TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
With an enforced weeks' holiday and not much to do, I thought I'd have a twin activity day of blending some mountain biking and some bus travel. Actually, I went on some buses and then had a couple of hours on the bike as, the other way round, would have offended fellow passengers' noses. These are my reflections on a day in South Wales, with some notable differences in life over the Severn Bridge. Apologise in advance for any gaps in knowledge and hope it proves interesting, on both a Covid comparator AND general reflections on bus travel and Wales generally.
The evening before, I checked the guidance for travel and saw that bus travel was no longer limited to essential travel. The use of face coverings is mandatory, as per England, but with the additional proviso that it was a three ply, close woven fabric one. That requirement satisfied and with the sanitising gel sorted, I headed off over the bridge and chose a safe place in which to hide a car with a mountain bike (plus kit) in the back of it. A suitably secure residential road near Pye Corner (outside Newport) was chosen and I went out to catch my first bus on the frequent 151 to Newport. This route received nearly new Stagecoach Gold e200mmcs displaced from the Rhondda last year, and they do suit this trunk route. 26179 duly arrived and I purchased my SEWNR and headed to Newport. I really like these vehicles and part of me is slightly saddened that the Gold concept has been dropped. They are good vehicles too with comfortable seats and USBs as well as good interior branding.
It's a short trip and I we soon arrived at Newport and I then looked to see what time the next bus was to Cardiff. I'd just missed it and checking for the next one, I realised that this service was hourly. My lack of planning (other than health compliance) was now highlighted, and it showed two things. Unlike England, where funding has been largely agreed, this is a) not the case in Wales and so frequencies appear much lower despite the need to practice social distancing and b) the overall level of commercial activity is lower so footfall in towns in lower. Faced with a long wait, I decided to hope on the X15, as immortalised by Goldie Lookin Chain, and headed for Brynmawr on Stagecoach e200 36774.
We left Newport but this route heads via Duffryn so takes its time to escape the gravitational pull of Newport. One bonus was my first glimpse in the flesh of the new Stagecoach livery on an e200 inbound from Caerphilly; it's release and then lockdown meant it was my first glimpse. I know many comments have been made on the appropriate thread but it just served to confirm my thoughts. I don't mind the colour pallet but the application seems counter to what they wanted to achieve. On the example I saw, it had white window surrounds and again that doesn't help the livery or the vehicle design. Just my thoughts! The X15 doesn't appear to be have much express-ness; I'll have to defer to local experts but were there more limited stop and stopping services down the Valleys and that rail openings like the Ebbw Vale line have led to a number being withdrawn? Anyway, I soon decided that nearly two hours on an e200 wasn't for me so I bailed at Risca, in favour of the long standing 56 to Tredegar. This is now operating on a two hourly frequency and so it was a surprise when Stagecoach Solo 47211 turned up. For a 15 year old Solo, it wasn't in bad shape but the recommended capacity of 11 was soon filled up, mainly by pensioners though with some being in shared bubbles, our max load of 15 was probably ok.
It's been a few years since I stopped in Tredegar and I had 20 mins to kill. I had a quick walk about and, to be honest, it's one of those places that desperately needs a town centre redevelopment. The shopping centre (on the site of the old National Welsh depot) is tired and mainly empty and it really does highlight how bus operators are caught in trying to serve places that are dying on their feet and this is reflected by falling passenger numbers that some ascribe to the incompetence of management and shareholder greed; there's undoubtedly some of that but the economic decline in such places is palpable. I got the X4 to another such place (Merthyr). This was e300 28640, older than the other X4 fleet and without the USB ports. This route was branded a few years ago but now seems to lack anything much both internally or externally. Moreover, I then caught sight of another e300 that had been repainted in the new Stagecoach yellow but without the appropriate vinyls.... It did look like a school bus. The X4 should be a premium route and would or could have been a Gold service; I have reservations about the way Stagecoach is going. I had greater reservations about the two young women who could manage to get their nails sorted but not wear masks; this was something I noticed during the day in that it was the younger people (not exclusively though) who flouted the requirements in wearing masks whereas it seems the older people who are less stringent in England.
