-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both 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!
First West of England (Bristol, Bath & The West)
- Thread starter Ivo
- Start date
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
freetoview33
Established Member
I think it would make sense to have one 38 and one 39 an hour on Sunday
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Just thought I'd share with you (whether you want it or not) of my day out with a BristolRider.
After doing various chores, I headed to Brislington and parked the car. Then time for a trip on the 36 with a cheery driver and B6 48216. Very tired inside and out machine as we went around St Anne's and then off into Netham Road. Forgot how tight it was around there and towards BartNil flats. Into town and 37758 for a leisurely trip to Westbury where a flapjack delayed my hunger. Then onto the usual rattly Enviro 200 that I seem to encounter with BA02EAA that took me to Charlton Road in Southmead.
This allowed me to catch my main target, with the soon to go 20. 42710 soon appeared and we twisted our way around Soufmead. Quite a few people were buying BristolRiders on this journey interestingly. Probably had about a dozen leaving Southmead and kept a similar number til I got off at Bishopston where a Streetlite passed going the other way. One thing about 42710 was the adverts for Mobility Scooters (surely promoting competition) but only one ad promoting bus use and that was dated 2009!
Time for more churning around the northern burbs with two 76s chasing each other and playing leapfrog with me on 37591, one of the expected HE fleet and one of several that congregated in Cribbs. A quick toilet break and then onto Bath's 32284, a change from the Geminis, and on the 319 to Downend where I seamlessly moved onto similar but older 32023 (though it had a mid life refurb which was more than 32284 had had).
On the 48 and through Fishponds where a load of school kids got on, no more than 14 years of age, with one then sparking up a joint. That's right; kids smoking a Moroccan woodbine on the top deck at quarter past 3!!!
At Horsefair, a quick jump onto what I thought was a 51 but was actually a 50 so I caught that and 37020 for a quick trip to Temple Meads. A quick glance and I saw 42903 working the 379 so jumped off the decker and onto the Dart. Quite a surprise. More guts than I expected and more passengers. 17 is possibly the most I've ever seen on a 379!
Off at Broad Walk for a sandwich and then 37352 for Stockwood, meaning that I'd managed, without trying, to travel on all 4 batches of Bristol's native Geminis! Another trip round another large post war estate as we trundled round Stockwood. Off at Hollway Road before catching my last bus of the day with Abus' 57 and the rather tatty S333AJP
Quite a nice day all told
After doing various chores, I headed to Brislington and parked the car. Then time for a trip on the 36 with a cheery driver and B6 48216. Very tired inside and out machine as we went around St Anne's and then off into Netham Road. Forgot how tight it was around there and towards BartNil flats. Into town and 37758 for a leisurely trip to Westbury where a flapjack delayed my hunger. Then onto the usual rattly Enviro 200 that I seem to encounter with BA02EAA that took me to Charlton Road in Southmead.
This allowed me to catch my main target, with the soon to go 20. 42710 soon appeared and we twisted our way around Soufmead. Quite a few people were buying BristolRiders on this journey interestingly. Probably had about a dozen leaving Southmead and kept a similar number til I got off at Bishopston where a Streetlite passed going the other way. One thing about 42710 was the adverts for Mobility Scooters (surely promoting competition) but only one ad promoting bus use and that was dated 2009!
Time for more churning around the northern burbs with two 76s chasing each other and playing leapfrog with me on 37591, one of the expected HE fleet and one of several that congregated in Cribbs. A quick toilet break and then onto Bath's 32284, a change from the Geminis, and on the 319 to Downend where I seamlessly moved onto similar but older 32023 (though it had a mid life refurb which was more than 32284 had had).
On the 48 and through Fishponds where a load of school kids got on, no more than 14 years of age, with one then sparking up a joint. That's right; kids smoking a Moroccan woodbine on the top deck at quarter past 3!!!
At Horsefair, a quick jump onto what I thought was a 51 but was actually a 50 so I caught that and 37020 for a quick trip to Temple Meads. A quick glance and I saw 42903 working the 379 so jumped off the decker and onto the Dart. Quite a surprise. More guts than I expected and more passengers. 17 is possibly the most I've ever seen on a 379!
Off at Broad Walk for a sandwich and then 37352 for Stockwood, meaning that I'd managed, without trying, to travel on all 4 batches of Bristol's native Geminis! Another trip round another large post war estate as we trundled round Stockwood. Off at Hollway Road before catching my last bus of the day with Abus' 57 and the rather tatty S333AJP
Quite a nice day all told
Last edited:
THarris123
Established Member
Well there you have it. It looks as though the new Streetlites in Bath were meant for 178/379 afterall - there are at least 4 on there today. 47544/5/9/50 were all on there, along with an E200 (I bet that'll have fun doing the 379!) and a couple of darts.
