Coventry Garage

[Sandy Lane]

And until the pollution levels are reduced people' health will be affected.

Ball Hill is the classic case. Well done to NXC for the electric buses on the 9. Trouble is all the other traffic is puking out killer fumes. Congestion charging could have sorted it. A sad mistake by the politicians in my view.

[ellspurs]

Just noticed service changes for the 539/580/585 on site.

https://nxbus.co.uk/coventry/information/service-changes/service-changes-from-2nd-november-2020

539 route changed in Kenilworth, possibly to avoid sitting at the stop sign opposite the castle.
580 minor timetable change
585 series renumbered 85/A/B and rerouted off-peak via Elliots Field Retail Park Tesco, which has a bus shelter there already.

Are these services working well for NXC?

[bususer28]

Just noticed service changes for the 539/580/585 on site.

https://nxbus.co.uk/coventry/information/service-changes/service-changes-from-2nd-november-2020

539 route changed in Kenilworth, possibly to avoid sitting at the stop sign opposite the castle.
580 minor timetable change
585 series renumbered 85/A/B and rerouted off-peak via Elliots Field Retail Park Tesco, which has a bus shelter there already.

Are these services working well for NXC?

I was thinking the exact same thing. Interesting as to why they haven't renumbered the 539 and 580.

[JPC]

I was thinking the exact same thing. Interesting as to why they haven't renumbered the 539 and 580.

Probably just renumbering the 585 because most journeys also have a suffix and those long route numbers don't fit too well on side/rear displays of a E200.  Of course a '585S' will remain but isn't that a shiny double decker?

[paulb1973]

Probably just renumbering the 585 because most journeys also have a suffix and those long route numbers don't fit too well on side/rear displays of a E200.  Of course a '585S' will remain but isn't that a shiny double decker?

Looks a bit tidier just as 85, 85A etc - I suppose there's no real need for them to be in the 5xx series, most of Coventry's services are between 1-100. I do recall Midland Red (South, later-on) running lots of 5/6/7xx services though.

[the trainbasher]

Tbf I don't see why they didn't put the 585A/B as a 9A/B (as part of the 9 corridor) and have them replace one of the 2 9A trips each hour from Green Lane, similar to how the WN 10 has the xx30 off wolves alternating as a 10A or 10B

similar to the 539/580 - I don't get why they don't simplify both routes so they both go via the same route instead of having two different variations using the same route numbering.

[Sandy Lane]

Tbf I don't see why they didn't put the 585A/B as a 9A/B (as part of the 9 corridor) and have them replace one of the 2 9A trips each hour from Green Lane, similar to how the WN 10 has the xx30 off wolves alternating as a 10A or 10B.

I see the 85 will still not serve Coventry station.

[Justin Tyme]

I see the 85 will still not serve Coventry station.

It's worth pointing out that the 585 stopped serving Coventry Station at the point when NXC took over.

Going back to why the 585 is being renumbered but the 539 and 580 aren't, the 585 was mainly commercial with Travel De Courcey whereas the 539 and 580 are tendered services (i.e run on contract to Warwickshire County Council with funding).  I don't know if NXC run the 585 commercially or not, but if they do then they could decide on route numbering without having to get Warwickshire CC approval.

[bususer28]

Tbf I don't see why they didn't put the 585A/B as a 9A/B (as part of the 9 corridor) and have them replace one of the 2 9A trips each hour from Green Lane, similar to how the WN 10 has the xx30 off wolves alternating as a 10A or 10B

similar to the 539/580 - I don't get why they don't simplify both routes so they both go via the same route instead of having two different variations using the same route numbering.

It's a decent idea but the only issue is that there aren't enough double deckers to run it- the 9/9A would have to use E200s- and even if there were enough dds, I doubt the electrics have enough charge to run all the way to Rugby a couple of times a day.

[2206]

I doubt the electrics have enough charge to run all the way to Rugby a couple of times a day.

Why wouldn't they have enough charge?

[ellspurs]

It's a decent idea but the only issue is that there aren't enough double deckers to run it- the 9/9A would have to use E200s- and even if there were enough dds, I doubt the electrics have enough charge to run all the way to Rugby a couple of times a day.

From Tony's post in the Electric Buses thread:

When E002 arrived I spoke to the delivery driver who had brought it up from Heathrow, which presumably explains the London registrations. He set off with 93% charge, drove 105 miles to BC and arrived with 53% charge

105 miles for 40% of the charge. Given that is a high estimate due to the nature of the driving, I'm sure they'd be able to do a couple of round trips to Rugby.

The lack of available buses could be an issue, but given that there's usually an electric bus running on the 8 or 11 each day, there's the possibility of allocating one onto there.

Probably best to keep them apart at the moment though, as I wouldn't have thought that the route needed deckers at the moment.

[Jack6101]

Noticed the some of Coventry E200's and b7rle have gained new ticket branding , question to @Tony will the West Midlands ones gain similar branding

[bususer28]

From Tony's post in the Electric Buses thread:

105 miles for 40% of the charge. Given that is a high estimate due to the nature of the driving, I'm sure they'd be able to do a couple of round trips to Rugby.

The lack of available buses could be an issue, but given that there's usually an electric bus running on the 8 or 11 each day, there's the possibility of allocating one onto there.

Probably best to keep them apart at the moment though, as I wouldn't have thought that the route needed deckers at the moment.

Interesting but your right, I doubt the buses are that busy that they need dds.

[JPC]

Interesting but your right, I doubt the buses are that busy that they need dds.

The last thing NX would want to do is waste double decks on such a route and the move of the 85 to Pool Meadow stand F you could say corresponds with that - it will mitigate crowds of passengers waiting at the 8/9 stand from getting on.
In an ideal world we could have seen the 85 combined/merged with service 1 to offer a through service to Cov Rail Station, granted this would mean the Mount Pleasant area of Walsgrave, which has recently gained the 20C, lose service 1 - but of course the 85 timetable is too complex for any chance of that.
I suppose Stagecoach will follow suit with the renumbering as it will sit nicely with their 86 though it is a bit ridiculous where both two-hourly services are departing Cov at exactly the same time on a Sunday.

[JoNi]

Somebody made the decision to change route 585 etc. To 85 etc.
I'm sure that person would have thought twice if they had to pay the cost of replacing all the bus stop flags in Ansty Road, better still made to go out and change them. Destinations also have to be reprogrammed.
NX should be congratulated for already having a timetable available in Pool Meadow when I asked, although it does not have the Sunday service provided by Stagecoach which says more about NX's insular attitudes.
The whim of changing route numbers is a classic case of wasting money in straightened times.
Purely changing routes numbers also causes confusion as in these App based times where stops show both route numbers once the new timetable is loaded. Is Stagecoach going to change their number, why should they.
As for utilisation of the double decker, it only needs one driver (in times of a driver shortage) compared with two for single deckers which run dead to and from Rugby. There are plenty of near empty double deckers on 12x. The art of interworking buses between routes has been lost in a culture of route rather than network based vehicle allocation.