First West of England (Bristol, Bath & The West)

[swifty]

The 73 today was all single deckers apparantly. Plaxton Darts. Waited on Filton Avenue for a 73 and one of these turned up. And I could see it was standing room only, so gave it a miss and walked up to Filton Road to get a 75 instead(which I would usually do anyway). I quite like these buses, but NOT if I have to stand up!

The deckers couldn't get under the bridge outside Parkway, due to roadworks, so were replaced by single decks. The diversion (until they were swapped) was via the A38 to Highwood Lane, across the A38 and then back down Little Stoke Lane to Gypsy Patch Lane and onto Parkway before doing the rest of the route.

 

[Class 33]

Oh right fair enough then. But how's that work out then, due to the roadwords the double deckers can't currently get under that Parkway bridge which they normally can?

 

[swifty]

Oh right fair enough then. But how's that work out then, due to the roadwords the double deckers can't currently get under that Parkway bridge which they normally can?

It's arched, deckers can only pass directly under the middle without loosing their roof.....

 

[freetoview33]

Whilst electrification is taking place they really need to replace the bridges at Parkway and Gypsy Patch, although I heard the Gypsy Patch one will more than like now be replaced but only by one that will be slightly wider so 2 cars can pass easier.

 

[vicbury]

66732 has been stuck in Bath bus station for most of the day now. Not sure what's up with it, has a cone behind it and a sticker covering the windscreen so clearly not driveable.

 

[Class 33]

It's arched, deckers can only pass directly under the middle without loosing their roof.....

Ah I see.

How long are these roadworks going on? Was it just roadworks today/this weekend only, or will it be going on all week?

 

[swifty]

Ah I see.

How long are these roadworks going on? Was it just roadworks today/this weekend only, or will it be going on all week?

No idea, have a look on http://roadworks.org/ I'm sure it'll tell you.

 

[Private Baxter]

66732 has been stuck in Bath bus station for most of the day now. Not sure what's up with it, has a cone behind it and a sticker covering the windscreen so clearly not driveable.

It's actually been there since Friday!

 

[swifty]

Whilst electrification is taking place they really need to replace the bridges at Parkway and Gypsy Patch

I hope someone will consult SGB & Wessex before anything is finalised, so they can draw up contingency plans and find a new tool to use for open top conversion

 

[vicbury]

It's actually been there since Friday!

What?! Surely a Sunday would be the best day to recover it? What sort of fault would render it immobile for so long?

 

[THarris123]

Anyone know if there's a separate thread for BoS? Does anyone have any objections if I start a new one for BoS?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Anyone know if there's a separate thread for BoS? Does anyone have any objections if I start a new one for BoS?

Well, this is the First SW and Wales thread so should cover it. Otherwise it might become ever more Bristol centric?

 

[Private Baxter]

What?! Surely a Sunday would be the best day to recover it? What sort of fault would render it immobile for so long?

And it's still there!

Also back from the paintshop is 66353 looking very smart and a hell of a lot better then it did. Hopefully the others will follow shortly. 66355 and 66356 are out on 231 and 5 today.

 

[windnoise69]

And it's still there!

Also back from the paintshop is 66353 looking very smart and a hell of a lot better then it did. Hopefully the others will follow shortly. 66355 and 66356 are out on 231 and 5 today.

66356 is now on its way to Cribbs on the 319

 

[Private Baxter]

66356 is now on its way to Cribbs on the 319

Haha, yep, you're absolutely right! That's what I meant to say. It's the newly painted one, 66353 that is on the 5.

So are Bath expecting any more of these or have they recieved them all now?

 

[THarris123]

Haha, yep, you're absolutely right! That's what I meant to say. It's the newly painted one, 66353 that is on the 5.

So are Bath expecting any more of these or have they recieved them all now?

I thought Bath were supposed to receive 66350-66356. 66353/5/6 arrived a little while ago. 66351 and 66354 are supposedly in Bath as well - something tells me there in the paint shop. Not too sure about 66350/2.

 

[CD]

I thought Bath were supposed to receive 66350-66356. 66353/5/6 arrived a little while ago. 66351 and 66354 are supposedly in Bath as well - something tells me there in the paint shop. Not too sure about 66350/2.