South Westerly
Member
- Joined
- 28 May 2014
- Messages
- 341
There are 4 Tridents being prepared and 3 B6s parked awaiting transfer up from Plymouth.
There will always be buses receiving attention at the depot. That's why the fleet is greater than the PVR.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
3 ex Glasgow Trident ALXs (32935/6/47) are due to enter service?
Yes at Bridgwater for service 21.
Latest transfers:
42841-44, 43811, 34176, all Taunton-Bridgwater.
60895 Bridgwater-Plymouth.
53805 Bath-Bridgwater.
50466/67 Bridgwater-Weymouth.
Class 33
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Aug 2009
- Messages
- 2,362
The 20 has now been removed from TravelineSW for travel after 30th August. Really surprised that the 20 is being axed, and from what it appears no replacement service covering any part of the 20 route is being introduced. Can't understand that atall. A lot of people(allthough it won't effect me) are going to be annoyed by there being no bus service where they live. Take for example Kings Drive in Bishopston, according to the guidance on TravelineSW for travel after 30th August for those wanting to travel from there to town, it will require about a 13 minute walk to Gloucester Road to catch a 73,75, or 76. Or a 15 minute up to Northumbria Drive to get a 2! That is a fair walk to get one of the other buses! And what about the elderly or people who have problems walking? This will be quite an inconvenience and hassle for them in particular. We'll see this coming Tuesday in the latest VOSA announcements if there will be a new replacement service introduced, but it doesn't look like there will be. EDIT: I'm not a user of Twitter myself, but I have just created an account to ask some questions to First Bristol. I asked about the 20 and this is their reply "Afternoon, nothing will be replacing it as such. However, numerous routes cover the majority of the route.". Not good, not good atall! Stupid short-sighted decision axing the 20 in my opinion.
As for the advert from 2009 you saw on the bus you were on, I can beat that. Just a couple of years I got on an ALX 400 Volvo B7(can't recall what the service number was, maybe a 6 or 48 or 49). And when I departed the bus to my amazement in the side window by the door was one of those old red and white notices which said "All services numbered 500-599 are provided by the support of Avon County Council"!!!! What an earth was that doing there as those services renumbered with a 5 prefix on Sundays and Bank Holidays(for instance a 77 renumbered 577) went away around 16 years ago! And back then, there wouldn't have even been any ALX 400 Volvo B7's anyway! So what that sign was put on that bus for, I really don't know!
Last edited:
This is got to be the First time in a long time to get really annoyed at First Bus Bristol. Service 20 is very important "linking" route and it will affect me slightly.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Guess in a way, that's the problem with 20. It does share a lot of its route with other services. I reckon it's another way of getting rid of 4 non DDA SDs too and you wonder if BCC might put something out to tender? After all, if you can afford a P&R to Clifton.....
With the earlier changes to stuff like the 161 and 184, and now this and the 2 & 4 in Bath, it'll soon cancel out the increased PVR when they took the 17 etc on.
I do hope that Matt was right about the Wiltshire services getting a makeover. Certainly, you compare Stagecoach's 55 with First's 231....
With the earlier changes to stuff like the 161 and 184, and now this and the 2 & 4 in Bath, it'll soon cancel out the increased PVR when they took the 17 etc on.
I do hope that Matt was right about the Wiltshire services getting a makeover. Certainly, you compare Stagecoach's 55 with First's 231....
Class 33
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Aug 2009
- Messages
- 2,362
The general public who use the 20 won't know that the 20 is being cancelled yet. So it will be interesting to see how they react to this to First Bristol. This will inconvenience a lot of people. There could be lots of angry comments on their Twitter page from users of this service. And the news could be mentioned in the local press and TV news. It will be interesting to know why exactly First Bristol have cancelled this service. Interestingly, it appears they have deleted my Tweet to them about this from their Twitter page.
Myself when I saw the 20 was being axed, I actually optimistally thought it would surely be replaced by a new cross-city service! With maybe the northern terminating point being amended to somewhere else(i.e maybe Filton Church?), but definitely still covering the Wellington Hill West, Kellaway Avenue, Kings Drive, Eton Road part of the current 20 route. But NO, I was wrong!
Myself when I saw the 20 was being axed, I actually optimistally thought it would surely be replaced by a new cross-city service! With maybe the northern terminating point being amended to somewhere else(i.e maybe Filton Church?), but definitely still covering the Wellington Hill West, Kellaway Avenue, Kings Drive, Eton Road part of the current 20 route. But NO, I was wrong!
