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First Midland Bluebird

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Bus Lightyear

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Could Lothian even take Midland Bluebird LTD? Would allow them to expand further west. Not sure how likely it is. What do you guys think?
Going by their recent accounts which saw their profits heavily slashed I doubt they'll have the capital to acquire a company with (at a guess) over 200 buses and 400 staff.
 
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Bus Lightyear

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It may have been mentioned "umpteen times" but given it hasn't happened yet, I'd be forgiven for not getting too excited.

It was predicted on 1st November 2012 by someone.... I forget whom :p
Apologies for going off topic with this one and I'm not having a go at any particular poster.

All of this talk of Stagecoach will buy this or National Express will buy that is, at this present time, nothing other than unsubstantiated nonsense.

My understanding is we can only assume the demerger of UK bus from the main group is still ongoing as nothing has been reported of late. Once the process is complete then the green light will be given to put up the for sale signs but until then it's as you are.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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Apologies for going off topic with this one and I'm not having a go at any particular poster.

All of this talk of Stagecoach will buy this or National Express will buy that is, at this present time, nothing other than unsubstantiated nonsense.

My understanding is we can only assume the demerger of UK bus from the main group is still ongoing as nothing has been reported of late. Once the process is complete then the green light will be given to put up the for sale signs but until then it's as you are.

This is exactly my point. Ever since 2012 and the dodgy dossier, we have had so many rumours and bits of speculation from many quarters.

Of course, the odd one did prove to be correct e.g. Stagecoach buying Chester/Wirral, and this seems to provide some form of validation for all the wild and woolly guesses. However, it completely ignores all the other multitude of rumours that proved to be BS. Also, there have been plenty of divestments that weren't predicted.

As with the rest of First Bus, they will be busy looking at how and when they divest businesses. Speculation is understandable but after many years of the old "oooh, I could X firm buying Y opco as it would make a good strategic fit", my natural cynicism is exacerbated! :p
 

overthewater

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Apologies for going off topic with this one and I'm not having a go at any particular poster.

All of this talk of Stagecoach will buy this or National Express will buy that is, at this present time, nothing other than unsubstantiated nonsense.

My understanding is we can only assume the demerger of UK bus from the main group is still ongoing as nothing has been reported of late. Once the process is complete then the green light will be given to put up the for sale signs but until then it's as you are.

Funny you never said go ahead.
 
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overthewater

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That is (at least some of) the new timetables up for this month's service changes on the First website.

Neither council it seems will pay for a daytime service between Avonbridge and Armdale. Westfield has lost its bus..
 

Jordan Adam

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I suspect i was seeing things however i am certain i saw (albeit very briefly) an ALX400 in the new FSE Blue Livery on Cambridge Street in Glasgow last night. Can anyone confirm?
 

Driver362

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Got to disagree propably one of the worst buys that FSE got into.
These were in partnership with WLC and the first day they arrived ,they were in the wrong colour,had no heaters and the pins holding the emergency doors were falling off oh and the chassis were a botched job...…2.5m down the drain the other 2,5m went to the taxpayer of WL
East Lancs fk me as bad as wrightbus
Chassis cracked on most had to be strengthend iicr a 3 way split first, what was left of east lancs and scania the self's believe East lancs quoted wrong weight of body
 

Jordan Adam

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The X36 is a massive upgrade on the X39 in terms of buses used on it tbh but having used it a few times I can understand why it's not overly busy. The train is just far too quick for it from Stirling to Glasgow and I don't think taking it out of Cumbernauld Town Centre has helped it much either

I think part of the issue is that First are trying to market these as Express services, when in reality they're more 'hopper services'. That is to say, few passengers go end to end however the bulk of the trade is in short hops (Stirling to Cumbernauld, Denny to Kilsyth... etc). The E300s i'd say are perfectly suitable especially given they're 6 speeds, but they are in need of a internal refurb.
 

PaulMc7

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I think part of the issue is that First are trying to market these as Express services, when in reality they're more 'hopper services'. That is to say, few passengers go end to end however the bulk of the trade is in short hops (Stirling to Cumbernauld, Denny to Kilsyth... etc). The E300s i'd say are perfectly suitable especially given they're 6 speeds, but they are in need of a internal refurb.

