I've seen mention in passing somewhere on here about an Outer circle in Coventry. Is this an actual plan? I imagine it would involve the 701/801/etc...
Quote from: Kevin on March 07, 2013, 11:08:08 PM
I've seen mention in passing somewhere on here about an Outer circle in Coventry. Is this an actual plan? I imagine it would involve the 701/801/etc...
Kevin,
It is an actual plan, as for where the info is posted I can't remember, but there is a one liner in the thread below confirming its happening
http://wmbusphotos.com/forum/index.php?topic=1425.0
just found this picture, shows that NXC could have run an outer circle as 22a/c before the network review, but never materialised.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/coventrybuspics/8536782397/
Nice one, cheers
Noticed the last time I was in Cov that DeC were using relatively new looking buses on the 801, definitely makes a change from the B6's I remember when NXC were running it
If you're looking for a reputable source about the 'outer circle' service, see:
http://www.centro.org.uk/newsroom/PressReleases/PressRelease43575.aspx
The most relevant quote is:
"Next year, the Number 801 will be linked to existing services in Coundon, Holbrooks and Bell Green to provide a complete bus route around the edge of the city which will enable better links to University Hospital as well as important local amenities such as shops, schools and sports centres."
Obtained new timetable leaflet for 360 at University Hospital (month in advance-full marks MdC)
Timetable header is
University Hospital-Clifford Bridge Road-Willenhall-Jaguar Land Rover-Cheylesmore-Cannon Park-University of Warwick-Eastern Green-Arena Tesco-University Hospital. It operates between Arena and Hospital via Sewell Highway and Wyken.
Route 703 remains operating between Arena and Hospital via Aldermans Green, Wood End and Potters Green, every 30 minutes
It no longer serves Walsgrave Business Park
Route 360 takes 2.5 hours to go round during daytimes and 2 hours during evenings and Sundays.
Daytime frequency every 30 minutes daytime, hourly evenings and Sundays. North west quadrant has evening/Sunday service unlike 701.
Jaguar works is not served during evenings and Sundays.
One journey in each peak is diverted to serve Cardinal Newman school missing out Halford Lane.
Timetable leaflet has map together with image of bus 545 with 22 route branding.
So its every half hour all the way round then? Makes much more sense than leaving the uni - allesley park section as hourly
Yes it half hourly all the way round during daytime. Not all journeys are complete circles in the evening.
Clockwise 06:15 every 30 minutes until 17:45 from University Hospital.
Last full clockwise departs University Hospital at 20:15 getting back to University Hospital at 22:15 continuing to Cannon Park shops at 22:55
Two clockwise journeys start at Broad Lane.
Anti Clockwise 06:50 every 30 minutes until 17:50 from University Hospital.
Last full clockwise departs University Hospital 20:55 getting back to University Hospital at 22:50.
Sundays from University Hospital
Clockwise 10:55 hourly until 19:55 arriving back at 21:50
Anti Clockwise 12:15 until 20:15 arriving back at 22:10.
There are a few later journeys only running between University Hospital and Warwick University.
The daytime service needs 10 buses and the evening/Sunday service needs 4 buses. The route avoids a low bridge by operating via Tile Hill Station so it could be possible to have double deckers on the route.
Brilliant: thanks for all the info!
If you're able to say, where did you get hold of the timetable? -- I asked at the information desk in Pool Meadow only a few days ago, and the staff seemed to have heard nothing of this service!
They were on the rotating racks in entrance foyer of University Hospital below the Real Time Information screen. There were plenty when I picked up mine on Wednesday.
9th June bus timetable for service 360A and 360C is now available here:
http://www.decourceytravel.com/pdf/Service360timetable.pdf
9th June bus timetable for service 703 is now available here:
http://www.decourceytravel.com/pdf/Service703timetable.pdf
Route numbers 360A and 360C have started to appear on bus stops in a piecemeal basis as area timetable panels.
Yeah saw some around Tile Hill area at the weekend
According to the Birmingham Updates page, this route has taken the title of "Europe's Longest Bus Route" From the 11A/11C :(
Surely there must be longer?
What about Stagecoach's X4?
http://www.peterborough.gov.uk/PDF/trans-bus-timetbl-x4.PDF
Sorry that was my mistake, I meant the longest Urban route. I'm not sure on the X4 so couldn't say for sure but I think it might go rural or on a motorway or something?
Just found this http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-22765280
It was on radio at lunchtime, they are already suggesting that the 11 goes into Northfield to gain the extra mileage to get the title back.
Question is, will the 360 last?
