Transdev Blazefield

[Deerfold]

A shame - it had become my default way of getting to York, being about a third cheaper than an unrestricted train ticket and the longer journey time was barely noticeable if you happened to be going to the Knavesmire end of York. It’s a pity a way couldn’t be found to keep a couple of fast Coastliner journeys in the peaks- I know somebody who travels several days a week from Otley to study at York College and catches the 6.45 X84 from Otley as is to make the Cityzap which gets her to York for the start of the day.

I wonder if they'll pop any fast Coastliner journeys in - there used to be some before Coastliner (but then there were more Coastliner journeys each hour, too.

As LCC are supporting it, would the route not have had to be put out to tender?

Councils are allowed to have small awards as de minimis tenders - usually for up to a year and with a maximum allowed value (and with a maximum allowed value for all such awards) without going out to tender.

 

[SCH117X]

Incorrect too.

Strange it's got a nautical theme, and even stranger is that there is 'starboard' branding on the port side.

View attachment 121019

Thats the same vehicle that is clear in Alex Hornbys tweet of them; wonder if each, there are six of them (2101-2106 ex Nottm 988-992 & 997), has a different theme.

 

[TUC]

I wonder if it's the £2/£4 maximum fare initiative that has put paid to CityZap's viability?

 

[SCH117X]

I wonder if it's the £2/£4 maximum fare initiative that has put paid to CityZap's viability?

Not applicable to the majority of journeys as they are to/from York City and outside of the West Yorkshire price capped zone. Only anyone using it between Pontefract Lane (Amazon) and Leeds Bus Station would it be applicable to.

 

[TUC]

Not applicable to the majority of journeys as they are to/from York City and outside of the West Yorkshire price capped zone. Only anyone using it between Pontefract Lane (Amazon) and Leeds Bus Station would it be applicable to.

I meant the announcement of the national initiative, not the West Yorkshire one.

 

[SCH117X]

I meant the announcement of the national initiative, not the West Yorkshire one.

Thats voluntary and operators have to opt routes in so no reason for CityZap to be pulled for it.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I wonder if it's the £2/£4 maximum fare initiative that has put paid to CityZap's viability?

I'd suggest that with passenger numbers down and drivers thin on the ground, they had a choice...

Stay as they were and probably have a marginal (if that) CityZap OR
Remove Cityzap, bank on half the passengers migrating to Coastliner anyway (and so help its viability), and then use the drivers and vehicles on the X98/99 that do have an established passenger base

Disappointing but you can understand the logic

 

[RustySpoons]

As it was originally thought that CityZap would carry on with a 60 minute frequency, the unused Zap ADLs as well as a couple of Witch Way's that are no longer needed after the X43 frequency reduction would run the X98/99. But as we now know CityZap is going completely does that not mean there'll be quite a number of ADLs going spare now?

 

[WY Bus Spotter]

Someone on here in the know may be able to answer this question.

We know that the B5TLs at Coastliner are not doing too well. They are having to be substituted by B9s on a daily basis now.

What is to stop Transdev sending the B5s back to the leasing company and opting for something different (a Scania E400 for example). Is there usually a minimum time written in the contract with the leasing company before the vehicles can be released?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'd suggest that with passenger numbers down and drivers thin on the ground, they had a choice...

Stay as they were and probably have a marginal (if that) CityZap OR
Remove Cityzap, bank on half the passengers migrating to Coastliner anyway (and so help its viability), and then use the drivers and vehicles on the X98/99 that do have an established passenger base

Disappointing but you can understand the logic

I think there's also an element of the railway being a bit better than it was. Yes, TransPennine Express are having staffing issues, but at least they now have the capacity there rather than permanently overcrowded 3-car 185s on everything. These bus services generally thrive where the railway is failing to deliver - I'm sure I recall reading about the withdrawal of the Oxford-London X90 that this was in part because the unrecognisably better rail service (longer trains, 2+2 seated 80x vice 3+2 seated DMUs and the option of Chiltern for a lower price) had drawn customers away from the much slower coaches.

Along similar lines, the various attempts at a dedicated Milton Keynes to London bus/coach service have generally flopped because the rail service is good and budget ticket options exist.

