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

[TheGrandWazoo]

From Google Maps I suspect the A37 is closed north of Publow.

From Heart FM -

A37 PENSFORD HILL - Whitchurch, Somerset
A37 Pensford Hill both ways closed, queueing traffic due to accident from Hursley Lane (Whitchurch) to B3130 (Pensford).

 

[Whiteway215]

A couple of interesting sightings parked outside the maintenance sheds this evening at Bath Weston Island Depot. 69501 missing its front panel (this was a fire victim) 69511 inside the shed with its engine cover up not surprisingly (recent fire victim) 66942 with renewed lower offside body panels. Highlight for me was 30871 (bridge strike victim) with its roof all repaired resplendent in light green reportedly for its new life as a library bus.

 

[Class 33]

About the recently introduced new 41X and 93X services. As you will be aware, these are basically non-stop shuttle services for First drivers to and from Lawrence Hill Depot, Hengrove Depot and the Centre/Bus Station. But they're listed on the First website as though they are available for normal passengers to use too. But I've never seen a single normal passenger on these services!

This morning I needed to go into town, but then wanted to goto Iceland and Aldi in Easton/Lawrence Hill. Before getting the train back to Redland. So I thought I'd get the 41X to Lawrence Hill, as it is faster than 6,7, 42,43,44, & 45. Though when I got on, the driver looked a little surprised and said to me "This isn't a passenger service. This is only going back to Lawrence Hill Depot.". I said "That's fine." and he let me board. And then when I got out at Lawrence Hill Depot, he looked a little surprised again when I departed. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the first time he witnessed a normal passenger use this service! Other than me, the only other passengers on there were a few First drivers. Are normal passengers actually officially able to use these services?

 

[carlberry]

About the recently introduced new 41X and 93X services. As you will be aware, these are basically non-stop shuttle services for First drivers to and from Lawrence Hill Depot, Hengrove Depot and the Centre/Bus Station. But they're listed on the First website as though they are available for normal passengers to use too. But I've never seen a single normal passenger on these services!

This morning I needed to go into town, but then wanted to goto Iceland and Aldi in Easton/Lawrence Hill. Before getting the train back to Redland. So I thought I'd get the 41X to Lawrence Hill, as it is faster than 6,7, 42,43,44, & 45. Though when I got on, the driver looked a little surprised and said to me "This isn't a passenger service. This is only going back to Lawrence Hill Depot.". I said "That's fine." and he let me board. And then when I got out at Lawrence Hill Depot, he looked a little surprised again when I departed. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the first time he witnessed a normal passenger use this service! Other than me, the only other passengers on there were a few First drivers. Are normal passengers actually officially able to use these services?

They're shown on the First website and Traveline and they have the destination showing. I suspect they're also eligible for the fuel rebate (or they count towards the mileage for the Covid service payment) so they very much should be usable. Obviously there are going to be few takers for those specific destinations however the phrase 'not a passenger service' is clearly wrong.

 

[swifty]

5 x Bath Spa Volvo B7TLs seen heading toward Bristol on the A4 earlier, hopefully on their way to Cornwall.

 

[83G/84D]

Any sign of any old buses from Bath arriving at Camborne yet?

5 x Bath Spa Volvo B7TLs seen heading toward Bristol on the A4 earlier, hopefully on their way to Cornwall.

Oh joy! What are the chances of them making it without breaking down?

 

[Whiteway215]

Oh joy! What are the chances of them making it without breaking down?

They were all in regular service until March lockdown. Then stored at Westbury depot from April. Brought back to Bath early last week for checking before their Cornish holiday. So hopefully they all make it.

 

[Tommy Walters]

Oh joy! What are the chances of them making it without breaking down?

Most of them were fairly reliable machines actually, probably helped that they've been used on the relatively flat U5/U6 routes for nearly 4 years!

 

[freetoview33]

New updated route map published for Bristol, with 41X and 93X but with the U1, U2, 71, A1 and 9 removed. Also conformation the next set of changes will be on the 6th September but also confirmation the 71 will return in September.

 

[Class 33]

They're shown on the First website and Traveline and they have the destination showing. I suspect they're also eligible for the fuel rebate (or they count towards the mileage for the Covid service payment) so they very much should be usable. Obviously there are going to be few takers for those specific destinations however the phrase 'not a passenger service' is clearly wrong.

