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Post by www.buseireann.ie on Mar 27, 2013 22:22:30 GMT 1
Blackpool Transport have an answer to seasonal routes affected by weather, Solo's on the route 20 from Easter!
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Mar 28, 2013 9:03:59 GMT 1
Got to agree my eyes certainly popped when I saw that, and knowing my boss I bet he is sat there with a wry smile on his chops. Certainly if I was in competition, I certainly would not pitch a minibus against a 102 seat bus, which has more seats downstairs than I would have on a Solo. Marton Mere holiday camp is quite a busy holiday camp, and frequently a double decker struggles to cope with the traffic, if there is something big on at Stanley Park, then any hope of coping will be lost.
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Post by dwarfer1979 on Mar 28, 2013 9:38:40 GMT 1
Tim- No its a seasonal service. dwarfer1979- I suppose its a gamble but as the 12 is a promenade service with Blackpool Transports Line 1 and the trams running an all year round service I am surprised that a "weather permitting" caveat cannot be attached to the licence. Such a caveat could not apply to their 22 route however. Any open topper running in current weather will simply be carrying icy but fresh air. sconehead85 There is no 'weather permitting' allowance for registered services - VOSA & the TCs need to know when you are operating to check you and they consider passengers need to know as well, it is the same mindset that won't allow a short notice cancellation when two operators register a route so one decides to pull off as it won't support both. The simple issue would be what defines an inclement day when the operator could choose not to run and at what point was a decision allowed to be made and so how much notice would customers get of a service not operating. Bus operation is always a risk and operators are gambling on how many passengers will want to travel on any given day (weather like this also kills numbers on 'normal' services, and not just in tourist areas, as well so how far would you extend a 'weather permitting' allowance) and if you choose to run services like this you are just taking bigger risks as the variables outside your control (like weather) can have a bigger effect - but if you get a period of good weather the returns can also be much better than you expected - we get a really nice hot summer any losses accrued due to a bad Easter could be cleared in a couple of days.
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Post by Burnside on Mar 28, 2013 20:57:57 GMT 1
SS website says Start of February to End of November for the 109. Not quite all year round but a bit more than seasonal. In this weather, i hope they've put a closed top bus on, bit chilly driving an open topper, i bet!
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Post by sconehead85 on Mar 28, 2013 21:28:24 GMT 1
ratty- I was only suggesting a minibus for route 12 for the next month if its cold.
dwarfer- It was only one of my brainwaves. A weather permitting caveat would only apply to the likes of "tourist" services where there is an alternative- Blackpool promenade has the trams (oddly enough they werent ready for the warm March last year) and Line 1. It would NOT, and nor should it be, allowed on CBNW's Catch 22 service, for example. The recent snow caused many routes not to run, or be diverted or curtailed.
Industrial services used to have the caveat "liable to augmentation or suspension as and if required".
sconehead85
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Mar 29, 2013 7:56:31 GMT 1
Just to totally disappoint everybody, the allocation for the first day of sea front 12 is:- B10M898, Dublin Olympian 324, B10M 899, and Royale 269, I allocated the buses sorry, but its what I had available. Hopefully by late June the 'Big Mommas' will be on the road. Next week Dublin Olympian 325 is to receive an overall advert covering the Southdownish livery, the other two will follow shortly afterwards. For people who want unusual mileage, sea front 12 is actually going in to the grounds of the Norbreck Hotel, to pick up by the front door. BTW the route is as follows:- Pleasure Beach (Big Blue Hotel), Promenade, Norbreck Hotel, Promenade, TL Little Bispham, Princes Way, Cleveleys Bus Station, Victoria Square, Kelso Avenue, Queens Promenade, then via Norbreck and Promenade to Big Blue Hotel(Pleasure Beach). Thats all for now.
