Lothian Buses and ECB Discussion

[ScotRail158725]

Believe a lot of staff were laid off from LMC, dont know the ins and outs so dont quote me, but I think they were offered service work or to be paid off.

There were due to be 4 more short Panthers at LMC (Second hand) these were purchased and refurbishment was due but I'm unsure what's happening now.

The return to full service will take alot of time and planning. Older B7's will return and I wouldnt be surprised if we see the newer members of the heritage fleet, too.

Would be pretty cool to see LMC coaches in service...

coaches would make a right difference from normal.
any idea on how many withdrawn but not sold vehicles there are? 113/114/117-120, 702/704/746 have all been sat withdrawn recently but unsure if theres any others

 

[Jordan Adam]

Believe a lot of staff were laid off from LMC, dont know the ins and outs so dont quote me, but I think they were offered service work or to be paid off.

There were due to be 4 more short Panthers at LMC (Second hand) these were purchased and refurbishment was due but I'm unsure what's happening now.

The return to full service will take alot of time and planning. Older B7's will return and I wouldnt be surprised if we see the newer members of the heritage fleet, too.

Would be pretty cool to see LMC coaches in service...

I recall they were having issues getting contract work as local clients in the area were sticking to the local hire firms, while the tour program wasn't that busy either.

I'd assume the 4 Panthers were to replace the unreliable Levantes that have already left the fleet.

Will be interesting to see heritage vehicles back out on the road if it happens.

Has any scottish companies go pop?

I can't name any off the top of my head, but the holiday firms David Urquhart Travel and Caledonia Travel have went under.

 

[overthewater]

I can't name any off the top of my head, but the holiday firms David Urquhart Travel and Caledonia Travel have went under.

One would hope that any Scottish firm would Not put all they eggs in one basket.

 

[Jordan Adam]

One would hope that any Scottish firm would Not put all they eggs in one basket.

Agreed, i've never understood the logic of larger firms who only target one market.

 

[OmniCity999]

Are they (and would they need to be?) PSVAR-compliant?

I can guarantee as we build the country back up PSVAR will be the least of peoples worries.

Legislation will need to be loosened as companies will struggle.

 

[GusB]

The posts regarding a potential vehicle shortage at Stagecoach East Scotland when the schools go back are off-topic for this thread and have been moved here:

Should Lothian assist with a potential Stagecoach East Scotland vehicle shortage?

Hi, everyone I’ve seen Posts on google and stuff About School’s in Scotland possibly returning in August. This come into my head ,with the fleet that Stagecoach east Scotland have ( sorry if this post is not allowed ) But If the schools return I don’t think Stagecoach will have enough fleet for...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[OmniCity999]

The posts regarding a potential vehicle shortage at Stagecoach East Scotland when the schools go back are off-topic for this thread and have been moved here:

Should Lothian assist with a potential Stagecoach East Scotland vehicle shortage?

Hi, everyone I’ve seen Posts on google and stuff About School’s in Scotland possibly returning in August. This come into my head ,with the fleet that Stagecoach east Scotland have ( sorry if this post is not allowed ) But If the schools return I don’t think Stagecoach will have enough fleet for...

www.railforums.co.uk

Thanks GusB

 

[DunsBus]

Likewise I'd say that LCB's future also seems to be secure. It would be nuts to close it down now given that it's been there for essential workers throughout Covid-19.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Likewise I'd say that LCB's future also seems to be secure. It would be nuts to close it down now given that it's been there for essential workers throughout Covid-19.

I don't disagree and am in no way implying anything, but your arguement is slightly flawed in the sense that during the lockdown LCB only retained 3 of their routes. None of the routes outwith Edinburgh City Centre were kept, nor was the X17 or EX2 although the latter not operating makes perfect sense given the X38 covers it.

I can guarantee as we build the country back up PSVAR will be the least of peoples worries.

Legislation will need to be loosened as companies will struggle.

Hope so, if the coaches were used on the X7 as duplicates then I dont really see the problem.

 

[computerSaysNo]

I would imagine that all the single deck routes which can take deckers would be switched to use deckers wherever possible, or have a frequency increase (ie. 1, 2, 12, 24, 36, 38, 45). I'm unsure what might happen with the 30 though, as it is already pretty high frequency in the normal timetable; only thing I can think of is additional part route deckers between Edinburgh and Fort Kinnard?

 

[OmniCity999]

I would imagine that all the single deck routes which can take deckers would be switched to use deckers wherever possible, or have a frequency increase (ie. 1, 2, 12, 24, 36, 38, 45). I'm unsure what might happen with the 30 though, as it is already pretty high frequency in the normal timetable; only thing I can think of is additional part route deckers between Edinburgh and Fort Kinnard?

