• 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)

Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

D2007wsm

Established Member
Joined
26 Jul 2015
Messages
1,310
Long Ashton M2 bus 36807 has arrived at Weston depot newly painted in blue. Colour looks similar to 39472 - Weston Pride bus perhaps?
It would be a unique bus in Weston, unless they are planning to trial it on Excel work? But if they were to transfer to Weston, what could replace them which is low enough and can have the guide wheels fitted? The original gas bus only just got under the swing bridge?
I know Weston has been using a B7RLE on Excel work, so they may be short of deckers. What with the E400 which caught fire and one was involved in an incident last week. The better option to get extra deckers into Weston would be to send E400s back from Marlborough Street or to have kept the E400s which came up from Kernow. There place could then be made up in Bristol using B9s.

The new or second hand new fleet for Excel work will have to come soon as they won’t be able to send the B7TLs to Bristol indefinitely. When the Bristol low emission zone comes in they will be confined to the 1, 3, 7 and 20. I think the best bet when Weston do receive whatever they’re getting will be to replace the B7TLs with the E400s, they’re newer and have been upgraded so will be able to go to Bristol if needed.
 

volvob12

Member
Joined
18 Aug 2021
Messages
94
Location
CUBA
It would be a unique bus in Weston, unless they are planning to trial it on Excel work? But if they were to transfer to Weston, what could replace them which is low enough and can have the guide wheels fitted? The original gas bus only just got under the swing bridge?
I know Weston has been using a B7RLE on Excel work, so they may be short of deckers. What with the E400 which caught fire and one was involved in an incident last week. The better option to get extra deckers into Weston would be to send E400s back from Marlborough Street or to have kept the E400s which came up from Kernow. There place could then be made up in Bristol using B9s.

The new or second hand new fleet for Excel work will have to come soon as they won’t be able to send the B7TLs to Bristol indefinitely. When the Bristol low emission zone comes in they will be confined to the 1, 3, 7 and 20. I think the best bet when Weston do receive whatever they’re getting will be to replace the B7TLs with the E400s, they’re newer and have been upgraded so will be able to go to Bristol if needed.
It’s one of three dual door MMCs being painted for use elsewhere due to lower PVRs. The others are a Portway P&R MMC and another Scania I believe.
 

Westonian

Member
Joined
4 May 2018
Messages
64
Location
North Somerset
It’s one of three dual door MMCs being painted for use elsewhere due to lower PVRs. The others are a Portway P&R MMC and another Scania I believe.
The other Scania could be 36808 which like 807 hasn't tracked for a while; both did Isle of Wight rail replacement in the Summer.
 

D2007wsm

Established Member
Joined
26 Jul 2015
Messages
1,310
It’s one of three dual door MMCs being painted for use elsewhere due to lower PVRs. The others are a Portway P&R MMC and another Scania I believe
Wouldn’t the common sense option be to keep them at Hengrove to use on their services or to Bath to back up the X39 and UniBus fleets. These depots already use them so both drivers and engineering know them and have parts.

It would make more sense for B9s to be sent elsewhere as floaters.
 

TheGrandWazoo

Veteran Member
Joined
18 Feb 2013
Messages
19,966
Location
Somerset with international travel (e.g. across th
It may seem that a little event passed away un-noticed last week with the final B7TL operations in Bristol (though Weston depot are still running in). Prompted by a nudge from another poster on here and being in the area, I dropped in on Saturday afternoon to find a few parked up at Lawrence Hill with 32281/2/9 joined by 32347/54 in the deadpool (providing a contrast with 39191/2).

West of England received 67 examples, mostly to Bristol with Weston getting 3 and Bath 7. Of course, their number swelled in later years with various cascades from London, and latterly from Leicester and Glasgow. It'll be interesting where the most recent withdrawals head to - disposal or elsewhere in First?
 

Whiteway215

Established Member
Joined
15 Sep 2015
Messages
1,989
Location
Bath
It may seem that a little event passed away un-noticed last week with the final B7TL operations in Bristol (though Weston depot are still running in). Prompted by a nudge from another poster on here and being in the area, I dropped in on Saturday afternoon to find a few parked up at Lawrence Hill with 32281/2/9 joined by 32347/54 in the deadpool (providing a contrast with 39191/2).

