Edinburgh Tour Operators: Bright Bus, Lothian (Majestic, Three Bridges) etc.

[Jordan Adam]

Posted here as this seems the most relevant thread.

Stagecoach East Scotland appear to be setting up their own tour in Edinburgh starting next month.

Vehicle Operator Licensing - GOV.UK

www.vehicle-operator-licensing.service.gov.uk

• Registration number: PM0000004/956
• Status: New
• Service number: SB1
• Service type: Excursion or Tour
• Start point: Edinburgh Waterloo Place
• Finish point: Edinburgh
• Via:
• Date received: 05 May 2022
• Effective date: 16 Jun 2022
• End date:
• Supported by subsidies?: No
• Local authorities covered by route: The City of Edinburgh Council
• TAOs covered by route: Scotland

 

[stevenedin]

It sounds like they want a piece of the cake after how successful Bright Bus Tours is.

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

So I had my very first go on Bright bus Tours today.

And from the experience they are boarding full buses often and it’s not even on season yet, come June/July it will be proper busy.

However, the second hand open top buses are in a relatively poor state, noisy, jerky retarders etc but then again I doubt many bus passengers of any kind care about such things.

It is also cheaper than the competition's offerings.

What I really don’t like is the slow and tedious handheld ticket machines they are using, trying to board a bus tour with slow ticketing isn’t particularly great and the buses still have the COVID fitted screens up further causing problems with communicating and interacting with the clientele.

I like to see something new, however, if for a moment we can further go over the issues within the industry (yes, driver shortages), it still seems to be a kick in the teeth for those who rely on a First East Scotland service bus home after a long day's work but can’t, probably because they are sourcing drivers away from general services to operate Brightbus Tours.

 

[InOban]

BTW, how many different operators are there in the Edinburgh tour market? In one journey through Edinburgh at the weekend we saw at least 4 liveries, Inc, Brightbus, but I wasn't sure if some of these referred to different tour routes rather than different companies.

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

BTW, how many different operators are there in the Edinburgh tour market? In one journey through Edinburgh at the weekend we saw at least 4 liveries, Inc, Brightbus, but I wasn't sure if some of these referred to different tour routes rather than different companies.

Bright Bus Tours is operated by First Bus & all the others by Lothian Buses.

 

[InOban]

Thanks. I thought that might be the case.

 

[Volvodart]

Posted here as this seems the most relevant thread.

Stagecoach East Scotland appear to be setting up their own tour in Edinburgh starting next month.

It seems that this is the use that they have found for the old Megabus Sleeper coaches. It is branded "superbus.com", which is not active. The company Superbus Sightseeing Edinburgh Limited, recently formed, is a Sir Brian Souter company according to the directors.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Well this certainly makes a bit of a contrast from bus seats and variable Scottish weather being thrown you from all directions. Will be interesting to see if it's a success and if there's room in the market for a third tour operator, I would assume this would be a point to point type operation as we all know that the vehicles are not suitable for random hop-on-hop-off operation

 

[oldman]

If you google Superbus Sightseeing it says: "'A Luxurious Sightseeing Experience': Afternoon Tea Included First Class Seating Fantastic Views". Competing with the Routemaster tea-tour rather than the open-tops.

They are advertising online:

SuperBus Sightseeing is looking for:
- Enthusiastic/bubbly personalities.
- Preferably experienced in hospitality but not essential.
- Level 2 food hygiene course certificate (if not the company is willing to pay for this depending on the interview process.)
- We will run 3 trips a day so our staff must be willing to help in-between our trip times in cleaning surfaces/floors for the next set of customers to arrive (plenty of time for this to be done.)
- Someone who works well in a team.
Job Types: Full-time, Temp to perm
Contract length: 6 months
Salary: £9.00-£9.50 per hour
Additional pay:

• Tips

...
Application deadline: 06/06/2022
Reference ID: Hospitality
Expected start date: 18/06/2022

Could you post the link to this, please?

 

[Blindtraveler]

Useful to know they are looking for people to work on it, one of my neighbours has the relevant food hygiene and hospitality experience and is looking for something like this for the next few months before they go off to study, dependant on outcome of exams

 

[GusB]

If you google Superbus Sightseeing it says: "'A Luxurious Sightseeing Experience': Afternoon Tea Included First Class Seating Fantastic Views". Competing with the Routemaster tea-tour rather than the open-tops.

I wasn't able to find anything like this when I googled earlier. The only thing I could find was a few listings in various company information sites.

What I find was quite interesting:

SUPERBUS SIGHTSEEING LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK

SUPERBUS SIGHTSEEING LIMITED - Free company information from Companies House including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return, officers, charges, business activity

find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk

Under directors it shows the following

SOUTER, Brian, Sir
SOUTER, Scott Brian

It suggests to me that it's not Stagecoach that will be running this, now that Soutar is more or less out of the picture.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

It suggests to me that it's not Stagecoach that will be running this, now that Soutar is more or less out of the picture.

The service is registered to Fife Scottish Omnibuses, and the coach which was spotted on Princes Street earlier this week had Fife Scottish legals.

(Fife Scottish Omnibuses trade as Stagecoach East Scotland)

 

[GusB]

The service is registered to Fife Scottish Omnibuses, and the coach which was spotted on Princes Street earlier this week had Fife Scottish legals.

(Fife Scottish Omnibuses trade as Stagecoach East Scotland)

That doesn't necessarily mean that Superbus Sightseeing Ltd. is owned by Stagecoach; only that it's being operated by a Stagecoach company.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

That doesn't necessarily mean that Superbus Sightseeing Ltd. is owned by Stagecoach; only that it's being operated by a Stagecoach company.

