Isle of Wight Beer and Buses

[Birdbrain]

Hello everyone. It's almost that time of year again, just three weeks to go until this years event. This year we have an even bigger network of routes running more frequently across the Isle of Wight linking real ale establishments. Improvements for this year include six buses an hour Newport to Ventnor, four buses per hour Newport to Cowes via the villages and a new route to Freshwater and Alum Bay. We have just short of 100 vintage vehicles operating in service from our bus stations at Newport Quay and Ryde Depot. Feel free to ask any questions on this thread as we continue the huge task planning the event. Who's coming this year?


A list of buses operating here, with a few last minute additions still to add : http://iwbeerandbuses.co.uk/buses.php

You can buy your programme online. The programme give you free travel on the Isle of Wight Steam railway between Wootton and Havenstreet, discounted Wightlink & Southern Vectis fares and money off food and drink at the pubs. A further supplement will be available the week before the event which will tell you exactly which bus is operating each journey http://iwbeerandbuses.co.uk/programme.php

 

[83G/84D]

Hi birdbrain,

I will be at the event again this year and am looking forward to arguably / in my opinion the biggest and best bus event of the year.

With several West Country events (Plymouth, Taunton and Warminster) not taking place this year for various reasons it’s good to see some participants from the south west.

The Isle of Wight is such a great place to visit and I hope the event especially the new routes are a success.

 

[atraindriver]

<deleted>

 

[83G/84D]

Thanks, it would be a shame if it doesn’t return next year but given what you say not surprising.

 

[yorkie]

Massive queues at Newport, have they underestimated demand?

 

[yorkie]

We have given up queuing. Now going for service bus instead.

 

[yorkie]

We were thinking of getting a heritage bus from Yarmouth just now, but as someone else on this service bus has just said "have you seen the size of the queue?'

My advice to anyone considering this event would be: only do it if you enjoy queuing!

 

[83G/84D]

The event is a victim of its own success. I have attended the last four of these and each year there are more and more people attending. Last year people were left behind at pubs after the last vintage bus had departed forced to use service buses or taxis.

This year is busier than last not helped by some buses not getting over from the mainland until today due to disruption on the ferry crossings yesterday.

The pubs I visited were all packed and long queues everywhere for buses with Newport and Ryde noticeably busier than last time round.

Think the organisers do a great job but not much they can do to make things better.

 

[ainsworth74]

Think the organisers do a great job but not much they can do to make things better.

Indeed they do do a great job but I wonder if they need to think about consolidating their routes to enable higher frequencies? I'm not sure that a half hourly service really works and so perhaps they need to run to fewer destinations but at higher frequency. Perhaps do one set of routes on Saturday and then another on Sunday to keep it interesting.

 

[theblackwatch]

I attended a couple of years ago, there were huge queues at Newport but it seemed to work reasonably well as a 'decker could gobble up a load of people and they put on some dupes too. Despite the large amount of people I don't think I had to wait more than 20-30 mins. Away from Newport there was only one bus I didn't manage to get on - I had to some re-planning to ensure I managed to get 10 VRs in for haulage that day!

 

[83G/84D]

Indeed they do do a great job but I wonder if they need to think about consolidating their routes to enable higher frequencies? I'm not sure that a half hourly service really works and so perhaps they need to run to fewer destinations but at higher frequency. Perhaps do one set of routes on Saturday and then another on Sunday to keep it interesting.

I am told by one of the organisers that they will look at what went well and what didn’t with next year in mind. Queuing for buses on the south east side of the Island didn’t seem so long today, perhaps some people were put off by the miserable weather.

Last year by the way Southern Vectis had drivers and E400 buses on standby at Newport but no sign of them this year.

 

[richw]

Massive queues at Newport, have they underestimated demand?

On a round route of Newport- Yarmouth -Alum bay, on one run we left over 100 people between Freshwater and Alum Bay mid afternoon.
We found in the afternoon people were getting on and doing a full circuit not visiting the establishments so nobody getting off round the route so we couldn’t pick more up. I notified the controller and he sent out two empty deckers to pick up the crowds.
It was my first year but my mate who owns the bus We attended with, said it was nowhere near this busy in previous years.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Last year by the way Southern Vectis had drivers and E400 buses on standby at Newport but no sign of them this year.

