Transdev Blazefield

[SCH117X]

They are now launching a series of downloadable activity for children with both fun and learning elements - first one is an electric activity pack

Get buzzing with the Transdev Teach electric activity pack
Today Sun 5th Apr 2020

Since you may not be able to ride our buses right now, we’re bringing them into your home with Transdev Teach.

Designed and compiled with the help of teachers and parents, our Transdev Teach activity packs are both educational and fun. And they’re printer friendly too - designed to look great but use a small amount of ink so you don’t need to splash out on new ink cartridges to use them!

First in our series of six is our electric activity pack. Take a ride on the Harrogate Electrics through the amazing maze, learn about the history of electricity, test your knowledge of Harrogate in our quiz, colour in your own electric bus, and more too!

Download the electric activity pack here.

Whilst it’s been made with ages 6-11 in mind, we know younger kids will love the colouring in just as much as grown ups will too, so take a look!

Have you downloaded our build your own bus city pack yet? Click here to see - it’s perfect for all ages.

Don’t forget to share your creations with us on our Twitter, Facebook or Instagram pages using the hashtag #TransdevTeach

Give us a tweet @harrogatebus if you need any help.

https://www.transdevbus.co.uk/harrogate/get-buzzing-transdev-teach-electric-activity-pack

 

[darloscott]

News from Mr Hornby this evening suggests Transdev Blazefield have won the contract to supply Leeds Bradford Airport services 737, 747 and 757 from September from Yorkshire Tiger. The three services are run with a PVR of 10 vehicles, currently a mix of E200 and Versa from Arriva.

 

[RustySpoons]

With the choice of wording it sounds like the investment in the new fleet will start AFTER they take over, possibly.
It won't be easy getting an order in now for Transdev-spec vehicles considering the way things are.

It'd be quite refreshing if the new branding would all be done in house too, they've clearly got the talent there.

 

[Roilshead]

This is good news. Under Martijn Gilbert Yorkshire Tiger used to provide a quality, branded, offering on the 757 Leeds-LBA service (and on other services in Leeds). Now there are 757-branded buses on the 737/747, and vice-versa, and old Tiger Blue liveried buses on both, and the amount of ingrained filth on the interior of the whole fleet (even the new stuff branded for 737/747) is shocking. I'm surprised Arriva don't just pull the plug on Yorkshire Tiger, now especially.

 

[Andyh82]

With the choice of wording it sounds like the investment in the new fleet will start AFTER they take over, possibly.
It won't be easy getting an order in now for Transdev-spec vehicles considering the way things are.

It'd be quite refreshing if the new branding would all be done in house too, they've clearly got the talent there.

The current Flying Tiger brand looks like it might be a Best Impressions job, there was once a timetable which was clearly in their style, so they’ll at least be familiar with the current product and how to make it stand out and go bigger and better again.

 

[Alexbus12]

Does anyone know how long they have the contract for? Thanks in advance.

 

[Deerfold]

I wonder if there will be any attempt to coordinate times between the 757 and 60 between Leeds and Kirkstall.

 

[RustySpoons]

Keighley have a dedicated set of drivers to run the tendered services that get paid (rather unfairly) a lower hourly rate. Might work out cheaper if they use a similar system for the airport services from Keighley

 

[SCH117X]

Occurred to me could they see these as cutting down on almost dead mileage by running the first ones off existing inbound workings to Leeds and Bradford which then run virtually empty back to Harrogate and Keighley or are just too frequent for the demand in that direction

 

[RustySpoons]

Interesting news in the latest 'Small Talk' newsletter.

Two WitchWays are making their way to Harrogate to replace 3613 and 3614. Be interesting to see which of the Witches moves.

Also a preview of the forthcoming and unfortunately named Pendle Wizz. It seems they've taken inspiration from Double Decker chocolate bars.

Burnley are also going to be making use of the Ticketer machines from the mothballed fleet. I wonder if it'll be the beginning of a full rollout, or if they'll go back to the non-contactless Parkeons once things start to return to normal?

https://twitter.com/alextransdev/status/1248317286986940419?s=20

The latest copy of #SmallTalk is here - all to keep our colleagues updated. This is produced weekly and is packed full of info - and great comments about the work of our amazing team too.