Definitely. I think out of the 4/5 times I've went to either Falkirk or Stirling by bus myself and my girlfriend have been the only ones who've went from one end to the other. I think the journeys are too long to even really be considered proper express services
 

Jordan Adam

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Definitely. I think out of the 4/5 times I've went to either Falkirk or Stirling by bus myself and my girlfriend have been the only ones who've went from one end to the other. I think the journeys are too long to even really be considered proper express services

Back in 2015 when i done a run on the X39 (on Scania 61215) i was the only passenger end to end! I've not been to Stirling/Falkirk in quite a while, but all the X35/X36/X37s i've seen looked decently loaded at the Glasgow end.
 

PaulMc7

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Back in 2015 when i done a run on the X39 (on Scania 61215) i was the only passenger end to end! I've not been to Stirling/Falkirk in quite a while, but all the X35/X36/X37s i've seen looked decently loaded at the Glasgow end.

They seem to do fairly well at times but then not good at others. I think there's potential for a profitable route there but it'll be tough to find and utilise the potential
 

Jordan Adam

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They seem to do fairly well at times but then not good at others. I think there's potential for a profitable route there but it'll be tough to find and utilise the potential

While there is demand for the services part of the issue is that Stagecoach eat up the bulk of the Cumbernauld passengers, while Scotrail take the Stirling/Falkirk passengers.
 

Gingerbus1991

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Back in 2015 when i done a run on the X39 (on Scania 61215) i was the only passenger end to end! I've not been to Stirling/Falkirk in quite a while, but all the X35/X36/X37s i've seen looked decently loaded at the Glasgow end.
Send Lothian or stagecoach out there with there coaches on these routes, you wouldn't be long in impressing those who use the x35/36/37s.

I am a big believer in the quality and comfort aspect of coach travel over buses being used on some routes.
 

Jordan Adam

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Send Lothian or stagecoach out there with there coaches on these routes, you wouldn't be long in impressing those who use the x35/36/37s.

I am a big believer in the quality and comfort aspect of coach travel over buses being used on some routes.

Again you fail to take in to account the different operating climates. Fife has a well established, profitable and very popular Park & Ride network with lots of demand for services in to Edinburgh, this means that expensive coaches are more viable. On the otherhand Stirling is a relatively small city with most of the main population centres spread out and smaller, this means that services like the 51/52 require more passengers to make them viable than say an identical length service within Glasgow. All the while the out of Park & Rides are nonexistence. It should be noted though that Stagecoach have nothing but issues with their coaches and their reliability is very poor compared to the Enviros, even on the newer B11s. This is part of the reason why NScot/Bluebird recently converted the 35 to E400MMCs.

Go to England and you'll see loads and loads of "City spec" low floors being used on routes twice as long...
 

Gingerbus1991

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Again you fail to take in to account the different operating climates. Fife has a well established, profitable and very popular Park & Ride network with lots of demand for services in to Edinburgh, this means that expensive coaches are more viable. On the otherhand Stirling is a relatively small city with most of the main population centres spread out and smaller, this means that services like the 51/52 require more passengers to make them viable than say an identical length service within Glasgow. All the while the out of Park & Rides are nonexistence. It should be noted though that Stagecoach have nothing but issues with their coaches and their reliability is very poor compared to the Enviros, even on the newer B11s. This is part of the reason why NScot/Bluebird recently converted the 35 to E400MMCs.

Go to England and you'll see loads and loads of "City spec" low floors being used on routes twice as long...
I personally don't see a problem with using deckers on the 35, but I'd like to travel on something with at least more substantial seats that basic city V3 seats or similar ones.

Was once upon a time a parks driver, the biggest problem with swivel-doors was air pressure lacking as the door wore out more, ergo they don't latch properly, I wonder if plaxton could produce a coach with a sliding plug-door? They would be much quicker to open for sure.

I've had the powered door for the luggage compartment becoming faulty before as well.

I was thinking more along the x27/x24 route which are busy, even from cumbernauld.
 

Jordan Adam

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I personally don't see a problem with using deckers on the 35, but I'd like to travel on something with at least more substantial seats that basic city V3 seats or similar ones.

Was once upon a time a parks driver, the biggest problem with swivel-doors was air pressure lacking as the door wore out more, ergo they don't latch properly, I wonder if plaxton could produce a coach with a sliding plug-door? They would be much quicker to open for sure.

I've had the powered door for the luggage compartment becoming faulty before as well.

The doors that swung in (for example on the Plaxton Interurbans) were far more reliable, another issue these huge plug doors have is that when it's windy they struggle to shut.

