West Country Independents

[Citistar]

56 is scheduled as 0945, 1045, 1245, 1345 from Clevedon, each journey leaving Walton Bay to come back 15 mins later.

I hope you got a good photo at Nailsea

 

[carlberry]

56 is scheduled as 0945, 1045, 1245, 1345 from Clevedon, each journey leaving Walton Bay to come back 15 mins later.

I hope you got a good photo at Nailsea

Yes. Not being aware of the timetable I assumed it was Stagecoach finally arriving at first however it didn't match their livery and the comprehensive destination display gave it away in the end!

Citistar YJ10EXZ arriving in Nailsea to take up the return working to Bishop Sutton, 15th April 2021.

 

[iantherev]

Yes. Not being aware of the timetable I assumed it was Stagecoach finally arriving at first however it didn't match their livery and the comprehensive destination display gave it away in the end!

Citistar YJ10EXZ arriving in Nailsea to take up the return working to Bishop Sutton, 15th April 2021.

View attachment 94475

One of my previous churches of happy memory in the background there!

 

[-Colly405-]

56 is scheduled as 0945, 1045, 1245, 1345 from Clevedon, each journey leaving Walton Bay to come back 15 mins later.

I hope you got a good photo at Nailsea

Is the timetable published anywhere yet, I can't find it!!!

 

[carlberry]

Is the timetable published anywhere yet, I can't find it!!!

Still covered by the Official Secrets act I believe. Even if you had it you'd struggle to identify the 'bus' when it turns up anyway!

 

[-Colly405-]

Still covered by the Official Secrets act I believe. Even if you had it you'd struggle to identify the 'bus' when it turns up anyway!

 

[Marcus Fryer]

Still covered by the Official Secrets act I believe. Even if you had it you'd struggle to identify the 'bus' when it turns up anyway!

Who is running the 56 please? And what were they using when you saw it?

 

[carlberry]

Who is running the 56 please? And what were they using when you saw it?

Weston & District Community Transport (however don't tell anybody that you found out from me, walls have ears)!

Something like this (certainly the destination display was that helpful!), not my photo:
Flickr Link

 

[Marcus Fryer]

Weston & District Community Transport (however don't tell anybody that you found out from me, walls have ears)!

Something like this (certainly the destination display was that helpful!), not my photo:
Flickr Link

Thanks. They are also running the 991/992.

 

[Citistar]

Is the timetable published anywhere yet, I can't find it!!!

I've only seen it published on the North Somerset Public Transport Facebook feed. It certainly hasn't been added to any data feeds yet.

Regular vehicle seems to be a slam door Citroen minibus, which is odd as they should have liberated at least two power door vehicles (at least three different vehicles were being used) from the C1/C2/B1/L1 services in Weston and only one is required for 991/992 down at Langford.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Thought I'd mention it here as the Wiltshire bus thread is locked, to say that there was evidently an operator change that passed me by. Seven years after taking on the Devizes town services from Hatts (on their implosion), Stagecoach are no longer running them. Not surprisingly, Faresaver are now operating them so assume that there are two more vehicles based out near Sells Green.

As an aside, saw Go Ahead using their Tourist liveried Solo 3688 on the 2. Not many places you can see an X reg Solo in front line service!

 

[NJ51]

I've only seen it published on the North Somerset Public Transport Facebook feed. It certainly hasn't been added to any data feeds yet.

Regular vehicle seems to be a slam door Citroen minibus, which is odd as they should have liberated at least two power door vehicles (at least three different vehicles were being used) from the C1/C2/B1/L1 services in Weston and only one is required for 991/992 down at Langford.

Thanks to you Andy I have been able to track down service 56 this morning , although I was waiting at the wrong bus stop. Still run with a Citroen.

WJ65HLM Weston & District Community Transport

WJ65HLM is a Citroen Relay Enterprise C14F new February 2016. Weston & District Community Transport Ltd is a company operated by a Board of Trustees and local Management Committee. It is registered as a 'Not for Profit' Limited Company and has Charitable Status. WJ65HLM is operating the 10.45...

flic.kr

 

[Citistar]

Thanks to you Andy I have been able to track down service 56 this morning , although I was waiting at the wrong bus stop. Still run with a Citroen.

WJ65HLM Weston & District Community Transport

WJ65HLM is a Citroen Relay Enterprise C14F new February 2016. Weston & District Community Transport Ltd is a company operated by a Board of Trustees and local Management Committee. It is registered as a 'Not for Profit' Limited Company and has Charitable Status. WJ65HLM is operating the 10.45...

flic.kr

None of the new minibus routes appear to have been added to any of the national databases, almost a month after commencing.

 

[Citistar]

I see the Hackney Community Transport (HCT) service 55 didn't last very long running to Whitchurch Asda. It was cut back to Hengrove Park from this Tuesday with little fanfare. Revised Timetable.

Their 672 service has also been on a very disruptive diversion missing three villages this week, without any mention on their social media (which is still active with marketing fluff for other routes).

 

[NJ51]

North Somerset Services 56 / 991 /992 only appeared in Notices and Proceedings on 29th April 2021 , although they appear to have started on 12th April.
Hopefully timekeeping might improve on the 53/54/55 with the revised timetable ? 15 minutes late was often the norm.

