Lothian Group discussion (Lothian City, Lothian Country Bus and East Coast Buses)

[FlybeDash8Q400]

There is also 195 and 196 idle which may go back to ECB or possibly be painted into the city livery if required.

(10)195 and (10)196 I was told should return to use at Musselburgh from the changes, hence why I never mentioned them. I’d expect a few more (but not all) of the remaining 7900’s to return.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

There is also 195 and 196 idle which may go back to ECB or possibly be painted into the city livery if required.

I can't see any of the Eclipse 2's going to Lothian's city livery anymore due to the fact that they have more of the V7900's. If these go then the V7900's will still almost definitely NOT go to Lothian Country or EastCoastBuses.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 May 2022 ==

Does anyone see an extension to any route to come into Musselburgh or East Lothian? (City Routes Only)

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 May 2022 ==

I know it'd make the route longer, but maybe the Skylink 400?

 

[stevenedin]

They would have to run the 400 a long way to get to Musselburgh unless they change to single deckers to go under the bridge at Newcraighall. If that happened possibly the 30 would be cut back to just operate to Fort Kinnaird only

 

[LothianBusesPh]

They would have to run the 400 a long way to get to Musselburgh unless they change to single deckers to go under the bridge at Newcraighall. If that happened possibly the 30 would be cut back to just operate to Fort Kinnaird only

Through the A1 and on through Wallyford terminating at the Tesco, Linking with the 140? Although I do agree, It would take a long time and stress the buses, (although who cares about Wright Eclipse Gemini 3's anyway.)
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Flybe will probably know but are Lothian rumoured or confirmed to order new buses? If so what ones?

 

[TheEastCoaster]

They would have to run the 400 a long way to get to Musselburgh unless they change to single deckers to go under the bridge at Newcraighall. If that happened possibly the 30 would be cut back to just operate to Fort Kinnaird only

The 400 is a very popular route, changing it to single deckers would be controversial! Either terminate it at Newcraighall station so it can actually serve the inside of Fort Kinnaird or alternatively extend it up to Musselburgh via the 118 route [Brunstane] (but run through Brunton Hall rather than Olive Bank Road)

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

I’m guessing these are all Ex-First customers on an x28.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

I’m guessing these are all Ex-First customers on an x28.

The X27/X28 always seems to have good loads whenever I see it in the city (heading west) or in Sighthill (both directions) so its clearly popular with ex-first customers or general commuters

 

[stevenedin]

Same here. To be fair the X22 is also busy at times as well. I think people are using whatever buses are available now that timetables have reduced since before covid and people are out more and more.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

Same here. To be fair the X22 is also busy at times as well. I think people are using whatever buses are available now that timetables have reduced since before covid and people are out more and more.

That makes sense, while the X27/X28 are more frequent and faster within Edinburgh, they do omit Gorgie and Haymarket which is a big market, so if First still pick up in that area then they will be fine!

I’m guessing the X23 is not coming back? with the X28 running it seems to be covered, and at least the X22 serve Harthill and Shotts something LCB have no plans on doing

 

[ScotRail158725]

Could be a good opportunity for both operators in with the cuts to lots of Scotrail train services

 

[LothianBusesPh]

845's tracker is at Central Depot? What does this mean? New tracker soon or will it go in the city livery. Also 844 is around Queensferry, Pretty sure that means it is still getting a new livery.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Also 845's tracker is at Central Depot? What does this mean? New tracker soon or will it go in the city livery. Also 844 is around Queensferry, Pretty sure that means it is still getting a new livery.

845 is at Ferrymill. Tracker has just defaulted to Central.

844 is at the default location for repaints, the trackers don’t go any further west than there on visualedinburgh, and when they arrive at Ferrymill on bustimes they will pretty quickly default back to the same place.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

With the network change that’ll bump LCB services back down to 6 (including the 43) the 276 while having a handy link between Bathgate and West Calder (which is only hourly fyi) is a pain to get to Broxburn, the 275 was at least every 30 minutes and ran a faster route to Broxburn compared to it‘s other half!

Honestly i would of just made the 275 hourly before scrapping it altogether and maybe taken a chance by extending it beyond Broxburn, the 276 could also be extended but the full route already comes up to 1 hour and 43 minutes at least!

The Key Route’s into the city seem like they hold well on their own as stated up above so no worries there! And the 280 does very well getting from Livingston to Bathgate! It’s just the 276 I’m worried about, and the 281 if that ever comes out of suspension.

Since the 276 has two sections on the route is it not worth just extending the Loganlea section back to Fauldhouse, as if history goes to show LCB will no doubt consider serving it again as they did back in Christmas!

Could we also see a new route within West Lothian somepoint this year? Something linking with Queensferry or Linlithgow?

Anyway that‘s plenty from me!

 

[mb88]

With the network change that’ll bump LCB services back down to 6 (including the 43) the 276 while having a handy link between Bathgate and West Calder (which is only hourly fyi) is a pain to get to Broxburn, the 275 was at least every 30 minutes and ran a faster route to Broxburn compared to it‘s other half!

Think you’re getting it the wrong way round. The 276 is quite a fair bit quicker for getting to Broxburn than the 275 as it omits St John’s, Ladywell and Pumpherston.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

I was sent this, Pretty sure it is fake but a good attempt. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-...ZK1eXfnFJ0w7mACNcBGAsYHQ/s0/image%281%29.jpg?

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I only know it's fake because it was made by a Flickr user called LB10 BUS.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

844 and 845 have been repainted into the new ECB livery.

I’ve attached a picture of 844 below, it’s a really poor quality image but it moved within a minute of this being taken so it was my only chance of getting it.


