First Greater Glasgow

[Zakforbes4]

16 passes my house and its use changes massively. sometimes there isn't a single person on it and other times it's quite busy. When they cut it back from Drumchapel usage dropped and people weren't happy. I don't know where the logic to that was

 

[PaulMc7]

16 passes my house and it's use changes massively sometimes there isn't a single person on it other times it's quite busy. When they cut it back from Drumchapel use dropped and people weren't happy I don't know where the logic to that was

I think the problem was when they tried the daft circular route when it came out of Gorget Avenue and then turned right at the very next corner. Buses tend to empty a lot at Drumchapel Shopping Centre so it became the longest way to get there compared to the 3 and 6A. Those 2 also being every 10 mins didn't help either. Between Partick and the hospital it's always quiet when I've seen it too but I think part of that might just be the fact people want to sit on a far comfier 77. The 8 is the same from there for the same reason imo. Neither the 8 or 16 really need to go to the hospital with how frequent the 77 is

 

[GaryBrown156]

I don't know if I have just been unlucky lately but has anyone else noticed a performance drop in the B7 Gemini's?. This evening I was on the 19.14 service 60 from Clydebank to Easterhouse which was terminated at Trongate as the bus had apparently developed a fault and we where transferred onto an awating B9.
This is the 3rd time in a month that a B7 has broken down whilst I have been on board. I know these buses are no spring chickens but I would've thought they'd still be mechanically sound. Is this a common occurance these days?
Speaking of the B7's, internally they are starting to look quite run down (threadbare seats, leaking roofs ect). As these buses are amongst the oldest in the fleet I don't know how much longer First Glasgow intend on keeping them. but if they are likely to be around for another 2+ years surely they will need some sort of interior refurbishment sometime soon (Even if its just new seat covers and patching up any leaks).

 

[JumpinTrainz]

I don't know if I have just been unlucky lately but has anyone else noticed a performance drop in the B7 Gemini's?. This evening I was on the 19.14 service 60 from Clydebank to Easterhouse which was terminated at Trongate as the bus had apparently developed a fault and we where transferred onto an awating B9.
This is the 3rd time in a month that a B7 has broken down whilst I have been on board. I know these buses are no spring chickens but I would've thought they'd still be mechanically sound. Is this a common occurance these days?
Speaking of the B7's, internally they are starting to look quite run down (threadbare seats, leaking roofs ect). As these buses are amongst the oldest in the fleet I don't know how much longer First Glasgow intend on keeping them. but if they are likely to be around for another 2+ years surely they will need some sort of interior refurbishment sometime soon (Even if its just new seat covers and patching up any leaks).

I’ve found the B7TLs and B7RLEs to be way past their prime. They were once great buses but over time were neglected. They have been suffering from threadbare, smelly seats for the best part of 10 years now. The cooling fans are always broke so they sound like hoovers too. They should have been refurbished long ago.

 

[route101]

I thought the B7TL geminis were generally solid, don't they feel heavier and more solid than the B9TLS which sound hollow and feel lighter. Maybe age is getting to them.

 

[LT02 NVV]

Even when the 42 became Garscadden to Partick it was still pretty busy. I used it quite a lot and it was never really quiet. Just like a lot of services began to suffer from bad reliability. Don't think it needed to be every 15 mins though. Every 20/30 could have probably done enough. It was well used for the schools near me too

Yeah, I once seen a President on the route.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Oct 2020 ==

I’ve found the B7TLs and B7RLEs to be way past their prime. They were once great buses but over time were neglected. They have been suffering from threadbare, smelly seats for the best part of 10 years now. The cooling fans are always broke so they sound like hoovers too. They should have been refurbished long ago.

Yeah, the oldest B7 is from 2003 and the newest B7 is from 2007, they are an ageing fleet.

 

[Busman84]

The older B7TLs are the heaviest Geminis in Fleet but if the B9TLs were slightly longer they would be heavier. The later B7TLs (ones with revised dash and gearbox) are lighter. They had different suspension too and didn’t feel as smooth as older B7TLs.

 

[route101]

The older B7TLs are the heaviest Geminis in Fleet but if the B9TLs were slightly longer they would be heavier. The later B7TLs (ones with revised dash and gearbox) are lighter. They had different suspension too and didn’t feel as smooth as older B7TLs.

I notice they feel heavy , the ALX 400s feel heavy too.

 

[PaulMc7]

Find it quite interesting that the extra 1s at peak are all running. Leads to quite a pile up of buses at Scotstoun into Glasgow in the morning. Not been out at this time in months to notice how busy they are but if the app is anything to go by a lot of them really aren't that busy.

