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

[Dhassell]

Is that 39443 that's pictured on facebook trapped under the railway bridge ? Search "Nailsea People" on Facebook for pictures.

39449 YN69EJC by the looks

 

[CD]

39449 YN69EJC by the looks

Love the message on the destination screen.

 

[father_jack]

Love the message on the destination screen.

View attachment 81067

Running empty message

 

[Tommy Walters]

Is that 39443 that's pictured on facebook trapped under the railway bridge ? Search "Nailsea People" on Facebook for pictures.

I didn't think that the X9 went under that bridge. Thought it was the X8, hence the need to use single decks, if so, that's incredibly poor by dispatchers to forget that! Or was there a diversion in place?

 

[swifty]

I didn't think that the X9 went under that bridge. Thought it was the X8, hence the need to use single decks, if so, that's incredibly poor by dispatchers to forget that! Or was there a diversion in place?

It doesn’t, it had spent the day on the X9 and was running empty back to the depot.

 

[Dai Corner]

Some more pictures here

Live: Bus with 'Stay Alert' on the front stuck under bridge

The road between Nailsea and Backwell is closed by police

www.bristolpost.co.uk

 

[Whiteway215]

The Bath Chronicle Somerset Live website is reporting on a talk given by James Freeman to a group in Bath. He said Electric buses couldn’t cope with the Bath hills. The biomethane buses in Bristol could cope with the hills but they haven’t been brought to Bath.
JF also quoted that FWE have had hybrid electric buses in Bath.They were completely unequal to the task. They had to be withdrawn and reengineered. The hills couldn’t be conquered by them.

Not sure where these (39133 etc) are or what this re-engineering is he refers to though. Have they been converted to Euro 6 diesel as per a previous rumour?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The Bath Chronicle Somerset Live website is reporting on a talk given by James Freeman to a group in Bath. He said Electric buses couldn’t cope with the Bath hills. The biomethane buses in Bristol could cope with the hills but they haven’t been brought to Bath.
JF also quoted that FWE have had hybrid electric buses in Bath.They were completely unequal to the task. They had to be withdrawn and reengineered. The hills couldn’t be conquered by them.

Not sure where these (39133 etc) are or what this re-engineering is he refers to though. Have they been converted to Euro 6 diesel as per a previous rumour?

Interestingly, he says that they could bring bio-methane but thinks the city deserves something more "dramatic"..... Hydrogen? https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/bath-needs-transport-revolution-electric-4350090

I seem to recall @spw24 saying that they were looking at re-powering but can't recall any confirmation of what was happening to them. I don't know if it's Bath that kills hybrids; East Yorkshire re-powered theirs and it's "as flat as a witches" in Hull. It's just the age of the batteries and their degradation.

IIRC, the P&R contract is due for renewal later this year?

 

[freetoview33]

Interestingly, he says that they could bring bio-methane but thinks the city deserves something more "dramatic"..... Hydrogen? https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/bath-needs-transport-revolution-electric-4350090

I seem to recall @spw24 saying that they were looking at re-powering but can't recall any confirmation of what was happening to them. I don't know if it's Bath that kills hybrids; East Yorkshire re-powered theirs and it's "as flat as a witches" in Hull. It's just the age of the batteries and their degradation.

IIRC, the P&R contract is due for renewal later this year?

It almost sounds like he'd like trams!

 

[Buses in Bath]

I was in Bristol for a lot of today and saw 39443 a few times. Weird to think it's now suddenly been destroyed by a bridge after being in service all day.

 

[DaveHarries]

376 all trips to street

And running at 4 buses per hour as well. I thought that it once only run 2 buses per hour off-peak so I don't know when they increased it but it looks like a PVR of 14 on the new TT?

Dave

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

It almost sounds like he'd like trams!

Nah.... the cable car over to Combe Down!

I was in Bristol for a lot of today and saw 39443 a few times. Weird to think it's now suddenly been destroyed by a bridge after being in service all day.View attachment 81076

Destroyed is a little strong. It'll be repaired.

 

[Buses in Bath]

Destroyed is a little strong. It'll be repaired.

It will be repaired but it's not brilliant (image from Bristol live)

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

It will be repaired but it's not brilliant (image from Bristol live)View attachment 81084

Agreed - it is far from good. Destroyed sounds like a write off but it'll be fixed. Bit of T Cut and it'll be fine

 

[Private Baxter]

IIRC, the P&R contract is due for renewal later this year?

The 62 plate environs were delivered towards the end of 2012, for what was, from memory, either a seven or eight year contract but honestly who knows what is going on with it at the moment. The previous contract was six years.

Agreed - it is far from good. Destroyed sounds like a write off but it'll be fixed. Bit of T Cut and it'll be fine

The bus is virtually brand new, so repairing it will prove economical. I always sympathise with the driver in these situations, who likely encounter a lot of flack from the public over a momentary mis-judgement.

 

[WelshBluebird]

I always sympathise with the driver in these situations, who likely encounter a lot of flack from the public over a momentary mis-judgement.

And possibly a little ribbing from colleagues I would guess!

 

[Tommy Walters]

I always sympathise with the driver in these situations, who likely encounter a lot of flack from the public over a momentary mis-judgement.

