Transdev Blazefield

[Andyh82]

Hope they are better vehicles than the nail i caught last monday 20th.

Which was?

 

[Ashly_Jethro]

Transdev have announced a summer service X43 on Coastliner

Sorry, we can't find this page!

www.transdevbus.co.uk

It will run from York to Scarborough direct via the A64 omitting Heworth and Malton, and then extend to Whitby. There will also be a similar return journey and a short return journey from Whitby to Scarborough in the middle of the day

Connections can be made at York or Scarborough with the 843 service

That’s more like it, should have done that last year rather than over-stretching with “Coastliner Extra”. Nothing wrong with exploring new things but if it ain’t broke…

Hope they are better vehicles than the nail i caught last monday 20th.

The post depicts a Eclipse gen1 faced B7RLE, something only now found at Keighley or IrwellLine (with the exception of one at Harrogate) yet the fleet number is a Rosso Eclipse 2. Question is, where will these be coming from? My guess would likely be Keighley? Seems odd to get second hand vehicles of that age for front line service.

 

[Ken H]

That’s more like it, should have done that last year rather than over-stretching with “Coastliner Extra”. Nothing wrong with exploring new things but if it ain’t broke…


The post depicts a Eclipse gen1 faced B7RLE, something only now found at Keighley or IrwellLine (with the exception of one at Harrogate) yet the fleet number is a Rosso Eclipse 2. Question is, where will these be coming from? My guess would likely be Keighley? Seems odd to get second hand vehicles of that age for front line service.

This is the bus on the 502 last Monday YK08ERV. New to Arriva Durham May 2008. Optare Solo M950. Pic taken in Halifax.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

That’s more like it, should have done that last year rather than over-stretching with “Coastliner Extra”. Nothing wrong with exploring new things but if it ain’t broke…


The post depicts a Eclipse gen1 faced B7RLE, something only now found at Keighley or IrwellLine (with the exception of one at Harrogate) yet the fleet number is a Rosso Eclipse 2. Question is, where will these be coming from? My guess would likely be Keighley? Seems odd to get second hand vehicles of that age for front line service.

More a reflection that a) the driver resources aren't there and b) the passenger numbers will be lower - already seeing it in other parts of the domestic tourism market. It won’t be as much of the staycation of 2021.

This is the bus on the 502 last Monday YK08ERV. New to Arriva Durham May 2008. Optare Solo M950. Pic taken in Halifax.

One of the legacy fleet from Tiger then

 

[Andyh82]

Plus I think I’m retrospect the Coastliner Extra was a bit over the top with the 30 min frequency all the way to Scarborough.

Regarding the 502, it’s just a drawing, it won’t necessarily be an Eclipse 1, it could be an Eclipse 2, the fleet number may just be an example as well.

 

[Ken H]

More a reflection that a) the driver resources aren't there and b) the passenger numbers will be lower - already seeing it in other parts of the domestic tourism market. It won’t be as much of the staycation of 2021.


One of the legacy fleet from Tiger then

There was another orange peril driving round Halifax. Horrid screeching noise at low speeds. Sounded like a loose alternator belt, but may have been the clutch. Driver must have had a headache at the end of his shift!

 

[Delenn]

Transdev have announced a summer service X43 on Coastliner

Sorry, we can't find this page!

www.transdevbus.co.uk

It will run from York to Scarborough direct via the A64 omitting Heworth and Malton, and then extend to Whitby. There will also be a similar return journey and a short return journey from Whitby to Scarborough in the middle of the day

Connections can be made at York or Scarborough with the 843 service

I'm glad they've left the core Coastliner service as was. Last summer was a disaster.

But I am intrigued by the X43. What do they think 2 buses each way a day will achieve, given Arriva are well established on the corridor? Also, are they direct to Whitby, or are they stopping on the way? I can find nothing to signify where the intermediate stops will be.

I really hope it is a success for them and achieves what they want.

 

[Andyh82]

It provides a summer extra to Scarborough and a summer extra to Whitby all using the same bus rather than two, plus May pick up passengers between Scarborough and Whitby as well. Customers on holiday won’t have any particular loyalty to the Arriva service, they’ll just board the first bus going their way

The short journeys are probably so layovers can be taken at East Yorkshire’s yard in Scarborough

 

[SCH117X]

I read it that the timetable is showing the only stops the X43 serves - a fast York-Whitby than competition with Arriva. The shorts do give an option for someone to do a loop of the 840 843 routes and for once a service that does actually coastline.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I'm glad they've left the core Coastliner service as was. Last summer was a disaster.

