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No I think Steve is right. The NSA appear to be directly linked to the destination display. Once it's changed so do the NSA. For instance sometimes a driver may change the display a few stops before the terminus, especially in the City Centre and then it'll instantly change the NSA.
So when it isn't changed for the return journey they never work in my experience.

Yes, the system does go 'off-kilter' when the driver prematurely changes the destination on approach to Birmingham city centre.

I might be mistaken then, I'm sure I've boarded a 3 heading to Birmingham that still had Yardley Wood on the external destination display, but was announcing next stops correctly.

Does this mean platinum buses will need to have announcements programmed with non platinum routes by October this year?

Only those vehicles that first entered service on or after 1st October 2019 are expected to comply with the new regulations from October this year.

The last diesel Platinums bought and delivered were first used in September 2019, so won't be expected to be compliant until October next year.

Normally I will find a fare on SYT. Then book it on TrainPal. Then you avoid the charge which SYP like to add

I used SplitMyFare.co.uk last year, which works the same way. The 'charge' is a share of the saving made, up to 15%.

That's how these sites make money, so I have no objections to paying this, especially where the saving from buying split tickets is quite significant.

For example, if I wanted to go back to Penzance again next weekend, booking a 'normal' return journey would cost me £199.10.

Buying split tickets for the same journey reduces the cost to £126.50, a whopping £72.60 saving.

SplitMyFare then takes a 15% cut of that saving, which works out to £10.89. Total ticket price comes to £137.39. (I checked SplitYourTicket and that gave exactly the same result).


Now, if I look up the same journey on TrainPal, even with 'split tickets', the cost comes to £143.80, plus a £1.99 'split ticket fee'. So total cost of £145.79.

Looking closer at the details, TrainPal is not even splitting the tickets the same way as SplitYourTicket and SplitMyFare do, hence why the savings don't add up.


Of course, I could save the £10.89 'share' if I took the individual ticket details and then booked those journeys separately on either the CrossCountry or GWR websites.

Why did they continue to proceed though should realise that the bridge wasn't big enough for a Double Decker bus to get under there

That will no doubt be answered at an internal disciplinary meeting.

Perhaps it was just a simple honest mistake, that will cost someone their job and livelihood.

Correct me if I'm wrong but if the driver doesn't change to destination at the terminus then the next stops don't work. There have been many occasions when the 50 has been going out of the City with Birmingham still on the front, therefore the next stop announcements don't work

I have boarded buses before where the destination display is set incorrect, but the on-board announcements play/display correctly, so I'm not sure how it works or whether there are separate systems.

Bus Users UK has published a Quick Guide to the recently announced Accessible Information Regulations.
The Regulations will come into force fully by 2031 and will make bus services more accessible to people with disabilities and improve the journey for everyone.
During the phased implementation, passengers will be able to expect clear audio and visual announcements alerting them to next stops, diversions and the final destination.
https://bususers.org/uncategorised/guide-to-accessible-information-regulations/


In a nutshell:
- Vehicles first used in public service after 1st October 2019 will be required to provide audio/visual announcements from 1st October 2024.
- Vehicles first used in public service between 1st October 2014 and 30th September 2019 will be required to provide announcements from 1st October 2025
- Vehicles first used in public service between 1st January 1973 and 30th September 2014 will be subject to these regulations from 1st October 2026

Information must be made available directly to passengers in audio and visual form and not through a phone or mobile device.
It must include:
- the route of the vehicle and direction of travel
- stopping places on the route
- diversion alerts
- whether the vehicle is being used on a hail and ride route
- a notification that the vehicle has reached its final destination.
Audio and visual information must be consistent.

In the case of NX Bus, since October 2019 they've only been buying vehicles with the necessary equipment already installed.
By my estimates, from October 2014 to 2019, the only vehicles that weren't delivered with this equipment would have been the Enviro200 MMCs and the non-Platinum Enviro400 MMCs.

I guess someone at NX is going to be busy getting all the stop announcements recorded for every route!

My concern is how this will impact on smaller independent operators, and whether there will be funding available to help towards the cost of retrofitting buses with the NSA equipment.

Is it possible to fit WA's Platnium's with USB Charging

In theory yes, it would be possible.

In reality, the time and cost involved in replacing all the seat backs and stripping the interior body apart to run all the additional wiring into the electric supply, it would probably not be worth it. 

To be honest, whenever I travel on vehicles with USB charging sockets, I hardly ever see any passengers using them anyway.

Ive done the 11.

Is the 8 worth a look, from a bash pov?

It's still a bit of a 'novelty', in that you can get on the bus somewhere and then around an hour to hour and half later get off at the same place.

It's not as 'scenic' or iconic as the 11A/C, you don't really get to see much apart from rundown inner-city suburbs and industrial estates.

If that's your thing, and if you like to sit and 'people-watch' as I sometimes do, then it's worth a punt.

In the view of NX, do the current passenger loads warrant a need to upgrade this route to double decks? From what I've seen as a passenger, it sure as hell does. This is all up to the fleet situation at NX ofc, but just wondering.

I did a 'lap' of the 8C one Saturday afternoon a few weeks ago now - yes, I was bored and wanted something different to do!

In my opinion, under 'normal circumstances', the route copes quite well with single decks at its current frequency levels (every 12-15mins).

The problems with overcrowding come when the buses get delayed and start running late, but then the same can be said for any other bus service that uses single decks.

Topic split off as nothing to do with BusTimes.

@Jay71 if you can't find an appropriate topic to ask such questions in then please start a new one.

Off-topic posts about old destination displays have been split off into a new topic here:
https://wmbusphotos.com/forum/index.php?topic=6693.0

4747 - Ok on flats but it absolutely despises hills. Struggles to reach 10mph on steep ones, worse than your average painfully slow 4900s

Are you a bus driver then?

I see Van Hool has gone belly up and are being purchased subject to conditions being met to VDL, wonder if this will affect delivery of the above ?

Last I read was that Van Hool were looking to restructure their business in order to focus on 'luxury coaches', and it was the regular buses they were looking to discontinue or off-load, so I don't think this will affect things that way.

The worst one of these changes is the fact they've moved all the Stratford Road services to one stop, when the stop before was in use, whose idea was that to do that?

One consequence of this is that more people are piling on to the 4/4As if they are the first bus to arrive when the 6 has gaps in service.

This evening, same as yesterday, I saw a few single-deck 4 and 4A which were absolutely rammed.

Lucky for me I don't have to catch the 4 or 4A, but has still been a nightmare getting home from Sparkbrook the last couple of evenings.

[OK, back on topic now please folks]

OK, back on topic now please folks

Does the Number 8 run on Saturdays to Lichfield as in a couple of Saturdays time depending on how the Football season finishes I might need to travel over to Lichfield to watch my local side in the play offs, Looking on Google maps It tells me to ger there for 2PM I will need my local buses at 9/10AM and to get the Chaserider 36, the NX 8 I know for certain I could get on it with an Nbus Daysaver as only NX would accept it as I'm sure Westy asked Mark Fitchew and that's what he said

Surely you know where to look up bus timetables?

https://bustimes.org/services/8-walsall-lichfield