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Messages - 47609FireFly

#1
First / Re: First Bus - Leicester
October 08, 2023, 01:24:57 PM
Quote from: Glenfieldmathk1 on October 06, 2023, 08:04:03 PMThe saffrons appear to be leaving now. Today just 3 remaining in service. I guess issues with electric singles have been ironed out. Although still 2 not been in use since June?
Still a lot of customers unhappy along the 13/14/18 routes that buses are too full / and are being left behind. Twitter team say it's being monitored.. but like one complainant was saying how can they monitor how many are being skipped past at bus stops? Wondering how the 54's getting on too..
It's not good really axing so many double deckers. Even potteries now has more double deckers. Which the old MD said Leicester was in a good position compared to pmt.. so why would they put more doubles there than in Leicester?
The big problem on both the 15 and 54 is headway. There isn't sufficient bus priority in Leicester to deliver a reliable and robust 7/8 minute headway without bunching occurring. This is exacerbated if you have a nonchalant driver with a tardy attitude to right time running. What you end up with is single-deck (1) in front being loaded to the gunnels - that increases unloading time and dwell time at stops is increased. Single-deck (2) behind has an easy ride and catches up the bus in front, increasing the gap with the bus behind. Single-deck (3) then gets a hammering and so on and so forth...

In addition, hands-on, frontline service delivery isn't there to deal with any problems and keep the service running reliably. This isn't a problem unique to First.

Customers are key to sorting this out through regularly communicating and complaining to the company.

On the face of it, there are fewer political strings attached to PMT than Leicester. In Stoke, passenger numbers on certain routes have grown and the company has reacted in a positive way, by bringing in other double-deck resources from elsewhere; the two, reasonably new, StreetDecks from York. Fair play to them that they've used something reasonably youthful rather than procuring life-expired / semi life-expired double-deckers. There was a fair deal of commitment to get the electric ball rolling in Leicester and maybe someone did act with a touch of haste (who knows) with opting to go for so many saloons - there's nothing to say that, in time, if the loadings do become regularly too much for single-decks, they can't go elsewhere in group and be replaced by electric deckers. Like I said at the start though, bus priority and front line delivery needs to improve exponentially. With Sunak's comment about not wanting a 'war on motorists', I cannot see Leicester ceasing to be a traffic ridden place, where car drivers believe they have carte blanche to ignore traffic regulation orders, any time soon.
#2
Arriva / Re: Arriva Leicester
October 08, 2023, 01:01:18 PM
Quote from: AlexS on October 02, 2023, 05:29:35 PMYet another DB250 break down on the 50 today. It would probably be more worthy of comment if one of them managed an entire day on the 50/51 circuit without breaking down at this point.
Clearly there is something about the route that isn't agreeing with the buses so it's about time Arriva accepted reality as allocated them elsewhere until they finally manage to rid themselves of them.
Not only this but terrible allocation has seen the board behind the breakdown allocated a single passengers so not only are passengers delayed due to a bus not turning up but they are unable to board the subsequent service due to a lack of capacity. If Thurmaston have to allocate saloons to decker routes the least they could do is allocate reliable deckers (4552-4579 would appear to be the best option) to the boards either side to ensure passengers aren't being doubly inconvienienced.
Regarding the DB250s, they're life-expired. I can't imagine there's anything particular about the 50/51 which doesn't agree with them; they'll suffer failures no matter what. I have no problem with older vehicle stock per se, as long as maintenance regimes are dynamic enough to take into account an older vehicle which is still expected to do a full day's work.

The single-deck thing is becoming a problem in Leicester as a whole but for different reasons I think. With Arriva, I do get the general impression that a bus out on the road, allocated to a car line, is a tick in the box regardless of the type. It could also genuinely be that the person doing the allocating is up against it with what vehicle stock they have available at output time. Some of the bus workings don't help either though, which is an own goal. One such example is the double-decker which roams around for most of the day, on the 87, carrying penny numbers. It would be far better utilised elsewhere. The one reason it's on the 87 is that it commences the day on the 85.

Consolidating two depots into one hasn't helped their cause either with fewer staff managing the Leicester network as a whole. I was on Loughborough Road one day last week at around 1540. Between Checketts Road and Red Hill Circle, there were three inbound 127s, between 20 and 30 seconds apart. First up was a 72-plate E200MMC with passengers hanging out of the windows - it was heaving. Of course, this bus ought to be on the 58/58A. In second place came a 158 branded VDL SB200 with a good seated load. Finally, bringing up the rear and carrying fresh air was a 64-plate E400. It's alright bus companies taking an overly simplistic view that they're running all of their mileage but if the actual service delivery fails, by running clumps of vehicular resource together, meaning that the punctuality / reliability isn't there, people will soon get fed up and go elsewhere.
#3
Other Operators / Re: Centrebus
October 05, 2023, 09:23:10 AM
Another MCV Evora bodied Volvo B8RLE, registered BV73 MKC, was noted at Wenlock Way on 04/10/2023. This one wears the latest Centrebus livery.
#4
Arriva / Re: Arriva Leicester
September 30, 2023, 02:24:29 PM
Quote from: Fin W on September 29, 2023, 12:49:38 PMSome of the ex Yorkshire B9s still have Frequenta route branding inside
Indeed - which sums up Arriva's attitudes to presentation perfectly.
#5
Arriva / Re: Arriva Leicester
September 29, 2023, 12:28:48 PM
Quote from: Mayfield on September 29, 2023, 11:18:52 AMPretty sure but stand to be corrected, they don't need to be euro 6, as after First and Arriva swopped vehicles and did conversions Leicester did not implement the requirements
Euro 6 is a requirement of the Enhanced Partnership (EP).