Yes, there will be very few takers for these services. Wouldn't even be too surprised if I was even the very first normal passenger on either of these services! But as you say, the driver was wrong to say "This is not a passenger service", although at least he let me board when I said that it's fine that it only goes to Lawrence Hill Depot.

I would use the 41X again if I need to travel between Broadmead and Iceland in Easton, and then get the train back home to Redland from Lawrence Hill station. It can also be a handy service for anyone who lives or work in the vicinity of Lawrence Hill Depot, to travel to and from Broadmead/Centre. The service arrives and departs from actually inside the depot though. So for anyone who wants to use the service in the other direction, are non-First staff actually allowed pedestrian access into the depot to board the service?

The 93X. Several minutes(at least) faster than the 90 between Hengrove Depot and Broadmead/Bus Station. But there isn't really any residential area within the vicinity of Hengrove Depot. So hence not many(if any!) normal passengers use the service. Although there are a number of businesses within the vicinity, so would be a handy service to use for people to commuting to those businesses.

 

[freetoview33]

Yes, there will be very few takers for these services. Wouldn't even be too surprised if I was even the very first normal passenger on either of these services! But as you say, the driver was wrong to say "This is not a passenger service", although at least he let me board when I said that it's fine that it only goes to Lawrence Hill Depot.

I would use the 41X again if I need to travel between Broadmead and Iceland in Easton, and then get the train back home to Redland from Lawrence Hill station. It can also be a handy service for anyone who lives or work in the vicinity of Lawrence Hill Depot, to travel to and from Broadmead/Centre. The service arrives and departs from actually inside the depot though. So for anyone who wants to use the service in the other direction, are non-First staff actually allowed pedestrian access into the depot to board the service?

The 93X. Several minutes(at least) faster than the 90 between Hengrove Depot and Broadmead/Bus Station. But there isn't really any residential area within the vicinity of Hengrove Depot. So hence not many(if any!) normal passengers use the service. Although there are a number of businesses within the vicinity, so would be a handy service to use for people to commuting to those businesses.

There are loads of new houses built right next to the Hengrove depot. But don't think there is any easy pedestrian access to the depot

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

There are loads of new houses built right next to the Hengrove depot. But don't think there is any easy pedestrian access to the depot

They aren't next to the depot. They are the other side of the Filwood Business Park so you have to walk along the ring road and then turn at the petrol station. It's a bit of a walk. That said, I was having a trip on Friday (sorry @carlberry - another travelogue awaits) and I changed at Hengrove Depot and was surprised that two people joined me on a 91 from Hengrove Depot.

 

[freetoview33]

They aren't next to the depot. They are the other side of the Filwood Business Park so you have to walk along the ring road and then turn at the petrol station. It's a bit of a walk. That said, I was having a trip on Friday (sorry @carlberry - another travelogue awaits) and I changed at Hengrove Depot and was surprised that two people joined me on a 91 from Hengrove Depot.

If there was a footpath through it would only take people 2mins to get to the depot stops.

 

[swifty]

The service arrives and departs from actually inside the depot though. So for anyone who wants to use the service in the other direction, are non-First staff actually allowed pedestrian access into the depot to board the service?

It’s supposed to pick up and set down at the stops outside the depot on Easton Road, certainly faster than the 506 between the depot and Broadmead.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

If there was a footpath through it would only take people 2mins to get to the depot stops.

Yes, but there isn't! However, you could walk to Filwood Bdwy and get the m1

 

[83G/84D]

32014 is in Cornwall having been seen at Camborne today!

 

[83G/84D]

Just an observation with our talk about the possibility of Bath’s blue Bath Spa Uni B7TLs 32069/70/5/6/83/96 going down to Kernow.
I see on Steve’s latest FWE allocation list these no longer appear anywhere, either in the live allocations or the in reserve list. Neither do the Lawrence Hill ones (32073/84/93/94/98 32277) appear anywhere. However the Bath purples 32007/14/15 are still in reserve and 32003 shown as being at WM.
So it just made me wonder if all the KP51s are off to Cornwall.

I’m probably getting ahead of my self here! We will know from next Monday according to RichW on the Kernow thread.

No sign of the others that moved down the A4, at Camborne or Penzance so could be stopped off somewhere else or at another depot.

 

[cnjb8]

66901,66903,66909 and 66983 are the ones that have left today, thought to be heading to First Bristol as trainers

Read this quote from the First Manchester buses coming off hire thread. I thought they had enough B7RLEs to cover the driver trainer fleet.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

32014 is in Cornwall having been seen at Camborne today!

