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

freetoview33

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To be fair, they're now 14-15 years old. They're getting on a bit for a Dart.



Is this generally or just in Bristol?
Well in Bristol the 24A can only be singles.
The 5 could be double deckers but is a low priority route. 8 can when Temple Meads is sorted. 9 Most likely will never return. 35 was supposed to be going to double deckers but that never really happened. 37 could if the right buses were used. 72/72A if the changes happen then I think it is likely that the 72 will no longer serve Temple Meads and be doubled. 96 is doubled half the time. 178 is Doubled at the moment. Otherwise there are a few Yate services and the T2 that can be doubled and often are. Then there are the X2 and X8 which can't be. Not sure what Weston and Bath services are unable to be.
Then there are other services by other operators but other than lack of demand I don't think there are any routes (other than the 506) which physically can't take double deckers.
 
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freetoview33

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Although looking at it, there is a new Temporary bus stop being built at Temple Meads for the Airport Flyer, this was proposed in Feb so before the lockdown, but as it is classed as temporary Im not sure of the ultimate goal here.
 

Tommy Walters

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Well in Bristol the 24A can only be singles.
The 5 could be double deckers but is a low priority route. 8 can when Temple Meads is sorted. 9 Most likely will never return. 35 was supposed to be going to double deckers but that never really happened. 37 could if the right buses were used. 72/72A if the changes happen then I think it is likely that the 72 will no longer serve Temple Meads and be doubled. 96 is doubled half the time. 178 is Doubled at the moment. Otherwise there are a few Yate services and the T2 that can be doubled and often are. Then there are the X2 and X8 which can't be. Not sure what Weston and Bath services are unable to be.
Then there are other services by other operators but other than lack of demand I don't think there are any routes (other than the 506) which physically can't take double deckers.


In Bath the 2, 5, 6(A), 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 20 & 42 all have to be singles either due to length or height restrictions. The D1, as mentioned before, can use deckers on most of the route, save for the bridge outside of Salisbury & possibly the one at Limpley Stoke for high height vehicles. Not sure about the D2, I think Faresaver did use the odd decker on their X67, so perhaps if you abandoned the interworking with the D1 then it would be feasable!
 

AB93

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In Bath the 2, 5, 6(A), 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 20 & 42 all have to be singles either due to length or height restrictions. The D1, as mentioned before, can use deckers on most of the route, save for the bridge outside of Salisbury & possibly the one at Limpley Stoke for high height vehicles. Not sure about the D2, I think Faresaver did use the odd decker on their X67, so perhaps if you abandoned the interworking with the D1 then it would be feasable!
Limpley Stoke is a compulsory 13'9" so no good for anything.
 

D2007wsm

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Looks like the 178 isnt serving timsbury for a week from Monday due to resurfacing
I hadn’t heard that one, but the gas bus was teated over the entire route and was successful.
The timetable on TravelineSW suggests otherwise.

Dave
Traveline must be wrong. The X5 will work between Weston and Portishead on a 2 hr frequency. The service will interwork with another and will be a decker.
To be fair, they're now 14-15 years old. They're getting on a bit for a Dart.



Is this generally or just in Bristol?
All services where possible are being operated by deckers subject to one being available. The 3 in Weston should be all B7 Geminis now the interworking with the 5 has been ommited with the reopening of the High Street and driver changes no longer required to be at the depot. The 5 will remain a Streetlite. The 20 which has been a Streetlite was today a closed top Coaster ALX400
Well in Bristol the 24A can only be singles.
The 5 could be double deckers but is a low priority route. 8 can when Temple Meads is sorted. 9 Most likely will never return. 35 was supposed to be going to double deckers but that never really happened. 37 could if the right buses were used. 72/72A if the changes happen then I think it is likely that the 72 will no longer serve Temple Meads and be doubled. 96 is doubled half the time. 178 is Doubled at the moment. Otherwise there are a few Yate services and the T2 that can be doubled and often are. Then there are the X2 and X8 which can't be. Not sure what Weston and Bath services are unable to be.
Then there are other services by other operators but other than lack of demand I don't think there are any routes (other than the 506) which physically can't take double deckers.
The X2 can take deckers and will be a E400 from tomorrow. On the normal timetable there are several early morning and evening journeys which operate as such. The only reason it is generally a Streetlie is it interworks with the X8 which can’t be a decker due to Nailsea and Backwell railway bridge. The X8 starts again tomorrow and will be a Streetlite operating Standalone with 1 bus.
 

