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

[THarris123]

That 173 change would, of course, allow deckers to be utilised at any time on the Bath to Wells corridor. However, it is a little odd as it's being rerouted from the bottom of Chilcompton and Withies Park (where people live), and past the Rugby club and a couple of very large houses (where no f**ker lives). They could have simply sent it down Bakers Lane, the road before Fry's Well and the Redan!

Thanks to Swifty about the two Streetdecks. A bit of an excursion for them before they head to Norwich (though some of the Norwich ones did a spell when new on RR in Bath).

That is basically exactly what most other people have said about it.
Its also interesting to note that 174 and 173 will meet next to Rugby club, which should be interesting with singles, let alone deckers.

 

[Bath Travel UK]

Commenting on the services I use or know well:

8/9: Excellent! Will more Streetlites be decorated with animals? Also, any change to the Sunday frequency?
39/X39: Pleased to see the increase in Saturday frequency - the retail / leisure markets in Bath and Bristol must be doing well
48/48A/49/49A: I wonder if the 49A will be summertime only and will be swapped back for the 48A in September?
Bath 4: Looks like this service now runs to Weston every 20 minutes until the final service. Quite a turnaround from when it was cut to every 40 minutes a few years ago!

RE: 39/X39 New timetable also shows that there is a 0400 journey on a Saturday morning from Bristol. Would of thought before long, operating 24 hours, 6 days a week.

 

[Private Baxter]

That is basically exactly what most other people have said about it.
Its also interesting to note that 174 and 173 will meet next to Rugby club, which should be interesting with singles, let alone deckers.

This will be the most significant change to the 173 in, well, decades. And it does indeed pave the way for a potenial move to Decker in the future. But it would leave that stretch in Chilcompton without any bus route.

 

[Private Baxter]

RE: 39/X39 New timetable also shows that there is a 0400 journey on a Saturday morning from Bristol. Would of thought before long, operating 24 hours, 6 days a week.

They are bridging the gap ever closer to create a 24 hour service for 39.

 

[THarris123]

RE: 39/X39 New timetable also shows that there is a 0400 journey on a Saturday morning from Bristol. Would of thought before long, operating 24 hours, 6 days a week.

Pretty unlikely to happen, since Friday and Saturday nights are the busiest on the route.

 

[Private Baxter]

Streetdecks 35149 and 35150 are due to move to Norwich in the next few weeks. As far as I understand Norwich are also moving towards lilac fronts for "spare" buses, so this pair should fit right in after a while.

I believe they were in fact originally intended for Norwich, but obviously ended up instead at HE and WS. That's a few buses disappeared from that fleet now. Has the 90 dropped pvr since the streetdecks were brought in?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

This will be the most significant change to the 173 in, well, decades. And it does indeed pave the way for a potenial move to Decker in the future. But it would leave that stretch in Chilcompton without any bus route.

As I say, you can take the left immediately before the current one by the Redan if they wanted to put deckers on without it affecting the lower bit of Chili and Withies Park. Perhaps a shade narrower than Fry’s Well and perhaps a bit of branch trimming but doable.

I know that they aren’t massively popular stops but there’s some passengers rather than none by the rugby club.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Pretty unlikely to happen, since Friday and Saturday nights are the busiest on the route.

Yes, and also supported by the cutting of early morning journeys to start from the Globe (though really just starting from Weston Island).

 

[swifty]

I believe they were in fact originally intended for Norwich, but obviously ended up instead at HE and WS. That's a few buses disappeared from that fleet now. Has the 90 dropped pvr since the streetdecks were brought in?

I dont think they were, 149 was new in red for the 90 and 150 was the spare lilac one. The 90 has since lost 2 of the red Streetdecks, 148 to lilac then Wells and 149 to lilac.

 

[Private Baxter]

I dont think they were, 149 was new in red for the 90 and 150 was the spare lilac one. The 90 has since lost 2 of the red Streetdecks, 148 to lilac then Wells and 149 to lilac.

My bad, it was 35160-7 that were originally due for Norwich, with streetlite maxed intended for Wells, but this was swapped. Don't know where 35139-50 were originally going but not wasn't Hengrove.

 

[DaveHarries]

They are bridging the gap ever closer to create a 24 hour service for 39.

With this new timetable and the inclusion of an 0400hrs departure from Bristol it surprises me that there is no 0300hrs from Bath as a positioning journey.

Dave

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I believe they were in fact originally intended for Norwich, but obviously ended up instead at HE and WS. That's a few buses disappeared from that fleet now. Has the 90 dropped pvr since the streetdecks were brought in?

The 90 had a 10 min peak frequency and that was broadened to 12 min in 2016 (releasing 35148) and to 15 mins in 2017 (releasing 35149). Not withstanding the sudden surge when Wessex began competing!

63317-27 were the Streetlights that went to Norwich instead of Wells, swapped for 35160-7.

Wasn’t aware that 35139-50 were ever due elsewhere.

 

[Private Baxter]

In which case, it really should be the X4! (Or the 241 - one for the teenagers there )

Very good point! Thinking about it the 265 in its current form isn't particularly old. Still confused by D1 though. One wonders whether some of the older B7RLEs will also receive bronze treatment as they work 267 and 272 as well. Not sure about the combined frequency.

