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

CD

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I think it was 53052 that I was thinking of. Never got painted but went early. It did run about for a bit.

Think you might be right - perhaps 44922-4 might be freed up from Taunton and be replaced by something newer.

Be interesting for Yeovil to gain a decker working and confess I can't remember their last regular decker. I do always remember veteran VR 1122 still hanging around the place, even getting a trip on it when it must have been 25 years old on the Weymouth summer express (X67?)

The X67 on Sundays and Bank holidays was a must for us while it lasted, even when Olympians replaced the VRs.
The last double deckers allocated to Yeovil were Olympians 34966/67 in 2008.
In January 2015 Weymouths Olympian 34168 was being stored in Yeovil, Due to a vehicle shortage in the afternoon of the 20th, it came out and did a complete circuit of town route 1. Luckily I was about and able to sample it. Full marks to the local management avoiding cancelling a service. :D
 
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henairs

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506
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Yeovil
I think it was 53052 that I was thinking of. Never got painted but went early. It did run about for a bit.

Think you might be right - perhaps 44922-4 might be freed up from Taunton and be replaced by something newer.

Be interesting for Yeovil to gain a decker working and confess I can't remember their last regular decker. I do always remember veteran VR 1122 still hanging around the place, even getting a trip on it when it must have been 25 years old on the Weymouth summer express (X67?)
Hi Wazoo,
Trust you are keeping hale and hearty. The last two Deckers we had at Yeovil were 34966/967 from the batch of G reg Leyland Olympians that I think started life in Bath in Badgerline livery. So a good few years back.
Of the E200s 44921 started life in Bridgwater along with 44922/23/24 about the same time as the MPD Darts arrived there for the 14 route.
Remember the MPD's had a big Pink ribbon bow around the bodywork when first arriving.
The Olympians were used on the summer X67 service to Sidmouth via West Bay, Lyme and Seaton.
Have travelled on both on the 54 also.
Keep safe, Mike R
 

D2007wsm

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26 Jul 2015
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1,310
Thank you, I hadnt realised they had gone too. I always suspected they would be destined for something more permanent. Are they also dual door? I forget how many were in the fleet, but I assume some have stayed at MH for other work. Anyone know if this is the case?
They are dual door, they’re the same spec as the metrobus vehicles, just with leather seats rather than the metrobus moquette. MST were still using a couple just before the fleet reductions though I’m not sure which ones.

The Urban ones certainly have travelled about since being here. Starting at Hengrove being used on the 903 for a bit, then the A1 until the new A1 deckers arrived as well as other Hengrove services. Some ventured to Wells to be trialled on the 376. Then they came to Marlborough Street to be used on the T1 then the Y1 and now some have emigrated to Bath. The only main depot which hasn’t hosted them is Weston. Though an ex m3 bus has visited Weston on a dupe of the X1, I think for Weston Air Show one year.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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Hi Wazoo,
Trust you are keeping hale and hearty. The last two Deckers we had at Yeovil were 34966/967 from the batch of G reg Leyland Olympians that I think started life in Bath in Badgerline livery. So a good few years back.
Of the E200s 44921 started life in Bridgwater along with 44922/23/24 about the same time as the MPD Darts arrived there for the 14 route.
Remember the MPD's had a big Pink ribbon bow around the bodywork when first arriving.
The Olympians were used on the summer X67 service to Sidmouth via West Bay, Lyme and Seaton.
Have travelled on both on the 54 also.
Keep safe, Mike R

Cheers Mike - hope you're keeping well. 34966/7 must be a good 12-15 years ago, stopping off on their way to Cornwall. How things change! Those all Leyland Olympians were indeed new to Bath depot and had a few trips on them and sisters on stuff like the X39.

I remember that 44921-4 were at Bridgwater for town services - the last new vehicles that what is now BoS received (excluding the Streetlites diverted on delivery to cover the Taunton P&R)?

The pink ribbon treatment was the thing for a short while. Seem to recall one of the Bristol B9TLs (37318) also had it.
 

D2007wsm

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Cheers Mike - hope you're keeping well. 34966/7 must be a good 12-15 years ago, stopping off on their way to Cornwall. How things change! Those all Leyland Olympians were indeed new to Bath depot and had a few trips on them and sisters on stuff like the X39.

I remember that 44921-4 were at Bridgwater for town services - the last new vehicles that what is now BoS received (excluding the Streetlites diverted on delivery to cover the Taunton P&R)?