Rather annoyingly, the 30 seems to be at its busiest between Musselburgh and Fort Kinnaird and Fort Kinnaird and Edinburgh, theres very little in the way of through journeys, and if there is, its more a case of journeys going to Craigmillar and onward journeys to RIE and Cameron Toll.

The best thing to do would be run decker "duplicates" from Musselburgh to Fort Kinnaird via QMU and A1 and extending on into the city or terminating at Fort Kinnaird, ASDA Jewel, RIE or Cameron Toll.

 

[computerSaysNo]

Rather annoyingly, the 30 seems to be at its busiest between Musselburgh and Fort Kinnaird and Fort Kinnaird and Edinburgh, theres very little in the way of through journeys, and if there is, its more a case of journeys going to Craigmillar and onward journeys to RIE and Cameron Toll.

The best thing to do would be run decker "duplicates" from Musselburgh to Fort Kinnaird via QMU and A1 and extending on into the city or terminating at Fort Kinnaird, ASDA Jewel, RIE or Cameron Toll.

Might it be time, then, to truncate the 30 to run only Edinburgh to Fort Kinnard (using deckers), and then create a separate service from Mussleburgh (or maybe Inveresk or Whitecraig, if the demand is there for a direct service) to Fort Kinnard, and then onto the Hospital?

 

[SpeedbirdA350]

Given we will need to have social distancing for the next couple of years at least, I can only think that some routes will need to be re drawn, such as the 30 and some timetables will need to be increased even more than they are.

Is there a rough time of when ADL/Wright can supply/fit bandit screens to the fleet without?

 

[ScotRail158725]

Given we will need to have social distancing for the next couple of years at least, I can only think that some routes will need to be re drawn, such as the 30 and some timetables will need to be increased even more than they are.

Is there a rough time of when ADL/Wright can supply/fit bandit screens to the fleet without?

doubt a couple years. give it to the end of 2020 aye but not into 2022 onwards

 

[buslad1988]

Might it be time, then, to truncate the 30 to run only Edinburgh to Fort Kinnard (using deckers), and then create a separate service from Mussleburgh (or maybe Inveresk or Whitecraig, if the demand is there for a direct service) to Fort Kinnard, and then onto the Hospital?

Another logical move would be to extend the 48 from Fort Kinnaird to Musselburgh - maybe even up to Wallyford and the mega new housing scheme? Creating direct links from these additional areas to the Fort/RIE.

 

[ScotRail158725]

Another logical move would be to extend the 48 from Fort Kinnaird to Musselburgh - maybe even up to Wallyford and the mega new housing scheme? Creating direct links from these additional areas to the Fort/RIE.

not a bad idea tbh, the only flaw with this would be run time. its already just an hour long route and that would add about half an hour each way taking it to wallyford.

 

[scosutsut]

not a bad idea tbh, the only flaw with this would be run time. its already just an hour long route and that would add about half an hour each way taking it to wallyford.

Agree, and Wallyford is already overbussed, especially with its 10 minute to town rail link to compete with.

 

[Edirim]

Think Omni said all deliveries were delivered with bandit screens in tow so would just take a few man-hours to refit each of them in turn.

Can see the 140 being extended to the Fort more than the 48 extending to Musselburgh and done in tandem with an increased service on the 106 (although Prentice would be rather unimpressed).

I imagine the 104, when re-instated, would be re-routed to run around the back of Wallyford along the new ring road and the 44 would still run into Walyford as normal. I'd like to see a daytime X26 brought in that runs along the normal X26 route from Alder Road to Ayres Wynd then right up West Loan, left along Preston Road and then takes the B1361 along to Strawberry Corner before going via P&R & Wallyford and onto the X44 route and this would replace the 104 through Wallyford whilst giving the Pans a faster bus to town.

 

[scotrail158713]

Can see the 140 being extended to the Fort more than the 48 extending to Musselburgh and done in tandem with an increased service on the 106 (although Prentice would be rather unimpressed).

I’d prefer the 140 was extended, personally. Haddington to Wallyford already has 4bph to the Fort (104 to the Jewel is only 5 minutes walk away) - and I like Prentice as an operator. They took on the 108 when First ditched it whilst ECB weren’t interested. Seeing the success it had, ECB then decided to launch their own service. This rightly annoyed Prentice, so I try and avoid using the 106 when I can.

I imagine the 104, when re-instated, would be re-routed to run around the back of Wallyford along the new ring road and the 44 would still run into Walyford as normal.