Oooh, you lucky people!! Wonder if you'll get to keep the cherished plate?

 

[Whiteway215]

At the weekend I checked on the Gov website to see the status of the stored Bath ALX400s and found the six blue Bath Spa Uni ones were all taxed. Surprised to see 32014/5 were also shown as taxed. 32014 has now turned up in Camborne so that explains the taxed status.Perhaps Kernow are getting the six blue ones plus 32015?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Read this quote from the First Manchester buses coming off hire thread. I thought they had enough B7RLEs to cover the driver trainer fleet.

It's a strange one as there would seem to be plenty of Eclipses suitable for conversion!

 

[johnnychips]

Please could I pick the brains of the esteemed contributors on here. I’ll be coming to Bristol for five days next week and intend to use the bus a lot. If I choose a First Weekly ticket (£24-50/£26) rather than an Avon Rider (£32.50) would I be missing out on any significant routes? Thanks in advance.

 

[Tommy Walters]

Quick question: Steve's site reports 39460 & 47567 as accident damaged. Anyone know what happened to these two? I hope it wasn't an unfortunate depot collision between the pair!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Please could I pick the brains of the esteemed contributors on here. I’ll be coming to Bristol for five days next week and intend to use the bus a lot. If I choose a First Weekly ticket (£24-50/£26) rather than an Avon Rider (£32.50) would I be missing out on any significant routes? Thanks in advance.

Depends what you mean by significant. There's a few in the West of the city (77 to Thornbury, 11 to Avonmouth, 505 Long Ashton to Southmead) and in the North East round Yate but not many. You might be better with a First Week ticket and just buy a BristolRover for a day?

 

[johnnychips]

Depends what you mean by significant. There's a few in the West of the city (77 to Thornbury, 11 to Avonmouth, 505 Long Ashton to Southmead) and in the North East round Yate but not many. You might be better with a First Week ticket and just buy a BristolRover for a day?

Thanks, that was quick! Is it true I could use the First ticket to Salisbury?

 

[martyjon]

Please could I pick the brains of the esteemed contributors on here. I’ll be coming to Bristol for five days next week and intend to use the bus a lot. If I choose a First Weekly ticket (£24-50/£26) rather than an Avon Rider (£32.50) would I be missing out on any significant routes? Thanks in advance.

An Avonrider will allow travel on any operators services if you intend travelling North say on the T1 to Thornburg then take the Stagecoach service to Wotton and back to Chipping Sodbury and either take the Stagecoach 620 to Bath to return to Bristol or return from Chipping Sudbury to Bristol on the Y1. Then there is the Stagecoach X5 from Weston to Portishead not covered by FWOE ticket. Depends really if you want to travel widely or just city routes.

 

[johnnychips]

An Avonrider will allow travel on any operators services if you intend travelling North say on the T1 to Thornburg then take the Stagecoach service to Wotton and back to Chipping Sodbury and either take the Stagecoach 620 to Bath to return to Bristol or return from Chipping Sudbury to Bristol on the Y1. Then there is the Stagecoach X5 from Weston to Portishead not covered by FWOE ticket. Depends really if you want to travel widely or just city routes.

Thanks again. Just a sudden thought: are the newish ‘Metro’ services valid under the First ticket? I have a vague recollection that they are a community transport thing but run by First, but I’m out of my depth here!

 

[martyjon]

Thanks, that was quick! Is it true I could use the First ticket to Salisbury?

yes you can you can also buy a tale ticket which will allow travel on Buses of Somer set taking you Taunton and onto Minehead. Depends where you want to explore.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

An Avonrider will allow travel on any operators services if you intend travelling North say on the T1 to Thornburg then take the Stagecoach service to Wotton and back to Chipping Sodbury and either take the Stagecoach 620 to Bath to return to Bristol or return from Chipping Sudbury to Bristol on the Y1. Then there is the Stagecoach X5 from Weston to Portishead not covered by FWOE ticket. Depends really if you want to travel widely or just city routes.

Stagecoach no longer operate the X5. Back with First on a temporary tender.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Thanks again. Just a sudden thought: are the newish ‘Metro’ services valid under the First ticket? I have a vague recollection that they are a community transport thing but run by First, but I’m out of my depth here!

The m1 is operated by CT Plus on behalf of First and day/week tickets are accepted. Also accepted on RATP Bath A4 between Bath to Highridge, and Abus 349.

m2 and m3 are operated by First.