Makes a lot of sense with the amount of working from home City Centre businesses probably will be doing for the foreseeable and college/uni students are mostly at home too for the foreseeable

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I’ve found the B7TLs and B7RLEs to be way past their prime. They were once great buses but over time were neglected. They have been suffering from threadbare, smelly seats for the best part of 10 years now. The cooling fans are always broke so they sound like hoovers too. They should have been refurbished long ago.

A question here.... Did the 2004 plate Geminis get any form of mid life refurb? I ask only as the ones that came south to Bristol (of which a few still remain) are in remarkably good condition internally. Seats aren't threadbare or faded particularly so just wondering?

The reality is that unless there are a few Eclipses that are to be retained for Dumbarton for the next 3/4 years (that could justify a refurb) then they're just going to head for disposal. Had it not been for Covid and its impact on new vehicle investment across the group, think you'd have seen quite a number across First heading for disposal in 2020.

 

[Volvodart]

Up until a certain time, Glasgow did retrim buses. The VolvoB7LAs that went from Glasgow to Aberdeen nearly all were retimmed prior to arrival.

 

[LT02 NVV]

A question here.... Did the 2004 plate Geminis get any form of mid life refurb? I ask only as the ones that came south to Bristol (of which a few still remain) are in remarkably good condition internally. Seats aren't threadbare or faded particularly so just wondering?

The reality is that unless there are a few Eclipses that are to be retained for Dumbarton for the next 3/4 years (that could justify a refurb) then they're just going to head for disposal. Had it not been for Covid and its impact on new vehicle investment across the group, think you'd have seen quite a number across First heading for disposal in 2020.

Probably not, the only refurbishments are the paint work, the inside is just normal, if someone hasn’t ripped the seats and got them replaced by different patterned seats.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Oct 2020 ==

The later B7TLs (ones with revised dash and gearbox) are lighter. They had different suspension too and didn’t feel as smooth as older B7TLs.

I think SF07 FDV, SF07 FDY, And SF07 FDZ are the only ones of them left in Glasgow. The rest moved to Bath and Wales, even the Ex Yorkshire ones too.

 

[ScotRail158725]

Probably not, the only refurbishments are the paint work, the inside is just normal, if someone hasn’t ripped the seats and got them replaced by different patterned seats.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Oct 2020 ==


I think SF07 FDV, SF07 FDY, And SF07 FDZ are the only ones of them left in Glasgow. The rest moved to Bath and Wales, even the Ex Yorkshire ones too.

FDY/Z are B9s. only 37184 is a B7

 

[JumpinTrainz]

A question here.... Did the 2004 plate Geminis get any form of mid life refurb? I ask only as the ones that came south to Bristol (of which a few still remain) are in remarkably good condition internally. Seats aren't threadbare or faded particularly so just wondering?

The reality is that unless there are a few Eclipses that are to be retained for Dumbarton for the next 3/4 years (that could justify a refurb) then they're just going to head for disposal. Had it not been for Covid and its impact on new vehicle investment across the group, think you'd have seen quite a number across First heading for disposal in 2020.

I recall SF54 OUD being given a seat retrim and there could have been more but that one stood out as it was on the 61 a lot. The good thing the B7TLs and B7RLEe have in their favour is that they have the original dark floor interior which ages pretty well. They dark flooring in the old interiors was very durable compared to some of the enviros. I don’t know what they were thinking with the blue floors they get dirty so quickly.

 

[LT02 NVV]

FDY/Z are B9s. only 37184 is a B7

Yeah, I thought that they were B7s but they are B9s, I remember now.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Oct 2020 ==

I recall SF54 OUD being given a seat retrim and there could have been more but that one stood out as it was on the 61 a lot.

I think that’s the one with the seat patterns that are on the Nimbus Darts and E400s. I remember that being the Wedding Bus livery.

 

[route101]

Was on a 53 plate gemini that has been retrimed recently. Most of the 54 plates are shocking , the seats !

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Was on a 53 plate gemini that has been retrimed recently. Most of the 54 plates are shocking , the seats !

I noticed many have been retrimmed along with a repaint. Could mean they’ll be leaving the fleet for another operator? Don’t see why they’d go to the effort of re-trimmed a bus for it to be scrapped just months later. The B7TLs are getting on a bit but mechanically still seem in decent condition.

 

[GusB]

I noticed many have been retrimmed along with a repaint. Could mean they’ll be leaving the fleet for another operator? Don’t see why they’d go to the effort of re-trimmed a bus for it to be scrapped just months later. The B7TLs are getting on a bit but mechanically still seem in decent condition.