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Post by sconehead85 on Mar 30, 2013 1:25:58 GMT 1
ratty- I dont think you need worry about bus allocation or full loads for the next few weeks! Ive heard that lots of people are flying to the Meditteranean for Easter so Blackpool will be quieter than usual. Big Momma doesn't want hypothermia anyway!
sconehead85
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Mar 30, 2013 7:55:15 GMT 1
I correct my earlier posting. There are just a couple of 'early doors trips that start in the grounds of the Norbreck, the rest of the day it is main road stopping only. As for the open toppers, due to the American contract they have had to take a back seat for now, but rest assured work IS starting on them in the next week, the first one is expected to be ready for use in May. First day of SF12 quiet, but the town generally was not too busy, but TBF GooD Friday tends to be very much a hit and miss bank holiday anyway, that applies to BTS as well. Finally, after the Easter holidays the service will run between Cleveleys and the Tower on weekdays, but I am led to believe it will run to Pleasure Beach at weekends.
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Post by sconehead85 on Mar 30, 2013 14:06:01 GMT 1
Could the 12 survive a milder, but dull and wet April and May? I think they should forget the open-top service until May Bank Holiday at the earliest and possibly the end of May school holidays. I still think they'll have a job filling a three-axle open topper of the type used on London sightseeeeing tours. Not everybody is tempted aboard open-top buses these days.
sconehead85
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Post by www.buseireann.ie on Mar 31, 2013 17:05:13 GMT 1
I've heard were to expect cold but fairly dry weather like now until the middle of April then things are supposed to improve so if this really turns out to be the case their is hope yet for a successful 12. Hasn't been too bad today and Yesterday with the sun being out for lengthy periods.
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Apr 8, 2013 13:29:47 GMT 1
Sorry everybody, but the news from CBNW will be drying up on my part as from today. Anybody who was going to accept my invite to come and have a look around, please note, I am no longer working there. For reasons I will not go in to I walked away yesterday. BTW Olympian 325 is being launched today in an all over advert rap for the Blackpool Gazette, which is relaunching today, its 140th birthday.
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Post by driver6540 on Apr 8, 2013 21:53:47 GMT 1
Whatever your next endeavour is Chris, Good luck with it. Many thanks for keeping us posted with the info on what is turning out to be an interesting little independant.
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Post by sconehead85 on May 5, 2013 4:46:33 GMT 1
A little snippet of interest is that CBNW operates under the company name of OAKWOOD, a Liverpool coach company whose address is amended to reflect the fact they are based in Blackpool. The company's licence allows for 8 vehicles, so Blackpool Transport has little to worry about from this company!
sconehead85
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ratty
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Post by ratty on May 5, 2013 21:33:57 GMT 1
Not strictly true. The actual number is in double figures, the 8 that have been spied on N&P are in actual fact an extension from 4. These are for the buses on Catch22, the promenade service operates on O licences in the name of CBNW. Followers of N&P will see in the registration notices for CBNW, that Catch22 comes under Oakwood Travel, and Sea Front 12 comes under CBNW.The reason for the addition is because there are 6 buses on the 22 and 4 on the 12's, and with the possibility of something else coming up in the not so far off, then there was a need for additional discs. For anybody who wants a ride on a Routemaster in normal service, then I have been told by the boss to put RML 887 on the Sea Front 12 service tomorrow, and it will be on all day. BTW as readers can probably worked out, I am back at CBNW, so can now report things as they happen. For the officionardos of Dennis Darts, it is hoped that 162 V162 HWX is returning to service sometime this week. With 652 Y652 NLO following about 2 weeks later, closely followed by at least one of the giant open toppers, which I understand will be in an advert livery.
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kendall17
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Post by kendall17 on May 8, 2013 22:42:45 GMT 1
BTW as readers can probably worked out, I am back at CBNW, so can now report things as they happen. Good news then! That lasted about as long as Matty did at Centrebus
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ratty
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Post by ratty on May 8, 2013 23:06:16 GMT 1
3 weeks to be exact, which is a good bit shorter than Matty at Centrebus isn't it?
