Independent Operators in the Lothians

[TheEastCoaster]

Anyone know if the revised 111 via Fort Kinnaird has been popular?

 

[LothianBusesPh]

Anyone know if the revised 111 via Fort Kinnaird has been popular?

I've seen it with quite a few on.

 

[overthewater]

How is Stuart coaches No34A going with the ongoing issues to the Eastern Scottish No26? If it wasn't for that service there would have no bus what so ever during the 3 hour gaps.

 

[mb88]

How is Stuart coaches No34A going with the ongoing issues to the Eastern Scottish No26? If it wasn't for that service there would have no bus what so ever during the 3 hour gaps.

I see it quite often going through West Calder and Polbeth displaying ‘Not in Service’ despite having passengers on board. Make of that what you will.

 

[Jordan Adam]

How is Stuart coaches No34A going with the ongoing issues to the Eastern Scottish No26? If it wasn't for that service there would have no bus what so ever during the 3 hour gaps.

Having used the service a few times recently the drivers are a liability when allocated a Sprinter.... On the first occasion they were driving the vehicle flat out to its limit and overtaking cars on B-Roads, on Springhill Road in Torbothie they were doing around 40-50mph past parked cars. The more recent time that I've used it they swapped drivers at Fauldhouse, the driver that took over clearly wasn't in a great mood and was shouting/swearing presumably at the fuel in the vehicle being low as they pulled over at the BP in Polbelth to fill up, at one point they stood up while the vehicle was in motion to get something out of the shelf above the windscreen... According to someone i know from the area this sort of thing is a regular occurrence.

In terms of passengers the route seems busy from Shotts to Forth, however beyond there i was the only passenger on each occasions.

 

[roadierway77]

Having used the service a few times recently the drivers are a liability when allocated a Sprinter.... On the first occasion they were driving the vehicle flat out to its limit and overtaking cars on B-Roads, on Springhill Road in Torbothie they were doing around 40-50mph past parked cars. The more recent time that I've used it they swapped drivers at Fauldhouse, the driver that took over clearly wasn't in a great mood and was shouting/swearing presumably at the fuel in the vehicle being low as they pulled over at the BP in Polbelth to fill up, at one point they stood up while the vehicle was in motion to get something out of the shelf above the windscreen... According to someone i know from the area this sort of thing is a regular occurrence.

In terms of passengers the route seems busy from Shotts to Forth, however beyond there i was the only passenger on each occasions.

Yep, that's my experience with the 34A as well, have done it once all the way from Livingston to Lanark. The drivers very clearly have great skill but they drive rather recklessly on that route - was a bit of an exhilarating experience flying along flat out at top speed, tearing around the corners and over the undulations, though not the most comfortable journey I've ever done, to put it lightly.

It was relatively well patronised when I used it in the late afternoon, obviously you're not going to pack a lot of passengers into a Sprinter but it was half full for most of the journey.

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

May I just say on a side note many of the Stuart’s of Carluke drivers are idiots behind the wheel, that’s the main reason they don’t usually go after the bigger groups because they would get sacked because of there behaviour.

 

[overthewater]

They can't all be bad, the company has a lot of SPT contracts.

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

They can't all be bad, the company has a lot of SPT contracts.

SPT dont care as long as the service runs.

 

[GusB]

I'm wondering when Carluke migrated to the Lothians

Let's keep it on topic, please.

 

[Blindtraveler]

They have at least one service that operates in West Lothian so it is relevant I would have said

 

[Jordan Adam]

Yep, that's my experience with the 34A as well, have done it once all the way from Livingston to Lanark. The drivers very clearly have great skill but they drive rather recklessly on that route - was a bit of an exhilarating experience flying along flat out at top speed, tearing around the corners and over the undulations, though not the most comfortable journey I've ever done, to put it lightly.

It was relatively well patronised when I used it in the late afternoon, obviously you're not going to pack a lot of passengers into a Sprinter but it was half full for most of the journey.

The Service 34A indirectly replaced the Bluebus 77 Livingston - Lanark (i say indirectly as there was a gap between the 77 being withdrawn and the 34A starting), however sufficient additional running time was not added for the additional rerouting of the 34A via Torbothie. Hence you end up in a situation where the timings are impossible to keep to, this is made worse by there being multiple level crossings on the route which the 34A is often scheduled to arrive at around the same time as the train.

They have at least one service that operates in West Lothian so it is relevant I would have said

The service 34A is also supported by West Lothian Council...

 

[Blindtraveler]

Did blue bus go under or did they simply lose the service 77 tender? I know that I used that service once or twice when a company friends who wanted to score the then little served station at Breich and also used it once or twice as a means of going cross country into Lanarkshire without going via Glasgow on a busy Saturday of events and football, even then the timings on it were quite tight and the solo SR generally allocated got a good thrashing

The modified route sounds if anything from an enthusiast point of view well worth a try out so I might make some time for that next time I'm needing to either attempt a similar kind of journey or simply out doing some buses

 

[mb88]

Did blue bus go under or did they simply lose the service 77 tender?

They are still operating but don’t have any stage carriage services. The 77 I believe was run commercially but happy to be corrected.

On the subject of the 34A, it seems to interwork with the 37 to Carnwath once it reaches Lanark.

 

[VioletEclipse]

It has been said elsewhere that most of the McGill's Eastern Scottish fleet are beyond the point of being kept in service after December or sold on due to their age and condition. The service fleet of E&M Horsburgh make even the worst Eastern Scottish buses seem like luxury, so there's likely not much of a chance any of them will last long after October. Some might be saved for preservation if they're structurally sound enough. This could mean that a large percentage of buses currently operating public services in West Lothian might be in scrapyards before this time next year.

