Thank you. Are the street deck cascades or new deliveries? Any idea what will happen to the Excel buses?
-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
First West of England (Bristol, Bath & The West)
- Thread starter Ivo
- Start date
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Think it was intimated that it’s new vehicles?
If I were a betting man, think the 56/58 plates would move to other OpCos but the newer ones might stay?
Private Baxter
Established Member
- Joined
- 22 Sep 2013
- Messages
- 1,789
Good to hear Weston will become a fellet of much newer vehicles. I don't know the full pvr (kind of lost track with many of the excel routes going back and forth to MH), but 28 new streetdecks does suggest most if not all e400s will disappear. Either way this news is encouraging.
Saw a purple Citylines 3/4 branded B9TL on suspended tow heading west out of London on the M40 yesterday. Could have been heading for the M4 westbound due to the M4 weekend closure so perhaps headed for Bristol. Couldn’t see the number- perhaps 37617 or 37618?
stait.john
Member
- Joined
- 17 May 2013
- Messages
- 372
I think it’s 37618 which has been having some work done over in Essex.
Callum15632
Member
32333 and 32336 have been picked up from Weston Super Mare Depot to be transferred to Eastern Counties (Norwich) to replace Norwich Tridents 33126 and 33248 which both have suffered engine failures. 32357 is due to follow.
Last edited:
vla50
Member
What is 32357 going to replace?
Callum15632
Member
I don't know as all it said on a Facebook group that 32357 is going to follow.
Whiteway215
Established Member
Conversion to open top possibly ?
vla50
Member
That's interesting, a fourth open top for Great Yarmouth possibly?
Callum15632
Member
Maybe to replace 32905 the open top euro 2 trident?
vla50
Member
There was a 4th open topper in the summer on loan, perhaps it could be an addition to the fleet without replacing anything?
I heard from a driver, the B9s recently sent to Weston are only staying temporarily and are then heading to Bath.
Apparently they are staying until the new buses are delivered. So some new buses for Badgerline and some for Excel or all Excel with E400s for Badgerline? Either way some E400s will need to be returned.
Also, the navy blue Scania is still parked in Weston matked ‘Do Not Use’ as well as a blue E400 and some red fronted Streetlites.
Apparently they are staying until the new buses are delivered. So some new buses for Badgerline and some for Excel or all Excel with E400s for Badgerline? Either way some E400s will need to be returned.
Also, the navy blue Scania is still parked in Weston matked ‘Do Not Use’ as well as a blue E400 and some red fronted Streetlites.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Just thinking it would be odd for that to be converted in that it's a short one. You'd think a longer one with a higher top deck capacity would be preferred?
A wise man has informed me that a pair of ex Cymru Streetlites were due in order to replace the last two Darts
If the B9s are temporary and are due to head to Bath, I can't imagine what they'd replace
vla50
Member
Has 32289 now moved to Cymru?
Perhaps some E400s will move to the Badgerline and the rest of the E400s get scattered across the UK? There are some parts of the country with elderly ALXs like Cymru, some in Great Yarmouth, Halifax, the Potteries.
Last edited:
I think Bath is running out of vehicles during university semester time. The current Bath uni routes 22, U1 and U2 are not as frequent as pre-covid and I saw tonnes of students at Brougham Hayes waiting for the U2 in the previous weeks. This would have been thrown back to the withdrawal of the bendies B7LA last year, at least 10 bendies have been for withdrawal, so I think the B9s are to replace them and make the uni routes back to normal frequencies.
Buses in Bath
Member
Even if they had more buses it wouldn't help as they have no drivers
cnjb8
Established Member
Maybe to replace a Great Yarmouth Barbie Trident or just for fleet demand?
vla50
Member
I don't know if I'd understand that move because they are only one year younger than what it would be replacing.
Callum15632
Member
It might become open top and be the 4tj open top as Eastern Counties had a DAF DB250 Plaxton President bodied Open Top during last summer.
cnjb8
Established Member
Yes, but getting rid of an obsolete livery by replacing has some merit IMO
Which they could maybe do again this summer
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
It might be because the Tridents are experiencing major unit failures and First probably don't want to spend big sums on repairing life expired fleet when they can draft in a couple of spare deckers, even if it is a trek from West to East.
Bristol LH
Member
- Joined
- 6 Aug 2017
- Messages
- 73
No
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
I'd heard that the rumoured move of ALXs to Cymru isn't now taking place.
Whiteway215
Established Member
Has 32349 come back to life at Weston?
Callum15632
Member
It's been alive for ages. It was off for a while but came back in early October.
Whiteway215
Established Member
I thought towards the end of October there was a photo of it with destination equipment removed and standing in the scrap lineup at Weston depot
Callum15632
Member
32349 did join the scrap lineup but never had the destinations removed.
Last edited:
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Here is said line up (courtesy of Alex Mackin)
33422, First, Weston-super-Mare Depot, 27-10-21
33422, 32349, 32011, 42904, 42925, 42903, 32356, 32332, 32338, 32328, 32341, 32013, 32339, 32342 all lined up withdrawn from service.
www.flickr.com
Callum15632
Member
I know but 32349 never had its destination box and equipment removed.Here is said line up (courtesy of Alex Mackin)
33422, First, Weston-super-Mare Depot, 27-10-21
33422, 32349, 32011, 42904, 42925, 42903, 32356, 32332, 32338, 32328, 32341, 32013, 32339, 32342 all lined up withdrawn from service.