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Ensign
Sept 3, 2021 21:13:20 GMT
Post by LondonNorthern on Sept 3, 2021 21:13:20 GMT
Has 368 got ex First seats? Perhaps the ones from 33088 before it headed off to scrap? 33080/81 I believe I went to Southend today so took the opportunity to try out the 68 under Ensign. The service is very popular with full loadings and heritage duplicates running! The whole operation is very professional! I think I might have had VPL630 as my driver if he was the driver that went to get chips before the next rounder Really pleased see how successful the service has become since it was taken over from GAL.
Yes the was me I don’t know exactly all the routes Ensign are operating, but are at least operating the 962 and 963, which are school routes from Ashford to Homewood School in Tenterden. We are running the 962/3 from Ashford and 903/4/5/6 from Herne Bay from Monday, drivers have been out and about route learning this week including me, buses I know that are down there are all 58 plates which will all be leaving the fleet soon with the impending arrival of new buses into the fleet Is the impending arrival new stock or second hand stock (Could we see some of the school extras enter the fleet - like the ex 69 E400s)
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Post by VPL630 on Sept 4, 2021 9:14:15 GMT
33080/81 I believe Yes the was me We are running the 962/3 from Ashford and 903/4/5/6 from Herne Bay from Monday, drivers have been out and about route learning this week including me, buses I know that are down there are all 58 plates which will all be leaving the fleet soon with the impending arrival of new buses into the fleet Is the impending arrival new stock or second hand stock (Could we see some of the school extras enter the fleet - like the ex 69 E400s) Fresh out of the factory
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Ensign
Sept 4, 2021 9:34:07 GMT
Post by LondonNorthern on Sept 4, 2021 9:34:07 GMT
Is the impending arrival new stock or second hand stock (Could we see some of the school extras enter the fleet - like the ex 69 E400s) Fresh out of the factory Exciting
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Post by VPL630 on Sept 4, 2021 9:49:59 GMT
Fresh out of the factory Exciting For some...
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Post by busoccultation on Sept 13, 2021 17:32:34 GMT
Another few more new Streetdecks are coming to the fleet with this batch does have the Ensign moquette and a glass pillar unlike the ex Arriva ordered examples that came earlier in the year.
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Post by VPL630 on Sept 14, 2021 11:59:17 GMT
So seeing as I've now been to Ashford and Herne Bay I thought I'd say something about the routes, If you were wondering, the buses are operating on loan to EAST KENT ROAD CAR COMPANY LIMITED and we drive down in vans each day, the buses stay at their yard's and are fueled, washed and cleaned by them. 903/4/5/6 are all pretty simple and pretty much follow the Triangle route from Herne Bay to Rough Common where the school routes all serve Rough Common and then make their way into Canterbury and the various different schools. The routes all start at the same point on Sea Street where the Gas Works used to be, you then follow the main road petty much all the way being guided by a low Bridge in Swalecliffe, passing through Tankerton and arriving in Whitstable where you get a bit of time to kill, again this seems like an area that Stagecoach have imposed a speed restriction on their drivers as they all crawl through the town centre at walking pace not that you could exactly go fast anyway, you then exit and due to some inconsiderate parking restrictions get help up at this bus stop because every morning there are cars/vans parked on the single yellow adjacent which while they are entitled to, it is a very busy stop and this causes delays on both sides of the road, dealing with 15/20 people that need tickets can really slow things down... luckily we aren't dealing with tickets on ours as they all have season tickets, anyway, carrying on you climb up Borstal Hill and the route starts to get a bit more scenic arriving in Blean with some up and down sections and trees that have actually been cut back unlike anywhere in Ashford... following the road you eventually come to a mini roundabout, turning right takes you into rough common where some of bus stops are full of books, again in the mornings there is too much traffic for the road space available and if you think we are running 4 buses through this town/village along with another stagecoach bus, all with around 80 kids on each at this point makes you think if there weren't these school buses how much the worse the traffic would be, leaving rough common via a few tight downhill bends which really allow you to feel the weight transfer through the bus, you take a direct route into the center of Cantabury without serving the bus station and the routes take there respective journeys to the different schools. As we are only covering the school routes, we normally park up at New Dover Road Park and Ride and wait there until the return journeys, saving on mileage and fuel returning to Herne Bay which is a boring