 

[LancasterRed]

Sadly you'll just have to take my word for it but Transdev are out training in Fylde today. I didn't realise it was them until it was long gone

I'm starting to think there's something in this. Transdev out training the 74 route today. AIUI Blackpool have had issues recently and handing it back isn't out of the question like other operators before.

It may just still be training drivers in general but it seems too convenient for it to not symbolise preparation work for a possible route takeover

 

[Andyh82]

I think there's also an element of the railway being a bit better than it was. Yes, TransPennine Express are having staffing issues, but at least they now have the capacity there rather than permanently overcrowded 3-car 185s on everything. These bus services generally thrive where the railway is failing to deliver - I'm sure I recall reading about the withdrawal of the Oxford-London X90 that this was in part because the unrecognisably better rail service (longer trains, 2+2 seated 80x vice 3+2 seated DMUs and the option of Chiltern for a lower price) had drawn customers away from the much slower coaches.

Along similar lines, the various attempts at a dedicated Milton Keynes to London bus/coach service have generally flopped because the rail service is good and budget ticket options exist.

I’m not sure about that, whereas there is better capacity on TPE now, the frequency is much less than pre-COVID, isn’t it only two fast trains an hour now? And due to the fact other services have just been removed from the timetable, I bet they aren’t evenly spread. This is all before you factor in all the cancellations, where you sometimes end up with two cancelled in succession and gaps of 90 mins and of course the endless industrial action

 

[dodecahedron67]

I’m not sure about that, whereas there is better capacity on TPE now, the frequency is much less than pre-COVID, isn’t it only two fast trains an hour now? And due to the fact other services have just been removed from the timetable, I bet they aren’t evenly spread. This is all before you factor in all the cancellations, where you sometimes end up with two cancelled in succession and gaps of 90 mins and of course the endless industrial action

York - Leeds departures are
xx07/08 Northern Stopper (Northern)
(xx12 via Harrogate stopper)
xx19 TPE Fast (6.185)
xx23 Blackpool North fast (to become Semi-Fast from December) (Northern)
(xx42 via Harrogate stopper)
xx44 XC Fast
xx50 TPE Fast (5.802)

There's also the 0828 and 1627 TPE ex-Scarborough's but no others

Leeds - York is
xx08 XC Fast
xx14 TPE Fast (6.185)
xx18 Northern Stopper
(xx29 via Harrogate stopper)
xx30/31 ex-Blackpool Fast
xx42 TPE Fast (5.802)
(xx59 via Harrogate stopper)

 

[GusB]

The topic of the thread is Transdev, not Transpennine!

 

[RustySpoons]

York - Leeds departures are
xx07/08 Northern Stopper (Northern)
(xx12 via Harrogate stopper)
xx19 TPE Fast (6.185)
xx23 Blackpool North fast (to become Semi-Fast from December) (Northern)
(xx42 via Harrogate stopper)
xx44 XC Fast
xx50 TPE Fast (5.802)

There's also the 0828 and 1627 TPE ex-Scarborough's but no others

Leeds - York is
xx08 XC Fast
xx14 TPE Fast (6.185)
xx18 Northern Stopper
(xx29 via Harrogate stopper)
xx30/31 ex-Blackpool Fast
xx42 TPE Fast (5.802)
(xx59 via Harrogate stopper)

Blimey. Didn't realise there was that much competition with the train!

Someone on here in the know may be able to answer this question.

We know that the B5TLs at Coastliner are not doing too well. They are having to be substituted by B9s on a daily basis now.

What is to stop Transdev sending the B5s back to the leasing company and opting for something different (a Scania E400 for example). Is there usually a minimum time written in the contract with the leasing company before the vehicles can be released?

Unlikely I'd think. There's almost certainly be a financial implication if they were sent back off lease early. If they were to take them off Coastliner services they'd more than likely use them on a less intensive service until the time came to send them back.

 

[Ken H]

Just had an invite on facebook from Harrogate Bus Co to fill in a survey. Anyone else filled it in?

 

[RustySpoons]

@alextransdev says...