 

[Dai Corner]

I'd have thought Asda was a key destination? Are there other shopping centres on the route?

 

[Citistar]

I'd have thought Asda was a key destination? Are there other shopping centres on the route?

Lidl at Bishopsworth is the only other significant food store on the route. Plenty of varied shopping at Imperial Park, but nowhere to do a standard food shop and it's a lengthy unprotected walk from the bus stops.

 

[carlberry]

Lidl at Bishopsworth is the only other significant food store on the route. Plenty of varied shopping at Imperial Park, but nowhere to do a standard food shop and it's a lengthy unprotected walk from the bus stops.

Lots of duty free shopping at the airport (usually!).

 

[Marcus Fryer]

I'd have thought Asda was a key destination? Are there other shopping centres on the route?

The route/timetable change could have been made to improve timekeeping - I think the original timings/turnarounds might’ve proved too tight as NJ51 suggests.
Hengrove Park is quite a useful transport hub with, as well as the leisure centre, college and hospital, frequent connections via Metrobus to the city centre.
Note the 15:45 and 18:45 from Hengrove Park run backwards in time according to the timetable in Citistar’s link!

 

[RhysHand]

The route/timetable change could have been made to improve timekeeping - I think the original timings/turnarounds might’ve proved too tight as NJ51 suggests.
Hengrove Park is quite a useful transport hub with, as well as the leisure centre, college and hospital, frequent connections via Metrobus to the city centre.
Note the 15:45 and 18:45 from Hengrove Park run backwards in time according to the timetable in Citistar’s link!

Good point. Just sorted. Thanks for highlighting.

 

[Marcus Fryer]

North Somerset Services 56 / 991 /992 only appeared in Notices and Proceedings on 29th April 2021 , although they appear to have started on 12th April.
Hopefully timekeeping might improve on the 53/54/55 with the revised timetable ? 15 minutes late was often the norm.

The 991/992 started the same day as the 51 (6 April).

 

[carlberry]

North Somerset Services 56 / 991 /992 only appeared in Notices and Proceedings on 29th April 2021 , although they appear to have started on 12th April.
Hopefully timekeeping might improve on the 53/54/55 with the revised timetable ? 15 minutes late was often the norm.

Surely that means that they cant have charged fares before the 29th? (I'm assuming the county council will have instantly given short notice approval as it's their services instead of insisting on the usual 8 weeks!)

 

[Marcus Fryer]

Surely that means that they cant have charged fares before the 29th? (I'm assuming the county council will have instantly given short notice approval as it's their services instead of insisting on the usual 8 weeks!)

I’m not certain they even had ticket machines when they started up. I believe the machines were to be supplied by NSC (North Somerset Council)?

 

[-Colly405-]

I'd have thought Asda was a key destination? Are there other shopping centres on the route?

As part of a really helpful conversation when I queried how they could say that withdrawing part of a route could be classed as "minor changes" as per their publicity, HCT advised me that less than one person per day was using the Hengrove-Whitchurch section.

 

[Citistar]

As part of a really helpful conversation when I queried how they could say that withdrawing part of a route could be classed as "minor changes" as per their publicity, HCT advised me that less than one person per day was using the Hengrove-Whitchurch section.

I'm sure loadings were at that level, given that the service only started four weeks ago during the late stages of a national lockdown.

 

[-Colly405-]

I'm sure loadings were at that level, given that the service only started four weeks ago during the late stages of a national lockdown.

They didn't elaborate on how many passengers were on the rest of the route!!!

 

[swifty]

Sadly it looks like another ‘native’ Abus Spectra has suffered fire damage this morning after working the R2. AP53 BUS seems to have been the victim, Alan has since posted on Facebook that it’s going to Ripely for scrap tomorrow.

https://mobile.twitter.com/BBCBristol/status/1394230546729943042

Following a bus fire this morning at Lawrence Hill
@FirstBSA
says its services 6/7/35/37/42/4/44 & 45 are diverting via Easton Way and Stapleton Road. Delays are expected

 

[-Colly405-]

I see that Bath Bus Company has a new brand for its Bristol, Bath and Cardiff open top tours - TOOTBUS.

The Original Open Tour BUS.

Is it just me, or does that not exactly smack of quality?

Best and simplest way to discover cities | Tootbus

Tootbus

www.bathbuscompany.com

 

[Busaholic]

I see that Bath Bus Company has a new brand for its Bristol, Bath and Cardiff open top tours - TOOTBUS.

The Original Open Tour BUS.

Is it just me, or does that not exactly smack of quality?

Best and simplest way to discover cities | Tootbus

Tootbus

www.bathbuscompany.com

Sounds a bit Thomas the Tank Engine, which may be intentional,

 

[Whiteway215]

Sadly it looks like another ‘native’ Abus Spectra has suffered fire damage this morning after working the R2. AP53 BUS seems to have been the victim, Alan has since posted on Facebook that it’s going to Ripely for scrap tomorrow.

https://mobile.twitter.com/BBCBristol/status/1394230546729943042

Doesn’t there have to be some investigation or something into the reason for the fire before the bus can be disposed of?