First Greater Glasgow

[route101]

Perhaps but they were some of the most sluggish buses on earth! We have various T-Y reg Presidents all Ex-Glasgow and they were hit or miss, mostly miss. Aberdeen drivers hated them all.

The Tridents remind me of Whales, wide at the bottom.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Perhaps but they were some of the most sluggish buses on earth! We have various T-Y reg Presidents all Ex-Glasgow and they were hit or miss, mostly miss. Aberdeen drivers hated them all.

The T and V reg presidents were just awful. I recall them being based out of Parkhead. How they were allowed to come up in the condition they did was beyond me. Worn, smelly seats and the ones with staircases in the middle in particular were so small because there was barely any seating upstairs and down! They were leaking and so sluggish. I remember getting one on the 61 and the indicators wouldn’t go off it was just a disaster.

 

[Graham Alexand]

Does anyone know what is going to happen to 33268 YX68 UPW (in relation rhi the low bridge crash in Wishaw)

A wee side question, is Lanarkshire allowed to be talked about here or is it part of a separate thread?

 

[GusB]

Does anyone know what is going to happen to 33268 YX68 UPW (in relation rhi the low bridge crash in Wishaw)

A wee side question, is Lanarkshire allowed to be talked about here or is it part of a separate thread?

Discussion of First operations in Lanarkshire is permitted here.

 

[Graham Alexand]

Discussion of First operations in Lanarkshire is permitted here.

Ok thanks.

 

[PaulMc7]

Had another look at the 208 timetable since it's been back a few weeks now and I actually can't think of what the differences from the old timetable actually are. Think it will be a service that eventually falls by the wayside like others have recently to be fair

 

[awsnews]

Had another look at the 208 timetable since it's been back a few weeks now and I actually can't think of what the differences from the old timetable actually are. Think it will be a service that eventually falls by the wayside like others have recently to be fair

When first re-introduced the service missed a circuit at lunchtime but it has since been restored to the previous timings. There was a Caetano bodied Dart in use recently which is certainly more appropriate size wise:

First Glasgow Caetano bodied Dart 43856 on the 208

This Caetano bodied Dart has appeared on the 208 Dumbarton local service recently. It is seen here on Church Street passing the Sheriff Court

flic.kr

although there are still periods in the day where a tandem would be over capacity.

 

[PaulMc7]

When first re-introduced the service missed a circuit at lunchtime but it has since been restored to the previous timings. There was a Caetano bodied Dart in use recently which is certainly more appropriate size wise:

First Glasgow Caetano bodied Dart 43856 on the 208

This Caetano bodied Dart has appeared on the 208 Dumbarton local service recently. It is seen here on Church Street passing the Sheriff Court

flic.kr

although there are still periods in the day where a tandem would be over capacity.

Thanks for the info. It's certainly an interesting, little route anyway.

 

[LT02 NVV]

The T and V reg presidents were just awful. I recall them being based out of Parkhead. How they were allowed to come up in the condition they did was beyond me. Worn, smelly seats and the ones with staircases in the middle in particular were so small because there was barely any seating upstairs and down! They were leaking and so sluggish. I remember getting one on the 61 and the indicators wouldn’t go off it was just a disaster.

Yeah, Most T plated buses still had their second doors, even though they were not needed.

 

[route101]

Yeah, Most T plated buses still had their second doors, even though they were not needed.

The downstairs of them buses hardly had any seats.

 

[LT02 NVV]

The downstairs of them buses hardly had any seats.

Yeah, because of the second door and the the way the stair well was on the T plates was very crap, the W, X, Y, 51 and 02 Plates were better than the T and V plates.

The Second Door Takes Up A Lot Of Space In This Picture

 

[Jordan Adam]

Yeah, because of the second door and the the way the stair well was on the T plates was very crap, the W, X, Y, 51 and 02 Plates were better than the T and V plates.

Even with the second door removed the capacity on the T plates was very poor. The X/Y reg examples which were also short wheelbase weren't exactly great either, overall certified capacity on them was around the same as a B7RLE/B10BLE!

 

[LT02 NVV]

Even with the second door removed the capacity on the T plates was very poor. The X/Y reg examples which were also short wheelbase weren't exactly great either, overall certified capacity on them was around the same as a B7RLE/B10BLE!

Still, the 51 and 02 plates were still better in my opinion.

But yeah, the T plates had this weird stair case.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Still, the 51 and 02 plates were still better in my opinion.