It's not actually the first time it's happened. On that Facebook page, someone else commented with a photo of an ALX400 that had done the same thing several years ago. Looked like a 52/03/53 one by the seats, can anyone confirm? Hopefully that gives the driver in question some degree of reassurance that he isn't the only one who's made that mistake!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

It's not actually the first time it's happened. On that Facebook page, someone else commented with a photo of an ALX400 that had done the same thing several years ago. Looked like a 52/03/53 one by the seats, can anyone confirm? Hopefully that gives the driver in question some degree of reassurance that he isn't the only one who's made that mistake!

There have been quite a few bridge strikes. Seem to recall ones at Twerton Arch (an L-SEU Olympian?), Whitby Road (322** B7TL), BPW (30871) and silliest was one Bath e200 damaged under a bridge near Twerton.

Thankfully, they have not resulted in serious injury but we only have to look back to events in Swansea a few months ago to know how serious these can be.

 

[Tommy Walters]

There have been quite a few bridge strikes. Seem to recall ones at Twerton Arch (an L-SEU Olympian?), Whitby Road (322** B7TL), BPW (30871) and silliest was one Bath e200 damaged under a bridge near Twerton.

Thankfully, they have not resulted in serious injury but we only have to look back to events in Swansea a few months ago to know how serious these can be.

I actually meant that there had been another strike at that location! But yes, I do recall some of these above. Another one that happened more recently of course was 33944 hitting that bridge in Wales!

 

[carlberry]

And possibly a little ribbing from colleagues I would guess!

The company is often not so accomidating however

There have been quite a few bridge strikes. Seem to recall ones at Twerton Arch (an L-SEU Olympian?), Whitby Road (322** B7TL), BPW (30871) and silliest was one Bath e200 damaged under a bridge near Twerton.

Thankfully, they have not resulted in serious injury but we only have to look back to events in Swansea a few months ago to know how serious these can be.

Now that 39449 is damaged it would be fitting to drive it under Gipsy Patch Lane bridge in a tribute to all the vehicles that have lost roofs under it just before it's demolished!

 

[Whiteway215]

There have been quite a few bridge strikes. Seem to recall ones at Twerton Arch (an L-SEU Olympian?), Whitby Road (322** B7TL), BPW (30871) and silliest was one Bath e200 damaged under a bridge near Twerton.
[/QUOTE]
L650SEU 39920 Twerton Arch and 44521 under the railway opposite (nearly) Weston Island depot.

 

[freetoview33]

At least it will never happen at Gipsy Patch Lane again. When it finally reopens next July.

 

[Luk3y]

Saw 32225 driving up the m4 this afternoon to its final destination

 

[D2007wsm]

There have been quite a few bridge strikes. Seem to recall ones at Twerton Arch (an L-SEU Olympian?), Whitby Road (322** B7TL), BPW (30871) and silliest was one Bath e200 damaged under a bridge near Twerton.

Thankfully, they have not resulted in serious injury but we only have to look back to events in Swansea a few months ago to know how serious these can be.

Didn’t 39920 hit the bridge in Twerton hit the bridge, get repaired and within a week of being repaired hit it again? The second time being unrepairable.So it was converted to an open top, initially being used on the Bath Tour before moving to Weston for Sandbay joining the old A** THW convertible Leyland Olympians. Then working solo before being joined by 38005 once Crossville started the 100 until the 1 was withdrawn.

 

[swifty]

It's not actually the first time it's happened. On that Facebook page, someone else commented with a photo of an ALX400 that had done the same thing several years ago. Looked like a 52/03/53 one by the seats, can anyone confirm? Hopefully that gives the driver in question some degree of reassurance that he isn't the only one who's made that mistake!

It was 32278 that struck it. You can see where it’s beeb repaired on the inside upper deck as the fibre glass has been painted a different colour.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Didn’t 39920 hit the bridge in Twerton hit the bridge, get repaired and within a week of being repaired hit it again? The second time being unrepairable.So it was converted to an open top, initially being used on the Bath Tour before moving to Weston for Sandbay joining the old A** THW convertible Leyland Olympians. Then working solo before being joined by 38005 once Crossville started the 100 until the 1 was withdrawn.

Thanks for jogging the memory - it was 39920 that hit it. It did go to Weston as you say, and then ended up in Weymouth.

 

[Whiteway215]

Saw 32225 driving up the m4 this afternoon to its final destination

Ensign bound one could safely assume?

 

[Whiteway215]

If my memory serves me correctly a VR also clouted the Twerton Arch. The rumour at the time was the driver had been working on the 5 so going under the arch.The second part of his shift was working the X? to Bristol that travelled along Lower Bristol Road and towards Bristol. When he got to the Twerton Arch he forgot he was working the different route and absentmindedly turned his VR left into the low arch.

 

[DaveHarries]

If my memory serves me correctly a VR also clouted the Twerton Arch. The rumour at the time was the driver had been working on the 5 so going under the arch.The second part of his shift was working the X? to Bristol that travelled along Lower Bristol Road and towards Bristol. When he got to the Twerton Arch he forgot he was working the different route and absentmindedly turned his VR left into the low arch.

I think there was an X38 at one time?
Dave

 

[NorthernSpirit]

It will be repaired but it's not brilliant (image from Bristol live)
View attachment 81084

I've seen worse, it'll buff out all it needs is a few replacement windows, the roof being bent back into shape and the tree defender rebolting to the roof and its fresh for service again. In all seriousness you would have though that by now Network Rail would have enlarged the bridge so that there aren't more deroofings at Nailsea and Backwell.