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Stagecoach North Scotland (Bluebird and Highland)
- Thread starter overthewater
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overthewater
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This is what I was hopping would happened with the £2 fare cap, some of the compaines would try and make some improvements
Morayshire
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Fare increase at the start of May as well apparently (source is a unhappy co-worker).
If the X7 is going, will there still be a direct Dundee Arbroath Montrose Stonehaven bus by Stagecoach or is that now down to Ember?
If the X7 is going, will there still be a direct Dundee Arbroath Montrose Stonehaven bus by Stagecoach or is that now down to Ember?
overthewater
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Most of the X7 is run by East Scotland not, North Scotland however it looks like those runs are also staying? https://bustimes.org/registrations/PM0000005/812
These are positioning runs to get buses to and from Stonehaven that have been cancelled.
Jordan Adam
Established Member
The changes see the Aberdeen - Stonehaven service increased to a 20 minute frequency with the combined X7/X8/X9 setup. I actually quite like what they seem to be doing here as it manages to strike the balance of providing as much connections possible while offering as fast a service as possible. Something which the Aberdeen - Stonehaven corridor has never really got right. Although i do think Portlethen could do with being served on a better frequency.
Notably also the 59 is being reduced to a 20 minute frequency.
Notably also the 59 is being reduced to a 20 minute frequency.
The 727 alternates between either serving Chapelton or Skateraw Road, so both will retain their existing hourly frequency. Although for those within walking distance of the Park & Ride it does see the service increase from three buses an hour to five buses an hour.
This article has more details about the changes:-
www.northern-scot.co.uk
Bus masterplan aims to deliver ‘reliable, consistent and accessible’ services for north-east passengers
A revamp of bus services across the north has been unveiled by a major coach firm serving the region.
scottishtrains
Member
ive managed to create (what i believe is accurate) table of route changes - if anything is wrong please dont be afraid to point it out
X9 Aberdeen - Stonehaven express hourly (follows X7 route and stops roughly excluding serving P&R)
X8 Aberdeen - Portlethen - Stonehaven express hourly (serves newtonhill and chapelton outside of 727 operations)
X7 remains as current with all bluebird operated runs being cancelled
727 south of aberdeen will serve portlethen and chapelton outside of X8 operations
727 north of aberdeen will go from airport to dyce railway station every 45 minutes
8 to serve newtonhill and portlethen only then continue to stonehaven
59 reduction to 3 buses per hour @ 20 min frequency
737 is cancelled
all info from traveline scotland website: https://www.travelinescotland.com/cms/home
to take affect on 25th may
X9 Aberdeen - Stonehaven express hourly (follows X7 route and stops roughly excluding serving P&R)
X8 Aberdeen - Portlethen - Stonehaven express hourly (serves newtonhill and chapelton outside of 727 operations)
X7 remains as current with all bluebird operated runs being cancelled
727 south of aberdeen will serve portlethen and chapelton outside of X8 operations
727 north of aberdeen will go from airport to dyce railway station every 45 minutes
8 to serve newtonhill and portlethen only then continue to stonehaven
59 reduction to 3 buses per hour @ 20 min frequency
737 is cancelled
all info from traveline scotland website: https://www.travelinescotland.com/cms/home
to take affect on 25th may
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Black Isle and Cromarty! I think the Stonehaven timetable changes are great but don’t get why the 59 is getting the reduction. I am planning to make an Inverness guide next however I am stuck on what to do with the school services of the local area. (111/112, 104 is def going to be in the guide) The 120 also I am stuck on what to do with it. Should I just make one with all the 1xx services? I think they are designated but members of the public can board right? For the guide I am going to go ahead with the 112 in the guide (maybe also 111).
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Inverness:
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Inverness:
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PG
Established Member
Maybe the 59 is no longer the 'cash cow' that it once was?
Talking of cash, perhaps one of things which differentiated Stagecoach from the competition was them giving change. With cash no longer being the predominant method of payment that advantage has been lost. It feels like the company might in the future pull the plug on the 59 altogether...
GusB
Established Member
When did that change (pun not intended)? The 59 vehicles used to have hoppers for exact fare. Admittedly, it has been a good while since I've been to Aberdeen.
PG
Established Member
I must confess it has been many years since I boarded a 59 but I'd guess it may have been when the MAN 18.220's were removed from use on the 59. I could, however, be well wide of the mark so if anyone knows better feel free to correct the score!
Jordan Adam
Established Member
The vehicles with hoppers were for use on the "Night Bird" night bus services. The 59 always gave change, usually during the day the hoppers would have a bag over them.