The vehicles rumoured to be heading to Leicester from Merseyside do comply with Euro 6. If they arrive, I think it'd be a great shame to have age profile of the diesel fleet increased and giving up buses which have been at one operator from new. Arriva doesn't have the best track record when it comes to attention to detail or presentation. 3791's arrival in Leicester comes to mind with a full set of interior vinyls in English and Welsh, regularly telling folk to get in touch on social media at Arriva Midlands WEST.
#6
Other Operators / Re: Centrebus
September 29, 2023, 12:23:58 PM
Quote from: Magikrabby on September 29, 2023, 02:08:57 AMSeems fitting that one of the old UHL busses got a UHL-branded advert - I wonder if this was intentional?

I noticed that according to bustimes 726 and 728 went back to the depot at around 10am on 26/09/23, the day before 727 went back into service, and haven't been back out since. This is just speculation but I think that they may have been called back to the depot in order to have similar adverts applied?

Also does anyone know what has happened to 729? It apparently hasn't been used since 3 July and there is zero evidence of it being at Luton for the graduation shuttles on Flickr unlike the other 3 Scania single decks that went down there in July.
No idea whether the fitting of the advert to bus 727 was intentional.

When I wandered around the perimeter of the depot on 28/09/2023, both 726 & 728 were parked up on the New Star Road side of the site, either side of the stripped carcass of Versa 772. Neither 726 or 728 had similar adverts to 727 applied. 728 was noted to be without a ticket ticket machine.

729 has popped up in a number of conversations recently, all of which have gone a similar way. It went down to Luton with the intention of being used on graduation shuttles but had the misfortune of suffering a major unit failure on the journey down from Leicester. It's certainly not at Wenlock Way, Leicester, so one presumes it was recovered to Luton and did not see any use on the graduation shuttles. 
#7
Other Operators / Re: Centrebus
September 29, 2023, 01:18:09 AM
Quote from: SSmith09 on September 28, 2023, 06:26:28 PMFrom what's been posted on the Centrebus enthusiasts facebook group they're both currently VOR (Vehicle Off Road)

931 went on loan to Grantham to assist and 909 has joined it

On 28/09/2023, 931 was noted in the yard at Wenlock Way, Leicester. Also present was an allover white MCV Evora bodied Volvo B8RLE registered BV73 MKA.
#8
Arriva / Re: Arriva Leicester
September 28, 2023, 11:14:37 AM
It's a bit disappointing if the rumours are correct about Arriva Leicester gaining some 58-reg E400s from Merseyside and giving up a mix of 64-reg and 16-reg vehicles from Leicester in return. Derby and Yorkshire are also touted to be giving up newer kit to Merseyside in return for older buses. All to satisfy Merseyside's maximum vehicle age limit of 15 years. 
#9
Other Operators / Re: Centrebus
September 28, 2023, 11:04:31 AM
Bus 727 is now predominantly pink by virtue of it gaining an allover advert vinyl for the worthy cause of organ donation. Thankfully, the windows aren't covered with anything.
#10
Other Operators / Re: Centrebus
August 26, 2023, 01:30:57 AM
RV22 DMY, an Ilesbus bodied Iveco demonstrator, was noted parked in the yard at Leicester depot on 25/08/2023. 
#11
First / Re: First Bus - Leicester
July 20, 2023, 12:29:20 AM
The evening of 19/07/2023 saw electrics operating late night services for the first time, with routes 25/26, 38/38A & 88E all having electric vehicles allocated. Looked quite impressive seeing all three in the Haymarket Bus Station together, ready for their 2300 hours departure.
#12
First / Re: First Bus - Leicester
June 09, 2023, 10:58:10 AM
Quote from: winston on June 08, 2023, 12:26:53 PMMy first post re: The Streetlites was here on 21st May:
https://wmbusphotos.com/forum/index.php?topic=3618.210
Ta. With zero interest in goings on at Diamond, I must confess that I never read that section of the board. I posted here because it was relevant to First Leicester (and not just Diamond). I was made aware of the sale some time ago but was not permitted to say anything until it became common knowledge. Thanks for the post. 
#13
First / Re: First Bus - Leicester
June 08, 2023, 12:10:39 PM
Quote from: Tony on June 08, 2023, 10:05:00 AMWinston has already posted the full list on here. They are also listed on the main site
Yes - I saw Winston's post after I had made my post. I must admit I hadn't previously noticed an Ensign section on the main site. 
#14
First / Re: First Bus - Leicester
June 08, 2023, 09:30:49 AM
It has been reported that a number of First Leicester's 630xx StreetLites have been sold to Rotala, via Ensign as dealer.
#15
First / Re: First Bus - Leicester
May 01, 2023, 01:30:24 PM
It wasn't just StreetDecks used this year, Kite 63503 - BK23 HCV also took part in proceedings. 
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