Better than the T-Y reg examples yes i'd agree, but they still weren't exactly great vehicles. They spent years being hammered around London and then Glasgow and it showed.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

What was the reasoning for the ex-London tridents coming to Glasgow? I knew there were lots of other areas which got them too but it seems like Glasgow saw so many. Parkhead was literally filled with them and at that time they’d had the B7RLEs delivered a few years before from new. What was the reason?

 

[LT02 NVV]

What was the reasoning for the ex-London tridents coming to Glasgow? I knew there were lots of other areas which got them too but it seems like Glasgow saw so many. Parkhead was literally filled with them and at that time they’d had the B7RLEs delivered a few years before from new. What was the reason?

To get rid of some non-low floor buses like the Olympians.

 

[Volvodart]

They were also needing more double deckers to replace single deckers for capacity reasons.

 

[scosutsut]

Thanks for the info. It's certainly an interesting, little route anyway.

Unless the demographic has changed dramatically, it was always a concession pass shuffle back in the days it was the D8, which goes back further than even that Dart! In the Kelvin days it remember it tended to be operated by a National rather than a Leopard or Tiger, I always assumed that was a relative act of kindness mindful of the regular users.

 

[PaulMc7]

Unless the demographic has changed dramatically, it was always a concession pass shuffle back in the days it was the D8, which goes back further than even that Dart! In the Kelvin days it remember it tended to be operated by a National rather than a Leopard or Tiger, I always assumed that was a relative act of kindness mindful of the regular users.

Before lockdown when I seen it a few times it was still a concession pass magnet to be fair. Not surprised to be honest because there's nothing great about Dumbarton town centre

 

[scosutsut]

Before lockdown when I seen it a few times it was still a concession pass magnet to be fair. Not surprised to be honest because there's nothing great about Dumbarton town centre

Yeah it's not the best, never has been - it still takes them within hobbling distance of the two big supermarkets which is how I imagine it's survived and there would be howls if they tried to take it off as none of the other routes touch it's endpoints.

 

[PaulMc7]

Yeah it's not the best, never has been - it still takes them within hobbling distance of the two big supermarkets which is how I imagine it's survived and there would be howls if they tried to take it off as none of the other routes touch it's endpoints.

Yeah it was brought back so quickly by First after it was supposed to be gone a couple of months ago now. Was never that busy to be fair so I don't expect it to last. Only real option is diverting a 206 or 2 through Brucehill and a 1B or something through Silverton

 

[JumpinTrainz]

They were also needing more double deckers to replace single deckers for capacity reasons.

Glasgow should always have deckers for some reason. over the years they have favoured singles more with an influx of singles since First started. It’s nice to see them favour the E400MMCs in recent orders. Although routes like the 2 and 3 should be decker operated rather than this constant influx of singles.

 

[LT02 NVV]

I remember the las time I was on an Olympian, it was Northern Counties Palatine 2 on the 40 in 2010/2011, quite rare at the time.

 

[smtglasgow]

I always think of that 2010-2012 period as the lowest point in First Glasgow’s time. Frequencies were being cut across the board, fares were shooting up, passenger numbers fell off a cliff and then they compounded it all by flooding the city with Tridents. It was a cheap way to get to 100% low-floor, but with most the of the main routes going from 10 to 12 minute frequencies, it also solved the inevitable peak over-crowding. Simplicity wasn’t perfect (and it hid a lot of cuts) but it was a turning point in a way – at least they put some thought into it instead of simply managing decline.

 

[PaulMc7]

I definitely think fare costs put people off considerably because if you're only going to one place and then back home within Glasgow the train isn't usually that much more expensive if it even is at all plus with it being quicker it's more attractive.

I definitely don't think the bus in most areas of Glasgow is that bad but the problem for First is that a lot of people do whether it's reliability or something else.

Reliability isn't totally First's fault as we've discussed to death previously but it will always be a factor especially if you require connections for your journey.

I know for plenty of the journeys I've made whether it was college, general journeys or going to see friends it was pretty tight for connecting to another service if my first bus was late.

Ultimately passenger numbers even without a pandemic were probably gonna keep falling for multiple reasons so more cuts will probably come each year.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

I always think of that 2010-2012 period as the lowest point in First Glasgow’s time. Frequencies were being cut across the board, fares were shooting up, passenger numbers fell off a cliff and then they compounded it all by flooding the city with Tridents. It was a cheap way to get to 100% low-floor, but with most the of the main routes going from 10 to 12 minute frequencies, it also solved the inevitable peak over-crowding. Simplicity wasn’t perfect (and it hid a lot of cuts) but it was a turning point in a way – at least they put some thought into it instead of simply managing decline.

