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First Hampshire & Dorset (Wessex, Dorset & South Somerset)

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Towers

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TheGrandWazoo said:
It's a solidly ok livery but can't say I'm particularly bowled over by it.
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Indeed, same here. What never ceases to amaze me is that each and every one of these new liveries that operators introduce still seem to be credited to external design agencies, despite them all having been identikit copies of one another for about the last decade or two! You'd think that this one could easily have been drawn up by someone less "qualified" (and less expensive, probably!) than a design agency, as it's hardly complex or cutting edge, but there we go!
 
TheGrandWazoo

TheGrandWazoo

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Towers said:
Indeed, same here. What never ceases to amaze me is that each and every one of these new liveries that operators introduce still seem to be credited to external design agencies, despite them all having been identikit copies of one another for about the last decade or two! You'd think that this one could easily have been drawn up by someone less "qualified" (and less expensive, probably!) than a design agency, as it's hardly complex or cutting edge, but there we go!
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I think that's to underplay what good design actually involves and how difficult it is to get right. You just have to see the Stagecoach approach to see how you can get it wrong!

I am generally a fan of Best Impressions and the work they do and, of course, it extends much further than just a logo and a livery (depending on the terms of reference you wish to give them) and some of the promo stuff they produce is superb - see Exmoor Coaster as an example.

This one however.... It's just a bit 6 or 7/10. Not bad but nothing particularly exciting either.
 
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embers25

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TheGrandWazoo said:
This one however.... It's just a bit 6 or 7/10. Not bad but nothing particularly exciting either.
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Whilst not bad,it will definitely not create desire so money wasted in my view. Compare to any Kernpw livery and its second rate unfortunately.
 
Flange Squeal

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Marcus Fryer said:
Funny they should choose blue, as that colour’s also used by Go South Coast in Southampton. Is this livery restricted to Portsmouth?
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The ‘Solent’ operating area covers Portsmouth and Fareham, running out of the Hilsea and Hoeford depots. Their Southampton routes are to remain as ‘City Reds’.

The ‘Solent’ network does run into Southampton with the X4/5 Solent Rangers, but these already operate with vehicles with blue fronts anyway.
 
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Marcus Fryer

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Flange Squeal said:
The ‘Solent’ operating area covers Portsmouth and Fareham, running out of the Hilsea and Hoeford depots. Their Southampton routes are to remain as ‘City Reds’.

The ‘Solent’ network does run into Southampton with the X4/5 Solent Rangers, but these already operate with vehicles with blue fronts anyway.
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Thanks for the clarification.
 
Jamesbus80

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Wasn't really sure where to put this as there isn't a Hampshire section for First Hants, Dorset & Berkshire, but the Bristolian Volvo B9TLs are now beginning to play on the usual service network down. We've had 37626 out for two days on the Solent Ranger X4 and X5 routes (Southampton - Fareham - Portsmouth (X4) / Gosport (X5) and 37338, 37348 and 37621 are all out to play today. Prior to today, they have only been out on limited school routes and Rail Replacement services.

The branding appears untouched and I note they have only fairly recently been painted into these colours - does anyone know if they are just loans?


First Solent 37626 - WX58JYN by Southern England Bus Scene, on Flickr
37626 taken on the first day in proper service, pictured down Locks Heath Centre with an X4 for Portsmouth.


First Solent 37348 - WX57HLJ by Southern England Bus Scene, on Flickr
37348 pictured in Titchfield Common with an X5 for Gosport - this is the only one in this colour and branded for the 5.


First Solent 37621 - WX58JYG by Southern England Bus Scene, on Flickr
37621 again down Locks Heath centre but this morning with an X5 for Southampton.

Hope these are of interest,
James
 
cnjb8

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Jamesbus80 said:
Wasn't really sure where to put this as there isn't a Hampshire section for First Hants, Dorset & Berkshire, but the Bristolian Volvo B9TLs are now beginning to play on the usual service network down. We've had 37626 out for two days on the Solent Ranger X4 and X5 routes (Southampton - Fareham - Portsmouth (X4) / Gosport (X5) and 37338, 37348 and 37621 are all out to play today. Prior to today, they have only been out on limited school routes and Rail Replacement services.

The branding appears untouched and I note they have only fairly recently been painted into these colours - does anyone know if they are just loans?


First Solent 37626 - WX58JYN by Southern England Bus Scene, on Flickr
37626 taken on the first day in proper service, pictured down Locks Heath Centre with an X4 for Portsmouth.


First Solent 37348 - WX57HLJ by Southern England Bus Scene, on Flickr
37348 pictured in Titchfield Common with an X5 for Gosport - this is the only one in this colour and branded for the 5.


First Solent 37621 - WX58JYG by Southern England Bus Scene, on Flickr
37621 again down Locks Heath centre but this morning with an X5 for Southampton.

Hope these are of interest,
James
Click to expand...
Some have been saying that Trident E400s are on the way from West of England.
 
Wessexbuses

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69550 BF12 KWO (Branded for Service 4) on Service 1/10 this evening, Even staying on late to do the last Service 10 to Dorchester at 2213 & the last Service 1 to Portland at 2315

Some other notable workings from today
37998 on Service 1
69542 on Service 8 working the 1822, 1917 & 2009 trips

Also of note, 65025 is in Bridport Garage this evening (pictured below)51769737827_b4a222010b_o.jpg
 
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carlberry

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Jamesbus80 said:
Wasn't really sure where to put this as there isn't a Hampshire section for First Hants, Dorset & Berkshire, but the Bristolian Volvo B9TLs are now beginning to play on the usual service network down. We've had 37626 out for two days on the Solent Ranger X4 and X5 routes (Southampton - Fareham - Portsmouth (X4) / Gosport (X5) and 37338, 37348 and 37621 are all out to play today. Prior to today, they have only been out on limited school routes and Rail Replacement services.

