Ember: Electric coach service

[scosutsut]

I can only assume they're working with East Lothian Council at some level, as the chargers appeared just after the passing Lothian and East Coast Buses were routed out of the stops they are placed at and they aren't in a logical location for any existing Ember Services.

Plus the park and ride there got all the "journey hub" branding and signage which seemed to clash with the fact that less things stop there now!

 

[sprinterguy]

Is this the first time there has been overnight services on this corridor?

There was a nightly (though Fridays and Sundays only during the winter) Glasgow - Inverness (- Uig) service in both directions between summer 1986 and early 1988.

 

[N1]

I can only assume they're working with East Lothian Council at some level, as the chargers appeared just after the passing Lothian and East Coast Buses were routed out of the stops they are placed at and they aren't in a logical location for any existing Ember Services.

Plus the park and ride there got all the "journey hub" branding and signage which seemed to clash with the fact that less things stop there now!

You can read the original concept design report here: Wallyford Journey Hub vision

 

[ian1944]

There was a coach at Wallyford at 9 this morning.

 

[Spsf3232]

There was a coach at Wallyford at 9 this morning.

There is always two there every night. One goes onto the E4X and the other seems to be a spare.

 

[Strathtay 260]

E4X NB operation AFAIK

1405 Dundee - Edinburgh E1
overnight at Wallyford
0700 Edinburgh - Fort William E4X

 

[megabusser]

True, 50% of the journeys to/from Inverness are between 0000-0600 but considering there’s route competition 0600-0000 it’s quite a canny move as the 24hr service will presumably benefit from when no competition runs. Since it’s all pre-booked, I wonder if the non-stop services would run even if there’s nobody on it? Transporting air to the Highlands can be futile.

I'd imagine there's no competition through the night because the demand is close to zero? There are departures from Inverness to Glasgow at 0116, 0301 and 0444. I can't imagine what market those will be serving? I appreciate electricity is cheaper than diesel, but still - with drivers' time, wear and tear etc I just can't see how some of these services can come close to making commercial sense.

 

[Spsf3232]

I'd imagine there's no competition through the night because the demand is close to zero? There are departures from Inverness to Glasgow at 0116, 0301 and 0444. I can't imagine what market those will be serving? I appreciate electricity is cheaper than diesel, but still - with drivers' time, wear and tear etc I just can't see how some of these services can come close to making commercial sense.

They are simply placing journeys as all of the service is run by Glasgow drivers. This means early starts from Glasgow to get buses and drivers in position for the daytime service and get drivers back to base in Glasgow after running the late evening service north.

 

[Porty]

I'd imagine there's no competition through the night because the demand is close to zero? There are departures from Inverness to Glasgow at 0116, 0301 and 0444. I can't imagine what market those will be serving? I appreciate electricity is cheaper than diesel, but still - with drivers' time, wear and tear etc I just can't see how some of these services can come close to making commercial sense.

I suppose there's a bit of a demand for people getting one of the 6am or so wave of flights out of Glasgow and Edinburgh airport but I can't imagine it's very big. Probably didn't exist much at all 10 or 20 years ago before the huge growth in low cost airlines. I can see the benefits of snoozing on the bus rather than paying out for an airport hotel which you have to leave at 4am.

 

[Spsf3232]

I suppose there's a bit of a demand for people getting one of the 6am or so wave of flights out of Glasgow and Edinburgh airport but I can't imagine it's very big. Probably didn't exist much at all 10 or 20 years ago before the huge growth in low cost airlines. I can see the benefits of snoozing on the bus rather than paying out for an airport hotel which you have to leave at 4am.

That's why the 10pm Fort William to Glasgow is popular, lots of locals use it to get to the Airport at 1am for early flights.

I can see the Inverness to Glasgow being extended to the Airport next year when the new hub opens at the Airport

 

[styles]

I've just booked a journey from Dunblane to Wick (for a certain railway related court case). It involves a change at Inverness.

Quite excited to try Ember out, and how they deal with a relatively short connection in case there's any disruption.

Was very fairly priced though it's overnight and I don't sleep well sat upright so not sure how that will go. I'd have taken the train but I'm wouldn't have got there in time without going the day before and an overnight stay. Even staying with a pal in Wick the logistics just looked naff.

 

[megabusser]

That's why the 10pm Fort William to Glasgow is popular, lots of locals use it to get to the Airport at 1am for early flights.

I can see the Inverness to Glasgow being extended to the Airport next year when the new hub opens at the Airport

How popular is it? From looking at the Ember booking site, the maximum available seats availability on that service is 53 (presumably the total capacity). The next few nights appear to have 51, 49 and 52 seats available, with all subsequent nights bar one this month with 53. I appreciate there is no cost saving for booking early with Ember, but even still, that doesn't suggest a popular service.

 

[takno]

How popular is it? From looking at the Ember booking site, the maximum available seats availability on that service is 53 (presumably the total capacity). The next few nights appear to have 51, 49 and 52 seats available, with all subsequent nights bar one this month with 53. I appreciate there is no cost saving for booking early with Ember, but even still, that doesn't suggest a popular service.

