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First West of England (Bristol, Bath & The West)

Marcus Fryer

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27 Dec 2014
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732
I don’t think it’s been previously reported on here that the 19 is finally running via Charlton Boulevard, as from 29 August according to the Bradley Stoke Journal.
 
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Whiteway215

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15 Sep 2015
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1,989
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Bath
From what I heard it is due to be 20 Streetdecks. Apparently no one else wants them. I don’t think they will like some of the Excel network with the hills especially the X3 & X4 with Rownham Hill. E400s struggle at times going up there.

They would probably cope OK on the X7 and X9.

A good idea would be to swap some of them in to Bristol to use on the 48/48A/49, releasing some E400MMCs for the Excel network. They seemed to cope fine when they were used last year on the Excel network and the drivers like them.

They would be welcome. I know that @D2007wsm isn't a fan of the ex Leicester machines but the one I had was fine yesterday (and exceptionally clean). However, they would be useful for updating some other OpCo. The 56 plates are the most comfortable but they're getting long in the tooth so new investment is definitely welcome.
They were horrible, they were always cold and the seats were closer together. I don’t travel on them anymore, I commute in the car now.

They would be perfect to replace the ex London B7TLs which are used on the 1, 7 and what are left in Bristol.

A couple could also get the chop and be converted to replace the ALX400 coasters.

What Weston could do with is some short E200s or Solos to see off the last of the Darts. They were supposed to be retired last year, but the aquisition of the 2, 4 and 6 through that out the window. They really are too big, the 449** E200s would have been perfect for those services.

I also heard the A3 is due to resume in April. I wonder what state 67107 and 67108 will return in having being ragged on Rail Replacement and God knows what else.
I see 42925 is reported as withdrawn so the Darts are gradually falling by the wayside. Has Weston sufficient Darts left now to cover their duties?
 

D2007wsm

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26 Jul 2015
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1,310
I see 42925 is reported as withdrawn so the Darts are gradually falling by the wayside. Has Weston sufficient Darts left now to cover their duties?
I believe the they may need 3 or 4 for the 2, 4 and 6. The 3 is generally all Streetlites now
 

TheGrandWazoo

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18 Feb 2013
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Somerset with international travel (e.g. across th
I believe the they may need 3 or 4 for the 2, 4 and 6. The 3 is generally all Streetlites now
I thought the Bath e200s might have headed to Weston but given they've nearly all just received Bath blue livery, that won't be happening. I'd imagine it would be Streetlites in due course.

I'm with you about Streetdecks for the Excel routes and their performance, unless they're getting some with a bit more oomph; think Go North East took one with a 6 cylinder engine. Mentioning Rownham Hill, my 63 plate on Saturday really struggled on that climb.

I had exactly the same thought as you but taking the 65 plates, give them a spruce up and lose the grey eLeather, etc and then putting Streetdecks into the city. Incidentally, given how the JF regime was not keen on Streetdecks and Streetlites, it would be a surprise to see new vehicles arrive. In fact, aside from First West Yorkshire, there haven't been that many new Wright buses in the last 4/5 years to First Group.
 
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Citistar

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Joined
4 Apr 2017
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430
Location
The Magical Mendips
Perhaps @Citistar or @NJ51 could expand on that? Certainly it needs a freshen up both in fleet but, more pertinently, the wider marketing. Some stability and simplicity would help too
I know nothing, i'm afraid. The only things i've heard are the rumblings which keep coming up on here or Facebook about Weston having a fleet of new vehicles. Whilst North Somerset have a history of issuing tenders that it's impossible for anyone other than First to win, i haven't seen anything appear through official channels to suggest lip service is being paid to a substantial capital investment. It is possible there is money from Bristol for CAZ upgrades, but i'm not party to that either.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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I know nothing, i'm afraid. The only things i've heard are the rumblings which keep coming up on here or Facebook about Weston having a fleet of new vehicles. Whilst North Somerset have a history of issuing tenders that it's impossible for anyone other than First to win, i haven't seen anything appear through official channels to suggest lip service is being paid to a substantial capital investment. It is possible there is money from Bristol for CAZ upgrades, but i'm not party to that either.
The Excel fleet has been suitably upgraded (save for the B7TLs) I think. It's easy enough to say this or that route should have new fleet; everything could justify newer vehicles to someone and arguably, the same could be said for the Mendip fleet though that is generally newer. It just struck me that the Excel fleet is getting on a bit with the last new fleet being the 2013 e400s, and 2014 Streetlites that have since moved on to other duties in the main.

