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

[TheGrandWazoo]

I know but 32349 never had its destination box and equipment removed.

Which is what the photo shows

 

[Bristol LH]

Which is what the photo shows

32011 and 32013 are believed to be destined for First Cymru

 

[Private Baxter]

I took a couple of days out down in Cornwall this week. It wasn't a bus trip by any means (for one thing, I drove) but as I was walking to Sennen Cove, a familiar looking object caught my eye in the distance. A former Bath B7RLE resplendent in a two tone orange livery, now on training duties, parked up along the sea front. It didn't have its fleet number, but from memory WX55 TZC is 66941.

 

[Callum15632]

I took a couple of days out down in Cornwall this week. It wasn't a bus trip by any means (for one thing, I drove) but as I was walking to Sennen Cove, a familiar looking object caught my eye in the distance. A former Bath B7RLE resplendent in a two tone orange livery, now on training duties, parked up along the sea front. It didn't have its fleet number, but from memory WX55 TZC is 66941.

That one and 66943 are down there for driver training.

 

[JamesC357]

I notice that 33412/5 have been added to the First Essex roster on Bustimes over the last couple of days. Is this accurate? If so, are any more likely to come? We do have a few 2001/2 Tridents remaining here, are the E400s their replacements?

 

[Private Baxter]

That one and 66943 are down there for driver training.

Thanks for the info. I hadn't realised 66943 had gone down there too. I swear it can't have been that long ago I saw one working up here!

 

[vla50]

I notice that 33412/5 have been added to the First Essex roster on Bustimes over the last couple of days. Is this accurate? If so, are any more likely to come? We do have a few 2001/2 Tridents remaining here, are the E400s their replacements?

Perhaps they might replace the ALXs there

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Perhaps they might replace the ALXs there

Or Presidents?

 

[Callum15632]

I notice that 33412/5 have been added to the First Essex roster on Bustimes over the last couple of days. Is this accurate? If so, are any more likely to come? We do have a few 2001/2 Tridents remaining here, are the E400s their replacements?

Perhaps they might replace the ALXs there

33411-33416 & 33418/33419 are transferring to Essex. They are probably replacing the Dennis Trident Plaxton Presidents that are left at Essex.

 

[JamesC357]

33411-33416 & 33418/33419 are transferring to Essex. They are probably replacing the Dennis Trident Plaxton Presidents that are left at Essex.

Ok, thanks for the info

 

[freetoview33]

