• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Stagecoach West Scotland

Scotrail314209

Established Member
Joined
1 Feb 2017
Messages
2,346
Location
Edinburgh
Will there be a possibility of the service they introduced as a replacement for the X34 to be returning?

That is it runs as a Service 25 from Irvine to Beith before becoming an X36 to Glasgow.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

route101

Established Member
Joined
16 May 2010
Messages
10,594
Can a West of Scotland dayrider be used on X74 from Dumfries to Glasgow?
 

GusB

Established Member
Associate Staff
Buses & Coaches
Joined
9 Jul 2016
Messages
6,543
Location
Elginshire
Can a West of Scotland dayrider be used on X74 from Dumfries to Glasgow?
According to the journey planner on stagecoachbus.com a West of Scotland Connect Dayrider is valid.
 

route101

Established Member
Joined
16 May 2010
Messages
10,594
According to the journey planner on stagecoachbus.com a West of Scotland Connect Dayrider is valid.

Interesting , was looking at the map and thinking it wasnt between Dumfries and Glasgow. And same with X77 between Glasgow and Ayr.
 
Joined
13 May 2020
Messages
123
Location
Coatbridge
Wonder when they will change the vehicles on the x74 again? given that the majority of passengers are elderly and in some cases frail the interdeck was surely not the most sensible choice
What type of bus would you suggest then? A normal coach they have to walk up the stairs as well.
 

GaryMcEwan

Established Member
Joined
20 Aug 2013
Messages
1,604
Location
Bridgeton, Glasgow
Talking about Cumbernauld, have they got the rest of the MMCs back on the road? P02 Fleetlist still showing the majority of them decommissioned.
 

route101

Established Member
Joined
16 May 2010
Messages
10,594
Wonder when they will change the vehicles on the x74 again? given that the majority of passengers are elderly and in some cases frail the interdeck was surely not the most sensible choice

Used the x74 yesterday. 65 plate interdeck. So must be up for renewal soon. Wouldnt be fun that route on e300.
 
Joined
13 May 2020
Messages
123
Location
Coatbridge
The 65 plate Interdecks will be on the X74 for the foreseeable future. The Oxford Tube is using 62 and 14 plate Van Hools. There's still 12 and 62 plates on Megabus. Other services need vehicles before these are even thought of beings replaced.
 

Scotrail314209

Established Member
Joined
1 Feb 2017
Messages
2,346
Location
Edinburgh
What is the current state of Ardrossan Depot? I've heard it's to be sold off and that it's only temporarily closed. What is actually going to happen to it? It'll be a shame if the depot closes as the site is rather large and seems to be more convenient for the drivers.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Scotrail314209

Established Member
Joined
1 Feb 2017
Messages
2,346
Location
Edinburgh
There seems to be some movement up in Kilmarnock, with five Astromegas being taken out of service.

50236,239,240,242 and 243 are all being withdrawn, with 240 and 242 being sold. These are being replaced with five ex Oxford Astromegas.

Will the replacements be refurbished or will they be left as they are?
 

RomeoCharlie71

Established Member
Joined
18 Sep 2017
Messages
1,720
Location
Scotland
There seems to be some movement up in Kilmarnock, with five Astromegas being taken out of service.

50236,239,240,242 and 243 are all being withdrawn, with 240 and 242 being sold. These are being replaced with five ex Oxford Astromegas.

Will the replacements be refurbished or will they be left as they are?
50242 is with Moffat & Williamson, Fife now. 50243 is still in use - albeit on Citylink workings.

There are quite a few Vanhool's in the 5027x range at one of the West Scotland depots in the new Stagecoach Distance livery being prepped for service.
 

Scotrail314209

Established Member
Joined
1 Feb 2017
Messages
2,346
Location
Edinburgh
50242 is with Moffat & Williamson, Fife now. 50243 is still in use - albeit on Citylink workings.

There are quite a few Vanhool's in the 5027x range at one of the West Scotland depots in the new Stagecoach Distance livery being prepped for service.

Yep, have seen.

There seems to be a few tridents in the local livery too. All this is being done up at Kilmarnock depot.

Also, the West Scotland service increase has come at a good time, just off an 11 which was full.
 

Blindtraveler

Established Member
Joined
28 Feb 2011
Messages
9,600
Location
Nowhere near enough to a Pacer :(
Assume the astro mega upgrade is specifically for the various X numbered Glasgow to Ayrshire routes

I'm guessing we won't see much in the way of new vehicles for any stagecoach operation this year other than what's been previously announced or stuff funded by various green or low carbon bus initiatives due to the virus
 

Scotrail314209

Established Member
Joined
1 Feb 2017
Messages
2,346
Location
Edinburgh
Assume the astro mega upgrade is specifically for the various X numbered Glasgow to Ayrshire routes

I'm guessing we won't see much in the way of new vehicles for any stagecoach operation this year other than what's been previously announced or stuff funded by various green or low carbon bus initiatives due to the virus

It will most likely be the X76/X77 only.

