Go South Coast

[TrainspotterSW]

Today morebus announced that the Jurassic Breezer 31 timetable will change from the 17th August due to the temporary emergency timetable on the trains meaning they leave slightly earlier, so passengers wanting the train would miss it.

Breezer 31 timetable changes from Monday 17 August

Updated timetable inside...

www.morebus.co.uk

 

[DaveHarries]

Seen on the M5 this morning were the following, both on tow:
- WX08 SXG (521, ex. Swindon)
- HW52 EPU (1996, ex. Salisbury)

The doors on 1996 were open and it looked as if it had been cannibalised a bit. There was also some bits missing off the rear.

Dave

 

[IanMac]

I see on bustimes that the X3 is now split at Ringwood. Is this a planned change or related to local congestion following the closure of the A31 towards Burley?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I see on bustimes that the X3 is now split at Ringwood. Is this a planned change or related to local congestion following the closure of the A31 towards Burley?

I’d suggest the latter. On the radio today that the traffic on A338 is appalling.

 

[James H]

It’s been a split registration since it was extended to Salisbury rail station

 

[Open top 80]

I see on bustimes that the X3 is now split at Ringwood. Is this a planned change or related to local congestion following the closure of the A31 towards Burley?

It a spilt registration something to do with the the 50km rule

 

[IanMac]

Thanks guys, that had passed me by (and I didn't even spot the Station extension in the timetable!).

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

It’s been a split registration since it was extended to Salisbury rail station

Oh yeah - I forgot they'd done that change and that it was a short term registration.

That said, the traffic is impacting the X3 with many journeys running 10-20 mins late

 

[TrainspotterSW]

Looksl ike 1827 is back after 3 weeks running on the NFB, replacing 1818

 

[TrainspotterSW]

morebus have announced the winter timetable changes including:

• 20: New earlier journey leaving Southbourne at 08:30 Monday to Friday
• 30/35/70: Withdrawn during winter
• 40/50: Winter timetables
• 60: Winter timetable and not serving Pottery Road
• 125: New journey added from Ringwood to Burley leaving at 14:40.
  
  
  

  Our winter timetables are returning from Monday 14 September

  Find out about winter timetables and reliability improvements here...

  www.morebus.co.uk

Winter timetables return from Monday 14 September

From Monday 14 September, we are making a few reliability improvements and bringing in winter timetables on our Breezer routes.

Find all the details below along with new timetable PDFs. Full timetable booklets will soon be available to collect from our travel shop in Poole Bus Station...

 

[James H]

Not much of note really but I guess some stability of timetables and network is a good thing

 

[TrainspotterSW]

Not much of note really but I guess some stability of timetables and network is a good thing

must be the least amount of changes done to the timetables

 

[PTR 444]

must be the least amount of changes done to the timetables

At least Corfe Mullen gets a later bus back from Wimborne with the 22:40 route 4 journey becoming a route 3 journey. Even with that change, Merley will still have six evening journeys from Wimborne after 20:45.

 

[James H]

The New Forest timetable book issued in May was shown as valid for a whole year. And the main BCP-area Morebus timetable book has a start date in May but doesn't show a September expiry date, so with these minimal changes I guess won't require a new edition this autumn.

Perhaps there will be further changes once Gervis Place reopens early next year - or they'll just wait for next May.

I think the enhanced partnership with BCP council commits them to two main change dates a year (originally agreed while Yellow Buses were still around and they had timetable changes on different dates from Morebus)

That said, the Morebus change list posted above doesn't include the reduction to Unibus evening services I mentioned upthread

 

[Towers]

Looksl ike 1827 is back after 3 weeks running on the NFB, replacing 1818

Is it confirmed/thought that this is the last season for the 18xx Volvos? Thinking back to a post above somewhere which proclaimed that none of them are intended to run in closed top form again, which would rather suggest that they’re shortly to be dispensed with?

 

[341o2]

I suggest Morebus now has enough vehicles not to need the use of the New Forest Tour Volvos once the tour season ends 13th September, the next day will see the introduction of the winter timetable.
Things are now better with the return of 1827, 1821 has been to both Totton and Ringwood, presumably to allow servicing of the other three vehicles.
However, the reduction of the Red and Blue routes has not been well received.

 

[Surreyman]

I suggest Morebus now has enough vehicles not to need the use of the New Forest Tour Volvos once the tour season ends 13th September, the next day will see the introduction of the winter timetable.
Things are now better with the return of 1827, 1821 has been to both Totton and Ringwood, presumably to allow servicing of the other three vehicles.
However, the reduction of the Red and Blue routes has not been well received.

Will this not depend on Next Stop Announcement equipment fitting? (deadline 01/10/26) Some of the B7tl are fitted, a small number of GSC fleet are not yet fitted, with a little over 4 weeks to go. Non equipped vehicles can still be used on closed door, so may survive a little longer. Anyone with inside knowledge care to comment?

 

[Towers]

Will this not depend on Next Stop Announcement equipment fitting? (deadline 01/10/26) Some of the B7tl are fitted, a small number of GSC fleet are not yet fitted, with a little over 4 weeks to go. Non equipped vehicles can still be used on closed door, so may survive a little longer. Anyone with inside knowledge care to comment?