Moreover, the network seemed relatively straightforward once upon a time (and appreciate that Covid has changed things somewhat) but the pattern seems a bit more complex now, especially on the Nailsea/Clevedon/Portishead corridors

Portishead
X3 xx.45
X4 xx.40 Pill shortworkings
X4 xx.15
X5 xx.55 (via Portway)

Clevedon/Nailsea
X6 xx.10
X7 xx.30 (via Nailsea)
X8 every 90/100 mins to Nailsea
X9 xx.15 to Nailsea
X9 xx.45 to Nailsea

Just seems a bit clunky but then again, perhaps we should be grateful that bigger cuts haven't come about with the drop in peak-time travel.

I seem to recall that some of the shelters on the Portishead route in Express Yourself days carried quite prominent branding (?) to promote the enhanced services but nowadays, it seems commercial clients are preferred. Stuff like new (bright orange) bus stop flags (rather than faded First ones) might help - always something that I thought was an odd omission on the Mendip routes too.
 

Whiteway215

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15 Sep 2015
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1,989
Location
Bath
Looks as if 37326 & 37626 have both been sent to Bath to cover shortages now that the Unis are back.
Bath is also supposed to have 37323 on loan.

According to Bustimes 37323 and 326 are branded for the Bristol 2.
I doubt if we will see either on Bath 2 !!!
 

Citistar

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4 Apr 2017
Messages
430
Location
The Magical Mendips
Just seems a bit clunky but then again, perhaps we should be grateful that bigger cuts haven't come about with the drop in peak-time travel.

I seem to recall that some of the shelters on the Portishead route in Express Yourself days carried quite prominent branding (?) to promote the enhanced services but nowadays, it seems commercial clients are preferred. Stuff like new (bright orange) bus stop flags (rather than faded First ones) might help - always something that I thought was an odd omission on the Mendip routes too.
I think the greater cuts will come once Bus Recovery Grant expires, and we still have no idea what payments from that will look like. If there is nothing forthcoming through the local schemes once that finishes (and particualrly if drivers are still in signficiantly short supply), i think we could be facing considerable withdrawals which will come as quite a shock to those in Clevedon and Temple Gate. Either that or Dan's magic £500m money tree might have borne fruit by then.

North Somerset's infrastructure has always been half-assed. There has always been the odd bit of investment here and there, but several consecutive regimes have been hopeless at keeping up with changing services. I occasionally see shelters being cleaned, but it seems to make a negligible difference. We still have bus stop flags in Nailsea and Clevedon which announce they're places to catch services like the 6, 88 and 850. Both West of England Combinininined Authority and North Somerset are guilty of neglecting roadside information - pretty much every timetable display in the Chew Valley has duff information about services which have since changed, the reduced 672 being the star of the show.
 

D2007wsm

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26 Jul 2015
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I don’t see why they neglect certain areas, earlier this year they put stickers on all the Coaster Flags on the service 20 to change them to Badgerline. Yet the North Somerset and Weston town stops don’t get touched
 

Callum15632

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22 Feb 2021
Messages
424
Location
Bristol
I saw on a Facebook group that First are taking over the 51 from Stagecoach on the 31st October and it will be extended to Wrington and should run every 2 hours. The 51 that First are running is a partial replacement for the 121 which was withdrawn in 2014.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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I don’t see why they neglect certain areas, earlier this year they put stickers on all the Coaster Flags on the service 20 to change them to Badgerline. Yet the North Somerset and Weston town stops don’t get touched
I'd seen the flags that had been redone in Burnham. Is it because they are Somerset CC (who have no interest in such things) whilst the Weston ones are in North Somerset and so First are precluded from doing anything?

Mind you, still doesn't explain why the flags south of Chilcompton are still scruffy First.
 

