First Midlands

[Robertj21a]

I don't know if Leicester are getting all of our Streetdecks or just some (depends who you talk to round here!).

Nice buses internally, but a great example of the way that First lack the Midas touch. Introduced for the high profile X78 (Doncaster - Sheffield), pride of Midland Road depot in Rotherham, they even had seats with X78 on the head rests - the X78 has been the one big success under First - used to be a half hourly service but increased to every ten minutes - amazing for such a long distance route.

It was then cut to every fifteen minutes Doncaster to Rotherham (and every ten from Rotherham to Sheffield, which meant some journeys waiting around ten minutes at Rotherham Interchange so the two frequencies could slot together, thus alienating longer distance passengers).

Midland Road depot then closed and the buses were moved to Olive Grove in Sheffield.

The X78 was then cut to every fifteen minutes throughout (and downgraded to single deckers), with the Streetdecks sent to a "new" route (X1 - Maltby to Sheffield every ten minutes, a combination of a few services) despite them retaining the X78 branded seats.

Now the X1 is being cut back to every half hour at the Sheffield end (and the X78 stuck with single deckers).

The upshot is that these 65 plate vehicles have had a "fairly hard paper round" in South Yorkshire (if that expression translates to people in the East Midlands?)... internally they are very nice (first buses round here to have USB sockets etc), but mechanically they have been sweated pretty hard - best of luck to the Leicester depot in what they inherit!

It's been reported elsewhere that First Leicester are getting 6 Streetdecks from Sheffield. All need attention by Leicester before they can be used in service. The Geminis that were going from Leeds to Leicester are going to Sheffield instead.

 

[tbtc]

I posted above it was 6, at least for now anyway replaced by Geminis.

It's been reported elsewhere that First Leicester are getting 6 Streetdecks from Sheffield. All need attention by Leicester before they can be used in service. The Geminis that were going from Leeds to Leicester are going to Sheffield instead.

Fair enough if it's six - I've just heard different things locally that suggested the whole batch were leaving us (but that's probably just crossed wires)

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

It's been reported elsewhere that First Leicester are getting 6 Streetdecks from Sheffield. All need attention by Leicester before they can be used in service. The Geminis that were going from Leeds to Leicester are going to Sheffield instead.

So six Streetdecks to replace four Geminis (to head to Worcester and displace Tridents) and add a bit more capacity?

Is there something like 30-35 B7Ls (disposal) and B7RLEs (transfer) to tackle in readiness for the Clean Air Zone? When does that have to be done by?

 

[Robertj21a]

So six Streetdecks to replace four Geminis (to head to Worcester and displace Tridents) and add a bit more capacity?

Is there something like 30-35 B7Ls (disposal) and B7RLEs (transfer) to tackle in readiness for the Clean Air Zone? When does that have to be done by?

It seems more like 6 Streetdecks to replace the 4 Geminis because they all need work done to them before they're any use to anyone, and the 2 extras just help remove more B7Ls (many already withdrawn). The clean air zone date is 'by the end of 2020'. Two native B7RLEs have transferred to York recently but newer 'Cymru Clipper' versions are still arriving.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

It seems more like 6 Streetdecks to replace the 4 Geminis because they all need work done to them before they're any use to anyone, and the 2 extras just help remove more B7Ls (many already withdrawn). The clean air zone date is 'by the end of 2020'. Two native B7RLEs have transferred to York recently but newer 'Cymru Clipper' versions are still arriving.

Thanks for that. I'd seen that the 2009 ex Hampshire/Cymru Eclipses had arrived in Leicester and would be suitably upgraded, with one gaining its new colour scheme already. So a bit of time to get the fleet suitably compliant.

 

[aswilliamsuk]

A photo on another group (on FB) suggests that 63068/69 have arrived from Bristol. I seem to recall that more of that batch (there were eleven of them in total) were due too.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

A photo on another group (on FB) suggests that 63068/69 have arrived from Bristol. I seem to recall that more of that batch (there were eleven of them in total) were due too.

About time too...

 

[Volvodart]

Potteries are also getting involved - Streelites 63012/34/382/6 reported as going there, some, if not all, requiring major attention hence transfer.

 

[aswilliamsuk]

Potteries are also getting involved - Streelites 63012/34/382/6 reported as going there, some, if not all, requiring major attention hence transfer.

It does seem that various FSY vehicles are getting attention elsewhere at the moment - does it necessarily mean that they are being transferred as well? Streetlites moving on seems surprising, as the cascade of 26 B9TL/Gemini from Leeds (the remaining 12-reg, ex-Olympic fleet) appears to be mainly to oust the remaining B10BLEs and B7Ls (and also seeing off six StreetDecks to Leicester), and unless yet more service cuts have happened I can't see how Streetlites are being released too. I could be wrong, mind...

 

[Volvodart]

Did they not receive some returning ex Bolton Enviro400s too?

 

[aswilliamsuk]

Sorry, yes, about six of those too.

 

[Robertj21a]

It does seem that various FSY vehicles are getting attention elsewhere at the moment - does it necessarily mean that they are being transferred as well? Streetlites moving on seems surprising, as the cascade of 26 B9TL/Gemini from Leeds (the remaining 12-reg, ex-Olympic fleet) appears to be mainly to oust the remaining B10BLEs and B7Ls (and also seeing off six StreetDecks to Leicester), and unless yet more service cuts have happened I can't see how Streetlites are being released too. I could be wrong, mind...

Sheffield is, presumably, somehow coping without these vehicles anyway as they've been off the road, requiring attention.

 

[tbtc]

Sheffield is, presumably, somehow coping without these vehicles anyway as they've been off the road, requiring attention.

Trying to cope anyhow:

https://www.firstgroup.com/south-yo...ice-updates/news/cancelled-services-Sheffield

Statement from Garry Birmingham, Managing Director of First Bus South Yorkshire:
As the managing director of First South Yorkshire, myself and the team absolutely recognise that punctual and reliable services are very important for our customers. Over the last several years we have worked hard with partners to improve reliability & punctuality including the introduction of new ticketing technology to speed up boarding and reduce journey time.

In recent weeks however, our service delivery performance has not been at the standards that we set ourselves or to the level that our customers expect, for which I am sorry.

There are a combination of factors that have caused this including congestion from seasonal traffic levels and the city centre road-works but one of the key issues affecting service delivery at the moment is vehicle availability. We have been experiencing major issues following the very wet weather which caused excessive amounts of electrical and water ingress faults. This was compounded by parts availability issues due to business changes at one of our main suppliers Wrightbus, which is now starting to ease following their takeover completion.

Although the issue of vehicle availability is improving, we are taking a number of specific additional actions to ensure we can achieve and sustain stable service delivery. This includes sourcing vehicle parts from alternative suppliers, bringing in additional technical expertise, using additional workshops to complete repairs and bringing extra vehicles into the fleet. In all we will receive 26 newer vehicles over the next few weeks, the first of which have now started to arrive. In addition our recruitment drive is continuing for engineering staff and other engineering options are being explored to ensure we are suitably equipped going forward.

I would like to apologise to all our customers for the impact this is having on their travel and assure them we are doing everything we can to recover our current vehicle availability issues and deliver the high standards of service we can be proud of

(the twenty six buses referred to will be the 12-plate Leeds Geminis referred to above)