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

[Streamr_MXP]

I also heard a rumour the 178 is going to loose deckers and revert to Streetlites.

Indeed this has happened today, and I must say this decision is insanity! The 7:30 run to Bristol runs full from Farmborough, and I doubt I'll get on In Paulton now. Also reliability was a huge issue with the Streetlites, they did awfully on the 178. This is a very poor decision from First!

This run below isn't usually at all busy...

 

[GusB]

Indeed this has happened today, and I must say this decision is insanity! The 7:30 run to Bristol runs full from Farmborough, and I doubt I'll get on In Paulton now. Also reliability was a huge issue with the Streetlites, they did awfully on the 178. This is a very poor decision from First!

This run below isn't usually at all busy...
View attachment 83513

Please remember to accompany any images/screenshots etc. with a description.

 

[Private Baxter]

Indeed this has happened today, and I must say this decision is insanity! The 7:30 run to Bristol runs full from Farmborough, and I doubt I'll get on In Paulton now. Also reliability was a huge issue with the Streetlites, they did awfully on the 178. This is a very poor decision from First!

This run below isn't usually at all busy...
View attachment 83513

I don't doubt what you say regarding this morning's experience, and whilst I have never used the 178 during morning peak, I suspect the need for deckers was greater on other routes, so one service had to sacrifice theirs, and in your case, it was, unfortunately, the 178. Had it not been, it would have been another, equally demanding route.

 

[D2007wsm]

Indeed this has happened today, and I must say this decision is insanity! The 7:30 run to Bristol runs full from Farmborough, and I doubt I'll get on In Paulton now. Also reliability was a huge issue with the Streetlites, they did awfully on the 178. This is a very poor decision from First!

This run below isn't usually at all busy...
View attachment 83513

The 178 has reverted to singles after a few incidents with trees causing smashed windows.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The 178 has reverted to singles after a few incidents with trees causing smashed windows.

Really? I know @spw24 mentioned driving it without incident. My main concern was the stretch after turning off the A39 north of High Littleton and along to Timsbury, but having been on it a few weeks ago, there wasn't anything obvious in terms of low branches.

To be honest, had they said it was because of a shortage of deckers with the additional schools traffic and upcoming Uni uplift, then that would be more understandable.

I don't doubt what you say regarding this morning's experience, and whilst I have never used the 178 during morning peak, I suspect the need for deckers was greater on other routes, so one service had to sacrifice theirs, and in your case, it was, unfortunately, the 178. Had it not been, it would have been another, equally demanding route.

I had the same view as yourself.

I was thinking that they may be considering that it would be fine to Keynsham and after that, the 349 will provide the capacity. Perhaps if it's really tight, some Eclipses could be found for it.

 

[freetoview33]

I never realised the U5 now only uses Lower Bristol Road

 

[Private Baxter]

Really? I know @spw24 mentioned driving it without incident. My main concern was the stretch after turning off the A39 north of High Littleton and along to Timsbury, but having been on it a few weeks ago, there wasn't anything obvious in terms of low branches.

To be honest, had they said it was because of a shortage of deckers with the additional schools traffic and upcoming Uni uplift, then that would be more understandable.



I had the same view as yourself.

I was thinking that they may be considering that it would be fine to Keynsham and after that, the 349 will provide the capacity. Perhaps if it's really tight, some Eclipses could be found for it.

That may well have been their logic.

As for eclipses, there are still a few of the older ones knocking about though I have lost track of where they all are. Quite a few have just re-entered service at Hengrove (presumably for dupes) though not sure which, if any are now at MH/LH

 

[matt_splat]

trees causing issue..... Bath are sending deckers around the same part with out issue as were wells for a long time prior

 

[D2007wsm]

Really? I know @spw24 mentioned driving it without incident. My main concern was the stretch after turning off the A39 north of High Littleton and along to Timsbury, but having been on it a few weeks ago, there wasn't anything obvious in terms of low branches.

To be honest, had they said it was because of a shortage of deckers with the additional schools traffic and upcoming Uni uplift, then that would be more understandable.



I had the same view as yourself.