D2007wsm

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I'd seen the flags that had been redone in Burnham. Is it because they are Somerset CC (who have no interest in such things) whilst the Weston ones are in North Somerset and so First are precluded from doing anything?

Mind you, still doesn't explain why the flags south of Chilcompton are still scruffy First.
Some of the ones in Weston predominantly on Locking Road and New Bristol Road were changed to TravelWest branded ones, the rest are old plastic or First branded ones. Some still even have Crosville stickers. I think they were put up by First.
 

Private Baxter

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22 Sep 2013
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I'd seen the flags that had been redone in Burnham. Is it because they are Somerset CC (who have no interest in such things) whilst the Weston ones are in North Somerset and so First are precluded from doing anything?

Mind you, still doesn't explain why the flags south of Chilcompton are still scruffy First.
You know, the further south you go, I'm pretty sure there's still a few First Basgerline flags knocking about, or at least there were until relatively recently.
 

TheGrandWazoo

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Some of the ones in Weston predominantly on Locking Road and New Bristol Road were changed to TravelWest branded ones, the rest are old plastic or First branded ones. Some still even have Crosville stickers. I think they were put up by First.

You know, the further south you go, I'm pretty sure there's still a few First Basgerline flags knocking about, or at least there were until relatively recently.
There's quite a few First Badgerline stops. However, if you know where to look, you can also find 3 original Badgerline flags and also a couple of roads where it's the Badgerline (F) version - I won't say where in case someone comes along with a set of ladders and a screwdriver. There is another variation where a flag has been recycled and that a First CityLine one is in Keynsham!

Back on topic, the whole issue of roadside publicity in North Somerset is a mess. Everything still covered up with Covid warnings - makes life so much easier if you don't bother with it.
 

Private Baxter

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There's quite a few First Badgerline stops. However, if you know where to look, you can also find 3 original Badgerline flags and also a couple of roads where it's the Badgerline (F) version - I won't say where in case someone comes along with a set of ladders and a screwdriver. There is another variation where a flag has been recycled and that a First CityLine one is in Keynsham!

Back on topic, the whole issue of roadside publicity in North Somerset is a mess. Everything still covered up with Covid warnings - makes life so much easier if you don't bother with it.
Yes, I think I know where one of those original Badgerline ones is!
 

Private Baxter

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They are all in areas long since served by Badgerline. Without giving the game away.... One is in the Chew Valley, one is in a Wiltshire market town, and one is almost hidden in the trees on the Somerset/Wiltshire border - those ring bells?
One certainly does, but I think there might be another on a road with a very infrequent bus service (no longer First), but I admit it could have gone by now.
 

Citistar

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4 Apr 2017
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430
Location
The Magical Mendips
They are all in areas long since served by Badgerline. Without giving the game away.... One is in the Chew Valley, one is in a Wiltshire market town, and one is almost hidden in the trees on the Somerset/Wiltshire border - those ring bells?
I think i was the last operator to serve the Chew Valley one, on 31/12/10.
 

Class 33

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14 Aug 2009
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2,362
A number of times recently I've seen the 24's going along the upper part of Muller Road and Filton Avenue, and missing out the Lockleaze area. Why is this? I've looked on the timetables and they're still all booked to operate via Lockleaze. Doesn't really effect me, but just wondering.
 

diffywood

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20 Mar 2015
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311
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withywood bristol
A number of times recently I've seen the 24's going along the upper part of Muller Road and Filton Avenue, and missing out the Lockleaze area. Why is this? I've looked on the timetables and they're still all booked to operate via Lockleaze. Doesn't really effect me, but just wondering.

Roadworks in Romney avenue for traffic calming
 

Marcus Fryer

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Joined
27 Dec 2014
Messages
732
33836, which had special advertising for 100 years of buses in Wells, has had the off-side one replaced (covered up?) by a commercial advert. The near-side and rear still have the commemorative display.
 

WelshBluebird

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14 Jan 2010
Messages
4,923
Some local bus Facebook groups I'm in are currently full of talk about significant numbers of drivers handing their notice in to go drive HGVs etc.
Now yes its just Facebook etc etc, but I'm inclined to believe there's at least something there given some staff members are members of these groups and in both Bristol and Bath I have seen service reliability basically fall off a cliff lately.
 

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