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

[Tommy Walters]

Could you possibly explain to the wider audience who Steve White is, as well as supplying a link (and quoting from) his reports? Thanks

Yes of course. Steve White is a driver at MH, who supplies information on repaints/transfers etc (he is also user spw24 on the forum). His site, which gets updated regularly, can be found here : http://www.swhite.org.uk/

Elsewhere it is reported StreetDeck 35110/35111 and ADL E20D 44520/44523 transferred from Bath to Bristol, Hengrove over the weekend.

The two Streetdecks returning was expected, but not sure what HE want with two more E200s coming their way. So far older 44907 has only really seen use on the 93x shuttle there! I would've expected some of the loaned Streetlites in Bath to have returned instead!

 

[Private Baxter]

Elsewhere it is reported StreetDeck 35110/35111 and ADL E20D 44520/44523 transferred from Bath to Bristol, Hengrove over the weekend.

Must have missed that. Good to see the streetdecks have finally gone home. But what use are the e200s at Hengrove I wonder?

 

[Blackpudding]

Must have missed that. Good to see the streetdecks have finally gone home. But what use are the e200s at Hengrove I wonder?

Use on the 93x I believe.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Must have missed that. Good to see the streetdecks have finally gone home. But what use are the e200s at Hengrove I wonder?

It would make sense for the Streetdecks to return back to Bristol as the now repowered Hybrids head back onto the P&R work. Mind you, they might need to keep something to cover for the lesser spotted 39005! Mind you, it does make me wonder about the rumoured plan to have the ex FSY Streetdecks on the BSU routes whilst all the others are in Bristol? The suggestion from someone on this thread for the Mendip B9s to work those routes made more sense to me but hey ho!

44520/3 moving to Bristol is the first of the batch to move from Bath? I always wondered if they might have gone before now.

 

[spw24]

thanks for the intro couldn't have put it better myself.
35110 is already out saw it on a 92 earlier and its still carrying its Park & Ride lettering from Bath.
and 44907 has been on the 8 this afternoon.

 

[Whiteway215]

Just like the old days of the Bath U2 today. 32007 and 32008 on the 20a/c Twerton short workings.

 

[aquae39]

Now the new timetable of Bath U1 has 12 vehicles. It's clear that half of the vehicles use coaches and the other half are First. The departure times at daytime ending with 0 are First and ending with 5 are coaches.

 

[Tommy Walters]

Now the new timetable of Bath U1 has 12 vehicles. It's clear that half of the vehicles use coaches and the other half are First. The departure times at daytime ending with 0 are First and ending with 5 are coaches.

I suspected this might be the case, given 2 Uni MMCs have been putting in appearances on the 19 over the last couple of days. Also as the departures with a 5 go for a break in the middle of the day like the Grand Parade shuttles did!

Only downside of this operation is that you can only buy tickets onboard half of the hourly services! The rest are m-ticket only!

 

[freetoview33]

I suspected this might be the case, given 2 Uni MMCs have been putting in appearances on the 19 over the last couple of days. Also as the departures with a 5 go for a break in the middle of the day like the Grand Parade shuttles did!

Only downside of this operation is that you can only buy tickets onboard half of the hourly services! The rest are m-ticket only!

Still an improvement on Bristol Uni U1/U2 Where it is m-tickets or m-tickets.

 

[AB93]

Still an improvement on Bristol Uni U1/U2 Where it is m-tickets or m-tickets.

...or contactless payment.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Bit of additional revenue for First today with 32544, 36815 and an e400 (can't recall which) operating a shuttle from Odd Down P&R to the Two Tunnels running event.

 

[D2007wsm]

67107 & 67108, the A3 E200MMCs have been aloud out to play. They’re currently being used on the Bristol Parkway to Newport Rail Replacement services.

 

[Class 33]

I've noticed the 2A's are still incorrectly showing Charlton Road Junct on the destination displays, instead of Charlton Road Layby. Why are they not displaying Charlton Road Layby? Also I've noticed in the last few days that some of them have Brenty Charlton Road Junct on the display, whilst some others have Southmead Charlton Road Junct!

 

[freetoview33]

I've noticed the 2A's are still incorrectly showing Charlton Road Junct on the destination displays, instead of Charlton Road Layby. Why are they not displaying Charlton Road Layby? Also I've noticed in the last few days that some of them have Brenty Charlton Road Junct on the display, whilst others are saying Southmead Charlton Road Junct!

It shouldn't even say layby as they aren't actually stopping in the layby

 

[Class 33]

It shouldn't even say layby as they aren't actually stopping in the layby

Oh I see. I thought the terminating point was actually the layby there. I've not been along that part of Charlton Road for many years. The destination display should just say Brentry Charlton Road then, as Charlton Road Junct is not where the service actually terminates.

 

[carlberry]

Oh I see. I thought the terminating point was actually the layby there. I've not been along that part of Charlton Road for many years. The destination display should just say Brentry Charlton Road then, as Charlton Road Junct is not where the service actually terminates.

