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

[TheGrandWazoo]

One thought is that, with all the reckoning as to the future of at least some of First's bus operations, will these new Enviro400 City buses (CNG I think?) stay for long? Anyway should be good for the users of Services 3 and 4 (City Centre - Sea Mills - Cribbs Causeway) as the replacement of the vehicles on the 6, 7 and 42-45 might release newer vehicles for the 3 & 4.


How big was the original order (70+ IIRC) and what is it now I wonder?

Dave

The original bid was 110 https://news.bristol.gov.uk/news/an...-bath-buses-on-time-for-a-clean-fleet-by-2020

Think it’s now 77?

 

[Whiteway215]

32279 has unseized its back axle and was performing on 19A this afternoon. 44553 on a later 19A.

 

[Wessexbuses]

37585 on U5
37586 on 3
Today 8/10/19

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

32279 has unseized its back axle and was performing on 19A this afternoon. 44553 on a later 19A.

44907 was also working a 19A this afternoon

 

[Tommy Walters]

Steve reports 32003 back in Bath. Have seen it on the U2 (I believe it's showing as 32009 on bus times). Abus YE52FHF also did an evening trip on there!!

 

[B7rleThrasher]

A raft of ex Nottingham Scania Omnideckers are winging their way towards Lawrence Hill (from Ensignbus) for Queue Buster duties!

 

[Whiteway215]

I'm sure Ensign would flog them some old ex London Tridents!

I jokingly suggested this back on Sept 28 but for Tridents substitute Scania Omnidekkas!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I jokingly suggested this back on Sept 28 but for Tridents substitute Scania Omnidekkas!

Having had hired fleet in the last two years, it's perhaps not a surprise despite the drafting in of the quality vehicles from Essex, Wessex and elsewhere. Not helped by the issues in getting Wrightbus spares.

If only they could repower the Bath e400Hs.

 

[richw]

A raft of ex Nottingham Scania Omnideckers are winging their way towards Lawrence Hill (from Ensignbus) for Queue Buster duties!

Newer than the presidents and ALX400s in front line service

 

[freetoview33]

Newer than the presidents and ALX400s in front line service

But those are doing amazing well for their age! About the same age as some of those early Geminis.

 

[cnjb8]

A raft of ex Nottingham Scania Omnideckers are winging their way towards Lawrence Hill (from Ensignbus) for Queue Buster duties!

On loan? My local company is Nottingham City Transport so this is very interesting for me

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

On loan? My local company is Nottingham City Transport so this is very interesting for me

Disposed of to Ensign and taken on loan by First.

 

[Dhassell]

Steve reports 32003 back in Bath. Have seen it on the U2 (I believe it's showing as 32009 on bus times). Abus YE52FHF also did an evening trip on there!!

Both 32003 and 32009 were out in Bath today. Saw 003 NIS and 009 on the U1.

 

[CD]

Unusual vehicle on the 37 in Bath this afternoon, Scania 36814.

 

[Tommy Walters]

Unusual vehicle on the 37 in Bath this afternoon, Scania 36814.

This is a regular daily working - normally the 07:10 & the 13:25 from Bristol are worked with a vehicle from a T2 board, usually a Scania.

 

[freetoview33]

This is a regular daily working - normally the 07:10 & the 13:25 from Bristol are worked with a vehicle from a T2 board, usually a Scania.

Never knew where that bus came from!

 

[CD]

This is a regular daily working - normally the 07:10 & the 13:25 from Bristol are worked with a vehicle from a T2 board, usually a Scania.

Thanks for that, it was around 1430 I saw it while on 32083 on U5 so would have been 1325 working.
Never knew there was a booked turn for a T2 vehicle into Bath.

 

[spw24]

The scanias are needed as it's school time and a streetlite hasn't the capacity I'm on the 1325 again today

 

[Marcus Fryer]

The scanias are needed as it's school time and a streetlite hasn't the capacity I'm on the 1325 again today

Today it was 47555!

 

[Whiteway215]

67643 on 37 at about 17 30 from Bath.

 

[Marcus Fryer]

67643 on 37 at about 17 30 from Bath.

I think the journey that has all the school kids is the 14:50 from Bath.

 

[lx12ddo]

Steve reports 32003 back in Bath. Have seen it on the U2 (I believe it's showing as 32009 on bus times). Abus YE52FHF also did an evening trip on there!!

YE52FHF and AP53BUS are now daily on the workday U1/U3 peak rotas, as well as the ex-Arriva London VLAs from Camberwick as 451-453. (CW51-53 TOP registrations).

 

[Whiteway215]

YE52FHF and AP53BUS are now daily on the workday U1/U3 peak rotas, as well as the ex-Arriva London VLAs from Camberwick as 451-453. (CW51-53 TOP registrations).

Welcome to the Forum.Always good to hear what's going on on the Uni buses.

 

[Whiteway215]

I acknowledge Bus tracker can be misleading with swapped ticket machines giving false bus identities. However I have to say that 30871 (the damaged roof at Parkway bridge one) disappeared from the tracker but this morning has suddenly been shown as on the 19. PS just a thought but 32279 was back on the road recently but is not registering on the tracker. Anyone got any ideas?

 

[Bradley]

Whiteway215 my friend told me that 32279 was carrying 44907 ticket machine as he saw 32279 in Cribbs Causeway showing as 44907.

 

[Whiteway215]

Whiteway215 my friend told me that 32279 was carrying 44907 ticket machine as he saw 32279 in Cribbs Causeway showing as 44907.

Thanks for that Bradley. I had wondered if 30871's ticket machine was on 32279 but obviously not! 30871's roof was quite badly damaged and given its age I'm sceptical that it's back in service but if anyone knows better............

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Thanks for that Bradley. I had wondered if 30871's ticket machine was on 32279 but obviously not! 30871's roof was quite badly damaged and given its age I'm sceptical that it's back in service but if anyone knows better............

I’m not exactly certain what the truth is but in terms of 44907, it was DEFINITELY on the 19A on Tuesday working from Hambrook towards Bath. It appears to have had a spell at Weston (!) but yesterday was on the 42 and today the 1, which makes sense.

I don’t think 44907 has been masquerading.

 

[Marcus Fryer]

Who inputs the fleet number on to the ticket machine? On Wednesday (9 October) 33490 (on the 48) half-way through its day started incorrectly showing as 33940 with the 15:45 from the Centre. Could this be because there was a driver change and the new driver keyed the wrong number into the machine? I would imagine that normally a driver wouldn't need to key in the vehicle number when taking over a bus.

 

[Tommy Walters]

I’m not exactly certain what the truth is but in terms of 44907, it was DEFINITELY on the 19A on Tuesday working from Hambrook towards Bath. It appears to have had a spell at Weston (!) but yesterday was on the 42 and today the 1, which makes sense.

I don’t think 44907 has been masquerading.

It definitely hasn't, there is an error on bus times when a vehicle works the 20 in Bath. For some reason it shows the destinations of the 20 in Weston!!

 

[Tommy Walters]

YE52FHF and AP53BUS are now daily on the workday U1/U3 peak rotas, as well as the ex-Arriva London VLAs from Camberwick as 451-453. (CW51-53 TOP registrations).

I spoke to a driver of one of the Camberwick VLAs, apparently they are only contracted for 7 weeks while Faresaver (apparently) get some more vehicles. This could also explain why Bath Bus Company & Arleen are also providing vehicles. Also note that 451 (CW51 TOP) broke down on the first Monday of operation & that E200 YX69NWC has been covering ever since (Camberwick & Weaveway are both sub-brands of Tappins Coaches, Didcot)