There was at least one Vectis Blue vehicle running today on route L, so there is at least some involvement from Southern Vectis.

 

[richw]

I managed to get 10 VRs in for haulage that day!

Did you (or anyone for that matter) go on NDL637M on Saturday? I was conducting for most of it, although did a small amount of driving.

 

[theblackwatch]

Did you (or anyone for that matter) go on NDL637M on Saturday? I was conducting for most of it, although did a small amount of driving.

This was 2 years ago, and yes I did - my first journey on Oct 15th 2016, from Ryde to Wootton (would have bee at around 09.30/10.00 I guess).

 

[83G/84D]

On a round route of Newport- Yarmouth -Alum bay, on one run we left over 100 people between Freshwater and Alum Bay mid afternoon.
We found in the afternoon people were getting on and doing a full circuit not visiting the establishments so nobody getting off round the route so we couldn’t pick more up. I notified the controller and he sent out two empty deckers to pick up the crowds.
It was my first year but my mate who owns the bus We attended with, said it was nowhere near this busy in previous years.

I saw a couple of VR’s still in service at around 5pm in Yarmouth which I think was after the service was due to finish. Niton was busy as usual as was Shanklin on my visits today but I thought that some places were quieter than yesterday. The Sun Inn at Hulverstone and the routes that served that area in general were quite quiet at lunchtime and late afternoon when I returned.

Got some photos of NDL 637M at Freshwater today.

 

[richw]

This was 2 years ago, and yes I did - my first journey on Oct 15th 2016, from Ryde to Wootton (would have bee at around 09.30/10.00 I guess).

Oops I didn’t even notice that you mentioned it being 2 years ago. A good friend of mine is one of the joint owners of it now.

Wightlink going wrong on Friday had a huge impact on Saturday, as some of the vehicles and drivers suffered 11 hour delays, not getting on a ferry until 3am despite having been booked for mid afternoon crossings! Those drivers weren’t good to go at 9am through not arriving until close to 4am!

 

[83G/84D]

On a round route of Newport- Yarmouth -Alum bay, on one run we left over 100 people between Freshwater and Alum Bay mid afternoon.
We found in the afternoon people were getting on and doing a full circuit not visiting the establishments so nobody getting off round the route so we couldn’t pick more up. I notified the controller and he sent out two empty deckers to pick up the crowds.
It was my first year but my mate who owns the bus We attended with, said it was nowhere near this busy in previous years.

People were left behind on the Cowes & Bembridge services yesterday for the same reasons. Luckily there was an alternative service bus available which was not the case everywhere on the Island.

 

[83G/84D]

Oops I didn’t even notice that you mentioned it being 2 years ago. A good friend of mine is one of the joint owners of it now.

Wightlink going wrong on Friday had a huge impact on Saturday, as some of the vehicles and drivers suffered 11 hour delays, not getting on a ferry until 3am despite having been booked for mid afternoon crossings! Those drivers weren’t good to go at 9am through not arriving until close to 4am!

I crossed from Lymington to Yarmouth on Friday morning with no problems and back the other way this evening without incident. Staying the night near Salisbury before heading back to Cornwall tomorrow.

 

[richw]

I crossed from Lymington to Yarmouth on Friday morning with no problems and back the other way this evening without incident. Staying the night near Salisbury before heading back to Cornwall tomorrow.

I crossed Portsmouth to Fishbourne, we got on at 1am on Saturday morning, many got left behind. As it was St Cecelia on over night a couple of the deckers were tight for head room. Mike Elkin’s Olympian has millimetres to spare!
I went back at lunchtime today as I wanted to get home as I sign on at 0540 tomorrow morning!

 

[heart-of-wessex]

I crossed Portsmouth to Fishbourne, we got on at 1am on Saturday morning, many got left behind. As it was St Cecelia on over night a couple of the deckers were tight for head room. Mike Elkin’s Olympian has millimetres to spare!
I went back at lunchtime today as I wanted to get home as I sign on at 0540 tomorrow morning!

Something like that!! I saw Mike follow us on to the boat on the way back (St Cecelia again) it was tight indeed!!

