Travel de Courcey -- General Thread

[Adam 404]

There are now only 8 buses in the old white livery. They are:
550 - EDIT - Was out yesterday as 360.
559 (Not out today either)
560 (Not out today)
563 (On 360 today)
564 (On 360 today)
565 (On 78 today)
566 (Not out)
569 (74)

Will be interesting to see how long it is before they all become the current livery...

[Adam 404]

Timetable Changes

PD0000116/155 - MIKE DE COURCEY TRAVEL LTD, ROWLEY DRIVE, STONEBRIDGE TRADING ESTATE, COVENTRY, CV3 4FG

Variation Accepted: Operating between Coventry, Wood End and University of Warwick given service number W4 effective from 08-Jun-2016. To amend Timetable.

[JoNi]

Evening Telegraph 360 withdrawl front page news

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/two-petitions-launched-save-threatened-11228220

[JPC]

Evening Telegraph 360 withdrawal front page news

Willenhall residents shouldn't really be complaining, seeing as they are midway along the new 60 route - which is half of the City Circle under existing frequency/service level.
I've said it before the section west of the A45 is too convoluted hence weak, everything is sort of reverting back to as it was or intended to be, In 2009 the 701 was threatened with a reduction in service levels, as per service 61, until some funding was miraculously found, but it is now eventually happening.
The only thing the Canley to Eastern Green area can hope for in the future for linking to the hospital, and this is a rough example, is a split up of the NX 4 route (after the bendibuses are withdrawn) and reroute the 4 westward such as along the 10 or the 18/18A route.
Keeping the 360 route but with the relevant Uni - Eastern Green - Arena section reduced to hourly MS daytime not considered?, I suppose regular short workings on a circular would be confusing for normal punters.

[Adam 404]

546 looking untidy already! https://www.facebook.com/369276339910972/photos/a.446224968882775.1073742034.369276339910972/529986537173284/?type=3&theater

They must come in Multi Packs as 556 has got the other side of the bumper!
556: https://www.facebook.com/369276339910972/photos/a.416426351862637.1073741970.369276339910972/530007870504484/?type=3&theater

546 has had its bumper re-sprayed into yellow. 556 remains with the white repaired bumper.

[Adam 404]

Willenhall residents shouldn't really be complaining, seeing as they are midway along the new 60 route - which is half of the City Circle under existing frequency/service level.
I've said it before the section west of the A45 is too convoluted hence weak, everything is sort of reverting back to as it was or intended to be, In 2009 the 701 was threatened with a reduction in service levels, as per service 61, until some funding was miraculously found, but it is now eventually happening.
The only thing the Canley to Eastern Green area can hope for in the future for linking to the hospital, and this is a rough example, is a split up of the NX 4 route (after the bendibuses are withdrawn) and reroute the 4 westward such as along the 10 or the 18/18A route.
Keeping the 360 route but with the relevant Uni - Eastern Green - Arena section reduced to hourly MS daytime not considered?, I suppose regular short workings on a circular would be confusing for normal punters.

That would not be easy to do as with a circuit taking 2 hours and 15 mins, The bus changes from A to C at the Uni Hospital. That is a PVR of 9. The 43 & 61 will have a PVR of 1 each and the 60 with a PVR of 5. The round trip will be 150 mins and probably 120 on evenings and sundays.
I dislike newspapers with incorrect information and was asked by the majority of the bus what will happen to the 360 while on the 360 home as I had my Centro Badge on! The idea that you can't get to the Hospital from Willenhall is just incorrect! One man on the bus said, 'Thanks, the Telegraph lied again!' So proper information needs to be provided to these people that the changes aren't as bad as they think!

[Kevin]

Anyone know where the maps for the new routes replacing the 360 are? Swear I saw a link to them somewhere but can't find trace of them

[Adam 404]

Anyone know where the maps for the new routes replacing the 360 are? Swear I saw a link to them somewhere but can't find trace of them

It is on the Coventry Telegraph article above @Kevin
http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/major-coventry-bus-route-axed-11221057

[paulb1973]

Putting it fairly crudely, the 61 is the old 701 albeit not quite as frequent and the new 60 is broadly the old 801 (with the 60 going further on to the Arena). The 'new' 43 fills the gap in-between. The old west side of Coventry to the University Hospital link (the 34) could do with being brought back - travelling via Dorchester Way naturally! [or did the 34 go that way anyway?]

[Adam 404]

Putting it fairly crudely, the 61 is the old 701 albeit not quite as frequent and the new 60 is broadly the old 801 (with the 60 going further on to the Arena). The 'new' 43 fills the gap in-between. The old west side of Coventry to the University Hospital link (the 34) could do with being brought back - travelling via Dorchester Way naturally! [or did the 34 go that way anyway?]

