jazza374
Member
Other would be 44463
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ScottDarg
Member
I didn't catch any branding on them as I passed I'm afraid. If it helps they were red Scania's vehicles if I remember rightly.
Whiteway215
Established Member
Thank you. Wigleys are the regular collectors of scrap from First Glasgow and their wreckers are red Scania so you’ve really confirmed the company.
Because the Repowers were allocated to Scotstoun and the E400MMCs moved to other depots in exchange.
AndrewTaylor95
Member
Streetdeck Newpowers in Scotstoun and Caley needed more deckers due to shortage and Blantyre for a PVR increase, 53258 WK68 BTZ entered service a few days ago in Blantyre as well, Just 53255 to go now then that's all the longer length Solo SRs in service, just the shorter ones to come back from Sheffield for the SPT work in July
JumpinTrainz
Established Member
- Joined
- 30 Jul 2018
- Messages
- 1,929
I imagine it will only be temporary whilst Scotstoun awaits its Yutongs.
Dfatcontroller
Member
Are the Yutongs not to a suitable height for the 6?
Pelicans website says they are 4350mm in height which Google says is 14'2, so no, they won't be able to be used on the 6.
AndrewTaylor95
Member
Unless they've asked for them to be made to a specific height then I highly doubt it, they'll be for any route in Scotstoun bar the 6
JumpinTrainz
Established Member
- Joined
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It’s more than likely they’ll be used primarily on the 2, 3 and 77. The 6 will no doubt eventually revert to singles.
Surprised the low height E400s have lastest this long in the fleet. I do think the 6 will just go all single, its mostly E300s atm.
Metal Mickey
Member
If the Yutongs can be specified for 13”9’ then surely they’ll be used on the 6.
IF they can. But until it's confirmed by an official source then nobody knows.
Busman84
Member
Wrightbus were doing a lowheight Streetdeck that’s been ordered in the past. This is 13’9 and could be an option for the future.
They're 13'10"
Strathclyder
Established Member
Surprised it hasn't already tbh. I'm fortunate in that I have the option of alternative bus routes where I live but not everyone has that option and so will be crammed onto E200EVs that are wholly inadequate for the routes like the 6; it's one reason I've stopped using the 2 and the One to get into Glasgow if the train isn't a option, the main reason being that WCM's 17 to/from Duntocher is overall quicker, more direct and better value for money. Yes, the 17 only uses single-deckers, but most of those are modern heavyweights in the form of Volvo B8s/Evoras and are a far better passenger enviroment than most of First's offerings on the 2 for the simple fact that they're far better built than the E200EVs, which are quite frankly some the poorest-built buses I've ever had to travel on. But I'm getting OT here.
The 6 is busy enough in the core section even with a full compliment of deckers. I'm sure one of the manufacturers could come up with a decker design that's low enough to fit under the Busby bridge (the other option of course is to lower the road going under the bridge, but I really doubt East Renfrewshire Council will cough up the cash for that even if they had it), but that of course costs money. Money, scarce as it is right now, isn't getting spent on what basically amounts to, in the grand scheme, a batch of bespoke deckers for one route. So yeah, like you, I have no doubt that deckers will gradually disappear from the 6 in the next few years.
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They had a chance when the East Kilbride line was upgraded to lower the road. I guess it was a budget or another reason we aren't aware of.
I had a chance yesterday to use the X43 and X44 services. The X43 was a E200MMC and the X44 was a E400MMC. I boarded at Hamilton and went all the way to the Fort. The only other passenger was a guy who got on at Bellshill going to the Fort. The X44 was a little busier but I was last off at Newarthill.
I had a chance yesterday to use the X43 and X44 services. The X43 was a E200MMC and the X44 was a E400MMC. I boarded at Hamilton and went all the way to the Fort. The only other passenger was a guy who got on at Bellshill going to the Fort. The X44 was a little busier but I was last off at Newarthill.
jazza374
Member
Did an X44 into and out of Glasgow today from Bellshill. Roadworks in town badly affecting reliability and one service inbound was cancelled. About 14 passengers on way in and 15 on way back. Can’t see it paying if they continue to use deckers as it is interworked with the X11. Maybe needs to be a stand alone route with singles operated from Overtown? Hope it picks up a bit as it’s useful for people from Holytown/Mossend/Bellshill to have a fast service into town.
