Moffat and Williamson

[OptareLover]

Discussion about the bus operator in Scotland, Moffat & Williamson.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 May 2023 ==

What I find weird is, Moffat & Williamson bus services in Dundee & Angus do not track on bustimes.org, but everywhere else does. Does anyone know why? Or is it maybe that they only have tracking equipment for those services?

 

[Gaelan]

What I find weird is, Moffat & Williamson bus services in Dundee & Angus do not track on bustimes.org, but everywhere else does. Does anyone know why? Or is it maybe that they only have tracking equipment for those services?

It's not everywhere else - the St Andrews 9B (primarily operated by that TfL-liveried bus) isn't tracked either.

 

[OptareLover]

It's not everywhere else - the St Andrews 9B (primarily operated by that TfL-liveried bus) isn't tracked either.

It does track - just under Route 9, instead of 9B.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 May 2023 ==


== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 May 2023 ==

LX58 CBY

ADL Enviro200

bustimes.org

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 May 2023 ==

 

[Gaelan]

It does track - just under Route 9, instead of 9B.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 May 2023 ==


== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 May 2023 ==

LX58 CBY

ADL Enviro200

bustimes.org

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 May 2023 ==

Ah! Good to know.

 

[OptareLover]

When Moffat get buses from another operator, I don't like how the fact they just repaint them into an ugly cream livery and not their proper livery with the stripes that the E200MMCs use.
Or they just leave it in TFL with old fleet number!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 May 2023 ==

Here's how to tell what vehicle has been on the Mon-Sat 78/79, although it doesn't track:
The approximately 19:00-19:15 77B, as that's what route the vehicle goes on after.
Doesn't work for Sunday timetable though.
e.g. Here was yesterday's.

 

[tbtc]

Fascinating operator, given the way they’ve not only survived into the 2020s with a combination of commercial/ tendered/ school routes but also found a niche alongside a bigger operator (Stagecoach) , even purchasing vehicles off them

I agree about the tracking on Bustimes though!

 

[OptareLover]

Fascinating operator, given the way they’ve not only survived into the 2020s with a combination of commercial/ tendered/ school routes but also found a niche alongside a bigger operator (Stagecoach) , even purchasing vehicles off them

I agree about the tracking on Bustimes though!

In my opinion, they are quite underrated, their services are lovely and always on time, same with the state of their buses, so clean!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 May 2023 ==

It sadly seems quite a few of their Optare Solos are being withdrawn according to bustimes.org.

 

[Clydeflyer]

Can anyone tell me how they operate the 23 Forfar Town Service? Are they parking up buses in the town or is it 20-odd dead miles at the start and end of each day to get a bus from Fife up to the town?

Is it operated just by one bus running virtually non-stop from 5am to 11pm?

 

[kez19]

I noticed on the passing today, they seem to have a new Optare bus in white (it looked new to me unless it’s been debranded), I didn’t catch the number but I think it’s on the 236 today.

 

[Jordan Adam]

I noticed on the passing today, they seem to have a new Optare bus in white (it looked new to me unless it’s been debranded), I didn’t catch the number but I think it’s on the 236 today.

That'll be Optare Versa SV12CJU (Ex-Stagecoach 25264).

 

[kez19]

That'll be Optare Versa SV12CJU (Ex-Stagecoach 25264).

Thanks for the information, how many Versas do they have? Is this the second one (or is there more?).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 May 2023 ==

When Moffat get buses from another operator, I don't like how the fact they just repaint them into an ugly cream livery and not their proper livery with the stripes that the E200MMCs use.
Or they just leave it in TFL with old fleet number!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 May 2023 ==

Here's how to tell what vehicle has been on the Mon-Sat 78/79, although it doesn't track:
The approximately 19:00-19:15 77B, as that's what route the vehicle goes on after.
Doesn't work for Sunday timetable though.
e.g. Here was yesterday's.

The only thing I’ll say (but this is pictures on Flickr), is the ex Lothian buses in their previous operator colours, when I was heading to Dunfermline couple months back it did confuse me initially seeing the ex Lothians parked (thought Lothian buses had finally conquered Fife lol)

 

[OptareLover]

This is their third.

They had another ex Stagecoach London Versa in one of the depots (not for service) a while ago now. I'm pretty sure that's now gone.

 

[tbtc]

Can anyone tell me how they operate the 23 Forfar Town Service? Are they parking up buses in the town or is it 20-odd dead miles at the start and end of each day to get a bus from Fife up to the town?

Is it operated just by one bus running virtually non-stop from 5am to 11pm?

