First Bus - Potteries

[Ashley 60171]

60069, 60075, 65567 reported in use this week but all the E300's at AG so far all sound as though they're out.

[DVXXII]

Seen Scania 60175 on the 1/2 circuit today. Also solo 50296 continues to soldier on, appearing today on the 5.

[Ashley 60171]

Seen Scania 60175 on the 1/2 circuit today. Also solo 50296 continues to soldier on, appearing today on the 5.

60072 and 60128 apparently on the same circuit today.
61235 on the 6/26 vice Streetlite

42353, 42356 also reported withdrawn. I thought these had mods put on when they transferred.

[DVXXII]

I read that these weren't molded when transferred, think this was on Midlandred.net

Did seem a bit odd to me but apparently the batch have all lead hard lives and suppose first decided not to invest in their refurbishment. As they were being made surplus due to the closure of Hereford, I can only assume they were bought in as they had valid MOT certificates, to save getting some non DDA Potteries kit through an MOT to take them up to the regulation change in January

[Ashley 60171]

67636 - 67641 arrived at Adderley Green this morning.
67664 "Santa Bus" has gone back to Worcester.

[DVXXII]

Some depot observations from yesterday.

Saw 67636/7/9 of the E300s reported transferred on 24/12. Also parked in the 'in use' lanes was 42354. This was parked up for a while in the withdrawn corner with heavily cannibalised solo 4002?, and has not been used for service at Potteries before . Maybe this and others of the batch are to have DDA mods after all. Parked next to the solo with a not in use sticker in the window currently is 41522. Still in the far corner missing front panel is one of the batch of B7Ls 663xx with the front repainted from red to purple - this has been in this position for at least 2 weeks now.

Reported elsewhere is one of the omnicities, 65033, has received the new purple fronted livery. This was previously in the newer 'olympia' livery. Seems strange that this has been painted again with so many vehicles still in old first group livery.

[DVXXII]

Heavily cannibalised solo wrongly reported, it's actually 40009

[Ashley 60171]

66309 is the B7L.

Apparently 60128 was on the 1 today.

The purple front is apparently to be the norm at First Midlands. Mind you there are still 4 Barbie OmniCities and those E300's deserve some attention.

[barry619]

Some depot observations from yesterday.

Saw 67636/7/9 of the E300s reported transferred on 24/12. Also parked in the 'in use' lanes was 42354. This was parked up for a while in the withdrawn corner with heavily cannibalised solo 4002?, and has not been used for service at Potteries before . Maybe this and others of the batch are to have DDA mods after all. Parked next to the solo with a not in use sticker in the window currently is 41522. Still in the far corner missing front panel is one of the batch of B7Ls 663xx with the front repainted from red to purple - this has been in this position for at least 2 weeks now.

Reported elsewhere is one of the omnicities, 65033, has received the new purple fronted livery. This was previously in the newer 'olympia' livery. Seems strange that this has been painted again with so many vehicles still in old first group livery.

There is/was a plan to relivery and brand buses for the Stafford service, which would tie in with an OmniCity being repainted. The 'new' 25 to Keele has been mooted as the next route to get the same treatment.

[T840MAK]

From what I've heard, Potteries is to go completely raspberry with the Staffords included in that.

[Ashley 60171]

From what I've heard, Potteries is to go completely raspberry with the Staffords included in that.

Worcester and Leicester have gone for purple. They're still deciding for Potteries.

[PM]

http://www.firstgroup.com/potteries/news-and-service-updates/planned-changes/changes-services-10-january-2015

Seems like some decent improvements being made to Potteries services! :D

[Ashley 60171]

http://www.firstgroup.com/potteries/news-and-service-updates/planned-changes/changes-services-10-january-2015

Seems like some decent improvements being made to Potteries services! :D

It's a good idea that the 25 is back. Put the deckers where they're most needed.

The minor re-timings on some journeys I couldn't really comment on. If I lived there I probably could. However, additional journeys I can see the benefit of as you do get a fair bit of a queue and a full bus pretty quick Saturday evenings apart from the 5 which goes quiet before 1830. But this could be a sign of increasing patronage.

I did glance through the news page. It's a shame the promotional fares were only available on weekends up until Christmas and I cant imagine a huge uptake of 5 for a fiver in the quietest month of the year but fair play to them.

The piece about heated buses made me have a little chuckle lol.

[PM]

It's a good idea that the 25 is back. Put the deckers where they're most needed.

The minor re-timings on some journeys I couldn't really comment on. If I lived there I probably could. However, additional journeys I can see the benefit of as you do get a fair bit of a queue and a full bus pretty quick Saturday evenings apart from the 5 which goes quiet before 1830. But this could be a sign of increasing patronage.

I did glance through the news page. It's a shame the promotional fares were only available on weekends up until Christmas and I cant imagine a huge uptake of 5 for a fiver in the quietest month of the year but fair play to them.

The piece about heated buses made me have a little chuckle lol.

Additional journeys is a very good sign of things starting to pick up in the Potteries area for First after years of services being pruned back, plus repaints on the cards. The post DDA fleet won't be bad, the issue is the concentration of vehicles 10 years old and plus which will form the vast majority of the fleet.

The promotional fares is an initiative across the group, some subsidiaries are implementing the offers in different ways. Wyvern have 12 for the price of 10 on the 10 journey tickets, which serves the dual purpose of encouraging use of the app as well.

[Bob]

From what I've heard, Potteries is to go completely raspberry with the Staffords included in that.

Hopefully the Staffords would get some newer buses....repainting and branding 9 year old plus un refurbished omni cities for one of their longest routes?....