First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset)

[TheGrandWazoo]

I believe that he meant they’ve actually moved now. haven’t seen them but there are daily fleet movements at the moment with a truronian coach being used to provide social distancing driver transport instead of the normal pool cars

Is this Falmouth service a new facility or an extension of the old service to serve the maritime museum? Remember travelling on the old P&R on Olympian 34311 - fair to say its best days were behind it then!

 

[richw]

Is this Falmouth service a new facility or an extension of the old service to serve the maritime museum? Remember travelling on the old P&R on Olympian 34311 - fair to say its best days were behind it then!

It’s an extension. A decker runs to the moor/pier end. These are for through to the maritime museum end, which has a low bridge as 34137 discovered a few years back!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

It’s an extension. A decker runs to the moor/pier end. These are for through to the maritime museum end, which has a low bridge as 34137 discovered a few years back!

I know the bridge you mean - they're good machines, and perhaps a little nice to be pootling around Falmouth!

 

[fgwrich]

I believe that he meant they’ve actually moved now. haven’t seen them but there are daily fleet movements at the moment with a truronian coach being used to provide social distancing driver transport instead of the normal pool cars

That's true and good to hear if they are on their way, apologies to @Whiteway215

I know the bridge you mean - they're good machines, and perhaps a little nice to be pootling around Falmouth!

I did think that - Looking at Flickr, it looks like they've been refurbished to act as spare vehicles for the Discover routes with Wifi and USB Sockets. Does anyone have any interior pictures of these as they are now?

 

[83G/84D]

Not a rumour I'm afraid - as posted in the original list by FK on the 17th of February or in post 9554. Both ex Reading Scania's to be used on the Falmouth Park and Ride service.

65724 has arrived at Camborne today, no interior shots I am afraid.

 

[Cesarcollie]

The MOT is still annual. PSVs also have to have frequent safety checks in addition to the MOT. As Goldfish62 said most large operators are more concurned about only having 1/12th of the fleet being MOTed each month so will put vehicles in early to achieve this and, currently, will be wanting to get vehicles MOTed if they can get them to the locations that are still doing them, otherwise they'll take months to clear the backlog.

I get all that but you miss my point. It is not possible to get PSV MOT ‘s done at the moment. Anywhere. DVSA have withdrawn all testing staff due to Covid-19 and current expiry dates are extended by 3 months....

 

[Bazer]

65724 & 65725 were both collected yesterday from Bath. 65724 had to have some emergency electrical repairs done to it today before arriving in Camborne after developing a few gremlins on the drive down.

 

[cnjb8]

Are WA08 MVE/MVF/MVG owned by First Kernow? I saw a photo that suggested that they were owned by Cornwall Council which confused me a bit.

 

[richw]

Are WA08 MVE/MVF/MVG owned by First Kernow? I saw a photo that suggested that they were owned by Cornwall Council which confused me a bit.

Yes they are owned now by First Kernow. Cornwall council funded them originally in some part.

 

[cnjb8]

Yes they are owned now by First Kernow. Cornwall council funded them originally in some part.

Thanks

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Are WA08 MVE/MVF/MVG owned by First Kernow? I saw a photo that suggested that they were owned by Cornwall Council which confused me a bit.

Not Cornwall but DEVON County Council. They were delivered for the X9 and were branded for it

33420, Exeter, 18/02/09

Explore aecregent's 51695 photos on Flickr!

flic.kr

They were spirited to Weston super Mare when First pulled out of North Devon but DCC insisted that they returned to Devon as per the duration of the funding agreement. Hence they went to Plymouth until the agreement expired.

 

[83G/84D]

65725 is also at Camborne and was moved into the workshops for attention. 65724 awaits it's turn outside. E400 33422 and E400MMC 33479 are amongst the vehicles being used on T1/T2 today.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

That's true and good to hear if they are on their way, apologies to @Whiteway215



I did think that - Looking at Flickr, it looks like they've been refurbished to act as spare vehicles for the Discover routes with Wifi and USB Sockets. Does anyone have any interior pictures of these as they are now?

