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Lothian Group discussion (Lothian City, Lothian Country Bus and East Coast Buses)

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TheEastCoaster

Established Member
Joined
26 Jun 2018
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1,206
Okay so without hoping to set off any heated debate with this I have to ask.

Its been weeks and First have been having service issue with certain routes unable to run or journeys cancelled at the last minute. And also I’ve noticed on Twitter that folk have had to switch to Lothian Country for journeys First can’t make.

Now be honest, has anyone noticed any more loadings on the LCB services? (bar the 43)

I noticed the X18/X27/X28 carry a few more passengers outside of peak times but i can’t speak for within West Lothian, I’m just curious.
 
Joined
29 Nov 2018
Messages
618
Okay so without hoping to set off any heated debate with this I have to ask.

Its been weeks and First have been having service issue with certain routes unable to run or journeys cancelled at the last minute. And also I’ve noticed on Twitter that folk have had to switch to Lothian Country for journeys First can’t make.

Now be honest, has anyone noticed any more loadings on the LCB services? (bar the 43)

I noticed the X18/X27/X28 carry a few more passengers outside of peak times but i can’t speak for within West Lothian, I’m just curious.
For those with long memories, even in pre-pandemic days did either company attract many passengers to their West Lothian services anyway?
 

JurassicMan

Member
Joined
4 Jan 2020
Messages
83
Location
Glasgow
Okay so without hoping to set off any heated debate with this I have to ask.

Its been weeks and First have been having service issue with certain routes unable to run or journeys cancelled at the last minute. And also I’ve noticed on Twitter that folk have had to switch to Lothian Country for journeys First can’t make.

Now be honest, has anyone noticed any more loadings on the LCB services? (bar the 43)

I noticed the X18/X27/X28 carry a few more passengers outside of peak times but i can’t speak for within West Lothian, I’m just curious.
The strange thing was first chose to cut short the X25 which went through Uphall and Broxburn ahead of X18 heading to Edinburgh and got decent footfall ,the X24 is usually under 10 mins behind and really struggles to get numbers. It was a bizarre option.
On a general view as far as X27/X28 go with Langton Road closed its hard to gauge numbers although its safe to say they are far more used than X22 although none of them seem even close to pre covid numbers and that has to be a major concern when funding stops.

For those with long memories, even in pre-pandemic days did either company attract many passengers to their West Lothian services anyway?
No and to be fair the X27/X28 even in First days were never profitable.
 

cammyeaston

Member
Joined
8 Aug 2011
Messages
161
10051 is back at Musselburgh depot this morning after its extended absence. Not seen 20946 yet but I imagine it won't be too far behind.
I must be a bit out of the loop, but why was 10051 out of traffic? I assume it was involved in a RTA but I don't remember seeing anything about it.
 

CN04NRJ

Established Member
Joined
28 Nov 2019
Messages
1,712
Location
UK
567 is back out on the road in the FotF livery today. (photo shared with permission)

received_556466668800996.jpeg
 
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Busman757

Member
Joined
12 Mar 2021
Messages
87
Location
Edinburgh
The strange thing was first chose to cut short the X25 which went through Uphall and Broxburn ahead of X18 heading to Edinburgh and got decent footfall ,the X24 is usually under 10 mins behind and really struggles to get numbers. It was a bizarre option.
On a general view as far as X27/X28 go with Langton Road closed its hard to gauge numbers although its safe to say they are far more used than X22 although none of them seem even close to pre covid numbers and that has to be a major concern when funding stops.


No and to be fair the X27/X28 even in First days were never profitable.
I’ve been on X28’s nearly everyday last week and picked up a near full load at Livingston Centre for Edinburgh on every journey! Hope this helps!
 

ScotRail158725

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Joined
27 Nov 2018
Messages
2,170
I’ve been on X28’s nearly everyday last week and picked up a near full load at Livingston Centre for Edinburgh on every journey! Hope this helps!
Between 3-5pm most Lothian country services pick up large loads off Livingston Centre

Good to see though. The remaining swoops liveried buses are starting to fade and look a bit worn now.
358, 361, 374 and 377 are the worst ones. 423 & 424 are definitely the most faded but thats hidden under wraps now
 
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JurassicMan

Member
Joined
4 Jan 2020
Messages
83
Location
Glasgow
I’ve been on X28’s nearly everyday last week and picked up a near full load at Livingston Centre for Edinburgh on every journey! Hope this helps!
It has always been the case that there have been busy periods on he X28. The problem has never been the small percentage of journeys with approx 80% capacity; it was always the large percentage of journeys with under 20% capacity and the large parts of the journey where bus runs virtually empty. It never was a commercially viable road on x27 /x28 corridor and that was even before there was any competition for passengers!
 
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Busman757

Member
Joined
12 Mar 2021
Messages
87
Location
Edinburgh
It has always been the case that there have been busy periods on he X28. The problem has never been the small percentage of journeys with approx 80% capacity; it was always the large percentage of journeys with under 20% capacity and the large parts of the journey where bus runs virtually empty. It never was a commercially viable road on x27 /x28 corridor and that was even before there was any competition for passengers!
I might add that these were at different times of the day!
 

stevenedin

Member
Joined
26 Jul 2021
Messages
1,160
Location
Edinburgh
If they didn’t make money they wouldn’t run them. I’m guessing the higher fares for Lothian Country compared to First are enough to sustain them at quieter times.
 

ScotRail158725

Established Member
Joined
27 Nov 2018
Messages
2,170
They may still end up at Marine, Longstone has more storage space than Seafield does so it’s possible that these 9 have been moved to free up space.
660 & 661 are there too now.
It's weird that it's not going to be ordely, like 631 - 660 at Marine.
It was never confirmed it would be a 30/30/30 split between the three depots so all these 651 onwards could all be going to Longstone. Wait and see what happens before saying these are going here these are going there
 

alexf380

Established Member
Joined
6 Mar 2011
Messages
1,365
Location
Musselburgh, Scotland
There's this by Stuart Montgomery on Flickr
 

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