The W&D busses thread

[159jim]

Hi!

Ive noticed not many Busfans talk about Wilts & Dorset, so I decided to creat this thread!

Introduction

Wilts & Dorset are a VERY Large bus company, oporating around Salisbury, Southampton, The New Forest, Bournemouth, Poole, and Purbeck.

Busses

W&D oporate a range of Solos, Spectras, Wight B7RLEs, B7TLs, Dennis Darts, Both Leos & Vollies, Deltas, Striders, Ommicities, etc

Brands

- Salisbury Reds: A range of regular services oporating in the Salisbury City area, Usually Evey 10-30 mins, using Mini Dart MPDs and Citaros.

- More: a high frequency bus service using Citaros and B7RLEs, between Castlepoint Shopping Park/Boscombe, Bournemouth and Poole, usuallly eveey 3/4-7/8 mins.

- Purbeck Breezer: Two different bus services oporating in and out of Swanage, first, the route 50: A bus service, which is usually open top, heading for Bournemouth via the Sandbanks Chain Ferry, Usuaklly Hourly in low season and half=hourly in high seasoin, seccondly the 40, oporating to Poole via corfe castle, usually everey hour all-year round.

Main long distance routes

- X1/X2 Bournemouth-Lymington, usually evey half hour
- X3 Bournemouth-Salisbury usually evey half hour
- X5 Salisbury-Pewsey-Sindon, Half hourly only between Salisbury and Durrongton, one half hour continues to Swindon, other half hour continues to Larkhill.
- X7 Salisbury-Totton-Southampton, hourly
- X8 Poole-Balndford, hourly
- Activ8 Salisbury-Amesbury-Tidworth-Andover. half hourly, one half hour is oporated by WD other half hour is oporated by Stagecoach

For mor info, please visit:

http://www.wdbus.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/wdbus

Thanks,
Jim.
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Any questions?

 

[Oracle]

The X7 is the X71 on Sundays. The X7 can throw-up all manner of buses including Optares, and the single-deckers used on the Reds and even the Park & Ride-liveried buses!

I am not sure if the new route 6 Southampton-Lymington operated by Blue Star is jointly-run with W&D? It replaced a W&D route of course.

There are also X75 and X76 services to/from Totton College from Wiltshire plus C-numbered services to/from Brockenhurst College.

 

[159jim]

Hi, Oracle!

X7/X71 are usually done by Spectras.
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UPDATE

A Solo just went past my house, forming the 79 from Salisbury, the 79 runs everey tuesday and saturday for Salisbury Market, Leving my house normallly at 9.59

 

[Dennis]

I enjoyed a journey on the X7 from Salisbury to Swindon on the X5 today; one of the 'heritage' liveried Spectras (forgotten which one) - departed about 20mins late so a spirited run.

Of course, W&D were one of the first significant users of Solos - an unforgivable act which seemed to encourage Optare to perpetuate the design, inflicting misery on thousands every day .

 

[Oracle]

What happened to the service from Salisbury to Bath?

I also forgot the seasonal service from Salisbury rail station to Stonehenge with the special-liveried buses. Off-season they seem to turn up on college contracts.

 

[159jim]

Hi, Orcacle!

The X4 (Usually done by Excels), from Salisbury to Bath Spa has been replaced by Bodmans 24 (Salisbury-Warmister), Usually done by crappy Enviro busses, then at Warminster, change for Firsts 259 (Borham Feilds-Warminster-Bath Spa), usually done by nice B7RLEs

 

[159jim]

Ive also found an old copy of the X4 timnes! (See attachment)

 

[Dennis]

IIRC the X4 started off life as a limited stop service in about 1985, developed from the X41 and running through from Salisbury to Bristol. At first, it really was a limited stop express service, not going around all the estates and villages, running through Bathford rather than Winsley and Limpley Stoke. It was run jointly with Badgerline but whereas W&D had new coaches for the service (these), Badgerline tended to be a little less fussy about the vehicles used with VRs and Nationals. After a few years, Badgerline B10s became more common.

With the introduction of the X39 Bath-Bristol service, the X4 terminated at Bath and the 264/265 incorporated, resulting in a round the houses trip and limited stop running being incorporated.

Later, the route was split with Warminster-Bath becoming 1/2 hourly and Salibury-Bath remaining hourly. W&D coaches giving may to Excels and in the end, Citaros.