Last edited:
freetoview33
Established Member
I have emailed about the 20, I can fully understand why it is being axed but I agree it is short sighted. To be fair a lot of services in North West Bristol need looking at.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
There could be media interest but at the end of the day, if it loses money then I guess it goes. I'm a little surprised given how many were on it the other day (but was that atypical?). It hasn't been helped by crap vehicles and obscure central bus stops; suppose it'll join the 52 as an off peak service built around schools?
Perhaps we'll see the stock local paper photo of elderly people at a bus stop....
Perhaps we'll see the stock local paper photo of elderly people at a bus stop....
freetoview33
Established Member
The city centre stops are useless! You get one stop used by lots of buses and the one next it used by only a handful! I'm sure once the council get there was and dig up city centre AGAIN they will just have one long bus shelter for all buses to stop at!
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Take it 60895 was a short term BR resident? Quite a few Darts to BR - take it for the 1 and 102 with the few remaining Solos for the 14? Slightly odd as one of the first moves was to get the Darts (incl 43811) out of BR last year. All part of a intricate set of fleet moves, I suppose.
Class 33
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Aug 2009
- Messages
- 2,362
I might take a journey on the 20 one weekend(before August 31st when it is axed!). Get an 18 to Westbury and then get a 20 down to town. Would make for an interesting change to getting a 75, 76 or 309 down Gloucester Road! I've used the 20 a handful of times between Westbury and Kellaway Avenue on Saturdays over the last few years, but it's been quite some years since I got a 20 or 21 from Westbury through to Bishopston and down to town! Will see how busy it will be on the particular journey I get on. In fact on one Thursday or Friday when I finish work early I'll get a bus into town, get a few little things in town and then get a 20 back to Horfield(Kellaway Avenue/Wellington Hill West junction), this would be at reasonably peak time on either the 1530 or 1605 service.
Freetoview33, please let us know what First's reply is when you get an email back from them.
Here is what the 20 and 21 timetable were like back in 2005. The 20 & 21 going a slightly different route between Longmead Avenue and Zetland Road. And a more regular service compared to now too. As frequent as every 10 minutes along the shared parts of the routes at peak times. https://web.archive.org/web/2005030...stol&op_id=3&area=&service=20/21&routeid=4312
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Indeed the services between the Centre and North West Bristol do need some improvements to them, definitely. Out of interest, what improvements/amendments do you think should be made to services covering North West Bristol?
Freetoview33, please let us know what First's reply is when you get an email back from them.
Here is what the 20 and 21 timetable were like back in 2005. The 20 & 21 going a slightly different route between Longmead Avenue and Zetland Road. And a more regular service compared to now too. As frequent as every 10 minutes along the shared parts of the routes at peak times. https://web.archive.org/web/2005030...stol&op_id=3&area=&service=20/21&routeid=4312
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Indeed the services between the Centre and North West Bristol do need some improvements to them, definitely. Out of interest, what improvements/amendments do you think should be made to services covering North West Bristol?
Last edited:
freetoview33
Established Member
The 20/21 used to be extremely frequent! Often had 7 singles and 2 deckers between 7am and 8am from Westbury-Redcliffe Hill!
Class 33
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Aug 2009
- Messages
- 2,362
Also back in 2005 there was the X84 Centre-UWE(and onto Parkway Station at certain peak times) via M32. Journey time just 20 minutes between Centre and UWE. Journey frequency every 30 minutes, though every 15 minutes at peak times! Should be such a service like this now to help ease congestion on the 70! https://web.archive.org/web/2005030...ristol&op_id=3&area=&service=X84&routeid=4363
Then there was the 71 Centre-Bradley Stoke service. 42 minutes journey time between Centre and Bradley Stoke, compared with about 1 hour(or more when traffic is heavier) on the 73 nowadays! A 1 hour(or more) journey time is just ridiculous! Such a service should be brought back, as a little faster alternative service compared to the 73. Though I'd have it numbered 71 if going via Ashley Down or 72 if going via Gloucester Road and Filton Avenue. https://web.archive.org/web/20030628015351/http://www.firstcityline.co.uk/tt/071frame.htm
Then there was the 71 Centre-Bradley Stoke service. 42 minutes journey time between Centre and Bradley Stoke, compared with about 1 hour(or more when traffic is heavier) on the 73 nowadays! A 1 hour(or more) journey time is just ridiculous! Such a service should be brought back, as a little faster alternative service compared to the 73. Though I'd have it numbered 71 if going via Ashley Down or 72 if going via Gloucester Road and Filton Avenue. https://web.archive.org/web/20030628015351/http://www.firstcityline.co.uk/tt/071frame.htm
Last edited:
South Westerly
Member
- Joined
- 28 May 2014
- Messages
- 341
The allocation is pretty flexible between Bridgwater and Taunton. With plenty more arrivals due in BoS there's likely to be a lot more moving between the two.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
The allocations have been more rigid but I suppose the fleet moves demand a higher level of flexibility than seen hitherto.