They weren't spare vehicles for Discover. The original PVR for the three routes required 12 former Airport Flyer Eclipses, the three Solars (65724-6) and needed two additional older Eclipses. Subsequent to that, the Eclipse that had gained the heritage Badgerline livery (66726) was repainted as a spare. However, service revisions late last year and now the cutting of one of the three routes means that they have become surplus.

The three Solars were the only examples in the fleet. Having been on the Majeski express service in Reading, they then did a spell on the X74 Slough to High Wycombe. They then did a stint at Weymouth for a summer (IIRC) but then came on loan to Bath although were based at the Westbury outstation. They then stayed with two Eclipses heading the other way; one of those odd First transfers!!! 65726 gained Urban colours, with 65724 getting them after a serious RTA and rebuild. 65725 retained Barbie throughout until all three gained grey eLeather seats, USBs and Discover livery about this time two years ago. They're nice machines despite their age.

 

[MB162435]

They weren't spare vehicles for Discover. The original PVR for the three routes required 12 former Airport Flyer Eclipses, the three Solars (65724-6) and needed two additional older Eclipses. Subsequent to that, the Eclipse that had gained the heritage Badgerline livery (66726) was repainted as a spare. However, service revisions late last year and now the cutting of one of the three routes means that they have become surplus.

The three Solars were the only examples in the fleet. Having been on the Majeski express service in Reading, they then did a spell on the X74 Slough to High Wycombe. They then did a stint at Weymouth for a summer (IIRC) but then came on loan to Bath although were based at the Westbury outstation. They then stayed with two Eclipses heading the other way; one of those odd First transfers!!! 65726 gained Urban colours, with 65724 getting them after a serious RTA and rebuild. 65725 retained Barbie throughout until all three gained grey eLeather seats, USBs and Discover livery about this time two years ago. They're nice machines despite their age.

What are they likely to be used on when the P&R isn't running, some social restrictions will be in place until the end of the year, so Cornwall won't be having a bigger tourist season as normal, so it is possible the summer only routes and P&R services may not run at all, or just operate for a brief period

School/college workings maybe, the previous Kernow B7RLEs and Solars were common on Truro College workings

Or the short U4s and 27s, or the X19 if its passenger loading's end up not needing a dd

Or will they just store them along with the open tops and just use them on the Maritime P&R?

 

[fgwrich]

They weren't spare vehicles for Discover. The original PVR for the three routes required 12 former Airport Flyer Eclipses, the three Solars (65724-6) and needed two additional older Eclipses. Subsequent to that, the Eclipse that had gained the heritage Badgerline livery (66726) was repainted as a spare. However, service revisions late last year and now the cutting of one of the three routes means that they have become surplus.

The three Solars were the only examples in the fleet. Having been on the Majeski express service in Reading, they then did a spell on the X74 Slough to High Wycombe. They then did a stint at Weymouth for a summer (IIRC) but then came on loan to Bath although were based at the Westbury outstation. They then stayed with two Eclipses heading the other way; one of those odd First transfers!!! 65726 gained Urban colours, with 65724 getting them after a serious RTA and rebuild. 65725 retained Barbie throughout until all three gained grey eLeather seats, USBs and Discover livery about this time two years ago. They're nice machines despite their age.

Brilliant, thanks for the info. I do remember these three when they were at Reading - I'd have used them to get to Rugby matches at the Majeski countless number of times, that's for sure. I Hadn't realised that the PVR required more than the former Airport Flyer fleet either!

 

[richw]

What are they likely to be used on when the P&R isn't running, some social restrictions will be in place until the end of the year, so Cornwall won't be having a bigger tourist season as normal, so it is possible the summer only routes and P&R services may not run at all, or just operate for a brief period

School/college workings maybe, the previous Kernow B7RLEs and Solars were common on Truro College workings

Or the short U4s and 27s, or the X19 if its passenger loading's end up not needing a dd

Or will they just store them along with the open tops and just use them on the Maritime P&R?

they are marked for rail replacement fleet in winter last document I saw

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Brilliant, thanks for the info. I do remember these three when they were at Reading - I'd have used them to get to Rugby matches at the Majeski countless number of times, that's for sure. I Hadn't realised that the PVR required more than the former Airport Flyer fleet either!