Can confirm 66350/52 were still in service on the 21 Taunton-WSM on Friday.
Saw Marmite 66353 on the 5 in Bath today, nice outside but take a look inside !!!
Also I see 47550 arrived Heysham yesterday, wondered where that was.

 

[Class 33]

Read what Swifty said..... Vosa often make statements over two or three days so could well be some announcement on 75/76 and something on the 20 to come. It's often the way that a cancellation appears one day and a new service appears a day or two later

Really hope you and Swifty are both correct, and there will be some more announcements to come within the next week or so about further service changes. I do kinda get the feeling that last week's announcements is all the changes planned for 31st August. But would be happy to be proved wrong on that!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Just noticed mention on FBB's blog that apparently Webberbus have not operated the 24 on two separate days in the last two weeks. Just didn't operate - a reflection that they've got a shortage of drivers?
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Really hope you and Swifty are both correct, and there will be some more announcements to come within the next week or so about further service changes. I do kinda get the feeling that last week's announcements is all the changes planned for 31st August. But would be happy to be proved wrong on that!

We'll have to see. It may be that's it; just that VOSA have done it in the past so perhaps prudent to wait a few days

 

[South Westerly]

Just noticed mention on FBB's blog that apparently Webberbus have not operated the 24 on two separate days in the last two weeks. Just didn't operate - a reflection that they've got a shortage of drivers?
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We'll have to see. It may be that's it; just that VOSA have done it in the past so perhaps prudent to wait a few days

And operating a reduced 76 timetable too for a while now.

 

[swifty]

And operating a reduced 76 timetable too for a while now.

They must be desperate as this page has now appeared on their website; http://www.webberbus.com/index.php/careers/.

 

[ValleyLines142]

The deckers couldn't get under the bridge outside Parkway, due to roadworks, so were replaced by single decks. The diversion (until they were swapped) was via the A38 to Highwood Lane, across the A38 and then back down Little Stoke Lane to Gypsy Patch Lane and onto Parkway before doing the rest of the route.

Good job I wasn't in Bristol on that day as I would have cried! The 73 already runs at only a half-hourly frequency so with single deckers I bet that was fun!

 

[THarris123]

They must be desperate as this page has now appeared on their website; http://www.webberbus.com/index.php/careers/.

Looks like Webberbus are getting desperate then. Will we see more changes to their services - reductions? I think I would've liked to seen 26 running (if it still goes ahead), as the 126 seems to be pretty busy all the time. They've also made it so that there would be nearly a half hourly service between Wells and Weston. I wish they would focus on getting the 26 running and forget the 37/38 - there appears to be very little demand for these two.

 

[South Westerly]

They must be desperate as this page has now appeared on their website; http://www.webberbus.com/index.php/careers/.

The whole thing is dire. The fact is that they lost the Taunton Park and Ride because over months on end they couldn't operate it. They have been short of drivers for months. Anyone else who lost an 8 bus tender because they didn't have enough drivers would have taken the logical opportunity to sort out their staffing. Not Webberbus. Instead they straight away register 8 more intensive buses worth of work. Not only that but they lost a few Park and Ride drivers with the contract who decided they wanted to stay on the Park and Ride, so they were even shorter. The next thing is that they start advertising on their website for experienced bus drivers, selling the fact that they don't run in the evenings or on Sundays and Bank Holidays. The only logical conclusion you can draw from this is that they thought for some reason that drivers would leave BoS to join them.
Instead BoS successfully recruited a load of Webberbus staff. It seems that Crosville have been doing the same too. What happened next was hilarious. Webberbus started putting out statements accusing BoS in all but name of poaching their drivers.
Now Webberbus can't run three of the routes they registered after they lost the Park and Ride.
Sympathy.......not a jot!!!
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Looks like Webberbus are getting desperate then. Will we see more changes to their services - reductions? I think I would've liked to seen 26 running (if it still goes ahead), as the 126 seems to be pretty busy all the time. They've also made it so that there would be nearly a half hourly service between Wells and Weston. I wish they would focus on getting the 26 running and forget the 37/38 - there appears to be very little demand for these two.

