Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Bus News

[Trainman40083]

On red arrow at the moment, this guy was moaning about how it's been an hour odd since the last red arrow. However I checked and there was one 20 minutes before this one was scheduled however it was slightly late. The one before was a spare vehicle. Maybe people don't even read the destination boards and just expect the bus to be the coach

Four coaches and two Mango Volvos out there.. Maybe that is the downside of branding; people might think Mango Buses Limited is a different service... But standing at Victoria, can you see the destination blinds? Been a very long time since I caught a bus there. Hopefully none of the RA services started from Upper Parliament St today

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 May 2024 ==

On red arrow at the moment, this guy was moaning about how it's been an hour odd since the last red arrow. However I checked and there was one 20 minutes before this one was scheduled however it was slightly late. The one before was a spare vehicle. Maybe people don't even read the destination boards and just expect the bus to be the coach

In fact, on Bustimes, coach 86 gives the impression it might not have gone to Victoria BS. So, there was a 17.14 then a late one at 17.56...

 

[bringiton]

Four coaches and two Mango Volvos out there.. Maybe that is the downside of branding; people might think Mango Buses Limited is a different service... But standing at Victoria, can you see the destination blinds? Been a very long time since I caught a bus there. Hopefully none of the RA services started from Upper Parliament St today

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 May 2024 ==


In fact, on Bustimes, coach 86 gives the impression it might not have gone to Victoria BS. So, there was a 17.14 then a late one at 17.56...

We got on 86 from Parliament Street and it was empty I think when we got on. 80 was in front so they picked up from Victoria Centre first, having 86 leave early to catch up and pick up passengers from Parliament Street. It happened last week as well as there was super bad traffic and there had been no red arrow pick up from Parliament Street in a while.

 

[MCR247]

Has no-one considered/ got the sense to run it much like the Witchway or (until recently) Skyclass X98/X99 up in Yorkshire?

Most likely E400MMCs to a very high spec would provide a much higher passenger experience, and it's not like you can see driver on a coach anyway so that argument doesn't stand.

I hear this a lot, but in my opinion/experience an Enviro400 on Red Arrow would be just as much a waste of money as coaches are, unless you were reducing the off peak frequency.

I’d argue a coach spec double decker could just about provide the same level of passenger experience/comfort but definitely not more. At the end of the day it’s still an ADL bus with all the rattles and everything associated with that, and even with coach style seats they do still feel like buses.

In my honest opinion if keeping it at every 10 mins and coaches are out of the picture I’d suggest a tri-axle single decker if anyone still makes those.

 

[Trainman40083]

I hear this a lot, but in my opinion/experience an Enviro400 on Red Arrow would be just as much a waste of money as coaches are, unless you were reducing the off peak frequency.

I’d argue a coach spec double decker could just about provide the same level of passenger experience/comfort but definitely not more. At the end of the day it’s still an ADL bus with all the rattles and everything associated with that, and even with coach style seats they do still feel like buses.

In my honest opinion if keeping it at every 10 mins and coaches are out of the picture I’d suggest a tri-axle single decker if anyone still makes those.

I hear more and more people suggesting ADL is the problem.. All those rattles... I was walking earlier, and a couple of Red Arrow coaches went past . Could not hear rattles; more clanks from the back end.. But then Volvos often clank, bang etc

 

[bringiton]

I hear more and more people suggesting ADL is the problem.. All those rattles... I was walking earlier, and a couple of Red Arrow coaches went past . Could not hear rattles; more clanks from the back end.. But then Volvos often clank, bang etc

701 villager drove past as I was walking out the bus station earlier and that was noisy. Coaches I rarely hear anything unless there was a problem with the coach

 

[tram21]

I hear more and more people suggesting ADL is the problem.. All those rattles...

I was on the NCT 5 today (operated by Enviro200 MMCs)

Safe to say it was one of the worst I've been on and not a pleasant experience. Some are okay but the majority are bad.

 

[Trainman40083]

701 villager drove past as I was walking out the bus station earlier and that was noisy. Coaches I rarely hear anything unless there was a problem with the coach

I think 701 and some of the other Volvos have a different engine cooling fan (or similar) now, that is noisier. You'll notice that the Arriva Streetlites are also noisy.

 

[bringiton]

I think 701 and some of the other Volvos have a different engine cooling fan (or similar) now, that is noisier. You'll notice that the Arriva Streetlites are also noisy.

The streetlites tend to be inside rattles than outside. But I have been on one or two that haven't gave me a headache
780 is currently tracking on the two

 

[MCR247]

I was on the NCT 5 today (operated by Enviro200 MMCs)

Safe to say it was one of the worst I've been on and not a pleasant experience. Some are okay but the majority are bad.

They’re dreadful little things. I think NCT regret ever ordering them. I know lots of drivers couldn’t wait to see the back of 399 (the only longer Enviro 200 MMC they have/had)

 

[Trainman40083]

They’re dreadful little things. I think NCT regret ever ordering them. I know lots of drivers couldn’t wait to see the back of 399 (the only longer Enviro 200 MMC they have/had)

I have to say, I've not travelled on one, for a long time.. My back aches if I do. You can sit on one and see all the seats vibrating. Did ridd on an Optare Versa, and they seemed fine.

 

[MCR247]

I have to say, I've not travelled on one, for a long time.. My back aches if I do. You can sit on one and see all the seats vibrating. Did ridd on an Optare Versa, and they seemed fine.

The batch of longed E200s NCT bought for the 39 and 40/42 (originally) were great buses but I can’t stand the MMCs they bought.