 

[markymark2000]

I was thinking about the Harrogate to Bradford 747 route. Will this then be ran by Harrogate rather than Keighley on the basis of dead millage. It's surely got to be better than running a bus dead from Keighley to Harrogate to run the service.
The 737 would then also perhaps need to be ran from Harrogate though at least at night as the routes interwork in Bradford.

The 757 was dead when I was on it. Not worth running it every 20. I would like to see Transdev extend to Otley perhaps hourly (opposite half hour to the 62) to compete with First. It would be good if the frequencies were done so that it could combine with the 60 to make a combined frequency for Transdev.

I am interested to see if Transdev stick to ADL and get 200MMCs or they opt for Optare and take Versas.

 

[WY Bus Spotter]

I was thinking about the Harrogate to Bradford 747 route. Will this then be ran by Harrogate rather than Keighley on the basis of dead millage. It's surely got to be better than running a bus dead from Keighley to Harrogate to run the service.
The 737 would then also perhaps need to be ran from Harrogate though at least at night as the routes interwork in Bradford.

The 757 was dead when I was on it. Not worth running it every 20. I would like to see Transdev extend to Otley perhaps hourly (opposite half hour to the 62) to compete with First. It would be good if the frequencies were done so that it could combine with the 60 to make a combined frequency for Transdev.

I am interested to see if Transdev stick to ADL and get 200MMCs or they opt for Optare and take Versas.

Im my view, the 757 certainly warrants a 20 minute frequency as I have never caught one during the day and found it to be quiet. In fact it is usually rammed.

I don't see what Transdev (or the public) would gain from competing with First to Otley. Realistically Transdev wouldn't be covering any new ground that doesn't already have a link to Otley (bar the small section of road between Murgatroyds and the Airport). Transdev and First also have a good working relationship so this wouldn't do them any favours.

 

[cnjb8]

I was thinking about the Harrogate to Bradford 747 route. Will this then be ran by Harrogate rather than Keighley on the basis of dead millage. It's surely got to be better than running a bus dead from Keighley to Harrogate to run the service.
The 737 would then also perhaps need to be ran from Harrogate though at least at night as the routes interwork in Bradford.

The 757 was dead when I was on it. Not worth running it every 20. I would like to see Transdev extend to Otley perhaps hourly (opposite half hour to the 62) to compete with First. It would be good if the frequencies were done so that it could combine with the 60 to make a combined frequency for Transdev.

I am interested to see if Transdev stick to ADL and get 200MMCs or they opt for Optare and take Versas.

Probably ADLs

 

[Swimbar]

The BF62 reg vehicles appear to have departed Coastliner. Is this correct?

 

[RustySpoons]

The BF62 reg vehicles appear to have departed Coastliner. Is this correct?

Yours for £70k+VAT each

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Im my view, the 757 certainly warrants a 20 minute frequency as I have never caught one during the day and found it to be quiet. In fact it is usually rammed.

I don't see what Transdev (or the public) would gain from competing with First to Otley. Realistically Transdev wouldn't be covering any new ground that doesn't already have a link to Otley (bar the small section of road between Murgatroyds and the Airport). Transdev and First also have a good working relationship so this wouldn't do them any favours.

Quite so - can’t see Transdev looking to upset First.

More pertinently, where does it leave Tiger’s Idle depot?

 

[Stan Drews]

Quite so - can’t see Transdev looking to upset First.

More pertinently, where does it leave Tiger’s Idle depot?

Probably quite idle!

 

[RustySpoons]

Is the Idle depot just used for the airport services?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Is the Idle depot just used for the airport services?

It’s about half their work?

 

[WY Bus Spotter]

Quite so - can’t see Transdev looking to upset First.

More pertinently, where does it leave Tiger’s Idle depot?