The branding appears untouched and I note they have only fairly recently been painted into these colours - does anyone know if they are just loans?

James
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It makes sense to loan them as they're Euro 6 which Portsmouth needs now but Bristol can wait until Summer next year. Logically they'd be replaced in Portsmouth and go back to Bristol to replace something that's not Euro 6.
 
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route101

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Interesting seeing the double decks on the X4/X5, makes a pleasant change from Streetlites. Seldom see double deckers on the X4/X5.

Can anyone help with discontinued First Hampshire routes around Southampton and Hampshire?
 
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dgl

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Going by what has been said on the FHD forum weymouth is to recieve some more deckers from Bristol, supposedly an order was put in for Streetdecks but trials deemed them unsuitable so they will be going to weston instead.

Weymouth will supposedly gain,
33965 - SN65ZDA
33966 - SN65ZDC
33967 - SN65ZDD
33968 - SN65ZDE
33969 - SN65ZDF
33970 - SN65ZDG
33971 - SN65ZDH
With a full refurb done before entry in to service.

Supposedly 37580-3/5/6 are to leave for Solent after being upgraded to Euro 6 (these are the second lot of new busses for the X53) and 33699 will also return (one of the solent branded ex.manchester E400's).
All the current Wessex or JC branded E400's and the Greenline Eclipses will be staying.

And lastly somewhat interesting, one of the OmniCity's was on driver training duties the other day.
 
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Callum15632

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dgl said:
Going by what has been said on the FHD forum weymouth is to recieve some more deckers from Bristol, supposedly an order was put in for Streetdecks but trials deemed them unsuitable so they will be going to weston instead.

Weymouth will supposedly gain,
33965 - SN65ZDA
33966 - SN65ZDC
33967 - SN65ZDD
33968 - SN65ZDE
33969 - SN65ZDF
33970 - SN65ZDG
33971 - SN65ZDH
With a full refurb done before entry in to service.

Supposedly 37580-3/5/6 are to leave for Solent after being upgraded to Euro 6 (these are the second lot of new busses for the X53) and 33699 will also return (one of the solent branded ex.manchester E400's).
All the current Wessex or JC branded E400's and the Greenline Eclipses will be staying.

And lastly somewhat interesting, one of the OmniCity's was on driver training duties the other day.
Click to expand...
What refurb are they having done before entry into service? And when are they supposed to be coming from Bristol to Weymouth?
 
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dgl

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Going by what's been posted on the FHD forums the first ex. Bristol E400MMC should be in service by the end of March. Streetlites are on order for the Eclipse Busway and probably half of the E200MMC's being displaced will leave FHDB for other parts of First. Streetlites displaced by the E200MMC's staying may end up in Dorset.

Summer frequency improvements may not happen due to driver shortages and extra capacity might have to be settled for instead, the X52, however, will be returning.

I wonder if theer will be anything new this summer, using the lack of a summer uplift to provide the drivers or if even without the summer uplift there still isn't the capacity for any new innovation.
 
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RELL6L

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There was a piece on Radio 4 this morning saying how the winter Sunday X53 service between January and March this year is being funded by an Alan Williams of Bridport. First were going to withdraw completely and he has stumped up for retention of a pair of return journeys from Weymouth to Axminster. He keeps the revenue and the income from passes but pays the cost of a driver, fuel and presumably some contribution towards the operating costs of a vehicle, obviously already available. Deckers are being run, I wonder what the fuel cost is. Overall he reckoned it was going to cost about £3,000 for something like 8-10 weeks, I wasn't quite sure. That didn't seem like a great deal - but jolly generous of him!
 
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CD

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RELL6L said:
There was a piece on Radio 4 this morning saying how the winter X53 service between January and March this year is being funded by an Alan Williams of Bridport. First were going to withdraw completely and he has stumped up for retention of a pair of return journeys from Weymouth to Axminster. He keeps the revenue and the income from passes but pays the cost of a driver, fuel and presumably some contribution towards the operating costs of a vehicle, obviously already available. Deckers are being run, I wonder what the fuel cost is. Overall he reckoned it was going to cost about £3,000 for something like 8-10 weeks, I wasn't quite sure. That didn't seem like a great deal - but jolly generous of him!
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That is the Sunday service, not the Monday-Saturday which is as normal.
 
[.n]

[.n]

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Incredibly generous - he also funded the service a few years ago
 
cnjb8

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dgl said:
Going by what's been posted on the FHD forums the first ex. Bristol E400MMC should be in service by the end of March. Streetlites are on order for the Eclipse Busway and probably half of the E200MMC's being displaced will leave FHDB for other parts of First. Streetlites displaced by the E200MMC's staying may end up in Dorset.

Summer frequency improvements may not happen due to driver shortages and extra capacity might have to be settled for instead, the X52, however, will be returning.

I wonder if theer will be anything new this summer, using the lack of a summer uplift to provide the drivers or if even without the summer uplift there still isn't the capacity for any new innovation.
Click to expand...
Also it’s been reported that six or so StreetDecks from Leeds are going to Southampton. These will displace some StreetLites to Essex
 
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