First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset)

[Andyh82]

Where are all the closed top deckers coming from too, as the open toppers cannot just be reroofed like Wilts&Dorset used to do in Swanage. I assume this means a very reduced frequency outside of school hols to reduce the number of deckers being drafted in.

Presumably Taunton will have some electrics by then so some of the existing fleet can be used

 

[embers25]

Presumably Taunton will have some electrics by then so some of the existing fleet can be used

Would be fun, though highly unlikely, if they put a new electric on in one day just for fun! NOt sure how it would do up Porlock but may well boost off-season usage!

Not sure how to contact the mods (@GusB) but I just spotted this is being discussed in the main First SW thread too now so I guess they should be merged as we appear to be caring more about this service than First seem to be by giving it two threads

 

[OptareOlympus]

Absolutely love how their solution to low-utilisation of open-top deckers in the off-season is to make the off-season even longer and only use them for a month...
Genius.

With no timetable to view yet, it's anyone's guess where the closed top deckers are coming from. They must be on under utilised running lines at Taunton during the day or there is simply no economic gain from not licensing the open tops from May. But then a 50 mile dead round trip to Minehead to work a token round trip on EX1 is hardly economic either.

 

[Murray J]

You beat me to it!

Then there's the totally unnecessary rebranding, which will be a cost.

They really are doing their best to kill off the route, short of just withdrawing it.

It's incredibly baffling. I'm also not quite sure how they seem to be making a loss on these routes when every other big operator with an open-top fleet certainly seems able to weather the cost of storage for 6 months. First can too, it's pocket money for them.

 

[Andyh82]

It will be interesting to see what First Wessex do with the Portland Coaster and the open top part of the Jurassic Coaster this year. I don’t think there has been any reports about these

The latter has the same issue of lengthy challenging routes at the mercy of the British weather, with customers either on free passes or paying £2/£3 for journeys of a few hours

 

[buscoaster]

Interesting though that despite the cut backs, it is still running through to Ilfracombe. I am quite surprised at that

 

[EnviroExplorer]

With no timetable to view yet, it's anyone's guess where the closed top deckers are coming from. They must be on under utilised running lines at Taunton during the day or there is simply no economic gain from not licensing the open tops from May. But then a 50 mile dead round trip to Minehead to work a token round trip on EX1 is hardly economic either.

I would assume they will be making use of closed top Enviro 400s freed up from Taunton’s Yutong U11DDs entering service in a few weeks.

The incompetence at First nowadays can never be underestimated, as others have said, they withdrew them all in Cornwall on cost grounds but can justify just one month using them in Somerset…

I can’t be the only one wishing First would exit South and leave it to Stagecoach or Go-Ahead to pickup.

 

[EnviroExplorer]

It will be interesting to see what First Wessex do with the Portland Coaster and the open top part of the Jurassic Coaster this year. I don’t think there has been any reports about these

The latter has the same issue of lengthy challenging routes at the mercy of the British weather, with customers either on free passes or paying £2/£3 for journeys of a few hours

Portland Coaster has been quietly ‘renumbered’ to route 11 and is now operating again. Again they must be allergic to the word Coaster, or something that doesn’t fit in with their rebrand’s one size fits all narrative.

 

[Welshman]

"Coaster" always suggests to me something you place your hot coffee cup on so it doesn't mark the polish!
{Gets his coat...}

 

[Flange Squeal]

* Sunday and Bank Holiday services will operate on the low season timetable throughout the season.

** The service will not serve the Blue Anchor holiday park on Sundays.

The asterisks interest me. These read to me to imply that even during the 'High Season' from 24 July to 31 August, on Sundays it will be a low season timetable with closed top buses as the article says open-top buses only run on the High Season timetable? Surely a Sunday is a key day visitors will be around and want an open-topper, unless they are on holiday in Blue Anchor when it sounds like they won't get a bus on a Sunday anyway...

 

[OptareOlympus]

I would assume they will be making use of closed top Enviro 400s freed up from Taunton’s Yutong U11DDs entering service in a few weeks.

No doubt there will be cascaded availability but it still makes no sense. Assuming they are tested, why not just send the open top E400s to Minehead in May?

 

[embers25]

Anyone tried using the new First timetable search. They no longer display all timetables for a region so you have to either know you service number or stop (the renaming of Coaster services not helping things). I put Weymouth in the bus stops bit and just got the station, college, Weymouth Bay Holiday Park or Weymouth Road, not King Statue (the main stops). Put Weymouth in the location and you get Weymouth Relief Road, Weymouth College or Weymouth Road, again no Kings Statue.

Not sure how a tourist find service info now apart from using journey planner, which you have to know your journey for and so doesn't really promote what's available. No clue how anyone was supposed to guess that Portland Coaster had become the 11, or how the Exmoor Coaster had become EX1.

The print option only prints the all stops timetable too which will be fun for the X51/3. It also only prints the day you search for so you have to check and print every day to get a full week!

Absolutely awful.

