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

[CN04NRJ]

What would Eve use on the 120/121 in that case?

Mobitecs on the 7900s have been programmed with EVE coaches routes, no idea if they're even suitable nevermind if they will be used.
(Not my photo, used with permission - photo of mobitec controller showing eve routes)

 

[stevenedin]

Mobitecs on the 7900s have been programmed with EVE coaches routes, no idea if they're even suitable nevermind if they will be used.
(Not my photo, used with permission - photo of mobitec controller showing eve routes)
View attachment 159677

Good to know. I think that there are some spare that have been used for driver training. Possibly those will transfer. I would be interested to see if they will bother re-painting them into Eve Coaches livery or East Coast Buses livery with a sticker saying Eve Coaches.

 

[Bus9120UK]

Is there any plans for 932? It's moved into the paint booth at Seafield.

 

[stevenedin]

Is there any plans for 932? It's moved into the paint booth at Seafield.

I don’t know of any plans but I’m guessing that they could salvage it and turn it into an open top bus and sell it.

 

[iij]

The driving training videos for the 71 show incorrect looping around Queensferry. Towards Queensferry, Ferrymuir Retail Park is not served in the order in the timetable. Towards Gyle Centre, Ferrymuir Retail Park is looped and served at the same stop as from the opposite direction.

https://www.lothianbuses.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/71_240630.pdf

 

[CN04NRJ]

1153 is at the back of Central, new AVL?

 

[Bus9120UK]

1153 is at the back of Central, new AVL?

Probably.

 

[ScotRail158725]

I've been thinking about the size of Lothian's fleet and the area of their depots. How do they manage to fit so many vehicles into each depot at night; are they double- or multi-parked nose to tail? If yes then how do they make sure that when a driver requires a specific vehicle in the morning it isn't trapped between two others?

Lothian's fleet size used to be much bigger, especially Longstone's which i think has dropped a PVR of 70+ since pre covid.

Regarding vehicles most likely seems the 20 & 32 will be single deck and 70 & 71 double deck, unless there are spare singles that can be transferred over to Livi, or a small new single deck order has been placed.

7900s are the most likely candidates for the 20 & 32, with the occasional Evora or decker dropping and the 70 and 71 whatevers in the Lothian country fleet they don't seem to allocate to routes.

Is there any plans for 932? It's moved into the paint booth at Seafield.

Has it been patched up? Even to turn it open top the rear would need replaced as most of that was damaged and internals exposed.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

The driving training videos for the 71 show incorrect looping around Queensferry. Towards Queensferry, Ferrymuir Retail Park is not served in the order in the timetable. Towards Gyle Centre, Ferrymuir Retail Park is looped and served at the same stop as from the opposite direction.

https://www.lothianbuses.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/71_240630.pdf

I wouldn't of thought twice about it untill I realised it's for driver training, not very good, hope they change it.

 

[Bus9120UK]

The driving training videos for the 71 show incorrect looping around Queensferry. Towards Queensferry, Ferrymuir Retail Park is not served in the order in the timetable. Towards Gyle Centre, Ferrymuir Retail Park is looped and served at the same stop as from the opposite direction.

https://www.lothianbuses.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/71_240630.pdf

The 32 video misses out Hermiston Gait towards Balerno.
What the 32 videos do show is that the route will loop back on itself and then run to Gyle via South Gyle Cresent.

 

[CSB0241]

Upon looking at the new timetable for the 71 and then currently 72 timetable, the connections are very.. eh.

I didn’t think about that at first, but upon reinspection, I am rather dissapointed.

It is rumoured that some Eve Coaches E200MMCs will move to operate the 70 and 71.

Mobitecs on the 7900s have been programmed with EVE coaches routes.

I honestly don’t see the point. It just seems like too much of a hassle to paint 5 or so Volvo 7900Hs into the Eves livery then repaint the MMCs into LCB branding. Besides, the 7900Hs only have 10 more seats than the Eve E200MMCs, & that roughly matches how many seats are on the McGills Streetlites that have been used on the 20/63 since they were transferred from Lothian to First/McGills in 2020.

On top of that (& for anybody who have been on an Eves bus more than once, feel free to correct me), the 120/121/123, while used well enough, they don’t seem to be busy enough to warrant much more than the 8.9m MMCs that they have used for a good couple of years now. On top of that, many roads along the 120/121/130 route look a bit too narrow for much more than the MMCs, especially the roads in Peaston Bank.

