Western Greyhound Fire and subsequent WG general discussion.

[robertclark125]

In this era of instant information on public transport, where we want it from a simple post on Facebook or Twitter, WG have managed to return to 1974, just before Ceefax started, where instant information wasn't available.

Even having updates during the week, as per stagecoach East Scotland, is better than nothing at all.

 

[richw]

In this era of instant information on public transport, where we want it from a simple post on Facebook or Twitter, WG have managed to return to 1974, just before Ceefax started, where instant information wasn't available.

Even having updates during the week, as per stagecoach East Scotland, is better than nothing at all.

To compare two sides of the scale.
The biggest - First Cornwall have a good social media facility and seem to answer questions quickly during the day.
Likewise one of the smallest Cornwall Busways provides an excellent update facility. I believe the Cornwall Busways Facebook page is run by and posted by the owner himself at present.

Cornwall Busway's Facebook is https://www.facebook.com/cornwallbusways?fref=ts for reference.

I don't understand why WG don't have any social media and its near impossible to get through to them on the phone.

 

[CC 72100]

Having seen a few of the vehicles on the 510 recently, I can understand the comments about the poor appearance of certain vehicles. The one which went past was in green - which is a good start at least - but with a completely yellow destination blind and a paper route number in the top corner of the windscreen.

One of the ones I saw the other day was in full Tfl (ex-Stagecoach judging the Moquette), with a blind in the same condition as above. It even had the Tfl 'Buses' Roundel on the side and the London 'tracking' number on the roof!

 

[SWTH]

That'll be 488 (ex Stagecoach 17518). The drivers have been questioning the destination blind issues for months - they're all sick and tired of having to use scraps of paper in the windscreen.

Still, it's not like the few remaining passengers actually need to know which service the bus is operating, do they? Not as if fares pay the fuel and wage bill.

At least, that's the impression it gives.

 

[CC 72100]

That'll be 488 (ex Stagecoach 17518). The drivers have been questioning the destination blind issues for months - they're all sick and tired of having to use scraps of paper in the windscreen.

Still, it's not like the few remaining passengers actually need to know which service the bus is operating, do they? Not as if fares pay the fuel and wage bill.

At least, that's the impression it gives.

I vaguely know where the 510 goes from the odd bus (the Optares) which do have working destination equipment, but to the untrained eye "is our bus due?" "Oh no wait, that one doesn't appear to be in service".

Exactly - it all reeks a little bit of 'can't give a damnism'. A shame, especially given that it's an independent operator, but I don't think we can get misty-eyed about that when they're failing on what are very simple levels.

 

[83G/84D]

To compare two sides of the scale.
The biggest - First Cornwall have a good social media facility and seem to answer questions quickly during the day.
Likewise one of the smallest Cornwall Busways provides an excellent update facility. I believe the Cornwall Busways Facebook page is run by and posted by the owner himself at present.

Cornwall Busway's Facebook is https://www.facebook.com/cornwallbusways?fref=ts for reference.

I don't understand why WG don't have any social media and its near impossible to get through to them on the phone.

Can anyone post a list of what buses Cornwall Busways have at the moment please? I have seen a Stagecoach liveried Dart but nothing else.

 

[richw]

Can anyone post a list of what buses Cornwall Busways have at the moment please? I have seen a Stagecoach liveried Dart but nothing else.

R530YRP Its a Wright bodied Dart in all over Red
X513ADF- Stagecoach Dart - Stagecoach paintjob looks immaculate - maybe another operator can learn about using other operator's liveries whilst still looking good!
R632VEG - Marshall Dart in all over red- not been commissioned into use as yet.
R76GNW - Wright Bodied Dart - I haven't seen it on the road so unsure if this is with them or not but it was parked in their yard when I passed by not long after they started.

They've been using KP Cabs' minibus as cover when they've had buses off the road due to the tight fleet at moment.

 

[CC 72100]

X513ADF- Stagecoach Dart - Stagecoach paintjob looks immaculate - maybe another operator can learn about using other operator's liveries whilst still looking good!

Former Gloucester vehicle - thought I recognised the registration!

