Centrebus

[Dwarfer1979]

There is also the 5X version of the LC5, which could be confused with the Arriva 5 and X5. Very poor numbering choices

In that case the routes are not close to each other. The nearest between them is Sileby & East Goscote which is a couple of miles apart so not as much of an issue for the average passenger.

 

[Fin447]

In that case the routes are not close to each other. The nearest between them is Sileby & East Goscote which is a couple of miles apart so not as much of an issue for the average passenger.

True, but still not a great numbering choice

 

[joieman]

Looks like a bit of naive council breast-beating to me. Has anyone really thought about how helpful - or not - this might be for passengers? In Loughborough we now have Kinch 5 alongside LC5, and coming soon - Diamond 129 will morph into Arriva L16. So existing Arriva 16 (Loughborough-Shepshed-Coalville) will run alongside the forthcoming L16 (Loughborough-Shepshed-Ashby). Confusing or what?

I think the 16/16A/X16 and LC16 *vaguely* make sense as they commonly run between Loughborough and Shepshed. But I wonder why it wasn't renumbered the LC9 instead, although this makes the problem even worse as there are two different services numbered 9 at each end!

And it puzzles me why it seems to be 5X rather than LC5X, although neither is good!

 

[Dwarfer1979]

I think the 16/16A/X16 and LC16 *vaguely* make sense as they commonly run between Loughborough and Shepshed. But I wonder why it wasn't renumbered the LC9 instead, although this makes the problem even worse as there are two different services numbered 9 at each end!

And it puzzles me why it seems to be 5X rather than LC5X, although neither is good!

The 5X is a commercial journey to fill a gap, not part of the tender, same as when it was 27 & 27X. The tender has a break in Sileby which is not a good place for a break as there isn't really anywhere to park so the bus & driver come back to Loughborough in service with driver changeover there (also why it doesn't run via the villages) so a non LC number is needed to differentiate for that and as it runs direct the X is used to show such.

 

[joieman]

From late August, Leicestershire County Council are introducing a new service LC6 between Hinckley and Coalville to replace the previously-axed service 159. Centrebus are to operate this service, which will run four times a day in each direction.

I'm a bit surprised that it's Centrebus running the service rather than Arrival, given that this service will be the most isolated from the rest of Centrebus's network.

 

[SSmith2009]

From late August, Leicestershire County Council are introducing a new service LC6 between Hinckley and Coalville to replace the previously-axed service 159. Centrebus are to operate this service, which will run four times a day in each direction.

I'm a bit surprised that it's Centrebus running the service rather than Arrival, given that this service will be the most isolated from the rest of Centrebus's network.

A timetable has appeared on bustimes.org alongside one for the long anticipated 21T service to Thorpebury

 

[joieman]

A timetable has appeared on bustimes.org alongside one for the long anticipated 21T service to Thorpebury

Wasn't that supposed to begin with the last round of service changes?

 

[SSmith2009]

Wasn't that supposed to begin with the last round of service changes?

Yes it was due to start in April but missed the registration date so is now August...

 

[Dwarfer1979]

Wasn't that supposed to begin with the last round of service changes?

No, the council jumped the gun by publicising the service before a start date was actually agreed by the developers who fund the service.

 

[RELL6L]

From late August, Leicestershire County Council are introducing a new service LC6 between Hinckley and Coalville to replace the previously-axed service 159. Centrebus are to operate this service, which will run four times a day in each direction.

I'm a bit surprised that it's Centrebus running the service rather than Arrival, given that this service will be the most isolated from the rest of Centrebus's network.

What is the point of this service? The 159 was withdrawn a few years ago so any custom will have long since disappeared. The route will be effectively all new connecting places with nothing much in common. In the same area other routes are being withdrawn, eg the 7 between Atherstone and Measham and the 125 between Coalville and Castle Donington, so why is this coming back?

It is hard to see any purpose. Who is going to want to go from Coalville to Hinckley at 06.40 or come back at 18.30? Arrival in Hinckley at 08.05 is unlikely to be for schools. A bit early for workers and the returns are at 15.30 or 18.30. Market Bosworth has schools but the arrival times here (07.27 from the north and 08.35 from the south) are too early and too late, in the afternoon only 16.08 to the north might make sense but unlikely. If you go shopping in Coalville you arrive at 09.35 and leave at 13.25, sorry, but with the greatest fo respect to Coalville, no-one will want to do that. There is already a service between Ibstock and Coalville and between Barlestone and Market Bosworth and the rest of the route is fresh air. And this is a route where Arriva actually have sub-depots at both ends.... so it is going to be run by Centrebus!

