Transdev Blazefield

[Stan Drews]

The loss of through buses to Manchester won’t be popular in Colne, Barlick, Skipton etc, and the reduction from 4 to 2 buses per hour between Colne and Barlick won’t win many friends either. I wonder if 1915 is going to be the last bus from Burnley going beyond Colne towards Earby and Barlick as well as Skipton. If so, that’s likely to go down like a lead balloon.
Unfortunately, it looks like Pendle isn’t going to get many benefits from these proposals ...or the nice new buses!

 

[Staffordian]

So following the announcement of the new buses, the predicted cat is out of the bag.

It’s better than I’d expected, as I thought they might just extend the M5 to Skipton. It’s good they’ve kept the fast motorway link between Burnley and Colne.

However, the number of buses per hour between Colne and Barnoldswick is reduced from 4 to 2 and the journey time from both Skipton and Barnoldswick to Colne and points beyond increased by around 10 mins. I would imagine that people attending the consultation sessions will not be too happy with either change !
Curtailing M5 at Colne will save a bus (possibly two) which is probably the main driver for the change. The argument about duplication beyond Colne applies equally to the current service pattern, and service levels could have been maintained by running M5 via the current X43 route between Colne and Barnoldswick, i.e. direct from Kelbrook to Salterforth.

 

[4cryingoutloud]

I wonder if 1915 is going to be the last bus from Burnley going beyond Colne towards Earby and Barlick as well as Skipton

It won't.

 

[158756]

Details of upcoming changes to Mainline and Witch Way services.

https://www.transdevbus.co.uk/burnley/breaking-news-improvements-witchway-and-mainline-buses


These are only proposals for now, nothing official, but going off past changes and announcements there won't be much difference to the proposals and final outcome.

I do find it quite irritating that the link between Earby and Skipton was never a priority because there were 'easy connections' with the X43 at Barnoldswick. The cynic in me wonders if they've only decided it'll be 'valuable' now Stagecoach run through on the 280 (albeit at a lower frequency).

The only good thing about this news is that this time they haven't used the URL as the headline. 'Improvements'???

The service between Barnoldswick and Colne is presumably being slashed so they can use the Versas for Burnley-Skipton, but that won't cover the whole service - where are the other buses coming from?

 

[Stan Drews]

The only good thing about this news is that this time they haven't used the URL as the headline. 'Improvements'???

The service between Barnoldswick and Colne is presumably being slashed so they can use the Versas for Burnley-Skipton, but that won't cover the whole service - where are the other buses coming from?

I’d imagine from the Red4.

 

[Ant158]

Details of upcoming changes to Mainline and Witch Way services.

The cynic in me wonders if they've only decided it'll be 'valuable' now Stagecoach run through on the 280 (albeit at a lower frequency).

This can’t be good news for the 280 or possible reintroduction of the hourly Skipton to Clitheroe section. I wonder if Stagecoach and LCC will cut it back to Barnoldswick.

 

[peterblue]

This makes sense and is what most of us have predicted. It's good they have maintained the faster motorway link from Burnley and Colne rather than the Skipton service running via the Mainline route through Nelson.

It may be an inconvenience and cutback for the shorter distance Barnoldswick-Colne/Nelson passengers, but I imagine most of the traffic in Barnoldswick is either to Burnley or Skipton. Most people in Barnoldswick going to Burnley would have waited for Witchway anyway rather than the slow, all stops Mainline.

 

[Andyh82]

I’d imagine from the Red4.

It looks to me that the M5 reduction will save 2 buses

The Burnley to Skipton will probably need 5 buses, the journey time being about 65 minutes each way running via Earby

 

[158756]

This makes sense and is what most of us have predicted. It's good they have maintained the faster motorway link from Burnley and Colne rather than the Skipton service running via the Mainline route through Nelson.

It may be an inconvenience and cutback for the shorter distance Barnoldswick-Colne/Nelson passengers, but I imagine most of the traffic in Barnoldswick is either to Burnley or Skipton. Most people in Barnoldswick going to Burnley would have waited for Witchway anyway rather than the slow, all stops Mainline.

It's a bit out of date now, but the last census recorded similar or higher numbers commuting from Barnoldswick to Colne and Nelson as Burnley. The local college is in Nelson. Burnley does have more shops, but not that many and nothing special, so I would guess most people who shop on the bus don't go any further than Skipton or Colne. I'd be surprised if Burnley is the biggest Lancashire destination from Barnoldswick.

 

[Jordan Adam]

I see the rear wheel came off one of their #amazing buses yesterday...

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I see the rear wheel came off one of their #amazing buses yesterday...

What service was it running on?

 

[Jordan Adam]

What service was it running on?

1854 on the the 7.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I see the rear wheel came off one of their #amazing buses yesterday...

What was the root cause?

 

[Jordan Adam]

What was the root cause?

