Another significant event that occurred during the later part of 'The Dark Ages' was that we finally had scheduled bus services (other than schools services) in our home town of Nailsworth!
Not satisfied with just an occasional visit to this rural metropolis we now operate what is left of a once generous level of local services as well as a six day per week link to Minchinhampton and Stroud. It only took 5 years to achieve this!
Nailsworth still has what I call a proper bus station! Quite a luxury these days in our area when compared to the larger nearby town of Stroud which now has to make do with a collection of laybys on a main road!
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Wednesday, 7 December 2011
The Dark Ages
And so it continues! Two years on and now not so blinded by the anger and frustration that the bus industry can cause, I return to the blog.
I shall refer to this time as the Dark Ages!
I think, although I cannot quite remember, that it all started with what I can only describe as a confrontation with South Gloucestershire Council over route 620. Needless to say, the end result was that we withdrew from the service and have not undertaken work for this particular authority since!
This was followed by uncertainty over the future of supported bus services and an expensive visit to a Public Enquiry and I am sure there was something else...Oh yes, I got married!
What has improved my mood recently, improved enough to even think about returning to the blog, is that we appear to have crossed a major hurdle caused directly by the Government spending cuts. The entire Gloucestershire supported bus service network was reviewed and subsequently re-tendered. We made our bids and were more successful than I could have hoped!
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Lets Try A Volvo This Time!
Bye bye Scania, hello Volvo! H431 EFT is departing soon, already replaced by a Volvo B10M (L310 PSC). They look the same but the volvo has a vicious tail!! N384 PNY has also departed recently, bought by Gloucester Limos for a school contract in the Gloucester area.
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Another Departure
And so H430 EFT leaves for pastures new across the Severn Bridge to Chepstow Classic Buses. It has a gearbox fault that was uneconomic for us to attend to so I don't know what the future holds for it!
Saturday, 5 September 2009
Photos Number 8 and Number 9 - WX59 BWB
The new arrival just after delivery parked next to a Bristol RE for contrast! And a shot of the light and airy interior!
The New Additions
And so they have all arrived in the nick of time!
Our new MAN Centro is now registered WX59 BWB and the Ugly Ducklings (which don't look so bad in the flesh) are V682 FPO and W483 OUF. Did I mention that there is another Dart (N64 KBW) nicknamed Dino due to the fact it has arrived in Jurassic Coast promotional livery!
The Centro is now painted but still needs its vinyls fitted. It will hit the streets during the week ahead!
As well as the vehicles there are also new routes. The 130 and 131, with a 29A in the afternoons, will serve Sir William Romney's School in Tetbury.
Our new MAN Centro is now registered WX59 BWB and the Ugly Ducklings (which don't look so bad in the flesh) are V682 FPO and W483 OUF. Did I mention that there is another Dart (N64 KBW) nicknamed Dino due to the fact it has arrived in Jurassic Coast promotional livery!
The Centro is now painted but still needs its vinyls fitted. It will hit the streets during the week ahead!
As well as the vehicles there are also new routes. The 130 and 131, with a 29A in the afternoons, will serve Sir William Romney's School in Tetbury.
Sunday, 30 August 2009
The Ugly Ducklings
Success!
I have found two low floor vehicles under 12 years old and within our price range! The only problem is they are ugly! The Caetano Compass body certainly was not in the running for any design awards but beggars cannot be choosers!
And so on Tuesday I will head off to the Ensign used bus emporium to complete the deal! Fortunately delivery is included in the price as there are few more boring tasks than driving a bus for a long distance on the M25 and M4!
Added to the fact that our new MAN arrives next week sees nearly a fifth of the fleet converted to low floor in a week!
I have found two low floor vehicles under 12 years old and within our price range! The only problem is they are ugly! The Caetano Compass body certainly was not in the running for any design awards but beggars cannot be choosers!
And so on Tuesday I will head off to the Ensign used bus emporium to complete the deal! Fortunately delivery is included in the price as there are few more boring tasks than driving a bus for a long distance on the M25 and M4!
Added to the fact that our new MAN arrives next week sees nearly a fifth of the fleet converted to low floor in a week!
