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

vicbury

vicbury

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TheGrandWazoo said:
Thanks for the clarification - having seen the throngs on the Bristol U1 last week, I wondered if the academic year had advanced. When I was a student (some years ago), it was usually last week Sep for Freshers, and first week of Oct, everyone else, so that still stands for Bath.

So yes, could be rather busy next week as the second/third years reappear.
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No problem - it seems to vary by uni. Both of my unis were similar to your experience.

In the West, Bristol and UWE had freshers last week (so should be super busy this week), whislt Bath and Bath Spa have freshers this week (so next week will be very busy).
 
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Whiteway215

Whiteway215

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TheGrandWazoo said:
Were they coping??
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Decided to view a few U2 departures along from Un of Bath this afternoon to see how the Darts were doing. The 1600 departure with 66934 had about seven passengers on, the 1615 with 42910 was half full and the 1630 with 42899 was over two thirds full. So quite busy if this is only Freshers' week.
 
vicbury

vicbury

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Whiteway215 said:
Decided to view a few U2 departures along from Un of Bath this afternoon to see how the Darts were doing. The 1600 departure with 66934 had about seven passengers on, the 1615 with 42910 was half full and the 1630 with 42899 was over two thirds full. So quite busy if this is only Freshers' week.
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So that'll be six thirds full once the second and third years are back!
 
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trolleyman

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66355 on the number 4 in Bristol today - a recent transfer?

Shortly followed by 69444 departing the bus station on the 376 @ 1845
 
B

BPWUser1

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New grey and orange coloured E400 YT67XKA was on the 31- Lansdown P&R in Bath today. It had fleet number 36808 (although that doesn't seem to match the details on Steve White's website).

Also saw 32015 on a U1, still displaying 'Coaster' details.
 
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JamesGoldsmith

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TheGrandWazoo said:
Steve W had mentioned it was in Croydon St (LH) on Sat pm. See that 3 ex London B7s have arrived on loan - from Ensign?
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They have indeed. Already causing confusion this morning as several UWE students missed the bus as they didn't think it was a First bus and assumed the red meant it was run by Wessex!
 
C

carlberry

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JamesGoldsmith said:
They have indeed. Already causing confusion this morning as several UWE students missed the bus as they didn't think it was a First bus and assumed the red meant it was run by Wessex!
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I cant understand why First couldn't find three corporate liveried vehicles to borrow, even if that meant swapping them for the red ones somewhere else, rather than end up running vehicles that look identical to Wessex's previous offerings!
 
TheGrandWazoo

TheGrandWazoo

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carlberry said:
I cant understand why First couldn't find three corporate liveried vehicles to borrow, even if that meant swapping them for the red ones somewhere else, rather than end up running vehicles that look identical to Wessex's previous offerings!
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Have they just turned them out in all over red? They're usually decent enough to at least put some vinyls on them as per the U1s and on the various deckers covering the P&R last year :?
 
O

ooo

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They're completely red but I'm surprised they didn't just stick a first logo on them

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk
 
D

D2007wsm

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A white F under the windscreen with First West of England over the doors would be fine with advertising panels inserted on the side. This is what was done last year whilst awaiting the new E400MMCs for the P&R.

This would look the same as the current temopary branding on the Scania E400MMCs allready operating on the U1. There branding is advertising panels apart from the stickers on the front and the back.

They could have put at least 1 onto normal work in Hengrove temporarily to release the neutral coloured Streetdeck, this would at least match the E400MMCs in terms of colour and I doubt on the 75 and 76 corridors, people will not confuse them for Wessex.
 
THarris123

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BBC said:
The Scania metrobus buses will be used for the uwe route to begin with. Should arrive soon.
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Oh I see so all of the 24 new E400s due into Bristol are technically for Metrobus, but as it hasn't been finished yet, they're going on U1 (Bristol and Bath) and UWE routes temporarily. Then when new vehicles come in early next year for U1, the E400s will be displaced to Metrobus and I guess that UWE is waiting on Biogas buses to turn up, which will be displace the E400s onto Metrobus. This is all beginning to make sense at last.
 
TheGrandWazoo

TheGrandWazoo

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THarris123 said:
Oh I see so all of the 24 new E400s due into Bristol are technically for Metrobus, but as it hasn't been finished yet, they're going on U1 (Bristol and Bath) and UWE routes temporarily. Then when new vehicles come in early next year for U1, the E400s will be displaced to Metrobus and I guess that UWE is waiting on Biogas buses to turn up, which will be displace the E400s onto Metrobus. This is all beginning to make sense at last.
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We've discussed this earlier and from what had been said on here and SW's site....