 

[Dwarfer1979]

What is the point of this service? The 159 was withdrawn a few years ago so any custom will have long since disappeared. The route will be effectively all new connecting places with nothing much in common. In the same area other routes are being withdrawn, eg the 7 between Atherstone and Measham and the 125 between Coalville and Castle Donington, so why is this coming back?

It is hard to see any purpose. Who is going to want to go from Coalville to Hinckley at 06.40 or come back at 18.30? Arrival in Hinckley at 08.05 is unlikely to be for schools. A bit early for workers and the returns are at 15.30 or 18.30. Market Bosworth has schools but the arrival times here (07.27 from the north and 08.35 from the south) are too early and too late, in the afternoon only 16.08 to the north might make sense but unlikely. If you go shopping in Coalville you arrive at 09.35 and leave at 13.25, sorry, but with the greatest fo respect to Coalville, no-one will want to do that. There is already a service between Ibstock and Coalville and between Barlestone and Market Bosworth and the rest of the route is fresh air. And this is a route where Arriva actually have sub-depots at both ends.... so it is going to be run by Centrebus!

The more pertinent question in that comparison is how the 7 & 125 (Coalville to Castle Donnington) were kept when the 159 was allowed to vanish given the 159 was a much busier service than either of those and for several years under Roberts it ran commercially. Both of those routes have been replaced by Fox Connect DRT services I believe (except the school run on the 7 which still has a regular bus).

The big complaint when the 159 vanished was around college students travelling into Hinckley, and they appear to start fairly early (Leicestershire schools in general are often early starters & finishers) so an 0805 arrival isn't as unlikely as all that given the compromises you have to work with in designing a timetable with limited resources.

The big point beyond that I suspect is getting people into Hinckley & Coalville for their supermarkets, even the 153 from Market Bosworth to Leicester doesn't pass a decent sized supermarket (though it does get close to the Tesco at Braunstone Gate but there isn't really a decent one in the city centre) so linking to the Sainsburys at Hinckley & Asda at Coalville (the bigger Morrisons is a bit of a hike) is an important link. There are a number of villages that lost their bus services when the 159 was withdrawn or the 153 simplified so there are some gaps to be served.

Leicestershire have been restoring and improving services (though some of these via Fox Connect DRT so some services have been replaced by DRT whilst new services have been added) recently and this is all part of that. They may work and they may not but this is a logical corridor to try and there was significant demand from many of these villages to both Hinckley & Coalville historically so it is not illogical to put something back when you have the money to do so and see how much of that old demand survives. The old 159 used to regularly arrive at either end with double figure loadings but whether that demand has survived and whether the reduced frequency can restore it is less clear.

 

[joieman]

The more pertinent question in that comparison is how the 7 & 125 (Coalville to Castle Donnington) were kept when the 159 was allowed to vanish given the 159 was a much busier service than either of those and for several years under Roberts it ran commercially. Both of those routes have been replaced by Fox Connect DRT services I believe (except the school run on the 7 which still has a regular bus).

The big complaint when the 159 vanished was around college students travelling into Hinckley, and they appear to start fairly early (Leicestershire schools in general are often early starters & finishers) so an 0805 arrival isn't as unlikely as all that given the compromises you have to work with in designing a timetable with limited resources.

The big point beyond that I suspect is getting people into Hinckley & Coalville for their supermarkets, even the 153 from Market Bosworth to Leicester doesn't pass a decent sized supermarket (though it does get close to the Tesco at Braunstone Gate but there isn't really a decent one in the city centre) so linking to the Sainsburys at Hinckley & Asda at Coalville (the bigger Morrisons is a bit of a hike) is an important link. There are a number of villages that lost their bus services when the 159 was withdrawn or the 153 simplified so there are some gaps to be served.

Leicestershire have been restoring and improving services (though some of these via Fox Connect DRT so some services have been replaced by DRT whilst new services have been added) recently and this is all part of that. They may work and they may not but this is a logical corridor to try and there was significant demand from many of these villages to both Hinckley & Coalville historically so it is not illogical to put something back when you have the money to do so and see how much of that old demand survives. The old 159 used to regularly arrive at either end with double figure loadings but whether that demand has survived and whether the reduced frequency can restore it is less clear.