I was thinking that they may be considering that it would be fine to Keynsham and after that, the 349 will provide the capacity. Perhaps if it's really tight, some Eclipses could be found for it.

That’s what I heard a manager telling a supervisor today. I don’t know exactly where on the route there is an issue, but 4/5 windows have been smashed. I would have thought if a shortage of deckers was an issue, some could be resurrected from somewhere.

Interesting thing this afternoon, the X4s St Katherine’s school bus is being operated by Hengrove and using a Scania no less. Seeing the mess they have made of an E400 in the past, surely an older vehicle would be more apropriate.

Also today at least 1 of the A2s is an A1 Scania. Shame they weren’t on it when I went to and from the Airport last week.

 

[Streamr_MXP]

I don't doubt what you say regarding this morning's experience, and whilst I have never used the 178 during morning peak, I suspect the need for deckers was greater on other routes, so one service had to sacrifice theirs, and in your case, it was, unfortunately, the 178. Had it not been, it would have been another, equally demanding route.

I find it rediculous how an hourly rural service has to sacrifice space, for every 15 minutes city services. I ended up travelling via Bath this morning, thanks to First's decision, as my bus was full before reaching Paulton.

As for the smashed windows, that's an odd claim, considering I've not seen one photo, and have not seen one bus stop tracking between High Littleton & Marksbury, which is also served by Bath's buses on the 171/2 no problem. Also Wells gets plenty of smashed windows, and they continue to run doubles.

 

[matt_splat]

One decker was out on the 178 today

 

[Streamr_MXP]

One decker was out on the 178 today

Indeed it was. It swapped with 47443, around 12 midday, however has recently just swapped back again. Annoyingly, 47443 was meant to be my bus this morning. I'm hoping they will at minimum, put doubles on the morning runs, having observed the chaos their decision has caused today.

 

[henairs]

That’s what I heard a manager telling a supervisor today. I don’t know exactly where on the route there is an issue, but 4/5 windows have been smashed. I would have thought if a shortage of deckers was an issue, some could be resurrected from somewhere.

Interesting thing this afternoon, the X4s St Katherine’s school bus is being operated by Hengrove and using a Scania no less. Seeing the mess they have made of an E400 in the past, surely an older vehicle would be more apropriate.

Also today at least 1 of the A2s is an A1 Scania. Shame they weren’t on it when I went to and from the Airport last week.

Dont beleaf everything a manager says as he may be barking up the wrong tree. Maybe just a convenient thing to say. Have travelled this route on a couple of occasions on a decker with no problems.
Mike R

 

[Whiteway215]

That may well have been their logic.

As for eclipses, there are still a few of the older ones knocking about though I have lost track of where they all are. Quite a few have just re-entered service at Hengrove (presumably for dupes) though not sure which, if any are now at MH/LH

66725/6 haven’t appeared back in service as far as I know, neither has 66938. although this one may have long term problems. Regarding deckers Bath has seven ALX400s which haven’t been re activated as far as I am aware.

 

[aquae39]

Bath U1 timetable has been released for next week only but there's no U3. The U1 is 3 to 4 minutes per bus to Grand Parade with a short break at noon and 7 minutes per bus to Oldfield Park via City Centre. It is so weird that U3 won't be running directly to Oldfield Park and short journeys won't terminate at Green Park.

 

[Whiteway215]

Bath's unused 32003 and 32007 are now shown on the tracker as allocated to Weston Depot. Does anyone know if this is correct or another tracker fantasy?

 

[northken]

What's the difference between the U1 and U1e in Bristol? Thanks.

 

[Tommy Walters]

Bath U1 timetable has been released for next week only but there's no U3. The U1 is 3 to 4 minutes per bus to Grand Parade with a short break at noon and 7 minutes per bus to Oldfield Park via City Centre. It is so weird that U3 won't be running directly to Oldfield Park and short journeys won't terminate at Green Park.

That's because it's freshers week, and the demand from Students in Oldfield Park will probably be a little less. It's an 8 bus PVR, presumably using the 8 uni MMCs, which allows time for the bendis to be brought back to life and any repaints to take place. I do find it odd how the last bus is at 2330 though, even with a reduced nightlife scene, there are still plenty of people using the service at night. Even stranger still is the fact that the hourly service from 4am is still in place. I've only taken that early bus twice in my uni days, and on both occasions I was the sole passenger!

