Strathtay 260
Member
They are only 4 years old.
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Ember: Electric coach service
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According to their website https://www.ember.to/faq/ , Ember started 5 years ago in 2019. Maybe the early coaches have already gone if the oldest coaches are only 4 years old?
Strathtay 260
Member
Not too sure, however, their first buses were definitely the 70 plates YD70CHX/CHY.
Yes. Their first revenue-earning service was in October 2020 (see the first page of this thread!), delayed a bit by global events
Buzby
Member
Just had a trip on the tri-axle Yutongs, apart from the increased capacity, I was surprised that the comfort level still remained high - and the USB charging points were both A and C for each seat. Not only that, but they offered 25w PD maximum charging for those mobiles that supported it. The on board WiFi was flawless - but to be fair it has always ‘just worked’!
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First time seeing one at Glasgow. I was a bit worried about the comfort, I thought the Flixbus yutongs had less legroom. Looking to try one out but more likely to get a smaller Yutong
Strathtay 260
Member
voidwxrranty
Member
route training for the new service starting.
AliMackScot
New Member
New driver assessment. Not route learning
Strathtay 260
Member
I would be surprised if it went through Monifieth!
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New post:
The Ember E1 service has an updated route map on bustimes.org which shows the new stops for the extension to Aberdeen.
The new stops are:
- Dundee, Slessor Gardens (unsure which stop this replaces)
- Dundee, Stobswell
- Dundee, Mill O Mains
- A90, Inveraldie Vilage
- Forfar, Lidl
- Brechin, Northern Hotel (northbound)
- Brechin, Bank St (southbound)
- Fordoun, Springbank Terrace
- Drumlithie, Road End
- Newtonhill, Road End (northbound)
- Newtonhill, Cairnhill Rd (southbound)
- Portlethon, Roadside of Cookston
- Kincorth, Abbotswell Drive
- Aberdeen, Union St Adelphi
- Pittodrie, Errol St (northbound)
- Pittodrie, St Peter St (southbound)
- Pittordie, School Drive (northbound)
- Pittrodie, School Road (southbound)
- Seaton, Lord Hay's Rd
- Bridge of Don, Balgownie Rd (northbound)
- Bridge of Don, Balgownie Crescent (southbound)
- Bridge of Don P&R
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Strathtay 260
Member
A driver shared on Facebook that the Aberdeen to Edinburgh extension is expected to launch around October 22. The Aberdeen to Glasgow route is tentatively set to begin in November or December, though delays are likely.
You can also see a timetable by changing the date in the URL to one after mid-October (example). Looks to be quite ambitious at roughly every hour from Aberdeen, and two an hour Dundee-Edinburgh .
scotrail158713
Established Member
Looking at the bustimes.org link it looks as if this is only for southbound Aberdeen-Edinburgh services (presumably due to the one way system around the railway station and Slessor gardens as northbound buses are still stopping at the railway station)
Strathtay 260
Member
Thank you for this! It looks like they are no longer using Greenmarket as the stop for the E1, and now the buses stop on George Street rather than at St Andrew's Square in Edinburgh.
Longforgan, Inchmicheal (new stop), St Madoes and Walnut Grove are not served by the extended service from Aberdeen, but are served by the service from Dundee to Edinburgh.
Also it seems the E1X is being scrapped, according to bustimes. https://bustimes.org/services/e1x-between-dundee-and-wallyford
The dates only go as far as 21st October.
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FlybeDash8Q400
Established Member
It would appear that every second E1 per hour misses out a lot of the ‘secondary’ stops between Dundee and Bridge of Earn. These are the ones that originate in Aberdeen. So effectively the E1X is now that, just a tad slower.
Given the differences, it would be better if the Aberdeen journeys were E1, the Dundee slower ones as E2, just to avoid confusion.
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computerSaysNo
Established Member
- Joined
- 14 Dec 2018
- Messages
- 1,436
Is this actually necessary given that all intermediate stops (except for, presumably, Dundee) are pre-book only? I'd think it would be much better to have every journey able to serve every town/village, knowing that if nobody is booked on or off then there is no need to stop or even to come off the A90.
FlybeDash8Q400
Established Member
It could be to protect potential loadings on the Aberdeen stretch as well. Less capacity on offer there as only the hourly service. That’s where the money is.
If one person pre-books a journey from for example a short journey from Inchture to Dundee. That would stop a potential passenger from Edinburgh to Aberdeen being able to book a journey.
Strathtay 260
Member
It is a lot slower than the E1X which is only an hour and a half to get from Dundee to Edinburgh with one stop in between the two at Kinross. I think it's a shame the E1X will end because I liked having the fast Ember bus alongside the slower ones.
The E3, E3X and E10 services will now also serve Slessor Gardens according to bustimes.org
Shame about the E1X, although it has been pretty empty whenever I've used it.
Not sure Inchture needed two buses an hour, St Madoes tends to be busier anyway. And I understand why the Aberdeen services go via Ingliston, but going via Queensferry Road would have sped things up considerably.