We're pretty much at the end of the holiday flight season anyway, and it's the end of the school holiday, so it's not necessarily a great week to check.

 

[Spsf3232]

How popular is it? From looking at the Ember booking site, the maximum available seats availability on that service is 53 (presumably the total capacity). The next few nights appear to have 51, 49 and 52 seats available, with all subsequent nights bar one this month with 53. I appreciate there is no cost saving for booking early with Ember, but even still, that doesn't suggest a popular service.

Its not a accurate reflection of numbers as a lot of people book at the last minute for travel. Because there's no difference in price people wait to decide when to travel nearer the time

 

[route101]

Must be some demand for late buses out of Edinburgh and Glasgow around 10pm and 11pm heading North.

 

[Spsf3232]

Must be some demand for late buses out of Edinburgh and Glasgow around 10pm and 11pm heading North.

There always has been a demand on Friday, Saturday and Sundays especially if there is any events on. 15 years ago the last services heading north left around 11pm for Perth and at weekends could be full, the 24/7 that Citylink launched around the time ember started it was thought it wouldn't last but between them they have grown a new market for travel between midnight and 6am with people traveling for multiple reasons including Airport travel. I can see next year Glasgow Airport becoming a major hub for Ember services similar to the way Edinburgh is with services from over Scotland.

 

[Sealink]

I wonder if they will allow through ticketing at any point?

 

[Strathtay 260]

I wonder if they will allow through ticketing at any point?

Last I heard of that is it’s still being worked on.

 

[Spsf3232]

I wonder if they will allow through ticketing at any point?

It's still being worked on however it's already been implemented on E1/E10 and E3/E10 services that interwork.

 

[Glasgowbusguy]

Got the E5 this morning from Glasgow and arriving bus was packed and busy out was about half full with people getting on at the airport and luss

 

[Jordan1296]

Saw SG25HYN screened up as Driver Training on Union Street in Aberdeen about 20 minutes ago. Presume this is genuine driver training as opposed to route learning for a new route.

 

[Strathtay 260]

Looking at today’s tracking data, it seems some E3 journeys were interworking with what appears to be E8 route learning. Some of the timings line up well for the E3 and E8 to start interworking from tomorrow, similar to how the E3 and E5 currently do at Buchanan BS.

A few journeys to Glasgow are now showing the E8 stance instead of stance 53 when booking through Ember.to.

This also means, finally, slightly better layover times in Glasgow for the E3

 

[N1]

Looking at today’s tracking data, it seems some E3 journeys were interworking with what appears to be E8 route learning. Some of the timings line up well for the E3 and E8 to start interworking from tomorrow, similar to how the E3 and E5 currently do at Buchanan BS.

A few journeys to Glasgow are now showing the E8 stance instead of stance 53 when booking through Ember.to.

This also means, finally, slightly better layover times in Glasgow for the E3

Thank you.

Will try and keep an eye out and see what happens tomorrow, but that interworking makes sense from a charge point of view as a full return on the E8 was always a stretch.

 

[Spsf3232]

Looking at today’s tracking data, it seems some E3 journeys were interworking with what appears to be E8 route learning. Some of the timings line up well for the E3 and E8 to start interworking from tomorrow, similar to how the E3 and E5 currently do at Buchanan BS.

A few journeys to Glasgow are now showing the E8 stance instead of stance 53 when booking through Ember.to.

This also means, finally, slightly better layover times in Glasgow for the E3

The interworking will simply add to delays of the already short turn around time on the E3 as now the Dundee drivers need to swap vehicles on almost every trip.

 

[Strathtay 260]

The interworking will simply add to delays of the already short turn around time on the E3 as now the Dundee drivers need to swap vehicles on almost every trip.

At the moment with the E3 & E5, if there is a delay to the service they don't interwork. Wondering if it will be the same here.

 

[paravostok]

It's still being worked on however it's already been implemented on E1/E10 and E3/E10 services that interwork.

In fairness it's sort of half baked. I done this in Dundee, getting on the E10 at Craegiebank, once arriving at Slessor Gardens everyone onboard had to tap their concession cards again, I think technically everyone should've shown their "second" tickets, but because it was all concessionary passes it was easier for the driver to put it in as if it was an onboard purchase.

 

[Strathtay 260]

Interestingly some buses are going down this way after finish E8 SB.

 

[route101]

Interestingly some buses are going down this way after finish E8 SB.

Heading to Caley depot to charge perhaps? Long way round.

 

[Glasgowbusguy]

In fairness it's sort of half baked. I done this in Dundee, getting on the E10 at Craegiebank, once arriving at Slessor Gardens everyone onboard had to tap their concession cards again, I think technically everyone should've shown their "second" tickets, but because it was all concessionary passes it was easier for the driver to put it in as if it was an onboard purchase.

It's two different services regardless of operator you need to rescan your pass for the new route

 

[Dfatcontroller]

Heading to Caley depot to charge perhaps? Long way round.

Caley Depot isn't the end point on that map.
According to Google Streetview it appears to be a newly concreted yard on the London Road.