• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

West Country Independents

Bwsbro

Member
Joined
7 Oct 2013
Messages
390
Just seen ex Wessex Gemini BJ14KTC still in full Bristol service 51 livery....in Shepherd’s Bush! Bizarre!!!

Now based with the Hallmark business in Heathrow. They’re not the first nor the last operator to not remove obsolete route branding
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

TheGrandWazoo

Veteran Member
Joined
18 Feb 2013
Messages
19,969
Location
Somerset with international travel (e.g. across th
Now based with the Hallmark business in Heathrow. They’re not the first nor the last operator to not remove obsolete route branding

Yeah, but last I saw, it was working the Bicester Park & Ride! I assume it was doing some sort of private hire or contract (Royal Holloway College?) but just incongruous with amongst all the Borismasters!
 

Bwsbro

Member
Joined
7 Oct 2013
Messages
390
Yeah, but last I saw, it was working the Bicester Park & Ride! I assume it was doing some sort of private hire or contract (Royal Holloway College?) but just incongruous with amongst all the Borismasters!

Following the closure of Wessex the Bicester contract transferred to Hallmark. Hallmark operate a number of University Contracts in London.
 

winston270twm

Established Member
Joined
26 Oct 2012
Messages
1,899
Yeah, but last I saw, it was working the Bicester Park & Ride! I assume it was doing some sort of private hire or contract (Royal Holloway College?) but just incongruous with amongst all the Borismasters!

The other 14 plate ex Wessex Volvo/Gemini (40626 BJ14KTA) has been repainted all-over white & has branding for Royal Holloway College.
 

carlberry

Established Member
Joined
19 Dec 2014
Messages
3,169
Just seen ex Wessex Gemini BJ14KTC still in full Bristol service 51 livery....in Shepherd’s Bush! Bizarre!!!
Ex Wessex YX09 HZE seen in Gloucester on Saturday looking very smart as Stagecoach 36380. The previous weekend a visit to Worcester/Redditch gave several opportunities for nostalgia with vehicles in full Wessex livery (other than a couple of panels!) in both places. Plus an ex Preston East Lancs single decker producing a truly scary noise from it's gearbox.
 

winston270twm

Established Member
Joined
26 Oct 2012
Messages
1,899
Ex Wessex YX09 HZE seen in Gloucester on Saturday looking very smart as Stagecoach 36380. The previous weekend a visit to Worcester/Redditch gave several opportunities for nostalgia with vehicles in full Wessex livery (other than a couple of panels!) in both places. Plus an ex Preston East Lancs single decker producing a truly scary noise from it's gearbox.

There are no ex Preston East Lancs single deckers at Diamond Bus. I assume you saw one of 30408/30493/30494 - Volvo B7RLE/Optare Esteem ex Sussex Bus (new to Kent CC)
 

carlberry

Established Member
Joined
19 Dec 2014
Messages
3,169
There are no ex Preston East Lancs single deckers at Diamond Bus. I assume you saw one of 30408/30493/30494 - Volvo B7RLE/Optare Esteem ex Sussex Bus (new to Kent CC)
Sorry, that's me making assumptions about the Preston registration! I hadn't realised how rare these were, only 6 built!
 

winston270twm

Established Member
Joined
26 Oct 2012
Messages
1,899
Sorry, that's me making assumptions about the Preston registration! I hadn't realised how rare these were, only 6 built!
No worries, The only Preston Esteems that Rotala currently have are on Scania chassis, which wouldn't really fit in with the current types at Redditch.
 

carlberry

Established Member
Joined
19 Dec 2014
Messages
3,169
One of CT Plus's e200's being low loaded down Bridge Valley road this evening plus one of the Megabus Gold sleeper coaches debranded running around Redland! I assume this is now South Gloucestershire as they were reported to be getting some of these.
 

carlberry

Established Member
Joined
19 Dec 2014
Messages
3,169
A barbie dart going along the Portway in Bristol today looked a bit weird however I assumed it was off to VOSA. Then I noticed it was on the X5 which is a service that runs First locally however it should have been about 100foot higher at this point on the M5! It turned out it was SN53KKA, ex Kernow now working for Carmel in full First livery. It may only be a loan if the Enviro 300 is off the road.
 

