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

[YorkRailFan]

Slight changes to the 5/X5 have been announced from 3 November:

Timetable Change - WsM 5 & X5

Service X5 timetable change: Due to Gordano School in Portishead changing their start/finish time, the 0710 Mon-Fri journey from Weston will now depart at 0700, the 1415 Mon-Fri journey from Weston will only operate as far as Sainsbury's and no longer serve Sheepway, and the 1605 Mon-Fri journey...

www.firstbus.co.uk

X5:

Due to Gordano School in Portishead changing their start/finish time, the 0710 Mon-Fri journey from Weston will now depart at 0700, the 1415 Mon-Fri journey from Weston will only operate as far as Sainsbury's and no longer serve Sheepway, and the 1605 Mon-Fri journey from Portishead will now depart at 1550.

5:

Due to inter-working with service X5, the 0640 Mon-Fri journey will now depart at 0635.

Shame Sheepway will lose a the 14:15.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Interesting nugget from Bristol City Council https://democracy.bristol.gov.uk/documents/s102056/Appendix A2 - TC metrics Q1.pdf

Apparently, bus patronage in Bristol has now recovered to pre-Covid levels.

 

[Citistar]

Interesting nugget from Bristol City Council https://democracy.bristol.gov.uk/documents/s102056/Appendix A2 - TC metrics Q1.pdf

Apparently, bus patronage in Bristol has now recovered to pre-Covid levels.

That's good news. WECA can stop paying First a huge sum each month for "network stability" now then and spend it on something more productive. We can look forward to "Wedding Anniversary Free Travel Fortnight" being announced soon.

 

[t rex]

33488 out on the 43s in broad Quay

 

[Marcus Fryer]

33488 out on the 43s in broad Quay

Still only that and 33790 repainted in this livery?

 

[bathbuses]

I had a ride on one of the E400MMCs with 1/2/2a branding on 7 to Broad Quay the other day, they had the announcement system completely changed to the one with Fran Edwards' voice on, the fonts on the screen were larger and moving from right to left as well.

The tap on tap off branded 4000MMCs have been changed to this system, as well as some of the Campus to Campus ones and also 200MMCs. Presumably the double door 400MMCs will follow before long

 

[Citistar]

Still only that and 33790 repainted in this livery?

There is a suggestion from Sarah Wallbridge (WoE PR) on Facebook that new electric deliveries to Weston will be in Norris Green.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

There is a suggestion from Sarah Wallbridge (WoE PR) on Facebook that new electric deliveries to Weston will be in Norris Green.

Why would they be in Liverpool?

 

[aswilliamsuk]

There is a suggestion from Sarah Wallbridge (WoE PR) on Facebook that new electric deliveries to Weston will be in Norris Green.

...which, of course, suggests that the Hengrove examples will also be in green.

 

[kei.8532]

The tap on tap off branded 4000MMCs have been changed to this system, as well as some of the Campus to Campus ones and also 200MMCs. Presumably the double door 400MMCs will follow before long

What i've observed so far, some of the Volvo B9TL (mostly with Olympia livery) and streetlites with 8 livery have also updated to this version (FWOE V1.1 was shown on screen as well). Presumably all buses fitted with Hanover reporter display without LCD screens, will be upgraded to this system I imagine.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Minor changes to the 171, D1x and D2x began yesterday, 24 November:

From Sunday 24th November, services 171, D1, D1x & D2x will have minor timetable amendments. The D1 will also have a minor route change.

171 - Timetable change due to buses now leaving Wells earlier.

171 timetable & route map from 24th November 2024.

Services D1x & D2x - Timetable changes to combat delays to these services due to A36 closure.

171/D1/D1x/D2x changes from 24th Nov 2024

From Sunday 24th November, services 171, D1, D1x & D2x will have minor timetable amendments. The D1 will also have a minor route change. 171 - Timetable change due to buses now leaving Wells earlier. 171 timetable & route map from 24th November 2024. Services D1x & D2x - Timetable changes to...

www.firstbus.co.uk

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Minor changes to the 171, D1x and D2x began yesterday, 24 November:

171/D1/D1x/D2x changes from 24th Nov 2024

From Sunday 24th November, services 171, D1, D1x & D2x will have minor timetable amendments. The D1 will also have a minor route change. 171 - Timetable change due to buses now leaving Wells earlier. 171 timetable & route map from 24th November 2024. Services D1x & D2x - Timetable changes to...

www.firstbus.co.uk

Of course not gone into effect yet, D1 currently on major course change, running express from Trowbridge - Bath Bus Station via Beckington and then the D2 route to Bath (not observing bus stop) and D1X running shuttle between Bath and Bradford-on-Avon, which has been going on yesterday and today, Bradford on Avon still impassible

 

[bathbuses]

Just seen a First East Midlands Airport MCV Evora driving towards Bath bus station. I wonder what that's doing here

 

[Dfatcontroller]

Just seen a First East Midlands Airport MCV Evora driving towards Bath bus station. I wonder what that's doing here

According to the latest FirstGroup fleetcard for the end of period 8, it has transferred there.

