Its funny. I have always hated these buses. With a few exceptions they hate hills, are noisy and most of them have really uncomfortable seats. I like the look of them, the Wright body is a bit of a classic design, but the whole product is poor and not a good example of what can be done. I have so many photos of these buses as they have been mainstay of the Plymouth fleet since they were new back in a time when First were still buying regular batches of new buses for us down here.
However, for the first time ever I was kind of hoping to get a few shots of these today. When you take a photo of one of your local buses you never know if it will be the last photo you get of that bus. Well today may well be the last time for these buses, and a few others I caught on camera today. I cant imagine may other First Group companies will want them.
I thought I would be glad to see the back of these buses.
Now its about to actually happen I have to admit I might actually miss them. Just a tiny little bit.
© Nick Rice (cc) December 2013
I totally agree. The ones left are not the best. As an ex driver I really liked the driving position but as you say the passenger seats were uncomfortable. The purple 6 ones were newer and a slight improvement on the current ones. Yes farewell B6 but will still be able to view them at Torpoint Depot which is going to be the First bus Plymouth graveyard. Much the same as Hamilton Road in Bristol.
ReplyDeleteMakes sense why Stagecoach aren't taking on Torpoint then. Really it was stupid having two bus companies on the ferry anyway! I presume PCB will take over the Torpoint depot if they wanted it.
DeleteAnon 1505, I don't want to sound harsh but you clearly have no idea what's going on with the buses, if so you would know that as previously confirmed by stagecoach- Torpoint has an adequate, well covered service already from pcb which was the reason given by the company for all of the dropped routes in the herald, having 2 companies in Torpoint going different routes into the city centre isn't stupid, gives people a choice between railway station or a more direct route into the city, living in Plymstock I have never used the 32 or 81 but,the people I know here in Plymstock like that there is a choice of routes on the 5 and 5A and the 2 for Pomphlett and Oreston. The 5s tending to be more popular with shoppers for morrisons
DeleteWell durrr, That's what I was saying Citybus offered a good service, there wasn't enough room for 2 double deckers on the Torpoint Ferry, so Stagecoach have done the right thing by not registering a service. So get you facts right....
DeleteNothing to do with 2 buses on the ferry stage coach want pay out for ferry lift for the buses
DeleteWrong. They are going west for disposal which will be sale.
ReplyDeleteIn First terms disposal/for sale has traditionally been to the scrap man. Very few, if any, have escaped Muller Road in Bristol to run again.
ReplyDeleteEven buying from First for preservation is a long and often fruitless process. The two ex-First vehicles I am part owner of were only offered after 2 years negotiating, and with a number of caveats about what we would be allowed to do with them once acquired.
The Volvo B6 was an attempt to capture the Dennis Dart market, but they never managed many sales. Odd really, when you think of Volvo's pedigree.
There have been a few signs recently that First may be changing their selling policy. It wasn't that long ago that First Potteries were selling a few at auction as a trial to see if it was worthwhile or not.
DeleteI had always had the impression that First had a policy of not selling buses for further service to avoid their being used in competition against them. The result of that, of course, would be that they ran vehicles right up to the point when maintenance costs became prohibitive - remember how old some of the VRs were at the end of their lives, with drivers having to put up with water dripping on their heads on a rainy day.
DeleteI believe that local companies are given the option to sell on these days.
DeleteI really do hope First don't sell on vehicles for re-use.
ReplyDeleteWe are in a very interesting time for bus sales, pre DDA buses (everything pre 01/01/2001 unless modified) cannot be used on 'open to the public services' only private contracts, single-decks including Optare Solos have a deadline 0f 31/12/2015, double-decks 12 months later.
At the moment the vast majority of pre DDA buses are likely to go for scrap, some 'deckers can continue to be used on contracts.
Now if I was a major operator at this moment in time I might be a bit cautious about selling DDA compliant buses to potential competitors, double-decks & coaches tend to go operators who run School contracts & so are not really a risk but smaller buses i.e Darts/Solos are ideal for independents who might either directly compete or more likely bid for tendered services.
By 'starving the market' of suitable second hand vehicles they are forcing independents to buy/lease more expensive vehicles.
So I wonder if we will see larger 'reserve fleets' with the major operators and more withdrawn buses used as a source of spares rather than sold on.
Of course there will be a lot of ex london buses available, most with 2 doors however.
Anyone gonna buy a b6 for preservation?
ReplyDeleteAlready one sold.
ReplyDeleteyes W604 PAF 48264 to the lad that is advertised on the side of it.
DeleteIf First was the sole source of used buses in the UK then I'd agree that they could influence the ease with which others were able to obtain vehicles for competitive services. But since other major operators have been releasing surplus stock for further operation long term such as Stagecoach, Arriva, Lothian etc, all First have been doing is minimising the market for their old assets. Ok the potential income is small compared to their annual turnover and I recognise the other big groups have let a lot of non DDA stuff die at Barnsley but scrap-only is more a policy of principle rather than sound economics.
ReplyDeleteCan someone explain why the majority of end of life vehicles are towed up to Barnsley - there must be capable scrap merchants nearer to home eg Henry Orchard & Co at St Austell ?
Deleteabout 3 or 4 of these are at the first depot withdrawn already with one been towed off somewhere that im not sure of. maybe at the torpoint depot or gone down cornwall. these buses were not my faveorate but i did like these when they were in Tavy link livery of the 83/86
DeleteNone have been towed anywhere. One was driven to Tauntom where it is being used for parts. The rest will be parked up elsewhere for sale.
DeleteBarnsley historically was surrounded by industries that were eager takers for recycled metals and the bus breakers clustered in an appropriate location. Their economies of scale mean that they pay the best prices for life expired buses, even serviceable vehicles are worth more in terms of reusable components than as a whole.
ReplyDeleteAnother ex Cornwall Decker has appeared in Torpoint Depot yesterday. Its parked in the garage facing out. I am sure there will be a few more to come yet.
ReplyDeletepeople in torpoint will not have that old scrap buses dumped in depot in town couse it fire risk
DeleteNot more badly spelt rubbish. The good people of Torpoint won't have any influence on it and how are those vehicles any more of a fire risk than the current allocation?
DeleteWhat are you on about. Fire risk?
ReplyDeleteIts a shed full of buses - just like it was before. Nothing much has changed except the buses wont actually be running - which is generally when fires occur in buses so if anything its even safer now.
DeleteWhat is the problem of running 2 door buses in Plymouth?
ReplyDeleteHave Citybus stopped converting 2 door buses into single door?
As far as I am aware they have stopped converting them.
Deletethe ex london deckers which have 2 doors have an electric wheelchair ramp which is rather unreliable. plus with the influx of new vehicles arriving, these will oust a large majority of the ex london deckers.
DeleteWell as they're non DDA no other First companies will want them, no.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of a saga, the simple reality is that these buses have managed 15 years in front line service. Have a bit of respect lol!😉