Scottish Citylink

[route101]

When are Citylink Gold due to start running again and have hosts on board? I know they sort of run at moment but just not Gold service. I have used the 900 services throughout the night, using a 3 day explorer ticket and never seen the service that busy or had any problems with them, though I've not been during Edinburgh festival or Friday-Saturday nights etc.

I have never used the N900; its useful if you live close to the City Centre.

3 day explorer ticket is good value.

I was never fussed with Citylink Gold. Initially, the food offering was quite substantial with sandwiches and ice cream. But I'm not excited about lukewarm bottles of Irn Bru or tea. I was not a fan of the seating arrangement on the gold Van Hools.

 

[GaryMcEwan]

I have never used the N900; its useful if you live close to the City Centre.

3 day explorer ticket is good value.

I was never fussed with Citylink Gold. Initially, the food offering was quite substantial with sandwiches and ice cream. But I'm not excited about lukewarm bottles of Irn Bru or tea. I was not a fan of the seating arrangement on the gold Van Hools.

The seating arrangement are probably due to the fact that they are ex Megabus Gold and have been reconfigured for Citylink Gold.

The seats downstairs on the near side are the most uncomfortable seats going. God knows why they didn't put normal seats in.

 

[Scotrail314209]

The seating arrangement are probably due to the fact that they are ex Megabus Gold and have been reconfigured for Citylink Gold.

The seats downstairs on the near side are the most uncomfortable seats going. God knows why they didn't put normal seats in.

I prefer the arrangement on the new Panoramas, as standard downstairs but with a kitchen.

Upper deck is a mix of airline and table seats, which I like.

When are Citylink Gold due to start running again and have hosts on board? I know they sort of run at moment but just not Gold service. I have used the 900 services throughout the night, using a 3 day explorer ticket and never seen the service that busy or had any problems with them, though I've not been during Edinburgh festival or Friday-Saturday nights etc.

I do think they'll bring the hosts back eventually, given their new coaches came delivered with a kitchen.

 

[cakefiend]

I was never fussed with Citylink Gold. Initially, the food offering was quite substantial with sandwiches and ice cream. But I'm not excited about lukewarm bottles of Irn Bru or tea. I was not a fan of the seating arrangement on the gold Van Hools.

Those Van Hools were only decent when configured for the sleeper service.

 

[LiviCrazy]

The new coaches on the 900 are very comfortable from a passenger perspective. Very smooth ride and seem to have good acceleration (and good braking fortunately as the driver has certainly tested that).

I still find it rather bizarre that an express coach goes through Easterhouse and Baillieston and becomes a stop at all stops bus.

 

[Scotrail314209]

The new coaches on the 900 are very comfortable from a passenger perspective. Very smooth ride and seem to have good acceleration (and good braking fortunately as the driver has certainly tested that).

I still find it rather bizarre that an express coach goes through Easterhouse and Baillieston and becomes a stop at all stops bus.

At times, the 900 can be very popular with families going to the Zoo in Edinburgh as it stops right outside the door. I don't understand why it serves Easterhouse as I don't really see anyone getting on there.

 

[danielwilkie]

At times, the 900 can be very popular with families going to the Zoo in Edinburgh as it stops right outside the door. I don't understand why it serves Easterhouse as I don't really see anyone getting on there.

It would surprise you how many use the Easterhouse and Baillieston stops at peak time. It can regularly be 10 to 20 people per bus.

 

[LiviCrazy]

It would surprise you how many use the Easterhouse and Baillieston stops at peak time. It can regularly be 10 to 20 people per bus.

It seemed there was a few using it to go just a few stops in Easterhouse/Baillieston. Would it not be better just having it one or two stops on that part of the route?

 

[route101]

At times, the 900 can be very popular with families going to the Zoo in Edinburgh as it stops right outside the door. I don't understand why it serves Easterhouse as I don't really see anyone getting on there.

There are a few people using it to go to work in Edinburgh.

Those Van Hools were only decent when configured for the sleeper service.

I think there are new gold coaches.

I only used the original Megabus sleeper, which was a bendi coach.

The new coaches on the 900 are very comfortable from a passenger perspective. Very smooth ride and seem to have good acceleration (and good braking fortunately as the driver has certainly tested that).

I still find it rather bizarre that an express coach goes through Easterhouse and Baillieston and becomes a stop at all stops bus.

I do like the new coaches on the 900. They're much better than the Panthers and Elites.

I've only sat upstairs, no reason to sit downstairs.

I prefer the arrangement on the new Panoramas, as standard downstairs but with a kitchen.

Upper deck is a mix of airline and table seats, which I like.



I do think they'll bring the hosts back eventually, given their new coaches came delivered with a kitchen.

I find facing seats awkward when I'm traveling alone. Tables for groups and I'll stick with the airline seats.

