First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset)

[richw]

However some observers are not convinced the FSW lists are up to date and the buses may have been sold by now, having been withdrawn so long ago. If you look back on this First Kernow thread on pages 177 178 and 179 there have been references about the disposals etc for 31820/1 48232/4 53011 60814 65579.

Quite a lot went to Winkleigh, and whether Dan has sold on, broken or scrapped is harder to follow. He’s had quite a lot of scrap collected recently though I believe.

 

[Westnat]

Some observations on Wednesday (21/03/18)

Rail replacement Truro-Penzance
20556,20557,20558,20661,23011,23019,33460,35150,36800 (Demo YN16 DFG),44510 (Spare bus Penzance),69538,69539, Mounts Bay 5049 VC, a2b W4 NRL

Rail replacement St Erth-St Ives
43856,53040,53206,56003,33238 (Spare bus St Erth)

T1 32955
T2 33236
A17 33002

53151 YN03 ZVW leaving Camborne 2.30pm with a 47 service sign on the windscreen - possibly heading out to do the school day only Redruth School to Portreath?
42897 WX05 RVA on staff shuttle duties at Truro bus station

 

[83G/84D]

Some observations on Wednesday (21/03/18)

Rail replacement Truro-Penzance
20556,20557,20558,20661,23011,23019,33460,35150,36800 (Demo YN16 DFG),44510 (Spare bus Penzance),69538,69539, Mounts Bay 5049 VC, a2b W4 NRL

Rail replacement St Erth-St Ives
43856,53040,53206,56003,33238 (Spare bus St Erth)

T1 32955
T2 33236
A17 33002

53151 YN03 ZVW leaving Camborne 2.30pm with a 47 service sign on the windscreen - possibly heading out to do the school day only Redruth School to Portreath?
42897 WX05 RVA on staff shuttle duties at Truro bus station

Thanks for the report. I presume that 20661 is a typo for 20561?
The two Streetdecks are parked at Camborne this morning.

 

[Westnat]

Thanks for the report. I presume that 20661 is a typo for 20561?
The two Streetdecks are parked at Camborne this morning.

Yes, sorry, should be 20561.

 

[richw]

To add to Westnats obs, on Wednesday evening I travelled on FJ10DPO on a fast from St Erth to Truro. Premier Cornwall, who I believe to be a rebrand of A2B Newquay.

 

[83G/84D]

To add to Westnats obs, on Wednesday evening I travelled on FJ10DPO on a fast from St Erth to Truro. Premier Cornwall, who I believe to be a rebrand of A2B Newquay.

I saw a couple of Premier coaches this week wondered who they were!

 

[Penwithian]

Yesterday (24th March) while travelling on the A17 from Pendeen to Penzance, our bus Scania L94UB 65763 (YN05GXM) sustained a broken fan belt in Boscathnoe Way, Heamoor. Two fitter arrived from Penzance with Ford Transit Connect van 90672 (LT57XDK), but no fan belts that would fit could be found. We were collected by a diverted Madron to Penzance A17 in the form of Dennis Dart 42560 (SN05DZW). The driver and fitters wewre helpful to all passengers even arranging a taxi for two passengers who required to get a connecting train at Penzance.
The fitter informed me that over Easter one or two open top Volvo B7TL's may be pressed into service weather permitting.

 

[gka472l]

Is there any sign of a date for the new MMC's to start arriving please? Ta!

 

[ClawzOneThirty]

I have it down as 20364, 20502, 20504, 20556, 20557, 20558, 20561, 20801, and 23208 being the only coaches we've got apart from the newer style First Kernow coaches irizars and the driver trainers.

All the cheetahs are being sent off though (56000 - 56004)

Also:

Apparently these vehicles are now ours? Can someone confirm this?

 

[Volvodart]

As mentioned previously in the First South West thread, these are the Somerset Passenger Solutions leased buses.

 

[Accelerator59]

I did see that 33099 is now being stored at Camborne and the rail replacement buses bar the Bristol ones are now on that list

 

[Whiteway215]

I did see that 33099 is now being stored at Camborne and the rail replacement buses bar the Bristol ones are now on that list

Confused or what? The PSV Circle for March 2018 says '33099 to Shears, Northam by Feb 2018!

 

[richw]

Confused or what? The PSV Circle for March 2018 says '33099 to Shears, Northam by Feb 2018!

Dan does some mechanical work for First, so quite possible it went to him for repairs.

 

[iantherev]

Dan does some mechanical work for First, so quite possible it went to him for repairs.

It was noted with Dan by a Circle member. Unfortunately the Circle sub-editor now lives 250 miles away from Cornwall and is not psychic. I'm very grateful for all the information provided on this forum and a correction will appear in the next Draft which goes in later this week. Given that it's sat at Taunton for the best part of several years, a sale was a fair assumption.

 

[iantherev]

As mentioned previously in the First South West thread, these are the Somerset Passenger Solutions leased buses.

They are currently running on First South West discs so are shown as part of the First South West as they come under Buses of Somerset. Hopefully once the Somerset Passenger Services operators licence has been granted they can be shifted to that operator.

 

[Bristol LH]

I have it down as 20364, 20502, 20504, 20556, 20557, 20558, 20561, 20801, and 23208 being the only coaches we've got apart from the newer style First Kernow coaches irizars and the driver trainers.

All the cheetahs are being sent off though (56000 - 56004)

Also:
View attachment 44360
Apparently these vehicles are now ours? Can someone confirm this?

20364 has been parked at First Cymru's Swansea Ravenhill depot for about three to four weeks.

