Ember: Electric coach service

[Dfatcontroller]

Not a problem if the service has been registered With the Traffic Area Office.

Inbound yesterday Driver didn't bat an eye.

On the way back, I was early at the stop and happened to be chatting with the Dundee bound Driver.
He mentioned "oh good, I don't need to stop at Ingliston". When I mentioned that he did as that's where I was booked to he said "We're not supposed to do that as it upsets Lothian".
I informed him it wasn't my first time doing it and if I wasn't supposed to then their booking system should prevent it.

In the end, two of us got off at Ingliston.

 

[318266]

A timetable for the next route in the rapid expansion of the Ember network, has surfaced on bustimes.org.

E7 (Bridge of Don - Inverness)
calling at:
Bridge of Don P&R
Adelphi (same stops as the E1)
Bucksburn (Forrit Brae/Gough Burn Crescent, on A96)
Aberdeen Airport (Stance 1 in both directions)
Blackburn (Fechnie Brae, using the B973 as a loop road)
Kintore (The Square, using the B987/B994 as a loop road)
Inverurie (Middlemuir Road, using the B993/B9170 as a loop road)
Keith (Reidhaven Square, same pull-off into the square that the 10/M96 do)
Elgin (Duff Avenue on Maisondieu Road, which it uses along with the A941 to bypass Elgin Town Centre)
Nairn (Bus Station)
Inverness (Union Street, stop D)

 

[Highland050261]

A timetable for the next route in the rapid expansion of the Ember network, has surfaced on bustimes.org.

E7 (Bridge of Don - Inverness)
calling at:
Bridge of Don P&R
Adelphi (same stops as the E1)
Bucksburn (Forrit Brae/Gough Burn Crescent, on A96)
Aberdeen Airport (Stance 1 in both directions)
Blackburn (Fechnie Brae, using the B973 as a loop road)
Kintore (The Square, using the B987/B994 as a loop road)
Inverurie (Middlemuir Road, using the B993/B9170 as a loop road)
Keith (Reidhaven Square, same pull-off into the square that the 10/M96 do)
Elgin (Duff Avenue on Maisondieu Road, which it uses along with the A941 to bypass Elgin Town Centre)
Nairn (Bus Station)
Inverness (Union Street, stop D)

They have been spotted in Inverness doing driver training over the last couple of days.

You can also tell these are being operated by the Aberdeen depot, based on the timings, as the Inverness depot is still not finished. The E7 is meant to start on 02/06/25.

 

[GusB]

Elgin (Duff Avenue on Maisondieu Road, which it uses along with the A941 to bypass Elgin Town Centre)

It seems rather short-sighted to miss out the bus station; Maisondieu Road isn't exactly the most convenient location. If Ember wants to avoid the centre of town (I assume to avoid congestion on Alexandra Road), it'd be better to stop at the old Post Office. It's far more central and allows better connections if someone coming into Elgin from out of town.

 

[computerSaysNo]

It seems rather short-sighted to miss out the bus station; Maisondieu Road isn't exactly the most convenient location. If Ember wants to avoid the centre of town (I assume to avoid congestion on Alexandra Road), it'd be better to stop at the old Post Office. It's far more central and allows better connections if someone coming into Elgin from out of town.

I think some stops are also missing, it doesn't really make sense to me to stop so often on the way out of Aberdeen and then not even have pre-book stops at Huntly, Fochabers etc.

 

[Tayway]

I think some stops are also missing, it doesn't really make sense to me to stop so often on the way out of Aberdeen and then not even have pre-book stops at Huntly, Fochabers etc.

I think this will follow the pattern of the recent Fort William route launches where they have a period before the "official launch" so to speak with a limited set of stops in order to test demand/battery range etc, so tweaks can be made before it is registered with the Traffic Commissioner. However this means that tickets can't be sold for stops closer than 15 miles together.

 

[danielhogg2005]

How did it used to work with the E1 & E2 services?

 

[voidwxrranty]

It seems rather short-sighted to miss out the bus station; Maisondieu Road isn't exactly the most convenient location. If Ember wants to avoid the centre of town (I assume to avoid congestion on Alexandra Road), it'd be better to stop at the old Post Office. It's far more central and allows better connections if someone coming into Elgin from out of town.

a tri-axle is not able to fit into Elgin Bus Station without blocking other stands.

Could you provide co-ordinates for the old Post Office?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 May 2025 ==

How did it used to work with the E1 & E2 services?

Simple really. E1 would go down, change to an E2 and come back north.

 

[GusB]

a tri-axle is not able to fit into Elgin Bus Station without blocking other stands.

Could you provide co-ordinates for the old Post Office?

Ah, I didn't realise that tri-axles would be used, so that's fair enough. I can't provide the co-ordinates, but it should be easy enough to find the Royal Mail sorting office on Google Maps.

Thinking about it now, the post office might not be so great if luggage is being loaded, eastbound anyway. Westbound, there's a stop set back from the road. An alternative would be to use the stops at Tesco. There's also an unused lay-by next to the Town Hall which was a bus stop until services were re-routed via Tesco; it could actually be used for services in both directions and it's closer to the bus station.

 

[voidwxrranty]

Thinking about it now, the post office might not be so great if luggage is being loaded, eastbound anyway. Westbound, there's a stop set back from the road. An alternative would be to use the stops at Tesco. There's also an unused lay-by next to the Town Hall which was a bus stop until services were re-routed via Tesco; it could actually be used for services in both directions and it's closer to the bus station

another alternative would’ve been to use the stops at Elgin Library. But i think Ember are trying to avoid using the A96 going through Elgin. which i can’t say i blame them for… the A96 is like a car park even off peak!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 May 2025 ==

I can't provide the co-ordinates, but it should be easy enough to find the Royal Mail sorting office on Google Maps.

ah yes. i’ve found it now. would be easier to go straight back out, but the rail station at Duff Avenue opens up a few more connections with other local services (Bluebird’s 36 springs to mind)

 

[VioletEclipse]

The E4 seems to be fairly well used, at least quite a lot of folk seem to be getting on in Edinburgh.

