First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset)

[Goldfish62]

So what is this 'every hour daily hop-on hop-off livery for? Not the Atlantic Coasters, not Dartmoor, not Exmoor, not the one-journey Day Trippers based around the Eden Project. The colours are slightly reminiscent of the old "Sea Dog" Atlanteans. What have I missed?

Look similar colours to Quantock Line to me.

 

[richw]

one-journey Day Trippers

Where does it say these are one journeys?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Think @RELL6L is looking at the routes registered and the strapline of "trips to lots of destinations and home again" and drawing that conclusion.

As for the hop on, hop off, I too thought the colours looked a bit Quantock Line as well but again, it might be for something that we're not even aware of yet.

 

[richw]

Think @RELL6L is looking at the routes registered and the strapline of "trips to lots of destinations and home again"

The word “lots” suggests more than just Eden. Eden has a large bus station (probably the only one in Cornwall with capacity as a interchange hub) which would make a good interchange for connecting travel

 

[Peter Heath]

Think @RELL6L is looking at the routes registered and the strapline of "trips to lots of destinations and home again" and drawing that conclusion.

As for the hop on, hop off, I too thought the colours looked a bit Quantock Line as well but again, it might be for something that we're not even aware of yet.

How about shuttle between Butlins Minehead and town?

 

[carlberry]

How about shuttle between Butlins Minehead and town?

Dont Sherrings operate that with an ex Southdown RE or has that stopped?

 

[Blackpudding]

32799 has now been re-registered from T509SSG and 32800 has been re-registered from T510SSG. Neither of the new registration are know.

 

[83G/84D]

32799 has now been re-registered from T509SSG and 32800 has been re-registered from T510SSG. Neither of the new registration are know.

32799 was still carrying registration T509 SSG this week.

 

[TechDan2002]

32799 has now been re-registered from T509SSG and 32800 has been re-registered from T510SSG. Neither of the new registration are know.

As has 32179, reregistered from X579 EGK to something unknown

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The word “lots” suggests more than just Eden. Eden has a large bus station (probably the only one in Cornwall with capacity as a interchange hub) which would make a good interchange for connecting travel

Apologies if I'm trying to second guess what @RELL6L was thinking but that it was the "going somewhere and home again" that might have suggested a once a day type thing?

I was thinking that it might be a mix of longer routes running in to undertake/augment a number of services. However, there's only a limited amount that you can glean from the registrations and so I'm happy to wait and see what actually is planned. Very interesting days ahead as these teaser graphics, route registrations, repaints, and other information already shared give way to the detail of what is going to be on offer.

Aside from the Exmoor Coaster, I'd be surprised if anything else would feature in Minehead but happy to be proved wrong

 

[Whiteway215]

Was it on this thread a while ago it was said that rumours were circulating that Stagecoach might pull out of Plymouth and First might move in?
If it was on here did the rumours only cover Plymouth or did they cover any other Stagecoach South West areas (such as North Devon)?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Was it on this thread a while ago it was said that rumours were circulating that Stagecoach might pull out of Plymouth and First might move in?
If it was on here did the rumours only cover Plymouth or did they cover any other Stagecoach South West areas (such as North Devon)?

It was mentioned on here as people got rather overexcited because jobs were being advertised at their Plymouth depot. When you went into the vacancy, there was a map pin that showed the depot at The Ride so this added to the conspiracy theory. It was subsequently confirmed that the depot related to the existing Lee Mill site; whilst new operations were being planned, these were subsequently revealed to be Dartmoor Explorer.

Of course, there's been a load of speculation about Plymouth but that's all it has been. Posts on the otherwise excellent Plymothian Transit have the usual swivel-eyed loons who 5 years ago were confidently predicting Stagecoach would launch a full attack on PCB, and are now saying Stagecoach are leaving and First will replace them. I'll believe it when I see it!!

 

[RELL6L]

Apologies if I'm trying to second guess what @RELL6L was thinking but that it was the "going somewhere and home again" that might have suggested a once a day type thing?

I was thinking that it might be a mix of longer routes running in to undertake/augment a number of services. However, there's only a limited amount that you can glean from the registrations and so I'm happy to wait and see what actually is planned. Very interesting days ahead as these teaser graphics, route registrations, repaints, and other information already shared give way to the detail of what is going to be on offer.

Aside from the Exmoor Coaster, I'd be surprised if anything else would feature in Minehead but happy to be proved wrong

The Grand Wazoo has correctly interpreted my thinking here. One or two routes might be more frequent, perhaps to the Lost Gardens of Heligan, but I can’t see hourly services from Eden to the likes of Padstow and Looe! Willing to be proved wrong again though...