 

[MB162435]

Tinner bus 33451 and Uni E400 33420 along with a Trident were on 16:25 231 duties from Truro College to Falmouth Moor this evening

 

[Whiteway215]

It was noted with Dan by a Circle member. Unfortunately the Circle sub-editor now lives 250 miles away from Cornwall and is not psychic. I'm very grateful for all the information provided on this forum and a correction will appear in the next Draft which goes in later this week. Given that it's sat at Taunton for the best part of several years, a sale was a fair assumption.

I apologise if my comment about 33099 sounded like a criticism. On another point does Dan Shears communicate anywhere what he acquires or disposes?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

It was noted with Dan by a Circle member. Unfortunately the Circle sub-editor now lives 250 miles away from Cornwall and is not psychic. I'm very grateful for all the information provided on this forum and a correction will appear in the next Draft which goes in later this week. Given that it's sat at Taunton for the best part of several years, a sale was a fair assumption.

I think that he does dispose of vehicles for scrapping as well as effecting repairs. Is this confirmed as repaired or is it a disposal?

 

[richw]

I apologise if my comment about 33099 sounded like a criticism. On another point does Dan Shears communicate anywhere what he acquires or disposes?

I don’t believe so. He puts a fair few photos on his personal Facebook page of stuff being loaded to wreckers, and also of his engine changes. More often than not though fleet numbers are removed and no number plates attached.

I think that he does dispose of vehicles for scrapping as well as effecting repairs. Is this confirmed as repaired or is it a disposal?

He does a lot of engine swaps, I’d assume if it’s now at camborne it’s got a new engine and being prepped for service. I see no other reason for it to move to camborne.

 

[iantherev]

I apologise if my comment about 33099 sounded like a criticism. On another point does Dan Shears communicate anywhere what he acquires or disposes?

No problem - it was meant to be a reasonably light hearted reponse. I do the best with what I’ve got and am very grateful to all the contributions here.

 

[83G/84D]

32874 working the 0830 Penzance to Truro and 1035 Truro to Penzance, 33004 working the 1047 St Ives to Truro.
33153 noted at Camborne, not sure if a loan or permanent transfer.

 

[MB162435]

Tinner bus 33451 was meant to be on the 16:25 231 service from Truro College to Falmouth Moor, although it failed before departure with a complete loss of power.

 

[ClawzOneThirty]

Right, time to set the info straight.

Basically, when the first south yorkshire transfers came down, 33099 suffered a very heavy engine malfunction, causing in the engine being removed. It has been sitting at Taunton for ages and ages now, I got told by my mate that it's been sitting there awaiting the decision upon its fate.

If it has gone to Camborne, they will most likely repair it up as they need as much as they can get in service at the moment. 30874 & 30876 were both out of service at one time both requiring new engines, and spare ones were not that hard to find, so 33099 is most likely going to Dan Shears for repairs and not disposal.

In other news, 53154 is in need of a serious seat re-trim and interior re-do, as it is very torn up on the inside, floor is immaculate though apart from a few cracks.

The loaned vehicles for rail rep should be going back soon, and by the 1st of April you should see a lot of the older batches of presidents going away, and it'll be the same with the ex Connex nimbuses.
The only examples that will stay are the V---LGC batch, and 42358. (LN51/LK51/LT02/LT52/LR02 batches count as newer versions, they will obviously stay)
The Cheetahs are said to be going to dan shears for disposal once all the branding has been taken off etc, though I think they will be scrapped, as the interiors are very worn out, same with the body, dents everywhere.

Also, good news for 34198! She is being preserved after disappearing from Summercourt at the end of 2017, the same fate awaits 32045

News is still unknown for 52554, again still at Taunton, I've asked my mates about the vario and nobody knows what's going on with it, possibly awaiting for the book value to diminish then scrap?

--Edit: @richw was correct, it is having a new engine installed and it is being readied for service, cannot wait to see it out and about after languishing for three years!

 

[richw]

There is a lot of inaccuracies in that information. 52554 is privately owned, believed to be by a BoS employee.
The Cheetahs will probably get a retrim and sold on, their value is still too high to scrap, barring possibly the ex truronian one.
The older Tridents won’t go anywhere until the MMCs arrive.

 

[ClawzOneThirty]

@richw You'd think they'd be worth nothing after seeing the amount of dents and torn up bits and bobs on them, and I was implying the info towards the MMCs arriving throughout April, I know that we've already given away some T---LLCs and V---HBYs, some are in Essex and some are with Hampshire & Dorset.

Thank you for the info about 52554 by the way! If she is a preservation project (most likely), I'd love to see what sort of livery goes on her!

 

[ClawzOneThirty]

I have a big assumption that 32930 is the mystery tick box trident.

I looked at the photos of the tick box trident, and the rear of the interior shown in a photo looks exactly like how I last saw it, and it appears on the MOT as fully taxed and in black.

I also asked one of my mates to pay 32930 a visit, and it wasn't in summercourt where it was last seen.

 

[83G/84D]

56003 still in service, seen on Truro college duty this afternoon. E200 44918 seen at Camborne this morning, another new arrival. 32873 & 33067 on Tinner duties.

 

[83G/84D]

33164 arrived in Camborne from Norwich. E200 44907 seen again so seemingly a permanent transfer rather than just for rail replacement services last week.

 

[MB162435]

Uni E400 33421 and Dennis Trident 33112 were on the 16:25 231 services from Truro College to Falmouth Moor, the 3rd 231 service was cancelled probably due to Falmouth depot being a bus down due to the failure of 33451 yesterday