Bath's unused 32003 and 32007 are now shown on the tracker as allocated to Weston Depot. Does anyone know if this is correct or another tracker fantasy?

And apparently 10176 is at Lawrence Hill too! Hmm....

What's the difference between the U1 and U1e in Bristol? Thanks.

Not a lot really, the U1es are just a way of proving that extra buses have been added in to the existing timetable. I guess the regular U1s will be done by the MMCs and the U1es by the repainted KP51s?

 

[Buses in Bath]

That's because it's freshers week, and the demand from Students in Oldfield Park will probably be a little less. It's an 8 bus PVR, presumably using the 8 uni MMCs, which allows time for the bendis to be brought back to life and any repaints to take place.

It's an 18 bus PVR because of the shorts to Grand Parade.

 

[Tommy Walters]

It's an 18 bus PVR because of the shorts to Grand Parade.

My error! I didn't scroll down! So they'll need 10 bendis for that I assume (in an ideal scenario, anyway). That'll be a tall order getting all them back out! I do think Uni-Grand Parade on it's own is a bit silly, and Uni-Dorchester Street for the whole day will make sense. I can see buses getting full at Dorchester Street pretty quickly. There's also a break in the extras between 1150 & 1237, presumably as the same driver will be at the wheel of each one the whole day.

Saturday requires 6 vehicles (though odd that only comes in next weekend, not this weekend), and this coming Sunday needs 5.

I suspect the U3 will replace the full length daytime U1s from September 28th, when lectures start.

 

[Buses in Bath]

So far this is the rundown of the changes from the 20th

3b withdrawn - replaced by 3a
96s introduced but replaces 96 journeys
126 goes back to hourly Mon-Fri
126s withdrawn
D1s Salisbury - Warminster evening journey withdrawn
D2 Duplicated journey at 7:07 towards Bath and 15:38 towards Frome
D2s Beechen Cliff journey extended to Bath centre and extra journey back to Frome in afternoon introduced
OS5 extended to Longwell Green
U1 (Bath) Timetable enhanced for Freshers week
U1/U1e reintroduced

 

[BBC]

So no u3 back at night from the centre to uwe? So the 70 is expected to do all the grunt work again, with a capacity of 34. Awful planning.

 

[Buses in Bath]

So no u3 back at night from the centre to uwe? So the 70 is expected to do all the grunt work again, with a capacity of 34. Awful planning.

Also no U1 in Bath overnight. They are stopping at 11:30pm.

 

[Tommy Walters]

Also no U1 in Bath overnight. They are stopping at 11:30pm.

And the U5 stopping at 11:30 also. I'm aware of events (socially distanced of course), taking place in the city as late as 1am still, so that will be fun for people there!

 

[AB93]

None of the late night university party buses are running this autumn, for obvious reason.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

None of the late night university party buses are running this autumn, for obvious reason.

You mean that they would struggle to impose social distancing with a bus full of p****d up students!!

 

[matt_splat]

U1 shorts to grand parade and Dorchester Street are being provided by coaches I beleve bennetts have 6 out on it from next week

 

[Whiteway215]

I see on the FWE Bath UniBus page the timetables for U1/U3 are not yet published but are ‘COMING SOON.’
I can only assume the bendis will have to be back in service to operate them unless FWE are getting outside companies in to help out.

So they are getting outside help in.

 

[Streamr_MXP]

Just spotted W119 CWR in Bath, on Driver Training.

 

[lx12ddo]

And the U5 stopping at 11:30 also. I'm aware of events (socially distanced of course), taking place in the city as late as 1am still, so that will be fun for people there!

Taxis will make a killing

Just spotted W119 CWR in Bath, on Driver Training.

Unbelievable- she lives on!! Hopefully will stick around for ice/snow ridden Bathwick Hill climbs

So they are getting outside help in.

Would be great if the B9s from faresaver return too. They’re bullets on the hill both up and down....