But I am intrigued by the X43. What do they think 2 buses each way a day will achieve, given Arriva are well established on the corridor? Also, are they direct to Whitby, or are they stopping on the way? I can find nothing to signify where the intermediate stops will be.

I really hope it is a success for them and achieves what they want.

I doubt there's a serious intent in trying to compete with Arriva - it's a way of killing two birds with one stone (an extra Scarborough and then Whitby) and then heading to Scarborough to lay over (though I don't see the logic in that). The speed in which it runs from Scarborough to Whitby indicates a lack of intermediate stops.

As for 2021... well, it was too much. However, everyone was saying how much 2021 would be the year of the staycation. Had they NOT done it and they had been overcrowding, I'm sure we'd have had the criticism on these boards for that.

 

[bluenoxid]

This X43 feels like the Go North East X11. How has that faired? I’m assuming well enough because it has come back for a second year.

 

[Megafuss]

This X43 feels like the Go North East X11. How has that faired? I’m assuming well enough because it has come back for a second year.

The X11 has returned, but interestingly not the Whitby/Scarborough shuttles. I am sure that is a coincidence.....

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The X11 has returned, but interestingly not the Whitby/Scarborough shuttles. I am sure that is a coincidence.....

Why? What are you suggesting?

 

[JRT]

This X43 feels like the Go North East X11. How has that faired? I’m assuming well enough because it has come back for a second year.

Ah yes, travelled on the "Seasider" once last year for a quicker journey from Scarborough to Whitby.

 

[RustySpoons]

I doubt there's a serious intent in trying to compete with Arriva - it's a way of killing two birds with one stone (an extra Scarborough and then Whitby) and then heading to Scarborough to lay over (though I don't see the logic in that). The speed in which it runs from Scarborough to Whitby indicates a lack of intermediate stops.

As for 2021... well, it was too much. However, everyone was saying how much 2021 would be the year of the staycation. Had they NOT done it and they had been overcrowding, I'm sure we'd have had the criticism on these boards for that.

Me neither, it does seem like a wasted journey as surely the Arriva service would be more convenient to most. I did wonder if it's more of a positioning journey to get a driver back in Scarborough to take over an 843 back west at some point?

 

[skyhigh]

Predicting the end of Gareth Southgate then [3620 is/was so named]

It was back in service today (I saw it while out in Leeds).

 

[RustySpoons]

Lots of people with complaints and issues being let down by unannounced missing buses being ignored, but at the other end of the scale Harrogate & District/Harrogate Bus Company have won the 'Best Large Company' award in the Harrogate Advertiser Business Excellence awards.

@AlexTransdev says...

So, so proud of our Owen who picks up Apprentice of the Year award and @harrogatebus who win in the large company category @HgateAdvertiser Business Excellence Awards. After two busy and pressured years for the whole team, recognition like this means the world to us. Grateful

Congratulations to Owen, that's a fantastic achievement for a job that's arguably one of the most important in the company but often forgotten about by many.

I'm not sure who decides the winners of the awards but I'm sure that the regular users of the buses weren't consulted for the 'Best Large Company' award. The services provided as of late have been pretty shambolic, and that's just going off social media and the endless lists of cancelled services.

---

CityZap also features on the cover of on this weeks Passenger Transport magazine.

Many passengers used buses instead after rail services across the country were halted on three days last week

Didn't see that coming!



The 52% increase on CityZap is interesting. It's already running at a reduced timetable because they've already admitted that passenger numbers aren't where they need to be, and by all accounts a lot of the buses are running with light loads anyway, so is 52% actually as impressive as it sounds? If you're only carrying 10 passengers and an extra 5 get on, that's an extra 50% but it's still not great. Can CityZap actually pay for itself after the big investment in the E400s. Would the ex Witch Way B9s not have been better suited for Zap and the E400s over at Coastliner?

From that article, Alex Hornby says...

As well as fulfilling our full timetable, extra buses were operated on a number of routes across Yorkshire so customers could experience our services in comfort

That must be an absolute kick in the teeth to regular customers who have been constantly let down with buses not turning up, announced or otherwise, then being forced onto a late running overcrowded bus or having to spend on a taxi. Even worse if you have the last bus of the day not even turn up, as seems to be a regular occurrence on some of the rural Ribble Country services in Lancashire.