I suppose that deadline is ideal for winter fitting of the equipment whilst summer-only open toppers are off the road? The pair of ex Yellow Bus B7s being obvious examples, the 18xx batch perhaps also if they aren’t needed in ‘roof-on’ form any more. That being said, if they were to continue they really do need some tlc, the interiors are in a right state! The pair of ex YB are very tidy overall, at least one of them also goes like a rocket - hopefully they’re staying!

 

[TrainspotterSW]

anyone know whats going on with 1793 and 1794. 1793 last tracked on the X8 on the 14th Aug and now is on the 16/17, and 1794 last tracked on the X8 on 20th Aug is now on the m2

edit: they are both now back on the X8

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Aug 2026 ==

That said, the Morebus change list posted above doesn't include the reduction to Unibus evening services I mentioned upthread

Unibus Timetables for the New Academic Year

Services start from Monday 21 September, check your timetable now...

www.unibuses.co.uk

 

[sam445]

So morebus has won the contract to run the university hospital Dorset NHS shuttle bus for the next 3 years

 

[baza585]

So morebus has won the contract to run the university hospital Dorset NHS shuttle bus for the next 3 years

Currently run by one of the local indies.

I'm puzzled why the NHS is spending it's very scarce money on this service, given morebus runs the m1 which serves both hospitals 24/7 with 8bph during the working day.....

 

[James H]

Currently run by Xelabus

I do see the appeal of a service between the hospitals with fewer stops than the m1

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Sep 2026 ==

The current shuttle is staff only but the new contract blurb suggests there will be public access too

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Monday at 11:29 ==

Digging further, I see GSC was the only bidder for the hospital contract

 

[nw1]

It's good to see the new developments at Bluestar, particularly the 26 and the rejigging of the 16 to become the 6/16. One thing not highlighted yet is the restoration of a regular 30-min service to the St James' Road area with the 16, something which always used to exist before the First cutbacks. With the 19a this area has seen a significant uplift of late with two 30-min frequency routes serving the area west of the Common - like in the good old days!

Presumably some diagramming changes - the 7 now terminates at Aldermoor, previously during peak times the 7 and 19/19a interworked at Lordshill. The 16 also terminates there incidentally, both seemingly laying over there for more or less the same 10 mins every half hour. That might give them the chance to interwork at certain times if operationally sensible to do so, but have not checked if this actually takes place.

Less good news on the Unilink U2 though, seems to be cut back to a 4bph at best service, except during the northbound (towards the University) peak, and it drops to a 3bph on a 30-15-15 frequency for a time in the afternoon. Wonder what's driving the U2 cutbacks?

 

[BadgerBoy]

Less good news on the Unilink U2 though, seems to be cut back to a 4bph at best service, except during the northbound (towards the University) peak, and it drops to a 3bph on a 30-15-15 frequency for a time in the afternoon. Wonder what's driving the U2 cutbacks?

Mayflower Halls is closed for the year (water main issues I believe) so there's going to be less demand.

Due to the closure it's also been rerouted from terminating at the north side of Central Station to the south side.

 

[SeveerYeliab]

The U2 cutbacks are due to the temporary closure this year of Mayflower Halls, so less students travelling on this route - more peak time runs have been added on the U1 due to this move around of where students are travelling from.

 

[Titfield]

Digging further, I see GSC was the only bidder for the hospital contract

I do not know exactly how many PSV O licence holders there are in the BCP Council area but I dont think there are that many anymore and as the contract outcome suggests few with an appetite to take on new work. Traffic congestion across the conurbation is severe and therefore I think possible bidders from the fringes of the area will look at this and determine that "dead time" is too high relative to the core paid work.

 

[nw1]

Had cause to use the new 16 extension yesterday afternoon. Well loaded on the western part, including the St James' Road section: three people alighted at one stop and two other stops had one person each. Only one stop on the section picked up/dropped off no-one. This was around 3.30pm so before the "peak" peak.

It's nice to see the buses in this area receiving use. I wonder why First gave up on the area west of the Common when Bluestar seem to be making a success of it? The 19a is always well used whenever I use it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Wednesday at 14:01 ==

Mayflower Halls is closed for the year (water main issues I believe) so there's going to be less demand.

Due to the closure it's also been rerouted from terminating at the north side of Central Station to the south side.

OK fair enough - thanks.

That said the U2 does provide a useful alternative up the Avenue if there are any issues with the 1.

 

[TrainspotterSW]

None of the 18xx will operate in closed top form again.

well they have all be converted to closed top and 1829 is on the 82

 

[nw1]

By my calculations and based on a limited number of anecdotal observations, it looks like the Bluestar 10/13/14 group of services now needs 8 vehicles to operate off-peak, up from 7. This isn't so much to do with the 10 running a different route, but rather extra time allowed for the 13 and the 14. The 13 is now retimed to xx10/xx40 with a 1hr05 round trip off-peak (was 1hr) while the 14 is now allowed 1hr35 round trip off-peak (was, IIRC, 1hr30).

Essentially, the 13 which arrived at xx03 used to then form the 10 at xx13 in most hours, but now the equivalent 13 journey effectively arrives at xx15, so it cannot form the 10 which departs at xx10. From one observation only (and I don't know if it applies every hour), the 1210 on the 10 is formed off the 1200 arrival on the 14.

Good to see reliability playing a part in scheduling, even if that does increase vehicle requirement.

 

[OptareOlympus]

well they have all be converted to closed top and 1829 is on the 82

Due to additional work gained from September