First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset)

[On the Buses]

Perhaps being used to then send off the loaned Geminis to Buses of Somerset unless plans have changed?

There are no loaned Geminis.

 

[vla50]

There are no loaned Geminis.

Are 32670/37003 permanently at Kernow or will they move to Somerset? (Believe the initial plan was for them to initially start in Kernow and then move to BOS, but as you've mentioned you have picked up surrendered contracts)

 

[Murray J]

Are 32670/37003 permanently at Kernow or will they move to Somerset? (Believe the initial plan was for them to initially start in Kernow and then move to BOS, but as you've mentioned you have picked up surrendered contracts)

I've personally never heard that that was even the original plan but could be wrong. I'm fairly sure that's not the plan anymore.

 

[CD]

Good to see Double Deckers making more appearances on the 54 between Yeovil and Taunton lately!

32759 on the Taunton diagram today, Along with Streetlite 47542 on the Yeovil diagram!

33378 Monday and Wednesday, 32126 on Tuesday.
47542 explored some new territory yesterday 1245 58 to Wincanton and back, followed by 1635 6 to Bridport.

 

[Whiteway215]

42942has indeed gone. The Scania is still here.

The Scania 65007 reported as taken away by Wigleys today

 

[On the Buses]

a

Are 32670/37003 permanently at Kernow or will they move to Somerset? (Believe the initial plan was for them to initially start in Kernow and then move to BOS, but as you've mentioned you have picked up surrendered contracts)

Permanent - no such thing.
Nothing fixed yet on what but will be moves within FSW Easter thru Whitsun. Not necessarily these two

 

[LAIRA]

First working Rail Replacement in Plymouth today included
23654
20325
20808
23652
23701
20354

First working Rail Replacement in Plymouth today included 19.2.22
20802
23652
20366
20325
20805
20323

 

[MarkC]

Spent weekend in Cornwall and have to say was very impressed with First Kernow services I used over several days.... 91, U1a, T1, T2 and PR1 Truro. The standard of bus is much better now than I remember from their Plymouth days, even with tables! A definite turnaround. Only question and I know it not down to First but why are Truro town tickets, any operator, any bus not valid on Park and Ride?

 

[Busaholic]

Spent weekend in Cornwall and have to say was very impressed with First Kernow services I used over several days.... 91, U1a, T1, T2 and PR1 Truro. The standard of bus is much better now than I remember from their Plymouth days, even with tables! A definite turnaround. Only question and I know it not down to First but why are Truro town tickets, any operator, any bus not valid on Park and Ride?

I believe that decision was made by Cornwall Council, who are responsible for commissioning the service, but I'm open to correction, as always.

 

[Goldfish62]

Spent weekend in Cornwall and have to say was very impressed with First Kernow services I used over several days.... 91, U1a, T1, T2 and PR1 Truro. The standard of bus is much better now than I remember from their Plymouth days, even with tables! A definite turnaround. Only question and I know it not down to First but why are Truro town tickets, any operator, any bus not valid on Park and Ride?

As the name suggests the Park & Ride is specifically aimed at car users and it's always been that way. General bus tickets have never been valid on it. That's more often than not the case across the country with dedicated P&R schemes.

 

[embers25]

As the name suggests the Park & Ride is specifically aimed at car users and it's always been that way. General bus tickets have never been valid on it. That's more often than not the case across the country with dedicated P&R schemes.

Not really any more. Oxford, Exeter and Plymouth Park&Rides for example are all included in the respective day tickets.

 

[MarkC]

Yeah definitely is in Plymouth and was even when First ran it. Seems a very strange decision by Cornwall Council IMO and very confusing for passengers. Any ticket, any Bus.. except when not valid etc.

 

[Busaholic]

Yeah definitely is in Plymouth and was even when First ran it. Seems a very strange decision by Cornwall Council IMO and very confusing for passengers. Any ticket, any Bus.. except when not valid etc.

A cynic might suggest that Cornwall Council. while giving lip service to Park and Ride, makes rather a packet from their Truro City Centre car parks and penalty parking charges given to motorists overstaying their time on the various limited free parking sites. The Tregurra Park end of the P&R by Waitrose has never really taken off unlike the western end.

