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

Andyh82

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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.
I think it’s cleaner to have both routes the same, the routes were never different enough to be a selling point in itself, the main difference being the live comentary vs recorded multi language commentary

Going a different way around the back of the castle and greyfriars bobby just made the map look complicated

I’m surprised they’ve cut out the new town though, I recall points of note about the locked garden that only residents can use, and also something to do with painted on windows to reduce window tax being two commentary highlights around there.
 
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muffy

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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.
232 has also has been painted and was seen at Newbridge around 8am this morning on the A89.
 
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muffy

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It was in the Orange 3 bridges livery, also saw Bright Buses 9904 around there as well. Sorry, no pictures as I was driving.
 

Bus9120UK

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232 apparently been repainted in to 3 Bridge's tour.
You may find that this has already been mentioned:
232 has also has been painted and was seen at Newbridge around 8am this morning on the A89.
It was in the Orange 3 bridges livery, also saw Bright Buses 9904 around there as well. Sorry, no pictures as I was driving.
Although I'm not 100% certain.. was it certainly 232? It doesn't make much sense to me.
 

muffy

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You may find that this has already been mentioned:


Although I'm not 100% certain.. was it certainly 232? It doesn't make much sense to me.
Yip, it's definitely vehicle 232 as I was very surprised to see it on the A89 at Newbridge at around 8am. I note my edit on bustimes.org has been changed.
 

FlybeDash8Q400

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Yip definitely vehicle 232 as was very surprised to see it on the A89 at Newbridge at around 8am. I note my edit on bustimes has been changed.
I changed it. It’s not sourced at the minute.

Bustimes needs to be more reliable. In order for this to be achieved we’re trying to source as much as is possible. Myself and @Bus9120UK have worked extremely hard to achieve this standard.

The correct details will come out in time I’m sure, but try to source things where you can. A picture, or a link to a photo. Just something like that.

All the changes I make are based on the logs or buses I’ve physically seen myself and almost always have seen a photo of. I always grab a picture where I can. By now I have literally hundreds of what are essentially record shots just to keep note of.

I put a post up in the Lothian thread explaining what myself and @Bus9120UK have done so far. It’s taken a long time to get to this, but in the year or so that we’ve done it the accuracy I’d say is infinitely better than before. Literally hours upon hours have gone into this. We check for any updates every day for a short while just to keep an eye on where things are such as repaints etc. As an example 488/9 have gained the revised Panda wraps over the last couple of days and that has been updated as such. I saw these this morning with a photo.
 
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BobScott

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22 Jul 2019
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I think it’s cleaner to have both routes the same, the routes were never different enough to be a selling point in itself, the main difference being the live comentary vs recorded multi language commentary

Going a different way around the back of the castle and greyfriars bobby just made the map look complicated

I’m surprised they’ve cut out the new town though, I recall points of note about the locked garden that only residents can use, and also something to do with painted on windows to reduce window tax being two commentary highlights around there.
The Edinburgh tour is doing the New Town again from 2 April.
 

Bus9120UK

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The Edinburgh tour is doing the New Town again from 2 April.
That's interesting to hear. At least it means the branding on the buses will remain accurate! I wonder why the change to avoid it for the time being? Has the number of buses needed on the tour reduced for now or was there just not enough time to plan out a new route serving it which could also accommodate the new terminus? I'd like to note that bustimes has marked it as cancelled for whatever reason!
 

BobScott

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That's interesting to hear. At least it means the branding on the buses will remain accurate! I wonder why the change to avoid it for the time being? Has the number of buses needed on the tour reduced for now or was there just not enough time to plan out a new route serving it which could also accommodate the new terminus? I'd like to note that bustimes has marked it as cancelled for whatever reason!
It was difficult to plan a new route in time for relocating the terminus to Waterloo Place so it was decided to follow the sane route as City Sightseeing as a short term solution. There has now been a rethink and a variation through the New Town has been planned.
 

