AndrewTaylor95
Member
Depot trips could be quite handy
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McGill’s Midland Bluebird
- Thread starter stevenedin
- Start date
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CSB0241
Member
I’m a bit surprised that they’re not reusing the 801 number, it’ll have been 3 months since the Bright Bus 801’s cut & if they were so worried about passengers getting it confused with the old 801, McGills could just run the 803 as the 801 since there’d be no route overlap with the old 801 (bar that one singular roundabout at the entry from the A89 into Deans), unless it’s their intention to for some reason renumber the X39 to the 801.
Suppose it’s one way of reinstating a link from Livingston to Falkirk, even if it is just (realistically) one trip a day in each direction… & only from outskirts to outskirts…
Stan Drews
Established Member
- Joined
- 5 Jun 2013
- Messages
- 2,151
Not really anything to do with passenger confusion, more about making it easy to differentiate the routes within various back office systems that have data going back for years …and years!I’m a bit surprised that they’re not reusing the 801 number, it’ll have been 3 months since the Bright Bus 801’s cut & if they were so worried about passengers getting it confused with the old 801, McGills could just run the 803 as the 801 since there’d be no route overlap with the old 801 (bar that one singular roundabout at the entry from the A89 into Deans), unless it’s their intention to for some reason renumber the X39 to the 801.
Suppose it’s one way of reinstating a link from Livingston to Falkirk, even if it is just (realistically) one trip a day in each direction… & only from outskirts to outskirts…
There are changes taking place on this date, copied directly from https://bustimes.org/licences/PM0000003 and https://bustimes.org/licences/PM0000923
13 Variation to route bus stop/stopping places and timetable
72/A Variation to timetable
X38 Variation to timetable
F2 Variation to route and timetable
57 Variation to route bus stop/stopping places and timetable
F25 Variation to route bus stop/stopping places reversing manoeuvres and timetable
178/A/B Variation to timetable
29 F29 Variation to route stopping arrangements and timetable
F25 could do with a reroute, it's one of my local buses however the route is too confusing to use
Don't see any other changes needed apart from maybe the 1 being increased to every 20 minutes at some point , the last few times I've been on the 1 it's always been really busy
stevenedin
Established Member
I've noticed a lot of StreetLites withdrawn now. Have they all been scrapped?
AndrewTaylor95
Member
Would Imagine they'll be sold they're all Euro 6
stevenedin
Established Member
Thanks
VioletEclipse
Member
I don't envy anyone who has to use the routes that the new operators use them on!
Baileygirl
Member
If fixed properly they are good buses. I used to drive them when they were new and apart from them sometimes kicking when changing gear they were OK. They started going down hill when the warning lights started to come on and they wouldn't go over 20mph up hills.
overthewater
Established Member
- Joined
- 16 Apr 2012
- Messages
- 9,139
Details have come out, I dare say the on street parking ban has had some effect.
www.mcgillsscotlandeast.co.uk
Midland Bluebird changes from 16th February 2026
We’re making some updates to our timetables from Monday 16 February 2026
www.mcgillsscotlandeast.co.uk
Baileygirl
Member
Does anyone know why a lot of the buses are not tracking on Bustimes?
AndrewTaylor95
Member
Apparently whoever runs it has turned it off, aught to make their minds up what they do with that website, Tracked for years and all of a sudden just switches it all off, Stagecoach, Lothian and Borders buses seem to be the only ones tracking in Scotland
It's all Scottish feeds running on Passenger/MyTrip. No reason known as of yet. English feeds still show (don't know about Welsh) Reason Borders track is because they are based in Berwick and not Gala
Anyways, shouldn't we be talking about this in https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/bustimes-org.235231/ ?
FlybeDash8Q400
Established Member
It’s a licensing issue with data that comes through the Passengers App - MyTrip. That particular data feed isn’t 100% compliant for general use, for reasons unknown to me. It could be fine to use, but so as to avoid any legal issues, it’s no longer being used. Given the time of year I suspect the terms of use for that feed has probably changed for 2026.
What’s left in Scotland has their own source and has nothing to do with what’s gone.
WibbleWobble
Member
The Passenger feeds went down for a while yesterday afternoon. It was affecting a number of operator websites up and down the UK.
FlybeDash8Q400
Established Member
That’s a separate issue entirely.
Up in front of the Traffic Commissioner again as per https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6992f711ceeaa48d377f6ba9/np_2581_16_February_2026.pdf
overthewater
Established Member
- Joined
- 16 Apr 2012
- Messages
- 9,139
Midland bluebird never seems to have much luck, under first there were also up in front of the Traffic Commissioner. What has the Transport manager suppose to have done?
AndrewTaylor95
Member
Apparently as soon as a light comes up on the dash they've to take the bus to the depot, Using the School deckers on service work I see as well
Passed a Yutong on the F25 earlier which was a shocker...although lately they've been using full sized buses on that route rather than the wheel forward StreetLite that was usually allocated to it.
Also noticed the other side of Larbert Depot with the offices no longer have buses parked up there so I presume there is now enough space inside the garages to put everything in there.
Also saw a Yutong on F25, with the change in route in Shieldhill it's easier to put bigger buses on it now, if necessary
Lots of cancelled buses over the last week, 90 minutes without a number 1 to Maddiston from Falkirk on Tuesday at around 5:15 to 6:45 pm, which is a huge gap in service for the 1, especially as that is probably in the top 5 busiest route on the Bluebird network
NorthClyde320
Member
Are the disposals to Clyde Metal Scrap and Ensign Dealer still ongoing or have they been ended/paused? Haven't seen any mentioned on here for a while now.
The recent issues of BUSES Magazine reported that some redundant Citaros, E300s and Solos from the main McGill’s fleet went for scrap to Clyde Metals last November
Mcgills are saying that this is due to a new ruling :-
Stirling bus chaos blamed on DVSA emissions rule
McGill's says drivers are no longer allowed to ignore dashboard warning lights.
www.thecourier.co.uk
That's a very convoluted way of saying McGills don't keep their vehicles in shape.Mcgills are saying that this is due to a new ruling :-
Stirling bus chaos blamed on DVSA emissions rule
McGill's says drivers are no longer allowed to ignore dashboard warning lights.
I hope the TC throws the book at them for that excuse alone
AndrewTaylor95
Member
It's laughable, deary me
318266
Member
So... their excuse for running out buses in non-roadworthy condition, is that "well we thought they were fine!!".Mcgills are saying that this is due to a new ruling :-
Stirling bus chaos blamed on DVSA emissions rule
McGill's says drivers are no longer allowed to ignore dashboard warning lights.
There's a book for a reason.
If they are only doing this now, I cannot wait to see the judgement from the TC. There are going to be some stories in thatIt's laughable, deary me