Just looking at WECA and there is an updated list of supported services.
2 Bath City Centre - Mulberry Park – Bath City Centre, Monday - Saturday evening, from Bath Centre: 2140, 2240, 2340
6A Bath City Centre - Larkhall - Bath City Centre, Monday - Saturday evening, from Bath Centre: 2000, 2100, 2200, 2300
8 Bath City Centre – Kingsway – Bath City Centre, Monday - Saturday evening, from Bath Centre: 2010, 2110, 2210, 2310
10 Thornbury and Hortham Village, all journeys
10/11 Southmead Hospital – Avonmouth, all journeys
11 Bath City Centre – Bathampton, all journeys
12 Severn Beach - Bristol Parkway, Monday - Saturday, all journeys (Stagecoach)
12 Severn Beach - Cribbs Causeway, Sundays / public holidays, all journeys (First Bus)
12 Bath City Centre - Haycombe Cemetery, all journeys
13 Bristol City Centre - Shirehampton, all journeys
17 Southmead Hospital - Kingswood – Keynsham, Mon-Sat evenings journeys after 9pm
17 Kingswood – Keynsham, all journeys
19 Bath - Cribbs Causeway via Bitton, Sundays / public holidays, all journeys
20 Bath – Twerton, all journeys
21 Newbridge Park and Ride – Bath, all journeys
22 Twerton - Bath Uni, Monday - Friday university holidays only and Saturdays
31 Lansdown Park and Ride – Bath, all journeys
35 Marshfield – Kingswood, all journeys
41 Odd Down Park and Ride - Bath, all journeys
42 Odd Down Park & Ride - Royal United Hospital, Mon-Fri 1832, 1932. RUH – Odd Down P&R, Mon-Fri 1810, 1910.
52 Bristol City Centre – Hengrove, Monday - Friday, all journeys
79/228 Marshfield, all journeys
82 Paulton – Radstock, all journeys
84 Yate - Wotton-under-Edge – Yate, all journeys
85 Yate - Wotton-under-Edge – Yate, all journeys
86 Yate – Kingswood, all journeys
172 Bath – Paulton, Mon-Sun evening, from Bath Mon-Sat 2110 2210 (171) 2310, Sundays / public holidays 2110 2210 from Paulton Mon-Sat 2059 2159 2303 (171), Sundays / public holidays 2114 2158
179 Midsomer Norton -Bath, all journeys
185 Hallatrow – Trowbridge, all journeys
202 Chipping Sodbury – Winterbourne, all journeys
505 Long Ashton Park & Ride Site - Southmead Hospital, all journeys
506 Bristol City Centre - Southmead Hospital, all journeys
511 Bedminster – Hengrove, all journeys
512 Totterdown - Bristol City Centre, all journeys
513 Knowle – Brislington, all journeys
514 Knowle - Brislington, all journeys
515 Stockwood – Hartcliffe, all journeys
620 Old Sodbury – Bath, all journeys
622 Chipping Sodbury - Cribbs Causeway, Monday – Saturday, all journeys (Stagecoach)
622 Thornbury - Cribbs Causeway, Sundays / public holidays, all journeys (First)
623 Severn Beach - Bristol Centre, all journeys
626 Wotton-under-Edge - Bristol Centre, all journeys
634 Tormarton – Kingswood, all journeys
636 Hengrove – Keynsham, all journeys
640 Bishop Sutton – Keynsham, all journeys
663 Somerdale - Chandag Road, all journeys
664 Keynsham (Somerdale) – Saltford, all journeys
665 Somerdale - Longmeadow Road, all journeys
668 Peasedown St John – Bristol, all journeys
672 Bristol – Blagdon, all journeys
683 Keynsham – Wells, all journeys
684 Wick - Keynsham, all journeys
700 Bath City Centre - Sion Hill, all journeys
716 Bath City Centre – Newbridge, all journeys
734 Bath City Centre – Bathwick, all journeys
752 Hinton Blewett – Bath, all journeys
754 Hinton Blewett – Radstock, all journeys
757 Combe Hay - Midsomer Norton, all journeys
768 Midsomer Norton – Bath, all journeys
779 Bath City Centre - Gloucester Road, all journeys
Bris Brislington P&R – Bristol City Centre, all journeys
Port Portway P&R - Bristol City Centre, all journeys
T1 Thornbury - Bristol Centre, Monday - Saturday late eve from Bristol 2140, 2240, 2340, from Thornbury 2130, 2230, 2330, 0030
Y4 Yate - Bristol Centre, Monday - Saturday evenings Mon-Fri from Bristol: 2210, 2310, Sat from Bristol 2310, Mon-Sat from Yate: 2202, 2302, 0002.
Y5 Yate - Bristol Centre, Monday - Saturday evenings and Sundays / Public Holidays, Mon-Sat from Bristol 2055, Mon-Sat from Chipping Sodbury 1945, 2140, all journeys Sunday and public holidays
Y6 Yate - Southmead Hospital, Monday- Sundays / public holidays daytime every other journey and evenings Mon-Fri from Southmead. 0615, 0825, 1030, 1230, 1430, 1640, 1840, 2040. Sat from Southmead 0615, 1030, 1430, 1840. Mon-Fri from Chipping Sodbury: 0510, 0705, 0919, 1119, 1319, 1524, 1729, 1930. Sat from Chipping Sodbury: 0515, 0925, 1325, 1730. All journeys Sunday and public holidays

 

[Citistar]

52 Bristol City Centre – Hengrove, Monday - Friday, all journeys

52 is an interesting one. That was previously supported by a neighbourhood partnership group rather than the Local Transport Authority be they Bristol or West of England CA. I don't believe it has ever been tendered, which is convenient for HCT.

 

[-Colly405-]

10 Thornbury and Hortham Village, all journeys
10/11 Southmead Hospital – Avonmouth, all journeys

This implies that they are commercial north of Southmead, with the 10 being so until where the Thornbury tender kicks in?

Interesting as I thought they were fully subsidised routes!

I think so. I’ve also seen it on a couple of occasions in the last month, whist waiting for a m1 at Willow Brook.
They have a warehouse on the Woodlands trading estate in north Bradley Stoke.

I'm getting quite intrigued about the Huboo contract. Having previously seen an H1 (displaying H2 on the side and rear) in Bradley Stoke, this morning I saw an m3 vehicle on the H2 in Parkway station (displaying H1 on the side and rear).

The First website now shows the H2 as a single AM peak journey from the Centre via BPW to Severn Beach, and a PM peak return. No sign of the H1 there though...
The journey I saw this morning was in the times of this journey (0820 at BPW), but today is a Sunday!