 

[Busaholic]

I first encountered Western National in 1966 in Minehead and came to use their buses a lot the following year when I worked there for a few months. Being used to London buses with their full via blinds as well as destination blinds I found it very hard to take doubledeckers (Lodekkas) with only a number blind and the single word 'SERVICE' in what I took should have been a destination blind. What the numerous tourists down there made of it, I don't know, but at least then you had the option of the delightful train journey via Stogumber to Taunton. Actually, as the 215 to Bridgwater and 218 to Taunton were interworked by Minehead crews, and number blinds hadn't always been changed on arrival at Minehead it was possible for the unwary to get the wrong bus.

The point I am making is that scant info on a bus, although undesirable IMO, does not automatically presage the fall of an operator, or First would have had nothing to buy out down here.

Just to prove my point, just been looking in the Lodekka Ian Allan book and there on page 50 is a pic of said bus on a 89 with 'Private' on the blind at Truro or Newquay (not sure which) with a good load , unlikely to be enthusiasts unless the blue-rinse brigade have taken up busspotting!

 

[SWTH]

In 1966 that may have been locally acceptable.

In 2007 when I started working for WGL we had to have the right destinations displayed, on the front and side/rear blinds where fitted. Company officials were quick to make a driver 'aware' that the blinds weren't right.

Fast forward 7 years (and 48 years on from 1966) and along with the very obvious decline in vehicle condition and cleanliness, in many cases the blinds aren't even fitted/working, let alone able to be wound to 'Special' etc.

Make no mistake, WGL is not the company it once was. It is a shadow of its former self, thanks to chronic mismanagement over the last three years.

 

[richw]

In 1966 that may have been locally acceptable.

In 2007 when I started working for WGL we had to have the right destinations displayed, on the front and side/rear blinds where fitted. Company officials were quick to make a driver 'aware' that the blinds weren't right.

Fast forward 7 years (and 48 years on from 1966) and along with the very obvious decline in vehicle condition and cleanliness, in many cases the blinds aren't even fitted/working, let alone able to be wound to 'Special' etc.

Make no mistake, WGL is not the company it once was. It is a shadow of its former self, thanks to chronic mismanagement over the last three years.

I quite like the Dart that's been on the 587 with blind displaying "welcome aboard go north east" the last couple of days.

 

[SWTH]

206? That's been like it since it arrived. There's no DERIC fitted to control the Hanover blinds.

 

[richw]

206? That's been like it since it arrived. There's no DERIC fitted to control the Hanover blinds.

Sorry I don't know the fleet numbers NA52AWO

After the fire most of the loan vehicles all had blinds programmed within a matter of days, yet now their own fleet aren't getting blinds.

Cornwall council aren't bothered about quality. The last retenders were 70% based on cost and 30% on quality.
The subsidies operators receive for each subsidised route is public information which used to be put on Cornwall councils website.

 

[83G/84D]

R530YRP Its a Wright bodied Dart in all over Red
X513ADF- Stagecoach Dart - Stagecoach paintjob looks immaculate - maybe another operator can learn about using other operator's liveries whilst still looking good!
R632VEG - Marshall Dart in all over red- not been commissioned into use as yet.
R76GNW - Wright Bodied Dart - I haven't seen it on the road so unsure if this is with them or not but it was parked in their yard when I passed by not long after they started.

They've been using KP Cabs' minibus as cover when they've had buses off the road due to the tight fleet at moment.

Thanks for the list - very useful.

 

[fgwrich]

In 1966 that may have been locally acceptable.

In 2007 when I started working for WGL we had to have the right destinations displayed, on the front and side/rear blinds where fitted. Company officials were quick to make a driver 'aware' that the blinds weren't right.

Fast forward 7 years (and 48 years on from 1966) and along with the very obvious decline in vehicle condition and cleanliness, in many cases the blinds aren't even fitted/working, let alone able to be wound to 'Special' etc.

Make no mistake, WGL is not the company it once was. It is a shadow of its former self, thanks to chronic mismanagement over the last three years.

