West Country Independents

[THarris123]

Libras registration for 668 has gone through VOSA. Not the 669 though. Would be nice to think First have it.

 

[ryson357]

Webberbus seem to only carry fresh air or 1/2 passengers on their Taunton routes T1/T2, whilst BoS seem to carry more passengers (more loyalty), I do wonder how long they will last....

 

[Colly405]

Thought I'd have a peek at the One2 on its first weekday of operation yesterday.

When did it start? TravelWest, Traveline and VOSA all say it started on Sunday, but Wessex's own publicity said it started yesterday. Indeed, there was no sign of it on Sunday...

For the first weekday, loadings seemed reasonable, particularly through Henleaze - lunchtime there were about half-dozen on it.

They've rebranded theOne vehicles to have One and One2 on them, although the route description on the side for the One now reads "Bristol City Centre - Henbury - Westbury-on-Trym - Cribbs Causeway" - spot the mistake!

Nice leaflet available on the buses, showing current route and future once they can get in to the Hospital bus station. But it shows the current terminus as Lidl (map) or Southmead Road Southmead Hospital (timetable), both wrong as the terminus is currently Arnside. Their website is better, but shows the section beyond Lidl as dotted on the system map!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Was out walking between Patchway station and the A38 yesterday and saw that ex-First 42703 is parked up with all the Severnside vehicles at the back of the Rolls Royce car park.

(Or is it the SGBC depot?)

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Thought I'd have a peek at the One2 on its first weekday of operation yesterday.

When did it start? TravelWest, Traveline and VOSA all say it started on Sunday, but Wessex's own publicity said it started yesterday. Indeed, there was no sign of it on Sunday...

For the first weekday, loadings seemed reasonable, particularly through Henleaze - lunchtime there were about half-dozen on it.

They've rebranded theOne vehicles to have One and One2 on them, although the route description on the side for the One now reads "Bristol City Centre - Henbury - Westbury-on-Trym - Cribbs Causeway" - spot the mistake!

Nice leaflet available on the buses, showing current route and future once they can get in to the Hospital bus station. But it shows the current terminus as Lidl (map) or Southmead Road Southmead Hospital (timetable), both wrong as the terminus is currently Arnside. Their website is better, but shows the section beyond Lidl as dotted on the system map!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Was out walking between Patchway station and the A38 yesterday and saw that ex-First 42703 is parked up with all the Severnside vehicles at the back of the Rolls Royce car park.

(Or is it the SGBC depot?)

Severnside park within the SGBC depot. Must have a walk up that way sometime.

Saw a 1 on Whiteladies Rd heading towards Westbury on Thursday about 4pm virtually empty. Reckon First have the upper hand by some distance

 

[swifty]

Severnside park within the SGBC depot. Must have a walk up that way sometime.

Saw a 1 on Whiteladies Rd heading towards Westbury on Thursday about 4pm virtually empty. Reckon First have the upper hand by some distance

The Ones I saw between Westbury and Cribbs a few Saturday's ago were all pretty much empty mid afternoon as well.

 

[freetoview33]

It gets some passengers. I myself use it when I'm skint!

 

[D6975]

They've rebranded theOne vehicles to have One and One2 on them, although the route description on the side for the One now reads "Bristol City Centre - Henbury - Westbury-on-Trym - Cribbs Causeway" - spot the mistake!

Oh, I don't know, there are some pretty convoluted routes elsewhere in Bristol, but I shudder to think what the journey time for that route would be in the peak. I can't get from the Centre to home (near the Turnpike) in under an hour in the peak no matter which service/walking combination I use.

 

[THarris123]

I haven't seen any registration yet for the replacement of 669 in VOSA. I wonder why?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Frome Minbuses have put through a cancellation of X80 in VOSA
Webberbus have put 2 variations through VOSA for 37 from 31/5
CT plus have put through cancellations for 902/4 effective 4/9

 

[DaveHarries]

I haven't seen any registration yet for the replacement of 669 in VOSA. I wonder why?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Frome Minbuses have put through a cancellation of X80 in VOSA
Webberbus have put 2 variations through VOSA for 37 from 31/5
CT plus have put through cancellations for 902/4 effective 4/9

Either Webberbus put through 2 alterations or whoever uploaded the registrations did this one twice.

As for the 902 / 904 these are to be taken over by First using Enviro400 MMCs.

Dave

 

[freetoview33]

I can't wait to see the MMC's on the 902! Might be quite a nice trip actually.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I can't wait to see the MMC's on the 902! Might be quite a nice trip actually.

Should be nice down the Portway. These the first deckers scheduled for down there?

 

[carlberry]

Should be nice down the Portway. These the first deckers scheduled for down there?

I think that VRs ran a Portishead service down there after MAP and the old 99 had Lodekkas. I think some tree loping might be in order!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I think that VRs ran a Portishead service down there after MAP and the old 99 had Lodekkas. I think some tree loping might be in order!

