First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset)

[richw]

There's nothing else that provides the capacity, especially with a 2bph service, so I'd expect newer Solos. But then I'm often wrong!

Do Optare offer a newer Solo so small? Don’t recall seeing such a tiny SR anywhere

 

[Trainfan061193]

There's nothing else that provides the capacity, especially with a 2bph service, so I'd expect newer Solos. But then I'm often wrong!

On the Buses stated a while back 53801 was in the queue to get painted so you’d think the existing solos will stay on there but just get a new livery but of course I could be wrong too!

 

[Goldfish62]

On the Buses stated a while back 53801 was in the queue to get painted so you’d think the existing solos will stay on there but just get a new livery but of course I could be wrong too!

He stated that there would be "extra fleet".

Do Optare offer a newer solo so small? Don’t recall seeing such a tiny SR anywhere

Yes, they offer a 7.9m slimline Solo, which is the same size as the current Mousehole ones. Metroline in London have some and there are plenty of them around the country. There is also a smaller 7.1m version of which I believe OTS used to or still have one. This model was discontinued a couple of years ago.

 

[KendalKing]

In the spirit of G. Edgeley Cox, someone should be commissioned to add a top deck to the Solo, then Mousehole Solos could become as famous as the East Yorkshire Beverley Bar Regents. Please don't go to the trouble of dissecting, then rubbishing, the idea, though I'd donate a tenner to any attempt to achieve the impossible.

An operator in Liverpool, once added a top deck to an Optare Solo M920, for use on Open-top tours. The registration number, was YJ51 ZVV.

 

[Trainfan061193]

He stated that there would be "extra fleet".


Yes, they offer a 7.9m slimline Solo, which is the same size as the current Mousehole ones. Metroline in London have some and there are plenty of them around the country. There is also a smaller 7.1m version of which I believe OTS used to or still have one. This model was discontinued a couple of years ago.

Probably some of the other green solos will get painted I would’ve thought because they’ll most likely struggle to find vehicles which will actually fit into Mousehole.

 

[richw]

An operator in Liverpool, once added a top deck to an Optare Solo M920, for use on Open-top tours. The registration number, was YJ51 ZVV.

I remember that one catching my eye as it has been with Western Greyhound at some point.

 

[Goldfish62]

Probably some of the other green solos will get painted I would’ve thought because they’ll most likely struggle to find vehicles which will actually fit into Mousehole.

There are plenty of Mousehole-size Solos around the country! Obviously depends what's on the market.

 

[Trainfan061193]

There are plenty of Mousehole-size Solos around the country! Obviously depends what's on the market.

It’s just finding the right stock isn’t it? The Solos currently on there are getting on a bit but we’ll just have to see what happens...

 

[fgwrich]

An operator in Liverpool, once added a top deck to an Optare Solo M920, for use on Open-top tours. The registration number, was YJ51 ZVV.

Yes, and it is one of, if not the most revolting conversions I think I've ever seen!

Solo appearance

A cycle into a stiff breeze from Garston this morning brought me to Liverpool's Pier Head where this machine surprised me. YJ51 ZVV is, believe it or not, an Optare Solo, albeit heavily modified. A Solo with this registration was new to Nottingham, and loaned to, then purchased by, Western...

www.flickr.com

To me at least, that makes the Bristol LH based Charabanc look rather tame.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

He stated that there would be "extra fleet".

Depends whether that means extra fleet per se or simply additional vehicles in a refreshed Mousehole scheme?

The Solo fleet is getting on a bit, it has to be said.

 

[Andyh82]

A question, do Mousehole buses really have to penetrate the village as much as they do? I know serving the very narrow streets and terminating right on the harbour is very quaint, but many other similar places (I’m thinking Port Isaac for one) buses stop a bit further out, and hence can use bigger buses. Would this be an option for some or all Mousehole services?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

A question, do Mousehole buses really have to penetrate the village as much as they do, I know serving the very narrow streets and terminating right on the harbour is very quaint, but many other similar places (I’m thinking Port Isaac for one) buses stop a bit further out, and hence can use bigger buses. Would this be an option for some or all Mousehole services?

They can stop short at the Old Coastguard Hotel and it is done so if they run out of minis or if they put on dupes for the Christmas lights

 

[Accelerator59]

Depends whether that means extra fleet per se or simply additional vehicles in a refreshed Mousehole scheme?