Huboo's website says that they have 4 "fulfilment centres" in the UK - at Emersons Green (x2), Severn Beach and Bradley Stoke - and Head Office in Corn St.

They've stated that they are "commissioning a free-to-ride bus for all Bristol and Newport areas, helping employees combat increased traffic, reduce their commuting costs and to enable a more diverse workforce", so I'm thinking the H1 (or an H3, perhaps) comes over the bridge?

As a company that employs only 465 staff altogether, this quite an investment in a bus contract...

Link to article confirming above info re free-to-ride bus service:

130 Huboo job opportunities in Bristol fulfilment centre - ChannelX

130 Huboo job opportunities as company announces it will be expanding its Bristol-based fulfilment centre team due to increased demand

tamebay.com

 

[Callum15632]

This implies that they are commercial north of Southmead, with the 10 being so until where the Thornbury tender kicks in?

Interesting as I thought they were fully subsidised routes!


I'm getting quite intrigued about the Huboo contract. Having previously seen an H1 (displaying H2 on the side and rear) in Bradley Stoke, this morning I saw an m3 vehicle on the H2 in Parkway station (displaying H1 on the side and rear).

The First website now shows the H2 as a single AM peak journey from the Centre via BPW to Severn Beach, and a PM peak return. No sign of the H1 there though...
The journey I saw this morning was in the times of this journey (0820 at BPW), but today is a Sunday!

Huboo's website says that they have 4 "fulfilment centres" in the UK - at Emersons Green (x2), Severn Beach and Bradley Stoke - and Head Office in Corn St.

They've stated that they are "commissioning a free-to-ride bus for all Bristol and Newport areas, helping employees combat increased traffic, reduce their commuting costs and to enable a more diverse workforce", so I'm thinking the H1 (or an H3, perhaps) comes over the bridge?

As a company that employs only 465 staff altogether, this quite an investment in a bus contract...

Link to article confirming above info re free-to-ride bus service:

130 Huboo job opportunities in Bristol fulfilment centre - ChannelX

130 Huboo job opportunities as company announces it will be expanding its Bristol-based fulfilment centre team due to increased demand

tamebay.com

Where does the H1 run from as the H2 runs from City Centre to Severn Beach via Bristol Parkway.

 

[DaveHarries]

Just looking at WECA and there is an updated list of supported services.
[.....]

There seems to be some kind of consultation out at the moment relating to supported services. It closes on 28th November but one campaigner (D.R) has asked if an extension could be considered as there are no notices up on buses, etc. advertising the said consultation.

Bristol Live: https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/bus-passengers-running-out-time-6219580
Consultation: https://consultation.westofengland-...est-of-england-supported-bus-services-survey/

Dave

 

[freetoview33]

I know there are staffing issues at the moment but it really seems like things are crumbling.

Buses that are branded for a Route regularly turning up on other routes.

Buses not turning up on some routes for a hour, buses running together on other routes.

Buses being cancelled and worst Buses saying they are going the full route, then get to town and kick everyone off as no driver is due and the next bus is also cancelled.

 

[WelshBluebird]

I wonder if its time for an emergency timetable to be brought into use? Accept that the timetable as it is just isn't reflecting anything like reality, drawer up what they think they can actually run and use that for a period of time. Appreciate it may result in what seem like quite severe cuts, but in reality that is what is happening so the timetable should reflect that.

 

[Buses in Bath]

I wonder if its time for an emergency timetable to be brought into use? Accept that the timetable as it is just isn't reflecting anything like reality, drawer up what they think they can actually run and use that for a period of time. Appreciate it may result in what seem like quite severe cuts, but in reality that is what is happening so the timetable should reflect that.

They did that with Bath and it is going so much better. I've only had a bus cancelled on me once since the change almost a month ago instead of it being at least once a day

 

[freetoview33]

I wonder if its time for an emergency timetable to be brought into use? Accept that the timetable as it is just isn't reflecting anything like reality, drawer up what they think they can actually run and use that for a period of time. Appreciate it may result in what seem like quite severe cuts, but in reality that is what is happening so the timetable should reflect that.

Yes they need to!

 

[vicbury]

They did that with Bath and it is going so much better. I've only had a bus cancelled on me once since the change almost a month ago instead of it being at least once a day

Reliability in Bath seems to have suffered again lately. I had two services not show up on the 4/4a yesterday, and it looks like two in a row are not running this morning.