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Does the X43 interwork with anything? It arrive on stand at Hamilton at 10am, the time it was due to depart.
jazza374
Member
No. It’s not interworked with anything else. Think 10am is the first run so will have come from Overtown depot to Hamilton
Jordan1296
Member
I’ve never seen anybody on either X43 or X44 services when they’ve passed me in Bellshill. Must just be unfortunate timing.
Strathclyder
Established Member
Exactly. If ever there was a time to do it, it was then. More than likely a lack of funds and/or a underlying infrastructure reason (utlities etc) that's making lowering the road a non-starter.
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AndrewTaylor95
Member
I don't think the X44 will last the next round of Changes, Always only about 3 or 4 people you see on board
The issue with the 6 is the frequency has dropped. I think it's roughly every 15 minutes (although sometimes there are weirdly spaced gaps) whereas it was every 10 minutes or better. Leaving EK at 5pm at night, there is only 3 buses an hour which is a fair drop. So you used to have at least 6 buses an hour, it's now a lot less and the deckers are better suited than single decks which can get packed.
The route is also very long - comfortably over 2 hours end to end and I find reliability can be mixed - roadworks just kill the service. Not so bad when it's frequent but if it's every 20 minutes and a bus is late you can be waiting a while.
I think the odd gaps are AI timetabling. I went to use the 31 and thought it would be every 30 mins, no its not, its odd times and gaps.
Strathclyder
Established Member
Yeah, it's a stark contrast to even a decade or so ago when all the low-height E400s were on-fleet (yes I know the E400Hs were spotty reliablity-wise, but they were cracking motors when they worked).
All very true, especially the part about the roadworks/diversions. In my over 25 years living near Glasgow and having to commute into it regularly for the last 10 or so of those years, I genuinely can't remember it ever being as bad as it is now.
Cowcaddens Rd, Cathedral St, Union St, Argyle St, Woodside Viaduct, George Square, the Waterloo St slip road onto the M8 - and several others I'm doubtless forgetting - are either hamstrung by roadworks or closed altogether, resulting in a magical mystery tour in order to get around them. Unsurprisingly, this makes bus travel in/out of the city a tiresome exercise at best.
External factors are to largely to blame for the Cathedral & Union St closures but none of it is or has been helped by Glasgow City Council, whose weapons-grade incompetence concerning the Union St fire in particular has shafted everyone from First, McGill's, Stagecoach & ScotRail down to the small business owners on Union/Gordon St who are slowly bleeding out financially thanks to the blockade not being lifted until 'sometime' in July and the resultant loss of business; rather flies in the face of their grand regeneration plans for Union St imho - and every single one of First's routes running into the city is getting hammered by at least one or two of the above closures/roadworks. The likes of the The One, 2, 3, The 38 Group, 57/A, 60/60A, 61, 75 etc are close to hopeless reliabilty wise at the moment and I've been avoiding using them where-ever possible to get across the city. Even when using West Coast's 17, I need to remember to plan an additional 15-20 minutes at minimum into my journey time if I'm making a onward connection at Central, to account for whatever traffic jams await me on the way in, having to walk down from the last stop a block to the north of the station before the blockade and buying my ticket.
I can't see most of the above examples reopening before the Commonwealth Games return in a few weeks. While it won't be nearly as large an event as 2014 was, it still isn't a good look on top of how generally scabby the city centre has been looking for some time now (but since most of the cameras won't be in the city centre proper I guess it doesn't really matter does it?). The aftereffects of COVID and everything else that's happened since 2020/21 have manifested themselves here as decay and neglect, exacerbated by the aforementioned incompetence of GCC.
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Buzby
Established Member
On Saturday 16th last I was at Asda Bishopbriggs and expecting to catch any number of First services (88, 89, 89B etc) into Buchanan at 0735, as I was due to catch a AWC London train from Central. The shelter display showed three of the aforementioned routes due in 3, 12 & 18 minutes. As the timers decreased and changed to ‘Due’, they dropped off the display and the bus never arrived. Interestingly, only 1 bus (an 88) passed in the opposite direction. After 45minutes there was a very real danger I’d miss my train so hot-footed it to Bishopbriggs Station to catch the train to Queen Street at 0828. All the while there were no buses in either direction and queues at the stops.
