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Post by lonmark on May 13, 2013 7:42:23 GMT
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-22506806A fire at a bus depot in Cornwall has destroyed at least 37 buses - a third of bus firm Western Greyhound's fleet. The fire in Summercourt, near Newquay, broke out at about 01:00 BST. The blaze is expected to cause "significant disruption" to bus services in mid-Cornwall, including some school buses. Its cause, which is not yet known, is being jointly investigated by Devon and Cornwall Police and Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service. Police said the A3058 Newquay to St Austell Road would remain closed for most of the day. Mark Howarth, Western Greyhound's managing director, told BBC Radio Cornwall: "A lot of hard work has gone into Western Greyhound and it's awful to see it going up in smoke. "I could just see flames leaping in the air and when I arrived all the buses at the bottom of the yard were completely ablaze. "The services will be significantly disrupted but we will run as much of them as we can." Western Greyhound has been operating buses in Cornwall and Devon since 1998. It describes itself as a "locally-based, family-run business." from BBC NEWS Reports...
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Post by Deleted on May 13, 2013 12:34:36 GMT
This is from their website www.westerngreyhound.com/Well what bus types are destroyed?  And will they be insured to get new ones because someone set alight to it? I hope other operators help them. update i seen they have few routemasters. i hope they are ok. |
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Post by M1104 on May 13, 2013 13:37:13 GMT
This is from their website www.westerngreyhound.com/Well what bus types are destroyed? And will they be insured to get new ones because someone set alight to it? I hope other operators help them. update i seen they have few routemasters. i hope they are ok. I am sure other operators will be more than happy to help out, whether it be loaning of vehicles or running the service on their behalf. Generally bus firms do tend to help each other out in times of crisis. For example I once remember a Firstbus engineer attended to a mechanical London General vehicle after London General had done something similar beforehand for First. |
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Post by smiler52 on May 13, 2013 13:54:05 GMT
did see on another forum that the heritage fleet has been destroyed as well hope its not true
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Post by Deleted on May 13, 2013 14:01:07 GMT
did see on another forum that the heritage fleet has been destroyed as well hope its not true i pray that the Heritage fleet is still alive. Ensignbus heritage fleet was very lucky it didn't get caught fire. |
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Post by snowman on May 13, 2013 14:29:20 GMT
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Post by romfordbuses on May 13, 2013 14:54:03 GMT
Ensignbus heritage fleet was very lucky it didn't get caught fire. You mean when the Hybrid went up in smoke? The heritage fleet is mainly in the barn opposite where that was  |
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Post by snoggle on May 13, 2013 15:13:32 GMT
The damage looks really bad in the photos . Judging from the shape of the wreckage I'd say Optare Solos, Solo SRs and Mercedes minis have been burnt out. Obviously the Olympian deckers can be seen from the photos. It's a real shame as they are considered a decent operator and some of their service levels are very good given the rural territory. They are also now in the Summer season timetable so more buses are needed than during the Winter. A small pity that First Group grabbed those surplus narrow Darts from Jersey as they'd be a good short term fill in. |
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Post by vjaska on May 13, 2013 20:40:46 GMT
First are accepting tickets on Western Greyhound routes I believe and Western Greyhound will be using a Routemaster as cover on one of their routes. It's miraculous how that standard Solo survived considering the Olympian next to it only has the front end left  |
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Post by Deleted on May 13, 2013 21:39:09 GMT
First are accepting tickets on Western Greyhound routes I believe and Western Greyhound will be using a Routemaster as cover on one of their routes. It's miraculous how that standard Solo survived considering the Olympian next to it only has the front end left Thank god the routemasters are alive. But i hope the commuters will be relieved that the Routemaster is running. How will the bus company be able to afford new buses? |
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Post by snoggle on May 14, 2013 7:46:50 GMT
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Post by titan1mike on May 14, 2013 9:36:20 GMT
To see some of the western greyhound fleet in happier times including the VR in service,go go WWW.flickr.com/photos/titanmike then go to the sets named Falmouth&truro, newquay And penzance. Mike |
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Post by LX09FBJ on May 14, 2013 17:43:38 GMT
I liked those Enviro400s, so sad to see them gone  At least they can get some of the ex London buses filtering onto the market. Also, does the government/insurance companies give any financial support for such an event? |
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Post by snoggle on May 14, 2013 18:05:47 GMT
I liked those Enviro400s, so sad to see them gone At least they can get some of the ex London buses filtering onto the market. Also, does the government/insurance companies give any financial support for such an event? Government won't do anything. Western Greyhound will be reliant on its bank and its insurers. Clearly it needs its insurers to move quickly and pay out so it can obtain replacement vehicles but insurers are notoriously slow and awkward - especially as there is a question mark as to cause. WG will have to hope they have funds available or can secure finance to do it. The alternative will be to "sub contract" to other firms if they can. I am not sure how the rules work in cases like this but there will surely come a point when WG may have to deregister some routes if it is not able to operate them. Otherwise the Traffic Commissioners will be after them for failure to operate registered services. |
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Post by snowman on May 14, 2013 19:26:56 GMT
I liked those Enviro400s, so sad to see them gone At least they can get some of the ex London buses filtering onto the market. Also, does the government/insurance companies give any financial support for such an event? Government won't do anything. Western Greyhound will be reliant on its bank and its insurers. Clearly it needs its insurers to move quickly and pay out so it can obtain replacement vehicles but insurers are notoriously slow and awkward - especially as there is a question mark as to cause. WG will have to hope they have funds available or can secure finance to do it. The alternative will be to "sub contract" to other firms if they can. I am not sure how the rules work in cases like this but there will surely come a point when WG may have to deregister some routes if it is not able to operate them. Otherwise the Traffic Commissioners will be after them for failure to operate registered services. Latest news is it was suspected arson It is understood that buses are being sourced, so presumably short term whatever they can borrow, and longer term proper replacements. Two of the Solo SRs destroyed had just been delivered and hadn't even been put into service I suspect the traffic commissioners would apply some sort of Force Majeure ruling (not enforced due to circumstances beyond control). Similarly you wouldn't deregister a route if it was blocked by snow for couple of days. |
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And will they be insured to get new ones because someone set alight to it?
