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

[Bus9120UK]

511-518?? 591-594 already in use

I'd renumber 1051-1062 as 511-522 and 20001-20008 as 523-530.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

I'd renumber 1051-1062 as 511-522 and 20001-20008 as 523-530.

As would I, however unlikely that is to happen. 511-518 seems probable.

The only other option I considered for 20001-20008 was to drop one of the 0’s and make them the same as the tracker ID’s - 2001-2008.

 

[InOban]

Why can't 20001 - 20008 become 591 - 598? It would make sense as that is a Gemini 3 batch already and it saves hassle. And those fleet numbers are free anyway.

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I do get what you're saying, I think the Enviro's would work, although I don't know the specs. I might be on an MMC today and I'll check for you.

It looks as if there's a bit of a dip under the bridge which might be an issue for a longer vehicle

 

[alexf380]

Did it have advert frames at all? I'm glad to hear it looks good.

Nope, neither of them have advert frames.

 

[Bus9120UK]

Nope, neither of them have advert frames.

Indeed. Glad the rear logo is on the black now unlike 591-594 which all had it on the white paint. Noticed none of those 4 have been out for a while, except 594 which was last out on Saturday.

 

[Graham Alexand]

Noticed none of those 4 have been out for a while, except 594 which was last out on Saturday.

It seems like it was a useless move from Lothian Country to East Coast Buses, they went from having, almost, daily use at Lothian Country to hardly getting used at all.

 

[ScotRail158725]

Why can't 20001 - 20008 become 591 - 598? It would make sense as that is a Gemini 3 batch already and it saves hassle. And those fleet numbers are free anyway.

No they aren’t. 591-594 already exist

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I do get what you're saying, I think the Enviro's would work, although I don't know the specs. I might be on an MMC today and I'll check for you.

As i say they’re 14”1 or 14”2

 

[CN04NRJ]

No, maybe when all the housing is fully built in that area it might be viable for a link for another route but the 33 definitely not. The low bridge at Old Craighall writes off any idea of deckers, at least Gemini 3s, going under it anyway

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The bridge is signed 14”6, Gemini & Gemini 2 are 14”5 and i believe the taller Enviros are 14”2? Gemini 3 are 14”6 which is the same as the bridge is signed and its a risk not worth taking

London Gemini 2s are 14'6"
MMC E400s 14'2"

 

[LothianBusesPh]

511-518?? 591-594 already in use

That's what I meant, although it dosent look like it because its the other side of the keyboard.

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No they aren’t. 591-594 already exist

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As i say they’re 14”1 or 14”2

London Gemini 2s are 14'6"
MMC E400s 14'2"

As for that, yes, they're 4''2'' being on one today.

 

[computerSaysNo]

It seems like it was a useless move from Lothian Country to East Coast Buses, they went from having, almost, daily use at Lothian Country to hardly getting used at all.

Bear in mind there's a service increase coming in a few weeks.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Bear in mind there's a service increase coming in a few weeks.

Increase of 2 buses needed overall at ECB, the extras could be made up from existing fleet or I think more likely the return of (10)195-(10)196.

LC are down on their overall requirement - haven’t checked exact numbers but it’s likely around 5 - could be more or less, I really need to check this one. Some or all of 186-190 seem the likely departures here, but could be retained for now to allow repaints to start.

Lothians increase isn’t that much either. It’s a few but not a lot.

The point made about 591-594 hardly being used now is a fair one. I’m not exactly sure why these 4 have all of a sudden stopped being used. I can only imagine that either they’re not needed anymore (possible but unlikely) or more likely an issue could have arisen with them. Bare in mind these are completely unique to the fleet, there’s no others like them.

 

[alexf380]

Noticed none of those 4 have been out for a while, except 594 which was last out on Saturday.

The point made about 591-594 hardly being used now is a fair one. I’m not exactly sure why these 4 have all of a sudden stopped being used. I can only imagine that either they’re not needed anymore (possible but unlikely) or more likely an issue could have arisen with them. Bare in mind these are completely unique to the fleet, there’s no others like them.

According to our union rep, the hybrids won't be returning to ECB.

 

[stevenedin]

According to our union rep, the hybrids won't be returning to ECB.

Do you know where they are going?

 

[CN04NRJ]

Most of 201-215 have been back at Central for MOT over the last few weeks (and then parked at Marine). There's a few parked here now, 205/209 don't have VOR signs and are taxed with ops discs fitted. Looks like they'll be back after a few months absence.

