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

[TheEastCoaster]

Your right, I think this conversation happens way to much...

Agreed, honestly it would be nice to talk about the LCB services in a more positive light now and then, I’ve been on a few of the services last year and I think they are fantastic, and everyone’s entitled to their opinion of course, just would be nice to talk about it without being shut down with the usual LCB have low loadings speal.

Anyway I hope the 275 will expand beyond Broxburn again one day

 

[Bus9120UK]

Glad to hear the build quality is good, ADL can be very hit or miss at times, one of new the E400MMCs has already had issue with water ingress causing issues with the electrics and it's not even two months old yet!

Yes they do. It was answered earlier.

 

[Journeyman]

Agreed, honestly it would be nice to talk about the LCB services in a more positive light now and then, I’ve been on a few of the services last year and I think they are fantastic, and everyone’s entitled to their opinion of course, just would be nice to talk about it without being shut down with the usual LCB have low loadings speal.

Anyway I hope the 275 will expand beyond Broxburn again one day

I was very disappointed that the X38 was axed, and I'd welcome LCB back to Winchburgh with open arms. Here's hoping.

 

[fgwrich]

Weight and cost has also been saved by seat choice, change of AV/PIS equipment and change of lighting.

I did notice they've gone for the ADL Smart Seat as apposed to their usual Lazzerini Practico seats. With or without, they are certainly very smart looking vehicles!

 

[DunsBus]

Its permanent.

As was discussed on here some pages back. The 276 is not the X17 in disguise, it's the 276. The X17 is gone, it won't be reappearing in any shape or form.

 

[CN04NRJ]

I did notice they've gone for the ADL Smart Seat as apposed to their usual Lazzerini Practico seats. With or without, they are certainly very smart looking vehicles!

Repeating myself from earlier, I find them more comfortable than the Lazzerini seats. Might be personal preference but I've seen comments on Facebook and twitter from the public echoing my opinion.

As for the 276/X17 can we just end this debate once and for all? It's not a debate. The X17 gone and the 276 is the partial replacement.

 

[Graeme Duncan]

Going back to the new vehicles on route 44 which entered service on Wednesday so far there has been no sighting of 601 the first of the batch.

 

[CN04NRJ]

Going back to the new vehicles on route 44 which entered service on Wednesday so far there has been no sighting of 601 the first of the batch.

It's at Longstone.

 

[Auld reekie]

Moving on, had my first ride on one of the new buses. Really impressed by the interior, I find the seats are actually more comfortable than the ones on the MCVs and XLBs etc. Ride quality is excellent and seem to be more powerful than earlier B5TLs.

Build quality is excellent too, hardly a creak and no rattles at all.

As an aside, it's really good to see buses looking busy again. Majority of services I've seen so far today have very good loadings - hopefully that'll only improve from the easing of restrictions further on Monday.

View attachment 96312

I was in one on Thursday.
I totally concur with your experience.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

I was very disappointed that the X38 was axed, and I'd welcome LCB back to Winchburgh with open arms. Here's hoping.

So was I but who knows what the future holds, and like I said above LCB could always divert the 275 or 276 via Winchburgh/Kirkliston and build up a new network there!

As was discussed on here some pages back. The 276 is not the X17 in disguise, it's the 276. The X17 is gone, it won't be reappearing in any shape or form.

I figured the X17 would of gone at somepoint as soon as it was cut back from Fauldhouse, The 276 has more potential anyway, at this point 3 services going in/out to Edinburgh City Centre is plenty, the network has plenty of changeover points anyway for further travel.

 

[Jordan Adam]

So was I but who knows what the future holds, and like I said above LCB could always divert the 275 or 276 via Winchburgh/Kirkliston and build up a new network there!

They could but i wouldn't see much point. Even the 600 running half hourly isn't really justified on a commercial basis. Yes there may be a housing development in build but that will still be years away and new developments are generally heavily car bias so the increase in passengers will be gradual and over many years.

I do think the 275 will be extended back to Gyle eventually but i can't see the 276 being extended and if it is it'll probably come at the withdrawal of the Bathgate section of the route. I doubt we'll be seeing any mass PVR increases like there was under the previous regime, most changes will likely be cost neutral or reductions.

 

[CN04NRJ]

884-899 are still at Longstone with VOR signs and haven't moved on yet. With the lockdown restrictions potentially lifting sooner I wonder if they may see use again before the full quota of B5TLs arrive?

 

[Lothianbus703]

I was thinking about bringing some buses from another depot

 

[Bus9120UK]

I was thinking about bringing some buses from another depot

Is there a point if you could always give the B9's a few more runs before they were withdrawn?

