First West of England (Bristol, Bath & The West)

[D2007wsm]

The U1 MMCs appear to be getting the TV screen displays as I passed one with a mount that had a coming soon sign on

That make take a while, it certainly did last year with the P&R E400MMCs.

 

[henairs]

Hi All,
Took a trip up to Bath yesterday and noted 3 of the new Deckers whilst there. 36801/802/806 were working around the Bus Stn area on according to Display a festival feeder service but didn't see any passengers around.
As this was early afternoon maybe any festival goers had travelled earlier so this was a lull period?
Any local folk on here know what was going on?
Also just up Dorchester Street outside the railway Stn was ex FHD B10 66201 which is now in a purple/ mauve livery and owned by Bath Theatre Company.
Cheers, Mike R

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Hi All,
Took a trip up to Bath yesterday and noted 3 of the new Deckers whilst there. 36801/802/806 were working around the Bus Stn area on according to Display a festival feeder service but didn't see any passengers around.
As this was early afternoon maybe any festival goers had travelled earlier so this was a lull period?
Any local folk on here know what was going on?
Also just up Dorchester Street outside the railway Stn was ex FHD B10 66201 which is now in a purple/ mauve livery and owned by Bath Theatre Company.
Cheers, Mike R

Hi Mike

It was the Yonder Festival next door to BSU. Started at 1300 so you're probably right that most patrons would already have travelled.

That B10BLE is a semi permanent fixture outside the station!!!

 

[henairs]

Hi Mike

It was the Yonder Festival next door to BSU. Started at 1300 so you're probably right that most patrons would already have travelled.

That B10BLE is a semi permanent fixture outside the station!!!

Ta for info on the above Wazoo. I remember now it was indeed Yonder Festival.
Hopefully the new Scanias will do the odd trip on the U1 on a Saturday as I would like to sample one internally.
Cheers, Mike R

 

[CD]

Hopefully the new Scanias will do the odd trip on the U1 on a Saturday as I would like to sample one internally.
Cheers, Mike R

Are you planning to eat one Mike?

 

[D2007wsm]

Ta for info on the above Wazoo. I remember now it was indeed Yonder Festival.
Hopefully the new Scanias will do the odd trip on the U1 on a Saturday as I would like to sample one internally.
Cheers, Mike R

They were out on U1s during the week, with temporary Uni Bus stickers under the windscreen and on the back and advert panels on the sides. Why couldn't similar treatment be given to the 2 hired red buses to stop confusion?

I think a far sensibleler solution for company's hiring out buses would be to paint them white or another neutral colour. There is an abundance of ex London red buses round the country.

 

[mic]

First Somerset B7s 69220/21/24/25 where transffered back up North to Manchester yestaday

 

[Marcus Fryer]

Has the UWE service been changed so that it no longer serves Broad Weir? The stop doesn't feature in the online timetables, although departure times are still shown at the stop. Despite the inbound service seeming to operate normally, no outbound buses turned up yesterday for the 17:17 or 17:47 departures.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Some rather concerning (and perhaps not unexpected) news on the FHD forum from Simon Nicholas (who is usually pretty reliable on such things).

Looks like another round of winter service cuts are coming for First Dorset with some Weymouth locals (3,4,8) losing their Sunday service, and the X53 coming off and so Bridport drops off the public transport map.

Moreover, the prognosis for next year is not said to be good. I think we all expected the Slowcoaster to go but apparently, traffic congestion into the town is effectively removing any growth on the key Dorchester Road corridor. Having been to Weymouth a couple of times this year, I can understand that problem!

Shame as it had seemed that Weymouth was on the up (before the strike action) with new Streetlites, Solos and modern cascades with the ex Eclipse Volvos.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

They were out on U1s during the week, with temporary Uni Bus stickers under the windscreen and on the back and advert panels on the sides. Why couldn't similar treatment be given to the 2 hired red buses to stop confusion?

I think a far sensibleler solution for company's hiring out buses would be to paint them white or another neutral colour. There is an abundance of ex London red buses round the country.

Hire fleets usually are white but perhaps Ensign (is it them?) have painted these red for TfL area rail/tube replacement?

Certainly, some vinyls (perhaps across the top deck windows so as not to damage the paintwork) might have been a good idea as well as adverts?

 

[D2007wsm]

Hire fleets usually are white but perhaps Ensign (is it them?) have painted these red for TfL area rail/tube replacement?

Certainly, some vinyls (perhaps across the top deck windows so as not to damage the paintwork) might have been a good idea as well as adverts?

They're not from Ensign, they're from Dawson's. Were collected from Milton Keynes.

 

[90sWereBetter]

Apparently a pair of Glasgow B7 Geminis have arrived at Weston depot.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

They're not from Ensign, they're from Dawson's. Were collected from Milton Keynes.

Thanks - I kept asking as was unsure

 

[D2007wsm]

Apparently a pair of Glasgow B7 Geminis have arrived at Weston depot.

And there should be more to come!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

And there should be more to come!

Interesting and poses a few questions. Naturally, any idea on IDs/age but also are these loans or are they in place of extra e400s?

What with service cuts (e.g. 18,77), service enhancements (U1 and extra Bath uni requirements), B7Ls seemingly due to go and a delayed Metrobus (?), it is certainly what news correspondents would say is "an emerging picture".

BTW, saw 60914 on the 76 on Friday. One of the shabbiest vehicles I have seen for a long time!