I couldn't recall anything in the 24 years that I've been visiting Bristol and its environs (though the memory is fallible) but you will know. Possibly not since 1986?

 

[carlberry]

I couldn't recall anything in the 24 years that I've been visiting Bristol and its environs (though the memory is fallible) but you will know. Possibly not since 1986?

The service I was thinking of was the 805/X5 which MAP extended to Clevedon and ran down the portway. It wasnt commercial by 1986 (690 series services that Badgerline and Somerbus ran for a few years) so, I suspect, any deckers would have only lasted a couple of years after 1981. Even I dont remember the 99s!

 

[freetoview33]

Should be nice down the Portway. These the first deckers scheduled for down there?

I think the old 57 might have been deckers down the portway I'm not too sure. Then there is the odd megabus that goes that way too. But nothing as frequent as the 902.

 

[Marcus Fryer]

I think the old 57 might have been deckers down the portway I'm not too sure. Then there is the odd megabus that goes that way too. But nothing as frequent as the 902.

Are there odd 'empty from/to depot' workings that sometimes use the Portway and M5 to get to/from Cribbs Causeway?

 

[freetoview33]

Are there odd 'empty from/to depot' workings that sometimes use the Portway and M5 to get to/from Cribbs Causeway?

A few but it is very few and far between!

 

[swifty]

I couldn't recall anything in the 24 years that I've been visiting Bristol and its environs (though the memory is fallible) but you will know. Possibly not since 1986?

I think this sums up how well the Wessex X40 did then, with its ALX400 usage!

I'm fairly sure CityLine ran a commuter X service down to Avonmouth in the mid 90s, much like the X62/67.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
CT Plus seem to have acquired a red MPD, I spotted on from a distance heading past Templegate on Friday PM and then saw another this evening on Bond Street with 904 Bath Road on the blinds.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Came back home on a Chandlers coach trip from Soton, anyway just outside of Trowbridge was two Wessex Star buses, a single and double decker, heading towards Westbury both with Not In Service on the blind, as expected seeing as there's no route of theirs here.

Anyone know where they were going?

 

[Class 33]

I think the old 57 might have been deckers down the portway I'm not too sure. Then there is the odd megabus that goes that way too. But nothing as frequent as the 902.

I don't remember ever seeing any double deckers on that incarnation of the service 57. Only ever saw Leyland Lynx'es on there.

There was of course the old X65 Cribbs Causeway-Westbury & X66 Oldland-Westbury services which were routed via the Portway and Shirehampton. Usually operated by the lovely Leyland Olympians. Good ol' days!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I don't remember ever seeing any double deckers on that incarnation of the service 57. Only ever saw Leyland Lynx'es on there.

There was of course the old X65 Cribbs Causeway-Westbury & X66 Oldland-Westbury services which were routed via the Portway and Shirehampton. Usually operated by the lovely Leyland Olympians. Good ol' days!

Oh and also there was the original X1 to Weston-Super-Mare via Portway and M5. Not sure why that route was ever scrapped.

 

[Marc]

I don't remember ever seeing any double deckers on that incarnation of the service 57. Only ever saw Leyland Lynx'es on there.

in the last version of the 57 (previusly x66_ which ran peak hours only, it was often palatine 2 deckers. they usualy interworkedwith the uwe services.

Oh and also there was the original X1 to Weston-Super-Mare via Portway and M5. Not sure why that route was ever scrapped.

because you dont pick any passengers up on the m5 and by the time youve gone along the portway and down the m5 the time advantage over congesbury is negligable.

 

[Class 33]

in the last version of the 57 (previusly x66_ which ran peak hours only, it was often palatine 2 deckers. they usualy interworkedwith the uwe services.

Whilst I do definitely remember there being Leyland Lynx'es on the 57, now that you say it I do now vaguely remember seeing the Leyland Olympian Palatine 2's on there a few times. It's not really a service I saw all that many times anyway really.

Shame it terminated/started at Henbury Blaise Castle, and didn't go further into Henbury i.e. Crow Lane lay-by. Otherwise I would have got that service more frequently.

 

[1905 Group]

CT Plus seem to have acquired a red MPD, I spotted on from a distance heading past Templegate on Friday PM and then saw another this evening on Bond Street with 904 Bath Road on the blinds.

They had a few working in London which they could have moved to Bristol, would explain the red. Was it a Pointer 2 Dart?

 

[matt_splat]

so it would seem webberbus are no more posted this on the first page but incase people have not seen -

BREAKING: Somerset Council confirms that Webber Bus - the county's second largest bus operator - will cease operating from tomorrow morning due to financial difficulties.
The Council says it will step in to cover dozens of important bus routes tomorrow morning 'at very short notice'.
The company has yet to comment - but one councillor in the area has already called it 'devastating news'.

 

[carlberry]

so it would seem webberbus are no more posted this on the first page but incase people have not seen -

BREAKING: Somerset Council confirms that Webber Bus - the county's second largest bus operator - will cease operating from tomorrow morning due to financial difficulties.
The Council says it will step in to cover dozens of important bus routes tomorrow morning 'at very short notice'.
The company has yet to comment - but one councillor in the area has already called it 'devastating news'.

