Lothian Buses and ECB Discussion

[ScotRail158725]

844-847 are at ECB today. Is this a temporary move or will 844-850 replace the ECB B7TLs

would guess so considering they’re not in LC livery

 

[GusB]

Service changes from the 13th.

Service 1
Minor timetable changes with improvements to the evening and Sunday service.

Service 2
Early morning and late evening timetable improved. Saturday frequency increased to every 20 minutes.

Service 3
Revised timetable. Frequency increased to every 10 minutes on Saturday, and to every 20 minutes on Sunday during the day.
Nightbus N3 reintroduced – see Nightbus section below.

Service 4
Revised timetable with improvements to the evening service.

Service 5
Revised timetable with improvements to the evening service. Saturday frequency increased to every 15 minutes.

Service 7
Revised timetable. Early morning and late evening timetable improved. Sunday daytime frequency increased to every 20 minutes.

Service 8
Minor timetable changes to improve reliability.

Service 10
Revised timetable with Monday-Friday frequency increased to every 12 minutes during the day. Improved late evening service on all days.

Service 11
Revised timetable. Evening frequency on Monday-Saturday increased to every 20 minutes. Sunday daytime frequency also increased to every 20 minutes, but remains every 30 minutes in the evening.
Nightbus N11 reintroduced – see Nightbus section below.

Service 12
Minor timetable changes with later evening journeys introduced.

Service 14
Revised timetable. Sunday daytime frequency increased to every 20 minutes.

Service 15
Reintroduced between the City Centre (Waterloo Place) and Pentland Science Park during the day on Mondays to Saturdays. The frequency will be every 30-minutes on Mondays to Fridays and hourly on Saturdays.

Service 16
Revised timetable. Evening frequency on Monday-Saturday increased to every 20 minutes. Sunday daytime frequency also increased to every 20 minutes, but remains every 30 minutes in the evening.
Nightbus N16 reintroduced – see Nightbus section below.

Service 19
Revised timetable. Daytime frequency increased to every 15 minutes Monday to Friday and every 20 minutes on Saturdays.

Service 21
Revised timetable. Saturday daytime frequency increased to every 15 minutes and every 20 minutes on Sunday.

Service 22
Revised timetable. Monday-Friday daytime frequency increased to every 10 minutes, every 12 minutes on Saturday and every 20 minutes on Sunday during the day. Monday-Saturday evening frequency increased to every 20 minutes.
Nightbus N22 reintroduced – see Nightbus section below.

Service 23
Revised timetable with Monday-Friday frequency increased to every 12 minutes during the day. Improved late evening service on all days.

Service 24
Minor timetable changes with additional late evening journeys.

Service 25
Revised timetable. Saturday daytime frequency increased to every 10 minutes, and to every 20 minutes on Sundays during the day. Evening service improved on all days.
Nightbus N25 reintroduced – see Nightbus section below.

Service 26
Revised timetable. Frequency increased to every 10 minutes on Monday to Saturday, and every 15 minutes on Sunday. Evening frequency increased to every 15 minutes.
Nightbus N26 reintroduced – see Nightbus section below.

Service X26
Minor timetable changes.

Service 27
Revised timetable with Monday-Friday frequency increased to every 12 minutes during the day. Improved late evening service on all days.

Service 29
Minor timetable changes with improvements to the evening service.

Service X29
Minor timetable changes. In Edinburgh buses will start and terminate at Muirhouse instead of Crewe Toll to serve Edinburgh College Granton Campus.

Service 30
Minor timetable changes with improvements to evening service.
Nightbus N30 reintroduced – see Nightbus section below.

Service 31
Revised timetable on all days of the week. Frequency increased to every 10 minutes Monday to Saturday. Improved evening service.
Nightbus N31 reintroduced – see Nightbus section below.

Service X31
Revised timetable.

Service 33
Minor timetable changes on all days with Improvements to evening service.

Service X33
Revised timetable.

Service 34
Revised timetable. Monday-Friday daytime frequency increased to every 15 minutes. Improvements to evening service on all days.

Service 35
Revised route and timetable. Service 35 will serve Heriot Watt University Research Park in both directions as per Service 34.
Monday-Friday daytime frequency increased to every 15 minutes. Improvements to evening service on all days.

