First Bus - Leicester

[RobertJ21a]

Nobody seems to know why the 5 electrified Streetdecks haven't returned. 
Why haven't all the other conversions (bar 2) gone back into service elsewhere ?

[Fin W]

Hoeford's 4 have been delivered so hopefully ours aren't much further behind.

[Magikrabby]

I've seen a picture floating around of one of them on a test drive after conversion not long ago, was still in the fuchsia urban livery at the time. My guess would be that one is currently getting a repaint and interior refurb which I think took the first one a month or two

edit: didn't take long to find, it was 35192! https://www.flickr.com/photos/77175657@N00/54200588997/

[Mayfield]

They are mostly being stored for the winter. One went on loan to operate a temporary college service before Christmas as a result of the college's minibuses being stolen, and I think another went on loan to Bristol for some testing.

Expensive assets sitting around doing nothing until I guess Easter.

[Magikrabby]

EMA probably pay them enough to make that worth it! They're very long but have a number of seats similar to that of an Optare Solo, since most the vehicle is luggage space, so they're not particularly practical for uses outside of airport duty.

[Mayfield]

Looks like a second Newpower has entered service today 71009

[Glenfieldmathk1]

71008 was out this morning on the 13's. Only made a few journeys though before being replaced.
Although did re emerge later on the 38A's

[Glenfieldmathk1]

22B service is ending in April. Centrebus will be running the 22A on Saturdays instead.
It means first will once again no longer serve Birstall

[Mayfield]

Wonder why OIG1792 is 70102 and the others are 71### etc should it have been 71002 ?

[EK40]

Wonder why OIG1792 is 70102 and the others are 71### etc should it have been 71002 ?

iirc 
70 are pre-production / prototype (probably a better word somewhere) newpower repowers
71 are the production newpowers
72 are the equipmake ones

[Glenfieldmathk1]

Further service changes have been announced for April.
Notable changes are:
16 will now run from the Haymarket 
17 will now no longer run from the Haymarket!
74 reduces to daytime frequency of 30mins (but with enhanced frequency at peak times -  a bit like the 13). I wonder if they plan to inter work the 16 & 74 together again? (Like they did in the past).

[xmj-signal]

Further service changes have been announced for April.
......
74 reduces to daytime frequency of 30mins (but with enhanced frequency at peak times -  a bit like the 13). I wonder if they plan to inter work the 16 & 74 together again? (Like they did in the past).

I reckon that's unlikely, as the 16 runs to/from Haymarket Bus Station and the 74 runs to/from St Margaret's Bus Station so the buses would need to run back and forth between the two bus stations.

The timings don't fit either, for example, during Mon-Fri daytime the 16's arrive in town at xx05 and xx35 (with departures back on the 16 at xx15 and xx45) while the 74's arrive in town at xx20 and xx50 (with departures back on the 74 at xx25 and xx55).

I did notice that the website states that for the 74: "Following a review a new Monday to Friday timetable will be introduced" - no mention of the reduction in frequency. The 74 route was reduced to every 30 mins (on Mon-Fri) during last summer's school holidays and I travelled on a couple of daytime journeys which left St Margaret's with standing passengers so I'm not sure about the wisdom of reducing the Mon-Fri frequency all year round.

[RobertJ21a]

I reckon that's unlikely, as the 16 runs to/from Haymarket Bus Station and the 74 runs to/from St Margaret's Bus Station so the buses would need to run back and forth between the two bus stations.

The timings don't fit either, for example, during Mon-Fri daytime the 16's arrive in town at xx05 and xx35 (with departures back on the 16 at xx15 and xx45) while the 74's arrive in town at xx20 and xx50 (with departures back on the 74 at xx25 and xx55).

I did notice that the website states that for the 74: "Following a review a new Monday to Friday timetable will be introduced" - no mention of the reduction in frequency. The 74 route was reduced to every 30 mins (on Mon-Fri) during last summer's school holidays and I travelled on a couple of daytime journeys which left St Margaret's with standing passengers so I'm not sure about the wisdom of reducing the Mon-Fri frequency all year round.

The reduction in the 74 frequency is certainly surprising.

[SSmith09]

Further service changes have been announced for April.
Notable changes are:
16 will now run from the Haymarket
17 will now no longer run from the Haymarket!
74 reduces to daytime frequency of 30mins (but with enhanced frequency at peak times -  a bit like the 13). I wonder if they plan to inter work the 16 & 74 together again? (Like they did in the past).

the 17 change back to Humberstone Gate is needed as you often see both buses running together or within a few mins of each other.

22B is also being withdrawn and replaced by the Centrebus 24/24A (new numbers for City to Birstall side of the 22A)