 

[Bus9120UK]

I didn’t think about that at first, but upon reinspection, I am rather dissapointed.



I honestly don’t see the point. It just seems like too much of a hassle to paint 5 or so Volvo 7900Hs into the Eves livery then repaint the MMCs into LCB branding. Besides, the 7900Hs only have 10 more seats than the Eve E200MMCs, & that roughly matches how many seats are on the McGills Streetlites that have been used on the 20/63 since they were transferred from Lothian to First/McGills in 2020.

On top of that (& for anybody who have been on an Eves bus more than once, feel free to correct me), the 120/121/123, while used well enough, they don’t seem to be busy enough to warrant much more than the 8.9m MMCs that they have used for a good couple of years now. On top of that, many roads along the 120/121/130 route look a bit too narrow for much more than the MMCs, especially the roads in Peaston Bank.

Given that the Eves fleet also uses Mobitec displays I want to say that they are just using the same destination lists across both fleets.

 

[stevenedin]

I didn’t think about that at first, but upon reinspection, I am rather dissapointed.



I honestly don’t see the point. It just seems like too much of a hassle to paint 5 or so Volvo 7900Hs into the Eves livery then repaint the MMCs into LCB branding. Besides, the 7900Hs only have 10 more seats than the Eve E200MMCs, & that roughly matches how many seats are on the McGills Streetlites that have been used on the 20/63 since they were transferred from Lothian to First/McGills in 2020.

On top of that (& for anybody who have been on an Eves bus more than once, feel free to correct me), the 120/121/123, while used well enough, they don’t seem to be busy enough to warrant much more than the 8.9m MMCs that they have used for a good couple of years now. On top of that, many roads along the 120/121/130 route look a bit too narrow for much more than the MMCs, especially the roads in Peaston Bank.

They (Eve Coaches) are amending some routes and are sticking to the main roads so there could be something in that.

 

[GusB]

Can we keep the discussion about Eve coaches to the relevant thread, please?

Lothian Buses acquires Eve Coaches

Didn't see this coming: https://www.lothianbuses.com/news/2024/02/lothian-announce-purchase-of-eve-coaches/ Lothian has today (13 February 2024) announced it has purchased East Lothian coach operator Eve Coaches. The award-winning transport operator will acquire the touring operator, based...

www.railforums.co.uk

Any further replies to any of the above post should go there.

 

[Lothianbus703]

Lothian's fleet size used to be much bigger, especially Longstone's which i think has dropped a PVR of 70+ since pre covid.


7900s are the most likely candidates for the 20 & 32, with the occasional Evora or decker dropping and the 70 and 71 whatevers in the Lothian country fleet they don't seem to allocate to routes.


Has it been patched up? Even to turn it open top the rear would need replaced as most of that was damaged and internals exposed.

70? Wow, I did not realise it had dropped that much.

 

[NorthClyde320]

The driving training videos for the 71 show incorrect looping around Queensferry. Towards Queensferry, Ferrymuir Retail Park is not served in the order in the timetable. Towards Gyle Centre, Ferrymuir Retail Park is looped and served at the same stop as from the opposite direction.

https://www.lothianbuses.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/71_240630.pdf

Had a look for this and the other new routes but it and the 32 seem to have been removed, no doubt the errors have been highlighted. The 70 certainly suits the Country fleet name

 

[iij]

The timetable for the 32 shows a six minute travel time from the Gyle to Hermiston Gait so it may be the second bus after the X40 to use the city bypass.

 

[CSB0241]

The timetable for the 32 shows a six minute travel time from the Gyle to Hermiston Gait so it may be the second bus after the X40 to use the city bypass.

I can basically confirm this won’t happen. The 32 timetable says that it’s 6min from the Gyle Centre to Hermiston Gait, which is only a minute faster than the 63 is timetabled to do (7min). On top of that, the 32 is also timetabled to take 6min from Hermiston Gait to the Gyle Centre, but the 63 is only timetabled to take 5min.

 

[Bus9120UK]

The timetable for the 32 shows a six minute travel time from the Gyle to Hermiston Gait so it may be the second bus after the X40 to use the city bypass.

Route 36 is also scheduled to take 6 minutes. It doesn't take long. The 32 will take the same route.

The videos were removed as they were filmed via South Gyle Cresent.

 

[ScotRail158725]

The timetable for the 32 shows a six minute travel time from the Gyle to Hermiston Gait so it may be the second bus after the X40 to use the city bypass.

