TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Most of the open toppers are parked up at Taunton depot though a couple were still hidden in Yeovil.
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First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset)
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Rutland Road
Member
Over provision of OTs. Three at Taunton ready to run but PVR is just one - three daily return journeys; Minehead 09:30, 12:30, 15:30 to Lynmouth. Devon operating connecting single decker on to Ilfracombe. Out for tender now, operating dates similar to last year.
Ancelljb
Member
This has now been removed. The link here for people who want to see the other "explore" routes (https://www.firstbus.co.uk/explore), indeed explore Exmoor is no longer lister.
YorkRailFan
Established Member
Looks like First has also removed Cornwall from the regions list on the website. Although the URL (https://www.firstbus.co.uk/cornwall/update-our-cornwall-operations) still works for the update on the closure of Kernow.
buscoaster
Member
Does this mean there will be no Discover Exmoor this year, or has it been confirmed as happening?
M803UYA
Member
Won't it depend who wins the tender?
buscoaster
Member
I haven't seen the tender. Does it specify open top buses?
Rutland Road
Member
Not sure which operator has won the EX1 tender but it definitely isn't First Bus.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
There's not that many options...
Stagecoach?
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
I think they would be the strong favourite
I myself think it could very well be Dartline, they have already won the PR1 for Truro, a very good contender indeed.I think they would be the strong favourite
Goldfish62
Veteran Member
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The PR1 was a direct award (not tendered) to Plymouth Citybus, who are running it under the Dartline O licence.
Leedsbusman
Member
Surely only Dartline can operate on the Dartline operators license unless they are doing lots of short term hires.
It will be service 300 operated by Stagecoach. Sorry I can't post link but trust me it is on VOSA/traffic commissioner website starting 23 May
Goldfish62
Veteran Member
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So it is.
YorkRailFan
Established Member
(There's two links as its a split registration)
JKP
Member
Nice to see that it will be using an old Ilfracombe route number though arguably it should be 306 which was Ilfracombe to Lynton.
So, will Stagecoach return open tops to the South West or will this just be closed top and a regular service.
Either way it’s another scalp for First - so much for the Adventures by Bus brand which fully has been reduced to a distant memory now.
Either way it’s another scalp for First - so much for the Adventures by Bus brand which fully has been reduced to a distant memory now.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
300 was the number used by Southern National/Red Bus during the 1990s and into the 2000s
TBH, it really could only have been Stagecoach.
Goldfish62
Veteran Member
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Not with you. PCB have allocated operation of PR1 to fellow GSW operator Dartline (Dealtop). The Truronian operation is also run by Dartline.
Anyway, this is getting way off topic, so all I'll add is that the above is all in the public domain on the government contracts finder and the OTC local bus service registration websites.
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JKP
Member
Thanks. I didn’t have a timetable to hand for that period.
Leedsbusman
Member
That isn’t quite what you said before which was PCB was the operator using Dartline licenses which it cannot do.
Goldfish62
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I'm so sorry that I didn't explain it properly.
buscoaster
Member
I am very intrigued to see...I think the open top element was a major part of the attraction for the route, and I would have thought it was worthwhile it being specified in the tender. Undoubtedly it would make the tender cost more, but I think this would easily be received back in the extra patronage it would encourage.
DaveHarries
Established Member
Their nearest operating base to Ilfracombe is at Pottington (Barnstaple) so I wonder if any journeys on Services 21 & 21A will interwork with the 300 in order to avoid empty vehicle movements and allow for driver changeovers. No timetables out anywhere as yet AFAIK.
Dave
buscoaster
Member
They do have experience with open toppers here
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
I don't know if it's quite the factor - a decker makes sense.
I would suspect that it will be a self contained set of duties with breaks built in. It's not a long way from Pottington to Ilfracombe. That's assuming that it will be run from that end.
300 Minehead - Lynmouth - Ilfracombe
For most of this century it was run with that number as 2 contracts, Devon and Somerset and often both by Quantock Motor Services with various timetables and sometimes with through journeys. Filers did the Ilfracombe end some years and I think Ridlers may have contributed at the Minehead end certain years. None of these companies are into bus operation at the moment and so it almost has to be the local main operator today. Taw and Torridge operate in Ilfracombe Mon-Sat and so could have been interested. Dartline do not currently operate in North Devon.
There have been in-service positioning journeys over the years from Barnstaple and Taunton. Stagecoach could use Tiverton for a bus starting at Minehead, if the A396 has height clearance for a double decker. Exeter - Tiverton - Minehead (Butlins) has been a bus service.
Interesting that it has switched to the Devon operator rather than the Somerset one.
For most of this century it was run with that number as 2 contracts, Devon and Somerset and often both by Quantock Motor Services with various timetables and sometimes with through journeys. Filers did the Ilfracombe end some years and I think Ridlers may have contributed at the Minehead end certain years. None of these companies are into bus operation at the moment and so it almost has to be the local main operator today. Taw and Torridge operate in Ilfracombe Mon-Sat and so could have been interested. Dartline do not currently operate in North Devon.
There have been in-service positioning journeys over the years from Barnstaple and Taunton. Stagecoach could use Tiverton for a bus starting at Minehead, if the A396 has height clearance for a double decker. Exeter - Tiverton - Minehead (Butlins) has been a bus service.
Interesting that it has switched to the Devon operator rather than the Somerset one.
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