 

[richw]

Was it on this thread a while ago it was said that rumours were circulating that Stagecoach might pull out of Plymouth and First might move in?
If it was on here did the rumours only cover Plymouth or did they cover any other Stagecoach South West areas (such as North Devon)?

Stagecoach have scaled back in Plymouth, terminating their Plymouth city council tenders. Plymouth citybus and oakleys took over the routes from 1/1/21.

 

[Blackpudding]

As has 32179, reregistered from X579 EGK to something unknown

Thanks for the update

 

[Andyh82]

Drivers at these all report to Truronian management.
Kelly bray is for the 228 Callington to Truro college (photo attached from last night)

Thanks, that looks like an old school outstation like the old days when Western National used to park one or two buses all over the place in the middle of knowhere.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Thanks, that looks like an old school outstation like the old days when Western National used to park one or two buses all over the place in the middle of knowhere.

You're right - it does have that feel, or when Southern National also had vehicles parked in obscure locations - places like Canworthy Water or Wiveliscombe

 

[richw]

Thanks, that looks like an old school outstation like the old days when Western National used to park one or two buses all over the place in the middle of knowhere.

It is simply a parking space on an industrial estate. No facilities etc.

 

[jammy36]

Thanks, that looks like an old school outstation like the old days when Western National used to park one or two buses all over the place in the middle of knowhere.

Not just in the middle of nowhere. My grandparents used to live on the same small cul-de-sac as a driver who would regularly bring a 1st gen hoppa bus home with him and squeeze it in his drive. This was despite the fact he lived in a large village only a couple of miles from a main depot. Presumably he hadn't any transport of his own, but was rostered on an early/late shift so an appropriate "arrangement" was made.

The use of outstations in others' yards, etc seems a sensible approach given the geographical spread of the operation and nature of the operating terrain. Presumably vehicles are swapped out for maintenance, etc which must need some careful planning to ensure everything is in the right place at the right time.

 

[Brooke]

Not just in the middle of nowhere. My grandparents used to live on the same small cul-de-sac as a driver who would regularly bring a 1st gen hoppa bus home with him and squeeze it in his drive. This was despite the fact he lived in a large village only a couple of miles from a main depot. Presumably he hadn't any transport of his own, but was rostered on an early/late shift so an appropriate "arrangement" was made.

The use of outstations in others' yards, etc seems a sensible approach given the geographical spread of the operation and nature of the operating terrain. Presumably vehicles are swapped out for maintenance, etc which must need some careful planning to ensure everything is in the right place at the right time.

Off topic, but to give an idea, I used to work for a big transport company with outbases scattered around Scotland and Ireland.

It was a stressful game of juggling drivers (eg holidays, sickness), vehicles and forecast volumes to keep things moving; planning is quite low paid and very undervalued in that sort of environment.

One anecodate: with a couple of thousand vehicles and trailers, we used to occasionally « lose » one for weeks somewhere. Lots of chasing around when they became overdue service or MOT. We declared a couple stolen that later turned up - and also didn’t declare one stolen that was...

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Not just in the middle of nowhere. My grandparents used to live on the same small cul-de-sac as a driver who would regularly bring a 1st gen hoppa bus home with him and squeeze it in his drive. This was despite the fact he lived in a large village only a couple of miles from a main depot. Presumably he hadn't any transport of his own, but was rostered on an early/late shift so an appropriate "arrangement" was made.

The use of outstations in others' yards, etc seems a sensible approach given the geographical spread of the operation and nature of the operating terrain. Presumably vehicles are swapped out for maintenance, etc which must need some careful planning to ensure everything is in the right place at the right time.

First Kernow is quite adept at using facilities of differing standards. @richw will know the current details but the history is interesting (at least to me).

Back in the day, there were obviously depots dotted all over the place, being reduced back in NBC days and there were depots at Truro, St Austell, Newquay, Camborne and Penzance (as well as Plymouth, Torpoint et al) but with outbases such as Falmouth and Helston.

In Badgerline days, Camborne was rebuilt but the other depots were reduced to mainly light maintenance. Newquay was subsequently sold but the yard retained as an outstation of St Austell and Truro. Truro was then redeveloped (now M&S) and a compound was created which is now a car park, whilst St Austell closed, reopened and then closed again as operations declined against the rising Western Greyhound. Penzance was also sold and moved to Long Rock (think it had some light maintenance) so you had Camborne acting as the main depot with vehicles having to be cycled through it.