I completely agree - There's a Trident running around on the 510 - Y447 NHK - with Westerngreyhound.com at an almost 40 degree angle in the destination box and the only indication of where it's going is a A4 Piece of Paper in the top right hand side of the windscreen with 510 in big, and a miss spelled Okehampton below - Rather small so that you can't really tell where it's going unless your a few feet away from the front. And still in Stagecoach London colours complete with BeachBall - so you could almost be forgiven for thinking that it was an on hire to Stagecoach Devon Stagecoach London bus than WG. Another Trident has what appears to be a cut up WG Destination Blind in the lower half, but no route number (unless it's fallen off from inside the windscreen) and a replacement panel on the nearside already. In this day and age, First impressions count for a lot, and what WG Seems to be presenting is a company in a sorry state for itself.

 

[bussnapperwm]

R530YRP Its a Wright bodied Dart in all over Red
X513ADF- Stagecoach Dart - Stagecoach paintjob looks immaculate - maybe another operator can learn about using other operator's liveries whilst still looking good!
R632VEG - Marshall Dart in all over red- not been commissioned into use as yet.
R76GNW - Wright Bodied Dart - I haven't seen it on the road so unsure if this is with them or not but it was parked in their yard when I passed by not long after they started.

They've been using KP Cabs' minibus as cover when they've had buses off the road due to the tight fleet at moment.

The 2 crusaders were last to my knowledge ex Diamond Bus with R530 being also of Little Gem after Diamond

 

[Busaholic]

Cornwall council aren't bothered about quality. The last retenders were 70% based on cost and 30% on quality.
The subsidies operators receive for each subsidised route is public information which used to be put on Cornwall councils website.

I've been looking for that info.- thought it was my techno incompetence not being able to find it. I'll take it up with my local councillor/prospective parliamentary candidate.

 

[richw]

I've been looking for that info.- thought it was my techno incompetence not being able to find it. I'll take it up with my local councillor/prospective parliamentary candidate.

I've got the 2012 document on my laptop I think. I can't seem to find the more recent results,

 

[Busaholic]

I've got the 2012 document on my laptop I think. I can't seem to find the more recent results,

Me too!

 

[83G/84D]

A WG Dart expired at St Austell bus station after arrival yesterday afternoon. The driver shut the engine off when at the stand and then it would not start!

Didn't hang around to see the outcome but around 8 people on the bus at the time.

The ex Stagecoach Dart operated by Cornwall Busways was in use with services running around 20 minutes late mainly due to the roadworks at Carludden near Penwithick.

 

[richw]

Talking to a driver and he mentioned that WG have had 20 drivers hand in their notices over the last month.
I'm wondering if its related to First advertising a massive recruitment drive in Cornwall over the last few weeks!

 

[robertclark125]

The latest issue of Buses has a news item on First fighting back in Cornwall, with two new rotues serving Newquay, and also enhanced services on another one in Newquay.

Significantly, this is WG heartland.

 

[richw]

The latest issue of Buses has a news item on First fighting back in Cornwall, with two new rotues serving Newquay, and also enhanced services on another one in Newquay.

Significantly, this is WG heartland.

First are going head to head on 521, 587 and 597 routes.
This is what First were recruiting for in the main to cover these extra routes.
They have also moved a number of drivers to Truro from other depots so other depots are a few down as well.

 

[robertclark125]

Do you think First may reopen an Outstation in Newquay? After all, I think right now, a full depot is out of the question.

Also, would it be fair to say the way in which WG respond is an indication of the status of the firm as a whole?

 

[Busaholic]

First are going head to head on 521, 587 and 597 routes.
This is what First were recruiting for in the main to cover these extra routes.
They have also moved a number of drivers to Truro from other depots so other depots are a few down as well.

Does that mean that First are not covering some scheduled journeys? They don't have many depots in the region these days, so can't see where they can move drivers from other than in penny numbers.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Does that mean that First are not covering some scheduled journeys? They don't have many depots in the region these days, so can't see where they can move drivers from other than in penny numbers.

Perhaps they only need to move penny numbers?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Do you think First may reopen an Outstation in Newquay? After all, I think right now, a full depot is out of the question.

Also, would it be fair to say the way in which WG respond is an indication of the status of the firm as a whole?

Newquay's not had a full depot for 20+ years. I'm assuming that the 21 will interwork with one of the Truro services and Truro depot will operate the new routes. Or perhaps have a larger outbase at Eden - St Austell is Cornwall's biggest town!