 

[Scotrail314209]

It's been very difficult to try and get tickets on the M10 up to Inverness. Most departures with the exception of the early morning and evening departures are all showing as full, even more so on Sundays.

I wonder how much Citylink are making on Sundays with the trains being off.

 

[Blindtraveler]

A fortune is the simple answer. And they'll be plenty of people who do the journey on a regular or semi-regular basis who will now be seeing what an upgrade in so many ways comfort wise the coach is on a a 170 which more likely than not is filling in for the HST that they don't run for whatever excuse comes out of the excuse bank this week

 

[GaryMcEwan]

It's been very difficult to try and get tickets on the M10 up to Inverness. Most departures with the exception of the early morning and evening departures are all showing as full, even more so on Sundays.

I wonder how much Citylink are making on Sundays with the trains being off.

There is a plethora of duplicate coaches on Sundays mid afternoon for the M9.

Peace Coaches and McLean's seem to be doing the dupes.

 

[route101]

It's been very difficult to try and get tickets on the M10 up to Inverness. Most departures with the exception of the early morning and evening departures are all showing as full, even more so on Sundays.

I wonder how much Citylink are making on Sundays with the trains being off.

I wonder if they have dupes on the M10?

M10 must be a nice run in a double decker coach.

I was on one of the new coaches on the 900 other day. The aircon was very weak!

 

[Blindtraveler]

It's nice to see this collective throwing of effort by the bus and coach industry into keeping things moving as smoothly as possible during the ongoing now somewhat farcical scotfail situation on Sundays

 

[Scotrail314209]

I have noticed the 07:30 M10 has a lot of timetable slack. We were 25 minutes early into Perth. Does anyone know the reason?

 

[GaryMcEwan]

Have noticed the 07:30 M10 has a lot of timetable slack, we were 25 minutes early into Perth. Anyone know the reason?

If the road is completely clear and the driver is going full chat it's no surprise you got in so early.

I get the M10 from Perth to Glasgow and get in quite early as well depending on how clear the M80 is.

 

[Scotrail314209]

On another note, why isn’t Stagecoach Bluebird’s 10 ran by Scottish Citylink?

It’s an Intercity service and it just seems abnormal to not have it, considering they run the likes of Inverness to Ullapool

 

[Jordan Adam]

On another note, why isn’t Stagecoach Bluebird’s 10 ran by Scottish Citylink?

It’s an Intercity service and it just seems abnormal to not have it, considering they run the likes of Inverness to Ullapool

Because the 10 is not an express or intercity service in the same way most Citylink routes are. The 10 mostly acts as a local service with there being very limited end to end demand, hence why the frequency is much higher west of Elgin and east of Huntly/Inverurie. The 35 (Aberdeen-Banff-Elgin) is the same, there's next to no demand for the service end to end, but it's the local journeys along the route that make it work.

The Inverness to Ullapool Citylink Service 961 is acts as a link to the Stornoway ferry, local passengers from Ullapool mostly tend to use the 61 which is a near identical route albeit operating via Dingwall and operated by Stagecoach Highlands.

 

[GusB]

On another note, why isn’t Stagecoach Bluebird’s 10 run by Scottish Citylink?

It’s an Intercity service and it just seems abnormal to not have it, considering they run the likes of Inverness to Ullapool

It has been in the past. I think it began as the 540 when Scottish Citylink started out and then it was the 960 for a time. Just before privatisation the service was wholly taken over by Northern Scottish (as it was then), rather than them being a contractor on the route. It was renumbered to 560 at this point. I believe the route was still promoted as part of the Citylink network, though and Citylink tickets were accepted.

Prior to it being renumbered as the 10, there was a parallel Elgin to Aberdeen via Huntly service - the 306. This was a "stops everywhere" service, whereas the 560 was a limited stop express service. The 306 was effectively merged with the 560 when the 10 was introduced, and I believe it was at this point that the route was no longer considered part of the Citylink network.

There was a brief revival of the 960 in the early 2000s, but it didn't last very long.

 

[Scotrail314209]

It has been in the past. I think it began as the 540 when Scottish Citylink started out and then it was the 960 for a time. Just before privatisation the service was wholly taken over by Northern Scottish (as it was then), rather than them being a contractor on the route. It was renumbered to 560 at this point. I believe the route was still promoted as part of the Citylink network, though and Citylink tickets were accepted.

Prior to it being renumbered as the 10, there was a parallel Elgin to Aberdeen via Huntly service - the 306. This was a "stops everywhere" service, whereas the 560 was a limited stop express service. The 306 was effectively merged with the 560 when the 10 was introduced, and I believe it was at this point that the route was no longer considered part of the Citylink network.

There was a brief revival of the 960 in the early 2000s, but it didn't last very long.

