First Greater Glasgow

[route101]

Find it odd how on the timetable around peak time too towards Newton Mearns that 2 journeys in a row only go to Clarkston meaning there's an hour between buses towards Newton Mearns. Would have thought keeping them balanced at peak would have been priority

16:31 then not another Mearns bus til 17:36 from Union Street

Wonder what the reason for that is? Surely you would continue the frequency at least through the peak. Must be people who use the 4 from Town to Newton Mearns at peak.

Looks like new electric buses on the way, wonder what routes will see them.

 

[Glasgowbusguy]

I had a weird sighting today - a velvet bus single decker in full purple livery.

 

[AlexanderPS]

I had a weird sighting today - a velvet bus single decker in full purple livery.

Currently on loan to McLeans, Airdrie. Bening used on Rail Replacement as far as I'm aware.

 

[adrock1976]

Regarding the 4, could someone explain when Simplicity was thought of, why did First Bus decide to renumber the 44 to the 4 being as there was (and still is) a Stagecoach 4 that already serves Mearns Cross?

This would not have been allowed to happen in London.

 

[GaryMcEwan]

Regarding the 4, could someone explain when Simplicity was thought of, why did First Bus decide to renumber the 44 to the 4 being as there was (and still is) a Stagecoach 4 that already serves Mearns Cross?

This would not have been allowed to happen in London.

First Glasgow isn't regulated like London, plus it simplified the service numbers.

It's the same situation with First's 3 and McGill's 3.

They both serve Shawlands and the Silverburn.

 

[PaulMc7]

Did Simplicity really simplify the numbers that much? In some cases I would say yes but then it's very route dependent.

For example, the 2/3 works for Scotstoun and Partick but then in Parkhead had the 62 not been chopped down it would have been 60/61/62/64. Could even have renumbered the 46 to a 63 to fill in that gap for Parkhead since that doesn't go with anything either

 

[ScotRail158725]

Regarding the 4, could someone explain when Simplicity was thought of, why did First Bus decide to renumber the 44 to the 4 being as there was (and still is) a Stagecoach 4 that already serves Mearns Cross?

This would not have been allowed to happen in London.

Thats because London routes are tendered by TfL

 

[Stan Drews]

Regarding the 4, could someone explain when Simplicity was thought of, why did First Bus decide to renumber the 44 to the 4 being as there was (and still is) a Stagecoach 4 that already serves Mearns Cross?

This would not have been allowed to happen in London.

I assume because they wanted to make the Victoria Road buses 4, 5, 6, 7 rather than the previous 5, 7, 12, 44, 66.

 

[route101]

Have any of the passengers benefited from the route renumbering?

I never thought , look all the consecutive numbers down Victoria Road.

 

[PaulMc7]

Can remembering it causing more confusion than anything at the time going by my experiences of being asked how to get to different places multiple times a day by people but it would be interesting to see if it helped people.

I was quite lucky that most of my local services were just cut numbers (44,62,66) to (2,4,6). Only things I had to get used to was the 3 and keeping in mind the route of each 1 variant

 

[JumpinTrainz]

The 1 was definitely made simpler from the old 204/205/215/216 routes which used to exist.

Simplifying route numbers is a good idea in theory but I think more could have been done for the Simplicity changes - unfortunately people don’t like change. The 62, 44, 66 becoming singular numbers made sense however I would have probably been more drastic with it.


1 (Baillieston - Faifley)

2A (Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station - Glasgow Airport)
2B (Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station- Braehead)

3A (Easterhouse - Clydebank)
3B (Sandyhills - Summerston)
3C (Easterhouse Centre - Milngavie)

4A (Newton Mearns - Knightswood)
4B (Eaglesham - Broomhill)

5A (Milton - Castlemilk)
5B (Govan - Castlemilk)

6 (East Kilbride - Clydebank)

7A (Stobhill Hospital - Carmyle)
7B (Robroyston - Rutherglen)

8A (Glasgow Fort - Newton Mearns)
8B (Glasgow Fort - Rouken Glen)

9A (Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station - Paisley)
9B (Drumchapel - Govan)
X9 (Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station - Pollock)

10A (Auchinairn - Silverburn)
10B (Balornock - Kennishead)

The old 1 services would be run as normal but re numbered as the Dumbarton Express. All buses would run to Dumbarton and peak buses to Clydebank. After terminating at Dumbarton services would run at a reduced frequency from there in to Helensburgh and Balloch.

This is all fantasy of course

 

[route101]

The 1 was definitely made simpler from the old 204/205/215/216 routes which used to exist.

Simplifying route numbers is a good idea in theory but I think more could have been done for the Simplicity changes - unfortunately people don’t like change. The 62, 44, 66 becoming singular numbers made sense however I would have probably been more drastic with it.