-Colly405-

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This doesn't really have a thread, so here is probably as good as anywhere...

The bus stop improvement works at Bristol Parkway are coming along nicely. The main changes look to be:
- Existing entrance to Taxi pick-up widened to become entrance for buses too.
- Railings at edge of kerb between taxi pick-up and bus stops removed; new loading area (i.e. deliveries, etc.).
- Existing 2 bus stops replaced by 3 new ones, with the one closest to the station building looking to be kerbed for metrobus.
- Existing exit for buses and taxis widened to make right-turn easier.
- 2 new stops on road through the station heading eastbound, positioned between multi-storey car park's west exit and west entrance. One looks to be kerbed for metrobus.
- On the through road, open air car park spaces removed from the "dog leg" at the east end of the newer multi-storey car park, to allow an easier double turn for buses to get around the back of the car park.

Also, not directly bus-related, but significant changes to the 5 minute drop off parking which look to be aimed to discourage taxis waiting time there, as the new layout encourages a through-flow of traffic. I'll try and explain -
- The existing drive-lane through this area is retained, but with markings around it implying you can stop in it to drop off, then move on.
- The parking bays on the left of the drive-lane are replaced with a second drive-lane, marked the same as its parallel twin.
- The parking bays on the right of the drive-lanes are replaced with 3 or 4 drive-through spaces, marked for drop-off, and angled so as to allow forward driving out onto the road going through the station (opposite the new bus stops).
 

lx12ddo

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37403 on this eve’s 2005 route 1 in Bath ! The B9s are back to City Centre! With 69445 ahead and 69443 behind. Odd they’re not using the bus station at all today??

See also attached 33949 on the eerily quiet Bath Uni campus.
 

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AB93

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37403 on this eve’s 2005 route 1 in Bath ! The B9s are back to City Centre! With 69445 ahead and 69443 behind. Odd they’re not using the bus station at all today??

As well as the bus station being pick up only, some services have been moved out to on street stops to reduce footfall within the building.
 

D2007wsm

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The tracker doesn’t seem to be working today, probably because of the timetable change as the RTIs in Weston were also not displaying. As well as the B7 Badgerline Geminis on 3s and 7s, there is also the Urban E400s to make up the numbers.

At least one of the 178 boards is in the hands of 37628.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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Well in Bristol the 24A can only be singles.
The 5 could be double deckers but is a low priority route. 8 can when Temple Meads is sorted. 9 Most likely will never return. 35 was supposed to be going to double deckers but that never really happened. 37 could if the right buses were used. 72/72A if the changes happen then I think it is likely that the 72 will no longer serve Temple Meads and be doubled. 96 is doubled half the time. 178 is Doubled at the moment. Otherwise there are a few Yate services and the T2 that can be doubled and often are. Then there are the X2 and X8 which can't be. Not sure what Weston and Bath services are unable to be.
Then there are other services by other operators but other than lack of demand I don't think there are any routes (other than the 506) which physically can't take double deckers.

Aside from the social distancing requirements, it does seem that people are fixated on deckers anyway. I guess that the 8 might have gone the same way as the 24 - deckers at a lower frequency.

In Bath the 2, 5, 6(A), 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 20 & 42 all have to be singles either due to length or height restrictions. The D1, as mentioned before, can use deckers on most of the route, save for the bridge outside of Salisbury & possibly the one at Limpley Stoke for high height vehicles. Not sure about the D2, I think Faresaver did use the odd decker on their X67, so perhaps if you abandoned the interworking with the D1 then it would be feasable!

I don't think Faresaver would have used a decker on there. There is a low arch bridge at Midford that has a 14' headroom but is signed for 12' (advisory) because it's at an angle and has a double white line. Badgerline had run deckers on the X3 (predecessor to the 267/D1) but not now.

Limpley Stoke is a compulsory 13'9" so no good for anything.