Bus9120UK

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It was difficult to plan a new route in time for relocating the terminus to Waterloo Place so it was decided to follow the sane route as City Sightseeing as a short term solution. There has now been a rethink and a variation through the New Town has been planned.
Thanks for this, that explains it perfectly.
 

Andyh82

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What’s the story behind moving the terminus to Waterloo Place? It seems a bit of a funny location to be the start and end point?
 

Bus9120UK

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What’s the story behind moving the terminus to Waterloo Place? It seems a bit of a funny location to be the start and end point?
This article from ENN should hopefully answer this question: https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman....om-st-andrew-square-to-waterloo-place-4048750

Edinburgh tour buses forced to relocate from St Andrew Square to Waterloo Place​

Businesses in nearby offices complained about crowds

I presume Waterloo Place was the only sensible option.
 

Andyh82

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Have they actually done anything with Waverley Bridge yet? When I was there last year all the closure resulted in was the ability for a slightly bigger crowd to watch someone play bagpipes on the corner
 

FlybeDash8Q400

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Have they actually done anything with Waverley Bridge yet? When I was there last year all the closure resulted in was the ability for a slightly bigger crowd to watch someone play bagpipes on the corner
It’s currently being used as a dumping ground for the cycle lane works at its junction with Princes Street. Before that it was dumping ground for the Christmas stuff.
 

CN04NRJ

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At least one Bright Bus Trident is back out in service, ACZ 7493.
 

Vectron383

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BBT now have at least one Gemini 2 in their fleet- in the new livery as well. My own photos- apologies for the quality as I was on the move. Note the ‘by McGills’ lettering above the driver’s window.
 

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Bus9120UK

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BBT now have at least one Gemini 2 in their fleet- in the new livery as well. My own photos- apologies for the quality as I was on the move. Note the ‘by McGills’ lettering above the driver’s window.
I think there's two, one tracking as 2850 and another as 8951.
 

VioletEclipse

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with Bright Bus gaining the Gemini 2s, I would guess that this means the end for 9904, which is the last Trident to regularly run in Edinburgh unless I'm mistaken.
 

Vectron383

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Wouldn’t surprise me, Bright Bus Tours have been winding down their slightly more esoteric vehicle ops for some time now and transitioning to E400s/Gemini 2s which, as well as being newer, also offer a significant aesthetic difference compared to the older vehicles.
 
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CN04NRJ

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with Bright Bus gaining the Gemini 2s, I would guess that this means the end for 9904, which is the last Trident to regularly run in Edinburgh unless I'm mistaken.

That's still out pretty much daily, it's out today.
 

Stan Drews

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with Bright Bus gaining the Gemini 2s, I would guess that this means the end for 9904, which is the last Trident to regularly run in Edinburgh unless I'm mistaken.
The Volvo B9/Geminis have largely accounted for the extra buses required, now that the full summer season timetable is in operation.
 

Lothian285

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26 Aug 2018
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Edinburgh Bus tours have opened a new travel shop on Waterloo Place: https://www.lothianbuses.com/news/2023/07/edinburgh-bus-tours-maintain-five-star-status/

From Wednesday 5 July, Edinburgh Bus Tours customers can now visit the new TourHub on Waterloo Place, with all tours departing just outside. At the TourHub, customers can buy their tickets before they board, speak to a friendly member of our team to help with planning their time in the city, or purchase the latest Edinburgh Bus Tours merchandise.
 

FlybeDash8Q400

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Edinburgh Bus tours have opened a new travel shop on Waterloo Place: https://www.lothianbuses.com/news/2023/07/edinburgh-bus-tours-maintain-five-star-status/
I do wonder how much longer Waverley Bridge will last then. Taking away much of its purpose probably isn’t a good thing for that shop and you could argue that the other services offered could be done at the Shandwick Place branch.

I’m not saying it should or will happen, but in this day and age cuts like that wouldn’t surprise me.
 

overthewater

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Waverley bridge still gets a lot of passenger tourists, and a lot of students coming in for Ridacards. However, you could easily move all that to Waterloo place.
 
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