Accelerator59
Member
I very briefly saw KX51 UDE Dart heading out of Truro a few days ago, but so brief, I couldn't make out where it was heading, what service number or which company it was with. Can anyone shed any light on this one?
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First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset)
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Western greyhound have that one, I've seen it working 593 and 510 this week
The website isn't very accurate and I thought it was odd seeing Wright cadets when there's "Go Cornwall" bus
I rode on two more today on routes in and around Southend. The two today were still prone to rattles particularly round the drivers cab, maybe the assault screen or coin stowage area were to blame. The roads were particularly potholed in Pitsea which didn't help.
The gear changes were still an issue which makes me wonder if these "lightweight" buses are built with cheaper components than say an Enviro 200 or Volvo B7RLE for example.
All the one's I travelled on had very pronounced and "jerky" gear changes and one had an occasional "clunk" from underneath towards the back which may have been something to do with a drive shaft? It certainly happened when the (semi-automatic) gears were changing.
Sorry I know absolutely nothing about the mechanical side of these buses so may be completely wrong about this.
Whatever the quality did not seem all that good for almost new buses and I doubt very much they will last anything like 15 years.
I had a brief ride on an Arriva Optare Versa which although slightly older and only for a short distance was a nicer experience in my opinion.
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I have just seen a picture on a railway website / forum taken today showing Vario 52554 on rail replacement duties at St Erth!
The St Ives branch line was closed for engineering works.
Just when we think we have seen the last of them one pop's up out of the blue!
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No restrictions on them being used for rail replacement or private hire. Means their depreciation can be run down further if that's possible.
South Westerly
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As have the two Tridents!
Has Cornwall Ferries (Fal river buses) not kept something for the low tide service at Truro, to take ferry users down to malpas?
South Westerly
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I believe they may have kept the other bus
What other bus?
They had 2 tridents, a dart and 2 Primos. The Primos are now in Weston super mare with crosville.
I understood they were keeping one trident but just read both went to first.
Goldfish62
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They've been fully depreciated for quite a while now. I forgot, but I think it's 10 years straight line for such buses.
As a driver of streetlites perhaps I could answer a few questions. The streetlite and streetlite Max (63 plates) have nearly identical gear underneath to enviro 200s, and the voith gear box with Cummings engines do at times provide a jerky ride. Sadly a lot of passengers blame the rough ride on the driver. The gear box is fully automatic with 3 buttons DNR.... No 1,2,3. The coin holders and assault screens do rattle disgustingly loud on poor road surfaces. On one of my routes hampshire county council have only resurfaced half a road, so you go from bliss to hell in 1 second.
In regards to the 14 plate and presumably anything newer, where they are micro-hybrid the gear box is even worse, regularly you'll be at 20mph and the gear box will not drop down so will end up pulling you along, and regularly the drive chain will fight the breaks when stopping. This was in the summer that I last regularly drove these, so a modification program could have started to address these issues.
If you have any other questions please feel free to ask.
In regards to the 14 plate and presumably anything newer, where they are micro-hybrid the gear box is even worse, regularly you'll be at 20mph and the gear box will not drop down so will end up pulling you along, and regularly the drive chain will fight the breaks when stopping. This was in the summer that I last regularly drove these, so a modification program could have started to address these issues.
If you have any other questions please feel free to ask.
Any idea of fleet numbers for the Trident's please?
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Very useful reading - thanks.
I have seen both of the Fal River Trident's in the last few days. As of today (Tuesday) neither carried FDC legals or fleet numbers. Here is one of them at Truro Railway station today. Second image taken from inside of vehicle rather quickly to avoid holding up a Network Rail van hence it looks rather lop sided!
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They've both had their P+R, and Enterprise boat advertising removed.
Usual high quality First offering!
They're both newer than any other Trident in Cornwall for First or Western Greyhound
Which sums up the high quality First are offering to beat WG. Also highlighted by the rest of the old buses coming in. Tho as you point out WG are as bad. I'd hoped First would have upped their quality with their re-expansion but kind of like with BoS it's sadly still a bit half ass, particularly compared to what you'd expect Stagecoach to do.