And it's also worth noting that it fills in a gap in a series of orbital rural bus services from Melton Mowbray to Market Harborough. I'd imagine people would appreciate not having to pass through Leicester to get to places.

 

[RELL6L]

And it's also worth noting that it fills in a gap in a series of orbital rural bus services from Melton Mowbray to Market Harborough. I'd imagine people would appreciate not having to pass through Leicester to get to places.

The more pertinent question in that comparison is how the 7 & 125 (Coalville to Castle Donnington) were kept when the 159 was allowed to vanish given the 159 was a much busier service than either of those and for several years under Roberts it ran commercially. Both of those routes have been replaced by Fox Connect DRT services I believe (except the school run on the 7 which still has a regular bus).

The big complaint when the 159 vanished was around college students travelling into Hinckley, and they appear to start fairly early (Leicestershire schools in general are often early starters & finishers) so an 0805 arrival isn't as unlikely as all that given the compromises you have to work with in designing a timetable with limited resources.

The big point beyond that I suspect is getting people into Hinckley & Coalville for their supermarkets, even the 153 from Market Bosworth to Leicester doesn't pass a decent sized supermarket (though it does get close to the Tesco at Braunstone Gate but there isn't really a decent one in the city centre) so linking to the Sainsburys at Hinckley & Asda at Coalville (the bigger Morrisons is a bit of a hike) is an important link. There are a number of villages that lost their bus services when the 159 was withdrawn or the 153 simplified so there are some gaps to be served.

Leicestershire have been restoring and improving services (though some of these via Fox Connect DRT so some services have been replaced by DRT whilst new services have been added) recently and this is all part of that. They may work and they may not but this is a logical corridor to try and there was significant demand from many of these villages to both Hinckley & Coalville historically so it is not illogical to put something back when you have the money to do so and see how much of that old demand survives. The old 159 used to regularly arrive at either end with double figure loadings but whether that demand has survived and whether the reduced frequency can restore it is less clear.

I remember the 159 and it was a shame when it was withdrawn. Arrivals at Coalville may well have just been from Ibstock but you would expect there to have been some demand from Market Bosworth to Hinckley, it is a lot nearer than Leicester. If it is for school times at Hinckley then great. Agreed on the 7, I took it years ago and it was very empty, again recently on the free interim service between Market Bosworth and Measham nobody else on this but it has been retained. The timings of the new 159 don't make for good shopping options though, either a very short time somewhere or four hours. I would have thought a couple of between school time trips from Market Bosworth to Hinckley and also to Coalville, using Market Bosworth school buses, could have been more useful.

I love the idea of a Leicestershire superloop, but I can't really see anyone using more than one bus to get around Leicester. Melton Mowbray to Loughborough to Coalville to Hinckley to Lutterworth to Market Harborough - or just any two of these? I think not. Would love to see this completed with Market Harborough to Melton Mowbray, that area has been a total public transport desert (apart from the Leicester to Uppingham service) for years!

 

[SteveHFC]

Spotted a 25 reg bus on the Luton 17/17A this morning in full Centrebus livery. Couldn't tell you registration, fleetnumber or type of bus (they all look the same to me these days).

 

[joieman]

I love the idea of a Leicestershire superloop, but I can't really see anyone using more than one bus to get around Leicester. Melton Mowbray to Loughborough to Coalville to Hinckley to Lutterworth to Market Harborough - or just any two of these? I think not. Would love to see this completed with Market Harborough to Melton Mowbray, that area has been a total public transport desert (apart from the Leicester to Uppingham service) for years!

Harborough to Melton or Oakham is the one route that I don't think is happening any time soon, because the distance between any significant population centres like Harborough and Melton is the biggest in the theoretical county orbit.

 

[ACBest]

Spotted a 25 reg bus on the Luton 17/17A this morning in full Centrebus livery. Couldn't tell you registration, fleetnumber or type of bus (they all look the same to me these days).

5020 - the spare Enviro200MMC for Leighton Buzzard work, although obviously not required there today.

