As threatened, a resume of a day out yesterday. Apologies in advance if it's boring....
Started the day driving into Radstock but noticed my target bus was seemingly early. Not wishing to park the car and then miss it, I drove out of town and parked up at Clandown turn and caught my first machine of the day. It was the 0724 173 to Bath and was regular B7RLE 69442 and a relaxed journey into the city as the light began to fade into the day.
Time for a short break in Bath and saw 42557 on the 14 (will this leave for Essex?) and 42926 arriving on a 231 (thought this should be in Lowestoft). A tatty looking 60914 on the 5 as well showing where First fleetnames had been removed and then restored after its BoS logos had been used for a while. However, my next journey was the 319 at 0810 and was similar 60912 which has been repainted.
At some point, this one has been refurbished and, I have to say, it wasn't as uncomfortable as other ones I've experienced. What it did do was rattle; usually Wrightbus products are well put together but this crashed and bashed and rattled all the way through to Cherry Gardens where I disembarked leaving the driver with only one other passenger. A brisk walk past Willsbridge station and around the corner to wait for my next machine which I thought might be a B10BLE but instead was another B7L. This was ex Norwich 66347, still wearing the blue flashes by the destination from its East Anglian route branding. This clearly hadn't had any refurbishment and was very tired inside with threadbare seats and a general down at heel look, though it was warm whereas 60912 had been freezing. Two things - the bus seemed early (though with the 173 earlier, perhaps my watch was wrong) but we didn't go via Somervale. Is this something that it's going to do in future or should it go there now?
Into Keynsham and a quick latte in Coffee #1 before wandering to Temple Street and the 38. This could be almost anything but was a short Streetlite 47544 which allowed me to get warm again whilst affording a view around the various estates in Keynsham before looping back into town and then out through Hicks Gate and to Bristol.
I left in Brislington and waited for the 36 which duly arrived with elderly 42710. Probably my last ride on that one as many have been withdrawn already and it was rather tired. I sat down behind two new drivers whilst their instructor got up every so often to guide the other newbie driving. Interesting to eavesdrop and understand how First now route train their drivers. The 36 is a curious route and a favourite of mine providing a number of tertiary links and so it was that I got off at Knowle.
It was then on the 376 and the second B7RLE with 69443 for a relaxing ride through the countryside. We had a decent load (35?) and made our way in leisurely fashion along the A37. It got me thinking....It's been a while since I got the 376 INTO Wells from the North. Done so many permutations (e.g. out of Wells north, or from into Bristol from Farrington, or Street to Wells) but not that one. Into the city and a short wander to the depot where I hoped to find a Streetdeck - it had gone! Instead, there was just 42738 as the single spare bus and hoardings around the shed entrance - take it they're doing the work to allow deckers to enter the shed?
I went back to the bus station for my 161 which was recently reallocated 42704, there because it has an MOT til June whereas I suspect 42731 didn't! Now, having had 42710 earlier (and the dreadful 42701 a few weeks ago), I didn't have a good feeling about this but actually, it wasn't bad. Granted, it was a little sluggish and had a few rattles but hey, it's nearly 18 years old and all things considered, not a bad little thing. We squeezed through Dinder especially difficult because of the inconsiderate parking of one person, and you wonder what they might get for it? A Solo, the one MPD, or a standard Dart - who knows?
Into a very wet Shepton and a quick Costa. Sadly, they were so slow in there (it was lunchtime, it was busy, they had people on breaks but 10 mins to get served....) that I got my latte to go and went back to get my first taste of the 174. It was 1234 and my steed was a B10BLE with 66160. We did pass a 2009 B7RLE but I was glad to get some vintage stuff. I don't think 66160 is perhaps one of the best. The vehicle itself was comfortable but it didn't seem to like the climbs out of Shepton and especially out of Nettlebridge. We had about 9 passengers out of Shepton and dropped one in Oakhill but collected 3 out of Stratton, but the number from Shepton to Bath is encouraging. The 174is a smart move though looks like it will be the death knell for the 776.
I got off at Clandown into the car, and drove to my mates' house near Camerton, left it there whilst his other half took us to Timsbury where we caught the 178 to Bristol. This was 47545 and a nice ride back along through Farmborough and Keynsham though us two and one other person were the only passengers.
Traffic was horrendous in Bristol near Old Market and the driver could've just avoided it had he asked if anyone wanted dropping at Cabot as we were all wanting the bus station. Into the bus station, my mate went to the cashpoint and then we selected our bus to Hotwells. The North Somerset services were all suffering delays, but I don't know why as we headed off on 47557. Nothing obvious on that stretch as we got off, headed for the Nova Scotia as part of a pub crawl back towards the city and Temple Meads. 8.5 pints later, we left the Colosseum pub near St Mary Redcliffe and headed to the station to get the last bus back to Timsbury. It was 47545 again, it was warm and dry and fairly busy and took us back, depositing us before we walked back towards Camerton in the wet murk of northern Somerset.
I know I've waffled but hope it was of interest
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i do not understand what is with the idea to withdraw services on a saturday
i guess there are some commercial trips on the 1 on a saturday?
instead of cuts creativity would work as well.....
you could create more passengers on the 414/424 by dropping the 184, you then merge part of the 184 and 176 together to create a link between Shepton and Frome via Villages between the only people who lose out would be a small area of Chilcompton and Riverside in Norton.
i also wonder why routes like this on a saturday don't get simple service that runs from 9am until 3pm busses to get you too the shops and back early
I guess the Monday to Friday off peak service is underpinned by schools so the marginal cost is just the fuel whereas a Saturday needs to have a driver cost attached to it
The 184 runs only M-F anyway and I'm not certain cutting it will force patronage up on the 414 which is quicker anyway between Frome and Norton. However, with the 776 going, it would leave places like Coleford without a Saturday service.....Perhaps the 184 might gain a Saturday service? I think the 1 is fully supported on a Saturday - the consultation says withdraw service completely - in other instances, it mentions services with commercial options already or that the operator may seek to replace commercially but neither of those are stated with the 1