Now @richw will be able to confirm but there are depots at Camborne, Truro, Penzance and Summercourt that have their allocations and do maintenance/servicing (not sure if Bodmin has a permanent allocation or maintenance) plus the old established outbases (e.g. Helston), and now a number of additional sites. Guess the landlord might be able to do the odd very minor running repair but don't know if they do.

It's a complex but effective method and it demands decent management and I think it also means that you probably benefit from having outstations of a certain size when it comes to covering staff holidays. Noteworthy that Buses of Somerset don't have outbases (except the one at Minehead) so you have early starts for vehicles running out to places like Axminster, Dulverton and Wells - might just be too fiddly for the benefit gained.

 

[richw]

Now @richw will be able to confirm but there are depots at Camborne, Truro, Penzance and Summercourt that have their allocations and do maintenance/servicing (not sure if Bodmin has a permanent allocation or maintenance) plus the old established outbases (e.g. Helston), and now a number of additional sites. Guess the landlord might be able to do the odd very minor running repair but don't know if they do.

Not sure what Penzance has, never been there.
no engineers based at Bodmin and no work carried out. The pit outside I believe is condemned and fenced off.
Theres a small supply of basic consumables, that the senior most driver has been trained to change. Bulbs, oil, coolant top ups etc

Dan shears provides engineering support to Exeter.

 

[Andyh82]

Do Kernow depots have different semi-permanent allocations, or is everything basically allocated to Summercourt 'on paper'?

 

[richw]

Do Kernow depots have different semi-permanent allocations, or is everything basically allocated to Summercourt 'on paper'?

Unsure about vehicle allocations but very rarely a swap happens between east and west. Camborne being west and having Penzance helston Falmouth outstations under it.
Summercourt being east and covering padstow, Bodmin, Plymouth winkleigh and Exeter buses. Unsure which side Truro falls in to. Coaches normally come back to Truro for most engineering needs.

 

[Whiteway215]

Unsure about vehicle allocations but very rarely a swap happens between east and west. Camborne being west and having Penzance helston Falmouth outstations under it.
Summercourt being east and covering padstow, Bodmin, Plymouth winkleigh and Exeter buses. Unsure which side Truro falls in to. Coaches normally come back to Truro for most engineering needs

Penzance Long Rock depot certainly had a couple of maintenance staff when I was given permission to look in the withdrawn compound in 2018.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Not sure what Penzance has, never been there.
no engineers based at Bodmin and no work carried out. The pit outside I believe is condemned and fenced off.
Theres a small supply of basic consumables, that the senior most driver has been trained to change. Bulbs, oil, coolant top ups etc

Dan shears provides engineering support to Exeter.

Do Kernow depots have different semi-permanent allocations, or is everything basically allocated to Summercourt 'on paper'?

I might be confusing things but I thought it was that those depots were supposed to have regular allocations. I thought it was something they were doing but perhaps I misremember. I did think Truro had a regular coach allocation but not certain which bus duties actually work out of there.

I had a trip to Bodmin one day and had a chat with someone who was about to take a Dart to Summercourt for servicing; given the size etc, I did doubt it had any maintenance and that the shed there probably just had "stuff" stored inside it.

I think Falmouth has been in the same location since the depot closed in 1980. Helston closed the same time but think they parked on the yard before the site was sold and they moved to Flambards. Incidentally, there were dormy sheds at Lands End and St Just that are still standing but now converted to retail and residential

 

[Goldfish62]

Penzance Long Rock depot certainly had a couple of maintenance staff when I was given permission to look in the withdrawn compound in 2018.

Yes, I've seen buses in the shed being worked on, although I doubt if it was any more than light maintenance.

There was talk last year of a paintshop being commissioned at Penzance.

 

[Brooke]

Incidentally, there were dormy sheds at Lands End and St Just that are still standing but now converted to retail and residential

Interesting, where were these? If right at Lands End, I guess may have been the building by the coach park / bus turn?

 

[richw]

not certain which bus duties actually work out of there.

As far as bus duties go, the park and ride, and 4 x Falmouth - Truro college routes. The V1 also runs from Truro which is a Truro school (the private one) contract, has been a 70 seater coach so far this week. The V1 previously inter worked with the Malpas low tide boat shuttle when the boat was running .

 

[Goldfish62]

Interesting, where were these? If right at Lands End, I guess may have been the building by the coach park / bus turn?

In the 1970s outside the main holiday season the 501 (Penzance - Land's End) was operated exclusively out of Land's End outstation using LHS 1250, with two drivers who lived at Sennen. There was a gap in the timetable in late morning when the bus went to Wherrytown depot for washing and fueling.