If they'd put in this sort of effort to keep services running over the last few months instead of only pulling out all the stops to get one over on the train I'm sure passengers would be a lot more understanding of the issues they're having. I've said it before I know, but if management think that posting out an inaccurate daily list of some (but not all) services that won't run is now acceptable they're very much wrong.

 

[northernchris]

It would be interesting to know which Yorkshire routes received extra services. They didn't fulfil the 60 or 662 timetables as there were cancellations across the strike days, so would think it was either the 36 or Zap.

It will also be good to see if those who used the bus on a strike day will stay with the bus, or continue to only use it as a back up to the train, as it could potentially have a long term impact on train usage.

 

[dodecahedron67]

I used Cityzap during the strikes and it was the first time I’ve been unable to sit where I wanted on it for ages. It looked to be about 30-40 on board.

Extra buses were on the 36 and they chucked out some 62 plate B9’s and a B7RLE as well.

 

[WY Bus Spotter]

A 52% increase on Cityzap can't be that much. I usually only see about 4 people on it. That means 6 people used it during the strike instead!

 

[SCH117X]

Harrogate did yesterday set out with no cancellations although it did not take long for a route 1 service to be cancelled, although whether than was a lack of driver, a vehicle issue or simply due to congestion is no longer clear with the lack of tweets providing any clarity. Chaos occurred in the afternoon with a broken down HGV causing huge tailbacks affecting all services that approach the bus station from from the Parliament St/Ripon Rd junction (3, 6, 24, 36 from Ripon, 36 from Leeds unless following a diversion).

 

[Deerfold]

Indeed.

A 52% increase may be significant for bus routes, but I'm not sure I'd call it "many passengers" as the magazine does - it'll be a tiny minority of the usual rail passengers.

 

[northernchris]

Noticed the 36 was back to usual service today, as I was passing through Leeds bus station the board was showing 3 cancellations out of the next 6 journeys.

 

[RustySpoons]

Few changes at Pennine this month.

Full details here

More Buses between Halifax and Rochdale​

We will run all journeys on the 587 between Halifax and Rochdale, replacing the trips currently run by FirstBus. We run this route on behalf of WYCA (Metro). This means we will provide a bus every hour Monday to Saturday and four trips each way on Sundays. Look out for our better, brighter refreshed low-emission buses on the 587 very soon.

I hope they've actually got enough drivers to run this new service. Interesting that Pennine are running it, I'd have thought it'd possibly be more suited to run from Rosso's Rochdale depot?

And as previously mentuoned, the 502 gets a new brand...

Getting steamy on the 502 to Keighley ​

We will slightly change the times of the 502 to make it more reliable. Most times will only change by a minute or two but please check the new timetable to make sure you don’t miss us. Better, brighter buses - and a chuffing new brand - are on the way here very soon, keep watching!

I don't know why but Transdev trying to be cheeky, 'getting steamy on the 502', just doesn't seem to work for me. They take themselves too seriously too much of the time to be able to get away with it.

There are also a few other timetable and route changes to existing services, as detailed on the above link.

All very positive IF they can actually run them!

 

[SCH117X]

I don't know why but Transdev trying to be cheeky, 'getting steamy on the 502', just doesn't seem to work for me.

It relates to the new brand for the route which seems to be either Northern Line or Great Northern Line; the Great Northen Railway linked Halifax and Keighley (via Queenbury)

 

[Andyh82]

Few changes at Pennine this month.

Full details here



I hope they've actually got enough drivers to run this new service. Interesting that Pennine are running it, I'd have thought it'd possibly be more suited to run from Rosso's Rochdale depot?

Not really interesting or too big a shock as it’s always run from the Halifax end, since the days of the corporation

Centrebus and Yorkshire Tiger ran the Rochdale service for 10 years from 2010 to 2020 before First got it back more recently

 

[RustySpoons]

One of the strangest campaigns to get people on the bus is coming up in August...

@AlexTransdev Twitter says...

#GoWithGrannyOnTheBus weekend is on the way! On 13/14 August, all U19s can ride for just £1 all day when accompanying a free concessionary pass holder (yes, including Grandads too!) on all of our buses right across the north of England. Encouraging all to return back to bus!

 

[burns20]

Trentbarton did this when I was child but it was only a penny for the Under 16 accompanied by a Grandparent

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

One of the strangest campaigns to get people on the bus is coming up in August...

@AlexTransdev Twitter says...

Makes a bit of sense if you think about it…

 

[GusB]

I hope this latest initiative doesn't lead to increased incidences of "Other Grannies" being ejected from these services