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

[paul47B]

I spotted a Mcgills training bus at ASDA Chesser on Friday 5th which means that Lothian must not be getting the 20. They surely wouldn't train drivers if about to give up the route.

 

[Bus9120UK]

I spotted a Mcgills training bus at ASDA Chesser on Friday 5th which means that Lothian must not be getting the 20. They surely wouldn't train drivers if about to give up the route.

It's too early to conclude that. The 20 in it's current form won't last in future. They haven't even properly tendered the routes yet, they've just set up the DPS (Dynamic Purchasing System).

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

I spotted a Mcgills training bus at ASDA Chesser on Friday 5th which means that Lothian must not be getting the 20. They surely wouldn't train drivers if about to give up the route.

I’d be interested to see how you came to this conclusion.

Any company will continue to train drivers for as long as they have a route. At the end of the day, new drivers still go into a main rota.

 

[Siemens Trains]

I spotted a Mcgills training bus at ASDA Chesser on Friday 5th which means that Lothian must not be getting the 20. They surely wouldn't train drivers if about to give up the route.

Maybe training for another airport route. Was it the 35 and 300 from Lothian that used to go via Chesser?
But seriously, there could be a whole host of reasons why a training bus ends up in a particular location so perhaps we shouldn't read too much into this.

 

[ScotRail158725]

I spotted a Mcgills training bus at ASDA Chesser on Friday 5th which means that Lothian must not be getting the 20. They surely wouldn't train drivers if about to give up the route.

It might not even be a driver trainer, it could just be the vehicle getting used for route learning. As long as yhey have the route new drivers still need to learn it

 

[GusB]

Whatever a McGill's bus was doing, it's irrelevant to this thread. Back on topic, please!

 

[stevenedin]

Maybe training for another airport route. Was it the 35 and 300 from Lothian that used to go via Chesser?
But seriously, there could be a whole host of reasons why a training bus ends up in a particular location so perhaps we shouldn't read too much into this.

Yeah the 35 and 300 used to serve there.

It’s a nice touch that Lothian put a network map at the top of all of their new timetables in West Lothian.

 

[Aaronb2601]

Does anyone know if and when there may be a change to the Lothian country services?

 

[paul47B]

Yeah the 35 and 300 used to serve there.

It’s a nice touch that Lothian put a network map at the top of all of their new timetables in West Lothian.

That map is nice and clear.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

Does anyone know if and when there may be a change to the Lothian country services?

If I had to take a guess, I'm gonna maybe think the earliest could be March/April? Obviously that will be enough time to take in how well the new services are doing and figure out what to improve on or cut back.

There is also the potential chance of LCB taking on the Queensferry to Gyle Tender.

 

[JKP]

Yeah the 35 and 300 used to serve there.

It’s a nice touch that Lothian put a network map at the top of all of their new timetables in West Lothian.

It is rather a shame that whoever put the Lothian Buses map and timetable into the timetable frame did not think to remove the old First publicity. Potentially very confusing for passengers not familiar with recent events.

 

[stevenedin]

It is rather a shame that whoever put the Lothian Buses map and timetable into the timetable frame did not think to remove the old First publicity. Potentially very confusing for passengers not familiar with recent events.

I was thinking the same but maybe they aren’t allowed to touch other operators notices. It will probably lie with McGill’s to remove it.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

I was thinking the same but maybe they aren’t allowed to touch other operators notices. It will probably lie with McGill’s to remove it.

McGill's or the council.

 

[Stan Drews]

I was thinking the same but maybe they aren’t allowed to touch other operators notices. It will probably lie with McGill’s to remove it.

West Lothian Council produce the bus stop information in their area.

 

[Bus9120UK]

Is there any information as to what age Airlink buses can go up to before replacement, if any? It was formerly two years of course but the current buses will be 5 later this year with no sign of any good replacements on the market, unless you go diesel.

 

[CN04NRJ]

Is there any information as to what age Airlink buses can go up to before replacement, if any? It was formerly two years of course but the current buses will be 5 later this year with no sign of any good replacements on the market, unless you go diesel.