The Solo fleet is getting on a bit, it has to be said.

I'm pretty sure 53709 is only 11/12 years old being a 59 plate.

 

[Trainfan061193]

Pretty sure 53709 is only 11/12 years old being a 59 plate.

Yes 53704 and 53826 are 05 plates so they're technically 15/16 years old. 53801 is an 04 plate so it's 16/17 years old. 53709 hasn’t tracked since April.

 

[Whiteway215]

Does anyone here know the original registrations of the new Scania K340 Levantes?

Another version of the previous registrations (from a normally reliable source) of 23651-23655 BK15AHX AKF AHY AKG AJY

 

[richw]

23652 - 481 FPO - BK15 AHY

This one is definitely correct. I took it to Volvo at Roche to have the tacho updated with the new registration, and my print out shows old and new on that day.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I'm pretty sure 53709 is only 11/12 years old being a 59 plate.

Yes 53704 and 53826 are 05 plates so they're technically 15/16 years old. 53801 is an 04 plate so it's 16/17 years old. 53709 hasn’t tracked since April.

Exactly - one vehicle is a 59 plate era machine but the others are fairly old; even the other slim Solos are 56 plate so coming up to 14/15 years old.

They’re getting on a bit!

 

[Goldfish62]

Exactly - one vehicle is a 59 plate era machine but the others are fairly old; even the other slim Solos are 56 plate so coming up to 14/15 years old.

They’re getting on a bit!

Yes, and for a small lightweight single deck that is pretty long in the tooth!

I'm pretty sure 53709 is only 11/12 years old being a 59 plate.

Yet it seems to be the one that's off the road the most.

They can stop short at the Old Coastguard Hotel and it is done so if they run out of minis or if they put on dupes for the Christmas lights

And even then because of where the turn is located they have to stop short of the pair of stops at the Coastguards. To use this arrangement permanently they'd have to set down, stand and pick up at the coach bay before the car park and then you're getting so far out of the village that it would start being seriously inconvenient for passengers, especially given the step hill up from the harbour.

The fact is that the majority of passengers, locals included, board and alight at the harbour. Cutting the terminus back, while technically feasible, really would not be an attractive option for passengers and I don't think that's the way anyone wants to go when the industry is fighting for every customer. It would also leave the route wide open for a predatory registration by an operator that was willing to serve the harbour.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

And even then because of where the turn is located they have to stop short of the pair of stops at the Coastguards. To use this arrangement permanently they'd have to set down, stand and pick up at the coach bay before the car park and then you're getting so far out of the village that it would start being seriously inconvenient for passengers, especially given the step hill up from the harbour.

The fact is that the majority of passengers, locals included, board and alight at the harbour. Cutting the terminus back, while technically feasible, really would not be an attractive option for passengers and I don't think that's the way anyone wants to go when the industry is fighting for every customer. It would also leave the route wide open for a predatory registration by an operator that was willing to serve the harbour.

Whilst the walk from there isn't that far, it would certainly be inconvenient and detrimental to passenger numbers. Can't see it happening for those reasons.

They've had a few demonstrators so would seem that the approach is to have newer fleet on there in due course. Just my opinion but I suspect that it might be more likely that the "extra fleet" will be repainting of some existing slimline Solos.

 

[KendalKing]

Another version of the previous registrations (from a normally reliable source) of 23651-23655 BK15AHX AKF AHY AKG AJY

23651 and 23652 have already been confirmed as being BK15 AHX and BK15 AHY.

 

[Goldfish62]

Whilst the walk from there isn't that far, it would certainly be inconvenient and detrimental to passenger numbers. Can't see it happening for those reasons.

They've had a few demonstrators so would seem that the approach is to have newer fleet on there in due course. Just my opinion but I suspect that it might be more likely that the "extra fleet" will be repainting of some existing slimline Solos.

Agreed on both counts. The current Mousehole fleet also needs a repaint as the pink faded very quickly indeed.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Agreed on both counts. The current Mousehole fleet also needs a repaint as the pink faded very quickly indeed.

It's a shame as I quite like the livery but agree, it hasn't worn well.

 

[Busaholic]

as the pink faded very quickly indeed.

