First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset)

[fgwrich]

Former First Kernow & Western Greyhound Optare Solo YJ55 YGN (53406) along with YJ05 XNV (53205) are now with Trustybus, Essex according to the Fleet news section in the latest Buses Magazine. They were disposed of by FK to Ensign in April.

Indeed they have:

Green Goblet: Trustybus (ex First South West) Optare Solo M880 YJ55YGN Stansted Road Stansted Mountfitchet 11/05/20

Disclaimer: Precisely zero walking humans encountered during this brief 20 minute dose of walking exercise and the coincided photo stop. With the ongoing global situation and a discouragement on using public transport except for key and essential personnel, much of the transportation system in...

www.flickr.com

That YJ55YGN is a certain little solo with an unfortunate (or cursed) history, having previously been K50WGH - One of the Solos bought down to Cornwall during the Smith and Bishop takeover of Western Greyhound from the Velvet fleet (and before Velvet was left to die off). I believe it was refurbished at some considerable expense and fitted with Wifi, right before Greyhound was finally closed down, and was their last vehicle to run on the road as well. It also happened to be the vehicle that Mr Bishop once proudly proclaimed would be "representing the future of Western Greyhound"...

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

So I wonder if FK will sign up to it. I doubt if CC cares either way. Seems that their idea of an integrated bus network excludes anything not operated by TfC.

See a separate thread has been started.

 

[Goldfish62]

Reported on Facebook that the remaining E400MMCs are moving to SPS on loan.

 

[richw]

Reported on Facebook that the remaining E400MMCs are moving to SPS on loan.

3 went Up yesterday afternoon. 33318,20,21

 

[83G/84D]

3 went Up yesterday afternoon. 33318,20,21

33479 was in Camborne a few days ago, I assume that will be going or it may have already gone.

 

[MB162435]

33479 was in Camborne a few days ago, I assume that will be going or it may have already gone.

Apparently it's already up there, in service today

 

[83G/84D]

Apparently it's already up there, in service today

Okay thanks.

 

[MB162435]

Okay thanks.

No worries, asked the same question on Facebook, wonder why it didn't go up with 33450-78 instead of a green one?

 

[richw]

33314-15-16 ready for SpS collection today.
New customer notices applied on 37178,

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

33314-15-16 ready for SpS collection today.
New customer notices applied on 37178,

Kudos to FK for producing some extremely professional notices.

 

[Goldfish62]

Kudos to FK for producing some extremely professional notices.

They look to be corporate First Bus, but as you say, very professional.

 

[richw]

Kudos to FK for producing some extremely professional notices.

They look to be corporate First Bus, but as you say, very professional.

Believe they are national group notices.

 

[83G/84D]

Trident 32757 is in Camborne today as is barbie Optare Solo 53801.

 

[Lizard1324]

Trident 32757 is in Camborne today as is barbie Optare Solo 53801.

32757 was being stored at helaton depot with the lizard tridents so either its being serviced or getting ready for service which is likely considering we lost some e400mmc to sps yesterday

 

[richw]

32757 was being stored at helaton depot with the lizard tridents so either its being serviced or getting ready for service which is likely considering we lost some e400mmc to sps yesterday

There is a service uplift 1st June also needing more vehicles. 4 presidents at Summercourt being recommissioned also

 

[MB162435]

Solo SR 53257 on U1/U2s today, been working out of Falmouth for the past few days looking at the tracker, but first time I seen it in person today, quite weird seeing an SR on a U1, a service it would of probably never touched if life carried on as normal, only the 3rd single to work a U1 I believe apart from the 07:20 U1 from Falmouth Moor to Penryn Campus that was booked a single that went on to Helston to work the 69A back, 42358 and a Solo have done the full route before

 

[Lizard1324]

There is a service uplift 1st June also needing more vehicles. 4 presidents at Summercourt being recommissioned also

Didn't realise there was any president left in cornwall apart from the two duel door, pride and poppy ones.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Didn't realise there was any president left in cornwall apart from the two duel door, pride and poppy ones.

