We have already mentioned the last lot of Volvo B7RLEs to leave Plymouth for elsewhere in the First Group Empire, but today we bring you this picture of a previous escapee, this time to Southampton. 69246 has been in Southampton for about 18 months but has gained the distinction of being the first single-decker to carry the new refreshed Barbie livery complete with the new style local fleetname:
Creative Commons licensed flickr photo shared by Eastleighbusman
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- Eastleighbusman Flickr
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If First carry on the way that they seem to do so here in Plymouth, putting local branding back onto their buses seems to be a bad idea. They will be forever changing these stickers as the bus moves around within their operational territories.
ReplyDeleteI guess if they dont move too many around too often then it wont be a problem. Just remains to be seen if we get a specific Plymouth fleetname or just Devon or Cornwall.
ReplyDeleteThat looks absolutely hideous. I thought the 'decker version was bad but the single-deck incarnation is even worse.
ReplyDeleteThe ones I've seen 'in the flesh' always seem to look grubby which shouldn't be the case for a newly repainted bus.
Sadly, I'm underwhelmed. I have yet to see the new livery in the flesh, but this picture of the Southampton single decker does nothing for me.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Speedy Jeff, the decker livery seemed poor, but this is poorer still
the rumour going round the plymouth depot is once the olympics is over we'll be sold off, which is why our fleet hasn't got the new livery (we currently have some red london darts out) and we don't have new ticket machines!
ReplyDeleteIf that's true, let's hope it doesn't go to Go-Ahead! As someone said a while back, they would put ticket prices up beyond stupidity if that was the case. Maybe it's time for a 'Stagecoach in Plymouth'?
ReplyDeleteI don't think OFT would allow a sale to Go ahead as they wouldn't allow Citybus to be sold to First in 2009.
ReplyDeleteMaybe First resurgence in Cornwall is intended to bump up Sale price of Plymouth/Cornwall ?? Possibly to Stagecoach who seem intersted in expanding westwards from Exeter/torbay. If so, would they look to compete nore in Plymouth with Citybus in order to maximise growth ???
I know First are looking to sell some of their operations but I dont think the lack of buses in the new livery is anything to go by. Its only appeared in a few fleets so far, Manchester, West Yorks, South Yorks and Southampton are the only other places that have it so far apart from the Olympic Games fleet. Plymouth has been lucky to get their new buses ahead of the games, while everywhere else has to wait!
ReplyDeleteIf Stagecoach were that interested in buying the whole fleet wouldnt they have done so at the same time as the North Devon operations?
Stagecoach would not be allowed to but plymouth as well under oft, they would have too much of a monopoly in devon , and as stagecoach would scare off any potential competitors that would start up to rival first
ReplyDeleteI think Stagecoach would be ok to take over First operations in Plymouth if First wished to sell as they do not have any operations in the city and would be good competition to Go Ahead meaning they would not have a monopoly!!
ReplyDeleteAlso Stagecoach could offer Explorer tickets enabling customers to travel across their network throughout Devon and Cornwall which they could sell as a Plus. I really hope the OFT would not allow a sale to Go Ahead though!!!
Hopefully though First will stay and look to invest whole hearidly in Plymouth routes as the ones they do run I believe are a very good standard in general.