Public Transport in your particular part of the region

WillPS · Mon 13 Oct, 2014 21.00

Alexia wrote:225s going to MML or GEML, aren't they?

Maybe. Nobody knows. MML would make sense I guess, allowing the HSTs to go and the Meridians to back them up on the London routes and enhance the Citylink service.

Pete · Fri 14 Nov, 2014 19.57

Stagecoach are trialing two Boris Buses in Dundee for a few months as a publicity stunt / trial of hybrid engines on country routes.

I noticed someone had posted a schedule that Stagecoach posted on a bus spotter mailing list. Just looking for a translation as I know we have a few here

Westbound:

0806, 0934 and hourly until 1634 ex Ethiebeaton Park

0825 ex Carnoustie (Newton Road)

So the 73 runs every ten minutes during the day. I take it this means that the bus that stops at Ethiebeaton Park at 34 minutes past will be a routemaster and therefore I just have to calculate when that bus will pass me?

Steve in Pudsey · Sat 15 Nov, 2014 15.28

First have got a green liveried Boris bus that they've been showing off around West Yorkshire, attempting to get public support for their proposed alternative scheme to the Leeds Trolleybus.

scottishtv · Sat 15 Nov, 2014 16.14

Each operator does things slightly differently, but usually there are two important bits of paper, a "running board" and a "duties sheet". The running board stays with the vehicle and outlines what journeys it should be operating and when on a given day. It is designed to optimise the use of that vehicle and can often mean that bus is on one route during morning peak, and then may move elsewhere during the day, or even run back to the depot.

Likewise the duties sheet will be issued to each driver and stay with them, and will outline exactly where they should be and when, which journeys they will drive on, when they should changeover vehicles and, most importantly, takes account of the requirement for legal breaks during shifts.

Sounds like the sheet above is some sort of running board for the vehicle, where you see "ex", it basically means depart. So yes, you should be able to just work through that journey to find out when it should be at your local stop. The departure times shouldn't be different to those already at your stop as you've stated the bus is being run in-service with fares paid, so to do things differently, even for a trial, the operator would be required to vary or re-register the service with any additional journeys.

Alexia · Sun 16 Nov, 2014 19.54

Exactly the same as on the railways then. Each unit (say in my case, HST) will have a particular set of routes it will run. For example, the 12:30 to Bristol from Paddington forms the 15:00 to Paddington, and then the 17:28 to Hereford (usually, sometimes the 17:15 to Carmarthen). Set swaps occur when a set needs attention, fuel or there's the wrong type of buffet on board (no good putting a TSB on a Pullman dining service, is there?) Looking at today's movements as an example, I see diagram IW009 was allocated to set LA09 forming 1L60 and 1C23 (plus 5C23).

Each train manager/conductor, catering team member and driver also have their own diagrams, sometimes sticking together (usually late at night) or sometimes diverging completely. The 4-member team that work the 10:55 CDF-PAD for example all go off to work 4 different trains once they arrive at London.

WillPS · Sun 16 Nov, 2014 22.05

I wonder how hard to remove the LT roundals on the bonnet are? Seems odd that both First and Stagecoach Dundee have left them on. I guess they'll both end up in the capital, as was the case with the Newcastle Routemasters

Pete · Sun 16 Nov, 2014 22.28

The ones in Dundee retain full TfL branding, including having the destination blinds in New Johnston. They are due to go to London once they're finished here but I suppose that if they ordered them for proper use they'd come without the roundels

scottishtv · Mon 17 Nov, 2014 15.39

I read somewhere that the Stagecoach Strathtay 'Tayway 73' route that trial is taking place on still has conductors on most journeys as standard anyway. Is that really the case?

barcode · Tue 18 Nov, 2014 20.23

scottishtv wrote:I read somewhere that the Stagecoach Strathtay 'Tayway 73' route that trial is taking place on still has conductors on most journeys as standard anyway. Is that really the case?

Yes.

Alexia · Wed 10 Dec, 2014 18.53

Here's a weird one. Megabus, operating route M7 into Swansea. UK configuration (door on left, driver on right) and UK (personalised) number plate. One slight snag - livery was in Dutch/German/Belgique/Flemish and the price quoted on the side was €1 and 1€ on the back.

Do Megabus go abroad (ships / Eurostar)? Or is there a Benelux-adjacent country that drives on the left as we do?

barcode · Wed 10 Dec, 2014 20.47

Alexia wrote:Here's a weird one. Megabus, operating route M7 into Swansea. UK configuration (door on left, driver on right) and UK (personalised) number plate. One slight snag - livery was in Dutch/German/Belgique/Flemish and the price quoted on the side was €1 and 1€ on the back.

Do Megabus go abroad (ships / Eurostar)? Or is there a Benelux-adjacent country that drives on the left as we do?

Yes, for over two years now. And has now expanded again.