First West Yorkshire & York discussion

[YorkRailFan]

Ultroliner 35217 has returned to Bradford from Leeds. E400 33875 has been repainted to Ultraviolet.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Jun 2026 ==

69575, (576) and 577 are loans to Leeds prior to transfer to South Yorkshire.

575 & 577 are now back in Bradford.

 

[YorkRailFan]

B9TL 37715 has been repainted to Ultraviolet.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jun 2026 ==

Ultroliner 35547 has been repainted to Ultraviolet.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jun 2026 ==

First has won an extension to the 116 (Leeds-Ossett-Wakefield) which they started operating in April following the closure of Yorkshire Buses:

• Registration number PB0000815/1048
• Licence Number PB0000815

• Variation number 1
• Status Registered
• Service number.116
• Service type Normal Stopping
• Start point Leeds Bus Station
• Finish point Wakefield Bus Station
• Via White Rose Shopping Centre, Ossett, Horbury
• Date received 05 Jun 2026
• Effective date 19 Jul 2026
• End date
• Supported by subsidies?Yes
• Local authorities covered by route West Yorkshire Combined Authority
• TAOs covered by route North East of England

Pardon Our Interruption

 

[ess]

The Skipton branch of the X84 was only ever hourly (pre-2008, it was hourly 7 days a week from dawn til midnight, which is an unusually even frequency!). Ilkley to Leeds was always at least 2bph, and Otley to Leeds was always at least 3bph, but the exact patterns varied.

There were times when it was every 15 minutes to Otley, every 30 minutes to Ilkley.
There were times when it was every 20 minutes to Ilkley, no shorts to Otley.
There were times when it was every 20 minutes to Otley, and a 2bph 20/40 service to Ilkley.
Occasionally they would try running 1bph via Pool to satisfy some local councillor or campaign, briefly, until the fuss died down and they could ditch it again.
Sundays were always every 30 minutes to Ilkley.

But agreed, it has never been such a poor service as it is now (at least, not in the last 25 years), with the reduced frequency down to 1.5bph throughout, 1bph on Sunday, no service to Skipton, and AI Slop random times. It isn't even as though they're putting good buses on the route any more either, you're as likely to get a knackeredy old pre-2010 B9 as you are a modern Ultroliner these days.

Before the X84, there were buses every 15 mins Leeds to Otley (780 Leeds to Otley via Holt Park, 784 Leeds to Skipton, 782 Leeds to Otley via Pool, 784 Leeds to Ilkley). Evenings and Sundays were 784 every 30 mins - one Leeds to Skipton, the other Leeds to Ilkley. At one point a 783 replaced the 780 and 782 running Leeds to Otley via Holt Park and Pool.

There was also the oddity three times a day 781 Leeds to Otley via Weardley but that's now Meanwood to Otley.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

The Skipton branch of the X84 was only ever hourly (pre-2008, it was hourly 7 days a week from dawn til midnight, which is an unusually even frequency!). Ilkley to Leeds was always at least 2bph, and Otley to Leeds was always at least 3bph, but the exact patterns varied.

There were times when it was every 15 minutes to Otley, every 30 minutes to Ilkley.
There were times when it was every 20 minutes to Ilkley, no shorts to Otley.
There were times when it was every 20 minutes to Otley, and a 2bph 20/40 service to Ilkley.
Occasionally they would try running 1bph via Pool to satisfy some local councillor or campaign, briefly, until the fuss died down and they could ditch it again.
Sundays were always every 30 minutes to Ilkley.

But agreed, it has never been such a poor service as it is now (at least, not in the last 25 years), with the reduced frequency down to 1.5bph throughout, 1bph on Sunday, no service to Skipton, and AI Slop random times. It isn't even as though they're putting good buses on the route any more either, you're as likely to get a knackeredy old pre-2010 B9 as you are a modern Ultroliner these days.

I remember when back in the UniLink days when you had the 28 & 29 (which ran Adel to Clarence Dock), 92 (The Tannery at Kirkstall) and 95 (Leeds to Boddington Hall), it seemed that combined with the services 1 & 6 to Holt Park and the 97 (as it was) to Yeadon, it felt that Headingley or what my mates called the "Headingley Spine" was served so frequently that they didn't need to use a paper timetable or even the 63876 YourNextBus service by Metro. If I got them to do the same journey now they'd have to resort to using printed information due to the AI'd timetabling and as for the YNB service, the text based system was recently scrapped.

Granted that the 92 didn't serve Headingley.

