replace the ageing Artics, had local management had their way new artics would have been bought. To compare in 2015 we had 36 Artics and only 20 deckers (12 Geminis, 8 Presidents).

I'm racking my brain trying to work out what artic options would be available now for Aberdeen apart from Citaro's

 

[Jordan Adam]

I'm racking my brain trying to work out what artic options would be available now for Aberdeen apart from Citaro's

There's none other than the Citaro G, however if a decent order was proposed i'm sure Wright would put the Eclipse body on the B8RLEA chassis. As i think is well known at this point ADL flat out refuse to build Artics.