 

[stevenedin]

It has been said elsewhere that most of the McGill's Eastern Scottish fleet are beyond the point of being kept in service after December or sold on due to their age and condition. The service fleet of E&M Horsburgh make even the worst Eastern Scottish buses seem like luxury, so there's likely not much of a chance any of them will last long after October. Some might be saved for preservation if they're structurally sound enough. This could mean that a large percentage of buses currently operating public services in West Lothian might be in scrapyards before this time next year.

The Scania Omnidekkas were sold onto other independents down south so maybe some of the better ones may get sold on.

I can see the StreetLites that are still ok being sold on but the B7RLEs going for scrap.

I think that the E400MMCs and E400s will move to Midland Bluebird or Xplore Dundee depending on what is required to replace older vehicles.

I’m not sure what will happen to the E200 and E300s that Livingston have. I think that the E200 is in good condition I’m unsure about the condition of the E300s.

All B7TLs left at Midland Bluebrid and Xplore Dundee I assume will be withdrawn and scrapped after the cascade of vehicles.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

I’m not sure what will happen to the E200 and E300s that Livingston have. I think that the E200 is in good condition I’m unsure about the condition of the E300s.

From the few I've been on they've not been the greatest. McGill's need to replace some moquettes too, as the seats are getting worn and First couldn't be bothered either.

 

[JD2168]

The Scania Omnidekkas were sold onto other independents down south so maybe some of the better ones may get sold on.

I can see the StreetLites that are still ok being sold on but the B7RLEs going for scrap.

I think that the E400MMCs and E400s will move to Midland Bluebird or Xplore Dundee depending on what is required to replace older vehicles.

I’m not sure what will happen to the E200 and E300s that Livingston have. I think that the E200 is in good condition I’m unsure about the condition of the E300s.

All B7TLs left at Midland Bluebrid and Xplore Dundee I assume will be withdrawn and scrapped after the cascade of vehicles.

A number of the Scania Omnidekka’s are now at Yorkshire Buses.

 

[LiviCrazy]

The Scania Omnidekkas were sold onto other independents down south so maybe some of the better ones may get sold on.

I can see the StreetLites that are still ok being sold on but the B7RLEs going for scrap.

I think that the E400MMCs and E400s will move to Midland Bluebird or Xplore Dundee depending on what is required to replace older vehicles.

I’m not sure what will happen to the E200 and E300s that Livingston have. I think that the E200 is in good condition I’m unsure about the condition of the E300s.

All B7TLs left at Midland Bluebrid and Xplore Dundee I assume will be withdrawn and scrapped after the cascade of vehicles.

From a passenger perspective (couldn’t say what they are like to drive), the Streetlites (except the 63 plates) are better than the E300s. The E300s are well beaten up inside and the engines are hellishly noisy and always seem to be struggling at speed, only thing they’ve got going for them is slightly better suspension.

 

[GusB]

Could we keep the discussion about McGill's vehicles to the McGill's thread, please? Ta

 

[LothianBusesPh]

They've done it again! Prentice have put a vehicle in service that hasn't been registered! Will keep checking though.



== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Oct 2023 ==

https://bustimes.org/vehicles/dpce-232-ln73-hnn This is the tracker on Bustimes.org with the number plates and things but they could have a cherished plate on it or maybe it is a website delay.

 

[Jordan Adam]

They've done it again! Prentice have put a vehicle in service that hasn't been registered! Will keep checking though.

View attachment 144496

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Oct 2023 ==

https://bustimes.org/vehicles/dpce-232-ln73-hnn This is the tracker on Bustimes.org with the number plates and things but they could have a cherished plate on it or maybe it is a website delay.

Or the Government website is just slow to update... It does happen now and again.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

They've done it again! Prentice have put a vehicle in service that hasn't been registered! Will keep checking though.

View attachment 144496

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Oct 2023 ==

https://bustimes.org/vehicles/dpce-232-ln73-hnn This is the tracker on Bustimes.org with the number plates and things but they could have a cherished plate on it or maybe it is a website delay.

That’ll just be the common lag in the government website. I taxed my car and took about 4 days to show up as having done so.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

Good to know, thank you.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Apologies but due to my eyesight, or lack thereof, I'm unable to appreciate the images, is this the latest in a long line of Enviros from Prentice? It is good to see them continually invest and that must be the majority of their service bus fleet now under or around five years old?

 

[cnjb8]

They've done it again! Prentice have put a vehicle in service that hasn't been registered! Will keep checking though.

View attachment 144496

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Oct 2023 ==

https://bustimes.org/vehicles/dpce-232-ln73-hnn This is the tracker on Bustimes.org with the number plates and things but they could have a cherished plate on it or maybe it is a website delay.

Could be an incorrect reg on bustimes? That's an invalid reg anyway

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Could be an incorrect reg on bustimes? That's an invalid reg anyway

See my previous explanation:

That’ll just be the common lag in the government website. I taxed my car and took about 4 days to show up as having done so.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

Apologies but due to my eyesight, or lack thereof, I'm unable to appreciate the images, is this the latest in a long line of Enviros from Prentice? It is good to see them continually invest and that must be the majority of their service bus fleet now under or around five years old?

This is a Mellor Strata, their 4th in the fleet.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

On a unrelated note it's been almost a month since the 111 changes, anyone notice if the changes have been beneficial for folk going to Fort Kinnaird and the Royal?

 

[scosutsut]

Apologies but due to my eyesight, or lack thereof, I'm unable to appreciate the images, is this the latest in a long line of Enviros from Prentice? It is good to see them continually invest and that must be the majority of their service bus fleet now under or around five years old?

They do a good job, not sure on the 5 year old thing - too many cherished number plates in use but it's a modern and well presented fleet.