1 (Baillieston - Faifley)

2A (Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station - Glasgow Airport)
2B (Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station- Braehead)

3A (Easterhouse - Clydebank)
3B (Sandyhills - Summerston)
3C (Easterhouse Centre - Milngavie)

4A (Newton Mearns - Knightswood)
4B (Eaglesham - Broomhill)

5A (Milton - Castlemilk)
5B (Govan - Castlemilk)

6 (East Kilbride - Clydebank)

7A (Stobhill Hospital - Carmyle)
7B (Robroyston - Rutherglen)

8A (Glasgow Fort - Newton Mearns)
8B (Glasgow Fort - Rouken Glen)

9A (Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station - Paisley)
9B (Drumchapel - Govan)
X9 (Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station - Pollock)

10A (Auchinairn - Silverburn)
10B (Balornock - Kennishead)

The old 1 services would be run as normal but re numbered as the Dumbarton Express. All buses would run to Dumbarton and peak buses to Clydebank. After terminating at Dumbarton services would run at a reduced frequency from there in to Helensburgh and Balloch.

This is all fantasy of course

Why is the 5 being extended?

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Why is the 5 being extended?

The 5 has merged with the old 34/34A. Although different routes they are both going to Castlemilk which I believe is one of the most popular areas for First. Makes it easier look out for a branded bus of the same colour.

 

[PaulMc7]

I think if they do another thing like Simplicity the main thing involved will probably be cuts in it.

I hope in areas with multiple frequent services we see a bit of variation in where they go across the city centre. Giving people a bus in different directions leaves various options open.

My options personally are pretty good for this (1s,2,3,X4,6). 1s and X4 stop in City Centre anyway but I'm covered for any part of the City Centre realistically except beyond Buchanan Bus Station towards the Royal Infirmary. I think more areas need a wider scope of variation

 

[ScotRail158725]

The 1 was definitely made simpler from the old 204/205/215/216 routes which used to exist.

Simplifying route numbers is a good idea in theory but I think more could have been done for the Simplicity changes - unfortunately people don’t like change. The 62, 44, 66 becoming singular numbers made sense however I would have probably been more drastic with it.


1 (Baillieston - Faifley)

2A (Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station - Glasgow Airport)
2B (Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station- Braehead)

3A (Easterhouse - Clydebank)
3B (Sandyhills - Summerston)
3C (Easterhouse Centre - Milngavie)

4A (Newton Mearns - Knightswood)
4B (Eaglesham - Broomhill)

5A (Milton - Castlemilk)
5B (Govan - Castlemilk)

6 (East Kilbride - Clydebank)

7A (Stobhill Hospital - Carmyle)
7B (Robroyston - Rutherglen)

8A (Glasgow Fort - Newton Mearns)
8B (Glasgow Fort - Rouken Glen)

9A (Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station - Paisley)
9B (Drumchapel - Govan)
X9 (Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station - Pollock)

10A (Auchinairn - Silverburn)
10B (Balornock - Kennishead)

The old 1 services would be run as normal but re numbered as the Dumbarton Express. All buses would run to Dumbarton and peak buses to Clydebank. After terminating at Dumbarton services would run at a reduced frequency from there in to Helensburgh and Balloch.

This is all fantasy of course

having a whole alphabets worth of routes for one number makes everything more complicated so why you think more like that is the answer is beyond me

 

[PaulMc7]

I'd get rid of letter variants personally and go full number. Simplifies things a lot and easier to remember numbers personally

 

[ScotRail158725]

I'd get rid of letter variants personally and go full number. Simplifies things a lot and easier to remember numbers personally

An A or an A&B here or there is fine as long as its like a minor variation is neat and simplifies things but when you’ve got a 38 at The Fort a 38C miles away at Chryston and 38B near enough at Shettleston then its just a mess of routes and they’d be better off with different numbers

 

[Jordan Adam]

An A or an A&B here or there is fine as long as its like a minor variation is neat and simplifies things but when you’ve got a 38 at The Fort a 38C miles away at Chryston and 38B near enough at Shettleston then its just a mess of routes and they’d be better off with different numbers

Agree, there's nothing wrong with letter variations here and there. The issue is when the network is full of them. Other than The One and 38 Glasgow is generally fine.

 

[PaulMc7]

An A or an A&B here or there is fine as long as its like a minor variation is neat and simplifies things but when you’ve got a 38 at The Fort a 38C miles away at Chryston and 38B near enough at Shettleston then its just a mess of routes and they’d be better off with different numbers

Yeah the 38s are a bit of a mess. The 1s are a bit like that too though to be fair.

38/38A could be kept the same with these as the others:

36 as the 38C like it used to be
37 as the 38B
39 as the 38E

With the 1s it's a similar situation. Keep the 1/1A/1B the same but the 1C and 1D should be renumbered. X2 for the 1D and X6 for the 1C

 

[JumpinTrainz]

having a whole alphabets worth of routes for one number makes everything more complicated so why you think more like that is the answer is beyond me

At most the ones I’ve posted have up to a C variant. Not really that confusing.

 

[PaulMc7]

I've always found that for routes and numbers etc anything more than an A variant can get far more confusing for the average person than any enthusiast or analytical person realises. Also think it's important to keep it simple for a timetable point of view too. Reading timetables even online with multiple variants can be pretty difficult if you don't know an area particularly well.