That is true they killed off the step entrance buses but sadly those were among the best - B10Ms, Royales, Olympians. The hard back seating was another huge disadvantage of the ex-London stock. Many had the early 00s hard seats similar to those on the B7Ls and B10BLEs.

I wonder if Glasgow will stick with E400MMCs or whether we’ll get Streetdecks eventually. We did get Streetlites as well as E300s and E200s so who knows if they may be cascaded up to oust the remaining B7TL/B9TL stock eventually.

 

[route101]

I remember the las time I was on an Olympian, it was Northern Counties Palatine 2 on the 40 in 2010/2011, quite rare at the time.

The 31 had a motely assortment of deckers at that time. Remember Olympians on 31 in 2012. FSE lasted till 2015.

That is true they killed off the step entrance buses but sadly those were among the best - B10Ms, Royales, Olympians. The hard back seating was another huge disadvantage of the ex-London stock. Many had the early 00s hard seats similar to those on the B7Ls and B10BLEs.

I wonder if Glasgow will stick with E400MMCs or whether we’ll get Streetdecks eventually. We did get Streetlites as well as E300s and E200s so who knows if they may be cascaded up to oust the remaining B7TL/B9TL stock eventually.

Probably more e400 and e200. If we are lucky e400 city for a bit of variation.

I definitely think fare costs put people off considerably because if you're only going to one place and then back home within Glasgow the train isn't usually that much more expensive if it even is at all plus with it being quicker it's more attractive.

I definitely don't think the bus in most areas of Glasgow is that bad but the problem for First is that a lot of people do whether it's reliability or something else.

Reliability isn't totally First's fault as we've discussed to death previously but it will always be a factor especially if you require connections for your journey.

I know for plenty of the journeys I've made whether it was college, general journeys or going to see friends it was pretty tight for connecting to another service if my first bus was late.

Ultimately passenger numbers even without a pandemic were probably gonna keep falling for multiple reasons so more cuts will probably come each year.

For connecting between services it only works between high freq services . I cant imagine relying on connections between half hourly or hourly buses.

As for fares there is this £1.70 fare, i seen someone get charged that for City to Tollcross on 240. Should that be a £2.50 fare?

Better than the T-Y reg examples yes i'd agree, but they still weren't exactly great vehicles. They spent years being hammered around London and then Glasgow and it showed.

The Y reg ones at Blantyre were in the best nick out of them. They are not comfortable buses at all , the ALX 400s and Gemnis were far more comfortable.

Better than the T-Y reg examples yes i'd agree, but they still weren't exactly great vehicles. They spent years being hammered around London and then Glasgow and it showed.

The Y reg ones at Blantyre were in the best nick out of them. They are not comfortable buses at all , the ALX 400s and Gemnis were far more comfortable.

Better than the T-Y reg examples yes i'd agree, but they still weren't exactly great vehicles. They spent years being hammered around London and then Glasgow and it showed.

The Y reg ones at Blantyre were in the best nick out of them. They are not comfortable buses at all , the ALX 400s and Gemnis were far more comfortable.

Yeah, because of the second door and the the way the stair well was on the T plates was very crap, the W, X, Y, 51 and 02 Plates were better than the T and V plates.

The Second Door Takes Up A Lot Of Space In This Picture

I almost never sat downstairs on them, rarely sit downstairs on a decker.

 

[Graham Alexand]

Does anyone know what is going to happen to 33441 (ex First West Lothian SN66 WGU) in relation to the low Bridge Crash in Dumbarton?

 

[LT02 NVV]

Wait, Olympians were on the 31 during 2012, I never remember that. I thought they all moved to Dumbarton or got Scrapped and only 2 or 3 stayed at Caledonia for the Late Night 38a Services until 2014.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I wonder if Glasgow will stick with E400MMCs or whether we’ll get Streetdecks eventually. We did get Streetlites as well as E300s and E200s so who knows if they may be cascaded up to oust the remaining B7TL/B9TL stock eventually.

Unlikely.

When Glasgow got StreetLites, every OpCo was getting them as a) they needed vehicles to meet PSVAR and b) First Group had been involved in their development.

The only OpCo getting Streetdecks now is First West Yorkshire. It’s not impossible that Streetdecks could make a return to wider group orders with a 6 cylinder engine option but First (esp in Glasgow) appear to be standardising on ADL.

Same goes for cascading in that there are more e400s that would be available for redeployment. So whilst not impossible, it’s probably unlikely.