The pink ribbon treatment was the thing for a short while. Seem to recall one of the Bristol B9TLs (37318) also had it.
It did indeed. If you Google ‘First Bus 37318’ a picture of it on Regent Street in Weston coming in on an X1 comes up complete with it’s bows. I seem to recall none of this batch new to Weston, 37315/6/7 carried the bows, instead the blue incarnation of the X1 branding.
 

Private Baxter

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They are dual door, they’re the same spec as the metrobus vehicles, just with leather seats rather than the metrobus moquette. MST were still using a couple just before the fleet reductions though I’m not sure which ones.

The Urban ones certainly have travelled about since being here. Starting at Hengrove being used on the 903 for a bit, then the A1 until the new A1 deckers arrived as well as other Hengrove services. Some ventured to Wells to be trialled on the 376. Then they came to Marlborough Street to be used on the T1 then the Y1 and now some have emigrated to Bath. The only main depot which hasn’t hosted them is Weston. Though an ex m3 bus has visited Weston on a dupe of the X1, I think for Weston Air Show one year.
Thanks for the info - those buses have done all sorts in their two and a half short years. I certainly remember them on the A1 and 903, and even spotted one or two in Wells once on a 376, on trial as you say. They have only ever acted as a stop-gap for various services, so nice that they finally have their own route. I understand the earlier post now, suggesting that perhaps X39 was always the intended route for these.
The pink ribbon treatment was the thing for a short while. Seem to recall one of the Bristol B9TLs (37318) also had it.
The first one I believe to have the ribbon was 66724, new to Wells in January 2005, and was the focus of an official launch on the Cathedral Green during the same month.
 

Bristol LH

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Thanks for the info - those buses have done all sorts in their two and a half short years. I certainly remember them on the A1 and 903, and even spotted one or two in Wells once on a 376, on trial as you say. They have only ever acted as a stop-gap for various services, so nice that they finally have their own route. I understand the earlier post now, suggesting that perhaps X39 was always the intended route for these.

The first one I believe to have the ribbon was 66724, new to Wells in January 2005, and was the focus of an official launch on the Cathedral Green during the same month.

A number of First Cymru's 54-plate Alexander Pointer-bodied Darts, new in early 2005, also carried the pink bow vinyls when they first entered service.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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It did indeed. If you Google ‘First Bus 37318’ a picture of it on Regent Street in Weston coming in on an X1 comes up complete with it’s bows. I seem to recall none of this batch new to Weston, 37315/6/7 carried the bows, instead the blue incarnation of the X1 branding.

Was that a loan or a short term allocation to Weston? Remember it being new for the Church Road services and branded as such https://www.flickr.com/photos/77751.../photolist-QGXVUr-GddDaM-GaUKBd-TZd52Y-DUNqeb

Thanks for the info - those buses have done all sorts in their two and a half short years. I certainly remember them on the A1 and 903, and even spotted one or two in Wells once on a 376, on trial as you say. They have only ever acted as a stop-gap for various services, so nice that they finally have their own route. I understand the earlier post now, suggesting that perhaps X39 was always the intended route for these.

Think the workload has been

36801-5 - Bath Unibus services then to m3 and now to 39X
36806 - metrobus spare then to 39X
36807 - Bath Unibus services to m2
36808-12 - Bristol U1 to A1 to 903 to m2
36813 - Bristol U1 to A1 to 376 to HE spare to m2
36814 - Bristol U1 to A1 to 376 to HE spare to SGL
36815 - Bristol U1 to A1 to SGL
36816 - Bristol U1 to A1 to SGL to 39X
36817-20 - UWE express to SGL to 39X
36821 - UWE express to SGL to m3 to 39X
36822-3 - UWE express to SGL
36824 - UWE express to Bath to SGL

I seem to recall all sorts of other sundry loans but for young vehicles, they've been about a bit!!!
 

freetoview33

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My think is as the gas buses were planned before the scanias, what routes were the scanias actually ordered for? I know a lot were planned for short term on the M3 and A1 but they must have ordered them with a plan of where they would end up when the Gas buses arrived.
 

