Thursday 30 May 2013

Bath Time

Last weekend, I travelled to Bath to grab some photos from one of my favourite cities. Despite a rather awful trip up in one of FGW's class 150s where we resembled sardines in a tin, I had a very productive and successful day. To view all of my photos from the day, please click here.

First are the dominant operator in Bath, and are trialling a Wright Streetlite at present, in view of taking a batch of similar buses to upgrade route X39 (Bath - Bristol) later this year. 47404 (LK62HJX) is seen on the X39, which was a mis-match of Darts (both smaller and larger examples), Volvo B7RLEs and B10BLEs and even a low floor Dennis Lance on Saturday. Standard allocation cannot come quick enough for this route, which is very strange, as on my last visit...


... the X39 was wall to wall Volvo B7RLEs wearing branding for the route. The Volvo B7RLEs were conspicuous by their absence on Saturday - I didn't see a single Mk2 example on the 173 from Wells, and the later "55" batch of buses were not on their main route of the 264/265 to Warminster. Have they been transferred away on the sly? Here's 66728 (WX54XCN) heading along Corn St in Bath, for Bristol. This batch of buses will presumably move on by the end of 2013 and it will be interesting to see if they leave Bath or not. One would think in another age they would fit perfectly on the Taunton - Bridgewater 21 service - but with potential sales in the air, maybe First will want to keep hold of them.


Wessex Connect have taken delivery of brand new Volvos though for their U18 route branded "Uni Connect". Here is one of their very impressive vehicles - BX62FBF - seen in the same location as above.


Bath has recently taken delivery of two batches of buses - Enviro400s for Park & Ride and seven Enviro200s primarily for route 13. Here is one such bus, 44524 (YX62DXC). I'm not sure what these really replaced, as L and M reg Darts still were around in the city on Saturday. If Bath is an area First want to keep, I am not sure why they are transferring the young-mid life stock away to Bristol all the time.


For instance, the 56-plate Volvo B7TLs that were previously on P&R services have not been put on Bath services, but moved to Weston & Bristol to upgrade other services. Enviro400s Hybrids are now the main allocation, as illustrated here by 39134 (SN62AWF).


I always thought my local First depot, Hoeford, was the home to step Darts. After all, Hoeford have had every model except East Lancs bodied Darts. I was wrong - half a year after Hoeford lost their last step-Dart, Bath still cling onto a handful of step-Darts, as illustrated here by 46225 (L225VHU), a relic from Badgerline days. Still, the enthusiast in me is glad to have these around, especially as I missed most of these in my younger years.


Bath is also home to the remaining former First Mainline (Sheffield) Dennis Dart SPDs, which have proved troublesome since the Yorkshire company wanted to part with them. Here is 40534 (S529UAK), gleaming in the May sunshine. 


Another long lost Dart that has found home in Bath is 42633 (P633YUM). I believe this was new to Yorkshire Pullman, and has since operated in First Cymru (whose branding it still carries above the window). Again, for an old Dart it was immaculately turned out, albeit for the redundant branding.


My fourth and final First Dart - here is 42553 (WX05UAK), part of a large order of Solos, Darts, Volvo B7RLEs and Volvo B7LA artics introduced in 2005 to modernise Bath city services. It has just entered St James's Parade as it heads for Bath bus station.


Bath Bus Company are no longer just running open top tours in Bath - they now operate the 'Air Decker' services to Bristol Airport. Here is A501 (SK52URX) heading along Broad Quay, a Volvo B7TL new to fellow RATP company, London United.


In another strange move, the majority of Bath's 2003-batch of Volvo B7TLs have moved out of the city. According to Steve White's site, only 5 of these buses are now in service in Bath. Back in 2009, when they were transferred in from Bristol, nearly the entire batch was in service from Bath. Heading for Keynsham and Bristol is 32283 (WR03YZS).


Wessex Connect's Royal Blue branded Darts are still in service in the city following their introduction two years ago. Here is 1653 (V653HEC), heading for Whiteway on route 5.


Finally, here is one of the smallest buses in service on the streets of Bath. This Enterprise/Plaxton Primo was new to Truronian, who in turn were purchased by First in 2006. 57000 (MX56AEB) has since transferred to Bath, and is pictured on route 10.

As always, Bath was a pleasure to photograph in, and offered a huge amount of variety. I am a little confused about First's stance in Bath - the recent restructuring has put Bath in the same control as Bristol depots, so presumably is not one asset the company are specifically looking to sell. Maybe the investment in Bath city services later this year will give a clearer indication of how important First sees Bath. Seven Enviro200s and a small batch of Enviro400s that are required by the conditions of the P&R contract is not a lot of investment in eight years - but time will tell if these buses are just the start of First creating something greater in Bath.

To view all of my photos from the day, please click here.

5 comments:

  1. I've never been to Bath before and it was brilliant to see your photos. The Wright Streetlite and the Uniconnect were very impressive. Some great photos bus80d.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The official allocation of service 173, Wells to Bath, run
    exclusively on Monday to Saturday by Wells Depot, is B10BLE.
    Wells has the following B10BLE allocated to them:
    66100, 66106, 66107, 66108 and 66160.
    Sometimes for Engineering purposes a Mark 2 B7RLE will be seen on service 173.
    On Sundays and Bank Holidays service 173 is jointly operated by both Wells and Bath Depots.
    You have MOST excellent website, LONG may it continue!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you BCF and Michael. I'm glad people still enjoy my rambles!

    Interesting that the 173 is now Volvo B10BLE - when I last visited it was B7RLE/Mk 2 - any reason why the change was made?

    ReplyDelete
  4. its a mix at wells the 173 these days seems to get anything and everything R972 DUS was on it for a little while.

    Bath run two trips during the week on the 173 the first trip is the one that starts just after 6 from Chilcompton and runs all the way to Bath the bus which does that turn runs dead to Midsomer Norton to run the 07:50 173 to Wells / Street during collage times. The Mark 2 B7RLE will normally
    always be out on the 173 on a sunday. Also the Bath allocation on a Sunday to the 173 is nearly always a 55 plate B7

    For those who like to picture busses on different routes on a Sunday the Street Lite and also a Enviro 200 can be seen heading out onto the 178 / 177 cycle

    on the subject of deckers on the 338 / X39 3 are allocated to the route Monday to Friday and I think at least 2 are on a Saturday this is because these were allocated partly to the old 337 / 318 cycle and also are placed on the route at times in which the students leave St Brendan's Collage.

    the Wessex 5's will be no more soon they seem to struggle to be able to cover dutys and have enough busses to run on the route these days.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Many thanks for the detailed local knowledge - this is very helpful!

    ReplyDelete