The 38B and 38E used to be bad for this from experience because they both effectively cover Carntyne Square yet in totally different routes. Seen people who weren't used to them mix them up a few times.

Same with the 1 and 1A for Dumbarton too. Been asked on occasion even last year which is the Bellsmyre one and which is the retail park bus. Obviously it's been by luck that I'm quite familiar with most services on the network so when I've been asked by those far less familiar I've actually been able to help

 

[DC21]

Can't imagine many students in Glasgow area are staying in halls , expensive though no doubt paid by parents if they are.

Stagecoach had a short-lived routes G2 and G2 that went up to Maryhill.
I think rail has taken a lot of the passenger's off the buses.

The Wee G services

 

[adrock1976]

Yeah the 38s are a bit of a mess. The 1s are a bit like that too though to be fair.

38/38A could be kept the same with these as the others:

36 as the 38C like it used to be
37 as the 38B
39 as the 38E

With the 1s it's a similar situation. Keep the 1/1A/1B the same but the 1C and 1D should be renumbered. X2 for the 1D and X6 for the 1C

There was a 37 that used to run from Castlemilk to The Milton* via Ardencraig Road, Castlemilk Drive, Croftfoot Roundabout, Carmunnock Road, Crown street, Albert Bridge, Glasgow Cross, High Street, Royal Infirmary, Springburn, Balgrayhill Road, and Ashgill Road.

This was handy for me when I worked on the southside when I used to reside in Springburn.

*This is the area north of Possilpark and Ashfield station not far from the Forth and Clyde Canal, and is famous for the footballer Frank McAvennie eventually escaped from.

 

[PaulMc7]

There was a 37 that used to run from Castlemilk to The Milton* via Ardencraig Road, Castlemilk Drive, Croftfoot Roundabout, Carmunnock Road, Crown street, Albert Bridge, Glasgow Cross, High Street, Royal Infirmary, Springburn, Balgrayhill Road, and Ashgill Road.

This was handy for me when I worked on the southside when I used to reside in Springburn.

*This is the area north of Possilpark and Ashfield station not far from the Forth and Clyde Canal, and is famous for the footballer Frank McAvennie eventually escaped from.

Yeah I vaguely remember the 37. Nightmare for traffic jams up Saltmarket/High Street way now with how many traffic lights there are for anything to run up that way plus likely no demand either with barely anything being of use there

 

[route101]

There was a 37 that used to run from Castlemilk to The Milton* via Ardencraig Road, Castlemilk Drive, Croftfoot Roundabout, Carmunnock Road, Crown street, Albert Bridge, Glasgow Cross, High Street, Royal Infirmary, Springburn, Balgrayhill Road, and Ashgill Road.

This was handy for me when I worked on the southside when I used to reside in Springburn.

*This is the area north of Possilpark and Ashfield station not far from the Forth and Clyde Canal, and is famous for the footballer Frank McAvennie eventually escaped from.

31 also ran from Milton that way. Every 15 min service along the common section . Milton hardly been there, mysterious north and NE of the City.

 

[PaulMc7]

31 also ran from Milton that way. Every 15 min service along the common section . Milton hardly been there, mysterious north and NE of the City.

As someone who's been through Milton on many an occasion because of the way my girlfriend drives back to ours from Bishopbriggs it's not a place you want to end up often. Mysterious is certainly one word for it

 

[tbtc]

IIRC the 37 was every ten minutes at one stage?

Then downgraded to every fifteen, then merged with the 31 to provide a fifteen minute common section...

...then the combined service dwindled away to pretty much nothing...

...Glasgow has lost a number of routes over the years but most of these were the kind of fifteen/twenty minute "secondary" routes - the north eastern side of the old 16 and 18 are other examples I can think of.

 

[Scott mac]

IIRC the 37 was every ten minutes at one stage?

Then downgraded to every fifteen, then merged with the 31 to provide a fifteen minute common section...

...then the combined service dwindled away to pretty much nothing...

...Glasgow has lost a number of routes over the years but most of these were the kind of fifteen/twenty minute "secondary" routes - the north eastern side of the old 16 and 18 are other examples I can think of.

Don't think the 37 was ever a ten minute service every 15 or 20 at best

 

[route101]

IIRC the 37 was every ten minutes at one stage?

Then downgraded to every fifteen, then merged with the 31 to provide a fifteen minute common section...

...then the combined service dwindled away to pretty much nothing...

...Glasgow has lost a number of routes over the years but most of these were the kind of fifteen/twenty minute "secondary" routes - the north eastern side of the old 16 and 18 are other examples I can think of.

Yes, a lot of longer less frequent routes have gone. Often split and made into smaller routes. 11,42 are examples. Edinburgh retains every15 to 20 mins routes.

 

[Busman84]

The 37 at its best was every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday, 20 minutes on a Sunday and half hourly evenings. This was a well used service ruined by cuts over the past few years of its running. It also extended to Rutherglen for many years day and night replacing the old 82 road.