Stagecoach South Wales

[CN12 AWU]

Hello the other 2 Stagecoach south wales threads seem to be closed

I am wondering what fleet movements are due into Merthyr Tydfil

I presume the Traws Cymru Evoras and Solo SR's will move to new operators (however I believe SR's are stagecoach standard spec?)

Also with the new X4 and the increase to 25, 27, 33, 35, 78, 79, 81 back to full service levels
what other buses are transferring in or will those Traws Solo SR's be repainted for normal use at Merthyr?

Anyone know anything as it's a big increase in buses for Merthyr just wondering if the Streetlites may return

 

[SW Buses]

Hello the other 2 Stagecoach south wales threads seem to be closed

I am wondering what fleet movements are due into Merthyr Tydfil

I presume the Traws Cymru Evoras and Solo SR's will move to new operators (however I believe SR's are stagecoach standard spec?)

Also with the new X4 and the increase to 25, 27, 33, 35, 78, 79, 81 back to full service levels
what other buses are transferring in or will those Traws Solo SR's be repainted for normal use at Merthyr?

Anyone know anything as it's a big increase in buses for Merthyr just wondering if the Streetlites may return

I’m not sure they are back to full service levels, assume you mean pre-pandemic? E.g. the 27 is at 15 mins where this was 10 for example, there are many more. The PVR increase I think is equal to the loss of the Traws contracts as I’m not sure Merthyr is in a position to increase driver establishment . I believe several Cwmbran based Solos are making their way to Merthyr.

 

[CN12 AWU]

I’m not sure they are back to full service levels, assume you mean pre-pandemic? E.g. the 27 is at 15 mins where this was 10 for example, there are many more. The PVR increase I think is equal to the loss of the Traws contracts as I’m not sure Merthyr is in a position to increase driver establishment . I believe several Cwmbran based Solos are making their way to Merthyr.

The new Solo SR's or the old ones? I presume the 2 SR's currently on 40's will be repainted as there Stagecoach spec

Also is X4 going interwork with 76 to utilise the Scanias for the X4?
Regarding that wouldn't it make X4 better to go back old route instead of the 76/X4 split?

 

[Busman792]

Hello the other 2 Stagecoach south wales threads seem to be closed

I am wondering what fleet movements are due into Merthyr Tydfil

I presume the Traws Cymru Evoras and Solo SR's will move to new operators (however I believe SR's are stagecoach standard spec?)

Also with the new X4 and the increase to 25, 27, 33, 35, 78, 79, 81 back to full service levels
what other buses are transferring in or will those Traws Solo SR's be repainted for normal use at Merthyr?

Anyone know anything as it's a big increase in buses for Merthyr just wondering if the Streetlites may return

The 12 Volvo B8RLE/MCV EvoRa's will be returned to Powys County Council. There are 3 '69' plate Traws Optare Solo SRs, all of which have full Traws interiors. One is owned by Stagecoach, currently long term VOR due to requiring a new engine. The other 2 will be returned to Powys alongside the Volvo's.

 

[SW Buses]

The new Solo SR's or the old ones? I presume the 2 SR's currently on 40's will be repainted as there Stagecoach spec

Also is X4 going interwork with 76 to utilise the Scanias for the X4?
Regarding that wouldn't it make X4 better to go back old route instead of the 76/X4 split?

I’d assume the old Solo’s as it would make sense to keep all the SR‘s at Cwmbran.

i assume the new X4 will interwork with a Merthyr local and hence the justification of adding the 2 PVR X4 as a trial until the end of the year, seem to recall that it’s a 3-month trial was in the news item on the Stagecoach website. I’d guess if they didn’t have room to interwork with the Merthyr uplit’s then it would have been 3 PVR with a lot of slack so the trial wouldn’t have happened.

In my view, the original X4 worked best with local traffic and then peak flows to Pontypridd and Cardiff from a cross the Heads of the Valley where there is no rail link, or ever will be. It got polluted with the Merthyr - Brecon tender at that time by the previous MD and it is that legacy which we now see playing out. The link across the Heads of the Valley, as mentioned, was always going to be stronger than linking to Brecon giving the differential in population and the history of the routes that went before.

 

[CN12 AWU]

The 12 Volvo B8RLE/MCV EvoRa's will be returned to Powys County Council. There are 3 '69' plate Traws Optare Solo SRs, all of which have full Traws interiors. One is owned by Stagecoach, currently long term VOR due to requiring a new engine. The other 2 will be returned to Powys alongside the Volvo's.