Now, as mentioned earlier, Bodmans operate it from Warminster as service 24, First running the Bath - Warminster route as the 265. The 24 also uses MCV Evolution bodied MANs and they have also introduced a route through to Warminster, competing with First.

 

[Ivo]

When did the two routes (24 and 264/5) split? I knew of the X4, but had long assumed that it had ceased to exist well before the date shown in that timetable! The through route to Salisbury would have been very useful to me (although it must be said that Warminster Market Place isn't exactly the hardest place to change bus)...

 

[bb21]

What can I say. One word: cuts, cuts, cuts. It seems whenever there is a service revision in the Bournemouth / Poole area in the last few years, it was to cut services, with the exception of the m1/m2/X3.

I am not sure if the new route 6 Southampton-Lymington operated by Blue Star is jointly-run with W&D? It replaced a W&D route of course.

To the best of my knowledge, it has been completely transferred to Bluestar. Not a joint working.

 

[159jim]

To the best of my knowledge, it has been completely transferred to Bluestar. Not a joint working.

If Bluestar dont have enough busses of their own stabeld at Lymington, The only ovious awnser is using WD's solos, which I saw a WD solo at Lymington Depot the other week saying "6 TOTTON" on it. PLUS all the Spectras newly repainted into Bluestar are STILL being wasted onto WD's route 112 Lymington-Hythe!

 

[moonrakerz]

When did the two routes (24 and 264/5) split?

EU rules apparently............ it was far more than the human body could stand to go from Bath to Salisbury in the same day, apparently. They could have changed drivers in Warminster, but that required a "rest facility" to be built.

It has all changed again in the last week or so. The 264/5 has dropped back to an hourly service, according to the website. Bodmans have started a new 23 service to fill in the gaps - BUT, no one seems to have told the bus drivers as we now have 264/5s and 23s driving in convoy between Warminster and Trowbridge................and I am paying for this shambles out of my Council Tax !!

 

[Ivo]

It has all changed again in the last week or so. The 264/5 has dropped back to an hourly service, according to the website. Bodmans have started a new 23 service to fill in the gaps - BUT, no one seems to have told the bus drivers as we now have 264/5s and 23s driving in convoy between Warminster and Trowbridge................and I am paying for this shambles out of my Council Tax !!

This "shambles" might be because First have not cut the 264 and 265! This apparent hourly service is the first I've heard of it, and the only Bath service to change within the last or next month is the 5 (and then only one journey).

By the way, seen as this is a W&D thread, who runs the M1/M2 in Bournemouth? Is it W&D or the other lot?

 

[159jim]

Hi, Ivo!


M1/M2 is oporated by WD, undeer their own brand "More", With Citaros, B7RLEs, and in some cases Excels

 

[bb21]

On a side note, the 'more' saga seems to be carrying on from where it left off last time again, with the 'm5/m6' Canford Heath routes set to lose their 'more' branding in the next review. The last time this happened, W&D claimed that they didn't have enough new buses to sustain that route due to increase in frequency for the m1/m2. What are the excuses this time?
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If Bluestar dont have enough busses of their own stabeld at Lymington, The only ovious awnser is using WD's solos, which I saw a WD solo at Lymington Depot the other week saying "6 TOTTON" on it. PLUS all the Spectras newly repainted into Bluestar are STILL being wasted onto WD's route 112 Lymington-Hythe!

I agree that joint working would probably have been a more sensible approach, given that they are now sister companies.

 

[Dennis]

If Bluestar dont have enough busses of their own stabeld at Lymington, The only ovious awnser is using WD's solos, which I saw a WD solo at Lymington Depot the other week saying "6 TOTTON" on it. PLUS all the Spectras newly repainted into Bluestar are STILL being wasted onto WD's route 112 Lymington-Hythe!

RE service 6; bit of an odd situation here - it is a joint venture between W&D and Bluestar (both owned by GoAhead) - Wilts supply 5 vehicles out of Lymington for the service, operating a Bluestar service in blue painted W&D vehicles (with the drivers being paid W&D rates).

I think it would be reasonable to consider Bluestar effectively as a part of W&D now.