 

[83G/84D]

Just my thoughts on a "new" depot for First Kernow. The proper depots at Wherrytown Penzance, Falmouth Moor (Killigrew St) Tolcarne Rd Newquay & Eliot Rd St Austell have long closed with a smattering of oustations with just basic facilities and a main depot at Camborne.

Having said that Truro has a little better facilities but not much chance of expansion at the present site ad the site at Penzance is shared with another user.

Talk is that the site at Camborne MAY be redeveloped for retail use and/or housing so a new expanded site out of town or elsewhere might be possible. Certainly if the land at Camborne is sold at a "good price" this may be an avenue First will follow.

If Camborne depot / bus station remains where it is would they expand an existing depot or build a new one to supplement Camborne?

My thoughts are possibly yes as Camborne has limited space and has a backload of work on occasions that could be dealt with at another depot.

I'm not sure if the costings of land purchase and depot build costs along with extra staff recruitement would mean the idea of another depot being viable but dead bus moves between depots could be reduced saving on fuel costs for one.

Not a very scientific study and it may be that First are entirely happy with the current arrangements but don't rule it out alltogether.

 

[richw]

Does that mean that First are not covering some scheduled journeys? They don't have many depots in the region these days, so can't see where they can move drivers from other than in penny numbers.

Talking to a First driver friend there is lots of overtime available at present. The drivers seem happy to do it, as he was telling me that so far this month the drivers volunteered for double the number of hours of overtime actually available at his depot.

Having said that Truro has a little better facilities but not much chance of expansion at the present site ad the site at Penzance is shared with another user

The entire First Kernow fleet are now MOT'd at Truro so the Newham depot is very busy with that side of things.

 

[matt_splat]

A depot close to the A30 would be suited for Camborne easy for transfers and to move busses about.

I think as for talking about other depots / outstations it depends what happens with the situation with western greyhound if first competing and maybe financial issues finish them off what would happen to the routes I'm sure first would cherry pick some as would maybe Plymouth citybus and also stagecoach and im sure the independents would take a fancy to some bits as well.

 

[South Westerly]

17/10/2014 - Some journeys temporarily suspended from Mon 20th Oct 2014


It is with considerable reluctance, as a result of an unprecedented driver shortage that we are forced to suspend some rarely, or lightly used late afternoon or evening journeys on Mondays to Saturdays for a period of time as we seek to recruit new drivers. We have carefully selected the journeys to cause the minimum of disruption to our passengers.
If these changes cause you any massive problems please contact us and we will see if any adjustments can be made.
The services affected are the 521, 529, 555, 556, 587 and 597. In many cases it is only 1 or 2 journeys on each service that will be affected. Full details of the journeys suspended can be found on the individual timetable page on the website of the services listed above.
We have discussed the suspensions with our stakeholders and it was felt it best to identify specific lightly used journeys rather than have random cuts each day to different services. As a result we have maintained the daytime journeys without cuts.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but we are actively recruiting additional drivers.

Close

17/10/2014 - Quick Guide to suspended journeys from Monday 20th October.


521 1925 from St Austell to Newquay
521 2030 from Newquay to St Austell
521 2225 from St Austell to Newquay
521 2330 from Newquay to High Street
529 2125 from St Austell to Roche
529 2200 from Roche to St Austell
555 1830 from Padstow to Bodmin Parkway
555 1930 from Bodmin Parkway to Padstow
555 2030 from Padstow to Bodmin Parkway
555 2210 from Bodmin Parkway to Padstow
556 1705 from Newquay to Padstow
556 2310 from Padstow to St Merryn
587 1905 from Newquay to Truro
587 2205 from Newquay to Perranporth
597 2045 from Truro to Newquay.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Does that mean that First are not covering some scheduled journeys? They don't have many depots in the region these days, so can't see where they can move drivers from other than in penny numbers.

Not at all. Plenty of drivers, plenty of vehicles. Covering all their commitments plus plenty of rail replacement and extras for Truro College.

More T reg Olympians on the way from up North and the first used short narrow Solo arrived from Ensignbus.