Not sure Inchture needed two buses an hour, St Madoes tends to be busier anyway. And I understand why the Aberdeen services go via Ingliston, but going via Queensferry Road would have sped things up considerably.
Yorkshireguy
Member
Good news all round! A clockface timetable for the E1 out of Dundee is admirable, and the Slessor Gardens stop will be much more convenient (and importantly, visible) for the vast majority of people. Stops in the centre of Forfar and Brechin will be especially welcome, but not stopping in Portlethen perhaps shows a desire not to compete substantially with the X7.
Got to somewhat agree about the E1X, though the timings never worked out for me. Don’t know if it was ever a serious route or just a test of Wallyford. In any case, Ember’s never really competed on speed, and that doesn’t look to be changing now.
Got to somewhat agree about the E1X, though the timings never worked out for me. Don’t know if it was ever a serious route or just a test of Wallyford. In any case, Ember’s never really competed on speed, and that doesn’t look to be changing now.
Strathtay 260
Member
Had a further look and according to bustimes, the Aberdeen to Edinburgh service will no longer serve Edinburgh Zoo - instead, it will serve before/opp St Ninians Road in Corstorphine.
Buzby
Member
At Buchanan Bus Station, I had assumed this was SPT’s suggestion to prevent ‘bunching’ at the exit to the street. If the inbound service is running late, then it departs as soon as it can with a turnaround that is barely 2 minutes!
Strathtay 260
Member
Another wee look on bustimes.org and it suggests they are changing the E3X timetable completely, however just minor changes.
Current timetable Monday to Friday:
Current timetable Saturday and Sunday:
New timetable Monday to Friday:
New timetable Saturday and Sunday:
Current timetable Monday to Friday:
| Service number | E3X | E3X | E3X | E3X |
| Dundee, Greenmarket | 06:45 | 08:55 | ||
| Perth, Canal St | 07:15 | 09:29 | 12:02 | 14:14 |
| Buchanan Bus Station | 08:33 | 10:47 | 13:18 | 15:30 |
| Service number | E3X | E3X | E3X | E3X |
| Buchanan Bus Station | 10:40 | 12:52 | 15:17 | 17:32 |
| Perth, South St | 11:52 | 14:04 | 16:31 | 18:46 |
| Dundee Railway Station | 17:05 | 19:15 |
Current timetable Saturday and Sunday:
| Service number | E3X | E3X | E3X | E3X |
| Dundee, Greenmarket | 08:05 | 09:50 | ||
| Perth, Canal St | 08:36 | 10:21 | 13:21 | 14:55 |
| Buchanan Bus Station | 09:51 | 11:36 | 14:35 | 15:10 |
| Service number | E3X | E3X | E3X | E3X |
| Buchanan Bus Station | 11:59 | 13:33 | 16:35 | 18:15 |
| Perth, South St | 13:11 | 14:45 | 17:45 | 19:25 |
| Dundee Railway Station | 18:15 | 19:55 |
New timetable Monday to Friday:
| Service number | E3X | E3X | E3X | E3X |
| Dundee, Greenmarket | 07:10 | 09:10 | ||
| Perth, Canal St | 07:43 | 09:43 | 12:32 | 14:33 |
| Buchanan Bus Station | 09:01 | 11:01 | 13:48 | 15:49 |
| Service number | E3X | E3X | E3X | E3X |
| Buchanan Bus Station | 11:10 | 13:13 | 15:43 | 17:45 |
| Perth, Canal St | 12:22 | 14:25 | 16:57 | 18:59 |
| Dundee Railway Station | 17:31 | 19:28 |
New timetable Saturday and Sunday:
| Service number | E3X | E3X | E3X | E3X |
| Dundee, Greenmarket | 07:35 | 09:05 | ||
| Perth, Canal St | 08:04 | 09:34 | 13:01 | 14:15 |
| Buchanan Bus Station | 09:19 | 10:49 | 14:16 | 15:30 |
| Service number | E3X | E3X | E3X | E3X |
| Buchanan Bus Station | 11:40 | 12:55 | 16:21 | 17:25 |
| Perth, Canal St | 12:52 | 14:07 | 17:31 | 18:35 |
| Dundee Railway Station | 18:01 | 19:05 |
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Dfatcontroller
Member
What is it? a complete change or minor changes?
Strathtay 260
Member
The timetable has completely changed but the times aren't too different. The new/old timetable comparisons are in my latest post.
The news on the Aberdeen route etc is now on their website! The E3 will now serve Perth City Centre along with Broxden at nights.
https://www.ember.to/news/#new-aberdeen-to-edinburgh-service-and-other-improvements-22-Sep-2024
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AndrewTaylor95
Member
Seems a bit pointless putting a new bus shelter in the Greenmarket since they'll be moving away from there to a different location
Strathtay 260
Member
It's the terminus in Edinburgh which now has a shelter. Greenmarket always has had one AFAIK.
Buzby
Member
The cost of that would be minimal when compared to the Rapid Charger adjacent!
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FlybeDash8Q400
Established Member
I don’t know what’s more impressive, the rapid charger or a Dundee bus shelter that’s still undamaged…