Service 36
No change.

Service 37
Revised timetable. On Mondays to Fridays additional journeys will serve Easter Bush in the early morning and evenings. Sunday daytime frequency increased to every 20 minutes.
Nightbus N37 reintroduced – see Nightbus section below.

Service X37
Revised timetable. In Edinburgh, buses will start and terminate at Granton Harbour instead of Crewe Toll to serve Edinburgh College Granton Campus.

Service 38
Minor timetable change on Monday to Friday morning peak to increase capacity for Edinburgh University and The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

Service 41
Minor timetable changes with improvements to the evening service.

Service 42
Minor timetable changes.

Service 44
Minor timetable changes with improvements to the evening service.
Nightbus N44 reintroduced – see Nightbus section below.

Service X44
Revised timetable.

Service 45
Service reintroduced on Monday to Friday daytime, every 30 minutes.
Revised route - Service 45 will no longer serve Hermiston Park&Ride and Heriot Watt Research Park but will instead access Heriot Watt Campus direct via The Avenue.

Service 47
Revised Monday to Friday timetable. Some morning and afternoon journeys will serve Easter Bush Campus as Service 47B.

Service 48
Minor timetable changes with improvements to the evening service on all days of the week.

Service 49
Revised timetable with improvements to the evening service.

Airlink 100
Revised timetable and Night Service reintroduced. Airlink will operate every 12 minutes 04:00 to 01:00 and every 30 minutes between 01:00 and 03:30.

Skylink 200
Revised timetable. Sunday frequency increased to every 30 minutes.

Skylink 300
No change.

Skylink 400
Minor timetable changes to improve reliability.


Nightbus services:

Nightbus N3
Service reintroduced between Haymarket and Gorebridge via Gilmerton, Dalkeith and Mayfield. It will operate hourly all week.

Nightbus N11
Service partly reintroduced between City Centre and Hyvots Bank via Morningside, every hour.

Nightbus N16
Service reintroduced between Silverknowes and Torphin via Leith, City Centre and Morningside. Buses will operate every 30 minutes between Silverknowes and City Centre, and every hour between City Centre and Torphin.
Combined services N11 and N16 provide a bus every 30 minutes between Morningside, the City Centre and the top of Leith Walk.

Nightbus N22
Service partly reintroduced between City Centre and Edinburgh Park via Stenhouse and Broomhouse, every hour. The section in Leith is replaced by service N16 running every 30 minutes.

Nightbus N25
Service reintroduced between Leith Street and Heriot Watt University via Gorgie and Sighthill. It will operate hourly all week.

Nightbus N26
Service reintroduced between Clerwood and Seton Sands via City Centre, Portobello and Musselburgh. It will operate hourly all week.

Lothiancountry Nightbus N28
Service reintroduced between Edinburgh and Bathgate via Kirknewton, East Calder, Mid Calder and Livingston. It will operate one journey per night.

Nightbus N30
Service reintroduced between Clovenstone and Musselburgh via City Centre, Craigmillar and Queen Margaret University. It will operate every hour.

Nightbus N31
Service reintroduced between Haymarket and Bonnyrigg via Liberton. Two journeys per night will operate.

Nightbus N37
Service reintroduced between Silverknowes and Penicuik via City Centre, Liberton, Kaimes, Loanhead. It will operate hourly all week.

Lothiancountry Nightbus N43
Service reintroduced between City Centre and Queensferry via Craigleith and Barnton. It will operate one journey per night.

Nightbus N44
Service reintroduced between City Centre and Balerno via Slateford and Currie. Two journeys per night will operate.

Airlink 100
Night Service reintroduced running every 30 minutes between 01:00 and 03:30.

Could you make sure you edit your post to include a link to the source of this information, please?

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

844-847 are at ECB today. Is this a temporary move or will 844-850 replace the ECB B7TLs

Defo a good move from Lothian. I’m assuming it’s a medium term option, until a decision on any additional new buses is made.

591 is showing at North Berwick, not sure if it’s a glitch or not as North Berwick tends to be quite accurate with what’s actually there.

 

[CN04NRJ]

EastCoastbuses Nighthawk N113
Service reintroduced between Haymarket and Ormiston via Brunstane, Musselburgh, Wallyford and Tranent. One journey per night will operate.