I don’t know but AFAICS they don’t seem to run any Wormit - Newport - Dundee services specifically to “feed” the 23/30/30/51/78/79/88/202/236 north of the Tay

There’s services from Wormit to Dundee on the 77 and 92 corridors but these seem self contained rather than including placing journeys for the half a dozen (?) vehicles required in/beyond Dundee, from what I can see

Whereas Stagecoach use the bus featured on the 204 (in Dundee) to supplement the 42a over the Tay Road Bridge… McGills use the 99x for otherwise light journeys between Dundee and St Andrews to fit around school journeys

 

[Gaelan]

McGills use the 99x for otherwise light journeys between Dundee and St Andrews to fit around school journeys

Getting a little off topic, but aha! That's a fairly useful bus for me (follows the route of the old lettered 99s), but I never quite understood why it existed.

 

[OptareLover]

Moffat & Williamson really seem to love their Mellor Stratas; almost everything they use on a Sunday - at least, according to bustimes.org - is operated by the Mellors.

Is it because of any of the following...?

• The drivers like them/nice & easy to drive
• The demand for Moffat's Sunday services is so low, so they only use the Mellors
• Cheap to run or something
• They just feel they need to use smaller buses because it's Sunday

Or is it something else? In my opinion, their Mellor Stratas are okay. More of a van than a bus to me.

Also to note about them, I can't think of a time that I've been one of the Stratas and the driver isn't playing the radio.

 

[GusB]

Moffat & Williamson really seem to love their Mellor Stratas; almost everything they use on a Sunday - at least, according to bustimes.org - is operated by the Mellors.

Is it because of any of the following...?

• The drivers like them/nice & easy to drive
• The demand for Moffat's Sunday services is so low, so they only use the Mellors
• Cheap to run or something
• They just feel they need to use smaller buses because it's Sunday

Or is it something else? In my opinion, their Mellor Stratas are okay. More of a van than a bus to me.

Also to note about them, I can't think of a time that I've been one of the Stratas and the driver isn't playing the radio.

What are passenger numbers like on Sundays, compared to the rest of the week?

 

[OptareLover]

What are passenger numbers like on Sundays, compared to the rest of the week?

From what I've seen on the 78/79, sometimes they seem to be the same. But those are just the times I've been on a Sunday 78/79, I could be wrong.

I've been on a Sunday 78/79, and it's been absolutely packed due to the size of the vehicle, with about one or fewer seats left.

On a Sunday, it's a great Stagecoach 73 substitute from Monifieth by adding to the frequency of getting to Dundee some hours.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 May 2023 ==

Fleet News: Moffat & Williamson have received two Optare Solo M850s from Stagecoach East Scotland despite their love for Mellors

The two Optare Solo M850s are

• Former St Andrews SP55 EEA (numbered 47240 with Stagecoach)
• Former Glenrothes SP56 CXF (numbered 47393 with Stagecoach

SP56 CXF Sold to Moffat and Williamson 15/05/23

SP55 EEA Sold to Moffat and Williamson 16/05/23

 

[kez19]

I noticed quite often they seem to operate coaches on some routes - are Moffat and Williamson short on buses? I ask this as today seen a coach on 236 (Claverhouse-City Centre) on Forfar Road and going back a few weeks ago, I seen a coach on the Monikie route as well as the Gauldry route (just seems an odd choice to see on some routes).

 

[Observer]

Moffat & Williamson really seem to love their Mellor Stratas; almost everything they use on a Sunday - at least, according to bustimes.org - is operated by the Mellors.

Good fuel economy with the Mellors, there's a reason why they don't last long for sale on the off-chance they are available on the market. Same with the standard Sprinter minibuses, always in high demand but not enough available.

 

[OptareLover]

I noticed quite often they seem to operate coaches on some routes - are Moffat and Williamson short on buses? I ask this as today seen a coach on 236 (Claverhouse-City Centre) on Forfar Road and going back a few weeks ago

From what I've seen, coaches on the 236 seem to be a common allocation now for some reason.

And a coach on the 78/79 isn't too rare.

I don't know if they just prefer them or as you said, short on buses?

 

[kez19]

From what I've seen, coaches on the 236 seem to be a common allocation now for some reason.

And a coach on the 78/79 isn't too rare.

I don't know if they just prefer them or as you said, short on buses?

I should mention they have (seems today) put it on the 88 Sainsbury’s-Broughty Ferry via Whitfield route too.

It’s a strange allocation even though I rarely use their services, I’m surprised they don’t use their double deckers but I’m guessing they are strictly for the Fife routes M4 (source pics on Flickr)

 

[darloscott]

Good fuel economy with the Mellors, there's a reason why they don't last long for sale on the off-chance they are available on the market. Same with the standard Sprinter minibuses, always in high demand but not enough available.

The little EVM Sprinters are so hard to get hold of. In fact we’ve just replaced our older one with a new one and debated keeping it as a spare but it’s worth more now than what we paid for it 3 years ago…

 

[OptareLover]

Does anyone know why WN21UJO is named "Mia D"? Moffat's only named bus.