 

[Andyh82]

I would assume they will be making use of closed top Enviro 400s freed up from Taunton’s Yutong U11DDs entering service in a few weeks.

The incompetence at First nowadays can never be underestimated, as others have said, they withdrew them all in Cornwall on cost grounds but can justify just one month using them in Somerset…

I can’t be the only one wishing First would exit South and leave it to Stagecoach or Go-Ahead to pickup.

I would assume they will be making use of closed top Enviro 400s freed up from Taunton’s Yutong U11DDs entering service in a few weeks.

The incompetence at First nowadays can never be underestimated, as others have said, they withdrew them all in Cornwall on cost grounds but can justify just one month using them in Somerset…

I can’t be the only one wishing First would exit South and leave it to Stagecoach or Go-Ahead to pickup.

There is nothing stopping Go Ahead converting their 7 & 56 services in Cornwall to open top or indeed running their own version of the service 1 as an open top

 

[richard13]

I think one needs to consider the available customers in the Minehead area (and similar applies to much of Cornwall.)

The resident population is small and with over half of households suffering deprivation. (Not great)

Butlins as the main holiday provider only attracts a certain clientele.

It is distant from bus enthusiasts and any day trippers.

Many customers will prefer a reliable closed top bus to enjoy the views, than being blown away on a grey day.

The councils are effectively paying for a short holiday attraction, which does not run in the winter.

EX1 will work in a timetable search - Exmoor Coaster does not unless it is EXM. (The Falcon coach was unhelpfully FLN, but now FAL)
Holiday makers may well not remember route numbers from year to year and aren't necessarily on repeat visits anyway. They just enquire about the service - read the bus stop display, search online, etc.

When the Minehead outstation has completed its electrification works, then it can be used for what ever buses Taunton depot wants or can obtain, to give it.


If First pulls out of Cornwall, then Taunton could well transfer to Bristol, as they have already taken over 3 routes to Bridgwater, Taunton and Yeovil with Bridgwater depot closed and Yeovil transferred to an outstation on an industrial estate.

 

[embers25]

I've been on the Exmoor Coaster on windy/rainy days and the open top part remains full as it's all part of the UK holiday experience (agree Lands End Coaster on rainy days can be empty). As well as through passengers to Lynmouth and Ilfracombe, it also carries a fair few from Blue Anchor into Minehead and the Minehead Premier Inn stop is very popular, though not too far to walk for them to Butlins/town.

I see the Weymouth-Swanage has gone completely on First and More haven't released the 30 timetable yet. I also note that the 500 services have become 12 and 13 in Weymouth!

EX1 'may' work in the search on bustimes although it's also a postcode which will mix the bus in with the places. Utterly stupid. I note that Solent still allow timetable searches that dump out a mon-fri timetable, not sure why Wessex don't. It's amazing how quick First have dropped, whilst Carol and Marc go from strength to strength at Stagecoach South and Marc Morgan-Huws gets to play trains on the IOW!

 

[Stephen1001]

With only 2 weeks until Easter thought I'd see what sort of timetable is being offered to replace St Ives - Lands End open top with new service 7 - nothing on transport Cornwall site, looking at service registrations it appears it will only operate from May half term and the summer school 6 weeks ! Shame on Cornwall Council - they obviously don't know how popular St Ives is with tourists in September (or May and June) would have thought they would at least contract a service just Monday - Fridays for early & late season this year to gauge demand espically now Flambards has gone and this route serves several tourist attractions.

It's four return journeys a day, but most unfortunately they don't connect at Land's End with the 1/1A at all well.

For what it's worth, in summer 2014 - the last time the route ran predominantly with closed-top buses in the high season - it was also four return journeys per day. The connections at Land's End were poor on that occasion too, although some journeys connected better with the (then still open-top) 1 at Sennen Cove.

...admittedly the closed-top bus in question was usually a preserved Western National Bristol Lodekka, so rather more likely to appeal visually to tourists than anything that we can expect to see this year.

 

[Goldfish62]

For what it's worth, in summer 2014 - the last time the route ran predominantly with closed-top buses in the high season - it was also four return journeys per day. The connections at Land's End were poor on that occasion too, although some journeys connected better with the (then still open-top) 1 at Sennen Cove.

...admittedly the closed-top bus in question was usually a preserved Western National Bristol Lodekka, so rather more likely to appeal visually to tourists than anything that we can expect to see this year.

Yes, I've just looked at the timetable book for Summer 2014. It was actually three return journeys Mon-Sat and four on Sundays. Also, premium fares were charged and concessionary passes only attracted a discount.

Prior to 2014 the last time the route ran with closed top buses in the high season was I think 1976.

 

[Geswedey]

Lodekka Probably 2019 which should be at the Penzance Bus Rally on Easter Sunday 20th April on which I am booked as Conductor not sure of routes yet, but we usually do trips to and from St Ives, St Just and Lands end

2019 April 2023 at Lands End

 

[-Colly405-]

Exmoor Coaster ... carries a fair few from Blue Anchor into Minehead and the Minehead Premier Inn stop is very popular, though not too far to walk for them to Butlins/town.