Stagecoach 555 (Keswick - Lancaster) is a long one, usually takes nearly 3 hours - maybe the longest non-express bus service? ;)
Quote from: Stuharris 6360 on June 04, 2013, 06:36:25 PM
It was on radio at lunchtime, they are already suggesting that the 11 goes into Northfield to gain the extra mileage to get the title back.
Question is, will the 360 last?
I think they need to sort out the reliability problems with the 11 they've got atm before making it even worse! :P
Quote from: Stuharris 6360 on June 04, 2013, 06:36:25 PM
It was on radio at lunchtime, they are already suggesting that the 11 goes into Northfield to gain the extra mileage to get the title back.
Question is, will the 360 last?
On the radio? What kind of radio station talks about buses? I want more ;D
Quote from: nitromatt1 on June 04, 2013, 06:47:39 PM
Quote from: Stuharris 6360 on June 04, 2013, 06:36:25 PM
It was on radio at lunchtime, they are already suggesting that the 11 goes into Northfield to gain the extra mileage to get the title back.
Question is, will the 360 last?
On the radio? What kind of radio station talks about buses? I want more ;D
Radio WM had an interview about it, may have been on the news & Midlands Today just did a piece on it to.
Well if the 360 is a flop, the 11 will get its title back? :D
Yeah the key word is "urban", various routes in Scotland I imagine would be a hell of a lot longer but they're not urban routes. I'll be honest its something I never considered about the 360 route, knew it was going to be a beast of a route but didn't think it would rival the 11. I do fear reliability problems with it though, I don't really know what the 801/703/701 etc are like reliability wise at the moment, anyone?
Despite tremendous blips to begin with, the 801 seems to have settled down and become relatively reliable.
It seems to be the Eastern Green - University section where it loses the most time though, as it's quite an obscure route with lots of twists and turns.
If there are traffic problems at the hospital, the knock-on effects can be huge, but drivers normally seem to make up time by Warwick University, given the long running time given on that stretch and the five minutes' waiting time given at the university.
The 701 seems to be okay for reliability, with the 703/4 slightly worse.
But then again I don't see them regularly so am not the best guide on that.
By the way, I am surprised that the 360a/c is to be fully commercially operated.
I imagine that there will either be cuts on evenings (especially Sunday evenings) or Centro will have to step in with some funding to keep it going.
Even as it is, the 801 gets very little custom indeed after say 7pm.
If, as the reports suggest, it is 31.5miles long (50.69km) that means it is a legal requirement that tachographs are used and drivers drive under EU driving hours rules, making it more expensive to operate as well!
The 360a/c seems to have got off to an okay start.
It seems to be quite a challenge getting all the way around in 2 hours, but I'm sure things will be a bit easier Mon-Sat.
On tickets, just '360' is shown.
Quote from: Valandil on June 09, 2013, 06:33:32 PM
The 360a/c seems to have got off to an okay start.
It seems to be quite a challenge getting all the way around in 2 hours, but I'm sure things will be a bit easier Mon-Sat.
On tickets, just '360' is shown.
What Vehicles are used on there?
There were 2 Versas on the 360a today and an eVolution vehicle on the 360c.
I'm not sure what the other vehicle was on the 360c, as I didn't bump into it (fair bet it was a Versa though).
I think the general idea is for both routes to be fully Versa-allocated eventually, and I've also heard word that they are to be branded some time in the future.
Quote from: Valandil on June 09, 2013, 08:16:56 PM
There were 2 Versas on the 360a today and an eVolution vehicle on the 360c.
I'm not sure what the other vehicle was on the 360c, as I didn't bump into it (fair bet it was a Versa though).
I think the general idea is for both routes to be fully Versa-allocated eventually, and I've also heard word that they are to be branded some time in the future.
Probably a silly question, but are Nbus tickets/Daytrippers valid on the routes?
Quote from: Stuharris 6360 on June 09, 2013, 09:38:38 PM
Probably a silly question, but are Nbus tickets/Daytrippers valid on the routes?
DeCourcey accept Nbus so yes they would, as the 360 does not leave Coventry
Well its first weekday in service and the 360c has already seen a decker allocated!
It was Vitesse, number 809:
http://tinypic.com/r/nvxe1z/5
There was at least one decker on each of the 360a/c today.
One of the journeys which finishes at University Hospital had the destination scrolling! (That was on the 360a decker).
The 360c which terminates at Tile Hill North switched to this destination from the standard 'City Circle // Clockwise' display, at Cannon Park.
Deckers on both routes today again.
This might be a usual thing in the initial period.
Any observations on loadings so far?
Quote from: Valandil on June 12, 2013, 06:37:53 PM
Deckers on both routes today again.
This might be a usual thing in the initial period.