I'd say devastating for the employees but, longer term, it offers the hope of a more stable network in those areas where it was just creaming off passengers without offering anything innovative. There will be lots of people blaming First of course instead of the more obvious problem of running too many buses in areas that havent got enough traffic to justify them. At least most of their services wont need to be replaced!

 

[THarris123]

I'd say devastating for the employees but, longer term, it offers the hope of a more stable network in those areas where it was just creaming off passengers without offering anything innovative. There will be lots of people blaming First of course instead of the more obvious problem of running too many buses in areas that havent got enough traffic to justify them. At least most of their services wont need to be replaced!

Of what I understand, the owner of Webberbus is starting or has started a new company - something like Royal Diamond or Royal Blue? Think it has a coach at the moment.

 

[matt_splat]

i beleve its royal blue but i'm under the impression that the royal blue name might be already owned by some one else

a list of whats going on bellow.

Public Service Routes
10 Minehead – Porlock First are providing a replacement service.
12/15 Wellington – Taunton – Bridgwater Use First services 21/21A/22/22A, extra capacity will be provided where necessary
16/24 Minehead – Bridgwater Please see First service 15 for Minehead/Carhampton/Williton/Watchet/Nether Stowey to Bridgwater College
First service 14 and X14 operates between Bridgwater and Cannington

18 Minehead – Taunton Use First service 28, extra capacity will be provided where necessary
19 Bridgwater – Street First will replace journeys previously operated by WebberBus
26 Wells – Weston-super-Mare Use First service 126, additional capacity will be provided for Easton to Wells Blue School journeys
27 Creech – Taunton Use First service 29
34 Yeovil – Bridgwater Hatch Green service 16 is available
37 / 375 Bridgwater – Street – Wells First will reinstate service 375 and provide additional capacity where necessary
38 Taunton – Street – Wells Use First service 55
62/66 Weston/Axbridge – Bridgwater College First will provide these services
67 Wells – Burnham-on-Sea First will provide replacement service
75 Weston – Burnham – Bridgwater Use First routes 20/21/21A, additional capacity provided where necessary
76 Weston – Burnham Use First service 20
101 Minehead Town Service First will provide this service
623 Wellington – Bridgwater College First will provide replacement service
Bridgwater Town Services First will provide replacement services
Taunton Town Services Use existing First Taunton Town services


School Routes

Route Number School Replacement operator or route number
C559D Haygrove Bakers Dolphin
C510A Robert Blake Science College First
C511J Robert Blake Science College Bakers Dolphin
C567D Chilton Trinity Coombs
C524A Chilton Trinity Crosville
C504A Bridgwater College Academy and Kingsmoor First
C015B Catcott Primary Fairview
C535G Haygrove Bakers Dolphin
WB26 The Blue School First
WB16 (pm only) Danesfield A number of solutions have been put in place for individual pupils – parents are being informed. The morning services are all unaffected.

 

[TheLastMinute]

Of what I understand, the owner of Webberbus is starting or has started a new company - something like Royal Diamond or Royal Blue? Think it has a coach at the moment.

Yep, 2 Volvo B11Rs according to the Volvo Bus UK&I news article. Apparently they "spin success" with WebberBus. Or maybe not.

From http://www.volvobuses.com/bus/uk/en...m.aspx?News.ItemId=151858&News.Language=en-gb

Volvo B11R ‘spins success’ with WebberBus
by Volvo Bus United Kingdom and Ireland, 5/5/16

One of the south west’s leading coach operators, WebberBus, has taken delivery of two new Volvo B11R Euro 6 coaches as the latest additions to its fleet.

The Bridgwater, Somerset, based company has purchased the new coaches following the experience of their existing B11Rs and has been so pleased with the operational performance, went for the same model when looking to expand the fleet.

Tim Gardner, Managing Director for WebberBus, explains: “We’ve operated many Volvo vehicles over the last 22 years or so and the most recent model, the B11R, of which we already have two, has proved to be excellent, particularly in terms of the fuel economy which has been very impressive. This performance was a key part of our decision making process to go for Volvo again this time."
<snip>

Best wishes to everyone affected by this. Hopefully Buses of Somerset can step in and offer quite a few jobs much as First Kernow did with Western Greyhound.

 

[father_jack]

The press have it
http://tonefm.co.uk/news/webberbus-cease-trading/

 

[robertclark125]

If First can get enough stability, custom, and thus a bit more money, then BOS will gradually gain new vehicles. It's really up to the people now to prove that new investment is justified.

On the other hand, Webberbus got too overambitious. I think the same happened in Fife years ago with Rennies (in its independent days, not since Stagecoach bought them). What we have is the idea that, as there are no cosy geographical monopolies for supermarkets, why should there be any for bus operators. Sadly, the bus industry hasn't, and probably will never work that way.