Quite - again, it was ok when Badgerline had 13'8 high VRs and Olympians but not now.
 

carlberry

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Aside from the social distancing requirements, it does seem that people are fixated on deckers anyway. I guess that the 8 might have gone the same way as the 24 - deckers at a lower frequency.
You could even include the full 24 experiance for the 8 by stopping it on Temple Way and transferring anybody who wants to get to the station front onto a Solo on the 8A that'll run up the incline and drop people under the frontage!) :D
 

Whiteway215

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33740 has arrived in Weymouth behind a tow truck.
I heard from a First Bath contact that one of the Diamond E400s had broken down on the way and had to be towed. I can only presume this may have been 33740 that was towed into Bath and later towed on to Weymouth. That is only my assumption.
 

freetoview33

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You could even include the full 24 experiance for the 8 by stopping it on Temple Way and transferring anybody who wants to get to the station front onto a Solo on the 8A that'll run up the incline and drop people under the frontage!) :D
As said a 3rd stop is going to be built at Temple Meads for the Airport bus. So that would leave the current Airport stop free, unless something else changes there.
 

CD

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I heard from a First Bath contact that one of the Diamond E400s had broken down on the way and had to be towed. I can only presume this may have been 33740 that was towed into Bath and later towed on to Weymouth. That is only my assumption.
Not a good start for it :D .
Originally it was 33699 that was going to Weymouth, but that was still in Bolton with repairs needed to it. So 33740 was chosen. Looks like Leicester are getting 33699 now.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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Not a good start for it :D .
Originally it was 33699 that was going to Weymouth, but that was still in Bolton with repairs needed to it. So 33740 was chosen. Looks like Leicester are getting 33699 now.
I'm sure that a few trips along the A35 and it'll settle down just fine ;)

Got me thinking though. There are 7 e400s (plus two B9s returned from Bath) replacing 6 Omnidekkas and 5 B7TLs?

Also, I might have been thinking that 36228-34 in Bath might have been a better set of vehicles (with a suitable refurbishment as per the Cymru ones) for the JC routes and send all the e400s to Bath?
 

CD

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I'm sure that a few trips along the A35 and it'll settle down just fine ;)

Got me thinking though. There are 7 e400s (plus two B9s returned from Bath) replacing 6 Omnidekkas and 5 B7TLs?

Also, I might have been thinking that 36228-34 in Bath might have been a better set of vehicles (with a suitable refurbishment as per the Cymru ones) for the JC routes and send all the e400s to Bath?
The only B7TLs in Weymouth are the three open toppers 32031/33/36. All the Geminis are B9TLs.
Scanias 36005/6 are both still serviceable and have been in service within the last week. So the corrosion cannot be as bad as the other 4.
 

baza585

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I'm sure that a few trips along the A35 and it'll settle down just fine ;)

Got me thinking though. There are 7 e400s (plus two B9s returned from Bath) replacing 6 Omnidekkas and 5 B7TLs?

Also, I might have been thinking that 36228-34 in Bath might have been a better set of vehicles (with a suitable refurbishment as per the Cymru ones) for the JC routes and send all the e400s to Bath?
33699 is at Hoeford. 33700 was apparently expected but didn't arrive and is now apparently destined for Leicester.

I completely agree that late
model B9s would have been much better for JC work, not least because Weymouth are used to them. The B7TLs for Kernow are nominally Hoeford based though 3 of them are currently at Southampton for social distancing. AFAIK they are still destined for Kernow, though we'd love to keep them because they are very solid buses.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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The only B7TLs in Weymouth are the three open toppers 32031/33/36. All the Geminis are B9TLs.
Scanias 36005/6 are both still serviceable and have been in service within the last week. So the corrosion cannot be as bad as the other 4.

Sorry Ron - should've been clearer in that I was talking about FHD in totality. The B7TLs I meant were 37161-5 that are Hoeford allocated as @baza585 stated; I think one of them has also acted as spare for the Pompey P&R. I was thinking that you'd be seeing some of the 08 plate B9s head to replace them possibly otherwise we're talking 9 in (e400s + 37585/6) and only 6 out of Weymouth?

36006 is, of course, a year newer but I imagine that they're all pretty ropey. Just might be that 36001-4 were ones that were due MOT and/or major unit replacement and so bit the dust first.

They've certainly been worked very hard; in ordinary times, I'd have been down there anyway in April and might've had a last run out on them. I had a day down there last year and had a pair when I was actually hoping for one of the ex Green Lines but rather pleased that didn't happen. 36003 from Dorchester to Bridport, and then 36001 from Bridport to Chickerell - even think that's possibly the nicest way to do those journeys. Really have been good machines.
 

CD

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Sorry Ron - should've been clearer in that I was talking about FHD in totality. The B7TLs I meant were 37161-5 that are Hoeford allocated as @baza585 stated; I think one of them has also acted as spare for the Pompey P&R. I was thinking that you'd be seeing some of the 08 plate B9s head to replace them possibly otherwise we're talking 9 in (e400s + 37585/6) and only 6 out of Weymouth?