Is that just one each way, a few journeys, or entirely ran by deckers
There was at least one on each of the two.
I cannot be certain that they were out all day, but they were certainly on there for at least 2 and a half hours ;)
There were many non-decker vehicles on there, and I imagine that after this initial period it will be relatively unusual for a decker to be on there.
Interestingly, I think that there has been at least one eVolution vehicle out on the 360 on every day of its operation so far: I don't think I ever saw even one out on the 801.
360a is now operating around Cannon Park in the opposite direction to all other services.
This means that it observes one fewer stop (there is no stop opposite the one on the Cannon Park loop which is closest to the university), and might also lose a bit of time trying to escape the Cannon Park loop (as a pedestrian it can sometimes take minutes to cross that road!)
Though hopefully this will be less confusing for passengers -- and in my opinion this is worth the inconvenience.
Update on the above: Megabus services are also using that new stop at Cannon Park.
Quote from: Valandil on June 20, 2013, 09:59:18 AM
Update on the above: Megabus services are also using that new stop at Cannon Park.
How are loadings on the 360 now it has been operating a few weeks?
What buses are they using on the 360
service & are buses on the same mon -sat
like some firms have the same buses on
The same trips mon- friday/Saturday
Quote from: Solo1 on July 14, 2013, 09:58:24 PM
What buses are they using on the 360
service & are buses on the same mon -sat
like some firms have the same buses on
The same trips mon- friday/Saturday
Usually fairly mixed allocations
Usually the Man 14.220 is standard allocation but 1/2 deckers may appear sometimes
Also their Optare Versas all 3 are usually alllocated on this route
Loadings wise Ive been on and usually half - full normally decent loadings
A debranded PRN vehicle is on the 360a today.
EDIT: Photo attached.
does this mean that the Versa will be debranded too
Quote from: Nathan4775 on September 04, 2013, 06:44:40 PM
does this mean that the Versa will be debranded too
If you mean the green ones Nathan, then no as they are for the PRS which still runs, and they are Electric.
Or have some of the diesel Versas been branded for the 360?
Quote from: John on September 04, 2013, 06:49:10 PM
Quote from: Nathan4775 on September 04, 2013, 06:44:40 PM
does this mean that the Versa will be debranded too
If you mean the green ones Nathan, then no as they are for the PRS which still runs, and they are Electric.
Or have some of the diesel Versas been branded for the 360?
I thought both PRN/PRS were going apologies
Quote from: Nathan4775 on September 04, 2013, 07:05:35 PM
I thought both PRN/PRS were going apologies
No worries Nathan, the PRN was not been used so it was axed as the PRS was used more, hence the Electric Versas brought for it.
l've seen the debranded PRN bus on the PRS. lts roof is still green from when it was a PRS bus before electric buses arrived as PRN branding was on sides.
Quote from: JoNi on September 04, 2013, 11:55:58 PM
l've seen the debranded PRN bus on the PRS. lts roof is still green from when it was a PRS bus before electric buses arrived as PRN branding was on sides.
The PRN bus? Is that for over-18s only?
its the park & ride service open to car drivers & their family
Got a week off next week so have every intention of exploring bits of the 360 at some point
Quote from: Kevin on September 05, 2013, 06:50:09 AM
Got a week off next week so have every intention of exploring bits of the 360 at some point
So today I spent two and a half hours on the same bus and technically only went one stop....
Got on an MCV Evolution (all that time and I didn't even look for the fleetnumber... I am a failure, sorry) on the 360A from Holyhead Road all the way round to the Holyhead Road. When we got to the hospital the driver had to ask where I was going and I'm not gonna lie I felt a bit sheepish saying "all the way round" but I'm used to it by now...
It was really well used, granted for the most part the only people really using it were pensioners, I think over the entire journey only about a dozen people actually bought a ticket... but still, it was good to see. And I have to admit I'm surprised it was on time all the way round, was following the timetable and all the 360Cs we passed were near as makes no odds on time as well.
Might be the longest bus route in Europe now but personal opinion is it ain't got a patch on the 11, mainly because a) The 11 for me will always be known for the pub crawl and b) I don't have a t-shirt with the 360 on it.
Great post Kev, shame about the fleet number.. :P
Now Kev, is there a map of which details the 360 route?
Quote from: Liverpool Street on September 09, 2013, 05:53:23 PM
is there a map of which details the 360 route?
There's one on the second page of:
http://www.decourceytravel.com/pdf/Service360timetable.pdf
And yeah, Kevin, it can sometimes be a bit unnerving being challenged by drivers.
On busy services like Birmigham's 11 you can pretty much guarantee not to be challenged, but you really stick out when you're one of just a few passengers on the vehicle!