I disembarked at Pontypridd, and it's always a singularly disappointing experience bus wise. Once upon a time, it was Shamrock's dodgy fleet, then it was Veolia and now it's NAT Travel. I know we have a regular poster on the boards who kindly updates us, and I know they have a new livery/image coming but the disappointing selection of grubby and slightly battered white and blue buses on view was what I've come to expect. One can only hope that the new livery is accompanied by greater attention to detail in terms of presentation. However, I decided to catch the 100 operated by Edwards with a very smart B8RLE with MCV body. This was superbly turned out as that fleet tends to be, with smart fabric notices applied to seats to advise of their usage (or not). It's a quite challenging route with some sharp hills so perhaps it explains why the B8RLE is chosen though a sharp right hander down a hill in Llantrisant was a bit of a squeeze. Talbot Green is one of those places that seems bigger and more important than it's low profile suggests. It even retains a bus station where I got off, and then waited for the 321 to Cowbridge. I'd fancied doing the Cowbridge route for a bit but to be honest, it's actually a bit dull. It was livened up by a 13 plate NAT short e200 that was a bag of spanners. It banged and clattered with the cab door swinging open on a couple of occasions, driven by a bloke who looked the double of Greyo, the corrupt copper who survives Twin Town.
I had time to kill in Cowbridge which is a nice place for a slight sojourn but the rules on eating in meant it was a takeaway coffee and a sandwich whilst I waited for the X2. I was using the excellent First app and this is where I'm going to be controversial.... in many ways, First are heading in the right direction in terms of technology, image etc whilst Stagecoach seem to be losing their way, just a little. I was tracking the X2 with the capacity feature assuring me that I'd be ok to board and so it proved. It was one of the ex Glasgow Airport e200s. These come with USBs, ridiculous levels of legroom, and some rather distinctive purple and black seats though it has to be said that the purple fabric is already looking grubby. However, these vehicles go well and its clearly a popular service (even at only hourly) and we sped along the A48. I'd probably last done this route in the mid 1990s on some TE type Tiger (!) so the route in via Cardiff Bay was a new experience. Bridgend to Cardiff end to end can't compete with the train so expect its places like Cowbridge and Cardiff Bay that enable a healthy frequency on the route to be sustained.
I was left with nearly an hour before my next bus so I risked a trip on Cardiff Bus 8 to Galbalfa (where I could later catch the X30 to Newport) that took me through some of the inner city and Maindee. This was operated by a smart Eclipse though it had a few rattles. Now, it perplexes me how Cardiff Bus isn't more profitable (though I recognise the issue of competition from NAT) but the sheer amount of road traffic and poor bus priority might be a clue! We crawled through the city and it really surprised me how bad things both in the centre but also once we left. Perhaps it's low road speeds and a lack of priority that stop CB being as good as Lothian or Reading? I got off and then made my way to the windswept bus stop to await the X30. I was astonished to see that I was one of three boarding at this lonely outpost at Newport Bus 47 (a 2007 Omnicity) as it arrived and swept us up for a trip along the M4. We made decent time and it wasn't a bad machine though it was beginning to see a little frayed on the edges of the rather unyielding seats.
Back in Newport and it was the usual display of Newport Bus vehicles.... knackered elderly Darts (surely must be ready to go if new electric vehicles do arrive?) plus more middle aged stuff bought when times were better. I hope NB does manage to prosper now that NAT have largely exited the area and Foxstar disappeared into their own PR. It does have a whiff of Halton about it but I hope I'm wrong. It was a quick walk to the Stagecoach half of the bus station, past the assorted addicts etc. I appreciate the sociological problems of people and that they need help, not just a metaphorical boot, but it's that sort of thing that makes public transport seem as if it's for the lesser folk. You shouldn't have to walk past a load of sweary folk off their head on White Lightening to catch a bus. I did though and finished off with a last run back to Pye Corner on the 151 on 26198, another Gold e200mmc on what seemed to be the only reasonably high frequency inter-urban service I experienced that day.