 

[D2007wsm]

Interesting and poses a few questions. Naturally, any idea on IDs/age but also are these loans or are they in place of extra e400s?

What with service cuts (e.g. 18,77), service enhancements (U1 and extra Bath uni requirements), B7Ls seemingly due to go and a delayed Metrobus (?), it is certainly what news correspondents would say is "an emerging picture".

BTW, saw 60914 on the 76 on Friday. One of the shabbiest vehicles I have seen for a long time!

2 are to supplement the E400s, so the X1-X4 can be fully decker operated again. The other 10 are to replace single deckers on another Weston service. Which in turn, will free up newer singles in some form, which will hopefully finally get rid of the B7Ls.

Apparently they will be 2004/2005 plates. I don't know if this is a stop gap until more E400s or Streetdecks can be sourced.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

2 are to supplement the E400s, so the X1-X4 can be fully decker operated again. The other 10 are to replace single deckers on another Weston service. Which in turn, will free up newer singles in some form, which will hopefully finally get rid of the B7Ls.

Apparently they will be 2004/2005 plates. I don't know if this is a stop gap until more E400s or Streetdecks can be sourced.

There's TWELVE of them coming. Crikey! I'm assuming that the other Weston service can only be the 7

I did think that with the loss of the 18 and 77 that it would permit the B7Ls to move on anyway? There won't be much that isn't a decker soon

 

[D2007wsm]

There's TWELVE of them coming. Crikey! I'm assuming that the other Weston service can only be the 7

I did think that with the loss of the 18 and 77 that it would permit the B7Ls to move on anyway? There won't be much that isn't a decker soon

Yep that is what I was told from a reliable source.

 

[Whiteway215]

What route are the Darts used on in W-s-M? Although Steve reports two of these have come to Bath.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

What route are the Darts used on in W-s-M? Although Steve reports two of these have come to Bath.

Steve reporting that it's a straight swap (sort of) with deckers heading for Weston, losing 2013 Streetlites from Hengrove. Interesting deal (esp when Cymru lost their 2014 ones but got 2012 B9s)!

As for Bath Darts, what replaced those ones now allocated to the U2?

 

[Whiteway215]

As for Bath Darts, what replaced those ones now allocated to the U2?

I don't know officially but I assumed some of 32008, 32351/2, 66725/934/6 had indirectly replaced the four Bath Darts now used on the U2. There are still only three Darts in the Unibus purple so far. 42916 was the fourth bus today.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I don't know officially but I assumed some of 32008, 32351/2, 66725/934/6 had indirectly replaced the four Bath Darts now used on the U2. There are still only three Darts in the Unibus purple so far. 42916 was the fourth bus today.

The disposition of vehicles vs. the additional uni vehicles does make it difficult to work it out. 32351 was working the 39 yesterday so didn't hang around!

 

[D2007wsm]

What route are the Darts used on in W-s-M? Although Steve reports two of these have come to Bath.

Usually the Darts are confined to the 3s, but do substitute for Streetlites on the 7s. They do also appear on 5s should an E200 be unavailable and on occasion turn up in Bristol on X6-X9.

 

[Private Baxter]

Steve reporting that it's a straight swap (sort of) with deckers heading for Weston, losing 2013 Streetlites from Hengrove. Interesting deal (esp when Cymru lost their 2014 ones but got 2012 B9s)!

As for Bath Darts, what replaced those ones now allocated to the U2?

I agree it is hard to figure it all out, but I think Bath had a bit of a pvr drop after the loss of the 38 so that accounts for a few of the darts.

 

[Private Baxter]

Usually the Darts are confined to the 3s, but do substitute for Streetlites on the 7s. They do also appear on 5s should an E200 be unavailable and on occasion turn up in Bristol on X6-X9.

If the 64 reg streetlites currently on the 7 are heading up to Glasgow, it might mean that at least a few will stick around for the 3 if the darts have gone to Bath.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

If the 64 reg streetlites currently on the 7 are heading up to Glasgow, it might mean that at least a few will stick around for the 3 if the darts have gone to Bath.

Interesting in that the first ones to go are 63 plates ex Hengrove - ones just coming out of warranty (ahem!)

Had forgotten about the 38 as well. Bath must have a wealth of vehicles

 

[Whiteway215]

I agree it is hard to figure it all out, but I think Bath had a bit of a pvr drop after the loss of the 38 so that accounts for a few of the darts.

Thanks for that. I'd forgotten about the 38.

 

[D2007wsm]

If the 64 reg streetlites currently on the 7 are heading up to Glasgow, it might mean that at least a few will stick around for the 3 if the darts have gone to Bath.

Only 2 have gone so far and I believe Weston had a surplus of Darts, more than required to operated the 3. Hopefully Streetlites may go on to 3s, this would maintain the balance of older vs newer vehicles on town services in Weston.

 

[Whiteway215]

I give it four weeks until the U2 is converted back to double deckers!

No Vicbury we didn't have to give it four weeks! I decided to have a short trip this afternoon on U2 from Claverton Down. Waited for the 1615 from University and was very surprised to see a pink decker approaching the stop. It was 32008 well loaded and I had to stand-although there were probably seats upstairs. Waited around to see what the 1630 produced, this was 32015 also very well loaded. Feeling very pleased I waited for the 1645-this had 32007 much more room on that one. 32015 has lost Coaster branding. I don't know what was on the fourth working. I wonder what the purple Darts are working on?

 

[Dhassell]

Gemini 32351 was on the number 7 around Weston today. That was the only one I spotted, not sure what else was on it.