First West of England (Bristol, Bath & The West)

[TheGrandWazoo]

Excellent -thanks!

Unrelated post...
Is "Citylines" on the way out? It felt that there were more Urban liveried vehicles coming through the Centre today than anything Citylines!
With the electric buses due next year too...

Think Citylines was abandoned when James Freeman left. I think a few B9s got 75/76 blue but other than that, nothing else was repainted in those schemes.

 

[Callum15632]

Are any B9s transferring to Wells? I got told that B9s are transferring to Wells and some of their E400s are transferring to Worcester?

 

[Private Baxter]

Think Citylines was abandoned when James Freeman left. I think a few B9s got 75/76 blue but other than that, nothing else was repainted in those schemes.

Don't know the oficial status of it, but now you mention it, it does now seem to have been abandoned, much like the various coloured fronts before it!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Don't know the oficial status of it, but now you mention it, it does now seem to have been abandoned, much like the various coloured fronts before it!

The Citylines 5 fleet was moved out when it went to single deck. Citylines 73 fleet was debranded (when the route was extended etc) and they appear on various routes like the 522/349.

In fact, apart from a few repainted into Olympia with the lilac front (37359, 33940) and the ex Yorkshire Streetdecks into Badgerline, I can't think of many repaints in the last year or two. It's a bit of a mess...

• Ex Park and Ride deckers running in Bath in blue (not so obvious) and green
• Ex Cymru e200s running in Bath in blue (not so obvious) and red
• 37255 in Weston in York uni livery
• Various blow-ins in Urban 2 (e.g. 37685 at Wells) around the patch
• 5/6 Aberdeen Streetlites in Aberdeen livery
• Couple of ex Southampton Streetlites in Cityred livery
• Various ex Bristol Streetdecks in coloured fronts in Weston

I'd say some vehicles are looking very scruffy too

 

[Marcus Fryer]

The Citylines 5 fleet was moved out when it went to single deck. Citylines 73 fleet was debranded (when the route was extended etc) and they appear on various routes like the 522/349.

In fact, apart from a few repainted into Olympia with the lilac front (37359, 33940) and the ex Yorkshire Streetdecks into Badgerline, I can't think of many repaints in the last year or two. It's a bit of a mess...

• Ex Park and Ride deckers running in Bath in blue (not so obvious) and green
• Ex Cymru e200s running in Bath in blue (not so obvious) and red
• 37255 in Weston in York uni livery
• Various blow-ins in Urban 2 (e.g. 37685 at Wells) around the patch
• 5/6 Aberdeen Streetlites in Aberdeen livery
• Couple of ex Southampton Streetlites in Cityred livery
• Various ex Bristol Streetdecks in coloured fronts in Weston

I'd say some vehicles are looking very scruffy too

With regard to the ex-Aberdeen streetlites, 63204 (at least) has received route branding for the 8.
Also, I believe some of the ex-Bristol streetdecks transferred to Weston SM have also been repainted in Badgerline livery (as well as the ex-Yorkshire ones).

 

[bathbuses]

The Citylines 5 fleet was moved out when it went to single deck. Citylines 73 fleet was debranded (when the route was extended etc) and they appear on various routes like the 522/349.

In fact, apart from a few repainted into Olympia with the lilac front (37359, 33940) and the ex Yorkshire Streetdecks into Badgerline, I can't think of many repaints in the last year or two. It's a bit of a mess...

• Ex Park and Ride deckers running in Bath in blue (not so obvious) and green
• Ex Cymru e200s running in Bath in blue (not so obvious) and red
• 37255 in Weston in York uni livery
• Various blow-ins in Urban 2 (e.g. 37685 at Wells) around the patch
• 5/6 Aberdeen Streetlites in Aberdeen livery
• Couple of ex Southampton Streetlites in Cityred livery
• Various ex Bristol Streetdecks in coloured fronts in Weston

I'd say some vehicles are looking very scruffy too

With the arrival of the Essex 200MMCs there's now seven liveries in Bath that don't belong here, so to speak

Portway Park and Ride Green
Bridlington Park and Ride Blue
Bristol Park and Ride Grey
Essex Green
Cymru Red
Cymru Blue
Cymru KLM Blue

The only arrival to be painted in the last year was YX66 WDT from Portway Park and Ride to Bath City Blue, which was done sometime last summer (and looks great too). Who knows why that was the only one to get done.

I guess it's nice to have some variety about, but it doesn't exactly come across as particularly professional for a huge company like First to have extremely inconsistent branding (as far as colours go anyway) and having vehicles running around that don't exactly look in prime condition

 

[EnviroExplorer]

I guess it's nice to have some variety about, but it doesn't exactly come across as particularly professional for a huge company like First to have extremely inconsistent branding (as far as colours go anyway) and having vehicles running around that don't exactly look in prime condition

I have heard rumours that operating divisions have been instructed not to repaint buses unless absolutely necessary, like after collisions, pending the introduction of a new group wide standard livery like that being adopted on the Electrics. This would align with the general lack of interest at brands and repaints over the last few years, ironically after several senior members of management have left or been superseded, who introduced them. Again this is just another rumour though!

 

[Citistar]

I have heard rumours that operating divisions have been instructed not to repaint buses unless absolutely necessary, like after collisions, pending the introduction of a new group wide standard livery like that being adopted on the Electrics. This would align with the general lack of interest at brands and repaints over the last few years, ironically after several senior members of management have left or been superseded, who introduced them. Again this is just another rumour though!

It would certainly tie in with the arrivals over the past 6-8 months in Bath not getting any paint, just some Bath City vinyls slapped on them. I should have guessed there was going to be another new livery for when the electric fleet starts arriving en masse.

 

[volvob12]

The Citylines 5 fleet was moved out when it went to single deck. Citylines 73 fleet was debranded (when the route was extended etc) and they appear on various routes like the 522/349.

In fact, apart from a few repainted into Olympia with the lilac front (37359, 33940) and the ex Yorkshire Streetdecks into Badgerline, I can't think of many repaints in the last year or two. It's a bit of a mess...

• Ex Park and Ride deckers running in Bath in blue (not so obvious) and green
• Ex Cymru e200s running in Bath in blue (not so obvious) and red
• 37255 in Weston in York uni livery
• Various blow-ins in Urban 2 (e.g. 37685 at Wells) around the patch
• 5/6 Aberdeen Streetlites in Aberdeen livery
• Couple of ex Southampton Streetlites in Cityred livery
• Various ex Bristol Streetdecks in coloured fronts in Weston

I'd say some vehicles are looking very scruffy too

In addition to those Streetdecks into Badgerline, there have certainly been some random repaints over the last two years, and there’s not any sort of consistency.

33931 - to Bath City
33963 - to blue Drive It!
35142/5/7/165 - to Badgerline
35162 - to blue Drive It!
36229 - to blue Drive It!
36809/23 - to Metrobus spare
36812 - to Metrobus spare, then back to Metrobus M2
37359 - to Urban 2 (as mentioned)
39337 - to Metrobus spare
39338-41 - to Metrobus m4
39454/63 - to blue Drive It!
39488 - to Metrobus spare
33491/2 - to Metrobus m4
47552 - to Badgerline
67098 - to Bath City
Plus 31 Geminis into Citylines blue around 2 - 2.5 years ago.

With all the new arrivals in various schemes (with various branding removed) it’s starting to look a little careworn now.

Even the gas buses are looking rough around the edges externally.

 

[father_jack]

Heard from a fiend that a blue paint scheme quite similar to the Bristol airport A1 livery might become the new norm.

 

[bathbuses]

I think it would be a shame to see the end of local branding altogether in favour of some universal livery. I think it helps the company appear more embedded within the community, rather than being a huge national company that just happens to run buses here. For example Badgerline in Weston Super Mare being a nod to the history of the bus industry in the area. Although it changes nothing practically, I think it helps the impression people have of the business

That said, I think a few years back they perhaps got a bit carried away with the different liveries around these parts and it just ends up with buses being on the "wrong" route frequently which whilst somewhat exciting for enthusiast photographers etc..., isn't the best. I remember a few years back there was an article in the Bath Echo, I think it was, where First were warning people Bath Spa Unibuses would be operating the 4 over the summer, and that they shouldnt be confused

And that brings me on to the fact we should never overestimate the knowledge general non enthusiasts have and how that can affect their experience if things aren't made clear enough to them. I have a friend who when we went to Bristol asked me whether Aquae have an app to buy tickets from!

I think ideally it should have stopped at Bath City, Badgerline, Mendip Explorer, Airport, Metrobus and a generic Bristol livery (my pick would be the Citylines East colours)

 

[Whiteway215]

In addition to those Streetdecks into Badgerline, there have certainly been some random repaints over the last two years, and there’s not any sort of consistency.

33931 - to Bath City
33963 - to blue Drive It!
35142/5/7/165 - to Badgerline
35162 - to blue Drive It!
36229 - to blue Drive It!
36809/23 - to Metrobus spare
36812 - to Metrobus spare, then back to Metrobus M2
37359 - to Urban 2 (as mentioned)
39337 - to Metrobus spare
39338-41 - to Metrobus m4
39454/63 - to blue Drive It!
39488 - to Metrobus spare
33491/2 - to Metrobus m4
47552 - to Badgerline
67098 - to Bath City
Plus 31 Geminis into Citylines blue around 2 - 2.5 years ago.

With all the new arrivals in various schemes (with various branding removed) it’s starting to look a little careworn now.

Even the gas buses are looking rough around the edges externally.

I believe 67098 had been off for quite a long time with accident damage so had to be repainted after repair.

 

[henairs]

Heard from a fiend that a blue paint scheme quite similar to the Bristol airport A1 livery might become the new norm.

Sounds a bit fiendish to me! Lol

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Heard from a fiend that a blue paint scheme quite similar to the Bristol airport A1 livery might become the new norm.

A fiend....

I think it would be a shame to see the end of local branding altogether in favour of some universal livery. I think it helps the company appear more embedded within the community, rather than being a huge national company that just happens to run buses here. For example Badgerline in Weston Super Mare being a nod to the history of the bus industry in the area. Although it changes nothing practically, I think it helps the impression people have of the business

That said, I think a few years back they perhaps got a bit carried away with the different liveries around these parts and it just ends up with buses being on the "wrong" route frequently which whilst somewhat exciting for enthusiast photographers etc..., isn't the best. I remember a few years back there was an article in the Bath Echo, I think it was, where First were warning people Bath Spa Unibuses would be operating the 4 over the summer, and that they shouldnt be confused

And that brings me on to the fact we should never overestimate the knowledge general non enthusiasts have and how that can affect their experience if things aren't made clear enough to them. I have a friend who when we went to Bristol asked me whether Aquae have an app to buy tickets from!

I think ideally it should have stopped at Bath City, Badgerline, Mendip Explorer, Airport, Metrobus and a generic Bristol livery (my pick would be the Citylines East colours)

I tend to agree that it all got a bit much towards the end of the JF era. A livery for each centre of operation would have sufficed with the Bath City and Badgerline, an updated and fresher Mendip one for Wells, and something distinctive for Bristol - perhaps the South Glos Lynx being something highly visible and a slight nod towards the CityLine livery?

Obviously, metrobus and Airport Flyer would also need to continue too; don't know if the Bristol Unibus is a stipulation of the contract either. I did see a couple of the ex Aberdeen Streetlites and the 8 vinyls applied look fairly decent TBH. However, some of the fleet is really needing a paintbrush - the 2015 Streetdecks and mmcs really need a midlife refresh - given the house colours now seem to be a rich purple, I guess it'll be something like that.


Sat in traffic near Long Ashton this morning and three Badgerline Streetdecks stuck in traffic; it does make me wonder why First didn't seek to use the metrobus infrastructure for some of the North Somerset routes. The A1 obviously did until Covid, but wonder if it was considered for some of those other services... I seem to recall there was some aspiration for Weston/Nailsea metrobus routes eventually but a bus every 15 mins seems a bit paltry now given the spend.