First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset)

[nick291]

The B10BLEs were a really good piece of kit and I didn't mind the B6BLE (Wright Crusader 2, which First Bristol used to operate on the 20, 51 (and 90?) all now defunct routes) either.

In Bristol I found the ALX200 to be OK too.

The V-PFB/482XX B6BLE/Crusaders did occasionally venture onto what was the 90 and the 88/89 before that, depends what specific bus was swapped IIRC. Weren't they new for the 20/21/22/73 originally? I remember Bath having one's that would eventually end up at Buses of Somerset and not being particularly fond of them, the hard low back seats did not help.

Also(slightly off topic here) I seem to recall allocation swaps were pretty common for Darts M532 FFB and S725 AFB to be swapped with one another around this time. For example M532 FFB could be on the 90 whilst S725 AFB could rock up on the 51/52 in it's place. Made for some interesting variety as a bus enthusiast in South Bristol! The ALX 200 bodied darts were my absolute favourite as a young enthusiast, V734 FAE was the one I'd look out for and try and ride the most!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The V-PFB/482XX B6BLE/Crusaders did occasionally venture onto what was the 90 and the 88/89 before that, depends what specific bus was swapped IIRC. Weren't they new for the 20/21/22/73 originally? I remember Bath having one's that would eventually end up at Buses of Somerset and not being particularly fond of them, the hard low back seats did not help.

Also(slightly off topic here) I seem to recall allocation swaps were pretty common for Darts M532 FFB and S725 AFB to be swapped with one another around this time. For example M532 FFB could be on the 90 whilst S725 AFB could rock up on the 51/52 in it's place. Made for some interesting variety as a bus enthusiast in South Bristol! The ALX 200 bodied darts were my absolute favourite as a young enthusiast, V734 FAE was the one I'd look out for and try and ride the most!

The Bath B6s were newer (02 plate), ex York, and had the then standard buttock numbing First seats. Only 48201 had a V reg IIRC - others were W reg.

Well built machines (bodywork wise) but B6LEs weren’t great

 

[DaveHarries]

The V-PFB/482XX B6BLE/Crusaders did occasionally venture onto what was the 90 and the 88/89 before that, depends what specific bus was swapped IIRC. Weren't they new for the 20/21/22/73 originally? I remember Bath having one's that would eventually end up at Buses of Somerset and not being particularly fond of them, the hard low back seats did not help.

Also(slightly off topic here) I seem to recall allocation swaps were pretty common for Darts M532 FFB and S725 AFB to be swapped with one another around this time. For example M532 FFB could be on the 90 whilst S725 AFB could rock up on the 51/52 in it's place. Made for some interesting variety as a bus enthusiast in South Bristol! The ALX 200 bodied darts were my absolute favourite as a young enthusiast, V734 FAE was the one I'd look out for and try and ride the most!

I don't know if the B6BLEs were purchased for any route specifically. I remember Pointer Dart SLFs replacing the Mercedes 709Ds (!) on the 20, 21 & 22 and the B6BLEs also used to venture onto those routes. The Dart SLFs also used to end up on the 528 & 530 (two routes I miss - I was a regular user of them) in place of the 709Ds which were completely inadequate for both routes with demand frequently outstripping capacity. I remember B6BLEs on the 57 (Henbury - City Centre - Stockwood) as well.

Buses around my part of Bristol are quite poor nowadays with some large gaps to evening services on the 3 and 4: the return of the 528 and / or 530 would be very welcome.

Dave

 

[Russel]

Well built machines (bodywork wise) but B6LEs weren’t great

Arriva brought a batch of B6LE Wright Crusaders and from memory, they only lasted around 10 years.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Arriva brought a batch of B6LE Wright Crusaders and from memory, they only lasted around 10 years.

Perhaps a reflection on the chassis rather than the body? The Daf SB120/Wright Cadet was quite long lived with Arriva Cymru and North East with examples reaching 18 years?

 

[baza585]

Perhaps a reflection on the chassis rather than the body? The Daf SB120/Wright Cadet was quite long lived with Arriva Cymru and North East with examples reaching 18 years?

Yes the chassis was the problem. Weymouth had a batch of these, nominally for the Portland route. The hill out of Portland killed them regularly, and they tended to be off the road or on less punishing routes.

As others have said, B10BLEs were fine buses and coped whatever was thrown at them. Much missed.

 

[nick291]

The Bath B6s were newer (02 plate), ex York, and had the then standard buttock numbing First seats. Only 48201 had a V reg IIRC - others were W reg.

