ValleyLines142
Established Member
Those Geminis are fine. I was on one on Thursday and it was okay.
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First West of England (Bristol, Bath & The West)
- Thread starter Ivo
- Start date
Those Geminis are fine. I was on one on Thursday and it was okay.
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freetoview33
Established Member
The ex London ones I agree have seen better days but the rest are fine! Even some of the AXL400's are not too bad.
Robertj21a
On Moderation
- Joined
- 22 Sep 2013
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- 7,518
All Geminis are DDA compliant. Anything built after the 2000 Act *must* be compliant, so Y-reg onwards will generally comply (there are a few 'Y' that don't - and a few 'X' that do)
LeylandLynx
Member
- Joined
- 24 Oct 2015
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- 182
Well, I think all the 55, 56 and 05 plate Geminis should all stay (and all of the B9s). The ex London ones can hang on until all of the bio-buses arrive (assuming First's bid for them is successful), then some can start cascading elsewhere to places like Bath.
I was on 32338 today. It was rattling so much it sounded like it was going to fall apart. Around the staircase on the upper deck also looks a bit beat up too compared to the younger native Geminis. Still way better than the Tridents though. I don't know what condition the other ex London Geminis are in, this was my first one in a while.
Also, I was on 37593 on the 51.
ValleyLines142
Established Member
32338, along with 32350, is one of the howlers of the group. You do not want to be stood next to one of them when they pull off as they are noisy!
I had 37593 on the 75 last week.
I had 37593 on the 75 last week.
Private Baxter
Established Member
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My thoughts exactly. The 126 has traditionally had older buses working it anyway, and those B7s are quite suited to it imo. I'm guessing the Weston working will now be done by a B7RLE, unless some other B7 heads to WM. Anyway this is arrangement I rather like!
1905 Group
Member
I personally prefer the W reg B7TLs to the 51 reg B7TLs, the engine idle is quite awful, they have much less power with the smaller engine and the one I traveled on yesterday morning now, the seats were almost grey and the padding was so compressed it was almost level with the handle on the top! (If that makes sense?) I'll see what I can find out, if anything, about what will be moving/withdrawn, it has been said that the W reg ones will be converted to DDA, if not here then somewhere else, however don't take that as gospel as that was a little while ago and things can change!
THarris123
Established Member
Add 32342 to that list.
Generally I like the Geminis and 2003 ALX400s, but there are a few which have seen better days. I was on 32336 yesterday evening and that's a nice bus.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I think they'll do for the time being, but i'd like to think we'll see 66732-4 head to Wells and displace 60912-4 back to BoS. It won't happen though
ValleyLines142
Established Member
47553 made an appearance on the 42 yesterday!
Didn't know 32342 was a howler as well, will have to look out for some more today!
Didn't know 32342 was a howler as well, will have to look out for some more today!
Private Baxter
Established Member
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I think they'll do for the time being, but i'd like to think we'll see 66732-4 head to Wells and displace 60912-4 back to BoS. It won't happen though
Now there's a great idea! But yeah, 'fraid it won't happen.
I think they'll do for the time being, but i'd like to think we'll see 66732-4 head to Wells and displace 60912-4 back to BoS. It won't happen though
Can the 126 really justify B7RLEs particularly with the competition from WB?
FSA/FB can't just get rid of all its cr*p elsewhere on a whim!! Given what a modern fleet WS now has, seems a bit rich......
THarris123
Established Member
126 already has B7RLEs - Weston only has 54/55 reg B7 and E200s. The E200s are used on 3 and A2, therefore Weston usually has a B7 on its 1 126 board. It does justify B7s, but the age of them doesn't have to be modern.
And you have to remember that we've just inherited a load of crap from Norwich, Leicester and Yorkshire, so it's inevitable that they'll move on soon enough.
ValleyLines142
Established Member
Did someone say 37019 went back to Hengrove? If so, it's back at Lawrence Hill! It's on the 2 in Henleaze, Stockwood bound.
THarris123
Established Member
John staited (see what I did there
) that 37019 might go back to Hengrove but it hasn't yet happened. I naturally assumed it had (of which i'm wrong )
ValleyLines142
Established Member
John staited (see what I did there
Clever!
Oddities today include 43849 and 66347 on the 2 and 66721 on the X5, which are all disappointing as there should.now be enough deckers to prevent these saloons from appearing on such routes.
THarris123
Established Member
Thanks. I try my best
I agree it is disappointing - but what single deck services are left for LH now - they have a number of darts still and B7s, but what do they go on? Now the 17/A has gone DD, we're probably going to see more single decks roaming around unfortunately.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Depends what you mean by justification...
IMHO, the Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse is a great machine and that's something that's borne out with drivers, maintenance guys, fleet engineers etc. In terms of passenger comfort, they're good machines and especially for inter-urban, cross country runs.