Tommy Walters

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Think the workload has been

36801-5 - Bath Unibus services then to m3 and now to 39X
36806 - metrobus spare then to 39X
36807 - Bath Unibus services to m2
36808-12 - Bristol U1 to A1 to 903 to m2
36813 - Bristol U1 to A1 to 376 to HE spare to m2
36814 - Bristol U1 to A1 to 376 to HE spare to SGL
36815 - Bristol U1 to A1 to SGL
36816 - Bristol U1 to A1 to SGL to 39X
36817-20 - UWE express to SGL to 39X
36821 - UWE express to SGL to m3 to 39X
36822-3 - UWE express to SGL
36824 - UWE express to Bath to SGL

I seem to recall all sorts of other sundry loans but for young vehicles, they've been about a bit!!!

Agreed. 36806 actually did run in Bath for about a month with its sisters when brand new, while 813-16 were also there for a few months in 2018!
 

TheGrandWazoo

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My think is as the gas buses were planned before the scanias, what routes were the scanias actually ordered for? I know a lot were planned for short term on the M3 and A1 but they must have ordered them with a plan of where they would end up when the Gas buses arrived.

The X39 branding on the B9s always had a temporary feel about it. It may be the case that there was always a plan to have something newer on there?

Agreed. 36806 actually did run in Bath for about a month with its sisters when brand new, while 813-16 were also there for a few months in 2018!

I'd forgotten that 36806 was there; can only seem to recall it being in Bristol.

36801-807 was for the M2 but ended up for the M3 since it started first.

Yep but then the m2 was deferred because of problems with the guided rails so the m3 was introduced instead and so the orange bits were painted green

The Hengrove ones were also used on the 75/76, and occasionally on the 90.
Yep - had one on the 75 myself.
 

AB93

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13 Apr 2015
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Yep but then the m2 was deferred because of problems with the guided rails so the m3 was introduced instead and so the orange bits were painted green
As a point of random trivia, it was actually vinyl on them all, not paint. A couple of them started giving this away towards the end (although the vinyl joins and still orange difficult-to-reach bits were there throughout!).
 

AB93

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Route 4 in Bath seems to have gone aquae as well.
I wonder if these were actually ordered with the intention of them being on the X39
That's a good question which I'm not quite sure of. Obviously they never fully painted them SGL so they were planning the biogas buses and same with the m3, the plan was always to go biogas so they were always temporary to those routes. They are the first to be change in accordance to the low emission zone plan that Bath is bringing in and really I think they have been planning a change to the X39 for a while because it is a very important route so I think they were always trying to upgrade the X39 but I'm not sure if they were planning to do it with the Scanias. It would make sense though so most likely.
I understand the earlier post now, suggesting that perhaps X39 was always the intended route for these.
My think is as the gas buses were planned before the scanias, what routes were the scanias actually ordered for? I know a lot were planned for short term on the M3 and A1 but they must have ordered them with a plan of where they would end up when the Gas buses arrived.

Some good outlandish theories there and shows how easy it is to convince ourselves of fake news!

They were ordered for metrobus.
Admittedly without a full idea of when and how many would be needed given the nature of the beast, but definitely for metrobus.
Let's not forget, these buses were ordered as:
-dual door
-low height
-Scanias

All First deckers are ordered as full height normally, and certainly Scanias were way off the regular order book. (I appreciate there's been a small batch of diesels bought since, but three years down the line, and very much an exception to the E400s and StreetDecks pouring in everywhere else. Certainly in 2017, Scanias hadn't been ordered for years.)
They're only Scanias because all-ADL E400s and StreetDecks couldn't have guide wheels fitted for the guideway.

The biggest clue is that they were all delivered with metrobus spec interiors!!

The fact the new SGL buses are single door is also a point worth noting.

If they arrived in 2017, they must've been ordered in 2016.
That's two years before the Government Grant funding was announced for the gas buses.
There's no way that the diesel Scanias were ordered with the intention of upgrading the X39, but only after they'd been used for three years and before the gas bus project was anywhere near close to becoming reality.
 

carlberry

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Some good outlandish theories there and shows how easy it is to convince ourselves of fake news!

They were ordered for metrobus.
Admittedly without a full idea of when and how many would be needed given the nature of the beast, but definitely for metrobus.
Let's not forget, these buses were ordered as:
-dual door
-low height
-Scanias

All First deckers are ordered as full height normally, and certainly Scanias were way off the regular order book. (I appreciate there's been a small batch of diesels bought since, but three years down the line, and very much an exception to the E400s and StreetDecks pouring in everywhere else. Certainly in 2017, Scanias hadn't been ordered for years.)
They're only Scanias because all-ADL E400s and StreetDecks couldn't have guide wheels fitted for the guideway.

