First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset)

[richw]

I know - that's what I said

That reg was on 32930 which is a Trident but is now affixed to a similar looking (in terms of bodywork); however, the new open toppers are B7TLs

I know you did.

The grille being the giveaway, nearside = Trident, offside = Volvo,

 

[FSW Official]

I would assume that they have a programme to get them all converted and that it is just later on the list.

Yes, we stopped at 7 conversions due to concerns about being able to get them all certified in time for today, so have 7 converted and 3 still closed top.

We'll give the open tops a few days to settle down (buses are generally temperamental if they've sat around for any length of time), then later this week we'll probably cut 1 of the Presidents, followed closely by the 2nd.

Once those two are complete we'll turn our attention to the Alexander, which we're likely to convert differently.

 

[richw]

Yes, we stopped at 7 conversions due to concerns about being able to get them all certified in time for today, so have 7 converted and 3 still closed top.

We'll give the open tops a few days to settle down (buses are generally temperamental if they've sat around for any length of time), then later this week we'll probably cut 1 of the Presidents, followed closely by the 2nd.

Once those two are complete we'll turn our attention to the Alexander, which we're likely to convert differently.

32209 seemed to have some issues this afternoon when I was on it. It's also got water leaking through the ceiling at the back nearside.

Car drivers seem to be oblivious to the size of a bus, we watched with amusement of some of them trying to squeeze through tiny gaps rather than give way to the buses, a few yards back where the road was wider!

My only feedback, hopefully constructive, this morning when I was at Penzance the drivers weren't coming round to pick up until xx43, presumably as their duty says. 2 seperate services I saw had so many passengers it took between 10 and 15 minutes to load, and punctuality was gone. The number of passengers were positive. Every A1 I saw was full and standing downstairs with varying numbers upstairs. If possible bring the buses to pick up earlier, although maybe this can't be done with meal breaks etc.

 

[fgwrich]

The newly converted Dennis Tridents were in service for the first time today on the Atlantic Coaster.
I photographed the first departure of the year from St Ives (0915) at Portherras Cross provided by 32104 (MIG6096) and the 0946 from Land's End at Higher Bojewyan provided by 32103 (MIG4760) this morning with the latter driver giving me a cheery wave!

Very Smart indeed! My only concern, and I notice it's one that has been picked up in the comments on Flickr as well is the use of the light blue around the destination screen. Whether it appears better in reality I don't yet know, but I think it distracts you a little bit too much from reading the LED Destination Screen - Certainly in bright sunlight I reckon you'll see the turquoise before the destination.

I Noticed a mention earlier of Dart 42860 (TT03TRU), Having used that on occasions last year and this year in my opinion it'd be one to let go. It Sounded and rode rather rough, not helped at all by the Urban seats on it too. Id rather see the livery transferred to a more benefiting and longer lasting vehicle.

 

[co-tr-paul]

Maybe some of the new coming single deckers could be route branded for the Helston Branch line route 37 Lizard to Redruth in chocolate and cream !?

 

[LAIRA]

[
My only feedback, hopefully constructive, this morning when I was at Penzance the drivers weren't coming round to pick up until xx43, presumably as their duty says. 2 seperate services I saw had so many passengers it took between 10 and 15 minutes to load, and punctuality was gone. The number of passengers were positive. Every A1 I saw was full and standing downstairs with varying numbers upstairs. If possible bring the buses to pick up earlier, although maybe this can't be done with meal breaks etc.[/QUOTE]

Nothing changes here then!!
Penzance drivers are famous for not arriving on the stand until departure time or later. As you say perhaps some extra time should be added in the duty or a controller to supervise these movements.

 

[83G/84D]

Presumably using the 20 day exemption. Fair enough.

Not sure if the exemption applies to the bus regardless of opco. So, for instance, could FHD and FSW swap and use each other's open top Olympians for a further 20 days, after the original 20 days with the original opco have been used up? Just wondered. anyone know?