I agree with this. There’s been bus stops put in along there, so something is definitely going to go along there - the 104 would make the most sense IMO.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

The problem is you wouldn’t want to have to extend a route through Newcraighall that in the current circumstances should be running as a double deck. The best thing to do is to extend a route that still works as a single deck. A temporary shuttle service between Musselburgh Grammar and Fort Kinnaird (presumably run by ECB and could possibly run to the Royal Infirmary as well) is the only thing that would probably work without significantly affecting anything else. Rerouting the normal 106 is probably not an option and the 140 will likely run with doubles for a while at least. I like the idea of extending the 48 or 140 but they should really be double decks atmo.

I’m expecting Lothian to at least want doubles running between Clovenstone and Fort Kinnaird with singles still running to Musselburgh. The A1 option should be looked at with a shuttle doing the normal 30 route.

As for next changes whenever they are I’m hoping to see frequency increases, some routes that are hourly are starting to get busy enough to warrant half hourly during the week at least. 10 and 23 are the only routes I could see coming back for now with other routes (mainly 16) adjusted for them to work. The northern section of 47 is looking very quiet though, Waterfront Avenue has never had the demand that was first expected (17, 24, 38, 47 and others I think have all served it at some point) so maybe the 19 could cover the Granton Harbour stops by just extending round the corner (19’s runtime is too generous at the minute anyway, constantly pulling over due to being 3 mins or more early). Ideally you would want to extend the 106 and 113 but it would mean interworking and would become extremely difficult to work with. The Haddington 106’s are busy but the Dunbar ones aren’t most of the time (presumably due to single deck).

 

[CN04NRJ]

Likewise I'd say that LCB's future also seems to be secure. It would be nuts to close it down now given that it's been there for essential workers throughout Covid-19.

At the risk of going off-topic (apologies) I'm wondering if there may be more LCB services returning at the next change given First's current seating policy heavily restricting capacity.

 

[OmniCity999]

At the risk of going off-topic (apologies) I'm wondering if there may be more LCB services returning at the next change given First's current seating policy heavily restricting capacity.

I'd like to hazard a guess and say it's probably a case of weather the bandit screens will be fitted in time, if sufficient fleet has bandit screens fitted, I can see there being an LCB service increase, with LCB moving over to their own fleet.

Similar with East Coast I reckon.

 

[CN04NRJ]

Just passed 843 MXZ 1753 and another (presumably former) Motorcoaches B9 freshly repainted into full LCB colours whilst driving to work.

They were both joining the M8 at J2 heading east.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

There’s only a couple of B5LH’s working for LC that I remember having bandit screens, there’s a chance they’ve since been removed though. I’m sure it was 576 and 578 but not 100% sure. Those and some of the Gemini2’s are the only vehicles at LC that still have bandit screens.

ECB obviously is only the handful of Gemini2’s if any that still have them.

 

[OmniCity999]

There’s only a couple of B5LH’s working for LC that I remember having bandit screens, there’s a chance they’ve since been removed though. I’m sure it was 576 and 578 but not 100% sure. Those and some of the Gemini2’s are the only vehicles at LC that still have bandit screens.

ECB obviously is only the handful of Gemini2’s if any that still have them.

Sure all the bandit screens were removed from both LCB and ECB... although I believe the were kept.

 

[Bus9120UK]

There’s only a couple of B5LH’s working for LC that I remember having bandit screens, there’s a chance they’ve since been removed though. I’m sure it was 576 and 578 but not 100% sure. Those and some of the Gemini2’s are the only vehicles at LC that still have bandit screens.

ECB obviously is only the handful of Gemini2’s if any that still have them.

Both 577 and 578 didn't get them removed.

 

[Bus9120UK]

Just passed 843 MXZ 1753 and another (presumably former) Motorcoaches B9 freshly repainted into full LCB colours whilst driving to work.

They were both joining the M8 at J2 heading east.

Intrested to see how they look (never seen the LCB livery on a Gemini 1)

 

[scosutsut]

Intrested to see how they look (never seen the LCB livery on a Gemini 1)

Probably as awkward as FOTF looks on any Gemini 1 / Eclipse 1, especially at the front, I'd imagine.

East Coast Buses - 20794 (SN56 AEU)

Explore K.micha95's 9195 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

[Not my picture, credits on link]

 

[ScotRail158725]

Intrested to see how they look (never seen the LCB livery on a Gemini 1)

would be like it is on the 8**geminis but LCs colours instead

 

[Bus9120UK]

would be like it is on the 8**geminis but LCs colours instead

true, don't know why I thought of that earlier