 

[GusB]

Apologies to those who had posts deleted with the "Referring to deleted content" reason. I realise it's not your fault, but I would like to remind everyone that your posts should make sense. I can forgive the odd spelling mistake and I will correct these if it appears to be a genuine error, but if you post garbage without proof-reading your content you can expect those posts to be deleted without warning. That may result in someone else's post being deleted because it refers to yours.

Please take a bit more care when you post. This is not an instant messaging platform.

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[Graham Alexand]

Is there a point if you could always give the B9's a few more runs before they were withdrawn?

On that note it looks like all B9TL's upto fleet number 899 are out of service (possibility Withdrawn).

Does anyone know if they're withdrawn?

(My source for this is from https://bustimes.org/operators/lothian-buses/vehicles).


I've just noticed the post before this, it has been answered already, may I ask for this post to be removed?
Thanks .

 

[TheEastCoaster]

Random question wondering if any forum user can clear this up for me.

I notice that the fare to the Ingilston Vaccination Centre is 1.80 Single 4.50 Dayticket from anywhere on that route, but the stop is after the Airport Hotel which I’m sure is £4.50 single/ £10 DayTicket.

now how does that work? Or did they put the Airport Hotel in the city zone now?

 

[CN04NRJ]

Random question wondering if any forum user can clear this up for me.

I notice that the fare to the Ingilston Vaccination Centre is 1.80 Single 4.50 Dayticket from anywhere on that route, but the stop is after the Airport Hotel which I’m sure is £4.50 single/ £10 DayTicket.

now how does that work? Or did they put the Airport Hotel in the city zone now?

Or did they put the vaccination centre in the city zone as a temporary measure (while it's running) to make it more affordable/easier to get to for people?

 

[TheEastCoaster]

Or did they put the vaccination centre in the city zone as a temporary measure (while it's running) to make it more affordable/easier to get to for people?

well that too! i wasn’t sure because I knew the Airport Zone was only two stops! The Airport and well.. the hotel

I know Ingilston is technically split between the City and CityWest Zone! So that was the other confusing

 

[DunsBus]

Volvo B9TL/Wright 892 (SN08BXE) is off to pastures new. Spotted on A1 eastbound between Tranent and Haddington at around 1400 today on trade plates, minus fleetnames.

 

[Bus9120UK]

Volvo B9TL/Wright 892 (SN08BXE) is off to pastures new. Spotted on A1 eastbound between Tranent and Haddington at around 1400 today on trade plates, minus fleetnames.

Most of 874-899 are at Marine, debranded too

Lothian Motorcoaches are bringing back the Loch Ness & Highlands Experience Tour from May 29th:

https://twitter.com/LothianCoaches/status/1395402756836442113

Join us on Saturday 29 May on our first tour of the year - the Loch Ness & the Highland Experience Tour! Book your highland escape today

Good to see the Tours with Motorcoaches coming back, I do wonder how well this will go

 

[Lothianbus703]

I had a trip to Marine the other day (I was on the path next to it) and I saw some Presidents round the back. Are these being sold or staying?

View attachment 96669

 

[Highland050261]

I had a trip to marine the other day (I was on the path next to it) and I saw some presidents round the back, are these being sold or staying?View attachment 96669

I was wondering the same about the B9 tour bus behind them.

 

[OmniCity999]

I had a trip to Marine the other day (I was on the path next to it) and I saw some Presidents round the back. Are these being sold or staying?

View attachment 96669

I was wondering the same about the B9 tour bus behind them.

Everything's for sale for the right price.

The Presidents were for sale about 6 months ago, not all of them sold though - if they dont sell, they wont go for scrap.

B9's are more likely to stay a while longer.

 

[scosutsut]

Did the B9 Tour buses get an internal refurb or did I imagine that/was it binned?

 

[Bus9120UK]

Did the B9 Tour buses get an internal refurb or did I imagine that/was it binned?

Nope, stayed in the First / Go Ahead tyle interior with red seats as they had in London.

 

[Lothianbus703]

Sad news about the gold President but it is old and should move on.

 

[GALLANTON]

How many Presidents are left at Lothian and it's subsidiaries?

 

[Graham Alexand]

Out of curiosity how many B5TL Enviro400MMC's have been delivered?

And

Is there any fleet list that these are included in (I have looked and cannot find anything)?
Thanks .

 

[Bus9120UK]

Out of curiosity how many B5TL Enviro400MMC's have been delivered?

And

Is there any fleet list that these are included in (I have looked and cannot find anything)?
Thanks .

I believe it's 602-617 at Longstone and 618-627 currently at Seafield