First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset)

[THarris123]

So before pure speculation becomes confused with fact...

There are no bendies on the 101. It is notionally a 1 PVR Solo route.
The bendies are staying on the internal Eden contract

The B7RLEs and Scanias are not 'likely to stay'. At this stage they are all 'likely' to be surplus and are not yet allocated anywhere.

From memory we have 31 DDs to replace due to DDA but that includes the open tops.

We are about to receive 9 B7TLs from Eastern Counties to Kernow followed by about a dozen Tridents from 2 or 3 op cos. The remainder will be dealt with later in the year - we still have 8 months.

We haven't yet decided what we will convert to open top but convert we will

BoS only has 4 non DDA Tridents

Thanks for confirming all that. I assume you'll send a few Tridents to BoS then. Surprised there's only 4 non DDA in BoS.

I'm assuming the Tridents will be coming from the East, Scotland and are there a few coming from BoS?

I assume the other 10 or so will be replaced by new fleet?

 

[FSW Official]

Thanks for confirming all that. I assume you'll send a few Tridents to BoS then. Surprised there's only 4 non DDA in BoS.

I'm assuming the Tridents will be coming from the East, Scotland and are there a few coming from BoS?

I assume the other 10 or so will be replaced by new fleet?

No no no!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Thanks for the info. Regarding the FEC B7TLs, what sort of vintage will these be and will these see off the last of the Olympians?

I do understand about the B7RLEs. They've been worked hard, judging by the cosmetic internal appearance that I saw on a couple I went on.

Again, thanks for the update and look forward to more arrivals from across the empire.

The DDA cascades are to remove non DDA Tridents. We have the Olympians taken care of already. We are keeping the two L regs as additional buses though. One is in Taunton being lightly refurbished and painted as I write for the seasonal Falmouth Park and Ride contract.

 

[THarris123]

No no no!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


The DDA cascades are to remove non DDA Tridents. We have the Olympians taken care of already. We are keeping the two L regs as additional buses though. One is in Taunton being lightly refurbished and painted as I write for the seasonal Falmouth Park and Ride contract.

Ah so the Tridents are coming from Hampshire, Bath and/or Yorkshire then

 

[FSW Official]

Thanks for the info. Regarding the FEC B7TLs, what sort of vintage will these be and will these see off the last of the Olympians?

I do understand about the B7RLEs. They've been worked hard, judging by the cosmetic internal appearance that I saw on a couple I went on.

Again, thanks for the update and look forward to more arrivals from across the empire.

Ah so the Tridents are coming from Hampshire, Bath and/or Yorkshire then

No. I won't ask you for this week's lottery numbers.

 

[THarris123]

No. I won't ask you for this week's lottery numbers.

Well I'm assuming they're going to be 1, 8, 15, 33, 36, 49 and 51, but I might be wrong.

Seriously though where are those Tridents coming from? You said 2 or 3 places and i've named all of them that have Tridents.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Well I'm assuming they're going to be 1, 8, 15, 33, 36, 49 and 51, but I might be wrong.

Seriously though where are those Tridents coming from? You said 2 or 3 places and i've named all of them that have Tridents.

You've not mentioned Hampshire or Worcester

 

[THarris123]

You've not mentioned Hampshire or Worcester

I mentioned Hampshire, but forgot about Worcester - didn't think they had many anyway.

It would be nice to see some Tridents out of Hampshire head over to join the same batch of midlife stuff and then for Hampshire to get some new deckers.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I mentioned Hampshire, but forgot about Worcester - didn't think they had many anyway.

It would be nice to see some Tridents out of Hampshire head over to join the same batch of midlife stuff and then for Hampshire to get some new deckers.

Sorry - you did mention Hampshire.

I don't think Hampshire will receive anything new decker wise. Don't think Marc Reddy is so keen on them and what they have is predominantly on schools and contract work IIRC. Some of the vehicles were indeed new to First D&C and 32763 was delivered new for the Truro to Falmouth service!