Before my post gets deleted, can't provide my actual source as I'd have to let you login to my emails and screenshots get deleted here.

Source :

https://www.lothianbuses.com/news/2020/09/service-change-13-september-2020/

 

[scosutsut]

844-847 are at ECB today. Is this a temporary move or will 844-850 replace the ECB B7TLs

Marginally younger (but more importantly recently refurbished Euro 5 B9TLs) with dual purpose seating suiting the longer runs, taken from a business unit that looks like it's had it. Seems solid logic.

 

[GusB]

Before my post gets deleted, can't provide my actual source as I'd have to let you login to my emails and screenshots get deleted here.

Source :

https://www.lothianbuses.com/news/2020/09/service-change-13-september-2020/

Thanks for the link. If you are ever referring to an internal source, you only need say where it comes from and that you cannot divulge too much. Screenshots won't be deleted provided they are accompanied by an appropriate description.

 

[OmniCity999]

Marginally younger (but more importantly recently refurbished Euro 5 B9TLs) with dual purpose seating suiting the longer runs, taken from a business unit that looks like it's had it. Seems solid logic.

would guess so considering they’re not in LC livery

20794-20800 will be departing the fleet very soon. Apparently already sold.

 

[ScotRail158725]

20794-20800 will be departing the fleet very soon. Apparently already sold.

aye to the green bus where they’ll be 409-415

 

[Graeme Duncan]

As soon as the changes take effect on the 13th of September will services 1,2 and 24 revert back to single decker operation.

 

[Bus9120UK]

As soon as the changes take effect on the 13th of September will services 1,2 and 24 revert back to single decker operation.

For the 2, I hope not. Today I travelled on the 2 and it was pretty busy. if reverted to single decker bus would've been full with many people standing.

 

[CN04NRJ]

For the 2, I hope not. Today I travelled on the 2 and it was pretty busy. if reverted to single decker bus would've been full with many people standing.

I imagine the 2/48 will stay double deck - don't see any need for them on the 1/24 at the moment.

Guess we'll just have to wait and see - I'm interested to see how vehicle allocations will change with Marine reopening and the 22/23 moving to Central.

 

[alexf380]

Do we think Marine garage will reopen? Surely Central can't handle the work of two garages...can it?

Edit: I see I was beaten to it by Longstone's finest!

 

[CN04NRJ]

Do we think Marine garage will reopen? Surely Central can't handle the work of two garages...can it?

It is, routes 4, 5, 19, 21, 26, X26, X31, 42, 45, 48, 49 and the tours will be running from there.

 

[Auld reekie]

I imagine the 2/48 will stay double deck - don't see any need for them on the 1/24 at the moment.

Guess we'll just have to wait and see - I'm interested to see how vehicle allocations will change with Marine reopening and the 22/23 moving to Central.

Any particular reason for the moving of the 22/23?

 

[CN04NRJ]

Any particular reason for the moving of the 22/23?

Purely from reading other drivers comments on Facebook it's to allow XLBs on the 22, whether there's any truth in that I don't know.

 

[Bus9120UK]

Any particular reason for the moving of the 22/23?

I am sure the 22/23 are still at Longstone.

 

[OmniCity999]

It is, routes 4, 5, 19, 21, 26, X26, X31, 42, 45, 48, 49 and the tours will be running from there.

Thats XLB's on the 26 on the way out then!

 

[scosutsut]

20794-20800 will be departing the fleet very soon. Apparently already sold.

Looks like hitting the Bus 2020 target of Euro 5+ across all the fleets by the year end is very much going to happen then which is impressive given all the upsets.

 

[OmniCity999]

Looks like hitting the Bus 2020 target of Euro 5+ across all the fleets by the year end is very much going to happen then which is impressive given all the upsets.

Also considering there arent any decker replacements due - or at least it's not common knowledge.

 

[Auld reekie]

Purely from reading other drivers comments on Facebook it's to allow XLBs on the 22, whether there's any truth in that I don't know.

Cheers.

 

[buslad1988]

Funny how before this pandemic it seemed like XLB’s weren’t really required now they don’t seem to have enough of them!