 

[D2007wsm]

This is what is remaining of the withdrawn B7TLs and Darts in Weston today (images below)

Also noted the navy blue Scania now has Pride vinyls the same as the gas bus, couldn’t get a picture though.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

This is what is remaining of the withdrawn B7TLs and Darts in Weston today (images below)

Also noted the navy blue Scania now has Pride vinyls the same as the gas bus, couldn’t get a picture though.

Understand Weston is down to a final Dart. The end of an era is upon us

 

[Whiteway215]

This is what is remaining of the withdrawn B7TLs and Darts in Weston today (images below)

Also noted the navy blue Scania now has Pride vinyls the same as the gas bus, couldn’t get a picture though.

As of Thursday 25th these are believed to be the occupants of the withdrawn lineup at Weston
32332/38/39/40/41/42/56/57 42902/3/4/25

Presumably these will be removed by Wigleys (?) in due course?

 

[Buses in Bath]

New timetables from the 30th January are starting to appear. This is what I have found out so far.
4 cut back to Henbury Monday - Saturday off peak
17 cut from Court Farm Road & Ellacombe Road and now serves Downend Road instead of Soundwell Road through Kingswood
23 new hourly service serving Langley Crescent - City Centre (assuming 24a is cut)
24 no longer serves Langley Crescent in evenings and on Sundays
45 now serves Bitton instead of Cadury Heath
71 extended to Parson Street and will now go the full way down Gloucester Road instead of Filton Avenue
73 cut from Bailey's Court Road & Bradley Stoke Way

 

[ATW158Xpress]

New timetables from the 30th January are starting to appear. This is what I have found out so far.
4 cut back to Henbury Monday - Saturday off peak
17 cut from Court Farm Road & Ellacombe Road and now serves Downend Road instead of Soundwell Road through Kingswood
23 new hourly service serving Langley Crescent - City Centre (assuming 24a is cut)
24 no longer serves Langley Crescent in evenings and on Sundays
45 now serves Bitton instead of Cadury Heath
71 extended to Parson Street and will now go the full way down Gloucester Road instead of Filton Avenue
73 cut from Bailey's Court Road & Bradley Stoke Way

73 route change via more direct Brook Way wasn't a surprise for me. Since the T1 and m1 routes serve Bradley Stoke South with 8 buses combined there isn't much point serving the area. Only disadvantage is anyone wishing to go to Bristol Parkway or Filton from Bailey's Court Road now have to endure a fairly long walk to the bus stop at fhe bottom of Brook Way.

 

[Class 33]

The 71 running via Filton Road instead of Filton Avenue is a surprising change. Think that will catch some people out at first who are unaware of the change.

 

[-Colly405-]

The 71 running via Filton Road instead of Filton Avenue is a surprising change. Think that will catch some people out at first who are unaware of the change.

Providing additional capacity Filton Roundabout to Parson St. Wonder if there are more changes to be seen, possibly including changes to the frequency of the 75...
Also, I see that it won't be stopping at the eastbound stop on the A4174 between Filton Roundabout and the Filton Ave junction

73 route change via more direct Brook Way wasn't a surprise for me. Since the T1 and m1 routes serve Bradley Stoke South with 8 buses combined there isn't much point serving the area. Only disadvantage is anyone wishing to go to Bristol Parkway or Filton from Bailey's Court Road now have to endure a fairly long walk to the bus stop at fhe bottom of Brook Way.

Not specifically part of the route change, but I see that it will also now call at the "Willow Brook" northbound stop (i.e. the metrobus stop at the east end of the Willow Brook centre), which will facilitate connections between it and the m1/T1.

 

[freetoview33]

The 8 in Bristol changes too but actually a few improvements to frequencies in early morning and early evening!

 

[WelshBluebird]

At least the changes mentioned seem to make sense when you look at it from a trying to trim the "fat" around routes but I am worried that some of the changes (which mostly seem to be changing services that go around housing estates / residential areas to just go direct via the main road in the area) will result in less people (especially those who have mobility issues) using the services and that reduction will then in the future be used as an excuse to not just divert services but cut their origins / destinations. As an example, cutting back the 17 to run along Bath Road (instead of Court Farm Road & Ellacombe Road) will likely mean less passengers between Longwell Green and Keynsham, making it much easier for them to axe that part of the route in the future (which has already been talked about as something that is wanted to be done I believe). Maybe the areas in question have such few passengers anyway that actually diverting past them doesn't actually matter in terms of numbers, but it is still a concern!

 

[freetoview33]

Another change come through the 2/2A in Bristol are increasing from every 30 mins to every 20 mins (Each)