Apologies if I bored you but hope there's some nuggets of interest. I don't know the politics about the support of Covid bus services in Wales but clearly, there are some major issues at play.
The evening before, I checked the guidance for travel and saw that bus travel was no longer limited to essential travel. The use of face coverings is mandatory, as per England, but with the additional proviso that it was a three ply, close woven fabric one. That requirement satisfied and with the sanitising gel sorted, I headed off over the bridge and chose a safe place in which to hide a car with a mountain bike (plus kit) in the back of it. A suitably secure residential road near Pye Corner (outside Newport) was chosen and I went out to catch my first bus on the frequent 151 to Newport. This route received nearly new Stagecoach Gold e200mmcs displaced from the Rhondda last year, and they do suit this trunk route. 26179 duly arrived and I purchased my SEWNR and headed to Newport. I really like these vehicles and part of me is slightly saddened that the Gold concept has been dropped. They are good vehicles too with comfortable seats and USBs as well as good interior branding.
It's a short trip and I we soon arrived at Newport and I then looked to see what time the next bus was to Cardiff. I'd just missed it and checking for the next one, I realised that this service was hourly. My lack of planning (other than health compliance) was now highlighted, and it showed two things. Unlike England, where funding has been largely agreed, this is a) not the case in Wales and so frequencies appear much lower despite the need to practice social distancing and b) the overall level of commercial activity is lower so footfall in towns in lower. Faced with a long wait, I decided to hope on the X15, as immortalised by Goldie Lookin Chain, and headed for Brynmawr on Stagecoach e200 36774.
We left Newport but this route heads via Duffryn so takes its time to escape the gravitational pull of Newport. One bonus was my first glimpse in the flesh of the new Stagecoach livery on an e200 inbound from Caerphilly; it's release and then lockdown meant it was my first glimpse. I know many comments have been made on the appropriate thread but it just served to confirm my thoughts. I don't mind the colour pallet but the application seems counter to what they wanted to achieve. On the example I saw, it had white window surrounds and again that doesn't help the livery or the vehicle design. Just my thoughts! The X15 doesn't appear to be have much express-ness; I'll have to defer to local experts but were there more limited stop and stopping services down the Valleys and that rail openings like the Ebbw Vale line have led to a number being withdrawn? Anyway, I soon decided that nearly two hours on an e200 wasn't for me so I bailed at Risca, in favour of the long standing 56 to Tredegar. This is now operating on a two hourly frequency and so it was a surprise when Stagecoach Solo 47211 turned up. For a 15 year old Solo, it wasn't in bad shape but the recommended capacity of 11 was soon filled up, mainly by pensioners though with some being in shared bubbles, our max load of 15 was probably ok.
It's been a few years since I stopped in Tredegar and I had 20 mins to kill. I had a quick walk about and, to be honest, it's one of those places that desperately needs a town centre redevelopment. The shopping centre (on the site of the old National Welsh depot) is tired and mainly empty and it really does highlight how bus operators are caught in trying to serve places that are dying on their feet and this is reflected by falling passenger numbers that some ascribe to the incompetence of management and shareholder greed; there's undoubtedly some of that but the economic decline in such places is palpable. I got the X4 to another such place (Merthyr). This was e300 28640, older than the other X4 fleet and without the USB ports. This route was branded a few years ago but now seems to lack anything much both internally or externally. Moreover, I then caught sight of another e300 that had been repainted in the new Stagecoach yellow but without the appropriate vinyls.... It did look like a school bus. The X4 should be a premium route and would or could have been a Gold service; I have reservations about the way Stagecoach is going. I had greater reservations about the two young women who could manage to get their nails sorted but not wear masks; this was something I noticed during the day in that it was the younger people (not exclusively though) who flouted the requirements in wearing masks whereas it seems the older people who are less stringent in England.