-Colly405-

Member
Joined
25 May 2018
Messages
634
Location
Stoke Gifford
A barbie dart going along the Portway in Bristol today looked a bit weird however I assumed it was off to VOSA. Then I noticed it was on the X5 which is a service that runs First locally however it should have been about 100foot higher at this point on the M5! It turned out it was SN53KKA, ex Kernow now working for Carmel in full First livery. It may only be a loan if the Enviro 300 is off the road.
There is a second X5 in Bristol - Carmel run a school bus from Totterdown to St Katherine's School in Pill. Probably that...
 

carlberry

Established Member
Joined
19 Dec 2014
Messages
3,169
A barbie dart going along the Portway in Bristol today looked a bit weird however I assumed it was off to VOSA. Then I noticed it was on the X5 which is a service that runs First locally however it should have been about 100foot higher at this point on the M5! It turned out it was SN53KKA, ex Kernow now working for Carmel in full First livery. It may only be a loan if the Enviro 300 is off the road.
Saw it again today and it retains one advert from it's Cornwall days advising all the pupils attending St Katherine's School to consider Truro college for their future studies! The 300 used to cover the X55 in the evenings however when it was off the road it tends to be a Solo so perhaps we wont have the situation where it runs down to Nailsea in First livery but not accepting First tickets alongside all the other vehicles that are not in First livery (Excel/Orange or Abus) but do accept the tickets!
 

carlberry

Established Member
Joined
19 Dec 2014
Messages
3,169
Saw it again today and it retains one advert from it's Cornwall days advising all the pupils attending St Katherine's School to consider Truro college for their future studies! The 300 used to cover the X55 in the evenings however when it was off the road it tends to be a Solo so perhaps we wont have the situation where it runs down to Nailsea in First livery but not accepting First tickets alongside all the other vehicles that are not in First livery (Excel/Orange or Abus) but do accept the tickets!
OK, that idea didn't last long! It was out on the X54 this evening in First livery (First tickets not accepted) competing with various First buses in Excel livery and an Abus double decker in Abus livery (First tickets OK)! It did at least have Carmel Coaches as a destination instead of X54 as it should have.
 

Whiteway215

Established Member
Joined
15 Sep 2015
Messages
1,989
Location
Bath
Sadly Bath Bus Company B7TL 504 SK52USH involved in traffic incident lunchtime today on Upper Bristol Road near Marlborough Lane. Bus was heading in Bristol direction but ended up on wrong side of the road. Looked like nasty damage to entrance doors and gashed front nearside panels.
 

swifty

Established Member
Joined
19 Sep 2012
Messages
1,672
It looks as though Turners Coachways was sold yesterday. The Turners have stepped down and Kevyn Jones has been appointed the director.
 

Martin2012

Member
Joined
17 Jul 2012
Messages
657
Looking at one of the most recent N&Ps it looks as though SGBC are taking back a few school services in September including the 948, 967 and 680. The registrations state that the services will all be "School Or Works" though.

Does this mean that members of the public will no longer be permitted to use these services, particularly the 680 which is definatley public at the moment?
 

freetoview33

Established Member
Joined
24 May 2009
Messages
3,721
Location
West of England
Abus have cut services again! 441 and 443 have passed to Eurocoaches for the new school year and 2 weekday 349 services have gone to First. So they will be down to 2/3rds of the X9 and most of the 349. And still the Ashton Gate A bus.
 

Great_Western

Member
Joined
18 May 2016
Messages
175
Abus have cut services again! 441 and 443 have passed to Eurocoaches for the new school year and 2 weekday 349 services have gone to First. So they will be down to 2/3rds of the X9 and most of the 349. And still the Ashton Gate A bus.
Do they not operate the 515 from Stockwood to Imperial Park any more?
 

Top