It's a rather sad state of affairs when someone notices that a vehicle has been re-trimmed and automatically assumes that it's due to be transferred away somewhere else.

 

[Jordan Adam]

I noticed many have been retrimmed along with a repaint. Could mean they’ll be leaving the fleet for another operator? Don’t see why they’d go to the effort of re-trimmed a bus for it to be scrapped just months later. The B7TLs are getting on a bit but mechanically still seem in decent condition.

I highly doubt that, if a bus was due to move they wouldn't waste expenditure retrimming it when the money could be spent on a vehicle they plan to retain. A number of our Geminis are due to move at the end of the month and you can tell what ones they are as they've stopped replacing damaged seats... It's a classic FirstGroup thing, likewise if a vehicle transfers opcos and then sits out of use for ages it's likely because management are "arguing" over what division should cover the repair costs to get it going.

 

[route101]

I noticed many have been retrimmed along with a repaint. Could mean they’ll be leaving the fleet for another operator? Don’t see why they’d go to the effort of re-trimmed a bus for it to be scrapped just months later. The B7TLs are getting on a bit but mechanically still seem in decent condition.

Think they may have a few years yet, nothing to replace them yet.

 

[92002]

Think they may have a few years yet, nothing to replace them yet.

As the First Glasgow story goes they are the next to be replaced. In fact should have already been replaced. They are just a bit short of cash for now with many people not travelling. So no income to pay the Bank Manager.

Alexander who probably could have been supplying the new buses have laid off employees due to the current lack of orders.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

As the First Glasgow story goes they are the next to be replaced. In fact should have already been replaced. They are just a bit short of cash for now with many people not travelling. So no income to pay the Bank Manager.

Alexander who probably could have been supplying the new buses have laid off employees due to the current lack of orders.

There was an order for new buses this year promised however COVID struck and we’ve had none. Presumably this was to wipe out the remaining older vehicles and start tackling the B7TLs.

 

[LT02 NVV]

A number of our Geminis are due to move at the end of the month.

What ones?

 

[Glasgowbusguy]

I don't know if I have just been unlucky lately but has anyone else noticed a performance drop in the B7 Gemini's?. This evening I was on the 19.14 service 60 from Clydebank to Easterhouse which was terminated at Trongate as the bus had apparently developed a fault and we where transferred onto an awating B9.
This is the 3rd time in a month that a B7 has broken down whilst I have been on board. I know these buses are no spring chickens but I would've thought they'd still be mechanically sound. Is this a common occurance these days?
Speaking of the B7's, internally they are starting to look quite run down (threadbare seats, leaking roofs ect). As these buses are amongst the oldest in the fleet I don't know how much longer First Glasgow intend on keeping them. but if they are likely to be around for another 2+ years surely they will need some sort of interior refurbishment sometime soon (Even if its just new seat covers and patching up any leaks).

Been on two B7s that broke down recently. Both times were due to electrical issues such as no lights, no bells etc

 

[route101]

Is there not electric buses due for Glasgow?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I noticed many have been retrimmed along with a repaint. Could mean they’ll be leaving the fleet for another operator? Don’t see why they’d go to the effort of re-trimmed a bus for it to be scrapped just months later. The B7TLs are getting on a bit but mechanically still seem in decent condition.

It's a rather sad state of affairs when someone notices that a vehicle has been re-trimmed and automatically assumes that it's due to be transferred away somewhere else.

I highly doubt that, if a bus was due to move they wouldn't waste expenditure retrimming it when the money could be spent on a vehicle they plan to retain. A number of our Geminis are due to move at the end of the month and you can tell what ones they are as they've stopped replacing damaged seats... It's a classic FirstGroup thing, likewise if a vehicle transfers opcos and then sits out of use for ages it's likely because management are "arguing" over what division should cover the repair costs to get it going.

Just a thought but might be that a number of B7TLs might be retained for a while longer (until their final days which is usually about 18 years of age) whilst the focus switches onto the final Tridents and some of the Eclipses to be withdrawn and, as I suggested, there is always the potential for some newer fleet to be cascaded to other fleets!

Certainly, some of the Geminis that did arrive in the South West were surprisingly smart inside and noticeably better than the native ALXs that are a year or so older.

 

[LT02 NVV]

Is there not electric buses due for Glasgow?

Yes, the M3 has 2 E200MMCs that are electric.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Is there not electric buses due for Glasgow?

Yes that’s the plan.

 

[ScotRail158725]

Yes, the M3 has 2 E200MMCs that are electric.

He said on order not already here...

 

[LT02 NVV]

He said on order not already here...

Oh, I thought he was talking about the M3 buses.