The official description (National Public Transport Access Nodes) of it's terminus is Filton, Charlton Road if that helps!

 

[freetoview33]

Oh I see. I thought the terminating point was actually the layby there. I've not been along that part of Charlton Road for many years. The destination display should just say Brentry Charlton Road then, as Charlton Road Junct is not where the service actually terminates.

It stops at the stop that is called "Charlton Road". It uses the layby to turn around but it can't stop there as it blocks the turning point for the 13.

 

[Whiteway215]

Just wondering. First Bath have recently withdrawn the U3 which employed the now redundant bendis which will be up for disposal. The PVR of the U3 was about 12 to 14 buses.
So will that mean quite a number of drivers will lose their jobs?
On the Go Cornwall Bus thread it was suggested that a number of drivers whose contracts with Transprt for Cornwall terminated on 31 August were transferring to West of England to take up driving Uni buses in this area. If this is correct then some of these drivers may have regretted their decision to transfer.

Just a thought.

 

[Tommy Walters]

Strangely, the static Ticketer Machine in the kiosk at Bath Uni now appears on bustimes! Obviously, it'll be a dot on the map that never moves!

 

[BBC]

Just wondering. First Bath have recently withdrawn the U3 which employed the now redundant bendis which will be up for disposal. The PVR of the U3 was about 12 to 14 buses.
So will that mean quite a number of drivers will lose their jobs?
On the Go Cornwall Bus thread it was suggested that a number of drivers whose contracts with Transprt for Cornwall terminated on 31 August were transferring to West of England to take up driving Uni buses in this area. If this is correct then some of these drivers may have regretted their decision to transfer.

Just a thought.

If bath has the amount of overtime that LH or hengrove has then I wouldn’t worry. We’re short of driver across the west right now.

 

[freetoview33]

Next set of service changes on the 8th of November! At the moment it seems to just be Weston services changing but could be more too.
1: Decreases from every 30 mins to every 60 mins (Normal Winter change)
3: Increases from every 15 mins to every 12 mins
5: End to End journey time cut by 2 mins
7: Off peak decreases from every 10 to every 12 mins
20: Few morning and evening trips withdrawn but frequency remains every 30 mins. Saturday reduced from every 60 mins to every 30 mins.

 

[Whiteway215]

If bath has the amount of overtime that LH or hengrove has then I wouldn’t worry. We’re short of driver across the west right now.

I wasn’t sure what the staffing situation was so thanks for making that clear. I imagine that Bath are just as short of drivers as the other depots then.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Next set of service changes on the 8th of November! At the moment it seems to just be Weston services changing but could be more too.
1: Decreases from every 30 mins to every 60 mins (Normal Winter change)
3: Increases from every 15 mins to every 12 mins
5: End to End journey time cut by 2 mins
7: Off peak decreases from every 10 to every 12 mins
20: Few morning and evening trips withdrawn but frequency remains every 30 mins. Saturday reduced from every 60 mins to every 30 mins.

Reduced from 60 to 30??

 

[freetoview33]

From 30 to 60, my bad!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

From 30 to 60, my bad!

No probs - the odd typo gets the best of us.

 

[Marcus Fryer]

67107 & 67108, the A3 E200MMCs have been aloud out to play. They’re currently being used on the Bristol Parkway to Newport Rail Replacement services.

Haven’t seen these, but there are some Airport Flyer A1 buses being used in addition to the usual variety of P&R, Uni, etc.

 

[D2007wsm]

Haven’t seen these, but there are some Airport Flyer A1 buses being used in addition to the usual variety of P&R, Uni, etc.

Drivers said they were out and I saw a picture of one of them at Bristol Parkway on Facebook.

 

[Marcus Fryer]

Drivers said they were out and I saw a picture of one of them at Bristol Parkway on Facebook.

Presumably on the stopping service. Saw one of these today; it was an Excel liveried Streetlite.

 

[Westonian]

Next set of service changes on the 8th of November! At the moment it seems to just be Weston services changing but could be more too.
1: Decreases from every 30 mins to every 60 mins (Normal Winter change)
3: Increases from every 15 mins to every 12 mins
5: End to End journey time cut by 2 mins
7: Off peak decreases from every 10 to every 12 mins
20: Few morning and evening trips withdrawn but frequency remains every 30 mins. Saturday reduced from every 60 mins to every 30 mins.

To add to freetoview33 regarding Weston services:
1: Winter Sunday service introduced, 8 trips with a lunch break.
3: The increase is only Mon-Fri off peak.
7: The main change is extension of all except evening and Sunday journeys beyond Oldmixon to Haywood Village, a new housing estate being built on the site of the former Weston Airport.
20: The journeys withdrawn are mainly positioning trips to/from Burnham which will run 'dead'.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

7: The main change is extension of all except evening and Sunday journeys beyond Oldmixon to Haywood Village

Assume that there is some s.106 funding for that??