Is that not the four?

 

[richw]

Is that not the four?

No 8 remain. 33111/2, 33141, 33143, 33172/4/6, 33181

 

[Lizard1324]

Does anyone know what services will be uplifted on June 1st

 

[MarkC]

Have First delayed service uplift until June 14th as Stagecoach have in Devon?

 

[richw]

Have First delayed service uplift until June 14th as Stagecoach have in Devon?

Staff rosters are done in place for 1st uplift

 

[MarkC]

Staff rosters are done in place for 1st uplift

Fair enough it must be just Stagecoach then. They planned uplift from 25th May apparently buy have now delayed this until mid June. Not sure what happened there?

 

[83G/84D]

32757 was being stored at helaton depot with the lizard tridents so either its being serviced or getting ready for service which is likely considering we lost some e400mmc to sps yesterday

Some of the Lizard Tridents are in Camborne too, I can check to see which one's if anyone wants to know.

 

[Lizard1324]

Some of the Lizard Tridents are in Camborne too, I can check to see which one's if anyone wants to know.

Ye that would be good, they must all be about to return to service, not sure if they will be needing all the lizard tridents but there is a lot of tourist around at the moment so they might start the new l1 but very unlikely or servicing before college, if they open for June 15th?

 

[83G/84D]

Ye that would be good, they must all be about to return to service, not sure if they will be needing all the lizard tridents but there is a lot of tourist around at the moment so they might start the new l1 but very unlikely or servicing before college, if they open for June 15th?

Routes like the A17, T1, T2 & U4 were almost exclusively worked by Solo's up until around 3-4 weeks ago but now the majority of services are Gemini's presumably for social distancing measures. As for what the Trident's may be used on come next month I don't know. I always thought the original pre coronavirus plan was for the Gemini's to be mainly used on Truro College services but I expect with the E400MMC's away that has changed somewhat, at least for the time being.

The A17, T1 & T2 are still carrying very few passengers even with reduced capacity due to social distancing measures from my limited observations.

 

[MB162435]

Routes like the A17, T1, T2 & U4 were almost exclusively worked by Solo's up until around 3-4 weeks ago but now the majority of services are Gemini's presumably for social distancing measures. As for what the Trident's may be used on come next month I don't know. I always thought the original pre coronavirus plan was for the Gemini's to be mainly used on Truro College services but I expect with the E400MMC's away that has changed somewhat, at least for the time being.

The A17, T1 & T2 are still carrying very few passengers even with reduced capacity due to social distancing measures from my limited observations.

The U1 earlier, even when being worked by 53257 was nearly empty, stopped twice in Penryn so was either waiting time quite a bit or was being kept busy

Bus stops are starting to pick up again, in Falmouth and Penryn anyway with workers and shoppers

 

[Busaholic]

Routes like the A17, T1, T2 & U4 were almost exclusively worked by Solo's up until around 3-4 weeks ago but now the majority of services are Gemini's presumably for social distancing measures. As for what the Trident's may be used on come next month I don't know. I always thought the original pre coronavirus plan was for the Gemini's to be mainly used on Truro College services but I expect with the E400MMC's away that has changed somewhat, at least for the time being.

The A17, T1 & T2 are still carrying very few passengers even with reduced capacity due to social distancing measures from my limited observations.

An A17 PZ bound near Crowlas at 11.00 this a.m. had about ten on the top deck: didn't have time to scrutinise lower deck. A s/d in. Lizard livery was working a U4 on Monday

 

[richw]

An A17 PZ bound near Crowlas at 11.00 this a.m. had about ten on the top deck: didn't have time to scrutinise lower deck. A s/d in. Lizard livery was working a U4 on Monday

10 is a full top deck on the social distancing layout!

 

[Busaholic]

10 is a full top deck on the social distancing layout!

Umm - I couldn't stake my life on there being ten, of course, viewed from a car going in the opposite direction, but I was trained in the matter decades ago when working in L.T. Buses Timing Section and the person training me would brook no argument!