IMO they’re better keeping the XLB’s on 26’s and using the “zoo” buses on 31’s. With 22/23 moving to central doesn’t appear Longstone are gaining any routes in return? I wonder if that’s to ease pressure on engineering for maintenance of LCB vehicles.

Guess nothing is permanent atm and things will continue to change every 5-6 weeks for the foreseeable.

 

[SpeedbirdA350]

Purely from reading other drivers comments on Facebook it's to allow XLBs on the 22, whether there's any truth in that I don't know.

If true, then either quite a few B8L XLBs will need to move to Longstone, or the 22 will move from Longstone to Central. I heard that the next B8L order was for Longstone but that was pre COVID-19. I had assumed these would be for the 22, and possibly 3.

 

[Jordan Adam]

If true, then either quite a few B8L XLBs will need to move to Longstone, or the 22 will move from Longstone to Central. I heard that the next B8L order was for Longstone but that was pre COVID-19. I had assumed these would be for the 22, and possibly 3.

I find the 22 getting XLBs less likely, especially given it'll be the route most affected by the tram extension.

 

[CN04NRJ]

If true, then either quite a few B8L XLBs will need to move to Longstone, or the 22 will move from Longstone to Central. I heard that the next B8L order was for Longstone but that was pre COVID-19. I had assumed these would be for the 22, and possibly 3.

According to the list of routes operating from each garage given to drivers the 22 and 23 will be running from Central. The N22, N30, N31, N44 are also operating from Longstone with single decks.

OmniCity999 has previously hinted that new deckers are postponed until January I think - so maybe things will revert back then as things return (hopefully) to normality?

 

[scosutsut]

Also considering there arent any decker replacements due - or at least it's not common knowledge.

Yeah I did wonder how they suddenly didn't need the B7TLs but I guess drops in PVR and freeing vehicles up within fleets is looking like it's going to do the business.

One of ECBs B7TLs passed me today and I reminded myself they were only 14 years old. Some operators wouldn't even have refurbed them by that age, let alone be thinking of disposal.

 

[SpeedbirdA350]

According to the list of routes operating from each garage given to drivers the 22 and 23 will be running from Central. The N22, N30, N31, N44 are also operating from Longstone with single decks.

OmniCity999 has previously hinted that new deckers are postponed until January I think - so maybe things will revert back then as things return (hopefully) to normality?

I would assume if the deckers are to be delayed, they will until March, so they can be put on a 21 plate but with the current climate, it's impossible to know what COVID-19 will have in store for us next. So, if 22 and 23 are going to central, it would seem that something is going to have to move to LS.

Surprised the N31 from LS though.

 

[buslad1988]

I would assume if the deckers are to be delayed, they will until March, so they can be put on a 21 plate but with the current climate, it's impossible to know what COVID-19 will have in store for us next. So, if 22 and 23 are going to central, it would seem that something is going to have to move to LS.

Surprised the N31 from LS though.

Believe Longstone may be gaining a couple of Marine routes to compensate; the latter only opening with a skeleton crew (for now).

 

[ScotRail158725]

Believe Longstone may be gaining a couple of Marine routes to compensate; the latter only opening with a skeleton crew (for now).

possibly full 25 operation instead of 50/50

 

[CN04NRJ]

possibly full 25 operation instead of 50/50

Yes, and full 44.

 

[computerSaysNo]

IMO they’re better keeping the XLB’s on 26’s and using the “zoo” buses on 31’s.

What's happening with the Zoo-branded 26s now, are they going to be de-branded?
According to this article, the buses were branded as part of a three-year partnership with the Zoo; the article is dated September 2017 and so three years would take it to September 2020. Is a new deal likely to be reached, eg for keeping the branding and dedicating the buses to the 31 route, or removing it and branding some XLBs? Would the de-branded B5s then just be used as a common fleet with the other remaining B5s?

Karma Chameleon bus to come and go to Edinburgh Zoo
Go wild for our new look service 26 buses

We have two new chameleon-themed red, gold and green buses joining our fleet this week, marking the start of a new three-year transport partnership with RZSS Edinburgh Zoo. The partnership will see 30 of our Service 26 buses transformed into a range of animals from the Zoo’s collection, cementing Lothian’s role as Official Transport Partner for the Society.