 

[Ballyheigue]

I remember when back in the UniLink days when you had the 28 & 29 (which ran Adel to Clarence Dock), 92 (The Tannery at Kirkstall) and 95 (Leeds to Boddington Hall), it seemed that combined with the services 1 & 6 to Holt Park and the 97 (as it was) to Yeadon, it felt that Headingley or what my mates called the "Headingley Spine" was served so frequently that they didn't need to use a paper timetable or even the 63876 YourNextBus service by Metro. If I got them to do the same journey now they'd have to resort to using printed information due to the AI'd timetabling and as for the YNB service, the text based system was recently scrapped.

Granted that the 92 didn't serve Headingley.

The 92 did serve Headingley from Leeds as caught it a fair few times, it was the 92A that ran direct from Tannery along Kirkstall Lane and North Lane to central Headingley.

 

[YorkRailFan]

B9TL 37295 has been withdrawn, only recently repainted too...

 

[jus363]

B9TL 37295 has been withdrawn, only recently repainted too...

It was withdrawn back in May

 

[YorkRailFan]

It was withdrawn back in May

Apparently also with 37083.

 

[Seehof]

What is wrong with First York? They have announced a number of cancellations plus buses from elsewhere on P&R services.

York Service Disruption

A temporary change to the mix of buses in our York fleet means there will be some minor disruption to services. We have taken steps to minimise this over the coming days, and apologise for any inconvenience. You may see a few buses with a different livery but destination screens will display the...

www.firstbus.co.uk

A temporary change to the mix of buses in our York fleet means there will be some minor disruption to services.

We have taken steps to minimise this over the coming days, and apologise for any inconvenience.

You may see a few buses with a different livery but destination screens will display the service number and route so you know you are using the correct bus.

Customers are advised to check before travelling and visit the website for regular updates. The drop down boxes and tables below show details of trips that will not operate.

We appreciate your patience and understanding

 

[Pit_buzzer]

Looks like the metro deckers have been pulled from service, presumably a response to the fire in London which has seen there's taken off the road too

 

[Seehof]

Thanks - let’s hope First York don’t have any more problems with their electric buses

 

[Pit_buzzer]

Just seen a convoy of 4 of the metro deckers heading west over skeldergate bridge out of service

 

[Seehof]

Thanks - I wonder where they were going? Haven’t seen any of the loaned vehicles yet or are there none?

 

[Andyh82]

Thanks - I wonder where they were going? Haven’t seen any of the loaned vehicles yet or are there none?

If BusTimes is to believed, ‘buses in another livery’ just means service buses from the rest of the York fleet

 

[YorkRailFan]

If BusTimes is to believed, ‘buses in another livery’ just means service buses from the rest of the York fleet

I don't understand why First added that bit. Buses in Ultraviolet regularly appear on Park & Ride services, as do buses in the adapted Uni livery, and buses in Park & Ride livery regularly appear on the rest of the network. It's not really uncommon.

 

[Seehof]

Obviously, someone in an office who has absolutely no idea how things are run here on a daily basis.

 

[Whiteway215]

If York need buses on loan to cover for the Metrodeckers wouldn’t they need electric buses and not diesels?

 

[YorkRailFan]

If York need buses on loan to cover for the Metrodeckers wouldn’t they need electric buses and not diesels?

Last time the electrics were out of service en mass, York Pullman diesels were brought in to operate in place of the electrics.

 

[Pit_buzzer]

Last time the electrics were out of service on mass, York Pullman diesels were brought in to operate in place of the electrics.

I was wondering if Leeds could supply some electroliners and back fill with recently released Bristol geminis although Pullman diesels seems a reasonable option as well. It's going to be interesting seeing what happens

 

[Whiteway215]

Last time the electrics were out of service on mass, York Pullman diesels were brought in to operate in place of the electrics.

Thank you.

 

[YorkRailFan]

I was wondering if Leeds could supply some electroliners and back fill with recently released Bristol geminis although Pullman diesels seems a reasonable option as well. It's going to be interesting seeing what happens

Depends how long the Metrodeckers are out of service for. In the short term, Pullman lending some diesels is probably the simplest. Last time, Pullman was involved for a few days whilst temperatures were sub-zero. Pullman has also received some buses recently from Bristol. Leeds sometimes sends in buses to help out with the Ebor 4-day race event in August and boost capacity on other routes.

 

[Andyh82]

Also remember the university services are on their summer timetable with a much reduced requirement, so that will free up some buses

 

[YorkRailFan]

Also remember the university services are on their summer timetable with a much reduced requirement, so that will free up some buses

At the moment. Luckily for First, the Summer Park & Ride boost doesn't start until 19th July as that uses buses that are freed up by the Uni services being on the holiday timetable.

 

[Whiteway215]

An item on Facebook quoting that one of Bath’s new repowers 71092 will be diverted to York as temporary cover.

Edit.
On July 2nd 2026 a picture of repower 71092 appeared on FirstBus Enthusiasts Facebook. This was shown as arriving at First Leeds Bramley depot on the back of a Thorntons low loader.
This is one of 27 repowers due to operate from First Bath depot and is in green Westbus livery.