They've got bigger problems bearing down on them. In less than a fortnight BoS double their frequency on the 21 between Bridgwater and Taunton, start competing on their 27, double their frequency between Somerton and Taunton on the 54 and extend that to Musgrove Park Hospital, and increase their 29 to hourly. They're also altering a lot of their times, including the 28 to get themselves back in front of Webberbus by the looks of it.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Looks like Webberbus are getting desperate then. Will we see more changes to their services - reductions? I think I would've liked to seen 26 running (if it still goes ahead), as the 126 seems to be pretty busy all the time. They've also made it so that there would be nearly a half hourly service between Wells and Weston. I wish they would focus on getting the 26 running and forget the 37/38 - there appears to be very little demand for these two.

126 isn't so busy on the Wells end. Could do with being half hourly from Weston to Winscombe though perhaps some short 121s might suffice

 

[robertclark125]

A little thought about Buses of Somerset. It reminds me of Chris Green's superb thing for the London and South East sector of BR, Network Southeast. Namely, yes a new livery on old stock, but lots of initiatives to get the new image across, to get staff, to take pride in their operations, and to get folk on the buses.

It worked on NSE, and I have no doubt it'll work on BOS. One thing, the livery has already had the desired effect; whether folk like it or not, they've noticed it!

 

[THarris123]

It now looks as though the new Streetlites in Bath are on the 5. I saw a couple in Bath today. 47550 has turned up in the bus station, along with 66351.

42109 and 42754 - what do people think of these? 42109 was on the 265 today. It appears to be virtually the same as some of Hengrove's stuff (42701-42718). Not too shabby, but pretty crap. I think both 42109 and 42754 will end up going to Wells and replace 41144 and 46603 once the remaining Streetlites/B7's appear.
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Something I've just noticed on Steve White's website - 66350 has now come up into Bath from Bridgwater.
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On another note - does anyone know what First are planning to do with the Optare Versa's?? I know 49300 and another were laying around and have been returned to Optare, but is First planning to bring in anymore of these?? Possibly next year?

I heard a rumour last year that the 265 was going to end up with new Optare Versa's. I assume this is not happening anymore. Ashame.

 

[Class 33]

Good job I wasn't in Bristol on that day as I would have cried! The 73 already runs at only a half-hourly frequency so with single deckers I bet that was fun!

On Summer Sundays when the weather is pleasant and only a half hour service it is not uncommon atall for the double deckers on the 73 to be full.

Personally I think Bradley Stoke could do with another alternative service to the Centre. With the journey times a little shorter than the 73. And to help ease over-crowding on the 73 and some other services too. Say for example a 71 Centre-Bradley Stoke service via Ashley Down, Filton Avenue, Gloucester Road, Aztec West, and into Bradley Stoke. Running every 30 minutes Mondays-Saturdays, and hourly on Sundays. Operated (ideally) by Enviro 400 double deckers!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

It now looks as though the new Streetlites in Bath are on the 5. I saw a couple in Bath today. 47550 has turned up in the bus station, along with 66351.

42109 and 42754 - what do people think of these? 42109 was on the 265 today. It appears to be virtually the same as some of Hengrove's stuff (42701-42718). Not too shabby, but pretty crap. I think both 42109 and 42754 will end up going to Wells and replace 41144 and 46603 once the remaining Streetlites/B7's appear.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Something I've just noticed on Steve White's website - 66350 has now come up into Bath from Bridgwater.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
On another note - does anyone know what First are planning to do with the Optare Versa's?? I know 49300 and another were laying around and have been returned to Optare, but is First planning to bring in anymore of these?? Possibly next year?

I heard a rumour last year that the 265 was going to end up with new Optare Versa's. I assume this is not happening anymore. Ashame.

First have ordered Versas for 2014 but in very small numbers and none for FSA/FB. Think only electric hybrids for the new York P&R, IIRC. Expect more Streetlites for 2015 in terms of single decks to meet DDA deadlines etc

42109 is exactly the same vintage as 42701, being delivered in non corporate colours but Barbie interior. It and 42754 were both parked in MR for disposal so I'd be surprised if they'll survive.

 

[freetoview33]

To be fair having a more uniform fleet does have its plus points! And the streetlites must be good from Firsts point of view!