The 12 Volvo B8RLE/MCV EvoRa's will be returned to Powys County Council. There are 3 '69' plate Traws Optare Solo SRs, all of which have full Traws interiors. One is owned by Stagecoach, currently long term VOR due to requiring a new engine. The other 2 will be returned to Powys alongside the Volvo'sI thought the Solos were Stagecoach owned and Stagecoach interior

I thought those 69 plate solos were Stagecoach spec and fitted within a batch elsewhere in country

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Aug 2025 ==

X4 used to be Brynmawr to Cardiff current 76 and X4 so surly would make sence back its old number and route

Also Merthyr to Cardiff section of t4 was always busy when I used to drive I back in 2018

I presume it's dropped patronage for fact no Sunday service which was always busy

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Aug 2025 ==

Is it true also Merthyr now operate the Flecsi service in Ebbw Vale to help Cwmbran Depot I did see via bus times that the vehicles look to come from Merthyr

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Aug 2025 ==

47631/42 is tracking in Merthyr today not sure if it's transferred to Merthyr or on loan whilst Merthyr are covering the Flexi also 44054 and 47380 all been used this week on a mix of Merthyr locals and the Flexi E1/E2

 

[SW Buses]

I thought those 69 plate solos were Stagecoach spec and fitted within a batch elsewhere in country

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Aug 2025 ==

X4 used to be Brynmawr to Cardiff current 76 and X4 so surly would make sence back its old number and route

Also Merthyr to Cardiff section of t4 was always busy when I used to drive I back in 2018

I presume it's dropped patronage for fact no Sunday service which was always busy

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Aug 2025 ==

Is it true also Merthyr now operate the Flecsi service in Ebbw Vale to help Cwmbran Depot I did see via bus times that the vehicles look to come from Merthyr

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Aug 2025 ==

47631/42 is tracking in Merthyr today not sure if it's transferred to Merthyr or on loan whilst Merthyr are covering the Flexi also 44054 and 47380 all been used this week on a mix of Merthyr locals and the Flexi E1/E2

Yes, I believe the Ebbw Vale Flecsi service went to Merthyr when Brynmawr final closed.

Also on the horizon is the move of the Caerphilly depot at Bedwas to Taffs Well. I’m sure overtime some 132 working will end up there or maybe the Pontypridd locals.

 

[CN12 AWU]

Does anyone know if Aberdare and Merthyr are due a increase in buses come sunday

With Merthyr I worked out they will need a extra 3 or 4 Solos for 25/35 going every 20 mins and maby a extra couple E200's for the 81 going back to half hour

Not sure what's going on X4 but I suspect be Scanias unless some E300's are coming in from somewhere?

Aberdare I am not sure on there uplift what they need

Also has Carphilly yet moved to Taffs Wells

 

[markymark2000]

Also has Carphilly yet moved to Taffs Wells

Caerphilly hasn't yet moved to Taffs Well.

 

[CN12 AWU]

Does anyone know what has transfered in for the extra work (25/35/81/X4) from tommorow?

47909 is tracking in depot but can't see anything else obvious

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Sep 2025 ==

47905, 47906 & 47909 all tracking at Merthyr today not sure if anything else has transfered

 

[SW Buses]

Does anyone know what has transfered in for the extra work (25/35/81/X4) from tommorow?

47909 is tracking in depot but can't see anything else obvious

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Sep 2025 ==

47905, 47906 & 47909 all tracking at Merthyr today not sure if anything else has transfered

It has been suggested Merthy’s PVR decreases from 51 to 40 net of the Powys losses and Merthyr town service increases. I’ve not looked at the timetables to verify.

 

[CN12 AWU]

It has been suggested Merthy’s PVR decreases from 51 to 40 net of the Powys losses and Merthyr town service increases. I’ve not looked at the timetables to verify.

Did Aberdare change PVR?

I'm intrigued if 47905/6/9 have appeared what have they replaced if there a decrease in PVR

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Sep 2025 ==

It has been suggested Merthy’s PVR decreases from 51 to 40 net of the Powys losses and Merthyr town service increases. I’ve not looked at the timetables to verify.

34 buses tracking so 40 net with some spares and VOR makes sence

 

[SW Buses]

Did Aberdare change PVR?

I'm intrigued if 47905/6/9 have appeared what have they replaced if there a decrease in PVR

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Sep 2025 ==


34 buses tracking so 40 net with some spares and VOR makes sence

That’s quite some downscaling at Merthyr over recent times, possibly the biggest of all the Welsh Stagecoach depots. I do t believe ther was any PVR change at Aberdare, though there would have been some impact if the planned truncation of the 172 had occurred a few months back. If you look back there seems to have been some form of service almost monthly over the last 8-10 months…..