West Country Independents

[swifty]

With the Wessex 16 now finished the fleet has moved over to the 90 now. The rather tatty ex London DAF/Wright deckers still haven't been tidied up, but at least they're red I suppose! I assume still worked out of Avonmouth, as there was talk of Burnett running it?

 

[Mwanesh]

Stagecoach are actually moving into Bristol.They are moving into the SGBC depot.They are looking for drivers for North Bristol you can check the website.I see more trouble for First.It will give Stagecoach a base to run services to London and Plymouth .I will update when i get more news.

 

[freetoview33]

Stagecoach are actually moving into Bristol.They are moving into the SGBC depot.They are looking for drivers for North Bristol you can check the website.I see more trouble for First.It will give Stagecoach a base to run services to London and Plymouth .I will update when i get more news.

I thought this would happen with the megabus deal

 

[carlberry]

Stagecoach are actually moving into Bristol.They are moving into the SGBC depot.They are looking for drivers for North Bristol you can check the website.I see more trouble for First.It will give Stagecoach a base to run services to London and Plymouth .I will update when i get more news.

The advert suggests this is just the base for their South Gloucestershire bus work (plus new service 77). It might appeal to First/Wessex drivers from the north of Bristol.
They could possibly base a Falcon working there however Cwmbran has dealt with the rest of the coach work for many years and is an easier place to recruit drivers from.

 

[swifty]

Stagecoach are actually moving into Bristol.They are moving into the SGBC depot.They are looking for drivers for North Bristol you can check the website.I see more trouble for First.It will give Stagecoach a base to run services to London and Plymouth .I will update when i get more news.

I'm sure James Freeman wouldn't let another North Devon episode happen!

 

[winston270twm]

Has anyone seen any Wessex 90's this week? Anyone using them?

 

[g4mby]

Has anyone seen any Wessex 90's this week? Anyone using them?

I saw a few services on The Centre on Monday. A double decker was certainly not needed at that point of the journey. Definitely many more using First's 90.

It was the first day though.

 

[freetoview33]

I saw it yesterday on Bedminster Parade heading towards Inns Court, and there were a few people on there, more than I thought there would be considering it's only been going a few days.

 

[swifty]

Has anyone seen any Wessex 90's this week? Anyone using them?

I saw two about half and hour ago by St Mary Redcliffe, one heading inbound and the other outbound. The inbound had a dozen or so passengers and the outbound had 1. The deckers previously used on the 16 are working it so you've got Hallmark, Wessex and Arriva all on the route at the moment

 

[swifty]

Edwards are utilising their Boa Vistas on Glastonbury work from Bristol this week. There's a couple on lay overs in the lay by at the back of Cabot Circus by the car park.

 

[swifty]

Edwards are utilising their Boa Vistas on Glastonbury work from Bristol this week. There's a couple on lay overs in the lay by at the back of Cabot Circus by the car park.

Following on from SGBC and Nat Ex parting ways Bakers Dolphin are also helping out on the G18 from Bristol this year.

 

[matt_splat]

Following on from SGBC and Nat Ex parting ways Bakers Dolphin are also helping out on the G18 from Bristol this year.

Bakers Dolphin have done work at Glastonbury before G18's included 2 Bennetts coaches several Taylors some Blue Iris and also Yeomans getting involved.

I beleve the deckers were only carrying around 48 people and used because the coaches that were ment to be used singles but the singles were on 040s..

 

[swifty]

Bakers Dolphin have done work at Glastonbury before G18's included 2 Bennetts coaches several Taylors some Blue Iris and also Yeomans getting involved.

I beleve the deckers were only carrying around 48 people and used because the coaches that were ment to be used singles but the singles were on 040s..

Bakers have always traditionally worked the See Tickets services. Interesting that there aren't any shuttles from Temple Meads this year as well.

 

[winston270twm]

I saw two about half and hour ago by St Mary Redcliffe, one heading inbound and the other outbound. The inbound had a dozen or so passengers and the outbound had 1. The deckers previously used on the 16 are working it so you've got Hallmark, Wessex and Arriva all on the route at the moment

What Hallmark Deckers have Wessex got?

 

[swifty]

What Hallmark Deckers have Wessex got?

Two 03 plate Daf/Wright deckers IIRC.

I saw a few fare paying passengers boarding a Wessex 90 this morning and this evening the inbound bus I saw was carrying a handful as well.

 

[swifty]

South Gloucestershire Council are running a consultation on supported bus services including school services until the 3rd September.

https://consultations.southglos.gov.uk/consult.ti/BusNetworks/consultationHome

 

[winston270twm]

Two 03 plate Daf/Wright deckers IIRC.

I saw a few fare paying passengers boarding a Wessex 90 this morning and this evening the inbound bus I saw was carrying a handful as well.

40203 is one, but that is/was allocated to Heathrow from March 2017.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2909/34039716746_2c70f46e04_b.jpg

I thought the UoB 16 used the 62 plate Volvo B9TL/Gemini's in the main?

The Wessex 90 doesn't sound like it's doing too bad for it's first week, even with First Bristol matching Wessex single & return cash fares. It will be interesting to see what effect First doubling their 90 frequency has from next week...

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

40203 is one, but that is/was allocated to Heathrow from March 2017.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2909/34039716746_2c70f46e04_b.jpg

I thought the UoB 16 used the 62 plate Volvo B9TL/Gemini's in the main?
t
The Wessex 90 doesn't sound like it's doing too bad for it's first week, even with First Bristol matching Wessex single & return cash fares. It will be interesting to see what effect First doubling their 90 frequency has from next week...