I disembarked at Pontypridd, and it's always a singularly disappointing experience bus wise. Once upon a time, it was Shamrock's dodgy fleet, then it was Veolia and now it's NAT Travel. I know we have a regular poster on the boards who kindly updates us, and I know they have a new livery/image coming but the disappointing selection of grubby and slightly battered white and blue buses on view was what I've come to expect. One can only hope that the new livery is accompanied by greater attention to detail in terms of presentation. However, I decided to catch the 100 operated by Edwards with a very smart B8RLE with MCV body. This was superbly turned out as that fleet tends to be, with smart fabric notices applied to seats to advise of their usage (or not). It's a quite challenging route with some sharp hills so perhaps it explains why the B8RLE is chosen though a sharp right hander down a hill in Llantrisant was a bit of a squeeze. Talbot Green is one of those places that seems bigger and more important than it's low profile suggests. It even retains a bus station where I got off, and then waited for the 321 to Cowbridge. I'd fancied doing the Cowbridge route for a bit but to be honest, it's actually a bit dull. It was livened up by a 13 plate NAT short e200 that was a bag of spanners. It banged and clattered with the cab door swinging open on a couple of occasions, driven by a bloke who looked the double of Greyo, the corrupt copper who survives Twin Town.
I had time to kill in Cowbridge which is a nice place for a slight sojourn but the rules on eating in meant it was a takeaway coffee and a sandwich whilst I waited for the X2. I was using the excellent First app and this is where I'm going to be controversial.... in many ways, First are heading in the right direction in terms of technology, image etc whilst Stagecoach seem to be losing their way, just a little. I was tracking the X2 with the capacity feature assuring me that I'd be ok to board and so it proved. It was one of the ex Glasgow Airport e200s. These come with USBs, ridiculous levels of legroom, and some rather distinctive purple and black seats though it has to be said that the purple fabric is already looking grubby. However, these vehicles go well and its clearly a popular service (even at only hourly) and we sped along the A48. I'd probably last done this route in the mid 1990s on some TE type Tiger (!) so the route in via Cardiff Bay was a new experience. Bridgend to Cardiff end to end can't compete with the train so expect its places like Cowbridge and Cardiff Bay that enable a healthy frequency on the route to be sustained.
I was left with nearly an hour before my next bus so I risked a trip on Cardiff Bus 8 to Galbalfa (where I could later catch the X30 to Newport) that took me through some of the inner city and Maindee. This was operated by a smart Eclipse though it had a few rattles. Now, it perplexes me how Cardiff Bus isn't more profitable (though I recognise the issue of competition from NAT) but the sheer amount of road traffic and poor bus priority might be a clue! We crawled through the city and it really surprised me how bad things both in the centre but also once we left. Perhaps it's low road speeds and a lack of priority that stop CB being as good as Lothian or Reading? I got off and then made my way to the windswept bus stop to await the X30. I was astonished to see that I was one of three boarding at this lonely outpost at Newport Bus 47 (a 2007 Omnicity) as it arrived and swept us up for a trip along the M4. We made decent time and it wasn't a bad machine though it was beginning to see a little frayed on the edges of the rather unyielding seats.
Back in Newport and it was the usual display of Newport Bus vehicles.... knackered elderly Darts (surely must be ready to go if new electric vehicles do arrive?) plus more middle aged stuff bought when times were better. I hope NB does manage to prosper now that NAT have largely exited the area and Foxstar disappeared into their own PR. It does have a whiff of Halton about it but I hope I'm wrong. It was a quick walk to the Stagecoach half of the bus station, past the assorted addicts etc. I appreciate the sociological problems of people and that they need help, not just a metaphorical boot, but it's that sort of thing that makes public transport seem as if it's for the lesser folk. You shouldn't have to walk past a load of sweary folk off their head on White Lightening to catch a bus. I did though and finished off with a last run back to Pye Corner on the 151 on 26198, another Gold e200mmc on what seemed to be the only reasonably high frequency inter-urban service I experienced that day.
Apologies if I bored you but hope there's some nuggets of interest. I don't know the politics about the support of Covid bus services in Wales but clearly, there are some major issues at play.
