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Western Greyhound Fire and subsequent WG general discussion.
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RailUK Forums
Not to mention Skye and, on the mainland, Kyle!
robertclark125
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And Arisaig as wwll. It has the most westerly railway station in Britain.
Robertj21a
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The Traffic Commissioner's Public Enquiry into WG has been 'postponed'.
matt_splat
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makes you wonder if theres more to investigate surrounding owner ship etc etc if rumors in cornwall are true lots of interesting bits and pieces could come out of the wood work but they are RUMORS until they come out could be a lot of intresting bits to come out if what drivers are saying is true
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Given the issues that have gone on and the failure of a major operator, you would think that the TC will only be postponing this.
There's a lot of rumour - one wonders what on earth the truth is!
The PCB darts seem to be struggling to keep time on the 75. They also aren't able to get round a corner near Padstow in one go and need a reverse move,
I caught bodmin parkway to liskeard this morning and was already about 20 mins late by mid morning.
At bodmin parkway they are unable to turn in the industrial estate entrance where WG always turned so need to go to far end of car park to turn.
I caught bodmin parkway to liskeard this morning and was already about 20 mins late by mid morning.
At bodmin parkway they are unable to turn in the industrial estate entrance where WG always turned so need to go to far end of car park to turn.
matt_splat
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been re-rooted in Padstow only now runs one way down Sarahs Lane the driver of the one I took yesterday said they were struggling to recruit drivers for the route and that a lot of management had been out driving this morning I did see two drivers out route learning.
Surely the longer solos that came from WG could be used on the 75 and the Darts could go onto other routes?
back when first ran the 55 with B6's the busses use to run up the hill in padstow turn around then back down to make the swing into sarahs lane
I also can't see the current set up working during the summer
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I still think the truth will come out and justice will be served if needed to be served but I think more has come to light so its until the full facts are gathered the TC won't go any further
matt_splat
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surely a enviro 200 would be better for padstow then these darts?
do PCB have any tempos?
Probably would suit an Enviro better than the Darts. No Tempos I am aware of
My pictures are up on my Flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/82289286@N06/
My pictures are up on my Flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/82289286@N06/
Interesting to see another ex Basingstoke area vehicle turn up in Cornwall - GU52 HKB was once upon a time with Newbury Buses and fairly common on the former 32A - the other bus is former Courtney Coaches Centre Shuttle vehicle YE52 KPU.
Will be interesting to see what comes out in the Public Enquiry, I wonder if it has been postponed due to more evidence coming to light, or due to the participants also busy with the Buses ETC & Velvet Enquiries as well.
GU52HKB is on loan from Brighton and Hove buses, was new to Jenkins of Newark.
Some bits and bobs:-
Still being operated by First in St Austell today were KN52 NFU a white Dart on service 24 & Solo W50 WGH on service 522.
The Pollard's Mill site looks to have been partly cleared out with just a Routemaster visible, whilst at nearby Highway Commercials at Brighton Cross there were two former Western Greyhound deckers.
One was green and one pink but I did not manage to identify them.
Finally a white bus, registration Y361 HMY, was towed out of the Summercourt site onto the eastbound A30 this afternoon. It carried Western Greyhound legals.
Still being operated by First in St Austell today were KN52 NFU a white Dart on service 24 & Solo W50 WGH on service 522.
The Pollard's Mill site looks to have been partly cleared out with just a Routemaster visible, whilst at nearby Highway Commercials at Brighton Cross there were two former Western Greyhound deckers.
One was green and one pink but I did not manage to identify them.
Finally a white bus, registration Y361 HMY, was towed out of the Summercourt site onto the eastbound A30 this afternoon. It carried Western Greyhound legals.
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Y361HMY didn't have an engine fitted 3 days before closure. I am assuming it still doesn't. I'm guessing the yard has now been cleared as it was right at the back of the yard. It was full still on Good Friday.
First have seemingly fitted a new destination blind to the Solo- K50WGH- given away by the colour of the LEDs, it has been confined to the 522 for about a week.
The Routemaster at Pollards Mill is owned privately by Mark Howarth and nothing to do with Western Greyhound if its the one I think it is. Most of the historic fleet are privately owned by the previous management.
