West Coast Artomegas on Mull

[chiltern trev]

I was looking for a West Coast Motors topic but could only find the Borders Buses topic - hence new topic - but do move or merge if required.

I happened to be looking a bustimes.org this morning re services to Iona and noticed the following vehicles being shown with West Coast Motors and in use on the Iona service 96/496:

11414 J10WCM formerly YJ14LFF on 96 this morning - ex Stagecoach East Scotland and originally Oxford Tube 50270
11415 YJ414LFK last used on 496 31 Jan - ex Stagecoach Perth and originally Oxford Tube 50273.

How long have these been with West Coast Motors and on Mull?

Replacements for the previous Astomegas? Any more due?

We had a holiday on Mull and Iona in July 2022 and was surprised to see such large coaches. In use in July 2022 were:

* 10907 M60WCM formerly Megabus 50208 SV59CGK route branded discover Iona, Mull and Staffa
* 11020 M20WCM formerly Megabus 50231 SV10DDK route branded discover Iona, Mull and Staffa
* 11234 M100WCM formerly Megabus 50234 CN61FAJ

So curious as to what happened to these - 10907, 11020 and 11234.

And then there was a 4th one, 10908 M40WCM formerly Megabus 50227 SV59CGG which arrived about the same time as 10907 and 11020. However 10908 suffered a fire in August 2020 on the Edinburgh bypass believed to be en-route to Borders Buses for additional capacity to aid social distancing on school routes and is now shown as withdrawn, registered back to SV59CGG and the DVLA (August 2022) showing M40WCM as SORN. I guess 11234 is a replacement for 10908.
The whereabouts of 10908 are not known.

I took a photo of 11020 in July 2022 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/64316400@N07/52315271694/in/datetaken-public/.

 

[nick291]

I was looking for a West Coast Motors topic but could only find the Borders Buses topic - hence new topic - but do move or merge if required.

I happened to be looking a bustimes.org this morning re services to Iona and noticed the following vehicles being shown with West Coast Motors and in use on the Iona service 96/496:

11414 J10WCM formerly YJ14LFF on 96 this morning - ex Stagecoach East Scotland and originally Oxford Tube 50270
11415 YJ414LFK last used on 496 31 Jan - ex Stagecoach Perth and originally Oxford Tube 50273.

How long have these been with West Coast Motors and on Mull?

Replacements for the previous Astomegas? Any more due?

We had a holiday on Mull and Iona in July 2022 and was surprised to see such large coaches. In use in July 2022 were:

* 10907 M60WCM formerly Megabus 50208 SV59CGK route branded discover Iona, Mull and Staffa
* 11020 M20WCM formerly Megabus 50231 SV10DDK route branded discover Iona, Mull and Staffa
* 11234 M100WCM formerly Megabus 50234 CN61FAJ

So curious as to what happened to these - 10907, 11020 and 11234.

And then there was a 4th one, 10908 M40WCM formerly Megabus 50227 SV59CGG which arrived about the same time as 10907 and 11020. However 10908 suffered a fire in August 2020 on the Edinburgh bypass believed to be en-route to Borders Buses for additional capacity to aid social distancing on school routes and is now shown as withdrawn, registered back to SV59CGG and the DVLA (August 2022) showing M40WCM as SORN. I guess 11234 is a replacement for 10908.
The whereabouts of 10908 are not known.

I took a photo of 11020 in July 2022 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/64316400@N07/52315271694/in/datetaken-public/.

I believe they've been there since at least 2018/2019. There were plans to use them on their Citylink Routes from Glasgow to Campbeltown/Fort William etc but passenger satisfaction for them wasn't that high. Hope this helps!

 

[Dfatcontroller]

10907, 11020 and 11234 are all for disposal or already gone.
As of a couple of weeks ago, 11414 was at Oban pending transfer to Mull; 11415 was at Ferrymill Motors, Torrance for refurb and repaint.
The introduction of the 14 plates to Mull has been slow. They were given new engines over a year ago and were used on Citylink work from Glasgow to Aberdeen to bed them in before being sent to Ferrymill.

The pair of Astromega are to be joined by a couple of former AIR Plaxton Panoramas when the new i6s arrive.

 

[chiltern trev]

10907, 11020 and 11234 are all for disposal or already gone.
As of a couple of weeks ago, 11414 was at Oban pending transfer to Mull; 11415 was at Ferrymill Motors, Torrance for refurb and repaint.
The introduction of the 14 plates to Mull has been slow. They were given new engines over a year ago and were used on Citylink work from Glasgow to Aberdeen to bed them in before being sent to Ferrymill.

The pair of Astromega are to be joined by a couple of former AIR Plaxton Panoramas when the new i6s arrive.

New engines sounds expensive.

According to bustimes today:
11414 is now J10WCM
11415 is now J20WCM and were in use on the 96/496 this afternoon.