West of England received 67 examples, mostly to Bristol with Weston getting 3 and Bath 7. Of course, their number swelled in later years with various cascades from London, and latterly from Leicester and Glasgow. It'll be interesting where the most recent withdrawals head to - disposal or elsewhere in First?
Yes it would be interesting to know the intention for these latest withdrawals.
Cymru still have X reg B7TLs and there are still quite a few Tridents still running with other opcos.
 

TheGrandWazoo

Veteran Member
Joined
18 Feb 2013
Messages
19,966
Location
Somerset with international travel (e.g. across th
Yes it would be interesting to know the intention for these latest withdrawals.
Cymru still have X reg B7TLs and there are still quite a few Tridents still running with other opcos.
South Wales would make some sense in getting rid of the W/X reg and replacing them with stuff that is 3 or so years newer. I'm not so certain on replacing Tridents elsewhere especially as they've been repainting Tridents in Norwich in the last few months. Three of the ex London Wright ones were, of course, converted to partial open top for Dorset and perhaps similar conversions could be considered? Otherwise, I'm sure there will be plenty of willing customers for them.
 

Volvodart

Established Member
Joined
12 Jun 2010
Messages
2,379
The first double deckers released from Glasgow when the electric double deckers arrive are supposed to be Trident replacements.
 

baza585

Member
Joined
1 Aug 2010
Messages
621
South Wales would make some sense in getting rid of the W/X reg and replacing them with stuff that is 3 or so years newer. I'm not so certain on replacing Tridents elsewhere especially as they've been repainting Tridents in Norwich in the last few months. Three of the ex London Wright ones were, of course, converted to partial open top for Dorset and perhaps similar conversions could be considered? Otherwise, I'm sure there will be plenty of willing customers for them.
Portsmouth Clean Air Zone imminent. Maybe EL Trident replacements if Euro 6 compliant?
 

TheGrandWazoo

Veteran Member
Joined
18 Feb 2013
Messages
19,966
Location
Somerset with international travel (e.g. across th
The first double deckers released from Glasgow when the electric double deckers arrive are supposed to be Trident replacements.
Could some of those be later model B7TLs and heading south of FWoE?
Portsmouth Clean Air Zone imminent. Maybe EL Trident replacements if Euro 6 compliant?
It's true that something will need to allow those ones to head to Kernow. I had wondered about the ex Manc e400s that Weymouth received being a better fit for the Solent rather than the Jurassic Coaster routes but the couple I travelled on seemed ok and they've been painted now.
 

cnjb8

Established Member
Joined
26 Feb 2019
Messages
2,113
Location
Nottingham
The B7TLs from Glasgow are most likely to go to Essex, Cymru and Eastern Counties (Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft as they still have Barbie Tridents and W-plates running around) in my opinion.
 

vla50

Member
Joined
21 Mar 2021
Messages
437
Location
South East
The B7TLs from Glasgow are most likely to go to Essex, Cymru and Eastern Counties (Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft as they still have Barbie Tridents and W-plates running around) in my opinion.
Does it matter if they are Barbie however because they seem to be the youngest Tridents in the fleet whereas the branded ones seem to be the oldest?

This does beg the question though, when will we perhaps see the 21/22/36/37/38 branded ones withdrawn, even the 02/52 reg B7TLs? It will be interesting to see if 33120 gets withdrawn whenever the electric stock enter Glasgow.
 

TheGrandWazoo

Veteran Member
Joined
18 Feb 2013
Messages
19,966
Location
Somerset with international travel (e.g. across th
I thought they may be 54 plates although I do not know how many are still around.
There's a handful of 2007 ones but mainly 54 plates
The B7TLs from Glasgow are most likely to go to Essex, Cymru and Eastern Counties (Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft as they still have Barbie Tridents and W-plates running around) in my opinion.

Does it matter if they are Barbie however because they seem to be the youngest Tridents in the fleet whereas the branded ones seem to be the oldest?

This does beg the question though, when will we perhaps see the 21/22/36/37/38 branded ones withdrawn, even the 02/52 reg B7TLs? It will be interesting to see if 33120 gets withdrawn whenever the electric stock enter Glasgow.
Think we are going a little off topic now so to bring it back a little...

First Essex have been the recipient of a number of B7TLs from FWoE and do have a few Tridents knocking about. Cascades are a dark art in First so don't know if we can predict anything! The fact that some elderly Tridents and B7TLs were repainted in Norwich indicates that those examples may be staying but there are others still in Barbie. Again, as FWoE showed, there was nothing to indicate that retaining Barbie was an indicator of early withdrawal as the 667** Eclipses showed.
 