On a slightly different topic the A2. It looks like the A2 in it's current form is ceasing in April. BUT It looks like there will still be an A2 from Bristol Bus Station to Bristol Airport (Via Bedminster) as Bristol Airport has put up £1,000,000 over 10 years to keep that route variation going once metrobus starts. If we will see this service end up morphing into the 121, well time will tell.

There had been an A2 till about 2014, which operated an alternative and ever so slightly longer route via Clifton. Wonder if anything will replace the current A2. Never used the route but I gather many sections are already covered by other services.

 

[Private Baxter]

19/19A rerouted back to their old route via Frenchay
70/71 daytime frequency reduced to every 20 on each

That's probably better. Still half expecting the 19A to become the 18 at some point.

 

[Private Baxter]

The 90 had a 10 min peak frequency and that was broadened to 12 min in 2016 (releasing 35148) and to 15 mins in 2017 (releasing 35149). Not withstanding the sudden surge when Wessex began competing!

63317-27 were the Streetlights that went to Norwich instead of Wells, swapped for 35160-7.

Wasn’t aware that 35139-50 were ever due elsewhere.

That's right. All I remember is that 35139-50 were not part of the original order for 2015-16, but were added later, along with the two electric buses.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Very good point! Thinking about it the 265 in its current form isn't particularly old. Still confused by D1 though. One wonders whether some of the older B7RLEs will also receive bronze treatment as they work 267 and 272 as well. Not sure about the combined frequency.

There had been an A2 till about 2014, which operated an alternative and ever so slightly longer route via Clifton. Wonder if anything will replace the current A2. Never used the route but I gather many sections are already covered by other services.

I'm sure that someone will put me right but I think the Westbury PVR for the "new" D routes (perhaps it stands for Depressing given that they serve Melksham and Trowbridge?) is something like 11 or 12? It begs the question as to whether the three Solars (65724-6) will move on to another OpCo. Oddly, I've not managed to enjoy a trip on them.

As regards the A2... I didn't take much notice but I thought the Clifton to Airport was something like the 331 (with the 330 becoming the A1)? FTW33 will remember. The A2 Link (funded by NSC via LSTF funding) was originally a Nailsea to Airport service that ran at times to help workers get to the Airport.

It then became an hourly service from Weston to Airport and Nailsea before it went to either Clevedon or Portishead. I did that incarnation and it carried most passengers around the first part (the old 121 section) but the Airport to Nailsea bit was very poor so wasn't a surprise when it was cut back. Also, travelling on those e200s on a fast country route wasn't the most pleasurable experience. Certainly, whilst the 126 does cover much of the route to Winscombe, there are the Langfords and Wrington that will be adversely affected though perhaps NSC can utilise some monies saved from the 4/4A to provide a service there?

 

[swifty]

The 330 used to run up to the top of Whiteladies Road and back to the Airport, where as the A2 only ran to the bus station via the Triangle from the Airport.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The 330 used to run up to the top of Whiteladies Road and back to the Airport, where as the A2 only ran to the bus station via the Triangle from the Airport.

Cheers for that - I knew I wasn't right but had hoped someone would correct me. Perhaps it's because we have so many changes, I struggle to remember (oh, and age!).

 

[freetoview33]

For quite a while the 330 carried on to Parrys Lane to serve Bristol Uni.

Then it was cut back slowly until the old A2 came into being where it was the Triangle then.

Then scrapped altogether.

Its lilely the A2 will become the old 121 and the A1 will go via Long Ashton.

 

[Private Baxter]

I'm sure that someone will put me right but I think the Westbury PVR for the "new" D routes (perhaps it stands for Depressing given that they serve Melksham and Trowbridge?) is something like 11 or 12? It begs the question as to whether the three Solars (65724-6) will move on to another OpCo. Oddly, I've not managed to enjoy a trip on them.

As regards the A2... I didn't take much notice but I thought the Clifton to Airport was something like the 331 (with the 330 becoming the A1)? FTW33 will remember. The A2 Link (funded by NSC via LSTF funding) was originally a Nailsea to Airport service that ran at times to help workers get to the Airport.

It then became an hourly service from Weston to Airport and Nailsea before it went to either Clevedon or Portishead. I did that incarnation and it carried most passengers around the first part (the old 121 section) but the Airport to Nailsea bit was very poor so wasn't a surprise when it was cut back. Also, travelling on those e200s on a fast country route wasn't the most pleasurable experience. Certainly, whilst the 126 does cover much of the route to Winscombe, there are the Langfords and Wrington that will be adversely affected though perhaps NSC can utilise some monies saved from the 4/4A to provide a service there?

Depressing seems a reasonable suggestion.
That said once through Trowbridge the 265 serves some nice towns, such as Warminster, and the two hourly connection on to Salisbury. Hope that is maintained.
Currently eleven streetlite maxes 63068-78 work the routes supported by three scanias and various B7RLEs but think they probably don' need that many so do also wonder if some will disappear.