That's just pedantry. You initially said:

...it's not Stagecoach that will be running this...

which is not the same as "it's not a company owned by Stagecoach".

If they are entirely separate entities I'd have expected Superbus to have their own operating license and registered the service on that, similar to how Citylink services are registered but operated by other companies.

Anyway...

 

[GusB]

That's just pedantry. You initially said:

which is not the same as "it's not a company owned by Stagecoach".

If they are entirely separate entities I'd have expected Superbus to have their own operating license and registered the service on that, similar to how Citylink services are registered but operated by other companies.

Anyway...

Now that I'm home and not having to deal with stuff on a mobile screen, what I actually said was:

It suggests to me that it's not Stagecoach that will be running this, now that Soutar is more or less out of the picture.

You only quoted a small part of what I said.

Do you actually have any concrete proof that the company behind Superbus is owned by Stagecoach? If so, please present the evidence here

I don't. I was simply speculating that it might not be, considering that one of its directors is no longer a major player in the Stagecoach group.

 

[oldman]

I wasn't able to find anything like this when I googled earlier.

For me it appears on the top right hand side of the screen as a 'local listing', so maybe not in darkest Moray.

 

[CN04NRJ]

It sounds like they want a piece of the cake after how successful Bright Bus Tours is.

Or just offering cake! Seems to be competition for the afternoon tea/champagne routemasters.

 

[oldman]

I saw it yesterday afternoon at Tollcross but with the dark windows I couldn't see if there was anyone on it. www.superbus.com has details - no booze (family friendly), £29 lower deck, £34 on top, £10 kids. Wheelchair passengers don't get afternoon tea (health and safety!).

 

[Bus9120UK]

I've had a look at the latest Edinburgh Bus Tours route maps:

• Tours indeed now start at Waterloo Place as expected, but will continue to serve St. Andrew Square as stop 2.
• The Majestic tour now operates via Bonnington instead of Easter Road or Leith Walk, and no longer serves the Royal Mile - it just goes down Abbeyhill, loops, and goes back up.
• The Edinburgh tour & Citysightseeing routes are exactly the same now.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

The Majestic tour now operates via Bonnington instead of Easter Road or Leith Walk, and no longer serves the Royal Mile - it just goes down Abbeyhill, loops, and goes back up.

I suppose that's not the worst change. I think it would probably be good for Abbeyhill, although Easter Road has the Hibernian F.C. Football Stadium (I kindly ask for no debates on football in this forum.

The Edinburgh tour & Citysightseeing routes are exactly the same now.

Then what is the point in having 2 tours then? They could've made them slightly different or they could just make the Edinburgh Tour the City Sightseeing tour. The only reason I see is so they can market more than 2 tours.

 

[freddiem]

I suppose that's not the worst change. I think it would probably be good for Abbeyhill, although Easter Road has the Hibernian F.C. Football Stadium (I kindly ask for no debates on football in this forum.

Then what is the point in having 2 tours then? They could've made them slightly different or they could just make the Edinburgh Tour the City Sightseeing tour. The only reason I see is so they can market more than 2 tours.

The Edinburgh tour has the live tour guide, and the city sightseeing has the multi-language commentary. But I agree they should be slightly different. Up until now the Edinburgh tour has also gone round the new town via Charlotte sq. However I don't think that calling point was terribly popular.

 

[Andreww]

On a morning stroll today, I spotted an open top 3 Bridges Tour bus at the back of Marine (photo attached below). Could it be one of the former Cobbles Tour buses?, and could it mean 905 and 906 are withdrawn or for sale?

 

[Bus9120UK]

On a morning stroll today, I spotted an open top 3 Bridges Tour bus at the back of Marine. Could it be one of the former Cobbles Tour buses?, and could it mean 905 and 906 are withdrawn or for sale?

That's one of 230/1 based of the seats, 2 of 5 buses previously used on the Cobbles' tour. That does confirm that 905/6 will probably be gone very soon.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

On a morning stroll today, I spotted an open top 3 Bridges Tour bus at the back of Marine. Could it be one of the former Cobbles Tour buses?, and could it mean 905 and 906 are withdrawn or for sale?

It more than likely is. A very good spot.

I do question how normal open tops on the 3 Bridges Tour would actually work, given the fact when used previously that the open top section isn’t used.

Myself and @Bus9120UK believe that another is back in Edinburgh Tour livery as well.

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

It more than likely is. A very good spot.

I do question how normal open tops on the 3 Bridges Tour would actually work, given the fact when used previously that the open top section isn’t used.

Myself and @Bus9120UK believe that another is back in Edinburgh Tour livery as well.

I sometimes wonder how the bridges tour is even remotely viable, Every time I’ve seen this service it’s carrying fresh air.

 

[stevenedin]

On a morning stroll today, I spotted an open top 3 Bridges Tour bus at the back of Marine. Could it be one of the former Cobbles Tour buses?, and could it mean 905 and 906 are withdrawn or for sale?

Looks great exciting times to come.

 

[CN04NRJ]

That's one of 230/1 based of the seats, 2 of 5 buses previously used on the Cobbles' tour. That does confirm that 905/6 will probably be gone very soon.

Does it? Perhaps they'll be used in combination with the open tops or in lieu when the weather is poor.

 

[Bus9120UK]

Does it? Perhaps they'll be used in combination with the open tops or in lieu when the weather is poor.

Why use open tops in the first place then if they were to stay? Either way I think closed tops are more sensible.

 

[GusB]

I sometimes wonder how the bridges tour is even remotely viable. Every time I’ve seen this service it’s carrying fresh air.

Surely fresh air is a key selling point of an open-top tour.

 

[scosutsut]

Surely fresh air is a key selling point of an open-top tour.

I haven't conducted extensive research, but I believe it's preferable to stale air, in most cases?