place in my opinion now, in the afternoons the routes are pretty much the same other than the 903 which serves 2 of the schools and means you have to suffer Old Dover road at the worst possible time, this road is anything but suited to having 2 schools on it with very little passing places and traffic light timing that is just not favourable. The loadings on these routes are just crazy, I've not driven a bus so full since pre covid times, all of the routes pick up 80-90 kids pretty much every day so the routes are clearly justifiable, I've also never seen a B9TL struggle so much going up a hill fully loaded and 115 was roaring away as a B7 would at times, the route is pretty demanding for the buses, lots of hills, the route keeps you awake that's for sure, I did laugh as I passed a speed camera van doing no more than 15MPH in Rough Common after climbing the hill Something I find bizarre is that Hern Bay has restrictions on using certain roads or making turns when in a bus but yet there is a bridge we go over to get to the start point that I would say is just as bad if not worse than places we have been told not to go Ashford, I've only done the 963 at the moment, it's not the simplest as there aren't many landmarks to help you, the route starts in the Singleton estate which was clearly not built for buses in mind, and half the bus stop's don't even have flags so not sure how anyone knows where to wait for the bus When you've negotiated the many roundabouts and ducked and dived from the many many low trees and bushes that have not been cut back in years you join the Ashford Road in Kingsnorth and then follow the 2A route pretty much all the way, this is where it gets interesting, you turn right into Magpie Hall Road (When someone with enough brain cells to allow you to be able to make the turn) and get to enjoy the open road for a bit, always watching for the low trees, turning left into Tally Ho Road you get to enjoy some nice roads and scenery, passing through Shadoxhurst you make a right turn onto an unnamed road which at some point has a dip in which I probably hit at around 35 and I nearly was thrown out the cab turning left Bethersden Rd few tight bits but soon enough you are in Woodchurch, turning right onto Brook Street, there is a tree branch which sticks out and overhangs the road currently and will happily take out the upper deck windscreen and blind glass and possibly windscreen if hit right, avoiding that which is on approach to a blind bend you follow the road for some time now with its left's and right's and some really tight places with even more low trees, a way more technical drive than anything I've done in a decker before or that I can remember, its' more reminiscent of the R5/10 where you really don't know what's going to be coming around the corner but this time in a decker with 80 kids on, this road is Hail and Ride and you do pick people up in the weirdest of places, luckily I had a pilot with me that day which really helped, climbing up into Tenterden you come to the end of the road where you have no choice but to use Ferry left to make the right turn or you will cause damage to the bus because of the camber of the junction, then you arrive at the school shortly. There isn't much to do here so we just run back to Ashford which is around 20 mins away, overall it's all good, certainly something different. Not sure how long it will be going on but I'm happy doing it, the kids aren't bad and it's an easy day
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Post by VPL630 on Sept 14, 2021 13:12:00 GMT
Another few more new Streetdecks are coming to the fleet with this batch does have the Ensign moquette and a glass pillar unlike the ex Arriva ordered examples that came earlier in the year.
They are full height, but still with the small 4 pot washing machine engine, I think there is also a slight difference with the lower deck layout and they have mirrors, not sure when they'll be out
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Ensign
Sept 14, 2021 17:21:36 GMT
via mobile
Post by greenboy on Sept 14, 2021 17:21:36 GMT
So seeing as I've now been to Ashford and Herne Bay I thought I'd say something about the routes, If you were wondering, the buses are operating on loan to EAST KENT ROAD CAR COMPANY LIMITED and we drive down in vans each day, the buses stay at their yard's and are fueled, washed and cleaned by them. 903/4/5/6 are all pretty simple and pretty much follow the Triangle route from Herne Bay to Rough Common where the school routes all serve Rough Common and then make their way into Canterbury and the various different schools. The routes all start at the same point on Sea Street where the Gas Works used to be, you then follow the main road petty much all the way being guided by a low Bridge in Swalecliffe, passing through Tankerton and arriving in Whitstable where you get a bit of time to kill, again this seems like an area that Stagecoach have imposed a speed restriction on their drivers as they all crawl through the town centre at walking pace not that you could exactly go fast anyway, you then exit and due to some inconsiderate parking restrictions get help up at this bus stop because every morning there are cars/vans parked on the single yellow