I had a great day on Sunday, got 9 vehicles in the book and was much easier to do as loadings were better (well on the Ryde operations). Doing Newport was trickier, still managed to do 10 vehicles but mostly on the W and X as the other queues were long, especially a massive queue for the route B and C! Saturday morning I had some idea's planned using the vehicle diagram booklet but none of the vehicles were on their booked diagrams probably due to the fact that vehicles were still on their way from the ferry crossing.

Sunday I tried some +1 minute connections to get another vehicle for haulage, but I noticed these were running early. One was running a good 5 minutes early as it passed us on the way despite the fact it wasn't due for 5 minutes. I wondered if some of the stops weren't timing stops, and more likely to be a case of if there's no one getting on or off then just carry on?

 

[richw]

One was running a good 5 minutes early as it passed us on the way despite the fact it wasn't due for 5 minutes. I wondered if some of the stops weren't timing stops, and more likely to be a case of if there's no one getting on or off then just carry on?

On Saturday We were instructed to carry on if we were full, but to wait time if we had some space. We were on T all day, typically we were 20-30 mins late by the time we got back to Newport

 

[richw]

I saw Mike follow us on to the boat on the way back (St Cecelia again)

This photo doesn’t really show it clear, but Mikes (2nd one back) is almost a foot taller than Ricks in the front

 

[heart-of-wessex]

This photo doesn’t really show it clear, but Mikes (2nd one back) is almost a foot taller than Ricks in the front

Got one as we got off JLJ403 as mike was coming on.

In regards to the bus passing the stop 5 minutes early, that was on Sunday on the first run from Newport to Ryde. Maybe that was wedged? Either case 15 minutes later another turned up on time.

Later on at Brading I was on one that left a good 6 - 7 minutes ahead of schedule and not full up either, though it seemed no one up front was checking the time

Anyway, photo I took:

 

[ainsworth74]

What do the ferry crew and other passengers make of their vessels being full of heritage buses at times like this?

 

[richw]

Got one as we got off JLJ403 as mike was coming on.

In regards to the bus passing the stop 5 minutes early, that was on Sunday on the first run from Newport to Ryde. Maybe that was wedged? Either case 15 minutes later another turned up on time.

Later on at Brading I was on one that left a good 6 - 7 minutes ahead of schedule and not full up either, though it seemed no one up front was checking the time

Anyway, photo I took:

View attachment 53820

It’s probably a case with myself and my mate’s duty we’ve both got it drilled into us in the day jobs at our respective employers that running early earns a P45! We ran at capacity all day which in fact slowed us down with the loadings. It certainly slowed the bus down all that weight on it!

 

[richw]

What do the ferry crew and other passengers make of their vessels being full of heritage buses at times like this?

We were chatting to one of the loaders who himself was an enthusiast. He was in his element!

 

[Bod]

As said previously the event is growing with each passing year and is becoming a victim of its own success largely due to the fact that the vast majority of people indulging are the islanders who have little interest in the buses except that they are free for them to do a pub crawl. It is very noticeable that many of the people had no idea of the bus times and most getting off vehicles were asking the crew how frequently the buses run and the times so clearly they had not purchased any programmes. I was very much in the minority in all journeys I undertook as an enthusiast as people got on and off without giving the buses a second look and had no interest in taking photos of them.

I think the sheer numbers of locals now marking this weekend as a must do event each year is going to see this level of usage of the buses continue so from an enthusiast angle it will continue to be frustrating. Whilst the vast majority didn't care what type of bus they had, those of us who were after specific vehicles found ourselves withered in Newport by big queues. To add to the problem, the Newport queuing tent doesn't have any windows, unlike at Ryde bus museum, so you can't see what vehicle has pulled up to the stand. I wanted to do an oly to Ryde but couldn't get on, so the next oly I wanted to do meant abandoning the Ryde queue to join another lengthy queue to go to Shanklin and I couldn't get on that one either. And, guess what, the next oly to depart was to Ryde which meant I had to switch back to the Ryde queue again which wasn't easy as I had to squeeze past all those behind me to get into a different queue so I was back to square one. Purely from an enthusiast angle, it is irritating to spend £10 on the timetable and vehicle allocation programmes and not be able to board the vehicle you wish to do because the beer fraternity, who haven't paid a penny for the timetable programmes, fill up the bus you wanted to get on. It is getting to the point now where us enthusiasts, when in Newport, will be trying to board the buses from the car park before they reach the pick up point if it is clear the queue in the tent is too large for you to board by normal means.