The image shows the rear of vehicle 844 (MXZ 1754) in the new EastCoastbuses Green and White livery, at Seafield this afternoon.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

Do you rekon I can get a photo of it later?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 May 2022 ==

844 and 845 have been repainted into the new ECB livery.

I’ve attached a picture of 844 below, it’s a really poor quality image but it moved within a minute of this being taken so it was my only chance of getting it.


The image shows the rear of vehicle 844 (MXZ 1754) in the new EastCoastbuses Green and White livery, at Seafield this afternoon.

Also thanks for informing us

 

[computerSaysNo]

844 and 845 have been repainted into the new ECB livery.

I’ve attached a picture of 844 below, it’s a really poor quality image but it moved within a minute of this being taken so it was my only chance of getting it.


The image shows the rear of vehicle 844 (MXZ 1754) in the new EastCoastbuses Green and White livery, at Seafield this afternoon.

With the hill at North Berwick in the background?

Will these still have the black seating inside? Or are they getting an interior improvement as well?

 

[stevenedin]

I doubt that they will get a new interior as they still seem pretty new inside.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Do you rekon I can get a photo of it later?

Around a minute after me taking this it (844) moved inside. 845 presumably was already inside when I got there, so I’d say no it’s unlikely you’ll see them emerge from inside until they’re finished.

Will these still have the black seating inside? Or are they getting an interior improvement as well?

I doubt that they will get a new interior as they still seem pretty new inside.

It didn’t look as if anything internally had been changed (yet), but as it moved fairly quickly I can’t be sure, if nothing has changed by now I wouldn’t expect much. Possibly the buggy space being put back in along with the 3 missing seats on the back row on the top deck which was converted into some kind of storage area. I’d expect them to re-gain advert frames though. I’d like the civic seats to go as 1, they’re non standard and 2, mostly as the legroom is shocking, but I think that’s very unlikely to happen.

Like I say though I didn’t have long so it was tricky to tell what if anything had changed internally.

 

[ScotRail158725]

Will these still have the black seating inside? Or are they getting an interior improvement as well?

They will retain their interiors

 

[Graham Alexand]

I was sent this, Pretty sure it is fake but a good attempt. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5WFnMkfi1uU/YoY4ejIdMRI/AAAAAAAAB7w/T6Yewb69wg0HU_LAvsDZK1eXfnFJ0w7mACNcBGAsYHQ/s0/image%281%29.jpg?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 May 2022 ==

I only know it's fake because it was made by a Flickr user called LB10 BUS.

It does state at the bottom of the image that it is fake, albeit they've spelt it backwards.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

It does state at the bottom of the image that it is fake, albeit they've spelt it backwards.

Yeah, I just wanted to see if people would still not know. Also, he DMed me on Flickr with that link, not sure why he wouldn't just send the Flickr link??

 

[scotrail158713]

With the hill at North Berwick in the background?

Yes that's North Berwick Law in the background

 

[scosutsut]

844 and 845 have been repainted into the new ECB livery.

I’ve attached a picture of 844 below, it’s a really poor quality image but it moved within a minute of this being taken so it was my only chance of getting it.


The image shows the rear of vehicle 844 (MXZ 1754) in the new EastCoastbuses Green and White livery, at Seafield this afternoon.

Nice

Is it confirmed they are staying at ECB then as obviously those colours are the joint ECB/LCB colours so could still go either way?

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Nice

Is it confirmed they are staying at ECB then as obviously those colours are the joint ECB/LCB colours so could still go either way?

Nothing confirmed but it’s difficult for a few reasons to see why they’d be going to LC. I think if ECB were to let go of anything at this stage it might be leave them a bit short for the remaining repaints - there’s still a lot to go. In any case 841-843 would probably move to LC first ahead of 844-845. LC will need very slightly less vehicles in a couple of weeks time too. There’s a good chance they could move to LC in the future but for me not just yet.

 

[scosutsut]

Nothing confirmed but it’s difficult for a few reasons to see why they’d be going to LC. I think if ECB were to let go of anything at this stage it might be leave them a bit short for the remaining repaints - there’s still a lot to go. In any case 841-843 would probably move to LC first ahead of 844-845. LC will need very slightly less vehicles in a couple of weeks time too. There’s a good chance they could move to LC in the future but for me not just yet.

Yeah fair shout, plus I guess the point of the converged livery is that moving vehicles back and forth to meet demand becomes closer to seamless.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

Nothing confirmed but it’s difficult for a few reasons to see why they’d be going to LC. I think if ECB were to let go of anything at this stage it might be leave them a bit short for the remaining repaints - there’s still a lot to go. In any case 841-843 would probably move to LC first ahead of 844-845. LC will need very slightly less vehicles in a couple of weeks time too. There’s a good chance they could move to LC in the future but for me not just yet.

Yeah fair shout, plus I guess the point of the converged livery is that moving vehicles back and forth to meet demand becomes closer to seamless.

I could only see 841-843 going to Lothian Country and even then, I rekon they'll only move once the Lothian Country repaints begin.

 

[Graeme Duncan]

17 was on the 36 during the week after an absence of several months.

 

[InOban]

The 400 is a very popular route, changing it to single deckers would be controversial! Either terminate it at Newcraighall station so it can actually serve the inside of Fort Kinnaird or alternatively extend it up to Musselburgh via the 118 route [Brunstane] (but run through Brunton Hall rather than Olive Bank Road)

I have been thinking that as soon as the new access from the A1 into Queen Margaret University is complete, the 30 would be diverted and the 400 extended via the A1 and the University. Would allow the 30 to switch to deckers, wouldn't it?