Archive 14 to 26 March 2002

Tuesday 26 March 2002
Travel Dundee had Optare MetroRider 208 on the 20/22 until lunchtime, when it was replaced by Scania 66. the 55/4A pm peak combo was worked by Dart SLF 121, while the daytime 4A's were 31 (stayed on in the peaks) and 206 (progressed to 93). Route 21 had Dart 120 on it until about 3.35, when it was replaced by Metrorider 207. And, to round things off nicely, Scania 111 on the 7 (displaying 7 - Blank) was replaced by 208!

HAD Coaches commenced a new SPT contract yesterday - Service 14 - linking Rutherglen, Burnside and Ferniehill. Buses leave Rutherglen at 12 past/Fereniehill 42 past. LATER: Service has since been re-assumed by Henderson Travel, effective from 15 April.

A few reports have been sent in of Coakley Bus vehicles still operating, following the licence being revoked on Friday. However, the Central Bus Company licence was not affected by this judgement - I think - so perhaps this is what is being used now. Once the situation becomes clearer.........

Lothian's service changes commencing on Monday 14 April, includes...

• 5 now extended to Oxgangs.
• 19/19A will terminate at King's Rd, replaced by revised service 49 between here & The Jewel
• 26 Mon-Sat evening frequency between Clerwood & Levenhall increased to 15 mins.
• 29 Birkenside to/from Gilmerton every 30 mins.
• 29A Birkenside to/from Gilmerton every 30 mins.
• 30 & 36 later evening journeys introduced.
• 37 Sunday daytime frequency increased to every 20 mins and Sunday service for Ladywood introduced.
• 40 will terminate at Charlotte Square (instead of George Street) and Musselburgh (instead of Whitecraig).
• 49 new route via Duke St, Lochend Rd, Craigentinny Rd, Portobello, The Jewel & Asda instead of Ocean Terminal.
• 3, 7, 10, 27, 33  every 10 mins Mon-Sat daytime.
• 1, 17, 28, 30, 36, 37, 41/42  minor timetable changes

Wednesday 20 March 2002
Travel Dundee have so far re-branded several buses with the "lime green" areas, prior to branding for the Service 22.

Some changes will be implemented to various SPT-supported services either this weekend or next weekend (31 March), or in the near future.

Saturday 16 March 2002
Three days after being branded, a "green" bus finally managed to get on the right route today! (Mind you, until the lettering gets affixed, I suppose I am just being pedantic!) However, 173 & 176 made it to Downfield. 175 made it onto the Douglas, but was replaced at 1555 with Citybus 105.

One odd allocation was Volvo B6 118 on St Marys!

Friday 15 March 2002
Nothing too bad today. Two of Travel Dundee's "green" buses out included 173 & 176 on Douglas.

Coakley Bus/Nelson/Central Bus look like being no more in one weeks' time. The decison by the Transport Tribunural was not to overturn the Scottish Area traffic commish's decision to revoke CBC's licence. For the last few months (following a public enquiry of CBC) the routes have been registered by Central Bus Company, and the vehicles operated by Coakley Bus Company. It is being rumoured that CBC may appeal, but Tribunural decisions are normally final, and legally binding.

Thursday 14 March 2002
Digicam meltdown! For some reason only known to the camera, all the pictures I took today came out as black rectangles - bar this one!

The green areas for the Travel Dundee "Primeline" 22 route i.e. Downfield - Ninewells, are now being affixed to buses. The paint (or whatever) is a somewhat flourescent yellowish green - a bit too much like the 9X/10X yellow branding methinks! However, as per excuse above, digicam has packed in (so I can't show the pix I took of 177. First day out - it's on the Whitfield routes!) P.S. 177 did, in the end, make it out on the previous day (Wednesday 13 March) - on a peak-time extra - but I did not see this myself!

Wednesday 13 March 2002
A new service to be introduced on 22 April by M. W. Nicoll will have a low-floor bus on the route, thanks to a £10,000 grant by Angus Council. Route 262 is a new commercial route, linking Laurencekirk, Luthermuir, Stracathro Hospital, Brechin, Finavon, Forfar, Tealing, Caird Park, Dunsinane Avenue and Ninewells Hospital. The bus will run up to 4 times a day weekdays, 3 times on a Saturday, and once on a Sunday. Whether the bus arrives in time for the start is not yet known.

Tuesday 12 March 2002
I was on an Omnibus Soc tour on Saturday... around the Renfrewshire area. Here's a few of the pix I took on Saturday.

	Firstly, stopped at Dunfermline on-route to Glasgow. Here's Fife 659, one of only a few B6's with coach seats, seen at James Street on relativly-new council-supported service D10.
	Two ex-London vehicles at Arriva Scotland West's Inchinnan depot. Both are East Lancs-bodied Volvo's. The one on the left is a single deck, formerly from the 210 with Grey-Green (Arriva London North East). The one on the rright, the double decker, was new to London & Country (LondonLinks) for the 176.
	Meanwhile,. two even older ex-London vehicles. Both looking like the've just arrived, hides the fact that they have been here for around two years now! They are confined to school service work only, however, the one on the right carries a CashSaver advert in it's back blind box!
	This is an unsual one... it's a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard from Arriva Fox County. It is intended for use on driver training. It's "Training Fox" livery seemed apt, as the scrap Metrorider hidden behind it was a little fox-ed! (Say with a posh accent, and you know what I mean)
	We got to Greenock, and more ex-London vehicles.... Wilson's Coaches have some ex-Metroline/MTL Mercedes/Wright MW-class minis, plus some ex-London Central Dennis Dart/Plaxton midis, like this one seen in Greenock town centre.

Site by Andrew Gronneberg/ScotBus/The Mod 1997 - 2002. Serving the Scottish bus enthusiast (online) community since July 1998.