The biggest clue is that they were all delivered with metrobus spec interiors!!

The fact the new SGL buses are single door is also a point worth noting.

If they arrived in 2017, they must've been ordered in 2016.
That's two years before the Government Grant funding was announced for the gas buses.
There's no way that the diesel Scanias were ordered with the intention of upgrading the X39, but only after they'd been used for three years and before the gas bus project was anywhere near close to becoming reality.
That certainly fits in with my memory of events. However the dark red livery for Citylines East is defiantly because of the 5g masts :D
 

Tommy Walters

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Ottery St Mary
I'd forgotten that 36806 was there; can only seem to recall it being in Bristol.

It never received the Bath Unibus vinyls like its sisters did, and was essentially moved over to Bristol for the PR launch of Metrobus, having its orange bits repainted red in the process. I was fortunate enough to be a passenger on its first ever passenger service, when it was scrambled to do a Bath U2 as a large queue at developed. At that point, it had only just been delivered, so had no ticket machine, nor working destination displays!

Returning to the Aquae theme, came across this photo showing the rear of branded 36819. Sadly the PR slogan is a bit worthless for the time being! https://www.flickr.com/photos/23095...Hi91U-2dqGEPp-2689X6u-25Tde3H-2itEtjo-2hJS1EK
 

TheGrandWazoo

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Some good outlandish theories there and shows how easy it is to convince ourselves of fake news!
That certainly fits in with my memory of events. However the dark red livery for Citylines East is defiantly because of the 5g masts :D

David Icke mentioned it....it all seemed plausible enough ;)

They were ordered for metrobus.
Admittedly without a full idea of when and how many would be needed given the nature of the beast, but definitely for metrobus.
Let's not forget, these buses were ordered as:
-dual door
-low height
-Scanias

This was always, as a interested bystander, the bit that puzzled me. The 24 were too few for two routes but not enough for three. However, as you say, metrobus predated the gas bus order by some margin.

The gas bus order was a shade confusing with the 110 vehicles being reduced down to the 77. I can't remember what all the routes were that were expected/rumoured to get them other than those involved in the Kingswood and Keynsham AQMAs (i.e. the 6/7, 17, 42-45). At the risk of invoking the Warren Commission (reference for the teenagers, there!), were the 48/48a/49 mentioned for gas buses?? TBH, I thought the X39 might have got those 48/49 66 plate e400s but the use of dual door Scanias on the Aquae makes sense. The route deserves something better than some rather tired B9s (usually augmented by a few B7TLs).

The biggest clue is that they were all delivered with metrobus spec interiors!!

Do you mean all as in 36801-7? Aren't the rest in grey eLeather?

It never received the Bath Unibus vinyls like its sisters did, and was essentially moved over to Bristol for the PR launch of Metrobus, having its orange bits repainted red in the process.
thanks - I just can't recall it. Age, you know......
 

Private Baxter

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22 Sep 2013
Messages
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Some good outlandish theories there and shows how easy it is to convince ourselves of fake news!

They were ordered for metrobus.
Admittedly without a full idea of when and how many would be needed given the nature of the beast, but definitely for metrobus.
Let's not forget, these buses were ordered as:
-dual door
-low height
-Scanias

All First deckers are ordered as full height normally, and certainly Scanias were way off the regular order book. (I appreciate there's been a small batch of diesels bought since, but three years down the line, and very much an exception to the E400s and StreetDecks pouring in everywhere else. Certainly in 2017, Scanias hadn't been ordered for years.)
They're only Scanias because all-ADL E400s and StreetDecks couldn't have guide wheels fitted for the guideway.

The biggest clue is that they were all delivered with metrobus spec interiors!!

The fact the new SGL buses are single door is also a point worth noting.

If they arrived in 2017, they must've been ordered in 2016.
That's two years before the Government Grant funding was announced for the gas buses.
There's no way that the diesel Scanias were ordered with the intention of upgrading the X39, but only after they'd been used for three years and before the gas bus project was anywhere near close to becoming reality.
Thank you for putting those conspiracy theories to rest! ;)
Makes perfect sense now, I suppose those dual door scanias would not necessarily have been spec'd for X39!
 