Yeah - the old services required the 3 Solars and 11 long Streetlites. When they recast and introduced Discover, they upped the frequencies on the Frome and Melksham routes, so 3 Solars and 14 Eclipses.

they are marked for rail replacement fleet in winter last document I saw

Imagine that they would be reasonably handy for those. There is an irony given that they moved the ex Reading Solars to Somerset!

 

[richw]

First time I’ve seen this arrival from Bristol. Down for the 1435 from Newquay 87, 1605 back and then 1735.

 

[Whiteway215]

65726 is sat in Bath depot with a blown engine. I believe it is non standard with West of England so wonder what will happen to it. Perhaps Kernow will acquire it for spares.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

65726 is sat in Bath depot with a blown engine. I believe it is non standard with West of England so wonder what will happen to it. Perhaps Kernow will acquire it for spares.

Hmmm..... it is the final example with FWoE but I can't see it going to Kernow. BoS would be a better bet - they have a few more. As a betting man, I'd guess it will sit in some corner of Bath or Lawrence Hill and allow the remaining depreciation to run out.

 

[MB162435]

they are marked for rail replacement fleet in winter last document I saw

Ah right, out of all the things I listed that was the one possibility I forgot about!

Any need to it to have a ticket machine then if it will be mainly on contract work, or will it have one just in case?

 

[Brooke]

Glancing at the Kernow map I was interested there doesn’t seem to be a bus to Manaccan these days. That means the whole area around Helford, Manaccan, Flushing gets little or no service even in summer? Similarly I think I remember buses the whole way along the Lizard road past Cross Lanes and Franchis - presumably long gone..?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Glancing at the Kernow map I was interested there doesn’t seem to be a bus to Manaccan these days. That means the whole area around Helford, Manaccan, Flushing gets little or no service even in summer? Similarly I think I remember buses the whole way along the Lizard road past Cross Lanes and Franchis - presumably long gone..?

https://assets.goaheadbus.com/media/cms_page_media/8202/COVID_19_Mondays_to_Saturdays_2.pdf

- service 33

 

[Busaholic]

Marazion through route closed daytime today. U4 buses diverted via Marazion By-Pass

 

[richw]

First time I’ve seen this arrival from Bristol. Down for the 1435 from Newquay 87, 1605 back and then 1735.

I spent 5 hours with 32625 this afternoon as per these photos.
Drives absolutely beautiful, definitely a example of not judging a book by its cover, cosmetically it isn't pretty. Hopefully to the body and paint shop soon

 

[cnjb8]

65726 is sat in Bath depot with a blown engine. I believe it is non standard with West of England so wonder what will happen to it. Perhaps Kernow will acquire it for spares.

Hmmm..... it is the final example with FWoE but I can't see it going to Kernow. BoS would be a better bet - they have a few more. As a betting man, I'd guess it will sit in some corner of Bath or Lawrence Hill and allow the remaining depreciation to run out.

I believe that bus won't see service again.

 

[Brooke]

https://assets.goaheadbus.com/media/cms_page_media/8202/COVID_19_Mondays_to_Saturdays_2.pdf

- service 33

Thanks - had missed the Helford/Manaccan couple of buses per week. Good to know there’s at least still some service albeit very limited.

 

[83G/84D]

Bustimes showing Trident 33084 on the T1, probably a ticket machine error.

 

[richw]

Bustimes showing Trident 33084 on the T1, probably a ticket machine error.

Definite error, Tridents 33111, 33112, 33141, 33143, 33172, 33174, 33176 and 33181 are the only ones remaining in Kernow.

 

[83G/84D]

Definite error, Tridents 33111, 33112, 33141, 33143, 33172, 33174, 33176 and 33181 are the only ones remaining in Kernow.

Thank you, one of the 32xxx "Lizard" branded one's parked in Camborne, awaiting collection or for spares I assume.