I was told that the 20 days are applicable regardless of which part of the company it is based at. If it moves from say. Weymouth to Penzance the time served in Weymouth applies and there is no " 20 days" from transfer to another depot.Perhaps FSW Official can confirm.

 

[Busaholic]

I was told that the 20 days are applicable regardless of which part of the company it is based at. If it moves from say. Weymouth to Penzance the time served in Weymouth applies and there is no " 20 days" from transfer to another depot.Perhaps FSW Official can confirm.

Common sense would say you're right, otherwise if an operator had enough depots they could operate a non-compliant bus all year. However, this is 2017 in a post-truth world, so who can say>

 

[richw]

I was told that the 20 days are applicable regardless of which part of the company it is based at. If it moves from say. Weymouth to Penzance the time served in Weymouth applies and there is no " 20 days" from transfer to another depot.Perhaps FSW Official can confirm.

20 days per company. Although all under the first umbrella, they're all seperate companies.

 

[richw]

My only feedback, hopefully constructive, this morning when I was at Penzance the drivers weren't coming round to pick up until xx43, presumably as their duty says. 2 seperate services I saw had so many passengers it took between 10 and 15 minutes to load, and punctuality was gone. The number of passengers were positive. Every A1 I saw was full and standing downstairs with varying numbers upstairs. If possible bring the buses to pick up earlier, although maybe this can't be done with meal breaks etc.

Nothing changes here then!!
Penzance drivers are famous for not arriving on the stand until departure time or later. As you say perhaps some extra time should be added in the duty or a controller to supervise these movements.

There was a controller present. But if their duty card says bring it to the stop at 1043, it will likely be their break ends at 1043 which is a legal requirement. We were nearly 15 late before we left the bus station.

 

[DaveHarries]

Maybe some of the new coming single deckers could be route branded for the Helston Branch line route 37 Lizard to Redruth in chocolate and cream !?

Sounds interesting. What are they likely to be?

Also what sort of vehicles get used on the Falmouth-Helston-Penzance service these days? I have seen photos of single deckers but also a double-decker at Prothleven which was on Google Earth. Does the 2 ever justify deckers?

Dave

 

[embers25]

There was a controller present. But if their duty card says bring it to the stop at 1043, it will likely be their break ends at 1043 which is a legal requirement. We were nearly 15 late before we left the bus station.

My 1505 A17 to St Ives was on the stop at 1458 as my heavily delayed A3 arrived from Lands End. We were only 5 late at St Just then for some reason there is a tractor procession around the St Just and Lands End area today which we had to follow from St Just to Sennen and then we caught it again near Porthcurno so we had to reverse a long way. Who approves such things on a Bank Holiday and why?? The poor driver did the best he could but didn't stand a chance. Good to see D506GHY out again! Also credit to Kernow for the way all the Atlantic Coasters look on the outside...ok my one from Newquay to St Ives wasn't open top and was very run down inside but outside it looked great. Lets hope the branding and increased frequency boosts patronage as it really is a great service now even if the D-regs have to go soon

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Sounds interesting. What are they likely to be?

Also what sort of vehicles get used on the Falmouth-Helston-Penzance service these days? I have seen photos of single deckers but also a double-decker at Prothleven which was on Google Earth. Does the 2 ever justify deckers?

Dave

Yeah, it was mainly Tridents last time I enjoyed it. It perhaps doesn't enjoy the most modern stock.

My first experience of it was 20 years ago with a 1980 V reg Leopard so not much has changed - not the most modern of fleet then.

 

[Busaholic]

The 2 is predominantly decker operated.
Citybus open topper, in the new green livery, seen going into the depot from the PZ direction this evening. Is it 38006? Was it in service today?

 

[FSW Official]

Sounds interesting. What are they likely to be?

Also what sort of vehicles get used on the Falmouth-Helston-Penzance service these days? I have seen photos of single deckers but also a double-decker at Prothleven which was on Google Earth. Does the 2 ever justify deckers?

Dave

fantasy!!!