D2007wsm

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Joined
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Messages
1,310
Was that a loan or a short term allocation to Weston? Remember it being new for the Church Road services and branded as such https://www.flickr.com/photos/77751.../photolist-QGXVUr-GddDaM-GaUKBd-TZd52Y-DUNqeb



Think the workload has been

36801-5 - Bath Unibus services then to m3 and now to 39X
36806 - metrobus spare then to 39X
36807 - Bath Unibus services to m2
36808-12 - Bristol U1 to A1 to 903 to m2
36813 - Bristol U1 to A1 to 376 to HE spare to m2
36814 - Bristol U1 to A1 to 376 to HE spare to SGL
36815 - Bristol U1 to A1 to SGL
36816 - Bristol U1 to A1 to SGL to 39X
36817-20 - UWE express to SGL to 39X
36821 - UWE express to SGL to m3 to 39X
36822-3 - UWE express to SGL
36824 - UWE express to Bath to SGL

I seem to recall all sorts of other sundry loans but for young vehicles, they've been about a bit!!!
It was there quite a while if I recall correctly. I’m not sure if it was there to supplement 32636-8 and 37315-7 to ensure the X1 was wholly low floor rather than having to use one of the Volvo Olympians if one was off of the road. Or possibly to cover one of the B7 Geminis, 32636 I think when it was off of the road for some time following an accident in Congresbury involving a run away van off of a recovery truck hitting it head on.
Some good outlandish theories there and shows how easy it is to convince ourselves of fake news!

They were ordered for metrobus.
Admittedly without a full idea of when and how many would be needed given the nature of the beast, but definitely for metrobus.
Let's not forget, these buses were ordered as:
-dual door
-low height
-Scanias

All First deckers are ordered as full height normally, and certainly Scanias were way off the regular order book. (I appreciate there's been a small batch of diesels bought since, but three years down the line, and very much an exception to the E400s and StreetDecks pouring in everywhere else. Certainly in 2017, Scanias hadn't been ordered for years.)
They're only Scanias because all-ADL E400s and StreetDecks couldn't have guide wheels fitted for the guideway.

The biggest clue is that they were all delivered with metrobus spec interiors!!

The fact the new SGL buses are single door is also a point worth noting.

If they arrived in 2017, they must've been ordered in 2016.
That's two years before the Government Grant funding was announced for the gas buses.
There's no way that the diesel Scanias were ordered with the intention of upgrading the X39, but only after they'd been used for three years and before the gas bus project was anywhere near close to becoming reality.
The dual door nature of them signifies they were originally ordered for metrobus services due to the dual door layout. Other than the Bristol Park & Ride services and Bath/Bristol Unibus services, the infrastructure is not there for dual door usage.

I reckon they are now used on the Bath corridor is they are indeed a massive upgrade on the B9s and to save them having to order more new buses.

Personally, I think the excel network is due an upgrade as most of the excel E400s are older than the B7s, are not native to the area and have been used all over the place particularly the 335**s (which are horrible) and are getting on a bit and some are struggling. The only E400s brand new to the area are 33825-30 which were delivered new to Weston.

If some newer E400s or E400MMCs could be sources these could be used on the Westons and Portisheads, with the 12 and 13 plates doing Clevedon and Nailseas. Some of the 334**s could then be used to replace the closed top ALX400s and Presidents on the Coaster and the 335**s could be Badgered to replace the B7 Geminis on the 7s.

I know they tested 39401 << on the bridge and that was fine
It fit under the bridge, but I was told by a m2 driver when trialed on the guideway the tyres rubbed along the track.
 

D2007wsm

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Messages
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The diesel Scanias are 13'10" while the standard height ADL buses are 14'2"
The guideway swing bridge is signed at 14'1".
With the gas buses being higher than the diesel Scanias, what will Marlborough Street use on the 37 school trips as they are too tall? B9s can’t be used either unless a couple of diesel Scanias will be retained to use on the T2 where the Scania used to be pinched from.
 

Tommy Walters

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Ottery St Mary
With the gas buses being higher than the diesel Scanias, what will Marlborough Street use on the 37 school trips as they are too tall? B9s can’t be used either unless a couple of diesel Scanias will be retained to use on the T2 where the Scania used to be pinched from.

The other longer-term solution could be the 37 transferring back to Bath again, simply using an Aquae Scania instead?
 

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