Countdown to #SkyClass X98/X99…

Looks as though the SkyClass X98/99 will use the same base colours as CityZap. Surprising!

 

[Andyh82]

Makes perfect sense considering the interior is red and they are already painted in a fairly fresh coat of red

 

[SCH117X]

They were hardly going to repaint 4 buses in a week in any case.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Makes perfect sense considering the interior is red and they are already painted in a fairly fresh coat of red

IIRC, the Cityzap Manchester Eclipses were similarly rebranded from Red 4 to Red Express X41.

Given the mmc's being relatively new, you can see why they have elected to keep the factory finished red.

 

[RustySpoons]

Makes perfect sense considering the interior is red and they are already painted in a fairly fresh coat of red

Indeed. I was just going off the initial teasers for the branding. Thought a partial repaint might have taken place, replacing the champagne colour for the black. Either way, just not what I was expecting!

 

[Deerfold]

@alextransdev says...


View attachment 121370

Looks as though the SkyClass X98/99 will use the same base colours as CityZap. Surprising!

Unfortunately the map shows the buses going into Leeds along New Briggate. This road is closed at most times and when it isn't is one way in the other direction.

 

[Britannia94]

Livery of the new buses for X98/X99 has been posted by Alex Hynes. Base layer is Cityzap with new vinyls for the service it would appear.

https://twitter.com/alextransdev/status/1575482145404948481?t=9ihw5ofr9EIqaeoBs1KLgA&s=19

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Livery of the new buses for X98/X99 has been posted by Alex. Base layer is Cityzap with new vinyls for the service it would appear.

https://twitter.com/alextransdev/status/1575482145404948481?t=9ihw5ofr9EIqaeoBs1KLgA&s=19

Indeed - it makes sense though the image makes it look like what it is - a short notice putting on of a vinyl.

There was an amusing tweet (IMO) from someone who was suggesting that the CityZap could've been kept simply by extending the X98/99 to York as it would be "benefitting everyone" but bemoaning that folks will say "it's not commercially viable and how it would be unreliable due to the traffic out of Leeds being a nightmare". Sounds like an A grade Crayonista

 

[RustySpoons]

Indeed - it makes sense though the image makes it look like what it is - a short notice putting on of a vinyl.

There was an amusing tweet (IMO) from someone who was suggesting that the CityZap could've been kept simply by extending the X98/99 to York as it would be "benefitting everyone" but bemoaning that folks will say "it's not commercially viable and how it would be unreliable due to the traffic out of Leeds being a nightmare". Sounds like an A grade Crayonista

I spotted that. If only that person was on Transdev's payroll!

 

[Andyh82]

Only an enthusiast would travel from Leeds to York via Wetherby. Not sure they would have been able to call it city “zap”

 

[SCH117X]

Wonder how well City Zap has come off them - the Gemini that got transferred to the 36 from the Witch Way was similarly changed in its branding and a in certain light a ghostly witch could be seen on its side. Looks like they are running out of Harrogate then which will be around 13 miles a vehicle saved each day in dead mileage.

 

[markymark2000]

Wonder how well City Zap has come off them - the Gemini that got transferred to the 36 from the Witch Way was similarly changed in its branding and a in certain light a ghostly witch could be seen on its side. Looks like they are running out of Harrogate then which will be around 13 miles a vehicle saved each day in dead mileage.

Given drivers are supposedly paid the same for the X98/99, why don't they just register the route on Harrogates licence?

The Rosso/Ribble Country stuff makes more sense as the drivers are paid Rosso wages based out of Burnley and Blackburn but here, the same pay is being offered to drivers for the X98/99 as well as the normal Harrogate drivers. What a messy way to run buses on all different O Licences. I don't know of anyone else who does things in this way.

 

[SCH117X]

Given drivers are supposedly paid the same for the X98/99, why don't they just register the route on Harrogates licence?

They might - the original plan was for York to operate them.

 

[Tetchytyke]

What a messy way to run buses on all different O Licences. I don't know of anyone else who does things in this way.

Not so much these days as operators have consolidated their licenses, but it's not that unusual.