 

[Goldfish62]

I was told that the 20 days are applicable regardless of which part of the company it is based at. If it moves from say. Weymouth to Penzance the time served in Weymouth applies and there is no " 20 days" from transfer to another depot.Perhaps FSW Official can confirm.

It's 20 days by vehicle. It can't be swapped between companies to circumvent the regulations.

 

[FSW Official]

It's 20 days by vehicle. It can't be swapped between companies to circumvent the regulations.

We've no intention of swapping them around. The third should be available shortly.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

We've no intention of swapping them around. The third should be available shortly.

The third?

There's 39137 (which looks very smart) and 38006 from Somerset. Which is the third example?

BTW, thank you for all your updates recently. Much appreciated at a time when you've doubtless got a lot more pressing jobs to do.

 

[richw]

The third?

There's 39137 (which looks very smart) and 38006 from Somerset. Which is the third example?

BTW, thank you for all your updates recently. Much appreciated at a time when you've doubtless got a lot more pressing jobs to do.

38004 I assume, as it was being kept you've used for tree lopping.

 

[83G/84D]

The third?

There's 39137 (which looks very smart) and 38006 from Somerset. Which is the third example?

BTW, thank you for all your updates recently. Much appreciated at a time when you've doubtless got a lot more pressing jobs to do.

I think you mean 34137 not 39137. 34137 having a rest at Camborne this morning.

Did someone mention a second Citybus at one point or did I dream that?!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I think you mean 34137 not 39137. 34137 having a rest at Camborne this morning.

Did someone mention a second Citybus at one point or did I dream that?!

Yes, a typo from me - meant 34137. Not expecting an e400H to be working.

I was thinking that there was another Citybus but was that the potential treelopper? Like you, I've heard "something" but so much stuff gets said, I can't recall what and where on the FantasyFirst scale it sits

 

[FSW Official]

Yes, a typo from me - meant 34137. Not expecting an e400H to be working.

I was thinking that there was another Citybus but was that the potential treelopper? Like you, I've heard "something" but so much stuff gets said, I can't recall what and where on the FantasyFirst scale it sits

Yes 38004 is under MOT prep

 

[83G/84D]

Busaholic - printed summer timetables were available today at Camborne bus station. I picked one up this morning from a rapidly emptying box outside the office. Hopefully they are available elsewhere as well.

 

[richw]

Busaholic - printed summer timetables were available today at Camborne bus station. I picked one up this morning from a rapidly emptying box outside the office. Hopefully they are available elsewhere as well.

The controller at Penzance had a box positioned next to the tenporary stop flag post on Sunday

 

[richw]

There's an optare metrodeck demonstrator at Camborne. Something different to hopefully see in service whilst it's here?

 

[embers25]

The controller at Penzance had a box positioned next to the tenporary stop flag post on Sunday

Timetable books were next to the bus stop in Penzance, in St Austell station and on every bus I was on on Sunday and were being taken by passengers. An excellent book by all accounts. well done First. the only question I have is why First don't publicise Ride Cornwall better on buses given being able to use trains too really makes it very attractively priced.

 

[83G/84D]

There's an optare metrodeck demonstrator at Camborne. Something different to hopefully see in service whilst it's here?

Thanks, I didn't see it this morning. Where is it parked and what colour scheme is it in?

 

[83G/84D]

Timetable books were next to the bus stop in Penzance, in St Austell station and on every bus I was on on Sunday and were being taken by passengers. An excellent book by all accounts. well done First. the only question I have is why First don't publicise Ride Cornwall better on buses given being able to use trains too really makes it very attractively priced.

Emphasising your point, Ride Cornwall leaflets seem to be at some railway stations but rarely at bus stations.

 

[richw]

Thanks, I didn't see it this morning. Where is it parked and what colour scheme is it in?

It's in orange and it was to the side of the bus wash in the photo sent privately to me. There is a photo on Facebook in the first bus enthusiast group

 

[83G/84D]

It's in orange and it was to the side of the bus wash in the photo sent privately to me. There is a photo on Facebook in the first bus enthusiast group

Thanks.