Well built machines (bodywork wise) but B6LEs weren’t great

You are right, 48201-209 went to Weymouth if I'm not mistaken.

I don't know if the B6BLEs were purchased for any route specifically. I remember Pointer Dart SLFs replacing the Mercedes 709Ds (!) on the 20, 21 & 22 and the B6BLEs also used to venture onto those routes. The Dart SLFs also used to end up on the 528 & 530 (two routes I miss - I was a regular user of them) in place of the 709Ds which were completely inadequate for both routes with demand frequently outstripping capacity. I remember B6BLEs on the 57 (Henbury - City Centre - Stockwood) as well.

Buses around my part of Bristol are quite poor nowadays with some large gaps to evening services on the 3 and 4: the return of the 528 and / or 530 would be very welcome.

Dave

I was quite sad when the Mercedes 709D Got taken off the 52 and 36 for step entrance Darts in around 2003/4. But then the Darts soldiered on until around 2012, FWOE getting their use out of them!

 

[GBM]

Indeed. More have appeared today, 23rd December, for:

1 (1A), shown on VOSA as Penzance - Sennen Cove
2 (Penzance - Helston)
4, 4A Penzance - St. Just, via. Newbridge
14 (18), shown on VOSA as Truro - Penzance
24 (St. Austell - Fowey)

My thoughts on the above:

- Regarding the 14 & 18: Good to see that the Truro - Penzance link will survive in some form but weren't the T1 and T2 previously known by those route numbers? No mention of St. Ives either but those entries may come later.

- Service 2 by GCB will be more of a TT variation as they already run that route. I think the difference between the 2 and the 3 is that one serves Praa Sands and the other doesn't. It could be that the 2 and 3 are combined for 2bph Penzance - Helston.

- The 17 means that Madron loses its link to Penzance in its present form. My guess for that is either:

a) 4 & 4A to give 2bph between St. Just and Penzance with the 4A via. Madron although I wouldn't have thought 2bph between Penzance and St. Just would be sustainable. As an aside I have always thought that Boscaswell Estate, when I have looked at it on Google Maps, looks quite a tight spot for a terminus and I wonder why they don't do Penzance - Newbridge - Pendeen - Botallack - St. Just instead and use St. Just Bus Station as the terminus: perhaps that will now happen.

or

b) Service 4 to be Penzance - Madron - Newbridge - St. Just - Botallack - Pendeen (Boscaswell Estate), unless they reverse it as per my suggestion above, at 1bph and have the 4A running fast Penzance - Newbridge - St. Just as positioning journeys.


GCB currently have a 32 between Falmouth, Tremough and Truro and a 32A between Penryn College and Truro: I wonder if the two will combine to provide a good level of service between Falmouth and Truro or whether the new 33/33A will see off the 32/32A.

I guess we won't see more now until after the festive break but the full details will likely come sometime in January.

Dave

There used to be an X18 - Penzance to Truro express service (ish').
All stops Penzance to Hayle Lidl, thence bypass direct to Chiverton roundabout, and into Truro via that end.
Reverse all stops to Chiverton, thence direct to Hayle Lidl and all stops to Penzance.
Think it was first stop Truro College inbound; conversely last stop Truro College. Threemilestone wasn't served by the X18.
Broke down on several busses on that route!

 

[Airfrance_A318]

Just wondering if anyone knows what is going with 54112 (WR23 FXG) as I have been on all but one of the M6 branded buses. I know they have had reliability problems but I’m hoping it will be out again!

 

[83G/84D]

Just wondering if anyone knows what is going with 54112 (WR23 FXG) as I have been on all but one of the M6 branded buses. I know they have had reliability problems but I’m hoping it will be out again!

It has been parked up in Camborne for a while, not sure what's going on with it.

 

[FirstKernow]

It has been parked up in Camborne for a while, not sure what's going on with it.

53864 was on the M6 yesterday to.

 

[Airfrance_A318]

It has been parked up in Camborne for a while, not sure what's going on with it.

Alright thanks. I guess fingers crossed I’ll be able to hunt it down prior to firsts last day.

 

[fgwrich]

As we move ever closer to the final day, it seems some of the fleet transfer details may be emerging - rumoured but not officially so far are that :

E400 MMC's to be distributed to First West Of England (Weston, Bristol and Bath)

All Volvo B9TL 2s could be sent to Norwich (ironically meaning a return to Norwich for some).

Not sure about the rest yet though eg E200 MMC, Mercedes Sprinters etc. Info courtesy of the First Bus Enthusiasts group on FB.

————————————

A small update, post now unconfirmed but information is still plausible.