36006 is, of course, a year newer but I imagine that they're all pretty ropey. Just might be that 36001-4 were ones that were due MOT and/or major unit replacement and so bit the dust first.

They've certainly been worked very hard; in ordinary times, I'd have been down there anyway in April and might've had a last run out on them. I had a day down there last year and had a pair when I was actually hoping for one of the ex Green Lines but rather pleased that didn't happen. 36003 from Dorchester to Bridport, and then 36001 from Bridport to Chickerell - even think that's possibly the nicest way to do those journeys. Really have been good machines.
The Scanias has certainly been one of the best vehicles Weymouth have ever had. The hill climbing when new had to be witnessed to be believed.

I tend to think of First Wessex and First Hampshire as separate although both FHD. Rather like FSW with First Kernow and Buses of Somerset.
33699 is at Hoeford. 33700 was apparently expected but didn't arrive and is now apparently destined for Leicester.

I completely agree that late
model B9s would have been much better for JC work, not least because Weymouth are used to them. The B7TLs for Kernow are nominally Hoeford based though 3 of them are currently at Southampton for social distancing. AFAIK they are still destined for Kernow, though we'd love to keep them because they are very solid buses.
Oops only one out !!
13 weeks stuck at home with little sleep has finished what little brain I had. :D
 
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TheGrandWazoo

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The Scanias has certainly been one of the best vehicles Weymouth have ever had. The hill climbing when new had to be witnessed to be believed.

I tend to think of First Wessex and First Hampshire as separate although both FHD. Rather like FSW with First Kernow and Buses of Somerset.

I know what you mean. I had a trip in June 2005 from Bridport to Seaton and back when they were about a year old; they were superb. Might also add that the first Coastlinx livery was the one that best suited them. Even a year ago, I was sat on a day like today, blue skies and on 36001 as I headed East through Burton Bradstock - still decent machines even if they were showing their age.
 

baza585

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I know what you mean. I had a trip in June 2005 from Bridport to Seaton and back when they were about a year old; they were superb. Might also add that the first Coastlinx livery was the one that best suited them. Even a year ago, I was sat on a day like today, blue skies and on 36001 as I headed East through Burton Bradstock - still decent machines even if they were showing their age.
I expect if the drivers get their way, 36005/6 will still feature from time to time on JC duties until the dreaded tinworm does for them too. EL bodies leak like sieves and eventually I guess that has consequences.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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I expect if the drivers get their way, 36005/6 will still feature from time to time on JC duties until the dreaded tinworm does for them too. EL bodies leak like sieves and eventually I guess that has consequences.

I don't know if 36005/6 are any better than 36001-4 - it might just be that the others have MOT due or other expenditure required that isn't economically justifiable. I believe that they are popular machines though
 

Tommy Walters

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I was pleased to discover this photo, which answered my question on the 349! Despite bustimes saying it was a First service, it is now Abus who have resumed operation on there!
 

D2007wsm

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The 349 service is operated by Abus on behalf of First in a similar manner to HTC on the m1. Abus are paid a certain amount for each journey they operate.

On a regular Monday to Friday timetable, the 11:05 and 12:35 departures from Bristol are operated by First using Marlborough Street drivers. Though the bus used can vary as I’ve seen an excel E400 operate these journeys. It is supposed to be the bus which comes in off of the inbound 177 in the morning, laying over on the back wall to go to Keynsham twice before laying over again until the 16:50 177. Though this bus is often nicked to cover breakdowns.

I seen inside one of there buses upstairs on an X1 reversing off of the bay, and the seats are marked out for social distancing using the yellow First sashs.
I was pleased to discover this photo, which answered my question on the 349! Despite bustimes saying it was a First service, it is now Abus who have resumed operation on there!
 

CD

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I don't know if 36005/6 are any better than 36001-4 - it might just be that the others have MOT due or other expenditure required that isn't economically justifiable. I believe that they are popular machines though
There was talk of them being used on the school contracts, until Covid appeared.
 

matt_splat

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both D1X workings were 12 plate B9 deckers this morning the timings of the morning D1 / D1X towards trowbridge mean they arrive into Bradford on Avon with in a minute of each other this causing tailbacks on the town bridge as both can't serve the stop at the same time
 

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