 

[159jim]

Well, I think the Bulestar 6 is a waste of Time, Effort and Money

 

[moonrakerz]

This "shambles" might be because First have not cut the 264 and 265! This apparent hourly service is the first I've heard of it, and the only Bath service to change within the last or next month is the 5 (and then only one journey).

"Service 264/265 service from Warminster to Bath reduced to hourly instead of half hourly but buses between Warminster and Trowbridge will be provied by another company."


Well, now you have heard of it !

http://www.warminsterpeople.co.uk/g...rminster-bus/story-10865959-detail/story.html

 

[Oracle]

Service 6 has I think blue-painted double-deckers that sit at Lymington from what I coull see the other day. 56 and 56A W&D have gone...the 56A was supposedly the busier service so that was chosen as the basis for the 6..but two journeys M-F afternoons go via the A35 and not via Foxhills Road so as to not clash with the parents parking for the school. And I think four the other way? Buses are not supposed to meet up in the Foxhills area, as there is a 7-minute interval but it has already happened with verges being driven onto.

I have also seen W&D-liveried Optare Solos on the 6.

STOP PRESS There was one in full W&D livery heading westbound on the 6 this evening!

 

[bb21]

Think I've been given duff information on the 6 this time. Gonna go have a look for myself when next in the south.

 

[159jim]

Who gave Southern Vectis those new Solos???!!!!

 

[bb21]

At a guess W&D, if they are 26xx's

 

[159jim]

Here is the exiting pic i found!

 

[Oracle]

Saw one of the Stonehenge Tour buses on the Totton College run from Amesbury or the other start point, Porton, in Wiltshire this morning.

 

[159jim]

Manic evening with WD this evening!!

I was planning to go to my Grandad's house in Wilton straight from school in Downton. BUT, the plan was cancelled due to:

1. Walked from the school to the bus shelter and waited for the X3.

2. The X3 came, BUT INSTEAD OF THE NICE DOUBLE-DECKER SPECTRA, IT WAS A CRAPPY MINI SINGLE DECKER SOLO!!!!!!

3. It was so crouded that I dident get let on!!!

4. After I got abandoned by the X3, I stopped seeing the point of still getting over to wilton, so I just only cought the next X3 to town, the changed for the 14 home.

Thanks,
Jim.

 

[Ivo]

If it was due to vehicle failure (which is likely), couldn't you complain? There is no excuse to replace a failed Spectra with a Solo; the size difference is too great!

 

[159jim]

No, not a veichle faliure. THE CRAPPY SOLO DOES THE 1534 X3 DOWNTON-SALISBURY NEARLY EVERY DAY!!! Where normally, I catch the 694 school bus Downton-Salisbury via West Harnham, if im not in a rush to connect busses. (usually done by either a Spectra, Volvo or Leyland olympian)
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BUT, I was in a rush tonight, so I hd to catch the quicker X3 service!

 

[Ivo]

Ivo senses a 323-esque thread coming up...
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Here you go!

Why do so many on here hate Optare Solos?

 

[159jim]

I have a few Obervations of busses working the wrong route:

1. Solo on the X3, (Like I just said)

2. Park & Ride liverd B7RLE doing the X7 southampton-salisbury, istead of the usual Spectra. (Owing to a tree hanging in midair at Alderbury)

3.Citaro also doing the X7 Salisbury-Southampton.

4. Stagecoach Optare Solo doing the Activ8 Salisbury-Andover, instead of the usual Trident.

5. Excel on the X3, instead of the usual Scania double-decker.

6. Excel on the 694 school bus Downton-Salisbury, instead of the usual Spectra/Volvo/Leyland Olympian.

7. Delta on the 694 school bus Downton-Salisbury, instead of the usual Spectra/Volvo/Leyland Olympian.

8. I have seen a picture on the internet of A METRORIDER, YES A METRORIDER (now exctinct in WD land) doing the X7





Thanks,
Jim.
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I'm please to announce the new Wilts & Dorset Bus Company Fan Page !

http://wiltsdorset.webs.com/



Thanks,
Jim.

 

[Oracle]

As mentioned before I have seen Park & Ride single-deckers on the X7 in the past. The other day they had a 'Reds' liveried...Citaro?

On Solent Blue Line they have two New Forest Tour-liveried Double-deckers that tend to get used on the Barton Peveril College trips, sometimes both, and also on routes into Southampton on the 8? and yesterday on a service through Shirley.