First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset)

[Andyh82]

I’ve noticed that it seems the worst buses (I.E ones in olympia or random West of England colours) seem to get banished as far out of the way as possible which means the U4 and to some degree the 17

This despite the fact that there is an oversupply of Lizard buses, they rarely actually appear on the U4

The allocations are still as if they are drawn out of a tombola at the start of every day. I think over the last few days I’ve seen ‘Unique’ branded buses everywhere from the 91 in Newquay to the 17 in Penzance

 

[Snozzel]

Branding does seem to be irrelevant these days. But passengers just want a bus to turn up. Pretty colours just appease enthusiasts and people with a stake in the paintshop imo. Proven by the generally red colour of go cornwall. I cannot imagine anyone gets excited because their bus is branded to the route.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Branding does seem to be irrelevant these days. But passengers just want a bus to turn up. Pretty colours just appease enthusiasts and people with a stake in the paintshop imo. Proven by the generally red colour of go cornwall. I cannot imagine anyone gets excited because their bus is branded to the route.

I don't know if that's entirely correct. There is a whole marketing industry that aims to sell us things... We don't expect washing powder to be in a plain white box, so we shouldn't expect buses to be in dealer white. A bus arriving on time is a basic requirement; marketing is about improving sales.

However, for any branding to be effective, then it has to be consistently "applied" and that is where First Kernow is falling down. The complex amount of interworking (for vehicle duty but, more appropriately, to cycle vehicles through the depots for maintenance) means that they have never been able to consistently have the correct vehicles on the right routes. As I (and @Goldfish62) mentioned before, there's simply too many brands especially with a less than critical mass on many routes.

Cornwall's Copper is a beautiful livery but for four vehicles? Unique (for what are essentially Uni shorts)?

Personally, I'd keep The Mousehole for the dedicated new vehicles, The Tinners for the T1/T2, perhaps rebrand at least some of the Lands End/Atlantic Coasters in a generic Cornish Coaster livery, and the rest can go green.

 

[richw]

I don't know if that's entirely correct. There is a whole marketing industry that aims to sell us things... We don't expect washing powder to be in a plain white box, so we shouldn't expect buses to be in dealer white. A bus arriving on time is a basic requirement; marketing is about improving sales.

However, for any branding to be effective, then it has to be consistently "applied" and that is where First Kernow is falling down. The complex amount of interworking (for vehicle duty but, more appropriately, to cycle vehicles through the depots for maintenance) means that they have never been able to consistently have the correct vehicles on the right routes. As I (and @Goldfish62) mentioned before, there's simply too many brands especially with a less than critical mass on many routes.

Cornwall's Copper is a beautiful livery but for four vehicles? Unique (for what are essentially Uni shorts)?

Personally, I'd keep The Mousehole for the dedicated new vehicles, The Tinners for the T1/T2, perhaps rebrand at least some of the Lands End/Atlantic Coasters in a generic Cornish Coaster livery, and the rest can go green.

I’ve read elsewhere First want a national identity again. The mentioned livery was the greens seen elsewhere up country

 

[Goldfish62]

But passengers just want a bus to turn up.

That's an extremely low aspiration. The minimum that anyone should be entitled to expect is that the bus turns up on approx on time, it's clean, fare isn't unreasonable and the driver isn't rude. That's the absolute base minimum to retain existing passengers.

But without attracting new passengers to replace the existing ones that gradually die out a service will be doomed to failure.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Jun 2023 ==

I’ve noticed that it seems the worst buses (I.E ones in olympia or random West of England colours) seem to get banished as far out of the way as possible which means the U4 and to some degree the 17

This despite the fact that there is an oversupply of Lizard buses, they rarely actually appear on the U4

The allocations are still as if they are drawn out of a tombola at the start of every day. I think over the last few days I’ve seen ‘Unique’ branded buses everywhere from the 91 in Newquay to the 17 in Penzance

The rubbish has always been banished to the far west of Cornwall. Happened in NBC days as well.

 

[Citistar]

That's an extremely low aspiration. The minimum that anyone should be entitled to expect is that the bus turns up on approx on time, it's clean, fare isn't unreasonable and the driver isn't rude. That's the absolute base minimum to retain existing passengers.

But without attracting new passengers to replace the existing ones that gradually die out a service will be doomed to failure.

I think First in particular could do with a few years of getting those basics right before they start painting everything yet again. I'd personally put internal condition and comfort above what colour the bus is painted outside. From a personal perspective as a fairly regular passenger at the moment; the horrible e-leather seats which were a First standard for several years are worse than the plastic seats found in deliveries to the National Bus Company in the 1970s. Look at the effort car manufacturers go to in order to provide comfortable seats - bus passengers get whatever is lightest.