Based on the photos it would appear that perhaps the wheel lugs were not tightened adequately or were missing. It does look like the wheel came clean off rather than any structural issue with the axle etc.

 

[johntea]

This morning it took the 1C around 25 minutes from arriving at the bus station to departing the bus station, in fact the 1A which was scheduled to depart 10 minutes after the 1C actually ended up departing before it!

Again I appreciate drivers need to change but there frequently seems to be an issue that another driver isn't readily available to take over...

 

[RELL6L]

I’d imagine from the Red4.

Is it too much to hope they might keep some of the existing WW 'deckers for the Burnley to Skipton service?
They don't say what this service is going to be called (or numbered), its not the Witch Way and it doesn't appear to be M5 either.
Shame that this is being done, halving the buses to Barnoldswick and all via Earby.

 

[SCH117X]

Noticed an oddity plastered on the back of the Route 1 B7RLEs - Officially the greenest buses in Harrogate, now whilst that might be correct in comparison to Connexions "green" albeit rather red vehicles surely the electrics are greener.

 

[Alexbus12]

Noticed an oddity plastered on the back of the Route 1 B7RLEs - Officially the greenest buses in Harrogate, now whilst that might be correct in comparison to Connexions "green" albeit rather red vehicles surely the electrics are greener.

Didn't Connexions also upgrade their Scanias to euro 6 emission standards or am I making that up?

 

[RustySpoons]

Didn't Connexions also upgrade their Scanias to euro 6 emission standards or am I making that up?

All CX stuff that operates along the 1/X1 route are Euro 5. Although Transdev often put their older deckers on the route at peak times which probably cancels the whole thing out.

 

[Alexbus12]

All CX stuff that operates along the 1/X1 route are Euro 5. Although Transdev often put their older deckers on the route at peak times which probably cancels the whole thing out.

Ah fair enough. Euro 5 is better than anything below I suppose.

 

[JetBlast]

Based on the photos it would appear that perhaps the wheel lugs were not tightened adequately or were missing. It does look like the wheel came clean off rather than any structural issue with the axle etc.

Do you happen to have any photos please?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

When the wheel came off, did it constitute any danger in the immediate vicinity to either road users or to pedestrians. Has there been any media coverage of the said incident that a link to which can be shown on this thread?

 

[Alexbus12]

Do you happen to have any photos please?

There's a photo on Flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertlidster/49589945067/in/dateposted/

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

There's a photo on Flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertlidster/49589945067/in/dateposted/

It's obviously a very serious incident. Fortunately, it seems to have been a low speed.

All CX stuff that operates along the 1/X1 route are Euro 5. Although Transdev often put their older deckers on the route at peak times which probably cancels the whole thing out.

Given it's Euro VI seven days a week and that Transdev might put out a decker at peak, it hardly cancels out the benefit of upgrading the vehicles. Good that Connexions have also improved their emissions, as even at Euro V, it's a damn sight better than many other operators.

 

[SCH117X]

One of the missing links partly returns for the summer - a 59 Harrogate - Skipton service has been registered on Saturdays 11 Apr- 17 Oct with three return journeys. Do think what ought to be tried is a weekday service operated from the Skipton end, presumably by Keighley, as it could capture a peak custom if the times were right which pervious operation from Harrogate failed to do.

 

[RustySpoons]

One of the missing links partly returns for the summer - a 59 Harrogate - Skipton service has been registered on Saturdays 11 Apr- 17 Oct with three return journeys. Do think what ought to be tried is a weekday service operated from the Skipton end, presumably by Keighley, as it could capture a peak custom if the times were right which pervious operation from Harrogate failed to do.

Great news! I'm guessing this will run as part of the MoorsBus/DalesBus network? Hopefully it'll do well enough to justify an increased service in the future.

 

[SCH117X]

Great news! I'm guessing this will run as part of the MoorsBus/DalesBus network? Hopefully it'll do well enough to justify an increased service in the future.

Details are on the Dales Bus website, summer services section which states "financial support from the Dales & Bowland Community Interest Company". Pictured is an ex National Express President so at a guess it may be operated under the Vamooz umbrella. https://www.dalesbus.org/59.html

 

[RustySpoons]

Looking at the timetable it does look like it'll be a straight run across the A59 so a decker would be suitable. Believe it took a more rural run when it ran previously with the MPDs.

All seems to have gone quiet with Vamooz, I wouldn't be surprised if it quietly gets shelved in the not too distant future.

 

[Deerfold]

It is significantly different despite being the 59 again. It's an express with quite long gaps between stops.

 

[Alexbus12]

All seems to have gone quiet with Vamooz, I wouldn't be surprised if it quietly gets shelved in the not too distant future.

Do any other operators still have Vamooz branded buses? It was a massive failure, whether they'd admit that or not though.