adjacent which while they are entitled to, it is a very busy stop and this causes delays on both sides of the road, dealing with 15/20 people that need tickets can really slow things down... luckily we aren't dealing with tickets on ours as they all have season tickets, anyway, carrying on you climb up Borstal Hill and the route starts to get a bit more scenic arriving in Blean with some up and down sections and trees that have actually been cut back unlike anywhere in Ashford... following the road you eventually come to a mini roundabout, turning right takes you into rough common where some of bus stops are full of books, again in the mornings there is too much traffic for the road space available and if you think we are running 4 buses through this town/village along with another stagecoach bus, all with around 80 kids on each at this point makes you think if there weren't these school buses how much the worse the traffic would be, leaving rough common via a few tight downhill bends which really allow you to feel the weight transfer through the bus, you take a direct route into the center of Cantabury without serving the bus station and the routes take there respective journeys to the different schools. As we are only covering the school routes, we normally park up at New Dover Road Park and Ride and wait there until the return journeys, saving on mileage and fuel returning to Herne Bay which is a boring place in my opinion now, in the afternoons the routes are pretty much the same other than the 903 which serves 2 of the schools and means you have to suffer Old Dover road at the worst possible time, this road is anything but suited to having 2 schools on it with very little passing places and traffic light timing that is just not favourable. The loadings on these routes are just crazy, I've not driven a bus so full since pre covid times, all of the routes pick up 80-90 kids pretty much every day so the routes are clearly justifiable, I've also never seen a B9TL struggle so much going up a hill fully loaded and 115 was roaring away as a B7 would at times, the route is pretty demanding for the buses, lots of hills, the route keeps you awake that's for sure, I did laugh as I passed a speed camera van doing no more than 15MPH in Rough Common after climbing the hill Something I find bizarre is that Hern Bay has restrictions on using certain roads or making turns when in a bus but yet there is a bridge we go over to get to the start point that I would say is just as bad if not worse than places we have been told not to go Ashford, I've only done the 963 at the moment, it's not the simplest as there aren't many landmarks to help you, the route starts in the Singleton estate which was clearly not built for buses in mind, and half the bus stop's don't even have flags so not sure how anyone knows where to wait for the bus When you've negotiated the many roundabouts and ducked and dived from the many many low trees and bushes that have not been cut back in years you join the Ashford Road in Kingsnorth and then follow the 2A route pretty much all the way, this is where it gets interesting, you turn right into Magpie Hall Road (When someone with enough brain cells to allow you to be able to make the turn) and get to enjoy the open road for a bit, always watching for the low trees, turning left into Tally Ho Road you get to enjoy some nice roads and scenery, passing through Shadoxhurst you make a right turn onto an unnamed road which at some point has a dip in which I probably hit at around 35 and I nearly was thrown out the cab turning left Bethersden Rd few tight bits but soon enough you are in Woodchurch, turning right onto Brook Street, there is a tree branch which sticks out and overhangs the road currently and will happily take out the upper deck windscreen and blind glass and possibly windscreen if hit right, avoiding that which is on approach to a blind bend you follow the road for some time now with its left's and right's and some really tight places with even more low trees, a way more technical drive than anything I've done in a decker before or that I can remember, its' more reminiscent of the R5/10 where you really don't know what's going to be coming around the corner but this time in a decker with 80 kids on, this road is Hail and Ride and you do pick people up in the weirdest of places, luckily I had a pilot with me that day which really helped, climbing up into Tenterden you come to the end of the road where you have no choice but to use Ferry left to make the right turn or you will cause damage to the bus because of the camber of the junction, then you arrive at the school shortly. There isn't much to do here so we just run back to Ashford which is around 20 mins away, overall it's all good, certainly something different. Not sure how long it will be going on but I'm happy doing it, the kids aren't bad and it's an easy day Really interesting post, I'm not sure about Herne Bay being boring though but anyway😎🤣🤣....... sounds like a lovely little job. I know what you mean about the Singleton estate in Ashford and it always looks odd seeing Stagecoach double deckers going round there on the A service. I gather Bayliss Travel are doing an afternoon working on the 922 with an ex Metroline Scania?
