First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset)

[philthetube]

Some ranty tweets and Facebook posts is what makes local journalism these days

£13 for a day ticket is eye watering though, I’d say it’s double the national average. I assume it’s to offset the higher proportion of free pass holders in Cornwall?

If they charged £13 for a day ticket on the A1A3 circuit it would be compared with the cost of other hop on hop off open top services and considered reasonable, maybe there would be a case for a cheaper ticket which did not include these routes. Maybe with a residents card for a discount.

 

[henairs]

If you buy the "plus" variant of the ticket, that covers you as far south as Yeovil/Taunton/Axminster for £12.00. Quite a good value ticket really. Not sure if it's actually sold by BoS however.

Yes quite right but your also right on the second part of your message as BOS doesn't sell it as it is a WOE ticket and how about this one for a laugh. Boarding the 75 a few weeks back at Street a lady in front of myself asked for a return to Bath from the driver to which he replied " I can't sell you that Mam as we only go to Wells and you'll need a First ticket for that and were Buses of Somerset and nothing to do with them" Right in a sort of way but the lady was very confused so I told her to catch the 376 to Wells as she could buy a through ticket on that for Bath instead.
Which proves how confusing it can be for folk who don't travel on a regular basis. As for the driver I wonder who he thinks he works for then!
It's a funny old game as Greave'sie used to say,
Mike R

 

[83G/84D]

Several Barbie Tridents have also had their Front, side and rear F logo replaced with the green Kernow sticker

. I will look out for them.

 

[83G/84D]

Rather belatedly, the new look 34137:-

 

[MB162435]

Green MMC 33312 and Tinner MMC 33466 on U1/U2 services today
Whereas Uni MMC 33475 was doing the opposite by working T1/T2 services
Trident 33153 is one of the Barbie Tridents with Kernow stickers, seen it on an 87 service earlier

 

[Busaholic]

Green MMC 33312 and Tinner MMC 33466 on U1/U2 services today
Whereas Uni MMC 33475 was doing the opposite by working T1/T2 services
Trident 33153 is one of the Barbie Tridents with Kernow stickers, seen it on an 87 service earlier

Also a Uni MMC on the AI7 to go with a Tinner: no Atlantic Coaster liveried bus, though!

 

[ClawzOneThirty]

I don't know what the point is with the Kernow stickers, unless the barbie & olympia livery presidents aren't staying then I have no clue at all..

Still no word or photos of 42560 so I'm assuming it's defective or something

 

[richw]

I don't know what the point is with the Kernow stickers, unless the barbie & olympia livery presidents aren't staying then I have no clue at all..

To put stuff in the correct trading brand possibly?

 

[83G/84D]

Anything looking half decent will have Kernow stickers applied whilst anything shabby will be repainted green.

In an ideal world this would happen, although whether the recent Trident influx is just a stop gap until more new or newer vehicles arriving I don’t know.

Maybe some repaints and new route branding coming up with the forthcoming changes to services on the Lizard?

 

[ClawzOneThirty]

True, would be nice to see some new route branding

 

[83G/84D]

Darts 43873 and 43865 at Camborne so presume these will be the next to head north sometime soon.

 

[ClawzOneThirty]

An update, 42560 has been seen out in St Austell in service, no knowledge of the route though

 

[Goldfish62]

Anything looking half decent will have Kernow stickers applied whilst anything shabby will be repainted green.

In an ideal world this would happen, although whether the recent Trident influx is just a stop gap until more new or newer vehicles arriving I don’t know.

Maybe some repaints and new route branding coming up with the forthcoming changes to services on the Lizard?

I'd be very surprised if we didn't see a new brand for the L1 and L2.

Regarding the Tridents, by rights they should all be off to the knackers yard soon. However FirstBus has a dearth of mid-life vehicles due to a bit of a hiatus on purchases 8-12 years ago. That's where retaining London would have been useful as it was unaffected.

It was reported several posts back that Kernow are purchasing 14 new buses next year, but these will be single decks. I wouldn't expect any more new double decks for a long time considering the huge number of recent deliveries.