Worcester has a batch of 5 delivered new and some ex London ones too

 

[richw]

So before pure speculation becomes confused with fact...

There are no bendies on the 101. It is notionally a 1 PVR Solo route.
The bendies are staying on the internal Eden contract

The B7RLEs and Scanias are not 'likely to stay'. At this stage they are all 'likely' to be surplus and are not yet allocated anywhere.

From memory we have 31 DDs to replace due to DDA but that includes the open tops.

We are about to receive 9 B7TLs from Eastern Counties to Kernow followed by about a dozen Tridents from 2 or 3 op cos. The remainder will be dealt with later in the year - we still have 8 months.

We haven't yet decided what we will convert to open top but convert we will

BoS only has 4 non DDA Tridents

I was rather confused by the comment about 101 bendies as only seen Solo or Dart doing that.
From a customer point of view, something Volvo would be best for the open toppers, Tridents really struggle up the hills on the lands end route especially out of Sennen Cove.

Is the green open topper DDA?

 

[90sWereBetter]

Well, Norwich are about to release at least ten Tridents now that their Streetdecks are in service, yet oddly two of the ten have been sent to Yarmouth instead.

 

[THarris123]

I was rather confused by the comment about 101 bendies as only seen Solo or Dart doing that.
From a customer point of view, something Volvo would be best for the open toppers, Tridents really struggle up the hills on the lands end route especially out of Sennen Cove.

Is the green open topper DDA?

Yeh sorry got confused on that - I thought the E400s were replacing the Bendies on the Eden Project service (which I thought was 101).

 

[Dart34518]

Sorry if this question has already been covered but are there still Volvo Olypians in use? If so does anyone know how long for?
Also is 34311 still in service?

Thanks in advance

Ant

 

[83G/84D]

Sorry if this question has already been covered but are there still Volvo Olypians in use? If so does anyone know how long for?
Also is 34311 still in service?

Thanks in advance

Ant

A small number of Olympians are left although I do not know exactly how many. 34311 is one of them and I saw it departing Camborne this morning. Up until recently they were fairly regular on services 1, 56, 87/90/93.

 

[Busaholic]

I saw an Olympian departing Truro Bus Stn about 15.35 today - as I was on the bypass I cannot give a bus or route number.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Sorry if this question has already been covered but are there still Volvo Olypians in use? If so does anyone know how long for?
Also is 34311 still in service?

Thanks in advance

Ant

See message 2402 from FSW Official

 

[FSW Official]

See message 2402 from FSW Official

Going fast. BoS have transferred 2 Caetano Darts, 1 Slim Solo and 2 Tridents to FK, with another Trident to follow, and a couple more as yet unidentified vehicles later this Spring.

As a result FK will now be withdrawing all Volvo Olympians imminently.

However, the two L reg examples are staying with FK for contract and hire.
...38 is in Taunton being lightly refurbished and painted for the FalRiver Falmouth Park and Ride. Similarly, the open top L reg remains (and probably will too beyond DDA).

In other news, the first cascades to replace non DDA Tridents in FK are 9 Eastern Counties B7TLs, with Tridents from EC and possibly a couple from WoE joining them, with as yet unidentified deckers following later in the year, providing enough vehicles overall to allow DDA open top conversions.

2 B10Bs are heading to BoS from WoE imminently.

2 more YSBs are likely to transfer to FK from Cymru for school and college contracts.

 

[90sWereBetter]

I think the B7TLs coming from Eastern Counties will be the 52-reg Presidents at Yarmouth, given Tridents from Norwich are being cascaded to that depot. Wonder if they'll get a repaint at long last?

 

[FSW Official]

i think the b7tls coming from eastern counties will be the 52-reg presidents at yarmouth, given tridents from norwich are being cascaded to that depot. Wonder if they'll get a repaint at long last?