The M2 (was 903) Metrobus fleet is being used on Bath uni routes in the interim. The U1 (was 16) needs new fleet as per the contract so they are using fleet that may be used on Metrobus depending on future awards in the interim until they get new dedicated vehicles. Should First not have more Metrobus routes, then speculation as to where they may be deployed.

UWE Express is also due new deckers but they are part of the delayed 24.

Least that's how I've read it.
 
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D

D2007wsm

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Major disruption to Weston and Portishead services today due to a Police shooting on the Portbury Hundred. X3 operating the X6 route to Clevedon then back to Portishead with the X4 operating normal to Portbury then M5 to Clevedon and back to Portishead.
 
M

matt_splat

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D2007wsm said:
Major disruption to Weston and Portishead services today due to a Police shooting on the Portbury Hundred. X3 operating the X6 route to Clevedon then back to Portishead with the X4 operating normal to Portbury then M5 to Clevedon and back to Portishead.
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what has the X5 been doing has it been doubling back after Portershead to Clevedon?
 
Whiteway215

Whiteway215

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Took some time to see what was working on the Bath U1 today. Scania YT67XJV carried no fleet number (Steve quotes it as 36802). It has a purple panel front and rear announcing it as a Unibus. Noted seven out of eight of the normal MMCs and three bendis 10177/8/9.

The U5 was worked by the usual blue B7TLs plus 32636. No sign of 32015 (or 32007)

Has anyone seen 66725 on their travels? Officially transferred to BH from WM early September but I haven't seen it around Bath yet.
 
ValleyLines142

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Whiteway215 said:
Took some time to see what was working on the Bath U1 today. Scania YT67XJV carried no fleet number (Steve quotes it as 36802). It has a purple panel front and rear announcing it as a Unibus. Noted seven out of eight of the normal MMCs and three bendis 10177/8/9.

The U5 was worked by the usual blue B7TLs plus 32636. No sign of 32015 (or 32007)

Has anyone seen 66725 on their travels? Officially transferred to BH from WM early September but I haven't seen it around Bath yet.
Click to expand...

66725 was on 37 last Saturday :)
 
THarris123

THarris123

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Whiteway215 said:
Took some time to see what was working on the Bath U1 today. Scania YT67XJV carried no fleet number (Steve quotes it as 36802). It has a purple panel front and rear announcing it as a Unibus. Noted seven out of eight of the normal MMCs and three bendis 10177/8/9.

The U5 was worked by the usual blue B7TLs plus 32636. No sign of 32015 (or 32007)

Has anyone seen 66725 on their travels? Officially transferred to BH from WM early September but I haven't seen it around Bath yet.
Click to expand...

I've seen it in Bath several times. I believe it is due to go to Westbury, so might have headed there. It does get confusing when you see both 66725 and 65725 in Bath.
 
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quarella

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D2007wsm said:
Major disruption to Weston and Portishead services today due to a Police shooting on the Portbury Hundred. X3 operating the X6 route to Clevedon then back to Portishead with the X4 operating normal to Portbury then M5 to Clevedon and back to Portishead.
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Ah. Thanks. That's a bit clearer. Full credit to the company for keeping a service going but with some knowledge of the area and Google maps I was struggling to work it out from the website which seemed to run buses through the affected area. I think the confusion results from heading the sections "From Bristol" but providing information "To Bristol", not helped by the Bristol - Bristol timetable.
Service X3 from Bristol (& X3A if applicable)

Will serve normal route as far as Sheepway, Station Road then divert via Clevedon Road to Clevedon then operate to Bristol via Failand and will not operate via Abbots Leigh and Leigh Woods

Service X4 from Bristol

Will serve normal route as far as Gordano School then via Clevedon Road to Clevedon, M5 normal route from Gordano Services

Service X5 from Weston

From Heron Gardens services will divert via Bristol Road, Clevedon Road to Clevedon, M5 normal route from Cribbs Causeway
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D

D2007wsm

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No worries, there would be an alternative route for cars down from Failand into Portishead, but it is not suitable for the buses. A Dart or Streetlite may manage it, but the E400s wouldn't.

Today is a repeat of yesterday with the road remaining closed. Clevedon is gridlock due to the extra traffic. The delays are starting to build allready with one X4 taking 2hrs15 from Coombe Road to the Bus Station. 1 hour of which was just to Holly Lane by Clevedon School. 1 X5 reported as taking 2hrs45 to do Weston to Cribbs so far.
 
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O

ooo

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The U1 MMCs appear to be getting the TV screen displays as I passed one with a mount that had a coming soon sign on
 
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