Last edited:

fgwrich

Established Member
Joined
15 Apr 2009
Messages
9,250
Location
Between Edinburgh and Exeter
Portsmouth Clean Air Zone imminent. Maybe EL Trident replacements if Euro 6 compliant?

If your thinking about the East Lancs Myllennium Tridents, already accounted for and due to head to First Kernow.

Cascades are a dark art in First so don't know if we can predict anything!
Certainly so, as we see from our friends in FSW - I mean, who'd have predicted Enviro 500s for Kernow!
 

TheGrandWazoo

Veteran Member
Joined
18 Feb 2013
Messages
19,966
Location
Somerset with international travel (e.g. across th
If your thinking about the East Lancs Myllennium Tridents, already accounted for and due to head to First Kernow.
In fairness to @baza585, I think that was their point. They need to be replaced by something that is CAZ compliant so could that involve slightly newer cascades to replace them?

If the reports are true that the FWoE Excel fleet is to be upgraded with newer fleet in early 2022, then some compliant fleet would come free?
 

vla50

Member
Joined
21 Mar 2021
Messages
437
Location
South East
In fairness to @baza585, I think that was their point. They need to be replaced by something that is CAZ compliant so could that involve slightly newer cascades to replace them?

If the reports are true that the FWoE Excel fleet is to be upgraded with newer fleet in early 2022, then some compliant fleet would come free?
It would be interesting to see if some of the Enviro 400s move to Somerset to perhaps replace the ALX400s.
 

On the Buses

Member
Joined
14 Aug 2019
Messages
561
Location
UK
If your thinking about the East Lancs Myllennium Tridents, already accounted for and due to head to First Kernow.


Certainly so, as we see from our friends in FSW - I mean, who'd have predicted Enviro 500s for Kernow!
The Tridents are actually going to BoS now not Cornwall by Kernow.
In another refinement, 33420-2 are not now heading to WoE but are staying with / returning to FSW, but to Taunton. The remainder of Somerset’s double deck cascades will be Geminis already allocated from across the U.K.
 

TheGrandWazoo

Veteran Member
Joined
18 Feb 2013
Messages
19,966
Location
Somerset with international travel (e.g. across th
It would be interesting to see if some of the Enviro 400s move to Somerset to perhaps replace the ALX400s.
You have your answer from @On the Buses but the question was more on how the Portsmouth CAZ would be met. Some compliant but mature e400s would be a solution but as we see, cascades are complex and are subject to change.
The Tridents are actually going to BoS now not Cornwall by Kernow.
In another refinement, 33420-2 are not now heading to WoE but are staying with / returning to FSW, but to Taunton. The remainder of Somerset’s double deck cascades will be Geminis already allocated from across the U.K.
Thank you for that clarification. The current BoS Tridents have been good servants but welcome news that some decent upgrades are on the way.
 

vla50

Member
Joined
21 Mar 2021
Messages
437
Location
South East
You have your answer from @On the Buses but the question was more on how the Portsmouth CAZ would be met. Some compliant but mature e400s would be a solution but as we see, cascades are complex and are subject to change.

Thank you for that clarification. The current BoS Tridents have been good servants but welcome news that some decent upgrades are on the way.
And my thanks as well.

Interesting, 7 ELCs from Hampshire, 3 E400s & 2+ Geminis would make welcome upgrades to BOS and hopefully they all get painted into vibrant BOS liveries.

I imagine these all would also see off some of the Eclipses to join the training fleet?
 

On the Buses

Member
Joined
14 Aug 2019
Messages
561
Location
UK
And my thanks as well.

Interesting, 7 ELCs from Hampshire, 3 E400s & 2+ Geminis would make welcome upgrades to BOS and hopefully they all get painted into vibrant BOS liveries.

I imagine these all would also see off some of the Eclipses to join the training fleet?
There are more than 2 Geminis as I alluded
The B7RLEs are no longer needed for training. The two from WoE have now been fully converted and are due back from Thornton’s imminently.

I thought the AC esque liveried ones were Eclipses, my bad.
They are Solars - on Scania chassis. They may well get displaced from the 21 by deckers but of course we have more plans…
 

Top