 

[CD]

Just seen a First East Midlands Airport MCV Evora driving towards Bath bus station. I wonder what that's doing here

69619 on loan from Leicester to test on U5.

 

[bathbuses]

69619 on loan from Leicester to test on U5.

Whatever happened to fleet standardisation and keeping Bath all ADL?

 

[Citistar]

I don't see what advantage dual door MCVs would offer over the current E200s and B7s on the U5.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I don't see what advantage dual door MCVs would offer over the current E200s and B7s on the U5.

Perhaps that they are looking to redeploy and need to find a home for them?

 

[Fin447]

The Dublin and Leicester ones were purchased with emergency exits fitted so they could be converted to single door easier down the line

 

[bathbuses]

Perhaps that they are looking to redeploy and need to find a home for them?

This is why I have always been a bit sceptical of the whole depot fleet standardisation thing. Buses will become available that may be a good fit for Bath but not be ADL

Not to mention that I think the loss of the Scanias has downgraded the X39, and had a knock on effect on the Bath Unibus services

 

[freetoview33]

This is why I have always been a bit sceptical of the whole depot fleet standardisation thing. Buses will become available that may be a good fit for Bath but not be ADL

Not to mention that I think the loss of the Scanias has downgraded the X39, and had a knock on effect on the Bath Unibus services

Well we know the Gas buses will stay at Lawrence Hill forever more.

 

[aswilliamsuk]

Perhaps that they are looking to redeploy and need to find a home for them?

The Dublin ones were always stopgaps - Aircoach are currently receiving a batch of Irizar ie Trams (both rigid and articulated in due course) that will oust these B8RLEs and replace the last Citaro artics, for the airport contracts they have. So with that in mind, I can't help but wonder if they are trialling an available B8RLE at Bath to see if it works. Especially as the dual-door set-up may well work in Bath...

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

This is why I have always been a bit sceptical of the whole depot fleet standardisation thing. Buses will become available that may be a good fit for Bath but not be ADL

Not to mention that I think the loss of the Scanias has downgraded the X39, and had a knock on effect on the Bath Unibus services

I don't know if the ADLs are that much of a comedown from the Scanias. Same age near enough and they all bloody squeak like hell.

The Dublin ones were always stopgaps - Aircoach are currently receiving a batch of Irizar ie Trams (both rigid and articulated in due course) that will oust these B8RLEs and replace the last Citaro artics, for the airport contracts they have. So with that in mind, I can't help but wonder if they are trialling an available B8RLE at Bath to see if it works. Especially as the dual-door set-up may well work in Bath...

Now that's an interesting thought. I was wondering if the U5 might suit the dual door set up too?

 

[Marcus Fryer]

Now that's an interesting thought. I was wondering if the U5 might suit the dual door set up too?

Considering there are few (if any) stops where there are both boarding and alighting passengers, I wouldn’t have thought the U5 would benefit from dual-door buses. I would think the requirement would be to maximise seating capacity for which you would have a single-door bus.

 

[Whiteway215]

Considering there are few (if any) stops where there are both boarding and alighting passengers, I wouldn’t have thought the U5 would benefit from dual-door buses. I would think the requirement would be to maximise seating capacity for which you would have a single-door bus.

I was of the same opinion. The only advantage of a dual door I could think of would be the students could alight quicker at the Uni terminus.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Considering there are few (if any) stops where there are both boarding and alighting passengers, I wouldn’t have thought the U5 would benefit from dual-door buses. I would think the requirement would be to maximise seating capacity for which you would have a single-door bus.

I was of the same opinion. The only advantage of a dual door I could think of would be the students could alight quicker at the Uni terminus.

Yet they had dual door vehicles on the Bristol P&R and the U1 in Bath and Bristol.

 

[Marcus Fryer]

Yet they had dual door vehicles on the Bristol P&R and the U1 in Bath and Bristol.

And single-door buses on, e.g. the Church Rd, Gloucester Rd and Whiteladies Rd routes, which one would have thought would benefit more from separate boarding and alighting streams.

Still only that and 33790 repainted in this livery?

I see from bustimes.org that 33953 has now been repainted in WESTbus livery, but is yet to be reported in service.

Vehicle edits – bustimes.org

bustimes.org

 

[Will1am]

First seems to be hiding their new logo on the carol bus with a blue sheet of plastic. As seen in the photo I circled, it is there but has seemingly been hidden. Waste of time I'd say as they're unveiling Monday anyway.

 

[Volvodart]

If it was so important, why did they not just omit the logo and put it on after Monday?

 

[Citistar]

If it was so important, why did they not just omit the logo and put it on after Monday?

They'd only hired the ladder for this week.