TheGrandWazoo
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Or Reading?
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Rossobus
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There is some reasoning behind the branding in Reading or Nottingham though. Reading and NCT are simple - clearly one bus company, with simple coloured routes which are consistent across the bus, website, leaflets etc. Trent Barton is more complicated, but they still display the trentbarton name, and there is (almost) consistency in that all routes are branded, have their own identity but as a trentbarton service.
Transdev's attempts to copy Trent Barton just don't work as well. Hiding the common identity means it isn't obvious if the wrong branded bus turns up, it isn't even obvious buses within any subsidiary are from the same company. The 'Anytown Bus Company' names suggest separate entities with no through ticketing. 'Hotline' or 'Red Express' could be operated by anyone - if a Blackburn Bus Company or Lancashire United bus turns up, is it the right bus?The variety of out of date branding about. They have five different websites, which don't link to each other, and one uses a name not seen anywhere else. Rosso is a mess - Tottington Line, Lakeline, red 484, purple 464, orange and yellow Rosso, red and white Rosso, unbranded loan buses, Pride of the North if any of them have showed up, probably something mentioning WY Metro. That Rosso's passengers are used to just getting the red and white Rosso bus, and that those buses are still going to turn up some of the time just makes matters worse.
Most people would look at the destination blind, their do not seem to any complaints of people being confused by multiple liveries used by vehicles based at York. Ideally they should have rolled out in bulk the new Rosso standard livery before coming up with variations for certain routes, although I have seen comments that the orange and yellow livery is for the Bury-Rochdale link and may not therefore be a new standard livery.
That is correct for some, the K day and Rosso Rover tickets give all day travel on Keighley Bus Company /Rosso vehicles respectively (although the latter does now also cover parts of the Witchway and Red Express routes) whereas all other Transdev Blazefield companies have restrictions on the extent within their operating areas that day tickets other than the universal Daytripper or Gold tickets can be used
Stan Drews
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There are numerous examples of tickets being valid on more than one ‘Anytown Bus Company’ services, where they operate into adjacent areas. With the possible exception of the Rosso Rover, I’m struggling to think of any of the other Blazefield tickets which are valid on one company, but not another within the boundaries in which it is valid.
A bit harsh to slate Rosso as being a ‘mess’
It’s obviously in transition, Transdev haven’t even owned it a year yet.
I expect Nottingham was a mess 6 months after they launched the Go2 network, but it isn’t now. I expect the ‘confusion’ is a throw away comment from a few old ladies when they go for their usual 467
Remember it isn’t about ‘Rosso’s customers being used to’ the old livery, it’s about bold branding to encourage new customers
overthewater
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From what I've and others on this thread have read, Rosso is a mess.
TheGrandWazoo
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What people have to consider is that Rosso was chronically underfunded for years. An aged fleet desperately needing overhauling, and then also having to vacate the Haslingden depot too.
Perhaps the rebranding etc could have been delayed but the problems inherent in the business were probably of a greater magnitude than envisaged.
There’s also a bit of people exacting some smugness against AH!
Perhaps the rebranding etc could have been delayed but the problems inherent in the business were probably of a greater magnitude than envisaged.
There’s also a bit of people exacting some smugness against AH!
A lot has happened in the last year aside from Rosso with the collapse of operators around York and Transdev taking on many services. The effect this on top of the rebrandings that were underway is an lot of vehicles needing repainting and running around in the wrong or out of date liveries with probably only Malton depot having no vehicles in need of repainting. The new liveries for Rosso are obviously different but do people really get confused - what about buses in all over adverts, do they confuse intending passengers.
Surely those travellers must already be confused as there were already 3 versions of Rosso livery in use prior to Transdev taking over, plus various special liveries on top of that.
Like I say the confusion is probably a few old ladies making a throw away comment, hardly enough to keep everything the same forever.
Like I say the confusion is probably a few old ladies making a throw away comment, hardly enough to keep everything the same forever.
Mon-Fri Services withdrawn from 2 Sept
Service 10 0738 from Rawtenstall, 0755 from Waterfoot
Service 446 1515 Wallbank-Bacup (extension of the 1449 from Rochdale)
Service 479 1425 from Bury and 1435 from Limefield
Service 480 0822 Walves-Bury
Times changed on a single working or two on services 13, 447, 456 and 465. New timetable for the 485 and the 484 relaunched as Red 4 (horribly sounding like a Premier (Nottm) service!) with "no changes to the timetable, for now" !!
Service 10 0738 from Rawtenstall, 0755 from Waterfoot
Service 446 1515 Wallbank-Bacup (extension of the 1449 from Rochdale)
Service 479 1425 from Bury and 1435 from Limefield
Service 480 0822 Walves-Bury
Times changed on a single working or two on services 13, 447, 456 and 465. New timetable for the 485 and the 484 relaunched as Red 4 (horribly sounding like a Premier (Nottm) service!) with "no changes to the timetable, for now" !!
Stan Drews
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I assume the withdrawn services are related to the TfGM school contracts that have been lost/gained/changed.
