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Post by MetrolineGA1511 on Jul 3, 2016 9:50:16 GMT
Late in May, First announced that they would close their East Lothian operation, including depots at Musselburgh and North Berwick. However, Lothian Buses have just announced that they are purchasing the depots and registering their own network. This will be markered as East Coast Buses. They are not buying any current First stock but will source their own. These are rumoured to include examples of ex-Arriva Fastway Eclipses. www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2016/07/east-lothian-bus-services-saved-by-lothian-bus/ |
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Post by snoggle on Jul 3, 2016 14:11:36 GMT
Late in May, First announced that they would close their East Lothian operation, including depots at Musselburgh and North Berwick. However, Lothian Buses have just announced that they are purchasing the depots and registering their own network. This will be markered as East Coast Buses. They are not buying any current First stock but will source their own. These are rumoured to include examples of ex-Arriva Fastway Eclipses. www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2016/07/east-lothian-bus-services-saved-by-lothian-bus/ I understand from comments elsewhere that the network is rather smaller than First's with just a couple of main routes and some schools journeys. Lothian Buses *might* be able to provide sufficient stability to grow some patronage but the network under First has been in decline for decades so it'll be a very tough ask. |
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Post by MetrolineGA1511 on Jul 3, 2016 19:47:48 GMT
Late in May, First announced that they would close their East Lothian operation, including depots at Musselburgh and North Berwick. However, Lothian Buses have just announced that they are purchasing the depots and registering their own network. This will be markered as East Coast Buses. They are not buying any current First stock but will source their own. These are rumoured to include examples of ex-Arriva Fastway Eclipses. www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2016/07/east-lothian-bus-services-saved-by-lothian-bus/ I understand from comments elsewhere that the network is rather smaller than First's with just a couple of main routes and some schools journeys. Lothian Buses *might* be able to provide sufficient stability to grow some patronage but the network under First has been in decline for decades so it'll be a very tough ask. As ECB/LB are registering just limited services, I wonder why they feel they need to buy both depots in question. Admittedly they already run several routes to Musselburgh, of which route 26 is one of their most frequent, so maybe they will cascade some established work there. |
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Post by snoggle on Jul 3, 2016 19:51:04 GMT
I understand from comments elsewhere that the network is rather smaller than First's with just a couple of main routes and some schools journeys. Lothian Buses *might* be able to provide sufficient stability to grow some patronage but the network under First has been in decline for decades so it'll be a very tough ask. As ECB/LB are registering just limited services, I wonder why they feel they need to buy both depots in question. Admittedly they already run several routes to Musselburgh, of which route 26 is one of their most frequent, so maybe they will cascade some established work there. Well depots and land are an asset and if they gain the freehold there's the potential for later development. There is also the point you make about possibly more efficient working on other routes but I assume they won't want to confuse pay, terms and conditions between established Lothian Buses staff and TUPE'd ex FSE staff going to East Coast Buses. |
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Post by MetrolineGA1511 on Jul 3, 2016 20:16:56 GMT
I have given some thoughts to a day trip to Edinburgh on August Bank Holiday. As it is not a Bank Holiday there normal weekday services will run. Admittedly LB normally run a Saturday service on Bank Holidays. The August Bank Holiday for me is currently a 2-horse race between Edinburgh and central London!
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Post by tony4387 on Jul 4, 2016 19:09:38 GMT
Maybe Lothian will plan other services to operate from Musselburgh and north Berwick depots once they have it up and running and they sorted things out
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2016 17:26:31 GMT
Interesting to see a totally municipal operator expanding Iin this day and age, hope it goes well, I find Lothian Buses a good operator.
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Post by tony4387 on Jul 9, 2016 8:57:36 GMT
Hopefully Lothian will be able to make a good run of operations from the new depots and it turns out to be a good operation for them
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