The 16 had a mix with B9s but mainly the dual door 57 plates and ex Arriva DB250s; the 62/14 plates are more likely on the 51.

 

[swifty]

The 16 had a mix with B9s but mainly the dual door 57 plates and ex Arriva DB250s; the 62/14 plates are more likely on the 51.

Yeah the 16 was the mainstay of the older deckers and the as London condition deckers. Granted a few of the newer ones popped up but they were as common as Plaxton Centros on the service.

There's been a Hallmark decker around since at least early May if not longer, it used to appear on the 16 and 51 fairly often.

 

[swifty]

40203 is one, but that is/was allocated to Heathrow from March 2017.
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2909/34039716746_2c70f46e04_b.jpg

I thought the UoB 16 used the 62 plate Volvo B9TL/Gemini's in the main?

The Wessex 90 doesn't sound like it's doing too bad for it's first week, even with First Bristol matching Wessex single & return cash fares. It will be interesting to see what effect First doubling their 90 frequency has from next week...

It was doubled from Monday just gone and the week before it seems as though peak journeys ran as duplicates as well, either that or bunching was really bad for a week.

 

[winston270twm]

It was doubled from Monday just gone and the week before it seems as though peak journeys ran as duplicates as well, either that or bunching was really bad for a week.

Oh yeah! I seem to have lost a week somewhere....

If that's the case, the Wessex loading's aren't bad then... would local people say that the Wessex 90 is carrying more or less than theOne?

 

[matt_splat]

Two 03 plate Daf/Wright deckers IIRC.

I saw a few fare paying passengers boarding a Wessex 90 this morning and this evening the inbound bus I saw was carrying a handful as well.

they seem to be gradually picking people up i do wonder in time if the 90 could be terminated at the same place as the 51 to bring the two services together.

also Swifty see tickets i beleve have been using @Bristol instead this year.

 

[matt_splat]

Oh yeah! I seem to have lost a week somewhere....

If that's the case, the Wessex loading's aren't bad then... would local people say that the Wessex 90 is carrying more or less than theOne?

from the numbers i have seen today compared to earlier in the week they are getting bussier.

what we must remember is the 90 is being ran by Burnett a lot of drivers i have noticed that work at Burnett have stuck with the company a while and actually provide very good customer service which will win people to them.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

they seem to be gradually picking people up i do wonder in time if the 90 could be terminated at the same place as the 51 to bring the two services together.

also Swifty see tickets i beleve have been using @Bristol instead this year.

I guess it depends on which ones you see. Saw a couple of Wessex 90s in last Friday's peak with only 3 or 4 heading through Bemmie to Hengrove.

The 51s seem to be doing reasonably well though.

I don't know if linking the services is a good idea. Get stuck in gridlock on the Wells Road and you affect two services instead of one.

 

[winston270twm]

from the numbers i have seen today compared to earlier in the week they are getting bussier.

what we must remember is the 90 is being ran by Burnett a lot of drivers i have noticed that work at Burnett have stuck with the company a while and actually provide very good customer service which will win people to them.

Why's the 90 being run out of Burnett?

It's Avonmouth that has lost all the work and should have excess buses & drivers

 

[matt_splat]

Why's the 90 being run out of Burnett?

It's Avonmouth that has lost all the work and should have excess buses & drivers

Look at Avonmouths track record with commercial work the one and the two maybe Burnett are better positioned to work the work and maybe Burnett is now after all Burnett could easily start running the 51 that would leave Avonmouth with just a small number of routes which are just tendered which can't be very rewarding.

 

[winston270twm]

Look at Avonmouths track record with commercial work the one and the two maybe Burnett are better positioned to work the work and maybe Burnett is now after all Burnett could easily start running the 51 that would leave Avonmouth with just a small number of routes which are just tendered which can't be very rewarding.

Fair point on Burnett's location relative to the 90 & Avonmouth's previous commercial routes failures, however, I can't see the 51 transferring to Burnett and leaving Avonmouth with little work, as Burnett is leased / Avonmouth is owned. If any depot consiladation was to occur within in Wessex due to loss of work, I would have thought it would be the other way around.

 

[winston270twm]

There's been a Hallmark decker around since at least early May if not longer, it used to appear on the 16 and 51 fairly often.

40203 is back in Bristol by the looks of it:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/eybusman/35078745330/

 

[Dai Corner]

Fair point on Burnett's location relative to the 90 & Avonmouth's previous commercial routes failures, however, I can't see the 51 transferring to Burnett and leaving Avonmouth with little work, as Burnett is leased / Avonmouth is owned. If any depot consiladation was to occur within in Wessex due to loss of work, I would have thought it would be the other way around.

I suppose it would depend on whether they preferred to raise some capital/ reduce debt or reduce recurring costs.

 

[swifty]

Fair point on Burnett's location relative to the 90 & Avonmouth's previous commercial routes failures, however, I can't see the 51 transferring to Burnett and leaving Avonmouth with little work, as Burnett is leased / Avonmouth is owned. If any depot consiladation was to occur within in Wessex due to loss of work, I would have thought it would be the other way around.

I'm not with you on that I'm afraid. Bath's fairly decent services would have a lot of dead mileage to be worked from Avonmouth, where as all of Avonmouths work could easily be worked out of Burnett and frankly it's surprising if the 90 is and the 51 isn't!