There is no limit, it's when the company chooses to replace them. Probably they're waiting for Tri axle EVs to come onto the UK market, otherwise I'd say MCV B8Ls would be likely.



Also; 195 is out on driver training duties.

 

[ScotRail158725]

Just spotted one of the East Coast RLEs on driver training in Livingston. I didn’t know they were getting used now.

 

[CN04NRJ]

Just spotted one of the East Coast RLEs on driver training in Livi, didn’t know they were getting used now

195, 198s tracker is also active again.

 

[Bus9120UK]

195, 198s tracker is also active again.

195, 197 and 198 have been at Longstone for a few months. 198 went out on training in early December. 196 remains at the front of Marine.

 

[EllieAquitrain]

Do we know how much money has been/is being spent on the new departure screens at stops? As is not uncommon, the one at my local stop has frozen at 03:50 (I'm writing this at 09:23!). They're completely useless and I've learned to fully ignore them, whereas the old ones I would at least pay some attention, especially if I didn't want to keep getting my phone out of my pocket to check times.

Of course the departure screen installation will be capex and ongoing bus service provision is opex, but what could this money have been better spent on?

 

[stevenedin]

Do we know how much money has been/is being didn't in the new departure screens at stops? As is not uncommon, the one at my local stop has frozen at 03:50 (I'm writing this at 09:23!). They're completely useless and I've learned to fully ignore them, whereas the old ones I would at least pay some attention, especially if I didn't want to keep getting my phone out of my pocket to check times.

Of course the departure screen installation will be capex and ongoing bus service provision is opex, but what could this money have been better spent on?

They do work but only for other operators other than Lothian. The issue is with Lothian not having updated all of their buses with new trackers and they don’t want switch it on until this has been rectified so it displays timetable time. I agree though I ignore them now. I don’t like how they don’t put due or the time in minutes rather than the actual time.

 

[Theproinsider]

Ask the council. It's their system

 

[muffy]

Ask the council. It's their system

What about the Lothian App where regularly in East Calder, buses fail to appear on the app. This applies to buses with the old and new trackers especially in the morning.

 

[Bus9120UK]

952 is now at Seafield for repaint preparation. 247-249 are also there, perhaps preparing to be converted to electric by Kleandrive? On a side note 928 and 931 have also moved to Seafield today.

 

[paul47B]

466 was on the 47 this morning. What kind of frog is it on the side and back of the bus? I have given it the nickname "Freddy the Frog."

 

[Lothian285]

466 was on the 47 this morning. What kind of frog is it on the side and back of the bus? I have given it the nickname "Freddy the Frog."

Blue poison dart frog.

 

[paul0762]

Does anyone know if Lothian will ever change their livery ? Had a few different ones over the years now. Really liked the centenary bus livery, maybe something like that but white rather than the cream sort of colour.

 

[Bus9120UK]

Does anyone know if Lothian will ever change their livery ? Had a few different ones over the years now. Really liked the centenary bus livery, maybe something like that but white rather than the cream sort of colour.

You could argue that they have with how different the livery is compared from how it was like in late 2016. The base paint is the same, but the vinyl application has changed a lot.
Myself, I am really fond of the simplicity of the current livery and would like it to be maintained for now. The fact we've gone over 7 years without a complete livery makeover is great.

 

[Cesarcollie]

You could argue that they have with how different the livery is compared from how it was like in late 2016. The base paint is the same, but the vinyl application has changed a lot.
Myself, I am really fond of the simplicity of the current livery and would like it to be maintained for now. The fact we've gone over 7 years without a complete livery makeover is great.

Does anyone know if Lothian will ever change their livery ? Had a few different ones over the years now. Really liked the centenary bus livery, maybe something like that but white rather than the cream sort of colour.

Yes I’m sure one day they will.

 

[LothianBusesPh]

Myself, I am really fond of the simplicity of the current livery and would like it to be maintained for now.

Especially the thin lines instead of thick lines on the diagonal, right?