 

[Goldfish62]

I think First in particular could do with a few years of getting those basics right before they start painting everything yet again. I'd personally put internal condition and comfort above what colour the bus is painted outside. From a personal perspective as a fairly regular passenger at the moment; the horrible e-leather seats which were a First standard for several years are worse than the plastic seats found in deliveries to the National Bus Company in the 1970s. Look at the effort car manufacturers go to in order to provide comfortable seats - bus passengers get whatever is lightest.

I don't disagree, but buses have to be repainted every few years anyway as they look scruffy otherwise.

Yes, those grey e-leather seats are horrible. Generally though, bus seats have got more comfortable in recent times, with high back versions of Isri, Kiel or Lazzerini being the usual choice (even London has joined in now). The dark days of the Urban 90 have thankfully gone.

Leave the terrible seats to the railways.

 

[Peter Philips]

It is odd that they would use the vehicle off the 10 onto the 08.30 start on the Exmoor Coaster when there is a 28 board that appears to start at 08.45, much more sensible, that is what Streetlite 55108 has done today. However it will get back from Taunton at 15.29 off the 28 and appears to be required again for the 10 at 15.30 - if this is the only vehicle which can run the 10. We'll see what happens in 3 hours....

...appears E200 44509 (after its stint on the Exmoor Coaster) did the afternoon 1530 school 10 yesterday before a later round trip on the 28 according to tracking. Today tracking suggests the 0830 Exmoor Coaster was actually an open-top (32740) but starting 27min late so presumably ran virtually in convoy with the 0900 (33600) which was on time. 32740 then returned late 27 minutes late on the 0930 from Lynmouth before doing the 1030 half an hour late at 1100 with the following service just 4 minutes behind from Minehead.

 

[RELL6L]

...appears E200 44509 (after its stint on the Exmoor Coaster) did the afternoon 1530 school 10 yesterday before a later round trip on the 28 according to tracking. Today tracking suggests the 0830 Exmoor Coaster was actually an open-top (32740) but starting 27min late so presumably ran virtually in convoy with the 0900 (33600) which was on time. 32740 then returned late 27 minutes late on the 0930 from Lynmouth before doing the 1030 half an hour late at 1100 with the following service just 4 minutes behind from Minehead.

Yes. It seems they have 6 open top vehicles out today making up the full allocation, although as you say 32740 did three runs half an hour late.
It appears the E200s can work the 10 as one did the afternoon run today as well as yesterday.

 

[aquae39]

Can anyone here tell me what's happened to Dartmoor Explorer? It's nearly July now and there's still no news about it. It's an amazing travelling peak sunny month and it's a shame without any bus services in Dartmoor

 

[Andyh82]

Can anyone here tell me what's happened to Dartmoor Explorer? It's nearly July now and there's still no news about it. It's an amazing travelling peak sunny month and it's a shame without any bus services in Dartmoor

They said it would start in July once the colleges finish for the summer

Although I do agree it’s a shame they haven’t at least run it at weekends for the last few months

 

[Goldfish62]

They said it would start in July once the colleges finish for the summer

Although I do agree it’s a shame they haven’t at least run it at weekends for the last few months

The timetable is on the Adventures by Bus website:

First Bus | Bus Tickets, Timetables & Journey Planning | First Bus

Our UK Bus division operates around a fifth of local bus services in the UK and is one of the largest bus operators with a fleet of approximately 6,400 buses around the England, Scotland and Wales. We have bus routes serving 40 of the UK’s largest towns and cities providing great value public...

www.firstbus.co.uk

 

[Andyh82]

Yes they do. 2 deckers and 1 mini usually but sometimes a coach as well.

Do you know what runs they do, possibly the Plymouth and Plympton Duchy college services, and possibly the one that comes from Torpoint?

Looking on BusTimes there is also one that comes from Barnstaple, anyone know where that runs out of, seems to be miles away from any option

 

[richw]

Do you know what runs they do, possibly the Plymouth and Plympton Duchy college services, and possibly the one that comes from Torpoint?

Looking on BusTimes there is also one that comes from Barnstaple, anyone know where that runs out of, seems to be miles away from any option

Plymouth runs DC5/7/8

Barnstaple is run from Winkleigh at present, as is Okehampton.