I don't know what the answer is in all honesty as from the pub landlords point of view, the beer drinkers are what they want in the pubs, not the bus enthusiasts who stay on board and ignore the pubs. However, if all the enthusiasts stayed away then very little money would be taken in sales of the programmes and vehicle allocation books. It's a balancing act that I don't envy the organisers in solving.

 

[carlberry]

As said previously the event is growing with each passing year and is becoming a victim of its own success largely due to the fact that the vast majority of people indulging are the islanders who have little interest in the buses except that they are free for them to do a pub crawl. It is very noticeable that many of the people had no idea of the bus times and most getting off vehicles were asking the crew how frequently the buses run and the times so clearly they had not purchased any programmes. I was very much in the minority in all journeys I undertook as an enthusiast as people got on and off without giving the buses a second look and had no interest in taking photos of them.

I think the sheer numbers of locals now marking this weekend as a must do event each year is going to see this level of usage of the buses continue so from an enthusiast angle it will continue to be frustrating. Whilst the vast majority didn't care what type of bus they had, those of us who were after specific vehicles found ourselves withered in Newport by big queues. To add to the problem, the Newport queuing tent doesn't have any windows, unlike at Ryde bus museum, so you can't see what vehicle has pulled up to the stand. I wanted to do an oly to Ryde but couldn't get on, so the next oly I wanted to do meant abandoning the Ryde queue to join another lengthy queue to go to Shanklin and I couldn't get on that one either. And, guess what, the next oly to depart was to Ryde which meant I had to switch back to the Ryde queue again which wasn't easy as I had to squeeze past all those behind me to get into a different queue so I was back to square one. Purely from an enthusiast angle, it is irritating to spend £10 on the timetable and vehicle allocation programmes and not be able to board the vehicle you wish to do because the beer fraternity, who haven't paid a penny for the timetable programmes, fill up the bus you wanted to get on. It is getting to the point now where us enthusiasts, when in Newport, will be trying to board the buses from the car park before they reach the pick up point if it is clear the queue in the tent is too large for you to board by normal means.

I don't know what the answer is in all honesty as from the pub landlords point of view, the beer drinkers are what they want in the pubs, not the bus enthusiasts who stay on board and ignore the pubs. However, if all the enthusiasts stayed away then very little money would be taken in sales of the programmes and vehicle allocation books. It's a balancing act that I don't envy the organisers in solving.

As I've never been to the IOW event I can only go on feedback from other people. The event is not alone in having frustrations with vehicles filling up with people who'd be happy with any vehicle however my observation at a lot of events is that the general public do buy a lot of the programs and it's often enthusiasts who don't. I suspect this changes once the program gets above about £5 however this was one of the reasons why the Winchester event introduced two different programs (a cut down one with times and a proper one with more details).
The pubs are happy with the extra custom so it might be that they could be approached for sponsorship (they might do this already of course).

One other way to deal with this is to introduce priority boarding. If you have a program (or if you have the extended program) then you're allowed on first. Clearly this is a grey area as it could appear to be payment for travel. To remove the payment element completely there could be the availability of a 'priority boarding' card, free with the program but also available in advance by SAE. This all adds to the work for the volunteers who are trying to run the whole thing however!

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Bod - I completely agree, this is the second year I tried to do the G526 Carlyle Dart, and failed to get on it again as it was on the overcrowded Cowes route which only takes small vehicles. I purchased a vehicle allocations book so that I could join a queue in advance then be able to get the vehicle I want, but unfortunately it didn't work like that, as different vehicles were turning up that weren't booked on that run anyway so I stopped using the Vehicle Supplement as it went out the window. It had a bit of use on Sunday but some of the Ryde stuff wasn't 100% though I think they may have been the cancelled ones in which case that doesn't matter, but still on Saturday the allocations were all over the place, even the Dart I wanted went out on an unscheduled turn and if I knew about it I may have been able to do it.

I also missed the Island Breezers Olympian K743 and I still need YWG 109. I'm thinking about doing Rydabus, just to the home fleet that I couldnt do