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Post by N230UD on Sept 14, 2021 18:55:19 GMT
Really interesting post, I'm not sure about Herne Bay being boring though but anyway😎🤣🤣....... sounds like a lovely little job. I know what you mean about the Singleton estate in Ashford and it always looks odd seeing Stagecoach double deckers going round there on the A service. I gather Bayliss Travel are doing an afternoon working on the 922 with an ex Metroline Scania? Bayliss have indeed been covering the 922 with one of their ex-Metroline Scanias. It goes from Whitstable to Herne Bay, then back on itself a bit down to Canterbury via the 5 route. Rather than serving the city centre, it goes east to Spires Academy past Sturry.
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Post by VPL630 on Sept 14, 2021 19:22:49 GMT
So seeing as I've now been to Ashford and Herne Bay I thought I'd say something about the routes, If you were wondering, the buses are operating on loan to EAST KENT ROAD CAR COMPANY LIMITED and we drive down in vans each day, the buses stay at their yard's and are fueled, washed and cleaned by them. 903/4/5/6 are all pretty simple and pretty much follow the Triangle route from Herne Bay to Rough Common where the school routes all serve Rough Common and then make their way into Canterbury and the various different schools. The routes all start at the same point on Sea Street where the Gas Works used to be, you then follow the main road petty much all the way being guided by a low Bridge in Swalecliffe, passing through Tankerton and arriving in Whitstable where you get a bit of time to kill, again this seems like an area that Stagecoach have imposed a speed restriction on their drivers as they all crawl through the town centre at walking pace not that you could exactly go fast anyway, you then exit and due to some inconsiderate parking restrictions get help up at this bus stop because every morning there are cars/vans parked on the single yellow adjacent which while they are entitled to, it is a very busy stop and this causes delays on both sides of the road, dealing with 15/20 people that need tickets can really slow things down... luckily we aren't dealing with tickets on ours as they all have season tickets, anyway, carrying on you climb up Borstal Hill and the route starts to get a bit more scenic arriving in Blean with some up and down sections and trees that have actually been cut back unlike anywhere in Ashford... following the road you eventually come to a mini roundabout, turning right takes you into rough common where some of bus stops are full of books, again in the mornings there is too much traffic for the road space available and if you think we are running 4 buses through this town/village along with another stagecoach bus, all with around 80 kids on each at this point makes you think if there weren't these school buses how much the worse the traffic would be, leaving rough common via a few tight downhill bends which really allow you to feel the weight transfer through the bus, you take a direct route into the center of Cantabury without serving the bus station and the routes take there respective journeys to the different schools. As we are only covering the school routes, we normally park up at New Dover Road Park and Ride and wait there until the return journeys, saving on mileage and fuel returning to Herne Bay which is a boring place in my opinion now, in the afternoons the routes are pretty much the same other than the 903 which serves 2 of the schools and means you have to suffer Old Dover road at the worst possible time, this road is anything but suited to having 2 schools on it with very little passing places and traffic light timing that is just not favourable. The loadings on these routes are just crazy, I've not driven a bus so full since pre covid times, all of the routes pick up 80-90 kids pretty much every day so the routes are clearly justifiable, I've also never seen a B9TL struggle so much going up a hill fully loaded and 115 was roaring away as a B7 would at times, the route is pretty demanding for the buses, lots of hills, the route keeps you awake that's for sure, I did laugh as I passed a speed camera van doing no more than 15MPH in Rough Common after climbing the hill Something I find bizarre is that Hern Bay has restrictions on using certain roads or making turns when in a bus but yet there is a bridge we go over to get to the start point that I would say is just as bad if not worse than places we have been told not to go Ashford, I've only done the 963 at the moment, it's not the simplest as there aren't many landmarks to help you, the route starts in the Singleton estate which was clearly not built for buses in mind, and half the bus stop's don't even have flags so not sure how anyone knows where to wait for the bus When you've negotiated the many roundabouts and ducked and dived from the many many low trees and bushes that have not been cut back in years you join the Ashford Road in Kingsnorth and then follow the 2A route pretty much all the way, this is where it gets interesting, you turn