The 34 did. I agree with you. Since the 34's departure, the links to the Hospital from Binley have been poorly dealt with. The 1 every hour. the 26 going to be every hour and not even going to the City Centre... It is a shame that the 34 has come back.

[paulb1973]

The 34 did. I agree with you. Since the 34's departure, the links to the Hospital from Binley have been poorly dealt with. The 1 every hour. the 26 going to be every hour and not even going to the City Centre... It is a shame that the 34 has come back.

I suppose '34' is a bit out of sync with the current low-numbering system - how about 6B ! [to run parallel with the 6/6A but using a stretch of Tile Hill Lane not currently served]. I was a bit surprised when the 34 bit the dust in 2012, it supplemented the 13 on Binley Rd, offered links from west Coventry to the Hospital and increased the frequency along Albany Rd and Broomfield Rd. You could run a 'new 34' through Hillfields thereby allowing both the 16/16A to run via Terry Road etc (one could run via Bolingbroke Rd and Humber Rd the other via Sunbeam Way then onto Terry Rd).

Failing that, just start the iGo 26 from the City Centre rather than Stoke Aldermoor - which would require at least an extra vehicle presumably!

[Adam 404]

Today was the Travel De Courcey Local Heroes launch day.

It featured 5 of the MCV Evolutions which had there engines overhauled to be 97% cleaner than a standard MCV. It is of Euro 6 standard and was part of a £400,000 investment from De Courcey in refurbishing the 21 MCV's.

The 5 MCV's that pitched up were as follows:
542 - Heather Lawrence (Formerly known as Sir Frederick Gibberd.)
544 - Arthur Bradley
545 - Adrian Hutt
546 - (Air Ambulance)
549 - Mick McCann

Not all the buses could be there but 547 is named Janet Colgrave and 548 is called Sarah Spurr.

All the buses names and their livery information is now included in my spreadsheet: https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=FEE1D3D14BF7ED59!8625&ithint=file%2cxlsx&app=Excel&authkey=!AARvBkewroz70lg

It was a great morning and photo's are to follow shortly.

Photo's can now be found here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.540668242771780.1073742226.369276339910972&type=3

[Adam 404]

The latest repaint is 559. It is yet to be named.

Image: https://www.facebook.com/369276339910972/photos/a.498569060315032.1073742192.369276339910972/540773402761264/?type=3&theater

[Adam 404]

Confirmation of the Centro changes


PD0000116/178 - MIKE DE COURCEY TRAVEL LTD, ROWLEY DRIVE, STONEBRIDGE TRADING ESTATE, COVENTRY, CV3 4FG

Variation Accepted: Operating between COVENTRY ARENA RETAIL PARK and COVENTRY, UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL given service number 703 effective from 24-Jul-2016. To amend Timetable.


2. PD0000116/180 - MIKE DE COURCEY TRAVEL LTD, ROWLEY DRIVE, STONEBRIDGE TRADING ESTATE, COVENTRY, CV3 4FG

Cancellation Accepted: Operating between UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL COVENTRY & WARWICKSHIRE and UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL COVENTRY & WARWICKSHIRE given service number 360/360A effective from 24-Jul-2016.


3. PD0000116/181 - MIKE DE COURCEY TRAVEL LTD, ROWLEY DRIVE, STONEBRIDGE TRADING ESTATE, COVENTRY, CV3 4FG

Registration Accepted
Starting Point: University of Warwick
Finish Point: Eastern Green/Chapfields/Radford
Via: Tile Hill, Tile Hill North
Service Number: 43
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 24-JUL-2016
Other Details: Monday to Saturday


4. PD0000116/182 - MIKE DE COURCEY TRAVEL LTD, ROWLEY DRIVE, STONEBRIDGE TRADING ESTATE, COVENTRY, CV3 4FG

Registration Accepted
Starting Point: University of Warwick
Finish Point: Arena Retail Park
Via: Cannon Park, Cheylesmore, Willenhall, Binley, University Hospital, Court House Green
Service Number: 60
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 24-JUL-2016
Other Details: Monday to Sunday


5. PD0000116/183 - MIKE DE COURCEY TRAVEL LTD, ROWLEY DRIVE, STONEBRIDGE TRADING ESTATE, COVENTRY, CV3 4FG

Registration Accepted
Starting Point: Arena Retail Park
Finish Point: Allesley Park
Via: Rowleys Green & Coundon
Service Number: 61
Service Type: Normal Stopping
Effective Date: 24-JUL-2016
Other Details: Monday to Saturday.

I have also reattached the explanation from Centro about it all.

[JPC]

Was hoping the 703 would be neatly renumbered to 73, more so if the 703A variant is going to be withdrawn as that would result in most of the stop flags requiring update.