Thats more than achievable

 

[RG_9801]

Thats more than achievable

Its impossible. You may be mixing up the Retail park with the Park and Ride? The 36 only goes as far as the Retail Park (via the bus gate).
Following the same route the 63 takes 6 minutes to the Retail Park but 12 minutes to the Park & Ride (via Bankhead).
Routes via South Gyle would take even longer, both the 21 and the 400 (by slightly different routes) take 11 minutes just to Bankhead Loan, from where it would be another 4-5 minutes to the Park & Ride.

 

[CN04NRJ]

Thats more than achievable

I can also second that it's impossible to do in 6 minutes, although it's been a long while since i've driven the 36 or anything that goes from Hermiston Gait to the Gyle.

 

[Bus9120UK]

Its impossible. You may be mixing up the Retail park with the Park and Ride? The 36 only goes as far as the Retail Park (via the bus gate).
Following the same route the 63 takes 6 minutes to the Retail Park but 12 minutes to the Park & Ride (via Bankhead).
Routes via South Gyle would take even longer, both the 21 and the 400 (by slightly different routes) take 11 minutes just to Bankhead Loan, from where it would be another 4-5 minutes to the Park & Ride.

I used to travel on Service 2 very regularly between my area and the Gyle along this route and its very much doable. Buses go down that stretch at a steady pace. Two/three minutes at best to get from Hermiston Gait to the other side at Edinburgh Park, another minute to get to HSPC and two more to get to the Gyle.

Bus 28 just did it on the 36 in 6 minutes.

If you're thinking about the Park and Ride then yes it's impossible, but that's not Hermiston Gait, which the poster above was referring to.

 

[stevenedin]

Its impossible. You may be mixing up the Retail park with the Park and Ride? The 36 only goes as far as the Retail Park (via the bus gate).
Following the same route the 63 takes 6 minutes to the Retail Park but 12 minutes to the Park & Ride (via Bankhead).
Routes via South Gyle would take even longer, both the 21 and the 400 (by slightly different routes) take 11 minutes just to Bankhead Loan, from where it would be another 4-5 minutes to the Park & Ride.

Hermiston Park & Ride and Hermiston Gait are 2 different places. A lot of people seem to get them mixed up for some reason. They aren’t even that near each other.

 

[computerSaysNo]

Are there ongoing issues with the Next Stop screens and announcements at the moment? None of the five vehicles I've been on in the last few days have had it working.

 

[CSB0241]

Hermiston Park & Ride and Hermiston Gait are 2 different places. A lot of people seem to get them mixed up for some reason. They aren’t even that near each other.

I agree with this statement. I’ve walked from Hermiston Park & Ride to Hermiston Gait Retail Park before & it took me a solid 15 minute, so I do find the confusion between the two unusual.

Are there ongoing issues with the Next Stop screens and announcements at the moment? None of the five vehicles I've been on in the last few days have had it working.

Lothian are most likely waiting for all the new *AVLs to be installed on the buses before they officially start showing live updates on the new displays.

*AVL - automatic vehicle locator

Mod note: please ensure any jargon is properly defined in your posts

 

[Auld reekie]

Hermiston Park & Ride and Hermiston Gait are 2 different places. A lot of people seem to get them mixed up for some reason. They aren’t even that near each other.

It certainly must cause a lot of confusion particularly for visitors to the city.

 

[Bus9120UK]

Lothian are most likely waiting for all the new *AVLs to be installed on the buses before they officially start showing live updates on the new displays.

*AVL - automatic vehicle locator

Mod note: please ensure any jargon is properly defined in your posts

The next stop screens and announcements are not the bus stop screens. As for them going live, it should happen any day now, but it will not display live times for buses with old AVLs. That's only around 65 buses now.

Are there ongoing issues with the Next Stop screens and announcements at the moment? None of the five vehicles I've been on in the last few days have had it working.

I've noticed this as well. Not sure what's up.

 

[Mal]

I've had a reply from Lothian Buses about Doors Open this year.

It says a date has yet to be confirmed, that it is usually held in September and that details will be posted on their website when confirmed.

Hope this is of interest to all who are interested in Lothian buses.

 

[Scotrail314209]

Are there ongoing issues with the Next Stop screens and announcements at the moment? None of the five vehicles I've been on in the last few days have had it working.

I was wondering why all my buses on the 26 and 31 seemed to be rather quieter as of late..