Recent content by TheGrandWazoo

I think traditionally it referred to EXTRA (so a peak hour supplement to a service and usually a short working or route variation).

Thanks for the report on your home patch @RELL6L though shame the IT has defeated you on the photos. As we've discussed off line, it's been a very long time since I ventured into that part of the world by bus. A bit odd seeing as I have good friends who live near Marlow (darling) and in...

They did have some...

A couple of ones that @Ken H may remember... In summer 1987, United began two seasonal express services. 495 lasted quite a few years and ran from North East to the Lake District, but the 490 lasted only the first year. It ran from the North East to York, but West Yorkshire Road Car also ran...

Think you're conflating two services. The traditional 56, became the 256 and then the 268 Bradford to Dewsbury. The Bradford to Sheffield service was the X33.

The longstanding Darlington - Durham - Newcastle service was the 722 (via Elvet) and 723 (via Nevilles Cross). At deregulation, the 722 was replaced by a speeded up version (taking an optimistic 1h 25 rather than 1h 50) - think it lasted an unreliable 18 months before reverting back to the 722...

That is a large proportion of it. The definition of net wealth is, in their words, of four main components: net property (value of residences minus mortgage debt) physical (household contents, vehicles) private pension net financial (savings or investments minus financial liabilities) In...

I've had a look... The Oxford and Chiltern Bus Page has mention of Carousel running the 40 from Wycombe to Thame in June 2015, having taken over from Arriva. Arriva continued to run short workings from Wycombe to Stokenchurch. Can't find anything more recent though. There was another comment...

I think that was the joke :lol:

And a raft of West Country ones based on retaining the same number... 184 Bath to Frome - now Midsomer Norton to Frome 162 Wells to Frome - now Shepton Mallet to Frome 21 Taunton to Burnham on Sea - for a brief period, it was extended to Weston super Mare but thankfully unpicked D1 Bath to...

The route is currently tendered. However, was it that Carousel withdrew the route, or was it already tendered and passed to Red Rose? How do you think they do it now? As I say, these are very affluent places. When a two bedroom terraced house in Kingston Blount sells for over £400k, you're...

There are frankly loads of these so in addition to those provided by @JKP, others in the North East were... X46 Crook to Newcastle is now Arriva 46 and GNE 21 723 Darlington to Newcastle was cut to be Darlington to Durham (now Arriva 7) with rest to GNE 21 256 became X56 became 5 Middlesbrough...

Sorry - I know they're combined authorities. Just a regression to an archaic term - they were PTEs much long than CAs to me. You are right - it is the fundamental ability to run buses that's important. And that doesn't mean a blank cheque to increase PVRs by padding out timetables to ensure...

A very measured post, and not just the "the answer is franchising - now what's the question?" Remember that when Sheffield City Council brought in their Clean Air Zone, they excluded private cars as they wanted to target the worst polluting vehicles... Much more electorally safe than a per...

Thanks to @Bedford OB for his trip report. I confess that I'm not one for bus rallies etc though I've been to Showbus at Duxford a couple of times. I did Warminster running day in c.2006 and that was quite interesting as you explored various corners of the area. I was brought up on Bristol...