Ah okay, this makes a lot of sense now. Thanks

Because the 10 is not an express or intercity service in the same way most Citylink routes are. The 10 mostly acts as a local service with there being very limited end to end demand, hence why the frequency is much higher west of Elgin and east of Huntly/Inverurie. The 35 (Aberdeen-Banff-Elgin) is the same, there's next to no demand for the service end to end, but it's the local journeys along the route that make it work.

The Inverness to Ullapool Citylink Service 961 is acts as a link to the Stornoway ferry, local passengers from Ullapool mostly tend to use the 61 which is a near identical route albeit operating via Dingwall and operated by Stagecoach Highlands.

Yeah, I did notice that all of the passengers on the 10 from Aberdeen that I got on, alighted at Elgin, with new ones boarding at Elgin.

 

[Jordan Adam]

It has been in the past. I think it began as the 540 when Scottish Citylink started out and then it was the 960 for a time. Just before privatisation the service was wholly taken over by Northern Scottish (as it was then), rather than them being a contractor on the route. It was renumbered to 560 at this point. I believe the route was still promoted as part of the Citylink network, though and Citylink tickets were accepted.

Prior to it being renumbered as the 10, there was a parallel Elgin to Aberdeen via Huntly service - the 306. This was a "stops everywhere" service, whereas the 560 was a limited stop express service. The 306 was effectively merged with the 560 when the 10 was introduced, and I believe it was at this point that the route was no longer considered part of the Citylink network.

There was a brief revival of the 960 in the early 2000s, but it didn't last very long.

The Inverurie to Huntly section of the 306 did last up until around a decade ago operating on a two hourly frequency before being cut back to operate Inverurie to Insch, increased to hourly/half hourly and renumbered the 41. The closest you'll get to the original 306 now is the 10C which operates a few times per day Aberdeen to Huntly via Insch.

 

[Scotrail314209]

Southbound M10 (18:25 from Inverness) is also running very early, projected into Glasgow 5 minutes early at 21:55, we were 10 minutes early into Aviemore and Perth.

Got some nice views this evening, only problem is the air conditioning on this Astromega is extremely weak... it feels about 100 degrees in here.

 

[route101]

Southbound M10 (18:25 from Inverness) is also running very early, projected into Glasgow 5 minutes early at 21:55, we were 10 minutes early into Aviemore and Perth.

Got some nice views this evening, only problem is the air conditioning on this Astromega is extremely weak... it feels about 100 degrees in here.

Air conditioning is weak on the Panoramas too.

 

[Scotrail314209]

Air conditioning is weak on the Panoramas too.

Ironically, the one I had northbound was great.

 

[computerSaysNo]

Does anyone know what vehicle types are used on the 913 (Edinburgh to Fort William), 914 (Glasgow to Fort William) and 919 (Inverness to Fort William)? I've looked on bustimes.org but they don't have any route history for any of the Scottish Citylink vehicles. Thanks!

 

[Jordan Adam]

Does anyone know what vehicle types are used on the 913 (Edinburgh to Fort William), 914 (Glasgow to Fort William) and 919 (Inverness to Fort William)? I've looked on bustimes.org but they don't have any route history for any of the Scottish Citylink vehicles. Thanks!

Stagecoach EScot (Rennies) have been operating the 913 with B13R/Panther 54129.

The 914 is operated by Shiel Buses and West Coast Motors while the 919 is operated by Shiel and Stagecoach. West Coast Motors mostly use Irizar I6s, Shiel use Touismos, Elites and a Jonckheere SHV, while Stagecoach use B11R/Elites.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

Does anyone know what vehicle types are used on the 913 (Edinburgh to Fort William), 914 (Glasgow to Fort William) and 919 (Inverness to Fort William)? I've looked on bustimes.org but they don't have any route history for any of the Scottish Citylink vehicles. Thanks!

The 913 should be a B13RT Panther 2 (specifically bus 54129), but can sometimes be a B13RT Plaxton Elite in plain white with Rennies logos

 

[computerSaysNo]

Stagecoach EScot (Rennies) have been operating the 913 with B13R/Panther 54129.

The 914 is operated by Shiel Buses and West Coast Motors while the 919 is operated by Shiel and Stagecoach. West Coast Motors mostly use Irizar I6s, Shiel use Touismos, Elites and a Jonckheere SHV, while Stagecoach use B11R/Elites.

The 913 should be a B13RT Panther 2 (specifically bus 54129), but can sometimes be a B13RT Plaxton Elite in plain white with Rennies logos

Ah that's great, thanks both.

 

[Scotrail314209]

The 913 should be a B13RT Panther 2 (specifically bus 54129), but can sometimes be a B13RT Plaxton Elite in plain white with Rennies logos

Not many of the Panthers are left on Citylink work, surely?

 

[route101]

Not many of the Panthers are left on Citylink work, surely?

One was on the M8 few weeks back. Heck, there was an elite on the 900!