The current GWR replacement bus services in the Bristol area for the next few weeks are absolutely DREADFUL! That's my experience of them already anyway. And I've only been using them since yesterday. I shall tell you about my experiences so far of them.
MONDAY 29th OCTOBER
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I started using them yesterday morning. And to be honest there was no problem atall on my first journey on them. I got the 0945 service from Redland(the 0935 Clifton Down-Bristol Temple Meads) to Stapleton Road. And it arrived and departed bang on time, and arrived at the Stapleton Road stop just before the 1001 scheduled departure time. All good so far I thought. But then it went downhill fast from there, when I got my homeward bound journey that evening. The scheduled departure time for a Clifton Down service from Stapleton Road was 1759. I got to the bus stop just a few minutes before then so that I would get it. Anyway time was ticking by and it wasn't turning up. There was supposed to be the next one due at 1814. But so far no sign of that turning up on time either. I did notice the 1805 service to Bristol Parkway turned up 11 minutes at 1816. Anyway, the Clifton Down service didn't turn up till 1825. Whether that was actually the 1759 or 1814 service I don't know. I appreciate the traffic if heavy at this time of day and causing delays. But in that case, what happened to the 1744 service too?
TUESDAY 30TH OCTOBER
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And today my experience was even worst than yesterday. I got to the Redland replacement bus stop at 0850, in time for the 0900 service to Bristol Temple Meads - where I would be departing the bus again at Stapleton Road. But the time was ticking on by 0900, and there was no sign of it. At about 0916, I did see two rail replacement bus services in a row heading up towards Clifton Down. I assume these were the late running 0903 service, and the 0918 service. I notice one of them was a gold liveried bus. Anyway, with the time now well past 0900 I assumed the 0900 service had been cancelled/not running for some reason. The next service wasn't due till 0945. At this point, I could have instead decided to get two normal bus services to work and I'd arrive there at roughly about 1005. But I decided to just go down to Sainsbury's on Gloucester Road to get a few things, and then get that 0945 service, and I'd still arrive at that same Stapleton Road bust stop at about the same time anyway. Anyway, at about 0948 I then saw that same gold liveried bus coming round the corner from Redland Grove and into South Road. As it was approaching the bus stop I put my hand out for it to stop. It had GWR on the destination display. But then to my utter astonishment I could see the driver of the bus just shook his head at me as if to say "NO" and then just sailed on by down South Road without stopping at the rail replacement bus stop! I couldn't believe it. Why an earth did he not stop??!! I was seething with annoyance at this point. There's nothing more annoying than putting your hand out for a bus, and the driver just shakes his head and doesn't stop for you!!! This is absolutely appalling and unacceptable! And with the next rail replacement service towards Temple Meads not then being until 1045, there's no way I was going to wait for that one(if that one actually turned up and stopped there I don't know!). So I had no choice then but to just give up TRYING to get a rail replacement bus service to Stapleton Road. And so I just got two normal bus services there instead. And arriving there about 1 hour 15 minutes later than I should have done!!
And tonight on the homeward bound journey. Well pretty much the same as last night really. The 1759 service didn't turn up on time, the 1814 service didn't turn up on time. By the way, I noticed that the 1805 Bristol Parkway service, arrived 20 minutes late at 1825! And then at 1828 I could see a double decker bus approaching. I could see it wasn't a 48, 48A, 49, or 49A, and so I assumed this would be the rail replacement service I want. But as it got closer I could see it had NOT FOR PUBLIC USE on the destination display. "Oh god! That's not it either!". But I notice it had people onboard the bus, and it was indicating to pull into the bus stop. Even though it said "NOT FOR PUBLIC USE" on the destination display and thinking it may have been some charter bus service, after it pulled into the bus stop and let a few people out, I then boarded and then asked the driver "Where are you going?". To which she replied "Montpelier, Redland, and Clifton Down.". Ah good that's the bus I wanted, so I got on for my journey home. But whyever did it say "NOT FOR PUBLIC USE" on the destination display? That's not a very helpful and appropriate destination display is it? But anyway, as with last night my bus home turned up half hour late than it should have. Whether that was the 1759, 1814 or 1829 service I don't know.
Also on the National Rail website on their live departures, is useless as they show these rail replacement bus services as all being ON TIME. But they're not all on time!
So so far I am not impressed by these rail replacement services atall. Absolutely bloody dreadful! They're either very late or particular workings are cancelled, and then one driver at least who failed to stop and shook his head at me when I put my hand out!! That instance was particularly annoying. And I shall be emailing First Bristol to complain about these services and the driver of that particular service this morning - the 0935 Clifton Down-Bristol Temple Meads.
Has anyone else here been using these rail replacement services? Are your experiences of them as bad as mine?