The X77 still has relatively new Plaxton Elites, with some being replaced by Astromegas.
 

route101

Established Member
Joined
16 May 2010
Messages
10,594
It will most likely be the X76/X77 only.

The X77 still has relatively new Plaxton Elites, with some being replaced by Astromegas.

X76 has new Panoramas, I think the X36 and X34 used to have coaches but cant see anything changing there.
 

Scotrail314209

Established Member
Joined
1 Feb 2017
Messages
2,346
Location
Edinburgh
X76 has new Panoramas, I think the X36 and X34 used to have coaches but cant see anything changing there.

I can confirm the X34 and X36 did have some decent coaches, but that was back when the service was busy. Right now, it's Enviro 400 operated which is very empty outwith the peaks.
 

Jordan Adam

Established Member
Joined
12 Sep 2017
Messages
5,514
Location
Aberdeen
It will most likely be the X76/X77 only.

The X77 still has relatively new Plaxton Elites, with some being replaced by Astromegas.
There was rumour of the X77 Elites being displaced to Bluebird for the 10 to help with the capacity issues the route had been facing pre-covid, but it remains to be seen if that is actually happening. If that were to happen it would likely mean all 8 66 plates and the 2 19 plates moving.
 

Scotrail314209

Established Member
Joined
1 Feb 2017
Messages
2,346
Location
Edinburgh
There was rumour of the X77 Elites being displaced to Bluebird for the 10 to help with the capacity issues the route had been facing pre-covid, but it remains to be seen if that is actually happening. If that were to happen it would likely mean all 8 66 plates and the 2 19 plates moving.

At least one Elite has moved to Dumfries, X77 SCB
 

route101

Established Member
Joined
16 May 2010
Messages
10,594
Wonder what use Dumfries have for the elite? Extra vehicle for the x74 perhaps?
They had some older elites that were on the 500. May also be used on X74. I noted an E300 on the X74. I wonder if coaches can be used on the 101/102?
 

Scotrail314209

Established Member
Joined
1 Feb 2017
Messages
2,346
Location
Edinburgh
They had some older elites that were on the 500. May also be used on X74. I noted an E300 on the X74. I wonder if coaches can be used on the 101/102?

I believe the Elites are for the 500 and will be replacing the Plaxton Profiles recently taken off.
 

Blindtraveler

Established Member
Joined
28 Feb 2011
Messages
9,600
Location
Nowhere near enough to a Pacer :(
I should think that almost everyone universally will be glad to see the back of the profiles. Yes there were some older elites I think down there as well, rather nice inside to actually as I think they come from Kent to a slightly different specification. But they certainly deserve something that's going to work reliably for them. 101 and 102 would benefit from couches as well, perhaps the older elites might cascade 2 there eventually if they can get some more for the 500? Or perhaps next time they replace the vehicles on the x74 they could kaskade those vehicles to the Edinburgh service, it's certainly a very long way to go on an e300 as it's Glasgow, I had that happen to me once and to add insult to injury it was a low back seat variety with no heating one of the X st Andrews batch, cold and slightly late by the time we reached Buchanan
 

Scotrail314209

Established Member
Joined
1 Feb 2017
Messages
2,346
Location
Edinburgh
I should think that almost everyone universally will be glad to see the back of the profiles. Yes there were some older elites I think down there as well, rather nice inside to actually as I think they come from Kent to a slightly different specification. But they certainly deserve something that's going to work reliably for them. 101 and 102 would benefit from couches as well, perhaps the older elites might cascade 2 there eventually if they can get some more for the 500? Or perhaps next time they replace the vehicles on the x74 they could kaskade those vehicles to the Edinburgh service, it's certainly a very long way to go on an e300 as it's Glasgow, I had that happen to me once and to add insult to injury it was a low back seat variety with no heating one of the X st Andrews batch, cold and slightly late by the time we reached Buchanan

I had the displeasure of travelling on the older Elites (ex National Express I believe). Very comfortable seating, however the air conditioning was broken resulting in it being a rather stuffy and unpleasant 2 hours and a bit. I was considering asking the driver to stop for a few moments at the next so I could get some air.

I'm doing the 101A on Friday.... Wish me luck. Using that handy West Scotland Connect ticket to do a giant loop

Saltcoats - Glasgow - Edinburgh - Dumfries - Glasgow - Ayr - Glasgow - Saltcoats.
 

MrKyleBuses

Member
Joined
31 Jan 2020
Messages
23
Location
North Ayrshire
Scania E300's are really not ideal for very long journeys, West Scotland is not great at putting the most comfortable buses on their longest routes.
101/102's should really be coaches considering the length.
 

overthewater

Established Member
Joined
16 Apr 2012
Messages
8,155
Scania E300's are really not ideal for very long journeys, West Scotland is not great at putting the most comfortable buses on their longest routes.
101/102's should really be coaches considering the length.

Yet that's not what the public want. It's the same for the X95; First tried coaches on that route and got a lot of complaints.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Top