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First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset)

Whiteway215

Whiteway215

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83G/84D said:
There has been a recent report of a Envoro 500 on tow on the M5 motorway heading towards Cornwall, where it will be taken to wasn’t revealed.

It was on social media but I am unable to access it to do a link, sorry!
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A while ago there was a report that Wigleys would be doing the towing and that they would then return north with scrap bus / buses from Kernow. Hopefully we will see if all this comes to pass.
 
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On the Buses

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Whiteway215 said:
A while ago there was a report that Wigleys would be doing the towing and that they would then return north with scrap bus / buses from Kernow. Hopefully we will see if all this comes to pass.
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The first one is going to Camborne to take a scrap B7TL back. The next three are Weymouth Wells and a Bristol from memory. 5th likely to be a Cornwall swap.
 
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Goldfish62

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TheGrandWazoo said:
First SW received B7TL Geminis to update the fleet. Some had benefitted from mid-life refurbs in Bristol whilst others hailing from other OpCos hadn't been so treated; they have retrimmed the worst examples AFAIK. It may be that similarly, they will assess and take a view.

However, receiving some 12 year old vehicles is a world away from the past where they would receive 15 yr old Tridents to dislodge the last Olympians, and even that's better than when 18-20 year old Atlanteans (albeit in a condition that belied their years) to Devon from Aberdeen.

As it is, FSW is fast approaching a fairly balanced age profile where once the last ex London Tridents go, there will be a number of 2005 Tridents joined by 2004-2007 B7TLs and the 2009 e500s concentrated on the "tertiary" network (for want of a better phrase). There's a slew of 2016-2018 e400mmcs augmented by 2018 e200mmcs and Solos concentrated on the "primary" network. Yes, there's a gap in the 2010-2015 age bracket but there's a dearth of suitable vehicles in First Bus in that age bracket for various reasons, and arguably they don't need vehicles of that vintage at the moment in Kernow.

It'll be interesting to see what Somerset receive to oust their remaining Tridents when that cascade begins - more B7TLs?
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Agreed, and the the quite senior Geminis, especially those with new moquette rather than the nasty First beige e-leather, look so much better presented than their sisters in other First fleets.

Contrarily though, the Mousehole sub-fleet of Solos, for want of a better term, is one of the oldest fleets to have ever served the village, at least in my living memory. The SUSs were seen off after 12 years, the Marshall LHSs moved after just eight years, and while the MB608s hung around for a while they were supplemented by new MB709s and 811s. I think only the cascaded Varios would have been older than the current Solos when they finally bowed out, although they of course were supplemented by a couple of the current Solos, which were only 5-6 years old when cascaded in.

The forthcoming Mousehole refresh is of course most welcome, even if some might say it's just putting lipstick on a pig. ;)
 
83G/84D

83G/84D

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Arrivals and departures at Camborne today include 30880 which left at some point presumably collected by Wigleys.

New arrival is Volvo B7RLE 66941 from Buses of Somerset.
 
cnjb8

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83G/84D said:
Arrivals and departures at Camborne today include 30880 which left at some point presumably collected by Wigleys.

New arrival is Volvo B7RLE 66941 from Buses of Somerset.
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I don’t think it was with Somerset, it’s come from Bristol.
 
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On the Buses

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Callum15632 said:
You're right it did come from Bristol. Anyone have any ideas on what routes this B7RLE will be used on in Cornwall and is this the only B7RLE in Cornwall?
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It’s a driver trainer

cnjb8 said:
But isn’t that going to be filled by the B7RLEs currently at Somerset?
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It’s just a loan for now

vla50 said:
Perhaps they will be replacement trainers for the ALXs alongside the recently acquired W reg?
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The W is a temp loan too
 
83G/84D

83G/84D

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The Enviro 500 at Camborne is 38201. Volvo B7RLE 66943 is also in Camborne this morning.
 
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richw

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W reg single decker training bus is out with trainees on the a30 Mitchell to Fraddon area this morning, have just passed it.
 
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farwest

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Is 33320 one of the vehicles back from Somerset? I caught it on the 1500 27 from St. Austell to Truro today and it was in some state upstairs. Virtually every window was rattling madly and it was difficult to have a conversation if not on a smooth bit of road. The top of each window is really loose in the metal frame under the hopper windows. I've never seen this so bad in a newish vehicle.
 
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Murray J

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farwest said:
Is 33320 one of the vehicles back from Somerset? I caught it on the 1500 27 from St. Austell to Truro today and it was in some state upstairs. Virtually every window was rattling madly and difficult to have a conversation if not on a smooth bit of road. The top of each window is really loose in the metal frame under the hopper windows. Never seen this so bad in a newish vehicle.
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It has just returned from SPS yes.
 
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vla50

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The number of Tridents regularly in service has now gone down to 1.

33144 is now just doing college duties, 072 has been out of service for over a week and 182 hasn't been out for a few days.

Obviously 158 is Vehicle Off Road (VOR).

I guess the Closed Top Trident Era is pretty much over now.
 
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richw

richw

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vla50 said:
The number of tridents regularly in service has now gone down to 1.

33144 is now just doing college duties, 072 has been out of service for over a week and 182 hasn't been out for a few days.

Obviously 158 is VOR.

I guess the Closed Top Trident Era is pretty much over now.
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33072 worked Eden sessions on Sunday night. I Believe it’s been on school services this week. As has been told multiple times school and certain colleges don’t track on BusTimes and if something doesn’t track for some time it could be allocated to one of those services and it doesn’t mean it’s VOR
 
Speedbird96

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vla50 said:
The number of tridents regularly in service has now gone down to 1.

33144 is now just doing college duties, 072 has been out of service for over a week and 182 hasn't been out for a few days.

Obviously 158 is VOR.

I guess the Closed Top Trident Era is pretty much over now.
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I'm fairly certain 32756-32758/32760-32762 are still in active service and showing no signs of withdrawal just yet.
 
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