 

[sharpley]

Centrebus have had an electric bus doing the Melton Mowbray town services over the last few days. Looks like an ADL Enviro100EV demonstrator unit (**24 BUS reg) in a plain light metallic blue livery. Has Centrebus written along the bottom of the windscreen.

 

[Omnidekkalover]

Centrebus South looks to be making some timetable and service changes

Service Updates | Centrebus

www.centrebus.info

 

[Mikw]

Centrebus have had an electric bus doing the Melton Mowbray town services over the last few days. Looks like an ADL Enviro100EV demonstrator unit (**24 BUS reg) in a plain light metallic blue livery. Has Centrebus written along the bottom of the windscreen.

It's also been on the Hop! service in Leicester as well

 

[ACBest]

It's also been on the Hop! service in Leicester as well

And even did half a day on the Fox Connect DRT service!

 

[SSmith2009]

Centrebus have launched the 21T service to Thorpebury estate today with E200mmc 5010 and EvoRa 643 being noted on the service.

 

[Aethonatic]

Centrebus have at launched the 21T service to Thorpebury estate today with E200mmc 5010 and EvoRa 643 being noted on the service.

Currently only goes up to the temporary terminus near Redlands Road. There are plans to expand the route deeper into Thorpebury as more roads open up.

 

[Aethonatic]

Seems like 24/24A is to be altered to serve the opposite stop on Loughborough Road in Rothley beginning 4 January 2026, a change that has already been seen with Arriva's 127.

 

[BuhSnarf]

I notice that for the past couple of days that the 40S has been using a Volvo electric demonstrator BV72 KPF instead of one of the normal orbital branded buses. Prior to this I'd noticed that a normal Centrebus Versa was operating on the route.
Looking like one of the Yutong E10s is subbing in on Hop duties.

 

[Dwarfer1979]

I notice that for the past couple of days that the 40S has been using a Volvo electric demonstrator BV72 KPF instead of one of the normal orbital branded buses. Prior to this I'd noticed that a normal Centrebus Versa was operating on the route.
Looking like one of the Yutong E10s is subbing in on Hop duties.

Centrebus have the Volvo demo on loan for a couple of weeks, it will probably spend most of its time on normal electric routes just to ease driver training though I think it's first day saw it deployed on the Uni contract, I have seen it on the Hospital Hopper a couple of times as well.
Centrebus schedule 100% of their electric buses normally, 6 E10s for 6 40N/40S workings, 5 E12s for 5 Hospital Hopper & 3 E9s for the 3 HOP workings so a diesel bus is often seen on one working if one is in for maintenance.

 

[SSmith2009]

Centrebus have the Volvo demo on loan for a couple of weeks, it will probably spend most of its time on normal electric routes just to ease driver training though I think it's first day saw it deployed on the Uni contract, I have seen it on the Hospital Hopper a couple of times as well.
Centrebus schedule 100% of their electric buses normally, 6 E10s for 6 40N/40S workings, 5 E12s for 5 Hospital Hopper & 3 E9s for the 3 HOP workings so a diesel bus is often seen on one working if one is in for maintenance.

The demo was meant to be going on the 22/22A/22E as they are due 4/5 electric single deckers at some point but hasn't been on it yet...

IMO Hospital Hopper would benefit from deckers to cut down on dupes.

 

[ACBest]

The demo was meant to be going on the 22/22A/22E as they are due 4/5 electric single deckers at some point but hasn't been on it yet...

IMO Hospital Hopper would benefit from deckers to cut down on dupes.

Change of plans on the use of it on the 22’s, as Dwarfer mentions above, it’s been put on to the existing electric routes - I’ve heard that this is partly down to vehicle familiarisation.

 

[Dwarfer1979]

The demo was meant to be going on the 22/22A/22E as they are due 4/5 electric single deckers at some point but hasn't been on it yet...

I don't think that was ever the actual plan and it actually makes sense to run a demonstrator on the same route as existing electric vehicles so a comparison can be made of the relative performance. Running it on the 22 may tell you how it performs on that route but as the Yutongs are not used on that route you won't have the comparison to the performance of the existing fleet if you are trying to compare possible options.

IMO Hospital Hopper would benefit from deckers to cut down on dupes.

The Hospital Hopper is run under contract to the Hospital Trust and they specify the vehicle and they don't appear to have ever been willing to pay extra for double-deckers on any of the multiple times they have retendered the contract.