right into Magpie Hall Road (When someone with enough brain cells to allow you to be able to make the turn) and get to enjoy the open road for a bit, always watching for the low trees, turning left into Tally Ho Road you get to enjoy some nice roads and scenery, passing through Shadoxhurst you make a right turn onto an unnamed road which at some point has a dip in which I probably hit at around 35 and I nearly was thrown out the cab turning left Bethersden Rd few tight bits but soon enough you are in Woodchurch, turning right onto Brook Street, there is a tree branch which sticks out and overhangs the road currently and will happily take out the upper deck windscreen and blind glass and possibly windscreen if hit right, avoiding that which is on approach to a blind bend you follow the road for some time now with its left's and right's and some really tight places with even more low trees, a way more technical drive than anything I've done in a decker before or that I can remember, its' more reminiscent of the R5/10 where you really don't know what's going to be coming around the corner but this time in a decker with 80 kids on, this road is Hail and Ride and you do pick people up in the weirdest of places, luckily I had a pilot with me that day which really helped, climbing up into Tenterden you come to the end of the road where you have no choice but to use Ferry left to make the right turn or you will cause damage to the bus because of the camber of the junction, then you arrive at the school shortly. There isn't much to do here so we just run back to Ashford which is around 20 mins away, overall it's all good, certainly something different. Not sure how long it will be going on but I'm happy doing it, the kids aren't bad and it's an easy day Really interesting post, I'm not sure about Herne Bay being boring though but anyway😎🤣🤣....... sounds like a lovely little job. I know what you mean about the Singleton estate in Ashford and it always looks odd seeing Stagecoach double deckers going round there on the A service. I gather Bayliss Travel are doing an afternoon working on the 922 with an ex Metroline Scania? If I had the choice of being in Herne Bay or Canterbury I know where I’d be Yeah Bayliss have a Scania out on it, I never knew so much transport went into schools outside of London, my secondary school had 6 school buses but the school I did yesterday Homewood School had about 15 coaches that all picked up and went their different ways
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Ensign
Sept 18, 2021 14:36:25 GMT
Post by wirewiper on Sept 18, 2021 14:36:25 GMT
Tomorrow, Sunday 19th September, is the last day of the 2021 season for the Southend open-top route 68. Vintage buses will be operating in addition to the normal service.
This will also be the last chance to combine with a trip on the 35-year-old Southend Pier trains, as these are due to be replaced by new trains imminently.
A Vintage round-trip ticket is £6.00 and an all-day ticket is £8.00 (£3.50 and £4.50 child/OAP).
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Post by wirewiper on Sept 18, 2021 14:42:07 GMT
Another few more new Streetdecks are coming to the fleet with this batch does have the Ensign moquette and a glass pillar unlike the ex Arriva ordered examples that came earlier in the year.
There are fourteen in all, nominally for the busy 73 and 83 routes linking Lakeside, Grays and Tilbury/Chadwell St Mary. 168 - LX71 AOB 169 - LX71 AOC 170 - LX71 AOD 171 - LX71 AOE 172 - LX71 AOG 173 - LX71 AOH 174 - LX71 AOJ 175 - LX71 AOK 176 - LX71 AOL 177 - LX71 AOM 178 - LX71 AON 179 - LX71 AOO 180 - LX71 AOP 181 - LX71 AOR
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Ensign
Sept 18, 2021 16:30:55 GMT
Post by snowman on Sept 18, 2021 16:30:55 GMT
Another few more new Streetdecks are coming to the fleet with this batch does have the Ensign moquette and a glass pillar unlike the ex Arriva ordered examples that came earlier in the year.
There are fourteen in all, nominally for the busy 73 and 83 routes linking Lakeside, Grays and Tilbury/Chadwell St Mary. 168 - LX71 AOB 169 - LX71 AOC 170 - LX71 AOD 171 - LX71 AOE 172 - LX71 AOG 173 - LX71 AOH 174 - LX71 AOJ 175 - LX71 AOK 176 - LX71 AOL 177 - LX71 AOM 178 - LX71 AON 179 - LX71 AOO 180 - LX71 AOP 181 - LX71 AOR EastBeach68 has posted a photo of LX71AOM LX71AOJ with slow vehicle sign, and rear destination showing direction of travel
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Ensign
Sept 19, 2021 21:37:32 GMT
via mobile
Post by LondonNorthern on Sept 19, 2021 21:37:32 GMT
Are TE879/882/895 still on hire to Stagecoach Midlands or are they now up for sale?
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Ensign
Sept 19, 2021 21:44:41 GMT
Post by busoccultation on Sept 19, 2021 21:44:41 GMT
Are TE879/882/895 still on hire to Stagecoach Midlands or are they now up for sale? All up for sale I believe and all the loaned stuff at Northampton have been replaced by the Scania E400's from the West, which was released by the new Scania MMC's at Gloucester since July.
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