Worked out First have at least 14 or 15 different liveries in Cornwall at the moment:
Fal River Blue & Cream,
P&R Blue,
Eden Yellow,
GWR Dart,
Black & White Scania,
"Truronian" Red & Silver Scania,
Barbie,
The new corporate livery,
Bus of Somerset Green that's been adapted for Kernow.
The VR & FLF Green,
Blue White Solos with First Kernow Branding ,
Blue & Silver Solo ,
Silver Truronian Coaches,
Blue Truronian Coaches,
All White Rail Coaches,
Green line Coaches.
Unibus
Also the all white B7RLE with All over Eden Advert.
Fal River Blue & Cream,
P&R Blue,
Eden Yellow,
GWR Dart,
Black & White Scania,
"Truronian" Red & Silver Scania,
Barbie,
The new corporate livery,
Bus of Somerset Green that's been adapted for Kernow.
The VR & FLF Green,
Blue White Solos with First Kernow Branding ,
Blue & Silver Solo ,
Silver Truronian Coaches,
Blue Truronian Coaches,
All White Rail Coaches,
Green line Coaches.
Unibus
Also the all white B7RLE with All over Eden Advert.
Accelerator59
Member
Thanks for that. I thought that would be the case.
Also, does anybody know the previous registrations of the former Truronian buses with personalised number plates? I.e. GWR dart
They are the original plates from new. Truronian had them all from new and have never had "normal" registrations
RPI
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Anyone know how the loadings are on the new services in comparison with WG?
I used a mid afternoon 91 early December and I think there were 4 other passengers. First fares are considerably more expensive that WG, and WG have got their backsides in gear and seem reliable again by all accounts.
I am intending doing a Ride Cornwall end of this month if the weather is dryish. I aim to focus around St Austell and Newquay so will report back.
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Goldfish62
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I hear the complete opposite and by accounts WG have got to the stage where they practically don't operate any semblance of a reliable service.
Good luck with your travels. You may be waiting for a lot of non existent buses.
RPI
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I think that is the main problem with First Kernow, fares to high but I noticed on their website that they were dropping some fares around St Austell from the 7th.
All of the planned journeys have first and WG options, may just mean a wait.
First 48211 in service in Plymouth this afternoon on the 6. It is still accepting Bristol Pounds offering free Wi-fi and offering 30% off on all student fares.
It is also offering some new fangled swipe card which will be no good in Plymouth as we are still waiting for the new ticket machines that are now in use in all other parts of the country.
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Viewed The Ride in Plymouth this morning and present were
50290 W331DWX IN Barbie livery
50291 W322DWX IN Olympic livery
50292 W337DWX in Olympic livery.
32936 W936ULL was about to leave now in full Buses for Somerset livery.
42207 R207MSA is still present but 42459 R459CCV appears to be missing so has probably GONE.
It is also offering some new fangled swipe card which will be no good in Plymouth as we are still waiting for the new ticket machines that are now in use in all other parts of the country.
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Viewed The Ride in Plymouth this morning and present were
50290 W331DWX IN Barbie livery
50291 W322DWX IN Olympic livery
50292 W337DWX in Olympic livery.
32936 W936ULL was about to leave now in full Buses for Somerset livery.
42207 R207MSA is still present but 42459 R459CCV appears to be missing so has probably GONE.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Quick couple of questions....
Has PZ depot stopped doing any maintenance - read somewhere that they had though thought they only did light stuff anyway?
Where is the new St Austell outbase? Is it Carclaze as the 27 timetable suggests or is it East at Eden (!)
What sort of PVR does Truro have now and what routes does it operate?
Has PZ depot stopped doing any maintenance - read somewhere that they had though thought they only did light stuff anyway?
Where is the new St Austell outbase? Is it Carclaze as the 27 timetable suggests or is it East at Eden (!)
What sort of PVR does Truro have now and what routes does it operate?
Busaholic
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I can only answer the first question anecdotally. A certain person who works at Pz depot is a regular at a hostelry where tales of great derring-do circulate, his being along the lines that heroic efforts are made on a daily basis to keep a creaking show on the road.