However, in terms of the financial justification, I continue to find it odd that they've now got 59 plates on the 377, and even more so on the 375. The 375 is very lightly loaded south of Street. Especially as 6 months ago, it was deemed sufficient for T and V reg Darts!
I can't see B7Ls heading to BoS - they spent enough time getting rid of them. And, in truth, I can't see the other B7Ls going anywhere after FB/FSA. Baza585 has echoed what I've said in the past - you have to have a balanced fleet profile and the crap has to go somewhere.
Out of interest, what has happened to the former Devon fleet that was on loan to Stagecoach? There's another 4 B7Ls awaiting a home
Out of interest, what has happened to the former Devon fleet that was on loan to Stagecoach? There's another 4 B7Ls awaiting a home
They are still working for Stagecoach but the new E200MMCs are starting to arrive so they should be released soon. See http://www.plymothiantransit.com/ (article dated 15 Jan 16)
Private Baxter
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Depends what you mean by justification...
IMHO, the Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse is a great machine and that's something that's borne out with drivers, maintenance guys, fleet engineers etc. In terms of passenger comfort, they're good machines and especially for inter-urban, cross country runs.
However, in terms of the financial justification, I continue to find it odd that they've now got 59 plates on the 377, and even more so on the 375. The 375 is very lightly loaded south of Street. Especially as 6 months ago, it was deemed sufficient for T and V reg Darts!
I can't see B7Ls heading to BoS - they spent enough time getting rid of them. And, in truth, I can't see the other B7Ls going anywhere after FB/FSA. Baza585 has echoed what I've said in the past - you have to have a balanced fleet profile and the crap has to go somewhere.
Out of interest, what has happened to the former Devon fleet that was on loan to Stagecoach? There's another 4 B7Ls awaiting a home
Agreed. Wells have actually done pretty well (surprisingly well in fact) out of the recent movements, and now have an enviable modern fleet. But the older stuff has to go somewhere, and WS need to take their share of it, so seemed like an appropriate home for 60912-4, even though they aren't the greatest. Ironically it would appear that WM and WS now have the least oldest buses. Is there anything older than 67000 at WM?
Understand your points about 375/377, and a little surprised too. I suppose they want to keep the Wells to Street section looking fairly strong (a regular connection served either by brand new streetdecks, or six year old B7RLEs, and also I suppose to provide decent vehicles against Webberbus. I realise loadings south of Street are thin, but don't forget these buses worked these routes from new, although admittedly that is when there was a connection with 376.
freetoview33
Established Member
Saw First Yellow School Bus out training earlier! (In Stoke Bishop)
THarris123
Established Member
Wow - drive from Bristol to Bath at about 8-9 and there's normally about 2/3 going past.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Agreed about Wells, but sending the 54 reg B7s would have been preferred and by now they can be considered as old.
Yes 67600 is the oldest thing in service at Weston, but there are the training vehicles based there (I thought).
377 wasn't connected to 376 when the 59 plates were introduced.
father_jack
Member
- Joined
- 26 Jan 2010
- Messages
- 1,125
Saw 47553 inbound 42 Church Road around 1730 yesterday indeed.
And 47559 same just now (1730) today. Maybe on both return workings you had to "express yourself" if you genuinely want to get on and go to the extremity of the route while all the short trippers packed out the bus. This is a real issue that is not being dealt with and as long as singles turn up it won't change.
And on another note it doesn't help that the platform is allowed to be crowded and the driver zooms past stops as if full- on the 44 I've just gotten off there were plenty seats on both decks...... :mad:
THarris123
Established Member
Don't know whether the driver put up the wrong display, but 47555 was on 3 through the city centre.
32088 and 32941 seen on 75/76
32088 and 32941 seen on 75/76
I think you will find they were.
THarris123
Established Member
When did the change go through to separate them? I started using the bus to Street September 2010 and they weren't connected then.
ValleyLines142
Established Member
There's some real rare workings today, including:
47558 on the 42
47555 on the 3
66327 on the X74 UWE shorts
32347 on the 70
37594 on the 90
33825 on the X6
47558 on the 42
47555 on the 3
66327 on the X74 UWE shorts
32347 on the 70
37594 on the 90
33825 on the X6
Whiteway215
Established Member
Some sightings in Bath this evening.
The Wells Dart 42968 on the 10 (unless it had been in BH for maintenance?)
The 14 had two deckers-30867 32349
47545 on 13 (first time I've seen a Streetlite on that route)
Plus 66939 on 17A in Keynsham
The Wells Dart 42968 on the 10 (unless it had been in BH for maintenance?)
The 14 had two deckers-30867 32349
47545 on 13 (first time I've seen a Streetlite on that route)
Plus 66939 on 17A in Keynsham
THarris123
Established Member
I thought I saw a Gemini on 70 this evening. Very odd workings all around.
ValleyLines142
Established Member
Indeed, especially the two Streetlites.