 

[-Colly405-]

The timetable is on the Adventures by Bus website:

First Bus | Bus Tickets, Timetables & Journey Planning | First Bus

Our UK Bus division operates around a fifth of local bus services in the UK and is one of the largest bus operators with a fleet of approximately 6,400 buses around the England, Scotland and Wales. We have bus routes serving 40 of the UK’s largest towns and cities providing great value public...

www.firstbus.co.uk

Is that the correct timetable though, as it says "Summer 2023", "from 11 June" and "Daily"

 

[Goldfish62]

Is that the correct timetable though, as it says "Summer 2023", "from 11 June" and "Daily"

Who can say? Unfortunately the ABB website can't really be relied upon for accuracy.

 

[richw]

Is that the correct timetable though, as it says "Summer 2023", "from 11 June" and "Daily"

Who can say? Unfortunately the ABB website can't really be relied upon for accuracy.

The route registration starts a fortnight today. 9th July I think it is. Someone has clearly pressed something wrong data inputting as all timetable sources say 11 June. 4 weeks early?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jun 2023 ==

Former 32866 is reported to be working Glastonbury shuttles for Chepstow Classic Buses

 

[Peter Philips]

Yes. It seems they have 6 open top vehicles out today making up the full allocation, although as you say 32740 did three runs half an hour late.
It appears the E200s can work the 10 as one did the afternoon run today as well as yesterday.

A friend thought his Exmoor Coaster was duplicated until I pointed out the previous service was running half an hour late!

 

[buscoaster]

Interesting to see on a Facebook post (so cannot post link) a picture of the ALX300 that was converted to a bus stop for the Lands End Coaster being scrapped. Was this ever used? And why is it now being scrapped? Seems a waste

 

[Whiteway215]

Interesting to see on a Facebook post (so cannot post link) a picture of the ALX300 that was converted to a bus stop for the Lands End Coaster being scrapped. Was this ever used? And why is it now being scrapped? Seems a waste

Latterly 62209 was used as a store shed at Callington outstation.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Interesting to see on a Facebook post (so cannot post link) a picture of the ALX300 that was converted to a bus stop for the Lands End Coaster being scrapped. Was this ever used? And why is it now being scrapped? Seems a waste

It was very fleetingly as this photo by Retrobus shows https://www.flickr.com/photos/185536951@N04/51793864422/in/photolist-2mUR6qs

 

[GBM]

Seem to remember there was a Dart (?) parked at Landsend for use as a waiting room. Not sure it was used as a ticket office.

 

[Goldfish62]

Interesting to see on a Facebook post (so cannot post link) a picture of the ALX300 that was converted to a bus stop for the Lands End Coaster being scrapped. Was this ever used? And why is it now being scrapped? Seems a waste

Another waste of money. It didn't last at Land's End for long and was never obvious that it was a waiting room, so remained empty.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Another waste of money. It didn't last at Land's End for long and was never obvious that it was a waiting room, so remained empty.

IIRC, part of the problem is that Land's End was prescriptive on what the branding was. However, it did seem like another one of those bright ideas that was cost but no benefit.

 

[Goldfish62]

Any news on the Mousehole Sprinters? Did the transporters get lost on the way from Turkey?! They left the factory about four weeks ago.

 

[83G/84D]

Any news on the Mousehole Sprinters? Did the transporters get lost on the way from Turkey?! They left the factory about four weeks ago.

Last seen trying to find their way around the new Chiverton Cross junction I think! Might have ended up at Hopley's by mistake.

 

[Goldfish62]

Last seen trying to find their way around the new Chiverton Cross junction I think! Might have ended up at Hopley's by mistake.

Haha!

There's much rumour about a new First Bus standard livery so perhaps they've gone straight for repaint...

 

[Peter Philips]

Yes. It seems they have 6 open top vehicles out today making up the full allocation, although as you say 32740 did three runs half an hour late.
It appears the E200s can work the 10 as one did the afternoon run today as well as yesterday.

An update is that both Saturday & Sunday the 0830, 0930, 1030 , 1340, 1600 & 1640 Exmoor Coaster failed to run due to driver sickness (some route 28 services were also cancelled which must have caused issues with Butlins changeover loadings) but at least the 1515 off Ilfracombe was sensibly held at Lynmouth (thus 1640 was cancelled) for 52 minutes to cover the 1710 service which is the final Blue Anchor service. Today for variety the 0830 diagram is Olympia Enviro200 44509 (rather than Streetlite 55108 three days last week with the other two weekdays being an open-top) with a late start after the morning school Porlock 10. First warns of possible delays & cancellations on services operated by Yeovil today due to a shortage of vehicles rather than drivers but all appears running around lunchtime.

 

[CornwallBus]

Any updates on the fabled Mousehole Sprinters?

 

[Busaholic]

Any updates on the fabled Mousehole Sprinters?

When a Sprinter fails could it be said to be Sprunt?