I wonder if they will try and run their Bradford tendered work out of Elland, with quite a bit of dead running. Or they may give in all together and possibly surrender the tenders to TLC or someone else (though there isn't really anyone), dependant on whatever Metro say.

Either way I can't see them staying at Idle unless they suddenly try go in for more tendered work around Bradford and parts of Leeds. I'm not sure if they still run the Horsforth to Leeds Beckett sports campus contract or whether Squarepeg, Fourways or CT Plus have this now.

 

[RustySpoons]

When did Keighley give up the tendered routes they had in Bradford? Were they taken over by Tiger?

 

[Stan Drews]

When did Keighley give up the tendered routes they had in Bradford? Were they taken over by Tiger?

They didn’t give them up, they were done away with as part of the various WYCA savings. Other contracts were adjusted to provide partial replacements.

 

[Andyh82]

Worth pointing out that the Idle Yorkshire Tiger depot existed before they gained the Bradford locals

So they basically opened it with about 8 buses, gained another 8 buses along the way, and then now lost the original 8 (in approximate terms) so no reason why it’d close, although it’s not as well sited as it could be now.

Also Elland depot is full having gained extra work when they closed Honley

I don’t think there IS any more tendered work in Bradford, Tiger won it all leaving TLC themselves with slim pickings.

 

[markymark2000]

Im my view, the 757 certainly warrants a 20 minute frequency as I have never caught one during the day and found it to be quiet. In fact it is usually rammed.

I don't see what Transdev (or the public) would gain from competing with First to Otley. Realistically Transdev wouldn't be covering any new ground that doesn't already have a link to Otley (bar the small section of road between Murgatroyds and the Airport). Transdev and First also have a good working relationship so this wouldn't do them any favours.

Perhaps I have just caught a few lightly loaded trips.

As for Otley, it's just a bit of competition. Competition is good for the industry and Transdev are no stranger to it in Harrogate. I wouldn't say Transdev have a good working relationship with First. It's not toxic like Connexions, they are just there. First aren't in the best position and are forever reducing their network so it's also a good opportunity to jump on.

 

[SCH117X]

I wouldn't say Transdev have a good working relationship with First.

Pretty sure they must have had a good relationship as they offered a Leeds add on fare which allowed use of First buses, maybe still do.

 

[Deerfold]

As for Otley, it's just a bit of competition. Competition is good for the industry

That's debatable.

 

[Andyh82]

There already is an Otley to Airport link on the 62

 

[E-Rail]

The original Witch Way (the black and red livery) was a mostly in house design I believe, although with some input from someone whose name escapes me.

The current grey and grey is a Best Impressions design. It came along during Ray Stennings 'curvy' stage before he turned to straight lines. What still makes me laugh is that when it was launched there was some minor uproar by the people who like to shout and complain about anything and everything, saying it was over-sexualising bus travel and there's no need for a 'slutty witch'. One of the local MPs even had meetings about it.


The original red, chrome and black Witch Way/36 and the blue and chrome Coastliner liveries between 2003 and 2005 were by Samantha Beeley.

The original Witch Way (the black and red livery) was a mostly in house design I believe, although with some input from someone whose name escapes me.

The current grey and grey is a Best Impressions design. It came along during Ray Stennings 'curvy' stage before he turned to straight lines. What still makes me laugh is that when it was launched there was some minor uproar by the people who like to shout and complain about anything and everything, saying it was over-sexualising bus travel and there's no need for a 'slutty witch'. One of the local MPs even had meetings about it.

The original red, chrome and black Witch Way/36 and the blue and chrome Coastliner liveries between 2003 and 2005 were by Samantha Beeley.

 

[SCH117X]

Two namings this week - Keighley Versa 240 Captain Tom Moore and 36 Gemini 3640 Ray Stenning

 

[RustySpoons]

Ray Stenning is an odd one. That'll go straight over the head of pretty much everyone who uses the bus. Nice touch though I guess.

Captain Tom Moore is a good one though, brilliant man, an absolute hero! I just hope Transdev don't turn up the self promotion too much with it and make it all about them and how great they are.