 

[aswilliamsuk]

As we move ever closer to the final day, it seems some of the fleet transfer details are emerging:

E400 MMC's to be distributed to First West Of England (Weston, Bristol and Bath)

All Volvo B9TL 2s to be sent to Norwich (ironically meaning a return to Norwich for some).

Not sure about the rest yet though eg E200 MMC, Mercedes Sprinters etc. Info courtesy of the First Bus Enthusiasts group on FB.

Presumably the E400s to WoE will release the remaining StreetDecks there (I make it 20 of them) for Repower or cascade (I'd be surprised if 35563-70 get repowered yet, but you never know).

 

[fgwrich]

Presumably the E400s to WoE will release the remaining StreetDecks there (I make it 20 of them) for Repower or cascade (I'd be surprised if 35563-70 get repowered yet, but you never know).

That seems to be the general feeling for Western, presumably the rest will just replace older vehicles at Bath and Bristol.

 

[aswilliamsuk]

That seems to be the general feeling for Western, presumably the rest will just replace older vehicles at Bath and Bristol.

Agreed - and with the large number of electric vehicles (27 Repowers, 12 E200 EV, 5 E100 EV and 116, presumably deckers, as yet unannounced - as well as 21 more electric vehicles for the A1 and A2), there's a whole lot of standardisation coming! Not to mention what must be the end of the B9TLs.

 

[Rutland Road]

An unfortunate incident at Castle Way, Taunton yesterday. Streetlite 63046 ran into the back of GB Kite 63699. Leaves First Bus Somerset short of operational vehicles and resulting in numerous service cancellations.

Emergency services called to bus crash in Taunton

Emergency services were called to a two-bus collision, which occurred in Castle Way, Taunton, on Thursday, January 15, 2025.

www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk

 

[Nammer]

I believe 2 of the Enviro 200 MMCs are due to transfer to Solent (Hilsea) to replace the 2 09 reg Mini Enviros (44916/7)

 

[Rutland Road]

Disappointing none of the MMCs appear to be coming to Somerset. 58 & 59 plate vehicles will probably be with us for a while yet.

 

[Acathater]

First must be desperate to send a bus out on service that's partially devoid of paint like that.
If they can't be bothered to paint it, what else haven't they done to it?

 

[Jamesbus80]

Reported by a ‘usually reliable source’ on the First Hants & Dorset forum, along with separate intel on the Provincial Society Facebook page, that 44951 and 44952 (WK18BVB/C) are going to Hilsea depot to replace the two mini Enviro200s 44916/7 on tendered route 22, which requires small buses.

44916 and 44917 were also interestingly former First Devon & Cornwall buses (amongst many other localities), being in Plymouth for Ugobus services.

It should mean the two will receive Solent blue colours, but this has not yet been confirmed. We will find out after 14th Feb.

 

[baza585]

I believe 2 of the Enviro 200 MMCs are due to transfer to Solent (Hilsea) to replace the 2 09 reg Mini Enviros (44916/7)

Thank goodness. 44916/7 are on their last legs......

 

[Goldfish62]

Just wondering if anyone knows what is going with 54112 (WR23 FXG) as I have been on all but one of the M6 branded buses. I know they have had reliability problems but I’m hoping it will be out again!

54112 is back on the road now. Currently on the M6.

 

[YorkRailFan]

A thought regarding the Sprinters. Might they end up at York Pullman? Pullman is part of FirstGroup and already has a small fleet of Sprinters for private hire. If they perhaps refurbished or retrofitted them, Pullman might have a use for them.

 

[Callum15632]

A thought regarding the Sprinters. Might they end up at York Pullman? Pullman is part of FirstGroup and already has a small fleet of Sprinters for private hire. If they perhaps refurbished or retrofitted them, Pullman might have a use for them.

Manchester apparently according to what I've heard.

 

[Goldfish62]

Manchester apparently according to what I've heard.

Bee Network?

 

[Jamesbus80]

According to BusTimes, 44951 has moved up to First Solent. I do not yet have confirmation of it arriving at Hilsea or Hoeford.

 

[Nammer]

According to BusTimes, 44951 has moved up to First Solent. I do not yet have confirmation of it arriving at Hilsea or Hoeford.

It has been spotted at the old News Centre site at Hilsea earlier today.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Manchester apparently according to what I've heard.

For Rochdale services?

 

[fgwrich]

It has been spotted at the old News Centre site at Hilsea earlier today.

Not my photo:

44951 WK18 BVB

Hilsea Lido

www.flickr.com