32102
32103
32104
32200
32202
32207
32208
32209
32211

 

[THarris123]

Going fast. BoS have transferred 2 Caetano Darts, 1 Slim Solo and 2 Tridents to FK, with another Trident to follow, and a couple more as yet unidentified vehicles later this Spring.

As a result FK will now be withdrawing all Volvo Olympians imminently.

However, the two L reg examples are staying with FK for contract and hire.
...38 is in Taunton being lightly refurbished and painted for the FalRiver Falmouth Park and Ride. Similarly, the open top L reg remains (and probably will too beyond DDA).

In other news, the first cascades to replace non DDA Tridents in FK are 9 Eastern Counties B7TLs, with Tridents from EC and possibly a couple from WoE joining them, with as yet unidentified deckers following later in the year, providing enough vehicles overall to allow DDA open top conversions.

2 B10Bs are heading to BoS from WoE imminently.

2 more YSBs are likely to transfer to FK from Cymru for school and college contracts.

Thanks for confirming FSW. At last 62238/42 will be heading out of WoE. That means no more B10s in service in WoE anymore

Are the Tridents which are moving to Kernow from BoS DDA compliant?

 

[FSW Official]

Are the Tridents which are moving to Kernow from BoS DDA compliant?

Yes they are. The Olympia liveried one and two remaining Barbie liveried ones.

 

[83G/84D]

What are the plans for the vehicles inherited from Webbers? Replacement or retention?

 

[FSW Official]

What are the plans for the vehicles inherited from Webbers? Replacement or retention?

.
We sold the MPD without using it.

The three (not four as reported elsewhere) coaches are all on fleet at present

 

[ryson357]

Will the BoS 43821-3 be modified to DDA?

 

[83G/84D]

.
We sold the MPD without using it.

The three (not four as reported elsewhere) coaches are all on fleet at present

Thanks I was wondering if something newer from within the First coach fleet would be brought in to replace the Javelins.

 

[FSW Official]

Will the BoS 43821-3 be modified to DDA?

They're done and mot'd but awaiting certification.

 

[KendalKing]

Many thanks for the conformation, only they are missing off the online fleet list

http://www.uk-buses.co.uk/fleetlists/first.php

 

[FSW Official]

Many thanks for the conformation, only they are missing off the online fleet list

http://www.uk-buses.co.uk/fleetlists/first.php

They're officially in reserve pending DDA certification

 

[richw]

Many thanks for the conformation, only they are missing off the online fleet list

http://www.uk-buses.co.uk/fleetlists/first.php

The fleet lists on that site are inaccurate at best. There is (or was) vehicles of there that hasn't been anywhere near Cornwall or Somerset. It also has vehicles listed as withdrawn that are still in service.

 

[Dart34518]

Going fast. BoS have transferred 2 Caetano Darts, 1 Slim Solo and 2 Tridents to FK, with another Trident to follow, and a couple more as yet unidentified vehicles later this Spring.

As a result FK will now be withdrawing all Volvo Olympians imminently.

However, the two L reg examples are staying with FK for contract and hire.
...38 is in Taunton being lightly refurbished and painted for the FalRiver Falmouth Park and Ride. Similarly, the open top L reg remains (and probably will too beyond DDA).

In other news, the first cascades to replace non DDA Tridents in FK are 9 Eastern Counties B7TLs, with Tridents from EC and possibly a couple from WoE joining them, with as yet unidentified deckers following later in the year, providing enough vehicles overall to allow DDA open top conversions.

2 B10Bs are heading to BoS from WoE imminently.

2 more YSBs are likely to transfer to FK from Cymru for school and college contracts.

Many thanks for the info.
Would you say the Olypians have days or weeks left? Also is 34311 one of the ones being kept back?

Thanks for your help.

Ant

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Many thanks for the info.
Would you say the Olypians have days or weeks left? Also is 34311 one of the ones being kept back?

Thanks for your help.

Ant

FSW has said the two L regs (34138/34311) plus the open top (34137).