I was wondering myself why the 2 deckers were at Cooks yard on Good Friday when I passed.
Richw, from what I could see from driving up and down the road past the Summercourt depot and peering over the hedges there were quite a few buses still in Western Greyhound's part of the depot.
Visitors are NOT encouraged and the lane to the depot is blocked off.
Someone else was in Summercourt photographing the departure of Y361 HMY, was it anyone on here?
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There is a footpath through a field towards the rear of the depot. I couldn't work out how to get to it, but I've seen pictures on Flickr from the path.
From what I could see from the road on Friday the yard was filled to the gate. The yard is also visible from Summercourt Travel's yard. Unsure how accommodating they would be to "enthusiasts" looking around their yard though.
Copied over from the First Kernow thread but seems more appropriate here -
Unfortunately I've heard the same story too about at least one if not a handful of WGs vehicles running around in service - A Solo I believe was out running around with no MOT and of course on the night when the insurance ran out. So it would have been uninsured and no MOT. :roll:
Looking through Flickr this evening, I'm surprised to see some of the ex WG Solos leaving Cornwall today for Ensign - I would have thought they, unlike the MPDs would have been more appropriate for First Kernow's fleet? Although a few of the MPDs - Including the hired by First ones are also leaving. Nice paintjob on one of the ex Go North Eastern ones...paint already peeling on parts of it by the looks of a few pictures!
Incidentally. Sorry to p8ss off any ex WG staff further than the distrust already left by Mr Bishop & Mr Whatever is name is next Smith - I'm told that weeks after pulling the plug on WG, Mr Smith has just come across a large sum of money and bought himself a Nightclub somewhere. Same trick pulled off for the 3rd time then!
Unfortunately I've heard the same story too about at least one if not a handful of WGs vehicles running around in service - A Solo I believe was out running around with no MOT and of course on the night when the insurance ran out. So it would have been uninsured and no MOT. :roll:
Looking through Flickr this evening, I'm surprised to see some of the ex WG Solos leaving Cornwall today for Ensign - I would have thought they, unlike the MPDs would have been more appropriate for First Kernow's fleet? Although a few of the MPDs - Including the hired by First ones are also leaving. Nice paintjob on one of the ex Go North Eastern ones...paint already peeling on parts of it by the looks of a few pictures!
Incidentally. Sorry to p8ss off any ex WG staff further than the distrust already left by Mr Bishop & Mr Whatever is name is next Smith - I'm told that weeks after pulling the plug on WG, Mr Smith has just come across a large sum of money and bought himself a Nightclub somewhere. Same trick pulled off for the 3rd time then!
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As long as it wasn't a cash transaction
http://www.route-one.net/legal/black-velvet-travel-owner-adam-smith-spared-jail/
That's exactly what I thought of at the time I was told it by one of my contacts. All very odd given how only a few weeks ago him & Bishop had no money to plough into Western Greyhound. Then suddenly goes off to buy a Nightclub.
Has anymore information come out of the Public Enquiries yet?
They were postponed due to the scale of things involved. They were scheduled before the closure. The closure multiplied the scale of things and required more time.
Busaholic
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He seems to be one of these 'characters' who finds bundles of banknotes down the backs of settees, all quite innocent of course. I wonder who the business referees were who gave such glowing reports, and whether any of these have business failures in their past. Sounds like the Hampshire Police were a tad easy on Mr Smith alias Jones too.
Passed Summercourt garage today on the bus and noted about 5 single deck and 2 double decks in the yard. There may have been more the bus was not hanging around.
lodekkafs
Member
Can anyone tell me whereabouts First's Newquay outstation is located please. I well remember the town centre depot in NBC days but that of course has long since gone. Any help would be appreciated.
South Westerly
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I understood the hearings were only postponed because one of the well known industry barristers representing one of the parties involved, was already booked to represent another operator at a rescheduled public inquiry in another traffic area.
Last week the yard was jammed full, so sounds like most have gone now,
lodekkafs
Member
I drove into the WG depot at Summercourt this afternoon (Sun) and can confirm that there are NO vehicles at all; just a puzzled security guard who thought I was interested in buying the place!
Stephen
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