 

[richw]

Not really any more. Oxford, Exeter and Plymouth Park&Rides for example are all included in the respective day tickets.

I don’t know Oxford but Exeter and Plymouth examples you quote are no longer operated by dedicated park and ride services, both being normal registered stopping services, unlike Truro which is a limited stop service

 

[embers25]

The Red iin Exeter s still limited stop (bar peak in one direction due to serving workers as it has always been). All Oxford and Cambridge ones are limited stop

 

[MarkC]

A cynic might suggest that Cornwall Council. while giving lip service to Park and Ride, makes rather a packet from their Truro City Centre car parks and penalty parking charges given to motorists overstaying their time on the various limited free parking sites. The Tregurra Park end of the P&R by Waitrose has never really taken off unlike the western end.

I think you probably do have a point there. Seems only real logical explanation. I don't know anywhere other than Cornwall where day tickets etc are not valid on P and R. I used daily and monthly tickets on park and ride in Plymouth both operated by Stagecoach and pre 2015 on First PR1 in Plymouth and never had any questions asked, also Exeter on Stagecoach and indeed First in Bristol, so must be a CCC decision

 

[GBM]

I believe that when Cornwall Council first wanted to register their own Park and Ride service, other operators objected as this would remove revenue from their own service.
The Council then agreed tickets would only be available from the dedicated cark park (s) and would be a limited stop service; taking only Plusbus tickets as an extra.
And thus it has remained.
The Park and Ride ceased to accept concession cards a few years ago as well.
I believe even the Ticketer machines are calibrated slightly differently so have to be recalibrated to work on service runs, ands v.v of course.
It does explicitly say on their website that inoperability of service tickets are not available on the Park and Ride service, neither are they to be used on Eden service (but I may have misread that bit).

 

[MarkC]

I believe that when Cornwall Council first wanted to register their own Park and Ride service, other operators objected as this would remove revenue from their own service.
The Council then agreed tickets would only be available from the dedicated cark park (s) and would be a limited stop service; taking only Plusbus tickets as an extra.
And thus it has remained.
The Park and Ride ceased to accept concession cards a few years ago as well.
I believe even the Ticketer machines are calibrated slightly differently so have to be recalibrated to work on service runs, ands v.v of course.
It does explicitly say on their website that inoperability of service tickets are not available on the Park and Ride service, neither are they to be used on Eden service (but I may have misread that bit).

That makes sense. Thank you for the explanation.

 

[Goldfish62]

Any ticket, any Bus.. except when not valid etc.

But that only covers TfC. Park for Truro is not part of TfC. Just like Royal Buses and St Ives Bus Company services.

 

[83G/84D]

E400MMC 33453 has returned from a repaint into Copper colours and was seen at Camborne today. Last to be done I believe.

 

[buscoaster]

Just for fun, with the release of the old open top buses from the Lands End Coaster due to their replacements being brought in, where would you like to see them redeployed across the network / what new adventures would you create with them?

Personally I would love to see the Dartmoor Explorer become an open top service, and a new adventure could be Padstow to Bude, via Tintagel and Boscastle, continuing the Atlantic Coaster further north. I also think there is a powerful argument for BoS taking on the running of route 20 from Burnham to Weston, taking it off of WoE and returning it to open top, adding it to the portfolio of Adventures by Bus. I'm not sure what could be done with Fowey or Looe, but they would be amazing if somehow they could be made into adventures, possibly including the railway too to make it multi modal!

What ideas do others have?

 

[MarkC]

Yes for Dartmoor Explorer becoming open top, possibly with bit more frequent service in summer.
Polperro - Looe - Torpoint - Plymouth along rame peninsula (hopefully link up with DE) would be good.

 

[Whiteway215]

Just for fun, with the release of the old open top buses from the Lands End Coaster due to their replacements being brought in, where would you like to see them redeployed across the network / what new adventures would you create with them?

Personally I would love to see the Dartmoor Explorer become an open top service, and a new adventure could be Padstow to Bude, via Tintagel and Boscastle, continuing the Atlantic Coaster further north. I also think there is a powerful argument for BoS taking on the running of route 20 from Burnham to Weston, taking it off of WoE and returning it to open top, adding it to the portfolio of Adventures by Bus. I'm not sure what could be done with Fowey or Looe, but they would be amazing if somehow they could be made into adventures, possibly including the railway too to make it multi modal!