The Forsight Saga
And so the 620 saga is nearly at an end! The route was put out to competitive tender a little while ago causing mild distress to myself as losing it would have caused chaos! And so the only alternative to chaos was to win the route back!
And so an alternative timetable was promptly dispatched with an attractive price in the appropriate box leading to success! We have now been awarded the contract although the 620 service will now only run between Bath and Chipping Sodbury. The 29 route will now extend southwards to Yate.
The only problem now is finding appropriate vehicles! The contracts now require low-floor vehicles less than 12 years old and so the search for something in this catagory continues!
And so an alternative timetable was promptly dispatched with an attractive price in the appropriate box leading to success! We have now been awarded the contract although the 620 service will now only run between Bath and Chipping Sodbury. The 29 route will now extend southwards to Yate.
The only problem now is finding appropriate vehicles! The contracts now require low-floor vehicles less than 12 years old and so the search for something in this catagory continues!
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
More Route Changes
Not only the vehicles are changing! September will see two new routes (130 and 131), a new variation (29A) and also changes to route 620!
Add to this the change to route 864 through Chedworth village (starting today) and I now realise that is a lot of paperwork!
The changing or creation of a route has become a tedious process! Gone are the days of excitement about how it was going to perform, replaced by the laborious process of negotiation and registration.
The change to the 864 for example was initiated by Chedworth Parish Council who, if looking at a map, wanted the route moved a little to the right! So Chedworth Parish Council contacted us and, as the route is effectively owned by Gloucestershire County Council, then contacted them. Gloucestershire County Council then contact us leading to the postal and email systems being overloaded for a while asking if we thought this was a good idea! Whether or not we considered this to be of any benefit will become less relevant as time progresses and it becomes more of a political issue! To be perfectly honest this change, being of a minor nature, meant that there was no issue to us if it happened or not however I personally don't see any possibility of this change increasing patronage! But the machine of change continues and so a change date is agreed and the paperwork may begin as follows: -
Add to this the change to route 864 through Chedworth village (starting today) and I now realise that is a lot of paperwork!
The changing or creation of a route has become a tedious process! Gone are the days of excitement about how it was going to perform, replaced by the laborious process of negotiation and registration.
The change to the 864 for example was initiated by Chedworth Parish Council who, if looking at a map, wanted the route moved a little to the right! So Chedworth Parish Council contacted us and, as the route is effectively owned by Gloucestershire County Council, then contacted them. Gloucestershire County Council then contact us leading to the postal and email systems being overloaded for a while asking if we thought this was a good idea! Whether or not we considered this to be of any benefit will become less relevant as time progresses and it becomes more of a political issue! To be perfectly honest this change, being of a minor nature, meant that there was no issue to us if it happened or not however I personally don't see any possibility of this change increasing patronage! But the machine of change continues and so a change date is agreed and the paperwork may begin as follows: -
- Fill out the registration form (4 pages)
- Fill out the supplimentary registration form (2 pages)
- Provide a scale map of the route (8 pages)
- Write a route description (1 page)
- Create a timetable (1 page)
- Write a cheque for £60.00
And so my 18 pages must now be copied 3 times, 1 for the Traffic Commissioners Office, 1 for the Local Authority and 1 for the file. So thats 54 sheets of paper and a good quantity of printer ink!
Fortunately the Council will print the timetables!!!!!
More Vehicle Changes
My addiction to fleet changes has reared its ugly head again! M588 UBA (affectionately known as Muba) has now been sold to Ebley Coaches so that they have an appropriate vehicle for a new school contract in September.
Our new Plaxton Centro has arrived at the MAN dealership in Swindon for pre-delivery checks and should be delivered on time for September 1st!
The hired Mercedes Vario will almost certainly return in September bringing a not entirely happy association with the type to a close.
But whats next? Changes to the 620 route contract will specify low floor vehicles but there is never a suitable one around when you want one! No doubt three will come along when its too late!! So the shopping continues...
Our new Plaxton Centro has arrived at the MAN dealership in Swindon for pre-delivery checks and should be delivered on time for September 1st!
The hired Mercedes Vario will almost certainly return in September bringing a not entirely happy association with the type to a close.
But whats next? Changes to the 620 route contract will specify low floor vehicles but there is never a suitable one around when you want one! No doubt three will come along when its too late!! So the shopping continues...
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