 

[ClawzOneThirty]

I believe I remember someone talking about them in a Facebook post, apparently they're WK68 plate E200MMCs, same spec as the ones we already have, though it's only rumors.

 

[richw]

However FirstBus has a dearth of mid-life vehicles due to a bit of a hiatus on purchases 8-12 years ago. That's where retaining London would have been useful as it was unaffected.

It was reported several posts back that Kernow are purchasing 14 new buses next year, but these will be single decks. I wouldn't expect any more new double decks for a long time considering the huge number of recent deliveries.

Looking nationally within First fleets there doesn’t seem to be many deckers registered between 2002/03 and 2008.

 

[Goldfish62]

Looking nationally within First fleets there doesn’t seem to be many deckers registered between 2002/03 and 2008.

Yes, I think that's about right.

 

[83G/84D]

Trident 33127 seen at Camborne this afternoon on a westbound T2 service. About 45 minutes later E400MMC 33301 on a eastbound T2 service. First 18 plate E400MMC I have seen on Tinner duties.

Trident 33170 has green Kernow stickers applied.

 

[83G/84D]

I'd be very surprised if we didn't see a new brand for the L1 and L2.

Regarding the Tridents, by rights they should all be off to the knackers yard soon. However FirstBus has a dearth of mid-life vehicles due to a bit of a hiatus on purchases 8-12 years ago. That's where retaining London would have been useful as it was unaffected.

It was reported several posts back that Kernow are purchasing 14 new buses next year, but these will be single decks. I wouldn't expect any more new double decks for a long time considering the huge number of recent deliveries.

Whilst new vehicles are welcome when and if they come, some new Solo's should be priority to sort out the 'M6' service and other routes in time for next summer.

 

[Goldfish62]

Whilst new vehicles are welcome when and if they come, some new Solo's should be priority to sort out the 'M6' service and other routes in time for next summer.

I agree. The M6 cannot operate reliably with the current vehicles. It's a busy route, so surely the business case is there for new replacements.

 

[richw]

An update, 42560 has been seen out in St Austell in service, no knowledge of the route though

Photo posted a couple of minutes ago on First Kernow Enthusiasts page on Facebook

 

[83G/84D]

I agree. The M6 cannot operate reliably with the current vehicles. It's a busy route, so surely the business case is there for new replacements.

Not only that but the negative publicity the M6 in particular has received this year. This is not good for First Kernow's reputation and hopefully is being addressed as a priority by Alex Carter and Co.

 

[83G/84D]

Darts 43873 and 43865 at Camborne so presume these will be the next to head north sometime soon.

Both departed Camborne on trade plates today.

E400 33421 on service T1. Open top 32202 undergoing attention at Camborne and sounding very rough whilst being moved around the depot.

 

[83G/84D]

Blue E400MMC 33475 seen in Hayle on an eastbound Tinner service. E200 44079 is at Penzance depot.

 

[MB162435]

Unì MMC 33474 on 231 duties this evening from Truro College to Falmouth Moor along with another 66 plate Uni MMC and a Tinner
Whereas green E400 MMC 33312 is still on U1/U2 services with a Dennis Trident also on U1/U2 duties

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Both departed Camborne on trade plates today.

E400 33421 on service T1. Open top 32202 undergoing attention at Camborne and sounding very rough whilst being moved around the depot.

Passed those Darts about an hour ago at Stafford

 

[Blackpudding]

Blue E400MMC 33475 seen in Hayle on an eastbound Tinner service. E200 44079 is at Penzance depot.

44079 is a long way from home. I wonder what has brought it to Penzance?

 

[83G/84D]

Passed those Darts about an hour ago at Stafford

Thanks, about 8 more to go I believe.

 

[83G/84D]

Former Kernow coach AO02 RBZ didn’t stay long with Meritrule. It returned to Ensign in August.

 

[KendalKing]

Former Kernow coach AO02 RBZ didn’t stay long with Meritrule. It returned to Ensign in August.

It has now turn-up with Lawrenson, Preston

 

[83G/84D]

Tinner E400MMC 33468 seen in Penzance mid-afternoon on service A17 heading to Pendeen.