There is.... It's the 14. The fact is that Wessex are in the dominant position on the UWE corridor and have replaced all the former First services such as the X84 and 99.
As for the 71/72 wasn't it operated by the Merc 709Ds before passing to SGBC and then dying a death with Wessex latterly as the U7/U8. Dismal passenger numbers IIRC? It's the same story with the 20, the busy southern parts been seperated out as the 50 where as the 20 that busy anymore isn't to be frank. First are a commercial business at the end of the day and if it was making money they wouldn't be cutting it, BCC may still step in and tender a part replacement though.
Last edited:
freetoview33
Established Member
Then again the 99 was axed and now has been brought back as the 19 which is much busier so sometime services can be brought back and become very busy.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
So what has changed for that to happen?
South Westerly
Member
- Joined
- 28 May 2014
- Messages
- 341
I think I'm right in working out that only 13 buses from the pre BoS fleet are staying long enough to get a repaint and that there are quite a few moves within the two depots to manage all the arrivals and departures as some are complicated swaps with other First depots.
Class 33
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Aug 2009
- Messages
- 2,362
I don't know why the 71 in it's final few years was getting dismal passenger numbers. I'm surprised about that. But I think a new incarnation of the 71 could work well. Centre-Bradley stoke via Ashley Down, Filton Avenue, Gloucester Road, and Aztec West. The advantages...
1) It would give Ashley Down an extra bus service, which is really needed as at busy times on the 70 the single deckers can get packed out, and some passengers even unable to board.
2) A faster bus service between Centre and Bradley Stoke, compared to the "round the houses" route the 73 takes. In addition I think Bradley Stoke could do with another bus service between there and the Centre.
3) an extra First bus service between Centre/Broadmead and Aztec West for people who work there or people who live along the stretch of Gloucester Road between Patchway roundabout and Aztec West. As otherwise there's just the half hourly(and less frequent on the evenings and Sundays/Bank Holidays) 309/310, or the 73 which goes all over the place and takes over an hour!
4) An extra bus service serving the new Charlton Hayes housing estate.
5) the old Filton Airfield will be re-developed with 2,500 new houses(allthough this will probably be at least a couple of years away yet). So an extra bus service between Central Bristol and this area would definitely be needed by then!
6) a new direct bus service between Ashley Down and Filton Avenue through to North Filton, Patchway, Aztec West, and Bradley Stoke.
1) It would give Ashley Down an extra bus service, which is really needed as at busy times on the 70 the single deckers can get packed out, and some passengers even unable to board.
2) A faster bus service between Centre and Bradley Stoke, compared to the "round the houses" route the 73 takes. In addition I think Bradley Stoke could do with another bus service between there and the Centre.
3) an extra First bus service between Centre/Broadmead and Aztec West for people who work there or people who live along the stretch of Gloucester Road between Patchway roundabout and Aztec West. As otherwise there's just the half hourly(and less frequent on the evenings and Sundays/Bank Holidays) 309/310, or the 73 which goes all over the place and takes over an hour!
4) An extra bus service serving the new Charlton Hayes housing estate.
5) the old Filton Airfield will be re-developed with 2,500 new houses(allthough this will probably be at least a couple of years away yet). So an extra bus service between Central Bristol and this area would definitely be needed by then!
6) a new direct bus service between Ashley Down and Filton Avenue through to North Filton, Patchway, Aztec West, and Bradley Stoke.
Last edited:
60895 was at Bridgwater for about a year before moving to Plymouth. Both 60911 and 60914 have had spells at Bridgwater this year as well.
Yesterday all 4 of 42841-44 were on the 21. I assume their move to Bridgwater is for the 21 shorts which start Monday week, which require 4 additional vehicles.
The 1 yesterday was 43811, 53009 and 53013.
Only saw two of the 3 vehicles on the 14, 53001 and 53014.
The 102 was 34171.
THarris123
Established Member
I was on the 29 yesterday - 40588 from Wells - Taunton. This seems to be more suited to Taunton work, even though the driver was still smashing it to pieces. Nothing has changed on that bus yet - they still have the BikeBath advert on there - bit useless, as it's out of date and in Taunton! 41156 was on the way back and what a pile of rubbish. It reminded me of 41144, except worse. They've got to get rid of that!
The Wessex group of 3 services already has that market covered, and from the times I've seen it recently the loads on the deckers have been in single figures at peak times. Admittedly this has been in Central Bristol, so I can't say how busy they are at the other end?
The 71/2 were also extended to Cribbs/Aztec West when they became the U7/8 in a last ditched attempt to attract extra passengers before both were pulled, so one can assume the links didn't prove that popular?
Last edited: