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

[Colly405]

The arrivals at Thornbury arrive xx.13 xx.22 and xx.43 and then depart at xx.15 xx.25 and xx.45 so doesn’t look like interworking at that end.

As per earlier poster, it seems like a 33 min layover but merely looking at timetables is fraught with misconceptions

And they operate in different directions around Thornbury, at different frequencies (hence why they take massively different times to get from Rock St to the Health Centre).

The only interworking that I can see is that some early morning T2s from Thornbury head north as T1s first, starting at Harry Stoke, and the last two northbound T2s become T1s back as far as Harry Stoke to get to depot. Lawrence Hill, presumably?

It would seem logical that the 77 gets changed in due course as the re-route of the T1 and T2 in Thornbury takes them over more of its route, as does the T2 going via Hortham.

 

[Tommy Walters]

10036 re-emerged working a U1 this afternoon. Also sighted 10175 broken down in Oldfield Park.

 

[Whiteway215]

10036 re-emerged working a U1 this afternoon. Also sighted 10175 broken down in Oldfield Park.

Has anyone seen 10178 lately? I've not seen it in service since February.

 

[Tommy Walters]

Has anyone seen 10178 lately? I've not seen it in service since February.

It was out about 2-3 weeks ago, but haven't seen it since.

 

[D2007wsm]

That may only be at night, but that is what drivers are saying

The arrivals at Thornbury arrive xx.13 xx.22 and xx.43 and then depart at xx.15 xx.25 and xx.45 so doesn’t look like interworking at that end.

As per earlier poster, it seems like a 33 min layover but merely looking at timetables is fraught with misconceptions

That may only be in the evenings, but I have heard several drivers saying this.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

That may only be at night, but that is what drivers are saying

That may only be in the evenings, but I have heard several drivers saying this.

As I said, just looking at times doesn’t always provide the full picture. However, the arrival/departure times quoted are M-F daytime and don’t point to interworking at the Thornbury end. However, only got til Tues to find out.

 

[carlberry]

Bristol Post says T2 will have refreshed singles with USB sockets. Where the T1 will have new "Metrobus standard" double deckers. Which means that the T1 is likely to be under a quality contact with BCC too.

When did Bristol start having quality contracts?? 'Metrobus standard' double deckers just means the Scanias.

 

[freetoview33]

Metrobus is under a Quality Contact, and the exact wording was if an operator wanted to use metrobus infrastructure it had to enter into one with the council, although at this stage it is unclear if the T1 is going to be part of this and I wouldn't put money on it, but it is a possibility.

 

[Dhassell]

I presume the double deckers which will run on the T1 will be those spare Scania Enviro 400MMCs which have been around a year but don't seem to have a set route?

 

[carlberry]

Metrobus is under a Quality Contact, and the exact wording was if an operator wanted to use metrobus infrastructure it had to enter into one with the council, although at this stage it is unclear if the T1 is going to be part of this and I wouldn't put money on it, but it is a possibility.

I don't believe it's the same as a quality contract as that is usually setup by a local authority to cover a public road and existing services and requires lots of consultation. Metrobus has specific infrastructure (the M32 junction and the guided bus bit) that it can control and, obviously, use of the marketing term. As the T1 dosent use either (according to the published timetables and maps) then it's just a standard bus route.

 

[swifty]

I’ve seen what appears to be 32341 a few nights in a row now heading back into Bristol on a 349. Each time has been consistent to what is usually run with an Abus Spectra. Anyone know if it’s on loan to Abus?

 

[D2007wsm]

I’ve seen what appears to be 32341 a few nights in a row now heading back into Bristol on a 349. Each time has been consistent to what is usually run with an Abus Spectra. Anyone know if it’s on loan to Abus?

Marlborough Street have been running some of the daytime 349s this week and Weston some X8s for Abus

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Marlborough Street have been running some of the daytime 349s this week and Weston some X8s for Abus

Abus short of drivers or vehicles?

 

[D2007wsm]

Abus short of drivers or vehicles?

No reason was given, but as far as I am aware it is just this week.

 

[Tommy Walters]

10036 & 10175 both on full day uni boards today. Also looks like yet another e200 has moved from Weston - 44910 on the 179.

 

[spw24]

44906-8 all working in Bath today whilst in Weston Purple Dart 42899 was out and 42903/4 both seen as well. Also final E200 44905 was on the 5.

 

[Marcus Fryer]

Buses on routes X46 and X49 are now showing 'Bristol DIRECT' and 'Yate DIRECT' (with DIRECT being black on orange background) instead of 'via Winterbourne' or 'via Pucklechurch'. I wouldn't consider either route as direct; surely the only route that could be considered as that is the X47.

 

[Martin1988]

X49 almost certainly does not run direct to Yate by any means

With regards the T1/T2 service I find it hard to believe that the T2 will get single decks particularly if it's being reduced to once an hour. It'll be interesting to see if the buses for that route do ever stray onto another service. Remember being really excited 5 years ago when one of the then new "Express Yourself" branded buses strayed onto a Yate service.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

X49 almost certainly does not run direct to Yate by any means

With regards the T1/T2 service I find it hard to believe that the T2 will get single decks particularly if it's being reduced to once an hour. It'll be interesting to see if the buses for that route do ever stray onto another service. Remember being really excited 5 years ago when one of the then new "Express Yourself" branded buses strayed onto a Yate service.