 

[smsm1]

The E4 seems to be fairly well used, at least quite a lot of folk seem to be getting on in Edinburgh.

When I used it from Dunblane to Tyndrum there were a lot of people getting off in Dunblane, and with it being cheaper than the train, especially for those with concession cards I can see why it's popular.

 

[route101]

With routes to Oban and Inverness this year, big expansion for Ember !

 

[Highland050261]

Thurso too.

 

[voidwxrranty]

Thurso too.

E6 number for that. already been silently noted at.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Quick question, at Fortbill Does it use the bus station or some other location? I'm planning a journey later this year that might involve switching coach up there and would quite like to use the Ember on the Glasgow portion of the run

 

[Buzby]

Still waiting to use this myself, but it appears to use the car park (off the roundabout) between Morrisons and McDonald’s. If by bus station you mean the walkway behind Morrisons, then it’s just round the corner!

 

[Metal Mickey]

Quick question, at Fortbill Does it use the bus station or some other location? I'm planning a journey later this year that might involve switching coach up there and would quite like to use the Ember on the Glasgow portion of the run

Never heard anyone refer to Fort William as Fortbill until I read this.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Still waiting to use this myself, but it appears to use the car park (off the roundabout) between Morrisons and McDonald’s. If by bus station you mean the walkway behind Morrisons, then it’s just round the corner!

That will do nicely, thank you. I'd be going to Morrisons anyway I suspect

 

[Highland050261]

Never heard anyone refer to Fort William as Fortbill until I read this.

Normally just called the Fort.

 

[Spsf3232]

That will do nicely, thank you. I'd be going to Morrisons anyway I suspect

The stop in Fort William is essentially at the very end of the row of bus stops behind Morrisons. Walk along to the end and you will see the buses parked at the start of the coach park right facing the bus stops

 

[PG]

A timetable for the next route in the rapid expansion of the Ember network, has surfaced on bustimes.org.

The E7 is meant to start on 02/06/25.

The link above on bustimes has disappeared - so perhaps the start has been postponed?

 

[Highland050261]

The link above on bustimes has disappeared - so perhaps the start has been postponed?

possibly it was originally running from Aberdeen, but as Inverness nears completion, it may be reconfigured to run from both locations.

Some photos of Inverness 2 days ago.

 

[Strathtay 260]

New Aberdeen to Inverness Service
We are launching a new route from Aberdeen to Inverness with stops at Aberdeen Airport, Blackburn, Kintore, Inverurie, Keith, Elgin and Nairn. The route will begin on 5 June 2025 with six return services per day. We will be adding more stops and more services over the summer.

It is just £13.70 for an adult single from Aberdeen to Inverness if you book online (whether you book weeks before or a minute ahead).

You can see the full route and all the stops on our live map.

 

[Highland050261]

From Monday the 1st there running Driver Training to the timetable.

Caught one in Inverness today.

Ember Coaches SG25HYV

Company: Ember Core Fleet Number: N/A Registration: SG25HYV Chassis: Yutong Bodywork: GTe14 Location of Photo: Union Street Inverness Previous Registrations: N/A New to: N/A Other Notes: N/A Copyright © Ricky Kane, all rights reserved. It is an offence to copy, use or post this image anywhere...

flic.kr

Ember Coaches SG25HYV

Company: Ember Core Fleet Number: N/A Registration: SG25HYV Chassis: Yutong Bodywork: GTe14 Location of Photo: Union Street Inverness Previous Registrations: N/A New to: N/A Other Notes: N/A Copyright © Ricky Kane, all rights reserved. It is an offence to copy, use or post this image anywhere...

flic.kr

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 31 May 2025 ==

Ive attached 2 photos of the nearly completed Thurso Outstation aswell.

 

[Buzby]

Just tried the Glasgow > Ft William E5 service and one thing stood out - a dual mode scanner as you enter (see picture).

Previously you had to wave your phone at the driver whilst he located his pocket scanner to capture the QR code, then if you had travel card (RFID) to scan you had to find which part of the front dash to press it against.

This new module contains both - the lower section has a camera for the QR, and the top an RFID card reader. It certainly speeds up boarding - and the rest of the journey on the Yutong tri-axle was uneventful!

 

[ecb124]

Just tried the Glasgow > Ft William E5 service and one thing stood out - a dual mode scanner as you enter (see picture).

Previously you had to wave your phone at the driver whilst he located his pocket scanner to capture the QR code, then if you had travel card (RFID) to scan you had to find which part of the front dash to press it against.

This new module contains both - the lower section has a camera for the QR, and the top an RFID card reader. It certainly speeds up boarding - and the rest of the journey on the Yutong tri-axle was uneventful!

Any clue if these are on all the vehicles currently, or just the 2025 batch ones?

 

[Spsf3232]

Any clue if these are on all the vehicles currently, or just the 2025 batch ones?

Just the 2025s with hopefully plans to roll them out to older buses in future

 

[Buzby]

Any clue if these are on all the vehicles currently, or just the 2025 batch ones?

Driver said a few 24’s have them also but plan to retrofit due to the speed improvements when boarding passengers.

 

[route101]

Looking at trying the E5 between Inverness and Aberdeen this weekend.