What ideas do others have?

Would you also take your Padstow to Bude through Crackingtin Haven? Could be interesting in the August traffic!!

 

[carlberry]

Just for fun, with the release of the old open top buses from the Lands End Coaster due to their replacements being brought in, where would you like to see them redeployed across the network / what new adventures would you create with them?

Personally I would love to see the Dartmoor Explorer become an open top service, and a new adventure could be Padstow to Bude, via Tintagel and Boscastle, continuing the Atlantic Coaster further north. I also think there is a powerful argument for BoS taking on the running of route 20 from Burnham to Weston, taking it off of WoE and returning it to open top, adding it to the portfolio of Adventures by Bus. I'm not sure what could be done with Fowey or Looe, but they would be amazing if somehow they could be made into adventures, possibly including the railway too to make it multi modal!

What ideas do others have?

The issue on the 20 was trees damaging vehicles which the local authority didn't appear interested in fixing. Dartmoor might have an issue with trees between Exeter and Moretonhampstead as well, however isnt part of the justification of the Dartmoor service the fact the vehicles can do school work as well?

 

[buscoaster]

Would you also take your Padstow to Bude through Crackingtin Haven? Could be interesting in the August traffic!!

I think Polzeath could be interesting too!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The issue on the 20 was trees damaging vehicles which the local authority didn't appear interested in fixing. Dartmoor might have an issue with trees between Exeter and Moretonhampstead as well, however isnt part of the justification of the Dartmoor service the fact the vehicles can do school work as well?

You beat me to it @carlberry - the 20 WAS open topped and it was only because the LA didn't want to cut back trees (I think near Berrow'Lympsham) that First had to convert back to conventional DD operation. Also, the 20 is best operated from Weston where there's a depot. And yes, the Dartmoor Explorer is built around schools work to minimise the financial exposure.

Not wishing to indulge too much in the crayons, but a potential uplift of the Exmoor Coaster to hourly might be doable. Struggling for much else in Somerset to be O/T

 

[-Colly405-]

Just for fun, with the release of the old open top buses from the Lands End Coaster due to their replacements being brought in, where would you like to see them redeployed across the network / what new adventures would you create with them?

Personally I would love to see the Dartmoor Explorer become an open top service, and a new adventure could be Padstow to Bude, via Tintagel and Boscastle, continuing the Atlantic Coaster further north. I also think there is a powerful argument for BoS taking on the running of route 20 from Burnham to Weston, taking it off of WoE and returning it to open top, adding it to the portfolio of Adventures by Bus. I'm not sure what could be done with Fowey or Looe, but they would be amazing if somehow they could be made into adventures, possibly including the railway too to make it multi modal!

What ideas do others have?

Plymouth - Bovisand, like in the olden days with PCB

 

[83G/84D]

I had a day trip with a friend to Somerset yesterday and of note in Taunton depot was Open top Trident 32726.
In the adjoining yard were Volvo B7TL’s 32126 and 32129 both VOR along with Volvo B7RLE 66983, Tridents 32768 & 33382 and a 650xx Scania amongst other vehicles.

Back to Cornwall and E400MMC 33453 is tracking on bustimes today having recently been repainted into the Copper colours.

 

[vla50]

I had a day trip with a friend to Somerset yesterday and of note in Taunton depot was Open top Trident 32726.
In the adjoining yard were Volvo B7TL’s 32126 and 32129 both VOR along with Volvo B7RLE 66983, Tridents 32768 & 33382 and a 650xx Scania amongst other vehicles.

Back to Cornwall and E400MMC 33453 is tracking on bustimes today having recently been repainted into the Copper colours.

I assume if 32726 has now got its new engine fitted or being fitted?

Will we also see a return of the 08 E400s into service at some point? I assume all three are VOR unless they are being refurbished or working some sort of school contract.

 

[Callum15632]

I assume if 32726 has now got its new engine fitted or being fitted?

Will we also see a return of the 08 E400s into service at some point? I assume all three are VOR unless they are being refurbished or working some sort of school contract.

Oh do you mean the LK08s the open tops or do you mean WA08s?