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Jun 5, 2013 0:10:14 GMT 1
Well, the heritage day passed off without any problems. Apart from my aching shoulders, neck, arms etc from driving the Blackpool PD3 for 4 full return trips. It was though a tiring but enjoyable day. So what else is new. Well we are STILL running heritage vehicles but now on the 12. For about the last fortnight it has been nearly a daily occurrence for one of the 2 RM's to be in use. And due to the failure of RM1568 on Monday, 529 put in an appearance on the 12. One of the open toppers is currently receiving an overall advert wrap, and Dart 652 is currently having new seats fitted and refreshed grab rails, which have been a bit slow in coming back to us. Ex Lothian 269 is also receiving a wrap. We also have a 'new' decker in the shape of P915 RYO, ex Stagecoach Chorley, and I believe was at Stagecoach Yorkshire for a while, and possibly Tracky before that. Looks good in company red, and is our first bus with rolling LED destination displays.
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Post by sconehead85 on Jun 9, 2013 2:05:44 GMT 1
ratty- Have the 12 loadings picked up now the warmer weather has at last arrived? The absence of City Sightseeing should help. this year.
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Jun 9, 2013 16:59:33 GMT 1
They have picked up slightly. But, it is important to remember, that we have only just come in to a period where a comparison can be made, as SF 12 did not start till the 2nd of |June last year. So far it has just been used as a filler in between the college start and finish times. Of course the other thing to remember is that CS only ran during the school summer hols last year. With a bit of good fortune this week should finally see the entry in to service of the first of the open top Metrobuses, which looks even more fearsome in its Wallace and Gromit advert. There has been a suggestion that the driver should on top of everything else hand cheese out as he goes along. It's not happening. By the end of the week it is hoped that another closed top decker will be out in a new overall advert livery as well, this one being a bit of a surprise ( no, not an RM or a PD) and 325 will return from its trip away for a new engine. At the same time work still goes on in the background over the Mercedes Artic project
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LukePA
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Post by LukePA on Jun 16, 2013 18:28:15 GMT 1
Any ideas on when we will know what the new project is? I'm off to Blackpool at the end of July for a week and I'm looking forward to using CNBW alongside Blackpool Transport.
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Jun 18, 2013 20:03:12 GMT 1
He's gone very quiet about that one GC, but he does say that things are still going on in preparation. F69SYE passed its test last Friday and should be ready to roll, in the very near future and certainly by the time you visit GC. Currently ex Lothian 269 is receiving an advert for good old Wallace and Grommitt, Dart 145 is off the road receiving a new rear axle and diff, and work goes on to prepare the other open topper. Unfortunately Dart 652 is still to enter service due to it having been used as a Christmas tree over the last few weeks. But I am assured it will be on the road in the very near future, we need it.
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Jun 18, 2013 21:03:43 GMT 1
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LukePA
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Post by LukePA on Jun 23, 2013 16:06:48 GMT 1
I see that the 'Big Momma is out in service now. Also to note from the end of July service 12 will be extended to St Annes Daily. Also from July until the end of August there will be a 30 minutes evening service operating from Pleasure Beach to Norbrek.
I have it on good authority that exBlackpool Transport Olympian 401 has passed its recent brake test and will be put in a hot ice advertisement and will be operating in Blackpool again soon, don't know how much is true and that CNBW also have another exStagecoach NW B10M
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ratty
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Post by ratty on Jun 23, 2013 16:44:28 GMT 1
The B10M is in our out of town storage facility, and as far as I am aware at this moment in time is not intended to be joining the running fleet. if 401 is to be returned to service there are several vehicles in front of it in the pecking order. Big Momma is the first of two to enter service, the other is 326, which will enter service with a half roof and is not yet completed.
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Matty
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Post by Matty on Jun 24, 2013 21:44:13 GMT 1
Had a ride on the Big Momma and R899XVM and I was impressed, very nice buses especially the Metrobus.
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