I did make my train with seconds to spare, and I emailled First CS asking what happened, and why (rather than show timetable timings) was there a countdown for a non-tracking bus? Their reply was apologetic but went onto say they had no details of any problem, but would ‘pass on’ my concern. Anyone know why the A803 became the ‘Twilight Zone’?
I did make my train with seconds to spare, and I emailled First CS asking what happened, and why (rather than show timetable timings) was there a countdown for a non-tracking bus? Their reply was apologetic but went onto say they had no details of any problem, but would ‘pass on’ my concern. Anyone know why the A803 became the ‘Twilight Zone’?
heart-of-wessex
Established Member
What a mess the bus system is around Glasgow Central, no info on bus stops or app on what the alterations are.
First thing was walked up from Central to CeX at the top end, having done a fair amount of walking thought I'd be lazy went to Renfield Street for a bus to Central Station. Turns out if you ask for Central Station the driver tells you to walk down. So walk down I did even though I'd rather the short bus trip even if it was £2
Going back up to Buchanan Bus Station to carry on getting some shots up there (having got a 398 from there to Central earlier) tried to remember where the 398 dropped me off at, as the normal bus stop is closed (road closure) and there is no signs saying which one is the temporary stop for the 398, and nothing on the next bus display either
Using picture memory I'm sure I have the right stop, minutes later a 398 is coming up the road, in the left hand lane great, but then halfway down goes flying into the right hand lane, now wondering if I have the right stop, or judt pulled out early because there was a 3 already on the bus stop
Look on tracker that is the only vehicle tracking on the First App (Only Stagecoach vehicles traking on Bustimes) now trying to figure what other routes go to bus station, looks like bus stop south of Argyle Street for a 9A will do one due soon, found this on bustimes bus stop into
Walking down a 398 is coming up the road! Not appearing in First App live tracker, and stops in bus stop where I was so it is the right stop but now I'm too far down to make it now.
Gets to bus stop south of Argyle Street, no mention of a 9A on bus flag, but bustimes confirms this is definitely the stop, quick look on First App tracker and same bus stop confirmed, ok I'll go by that...9A goes sailing past on right hand lane with no intention on stopping...so this isn't the 9A stop then?
Back up the road to wait a few minutes for another 398 which thankfully stops, only me on it.
I suppose it's only good if you are local and you know what's going on!
First thing was walked up from Central to CeX at the top end, having done a fair amount of walking thought I'd be lazy went to Renfield Street for a bus to Central Station. Turns out if you ask for Central Station the driver tells you to walk down. So walk down I did even though I'd rather the short bus trip even if it was £2
Going back up to Buchanan Bus Station to carry on getting some shots up there (having got a 398 from there to Central earlier) tried to remember where the 398 dropped me off at, as the normal bus stop is closed (road closure) and there is no signs saying which one is the temporary stop for the 398, and nothing on the next bus display either
Using picture memory I'm sure I have the right stop, minutes later a 398 is coming up the road, in the left hand lane great, but then halfway down goes flying into the right hand lane, now wondering if I have the right stop, or judt pulled out early because there was a 3 already on the bus stop
Look on tracker that is the only vehicle tracking on the First App (Only Stagecoach vehicles traking on Bustimes) now trying to figure what other routes go to bus station, looks like bus stop south of Argyle Street for a 9A will do one due soon, found this on bustimes bus stop into
Walking down a 398 is coming up the road! Not appearing in First App live tracker, and stops in bus stop where I was so it is the right stop but now I'm too far down to make it now.
Gets to bus stop south of Argyle Street, no mention of a 9A on bus flag, but bustimes confirms this is definitely the stop, quick look on First App tracker and same bus stop confirmed, ok I'll go by that...9A goes sailing past on right hand lane with no intention on stopping...so this isn't the 9A stop then?
Back up the road to wait a few minutes for another 398 which thankfully stops, only me on it.
I suppose it's only good if you are local and you know what's going on!
scotraildriver
Established Member
- Joined
- 15 Jun 2009
- Messages
- 1,846
The A803 was completely shut for a week between Westerhill Road and the retail park. With nowhere to turn the buses had to terminate at Bishopbriggs Cross.