However these days the doors are less of an issue, the bigger issue is the use of coaches on local services like the X35/X36/X37. The coaches are not design for start stop work so the running gear gets worn out very quickly and they develop faults in mass. North Scotland for example bought 17 Interdecks in late 2015 for the Buchan Xpress network (Similar length routes as the X35/X36/X37, albeit no other competition) and by Summer 2017 most of the Interdecks were already mechanically worn out (or as the drivers put it 'past it'). Sadly now if you put one of the 08 plate E200s on a 63 along side the Interdecks, the E200 has more chance of making it back without faults. The issue with deckers on the 35 is the lack of toilet and the fact that some people may be travelling on the coach for 3+ hours.

I do agree that internally the E300s are not the best for the X35/6/7, however at a mechanical aspect they're perfectly suited and not being strained or out of their comfort zone at all.
 

Gingerbus1991

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The doors that swung in (for example on the Plaxton Interurbans) were far more reliable, another issue these huge plug doors have is that when it's windy they struggle to shut.

However these days the doors are less of an issue, the bigger issue is the use of coaches on local services like the X35/X36/X37. The coaches are not design for start stop work so the running gear gets worn out very quickly and they develop faults in mass. North Scotland for example bought 17 Interdecks in late 2015 for the Buchan Xpress network (Similar length routes as the X35/X36/X37, albeit no other competition) and by Summer 2017 most of the Interdecks were already mechanically worn out (or as the drivers put it 'past it'). Sadly now if you put one of the 08 plate E200s on a 63 along side the Interdecks, the E200 has more chance of making it back without faults. The issue with deckers on the 35 is the lack of toilet and the fact that some people may be travelling on the coach for 3+ hours.

I do agree that internally the E300s are not the best for the X35/6/7, however at a mechanical aspect they're perfectly suited and not being strained or out of their comfort zone at all.
The engineering effort at stagecoach in generally appalling across the board, I'm not surprised.

The implementation of coaches is a shaky idea, I get that, of course they make a statement which buses can usually match in more cases..

Aberdeenshire having the hills it does have should have coaches with Full-Autos, not robotised-manual gearboxes, only downside, volvo doesn't yet offer the ecolife with the 460 D11K engine even though it can cope with the torque now.

I think Volvo not offering the D13 for euro6 doesn't help matters either, but either way for such routes and stop-start these clutch
-boxes are a No no.

I'm certain VanHool for example now offers an allison T525R full-auto for the 510hp DAF MX13 engine.
 

PaulMc7

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https://www.firstgroup.com/uploads/node_images/Service_X10_X10A_TT_Bklt_A5_WEB_0.pdf

Nice timetable booklet also containing info on the history of Balfron depot and the operating area and zones which suggest to me First will be in these areas for some time yet, though like a lot of things in the bus industry things can change quickly.

I think it's things like this that can attract people to using services. They may seem small to any of us but the presentation of a service and the effort put into it from the company are pretty important. The best and most profitable services in most places are the ones that the most effort goes into
 

overthewater

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Lets see if the company actually prints the timetables. Balfron guide not been seen in ages.
 

NorthClyde320

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Lets see if the company actually prints the timetables. Balfron guide not been seen in ages.

When I was in Stirling about a month ago the bus station had a good stock of various timetables including Balfron & Balfron schools leaflet, Falkirk on the other hand is another matter, when the bus station closed the travel shop only had stock till it ran out and the library was the same. I havn't seen one in Buchanan Bus Station for some time.
 

alphabravo43

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I do have to laugh that they call it the west Stirlingshire ‘network’, having lost the 8,12 and 13 there is little that you could call a network in west Stirlingshire
 

overthewater

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When I was in Stirling about a month ago the bus station had a good stock of various timetables including Balfron & Balfron schools leaflet, Falkirk on the other hand is another matter, when the bus station closed the travel shop only had stock till it ran out and the library was the same. I havn't seen one in Buchanan Bus Station for some time.

Was the Balfron leaflet white? if so that is the council one. If you want timetables you will have to go to the depot at Head office entrance.. or on the buses around the service changes.
 

Jordan Adam

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I do have to laugh that they call it the west Stirlingshire ‘network’, having lost the 8,12 and 13 there is little that you could call a network in west Stirlingshire

The 8 was funded, so got withdrawn when budget cuts saw the funding pulled.
The B12 hasn't been lost, there merging it with the B10 to create the new X10. Arguably offering a much better service for residents as there will now be through buses with direct links to Stirling/Glasgow for those who previously would've had to change bus at Balfron.
 
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