 

[bringiton]

1 bus and 3 coaches on red arrow at the moment and all the spares are in service on other routes so it's only got the coaches really which can aid it unless they loan one from another depot

 

[Trainman40083]

1 bus and 3 coaches on red arrow at the moment and all the spares are in service on other routes so it's only got the coaches really which can aid it unless they loan one from another depot

If you were at another depot, would you lend a bus to Derby? No. What really irks me, is when someone asks where a missing bus is. The answer is often "delays", which to me, means heavy traffic accident. But Trentbarton use it to cover for buses not running at all, cos there is no bus. TB said the 07.05 Red Arrow was delayed this morning. No, there was no bus. The same passenger then asked about a Rainbow One. Delayed. No, it never ran. Trouble is, once people get their way round Bustimes, the extents of the fins because very obvious, and I am sorry, but that fib is not fair on the drivers that face their passengers

 

[tram21]

For the first time in very very long time there is a full weekday service on the Kinchbus 9.

I suppose regular passengers know which one doesn't run (it's the same daily) so the third bus won't be busy!

 

[Trainman40083]

For the first time in very very long time there is a full weekday service on the Kinchbus 9.

I suppose regular passengers know which one doesn't run (it's the same daily) so the third bus won't be busy!

Either that or the regular passengers between Loughborough and Nottingham just catch the Nottingham City, knowing it runs all the time. Then you only have the few people at the intermediate stops and they probably have a car.

 

[joieman]

I was on the NCT 5 today (operated by Enviro200 MMCs)

Safe to say it was one of the worst I've been on and not a pleasant experience. Some are okay but the majority are bad.

Did ride on an Optare Versa, and they seemed fine.

I rode 399 a couple of years ago and can attest that it is terrible. However I also often find Optare Versas unpleasantly shaky, particularly Arriva Leicestershire's 2949.

 

[Trainman40083]

1 bus and 3 coaches on red arrow at the moment and all the spares are in service on other routes so it's only got the coaches really which can aid it unless they loan one from another depot

Trentbarton said there were no problems on the Red Arrow after 1pm. Yet their own system says otherwise.

Attached image is a screenshot of the trentbarton app, showing cancellation of two red arrow services.

 

[bringiton]

Yeah, luckily when i was going to get red arrow earlier i was expecting to get the 11, unfortunately for the sixes they took the volvo off that service and moved it to red arrow as well a coach pulled in from the depot. Total difference to this morning with 7 busses on the service

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 May 2024 ==

Trentbarton said there were no problems on the Red Arrow after 1pm. Yet their own system says otherwise.

Do they not know the pvr of their own service? Doesn't surprise me though, the other week I heard the customer service say in derby that the i4 goes to broadmarsh bus station instead with red arrow going to Victoria bus station

 

[Trainman40083]

Yeah, luckily when i was going to get red arrow earlier i was expecting to get the 11, unfortunately for the sixes they took the volvo off that service and moved it to red arrow as well a coach pulled in from the depot. Total difference to this morning with 7 busses on the service

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 May 2024 ==


Do they not know the pvr of their own service? Doesn't surprise me though, the other week I heard the customer service say in derby that the i4 goes to broadmarsh bus station instead with red arrow going to Victoria bus station

Maybe the non driving staff do not know their operation well enough.... And it shows. And the "frustration" falls on the drivers. I suspect they don't want their passengers knowing what the PVR is. They just want people to see when one might turn up. Still, at least with less vehicles on Red Arrow, the ones running are delivering a greater return

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 May 2024 ==

Noticed Red Arrow 83 running down the Morledge today, not in service. Must be MOT day.

 

[bringiton]

Noticed Red Arrow 83 running down the Morledge today, not in service. Must be MOT day.

Yeah it expired on the 8th so it would make sense

 

[joieman]

Seems like MMC 145 is on loan to Derby, it's tracking on the Mickleover on Bustimes at the moment.

 

[bringiton]

Seems like MMC 145 is on loan to Derby, it's tracking on the Mickleover on Bustimes at the moment.

There seems to be quite a few today

 

[43055]

Seems like MMC 145 is on loan to Derby, it's tracking on the Mickleover on Bustimes at the moment.

506 was on the mickleover yesterday as well.

 

[bringiton]

I notice MMC 216 is tracking at sutton today from nottingham

 

[tram21]

506 on H1

 

[Hyebone]

I notice MMC 216 is tracking at sutton today from nottingham

This is correct. I have a picture from Mansfield Bus Station of it on a 3B

 

[43055]

With 145, 216 and 506 at other depots yesterday and quickly flicking through bus times I didn't notice missing journeys apart from a couple on the mainline so would it be better for one or two of the spares to transfer to help the other depots that are struggling more instead of having to borrow for a day or two.

 

[bringiton]

With 145, 216 and 506 at other depots yesterday and quickly flicking through bus times I didn't notice missing journeys apart from a couple on the mainline so would it be better for one or two of the spares to transfer to help the other depots that are struggling more instead of having to borrow for a day or two.

Fairly sure they have more busses out during the week than at the weekend from what I gather, thats why they only really send spare out at the weekend, with 506 the odd time during the week

 

[Trainman40083]

Fairly sure they have more busses out during the week than at the weekend from what I gather, thats why they only really send spare out at the weekend, with 506 the odd time during the week

Many routes like Indigo, i4, the One seem to have peak time buses. They work until around 09.30, then come off until around 16.00.

 

[bringiton]

Many routes like Indigo, i4, the One seem to have peak time buses. They work until around 09.30, then come off until around 16.00.

Yeah, stuff like 506 or 669 when I have looked I saw they are on, then off for ages which doesn't allow me to get on it