First Greater Glasgow

[SarahDFIG]

I think this may have come at an awkward time as there is a lot of uncertainty regarding First at the moment but LEZ targets are still required to be met so it must be difficult.

Yes buses will still come to meet the targets. Route branding has also stopped until further notice. Painting vehicles into new Glasgow colours has also been stopped from what I have been told. Only vehicles in for repair will be painted.

 

[christopherrfc]

Yes buses will still come to meet the targets. Route branding has also stopped until further notice. Painting vehicles into new Glasgow colours has also been stopped from what I have been told. Only vehicles in for repair will be painted.

Andrew Jarvis also said in the buses magazine that the 267 was next route to be route branded

 

[SarahDFIG]

Andrew Jarvis also said in the buses magazine that the 267 was next route to be route branded

That is correct but the branding/painting of vehicles is currently on hold. Not sure if it's because other work has higher priority over this

 

[JumpinTrainz]

With First as a whole being placed up for sale it’s impossible to tell whether this will be a quick thing or a process which will slowly happen. Either way there is good chance First Glasgow could be sold to another buyer. They obviously have to continue on as normal as there is no definite time scale but surely things like route branding will be placed on hold as what a waste of time and money that would be only for another operator (National Express just day for example!) take over). They may want to order new buses, repaint their current ones or who knows they may want their own buses completely!

 

[Jordan Adam]

That is correct but the branding/painting of vehicles is currently on hold. Not sure if it's because other work has higher priority over this

Perhaps should be noted that Aberdeen repaints have now picked up, albeit only one vehicle at a time and they appear to be getting done at Larbet.

 

[SarahDFIG]

Perhaps should be noted that Aberdeen repaints have now picked up, albeit only one vehicle at a time and they appear to be getting done at Larbet.

Yeah not too sure what's going on at the moment but its clearly noted First Glasgow are not wanting to really spend money at present it seems or very little as possible.

 

[Observer]

Are you sure it wasn't just dropped off at Larbert to get sent up to Aberdeen?

The paint shop at Larbert closed when Caledonia opened...which wasn't a surprise considering how many Larbert paint jobs had been getting botched in its last few years.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Are you sure it wasn't just dropped off at Larbert to get sent up to Aberdeen?

The paint shop at Larbert closed when Caledonia opened...which wasn't a surprise considering how many Larbert paint jobs had been getting botched in its last few years.

Possibly, it would seem odd to take it to Larbet and then up to Aberdeen however. Especially given that when it was seen at Larbert it hadn't been finished yet.

 

[Stef434]

Are you sure it wasn't just dropped off at Larbert to get sent up to Aberdeen?

The paint shop at Larbert closed when Caledonia opened...which wasn't a surprise considering how many Larbert paint jobs had been getting botched in its last few years.

Scotland East MRU did close years ago so its not uncommon for vehicles to be dropped off at an alternative location,in the past the FG range rover was dropped off from Aberdeen to Larbert but to wander around Glasgow

 

[Jordan Adam]

It should perhaps be noted that Livingston can still do repaints. They done many of Aberdeen's a few years back including the 6 Artics that moved to Bristol in 2018. Although i understand Livingston hand paint the buses.

 

[Bus Lightyear]

They may want to order new buses, repaint their current ones or who knows they may want their own buses completely!

I think it would be very challenging to replace upwards of 900 buses in such a short time. If NX were to take over, I think they would be rather pleased to inherit over 100 E400MMCs as they've bought them in large numbers for their West Midlands and Dundee fleets.

 

[GaryMcEwan]

It would be a good fit for NX from an infrastructure point of view as well. They use vaults, Ticketer and accept contactless, so they wouldn't need to muck about adding all these in.

 

[winston270twm]

It would be a good fit for NX from an infrastructure point of view as well. They use vaults, Ticketer and accept contactless, so they wouldn't need to muck about adding all these in.

NXWM have INIT contactless ticket machines, only Xplore Dundee has Ticketer, Dundee went contactless last.

 

[lastbus]

I think it would be very challenging to replace upwards of 900 buses in such a short time. If NX were to take over, I think they would be rather pleased to inherit over 100 E400MMCs as they've bought them in large numbers for their West Midlands and Dundee fleets.

Where are you getting the 900 buses figure from? Not all buses need replaced some already have been and others can be retrofitted.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Where are you getting the 900 buses figure from? Not all buses need replaced some already have been and others can be retrofitted.

JumpinTrainz said "they may want their own buses completely!" - I'd assume that's what the 900 buses figure was in reply to.

 

[Bus Lightyear]

Where are you getting the 900 buses figure from? Not all buses need replaced some already have been and others can be retrofitted.

I was responding to the ridiculous idea on post 3274 (I sincerely mean no offence to the poster) that whoever takes over First Glasgow would want an entire new fleet. With First UK Bus up for sale the buses will obviously have to go with it.

 

[lastbus]

JumpinTrainz said "they may want their own buses completely!" - I'd assume that's what the 900 buses figure was in reply to.

I was responding to the ridiculous idea on post 3274 (I sincerely mean no offence to the poster) that whoever takes over First Glasgow would want an entire new fleet. With First UK Bus up for sale the buses will obviously have to go with it.

