Newport Transport currently run the 73, which runs from Chepstow to Newport via Langstone.
Think Ian is referring to additional NB services that replace the Stagecoach services that are being withdrawn
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Hi All,
Noted around the Taunton area today [working,Depot and bus stn yard]
47535 -MX63 XAM - 47536 - MX63 XAN - 47537 - MX63 XAO - 47538 - MK63 XAP
47539 - MX61 BBZ - 55102 - MX12 DZA - 55103 - MX12 JXV and No Fleetnumber
MX61 BCF making 8 in total.
Hope this is of some use.
On the B6 front 40570 worked on 28 today, 40585 was on Depot, 40586 on 29,
40590 29am then an afternoon jaunt on 28 to Minehead and back with 40592 again on TN Depot. 40591 reported to be on Bridgwater Depot by a friend.
42844 failed at Curry Rival on the 15.20 TN -YL and was still here with the tow truck when passed at 18.05.
33381 was used as replacement for 42844 with 33377 working 16.40 TN instead of 381 whilst Spryte 42832 worked 17.40 TN.
Cheers, Mike Russell [henairs]
Thanks for that Mike. Logic might suggest that the non numbered example might become 55102
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My ideas are currently as follows (And yes the timetables would work out perfectly!)
77: Bus Station - Cribbs Causeway - Thornbury (Hourly) Replaces 309
77A: Cribbs Causeway - Thornbury (Hourly) Replaces 309/622
78: Bus Station - Bristol Parkway - Thornbury (Hourly) Replaces 309/312
X11: Bus Station - Thornbury - Dursley (Two Hourly) Replaces 310/311
X12: Bus Station - Thornbury - Dursley (Two Hourly) Replaces 310/207
621: Bath - Yate - Thornbury (Two Hourly) Replaces 620/622
Key Points
* Maintains a 30min Cribbs - Thornbury service (Including much earlier trips than current)
* Increases Bus Station - Thornbury to every 20 mins
* Introduces one fast trip an hour to/from Thornbury
* Creates faster and through trips to/from Dursley (Reduces through time by at least 20 mins)
* Maintains an hourly Parkway- Thornbury service
* Much more even service throughout
*18 would be rerouted via Frenchay Village to provide a replacement for the Southern part of the 312
*621 would provide a new through Thornbury - Bath service (Allows a reduction of Yate - Thornbury to every 2 hours)
*27 would be extended to Yate to make up for the rerouted 621(620)
Also hopefully it may make a few bits more viable!
The main downsides are a cut in one faster service an hour from Cribbs - Town (But there are plenty more services!)
Downend - Parkway looses a direct link to Thornbury.
Maybe a few villages in South Glos/Glos may no longer be served but these are already at extreme risk and have almost been withdrawn many times.
I've now had a decent look at the spreadsheet that you posted on your site, and appreciate the thought you've put in. As an exercise, it's of interest but I can't see much if any becoming a real, commercial proposal . For brevity, I'll ignore the realities of First obtaining the 207, 312 or 622 tenders and attempting to graft them into commercial services (not easy things to do) or increased operating costs by using full sized vehicles instead of minibuses (e.g. 312).
Some ideas do make sense like extending the 27 to Yate (seems better rather than forcing passengers to change in the middle of nowhere), and linking the 620/622.
The real concerns are the Thornbury to Bristol services. Bus companies used to love doing that sort of thing, with spurious numbers and route variations. However, what we have seen over the last 20 years is a recognition that commercial bus services are most successful when they're simple, and increasing the revenue on that corridor will undoubtedly be First's priority.
- Instead of the current 2 service numbers (basically one route with a second one for early am and late pm journeys), the proposal has 3 different routes and 4 different service numbers - goes against the accepted wisdom that simpler is better and easier for customers to understand
- Is it "a much more even service throughout"?. Journey durations go from a constant 54 mins (off peak) to either 46, 56 or 58 mins from Bristol to Dursley. The Cribbs to Thornbury section goes from 30 min frequency to a 23/37 split.
- I question the entire 78 - aside from the timings looking a bit tight (e.g. the 312 takes 27 mins from Parkway to Thornbury vs 24 for the 78), why run a service from the bus station to Parkway once an hour anyway when the 73 runs every 10 mins from the Haymarket?
The driver seems to be to provide a link every hour from Dursley. However, the proposal falls between two stools. The fast 224 peak link is lost. Instead, it is replaced by a longer service that won't compete with the rail link from Dursley.
Now, we're all a bit weird cos we love travelling on buses. Off peak, the train time between Cam & Dursley and Bristol is only 40 minutes so buses struggle to compete door to door for the average passenger, even allowing for the hassle of changing. How many average passengers want to spend over 1h 30on a bus? Perhaps Berkeley might get a little benefit from a direct route to Bristol? To compete with rail, buses succeed when they have a real door to door time advantage or offer a service that rail cannot to somewhere like Cribbs (see the X7 comments). However, the proposal is to speed Dursley to Bristol by bypassing Cribbs. More importantly, the truth is that for many, the more obvious place to travel to is Gloucester. 50 mins on the bus compared with twice that to Bristol?
Should (and it's a massive assumption) First get the 207 contract, then yes, have it operate similarly as a sister to the 311, and link it to a revised Thornbury to Bristol service. However, and bear in mind what we've seen with the other services to Portishead, Clevedon etc,
the most likely course is a rebranding (to an X), keep it simple, up the frequency and the potentially to speed them up!
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Those two crappy old darts from Hampshire that have gone to Bath are replacing the two deckers 37358 and 37359, which have now moved back to Hengrove. Shame. Does this mean Bath will get a couple more deckers from somewhere?
A reflection on reduced uni requirements, just for the summer?
Surprised at those two Darts appearing in service when the Streetlites are busy appearing. Might just be a short term measure (counted in weeks rather than months) to cover shortages before all the new kit is in.
Pretty certain 42109 was parked up in the old wash area at MR next to 41400, 42124 and an ex HK Dart that I couldn't ID - (42754??); I was only joking when I suggested they could pop and resurrect some!!