Perhaps they’re thinking that the T1 will take all the city traffic so singles will suffice for Cribbs and Gloucester Road?

 

[-Colly405-]

Hello everyone. I've been totally locked out of my account through changing phone and forgetting that the 2-tier logon needed that phone. Hey ho. Anyway, this is me on a *slightly* different user name...

 

[D2007wsm]

I presume the double deckers which will run on the T1 will be those spare Scania Enviro 400MMCs which have been around a year but don't seem to have a set route?

Yes the Scania E400s are being used for the T1, drivers have been receiving route training and type training on these the last few days.

The T2 should be refurbished single deckers, a contender for the ex Mendip Explorer B7RLEs? repainted of course.

 

[freetoview33]

So are the buses from the 78, 79 U.W.E and X48 going to Hengrove to replace the Scanias? Or to Wells for 172/173/174?

 

[D2007wsm]

So are the buses from the 78, 79 U.W.E and X48 going to Hengrove to replace the Scanias? Or to Wells for 172/173/174?

Originally they were going to Wells as an interim measure on the 172/173/174, now they've changed mind and the Scanias are going to Marlborough Street for the T1.

Some deckers should be going to Hengrove from Lawrence Hill over the weekend. A couple of deckers from somewhere should also be making their way to Weston for the enhanced Coaster timetables.

The B9s going to Wells will be from one of the Bristol depots.

 

[Class 33]

Are those double deckers expected to be on the new T1 service today? Or will it take a few weeks for them to start appearing? I will be aiming to catch a glimpse of a T1 running through Lewins Mead this morning anyway. I'm going to leave it till Tuesday to get a journey on a T1. Will be getting a return journey on the new MetroBus service to Emersons Green that day. Probably about 1pm, though it won't be very busy at that time I would expect. Looking forward to give that a try. Then about late afternoon/early evening I will get a T1 on a peak time service, to see what the vibe is like with all the commuters heading home on it for the first time. I probably won't go all the way to Thornbury though, due to it taking up too much time of my evening going there and back. Will probably just go as far as the Aztec West roundabout. Then I should have(presuming it's on time) just a short wait for a T1 back again. Will probably do a full run to Thornbury on another occasion.

 

[Marcus Fryer]

Then about late afternoon/early evening I will get a T1 on a peak time service, to see what the vibe is like with all the commuters heading home on it for the first time. I probably won't go all the way to Thornbury though, due to it taking up too much time of my evening going there and back. Will probably just go as far as the Aztec West roundabout.

The interesting journey would be the 17:35. I would expect there to be a fair bit of abstraction from the X73, which seems (from personal experience) becoming unreliable, particularly the 17:25 off the Centre.

 

[-Colly405-]

So, a morning of T1 firsts.

Took the 0650 T1 Harry Stoke - Thornbury Eastland Rd throughout; the first service bus to use the Stoke Gifford Bypass. As this is in effect a positioning move for the first southbound T2, it should be a single deck, but was allocated to 32686. Photo taken at Harry Stoke at 0648.
The northbound Harry Stoke stop is currently just some yellow paint on the road, a raised kerb and a hole in the pavement - no pole, no flag, no timetable, no shelter.
The driver was a bit concerned about how the bus would cope with the tree overhang in Hortham on the T2s.
Interesting maneouvre at Eastland Rd as it has to change from a T1 (heading westbound) to a T2 (heading eastbound).

Then waited 30 minutes at Eastland Rd for the first southbound T1, leaving at 0800, which became the first service bus to run the full length of the Stoke Gifford Bypass. In the hands of Scania 36821.
Note that these services, when arriving in town are first stop BRI. They do *not* stop at Cabot Circus despite what Traveline and the apps say (the driver checked with control), and the stop labelled on the timetable leaflet as Bristol Bus Station Layby is the BRI.

Then waited 30 minutes again at Colston St to reboard 36821 for the 0912, the first T1 off Colston St, and the first northbound along the full length of the SG Bypass.

The other T2 vehicle was an unidentified single deck.
The other T1 vehicle was, I think, 36822.

 

[vicbury]

Just noticed on First's website that the 4 in Bath will be extended to serve the Odd Down Park & Ride from 2 June on Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holidays.

Presumably a bit of extra resource would be needed to do this on weekdays, whereupon the 42 would be on shaky ground.

 

[Class 33]

I tried to catch sight of the T1 departing the Centre at 1145. No sign of it however. I gave up after about 5 minutes. The T2 departing the bus station at 1215 was a Gemini

 

[Marcus Fryer]

I tried to catch sight of the T1 departing the Centre at 1145. No sign of it however. I gave up after about 5 minutes. The T2 departing the bus station at 1215 was a Gemini

On a Sunday the T1 is hourly, departing the Centre at xx:12.
I'm surprised if the T1 doesn't set down in Bond Street as every other bus entering Bristol that way does.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Just noticed on First's website that the 4 in Bath will be extended to serve the Odd Down Park & Ride from 2 June on Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holidays.

Presumably a bit of extra resource would be needed to do this on weekdays, whereupon the 42 would be on shaky ground.

Interesting move! Might alleviate part of the need to duplicate the 41 at times?

To do it on weekdays would require an extra vehicle and, as you say, would provide an option vs the 42 (longer journey vs. better headway). Might foretell what could happen should Wessex ever decide to give up on it.