 

[scosutsut]

Do you know where they are going?

In fresh ECB/LCB livery you'd hope back to LCB? ECB keep more of the ex Motorcoach B9TLs instead?

(Suggestion, not knowledge)

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

In fresh ECB/LCB livery you'd hope back to LCB? ECB keep more of the ex Motorcoach B9TLs instead?

(Suggestion, not knowledge)

You’d hope they’d be retained but I do think that there’s a real possibility these are on the way out.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

According to our union rep, the hybrids won't be returning to ECB.

That means they'll be going back to LCB because of the new livery, surely Lothian won't just waste it.

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You’d hope they’d be retained but I do think that there’s a real possibility these are on the way out.

Why would they just give it a new livery and then scrap it a few months later???

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Why would they just give it a new livery and then scrap it a few months later???

Because plans can change, it happens now and again. Worth noting I think they could be sold, not scrapped.

When 942 was ready for a repaint after its rebuilt it got repainted into the now old Lothiancountry livery and then repainted again into the now old ECB livery.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

Oh, I do get this. I think it would've been strange for 1 of the Ex-Airlink batch to be at LC, but you never know!

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Also if EastCoastBuses need 3 vehicles, and they're getting rid of two, Does that mean they'll get 7 vehicles? So maybe (10)195/196 can go back in service, for the X5 or X7 and the Eclipse 3's can be on the X5 or X7 (also the 106 but that's beside the point.) What more vehicles are needed and what will ECB get?

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Also if EastCoastBuses need 3 vehicles, and they're getting rid of two, Does that mean they'll get 7 vehicles? So maybe (10)195/196 can go back in service, for the X5 or X7 and the Eclipse 3's can be on the X5 or X7 (also the 106 but that's beside the point.) What more vehicles are needed and what will ECB get?

So I think ECB need 2 extra buses for the return of the X5. The 113 needs one less bus (from 7 down to 6) due to it being cut short at the Western General, and the X5 needs 3 buses (so an increase of 2 buses). All other routes appear to be the same as they are now.

8 buses were always ‘extra’ to allow for more double deck operation and to allow for repaints. I had thought the original plan was to retain 591-594 and move most of 841-850 to elsewhere. Now that’s changed. So if what’s being said about 591-594 is correct the current ‘extras’ are 4 of 841-850 - which is what it was before anyway. However it’s completely possible ECB will retain all 10 of these rather than just 6, it’ll offer them a bit more flexibility especially now that LC and ECB have the same colours. Although thus far we haven’t seen any temporary transfers either way.

 

[stantheman]

Will the 16 to Torphon be big buses , just wonder about the hill up to there . Don’t think they could reach Bonaly

 

[stevenedin]

Hopefully some of the ex London buses will come to East Coast Buses from Lothian Country once the repaints start and it would be nice for some of the ex Airlink batch 937-959 to move to Lothian Country.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Will the 16 to Torphon be big buses , just wonder about the hill up to there . Don’t think they could reach Bonaly

16 will still be majority XLB’s. They’ve ran up to Torphin many times before.

 

[CN04NRJ]

Will the 16 to Torphon be big buses , just wonder about the hill up to there . Don’t think they could reach Bonaly

They get up there no problem at all. I don't understand why people think XLBs are some kind of monster vehicle - they're really not much different to drive than a two axle decker.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

Why does the 44 not use XLB's? I think they use buses from all depots, and besides, the X44 uses them no problem.

 

[Bus9120UK]

Why does the 44 not use XLB's? I think they use buses from all depots, and besides, the X44 uses them no problem.

Tight turn at one of the termini, Wallyford, I believe? XLB's only use them on the part route 44's from Haymarket - Balerno and back before starting the X44's which terminate at Tranent. Central only operates some 44's at the weekend, otherwise it's all Longstone.

 

[stevenedin]

There is also a tight turn at the small roundabout at East Craigs and the one ay Hardengreen Tesco when these are on the 29.

 

[alexf380]

I think it has something to do with Macbeth Moir Road in Wallyford than the terminus. There's always been a problem with parked cars in that housing scheme.

 

[mb88]

In fresh ECB/LCB livery you'd hope back to LCB? ECB keep more of the ex Motorcoach B9TLs instead?

(Suggestion, not knowledge)

God I hope not. I was glad to see the back of them.

 

[kez19]

To all that replied to me regarding the bus(es) that went to Holyrood thank you - the more I think about and its quite possibly it may have been the 36 after all!