There were a number of comments made querying why the vehicle had been delivered to Bramley.

Andy Metcalfe, FirstBus Fleet Manager, stated 71092 was first going to York as temporary cover.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Driver training B7RLE 69001 has been withdrawn from York.

Bustimes shows no Metrodeckers tracking in service this morning, usual caveats apply with Bustimes but it doesn't seem unlikely. There is a list of cancellation for today on First's website, service provision for Saturday onwards is unknown as of yet.

 

[Tim33160]

Driver training B7RLE 69001 has been withdrawn from York.

Bustimes shows no Metrodeckers tracking in service this morning, usual caveats apply with Bustimes but it doesn't seem unlikely. There is a list of cancellation for today on First's website, service provision for Saturday onwards is unknown as of yet.

First Leeds have none to send as they have commitments to the Roundhay Festival shuttle buses this weekend
Seems it is 22 Metrodeckers 39502-24 have been pulled from service, a response to the fire in London which has seen theirs’s taken off the road too. https://bustimes.org/operators/first-york/vehicles

York bus disruption as 145 journeys cancelled

"First Bus has warned of service disruption in York, with the operator cancelling a large number of journeys.

The firm said 145 trips across seven services would not run on Thursday, affecting the 5, 5A, 6, 9, 10, 59, U1 and U2.

A spokesperson for First Bus said: "Unfortunately, due to a technical review of some vehicles, we have had to make some temporary changes to how we allocate buses on our routes in and around York. This may also continue to Friday as well.

"We are doing all we can to minimise the impact to journeys as much as possible but we recognise this will mean changes to many journeys."

They added the majority of affected trips were on two of the Park and Ride services - 59 from Poppleton Bar and 9 from Monks Cross.

There are expected to be buses in another livery at the sites but destination screens will display the service number and route, the operator said.

Passengers are advised to check before travelling and visit the website for regular updates.

"We are very sorry for the disruption and inconvenience caused for our customers in York today," the spokesperson added."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2vr0ww8e5o

York Press has it at 175 journeys cancelled

" MORE than 175 bus journeys are set to be cancelled across York today

First Bus has warned that 179 trips across nine of its services will not run today (July 2) due to issues with the mix of buses in the company’s fleet - with 102 of the cancellations affecting Park and Ride journeys.
These changes will affect the following routes: 1A (10 cancelled trips); 5 (five cancelled trips); 5A (four cancelled trips); 6 (nine cancelled trips); 9 (52 cancelled trip); 10 (ten cancelled trips); 59 (50 cancelled trips); U1 (20 cancelled trips); U2 (19 cancelled trips).

The company added that these changes may continue into the coming days.
A spokesperson for First Bus said: “Unfortunately, due to a technical review of some vehicles, we have had to make some temporary changes to how we allocate buses on our routes in and around York.
"A temporary change to the mix of buses in our York fleet means there will be some minor disruption to services. We have taken steps to minimise this from Thursday and in the coming days, and apologise for any inconvenience.
“You may see a few buses on the park and ride in another livery but destination screens will display the service number and route so you know you are using the correct bus.
“We are very sorry for the disruption and inconvenience caused for our customers in York today.
“We are doing all we can to minimise the impact to journeys as much as possible but we recognise this will mean changes to many journeys."
They added that customers are advised to check before travelling and visit the company’s website for regular updates "

https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/26247770.first-bus-cancelled-175-bus-trips-across-york-today/

 

[Volvodart]

An item on Facebook quoting that one of Bath’s new repowers 71092 will be diverted to York as temporary cover.

37550 left Aberdeen on loan today, presumably for York, if not Leeds.

 

[Pit_buzzer]

West yorkshire transport forum reporting that Leeds will be sending Yutongs to York with a variety of diesels from around West Yorkshire covering there absence from Leeds

 

[YorkRailFan]

York bus disruption as 145 journeys cancelled https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2vr0ww8e5o

York Press has it at 175 journeys cancelled
https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/26247770.first-bus-cancelled-175-bus-trips-across-york-today/

Those articles are from yesterday about yesterday's cancellations.

First Leeds have none to send as they have commitments to the Roundhay Festival shuttle buses this weekend
Seems it is 22 Metrodeckers 39502-24 have been pulled from service, a response to the fire in London which has seen theirs’s taken off the road too.

York Pullman usually operate shuttle buses for Roundhay Festival so might explain why their vehicles haven't been drafted in.

 

[Andyh82]

Those articles are from yesterday about yesterday's cancellations.

York Pullman usually operate shuttle buses for Roundhay Festival so might explain why their vehicles haven't been drafted in.

The Roundhay festival is a brand new event