I took it in july last year, just still in school term, and upstairs was about 75% full leaving Blue Anchor, to the extent that at Butlins it was downstairs only.

 

[DaveHarries]

Confirmation that the Exmoor coaster will indeed be back - it will commence running for the Summer 2025 season on 25th May with a frequency uplift on 24th July so just a couple of vehicles being used to begin with by the sound of it with the rest staying at Yeovil until the uplift of 24th July. When I went to Taunton to have a look at 30004 on 27th March I was told that the Wrightbus electrics are due around the end of June.

Scenic Exmoor bus route to return with council funding

First Bus says the Exmoor Explorer will return for the summer season.

www.bbc.co.uk

Dave

 

[OptareOlympus]

I see the Weymouth-Swanage has gone completely on First and More haven't released the 30 timetable yet. I also note that the 500 services have become 12 and 13 in Weymouth!

X50 was rumoured to be hourly between Weymouth and Swanage again this year, but if Exmoor is anything to go by, it may be that it'll only operate during the summer holiday 6 weeks and so won't be registered yet.

Morebus 30 will be running and is identical to last year.

 

[fgwrich]

I would assume they will be making use of closed top Enviro 400s freed up from Taunton’s Yutong U11DDs entering service in a few weeks.

The incompetence at First nowadays can never be underestimated, as others have said, they withdrew them all in Cornwall on cost grounds but can justify just one month using them in Somerset…

I can’t be the only one wishing First would exit South and leave it to Stagecoach or Go-Ahead to pickup.

A small number of Ex Portsmouth E400s appear to have arrived at Taunton too, so those could well be used as well.

Portland Coaster has been quietly ‘renumbered’ to route 11 and is now operating again. Again they must be allergic to the word Coaster, or something that doesn’t fit in with their rebrand’s one size fits all narrative.

This rebrand seems to be one of the most Naive moments in First Bus history. Even Stagecoach seemed to relent a little with their idea of banishing route branding's when the Local rebrand rolled in. Cutting their noses off to spite their own faces seems to be almost beyond that now - build up a brand, then knock it down just as quickly and banish it.

 

[MarkC]

When do First Southwest take on Flixbus contracts?

 

[nick291]

Cutting their noses off to spite their own faces seems to be almost beyond that now - build up a brand, then knock it down just as quickly and banish it.

Ah yes, the Megabus post Stagecoach approach. I think the only parts cared about at First SW are the parts not even ran by First SW and instead ran by First WOE, if previous posts are anything to go by. My last trip on a 28 was nice at least, but annoying as they don't use the tap on tap off system like West Of England does.

 

[Fletcj10]

When do First Southwest take on Flixbus contracts?

Believe its May but also i'm told when the coaches arrive and or are ready along with the staff

 

[Volvodart]

Deleted wrong forum​

 

[Wilko82]

X50 was rumoured to be hourly between Weymouth and Swanage again this year, but if Exmoor is anything to go by, it may be that it'll only operate during the summer holiday 6 weeks and so won't be registered yet.

Morebus 30 will be running and is identical to last year.

I think, although not 100% sure that last summer the Weymouth to Swanage open top X50 was operated from the middle/end of May and ended on Saturday 31st August, and was only two-hourly as opposed to every hour. The open top X52 in the other direction out of Weymouth to West Bay/Bridport also isn't showing yet, and I would be amazed if that gets pulled. As you say its probably a case of them not being registered yet, as why else would Weymouth have took in so many open tops from Cornwall?

 

[Snozzel]

When do First Southwest take on Flixbus contracts?

The original staff notice stated april 2025 but they seem to have struggled for staff in cornwall at least.

 

[OptareOlympus]

I think, although not 100% sure that last summer the Weymouth to Swanage open top X50 was operated from the middle/end of May and ended on Saturday 31st August, and was only two-hourly as opposed to every hour. The open top X52 in the other direction out of Weymouth to West Bay/Bridport also isn't showing yet, and I would be amazed if that gets pulled. As you say its probably a case of them not being registered yet, as why else would Weymouth have took in so many open tops from Cornwall?

Looks like the X52 is confirmed for a 25 May start this year with the former Lands End half tops.

From 25th May, additional open top buses will be operating between Weymouth, West Bay and Bridport. Look out for service X52 to visit the Art Trail and enjoy views of the Jurassic Coast from an open top bus

Enjoy the Stampede by the Sea art trail – by bus | FirstBusS&SW News

As Weldmar Hospicecare’s Transport Partner for their Stampede by the Sea art trail, First Bus is helping people to explore the trail by bus.

news-ssandsw.firstbus.co.uk

 

[henryb]

The original staff notice stated april 2025 but they seem to have struggled for staff in cornwall at least.

Surely with the loss of a lot of the school contracts they would have some spare - Berry’s are operating the 045 uplift currently, and there are 2 049 trips to Falmouth/Newquay respectively in place from June + an overnight one