The new Versas, primarily for the 464 are currently being delivered - 278 to 293 (YJ68FWC-YJ68FWH,YJ68FWK-YJ68FWN,YJ68FVS-YJ68FVX), livery is stated on the latest WYIS fleetlist http://wyis.byethost17.com/Blazefield.pdf as being Lilac/Purple with 464 branding apart from the last two which are in the black & grey Pride of the North livery.
Big Rosso changes in Lancashire from January 27th
https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/media/907298/bus-service-changes-january-2019.pdf
Service 10, 463, 465, 466, 482 withdrawn and replaced by new services 7 & 8
Services 481 & 483 will be rebranded as the ‘Irwell Line’
Some peak hour 464 buses will be run as service 864 using standard buses
https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/media/907298/bus-service-changes-january-2019.pdf
Service 10, 463, 465, 466, 482 withdrawn and replaced by new services 7 & 8
Services 481 & 483 will be rebranded as the ‘Irwell Line’
Some peak hour 464 buses will be run as service 864 using standard buses
The net effect of this looks to be a reduction by 1 bus per hour on the main road between Rawtenstall and Bacup, and reduction of the service between Burnley and Bacup to every two hours.
The 'unbranded' buses for the 864 I would bet are double deckers because the schoolkids won't all fit on a Versa. Not sure why it needs to be remembered as a school service though. I'm sure a few years ago Burnley and Pendle used to have a double decker on the Mainline Clitheroe route at school times.
Any idea which buses the 481/483 are going to use?
Judging by a tweet showing a graphic of the new livery (turquoise & yellow) refurbished B7RLEs
https://twitter.com/alextransdev/status/1073609718835396608
Alexbus12
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Looks awful. He's certainly removing the Rosso identity.
TheGrandWazoo
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Think it looks ok personally. Obviously another Ray Stenning creation but i tend to like most of his work.
Baxenden Bank
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Because historically 8xx was the number series for school bus services in Lancashire. 7xx for limited stop.
Very Cardiff. (Or Blackpool!).
Yes they seem to be the two negatives, along with Bacup passengers no longer having a direct bus to Bury (but they do have an every 15 min service to Rawtenstall to then change to another every 15 min service to Bury)
Bacup to Pennine Road is now also only hourly
The tenders aren't due for renewal until 2021. The 482 and 463 are commercial I think. The 463 was taken on by Rosso (pre-Transdev) after being axed by Burnley and Pendle.
Thinking about this again, it could be that Transdev have decided to withdraw the 463 (again) and the changes to the 10 and 466 free up enough subsidy for the council to fund a reduced version.
Changes now on Rosso's website: http://www.rossobus.com/article.shtml?articleid=8997
In Greater Manchester, they're withdrawing the 485 (Bury-Ramsbottom via Walmersley, duplicating First's 472/474, most of the route is still covered by Rosso's 481/483 ("Irwell Line")), but introducing a new "Lakeline" 457 between Rochdale and Littleborough, presumably in competition with First's 457.
The 467 and 468 between Bury and Rochdale are getting a new name - Trax. Silly IMO.
In Greater Manchester, they're withdrawing the 485 (Bury-Ramsbottom via Walmersley, duplicating First's 472/474, most of the route is still covered by Rosso's 481/483 ("Irwell Line")), but introducing a new "Lakeline" 457 between Rochdale and Littleborough, presumably in competition with First's 457.
The 467 and 468 between Bury and Rochdale are getting a new name - Trax. Silly IMO.
Or could they be Scania Solars - according to todays WYIS list http://wyis.byethost17.com/Blazefield.pdf only 1602-1604 and 1614 remain in service but 1600-1609 and 1611-1615 are all listed as being for reuse. Also noticeable that the previous mass of withdrawn Rosso B7RLEs is no longer the case (did it ever happen) with only 1706 and 1711 withdrawn for disposal while 1707 and 1713 are listed as for reuse. Additionally the two previously listed as being on-loan Little Explorer Darts from York (707 and 714) now seem to be permanent with the former now listed at having Rosso branding
goldisgood
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The fleetlist also says that 1726-34 are all to be refurbished at Thornton's, so these ones which are Volvos are probably going to be for the Irwell Line.
A quick summary of the fleet change as existing now compared to acquisition
Solos - 10 reduced to 7
Darts - All 4 Rosso vehicles withdrawn , 3 transferred in
Streetlights - 9 increased to 19 [2 new ex dealer stock]
Versas - 16 added [all new]
Scania Solars - was 17 now 4
B7RLEs - 30 (4 withdrawn, 4 transferred in)
Presidents/Mylleniums - 20 reduced to 5 Presidents
Tridents - 5 added
Geminis - 16 increased to 21
110 vehicles, 39% Transdev additions of which two-fifths are new vehicles
Solos - 10 reduced to 7
Darts - All 4 Rosso vehicles withdrawn , 3 transferred in
Streetlights - 9 increased to 19 [2 new ex dealer stock]
Versas - 16 added [all new]
Scania Solars - was 17 now 4
B7RLEs - 30 (4 withdrawn, 4 transferred in)
Presidents/Mylleniums - 20 reduced to 5 Presidents
Tridents - 5 added
Geminis - 16 increased to 21
110 vehicles, 39% Transdev additions of which two-fifths are new vehicles
Looking at this image from Rosso's twitter page, is Trax the next new route launch?
Sam
Sam
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