It's all that sun beating on it day in, day out that did it.

 

[Accelerator59]

Exactly - one vehicle is a 59 plate era machine but the others are fairly old; even the other slim Solos are 56 plate so coming up to 14/15 years old.

They’re getting on a bit!

Thought I hadn’t seen it for a while.

 

[83G/84D]

Does anybody know why the lower deck bell push on the E400MMC's by the emergency exit has been taped over and marked not be used? Been on two different ones recently that had this.

 

[Busgeek]

So. I want to see what other people in the area think? Poking a hornet's nest with this I think, but does anyone feel the FSW namely kernow, should have a look at the fare charts and make the fares cheaper? I mean for a single from mullion to cury is £4! Same price as a ticket from Helston to Mullion! And the the price of the U4 in places is just madness! Heard that TfC have cheaper tickets. Considerably cheaper in some areas. I know it's a council subsidiary, but surely FSW could capitalise and be more competitive on this? Look at Plymouth! They did get pushed out in the end by them.

I just want other people's thoughts on it?

 

[Goldfish62]

The low fa

So. I want to see what other people in the area think? Poking a hornet's nest with this I think, but does anyone feel the FSW namely kernow, should have a look at the fare charts and make the fares cheaper? I mean for a single from mullion to cury is £4! Same price as a ticket from Helston to Mullion! And the the price of the U4 in places is just madness! Heard that TfC have cheaper tickets. Considerably cheaper in some areas. I know it's a council subsidiary, but surely FSW could capitalise and be more competitive on this? Look at Plymouth! They did get pushed out in the end by them.

I just want other people's thoughts on it?

The low fares pilot starting in the autumn is stated to be cutting fares by a third.

 

[carlberry]

So. I want to see what other people in the area think? Poking a hornet's nest with this I think, but does anyone feel the FSW namely kernow, should have a look at the fare charts and make the fares cheaper? I mean for a single from mullion to cury is £4! Same price as a ticket from Helston to Mullion! And the the price of the U4 in places is just madness! Heard that TfC have cheaper tickets. Considerably cheaper in some areas. I know it's a council subsidiary, but surely FSW could capitalise and be more competitive on this? Look at Plymouth! They did get pushed out in the end by them.

I just want other people's thoughts on it?

Is their evidence that TfC tickets are cheaper? TfC is a council brand, the services are contracted and the council set the fares. The council is supposed to be running a cheaper fares experiment sometime however it keeps on being delayed. Everybody always wants cheaper things, the issue then is finding the money to pay for it; cheaper fares don't generate extra passengers as fast as they lose income and eventually increase costs.

 

[RELL6L]

Traveline show a third round trip - from Tavistock to Exeter - on the Dartmoor Explorer from 3 July, that is good and I hope it means the service is doing well.

http://www.travelinemidlands.co.uk/wmtis/TTB/EFA03__00000f70_TP.pdf

Disappointing to see that the Exmoor Coaster is all single deck today as it was yesterday apart from one journey to Lynmouth with 36082, which appeared to get there but not to make it back again. 36081 has not been on the road since Tuesday.

Been following allocations in Cornwall for a few days and I guess it has been difficult, not helped by the G7 and obligations there. I guess keeping the open toppers on the road has been challenging but as of now things look better, 4 open and 1 closed on the Atlantic Coaster, 7 open and 1 closed on Lands End, one of each on the L1, Exeter and Falmouth are both open top. All Day Tripper branded vehicles which are out are on Day Tripper routes, but a number are not out today. Dartmoor Explorer has been fairly good with branded vehicles but both today are Bicton College branded.

 

[Lizard1324]

So. I want to see what other people in the area think? Poking a hornet's nest with this I think, but does anyone feel the FSW namely kernow, should have a look at the fare charts and make the fares cheaper? I mean for a single from mullion to cury is £4! Same price as a ticket from Helston to Mullion! And the the price of the U4 in places is just madness! Heard that TfC have cheaper tickets. Considerably cheaper in some areas. I know it's a council subsidiary, but surely FSW could capitalise and be more competitive on this? Look at Plymouth! They did get pushed out in the end by them.

I just want other people's thoughts on it?

I do agree as the TfC 34 from Lizard to Helston is £3 for a return ticket.

A open top enviro 400 has made an appearance on the L1 today.