The 59 has never really recovered since covid, it took quite a big hit between 2019 and 2022 when Union Terrace was closed southbound as the 59 was going via the Denburn meaning the only city centre stop was on Guild Street whereas First were rerouting the 3 and 12 via Broad Street, Adelphi and Market Street as such a lot of the "i'll get whatever bus comes first" market switched to just using the 3 or 12 with the more convenient stops and it seems to have stayed that way since. The RAAC evacuations in Balnagask would've just added to the decline.
Notably First have recently increased the 3 to a 10 minute frequency at peak times thus meaning the 3 will now offer twice as many buses.
GusB
Established Member
Thanks anyway. The last vehicles I definitely remember having hoppers were the Alexander PS-bodied Volvo B10Ms. I didn't get a chance to travel on the V-DSA registered MANs, but it looks as if they had hoppers too:
Stagecoach 22702 (V702DSA) Aberdeen 19/05/2009
Explore Martin Ruthe's Transport Photos' 54004 photos on Flickr!
www.flickr.com
That's the clearest photo I could find and it looks as if there's a hopper with a bag over it.
While I don't doubt that those vehicles were used on Night Bird services, it's not the case that change has always been given on the 59. That route, along with the 55 (later 5) were the last remnants of the CityBus network and all those services were exact fare only.
I'd be interested to know when the exact fare policy was ditched, but it certainly carried on for a while after the Stagecoach buyout.
AndrewTaylor95
Member
Stagecoach Glasgow X19 had Vaults on them as well up until the late 2000sThanks anyway. The last vehicles I definitely remember having hoppers were the Alexander PS-bodied Volvo B10Ms. I didn't get a chance to travel on the V-DSA registered MANs, but it looks as if they had hoppers too:
Stagecoach 22702 (V702DSA) Aberdeen 19/05/2009
Explore Martin Ruthe's Transport Photos' 54004 photos on Flickr!
That's the clearest photo I could find and it looks as if there's a hopper with a bag over it.
While I don't doubt that those vehicles were used on Night Bird services, it's not the case that change has always been given on the 59. That route, along with the 55 (later 5) were the last remnants of the CityBus network and all those services were exact fare only.
I'd be interested to know when the exact fare policy was ditched, but it certainly carried on for a while after the Stagecoach buyout.
PG
Established Member
Yes your sleuthing is correct, I can confirm they did indeed have hoppers fitted.
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Already made a new guide
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I have a question however. Why do they use the 727 number south of Aberdeen. I do not know why but I really don’t like it… I am fine with the vehicles heading down but I don’t see why keep 727. Maybe so they don’t have to change the dests?
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I have a question however. Why do they use the 727 number south of Aberdeen. I do not know why but I really don’t like it… I am fine with the vehicles heading down but I don’t see why keep 727. Maybe so they don’t have to change the dests?
scottishtrains
Member
right... so theyve merged 4 routes into the 727... sounds fun
Jordan1296
Member
I shouldn’t worry. It'll revert back to 8, 8A etc at the next service change. Stonehaven corridor services have been like this for years.
scottishtrains
Member
they might spruce it up a bit and make it the 7/7B etc again!
That would be nice!
Stagecoach say:
However, the 727 doesn't travel in/out of Aberdeen via the current 8/8A/N8 route (Union Street - Holburn Street - Great Southern Road - Bridge of Dee - Stonehaven Road).
The X7/X8/X9 look to be going this route, but they are all limited stop after Holburn Street.
Is it correct that there will no longer be any stopping services on this corridor?
They would need to change to the all stops 727 somewhere along the route.
Unfortunately not much use for passengers on the stretch between Holburn Street and Charleston/Cove.
It's a shame they couldn't arrange for the revised X7/X8/X9 to call at the three (?) missed stops on Great Southern Road which will now not be served by Stagecoach at all.
scottishtrains
Member
Bus station ambassadors… ive heard it all now
Other than cost cutting, is there a reasoning behind this? I don‘t have much confidence these ambassadors will be around at times they are actually needed or, as is a bugbear of mine, be proactive in assisting with platform changes (especially when they change it from say 11 to 3 and say nothing…)
So far they have been making loudspeaker announcements of stance changes, which is an improvement in the driver shouting from the bus which stance it is on!
That’s a fair improvement although I suppose that relies on someone remembering to make one! The drivers were awful at not announcing the platform changes. I still don’t understand why they can’t update the screens, it’s a bit inexcusable given just about every other transport hub manages this!