 

[THarris123]

Depressing seems a reasonable suggestion.
That said once through Trowbridge the 265 serves some nice towns, such as Warminster, and the two hourly connection on to Salisbury. Hope that is maintained.
Currently eleven streetlite maxes 63068-78 work the routes supported by three scanias and various B7RLEs but think they probably don' need that many so do also wonder if some will disappear.

Me and a few mates have come up with some suggestions for D1. Destroyed was the least rudest. Others that spring to mind are disappear 1 or derelict 1.
The most sensible suggest I've heard is really one of the most cheesiest and sickening... Discovery.
I reckon it'll be "Discover Wiltshire"

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Depressing seems a reasonable suggestion.
That said once through Trowbridge the 265 serves some nice towns, such as Warminster, and the two hourly connection on to Salisbury. Hope that is maintained.
Currently eleven streetlite maxes 63068-78 work the routes supported by three scanias and various B7RLEs but think they probably don' need that many so do also wonder if some will disappear.

The routes do serve some nice places like Bradford on Avon and Salisbury (twinned with Moscow) though Trowbridge and Melksham are fairly duff. Westbury is not really big enough to be offensive. My first experience of the old X4 was doing it one lovely summers' day when Wilts & Dorset did it and with a Duple Laser bodied Leyland Tiger - think that makes me old!

I think the allocation was the 11 Streetlites and the 3 Solars for a PVR of 14; I think that may have dropped to 12 when the Salisbury leg was reduced to two hourly.

 

[Class 33]

Got on a dual door Enviro 400 MMC on the 75 again on Saturday. Lovely buses. But once again, the middle exit doors were not used! A shame as dual door buses are just is what is needed for busy cross-city services like the 75 & 76, in particular at stops like The Haymarket when lots of people are disembarking and lots of people boarding. Would save a bit of loading/unloading time if the middle exit doors were used. So disappointed to see that there are at least a couple of dual door buses on these services now, but the middle exit doors aren't actually used!

 

[Whiteway215]

The routes do serve some nice places like Bradford on Avon and Salisbury (twinned with Moscow) though Trowbridge and Melksham are fairly duff. Westbury is not really big enough to be offensive. My first experience of the old X4 was doing it one lovely summers' day when Wilts & Dorset did it and with a Duple Laser bodied Leyland Tiger - think that makes me old!

I think the allocation was the 11 Streetlites and the 3 Solars for a PVR of 14; I think that may have dropped to 12 when the Salisbury leg was reduced to two hourly.

I've seen a distant shot of all the buses lined up at Westbury on March 2 when they were snowed in not going out. There were 15 lined up, 10 Streetlites, an E200, a Dart, two in Barbie (so would have been two out of 65725, 66725 or 66934) and one other (either 65724 or 26)

 

[Private Baxter]

Me and a few mates have come up with some suggestions for D1. Destroyed was the least rudest. Others that spring to mind are disappear 1 or derelict 1.
The most sensible suggest I've heard is really one of the most cheesiest and sickening... Discovery.
I reckon it'll be "Discover Wiltshire"

Discover. That's not a bad suggestion at all. You might be on to something. That said 'Discover Trowbridge' might not totally work!!

 

[Private Baxter]

I've seen a distant shot of all the buses lined up at Westbury on March 2 when they were snowed in not going out. There were 15 lined up, 10 Streetlites, an E200, a Dart, two in Barbie (so would have been two out of 65725, 66725 or 66934) and one other (either 65724 or 26)

Don't fully get it but Westbury currently run 179 though don't quite know how. A couple of spares in there too.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Don't fully get it but Westbury currently run 179 though don't quite know how. A couple of spares in there too.

I suspect it's 12 for the 265/267/272 circuit with the two e200s for the 179.

Discover Trowbridge - famous for Pitman (who invented shorthand), Stephen Lee (disgraced snooker player) and that it boasted two Wetherspoons within about 100 yards of each other!

 

[Colly405]

For quite a while the 330 carried on to Parrys Lane to serve Bristol Uni.

Then it was cut back slowly until the old A2 came into being where it was the Triangle then.

Then scrapped altogether.

Its lilely the A2 will become the old 121 and the A1 will go via Long Ashton.

The first time I got the bus to the airport was on the hourly (?) 331 when it was a National Express branded route run by Badgerline's Wessex company with Talbot minicoaches!

 

[Dai Corner]

Here's a list of routes serving Lulsgate (the airport opened in 1957 and presumably buses called there from the start).

http://bristol-re.co.uk/bvbg/routes...IL2=&IL3=&IL4=&IL5=&IL6=&IL7=&IL8=A&IL9=&cp=1

 

[D2007wsm]

Here's a list of routes serving Lulsgate (the airport opened in 1957 and presumably buses called there from the start).

http://bristol-re.co.uk/bvbg/routes...IL2=&IL3=&IL4=&IL5=&IL6=&IL7=&IL8=A&IL9=&cp=1

I don't think that list is quite correct and is lists Bristol Airport to Weston via Hutton as the 128, this was the 122/822. It also fails to mention the 120 which went via Shipham, the 121 and the 821.