Apologies read it wrong thought you meant to comply with LEZ

 

[alangla]

The Glasgow fleet is all owned by First, isn’t it? There aren’t any leased vehicles in there?

 

[Jordan Adam]

The Glasgow fleet is all owned by First, isn’t it? There aren’t any leased vehicles in there?

I may be wrong but weren't some of the Gemini's leased? That aside the only other vehicles First Glasgow leased long term were the Nordic's and Enviro500's, the latter of which were bought out when they moved to Aberdeen.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

I may be wrong but weren't some of the Gemini's leased? That aside the only other vehicles First Glasgow leased long term were the Nordic's and Enviro500's, the latter of which were bought out when they moved to Aberdeen.

Does anyone know the reason for First leasing their buses as opposed to buying them out right? Is there a benefit to leasing rather than owning?

 

[PaulMc7]

I'd assume it was to do with keeping cost low because it would be cheaper to lease rather than buy outright plus they'd probably aim to not have too many buses sitting spare at the depots

 

[Jordan Adam]

Does anyone know the reason for First leasing their buses as opposed to buying them out right? Is there a benefit to leasing rather than owning?

Due to financial costs at the time, as in they require a large number of new buses in a short period of time, but don't have the available funds to buy them all outright then and there. Keep in mind in the late 00s Glasgow still had quite a large amount of step entry vehicles.

 

[PaulMc7]

I can vaguely remember still getting buses with steps up. 42/42A were using them pretty much constantly even til around 12/13 years ago. We've come a long way since those days

 

[JumpinTrainz]

I can vaguely remember still getting buses with steps up. 42/42A were using them pretty much constantly even til around 12/13 years ago. We've come a long way since those days

Definitely agree. The Volvo PS buses basically dominated the old 42/42A as well as all the Dumbarton services. They could be found just about anywhere really even on main stream services such as the 2 etc. A lot of the Lanarkshire services used them. They only disappeared in great numbers about 7 years ago.

Glasgow has come a long way in that respect. I think the large order of E300s from about 2012 saw the replacement of the majority of step entrance buses. There were some Olympians going around on the 38 round about that time if I remember correctly.

I’m thinking the next order may see more singles to replace the vast majority of B7Ls and also the remaining B10BLEs. Still seeing some around on the 46 and 60 services.

 

[route101]

Definitely agree. The Volvo PS buses basically dominated the old 42/42A as well as all the Dumbarton services. They could be found just about anywhere really even on main stream services such as the 2 etc. A lot of the Lanarkshire services used them. They only disappeared in great numbers about 7 years ago.

Glasgow has come a long way in that respect. I think the large order of E300s from about 2012 saw the replacement of the majority of step entrance buses. There were some Olympians going around on the 38 round about that time if I remember correctly.

I’m thinking the next order may see more singles to replace the vast majority of B7Ls and also the remaining B10BLEs. Still seeing some around on the 46 and 60 services.

Last time i seen a SV or PS was on a 240 early 2014.

 

[Bus Lightyear]

Definitely agree. The Volvo PS buses basically dominated the old 42/42A as well as all the Dumbarton services. They could be found just about anywhere really even on main stream services such as the 2 etc. A lot of the Lanarkshire services used them. They only disappeared in great numbers about 7 years ago.

Glasgow has come a long way in that respect. I think the large order of E300s from about 2012 saw the replacement of the majority of step entrance buses. There were some Olympians going around on the 38 round about that time if I remember correctly.

I’m thinking the next order may see more singles to replace the vast majority of B7Ls and also the remaining B10BLEs. Still seeing some around on the 46 and 60 services.

The good old PS types were still running on the 11, 42 and 64 not long before Simplicity was introduced.

There cant be many B7ls still running. Maybe only 2 or 3.

 

[PaulMc7]

Anyone seen that new registration on VOSA for the 1s today? Will be interesting to see what it'll involve

 

[awsnews]

Anyone seen that new registration on VOSA for the 1s today? Will be interesting to see what it'll involve

It's a variation of some sort. Noticeably it doesn't include Mountblow as a start point but does include Lomond Shores in the route, but as the original registration goes back to the days of the 204/5/16 then it could be something that has never been tidied up. I wouldn't be surprised to see the early 1Bs from Helensburgh get cut back, the only time they get in to double digit passenger numbers is when the trains go off.

 

[PaulMc7]

It's a variation of some sort. Noticeably it doesn't include Mountblow as a start point but does include Lomond Shores in the route, but as the original registration goes back to the days of the 204/5/16 then it could be something that has never been tidied up. I wouldn't be surprised to see the early 1Bs from Helensburgh get cut back, the only time they get in to double digit passenger numbers is when the trains go off.

They would probably be better cutting the 1B back to running to just Dumbarton and extending some 206s to Helensburgh as it runs to Westcliff anyway. It might just be some timetable adjustments as the 1s are very often late with the exception of 1Cs

 

[route101]

The good old PS types were still running on the 11, 42 and 64 not long before Simplicity was introduced.

There cant be many B7ls still running. Maybe only 2 or 3.

Seen two B7Ls earlier on 64 and 7 .