Plymothian Transit
Plymothian Transit was started way back on 31st March 2005 with little idea of what it was going to be,other than the promise that "something interesting might just appear at some stage". The number of regular readers suggests that it has!
The aim of the blog is to cover all forms of transport in and around the Plymouth area. Its as simple as that. In practice it has focused mostly on buses but also covers the railways, and the basic transport infrastructure. I have tried to cover both up to date happenings and the history of transport in the area. I have been helped a lot by the large archive of old photos available on the internet along with many that I have taken myself.
When it started Plymothian Transit was one of just a few transport blogs. Today there are a lot more and I try to link to all the good blog posts I come across, both to provide new information to visitors and to help new blogs get the readers they need to grow.
More than just a blog
A main weekly feature on PT is the alternating Devon Transit and Cornwall Transit pages which get published every Tuesday covering all service changes registered across Devon & Cornwall. These are all covered in a lot more detail on Plymothian Transit Bus Services which is building up to be a main history of all routes in the region.
I have a collection of fleet lists which will be available by clicking through the fleetlist link on the main page of the PT site.
I have a collection of fleet lists which will be available by clicking through the fleetlist link on the main page of the PT site.
There is also my main Flickr account where you will see thousands of photos I have taken over the years. Many of them transport based. Plymothian Transit appears of Facebook and on Google Plus and also on Twitter from time to time.
Did by Graham
"did by graham" is the name I use for all my online activity. I am Graham Richardson, an Information Analyst in the NHS, having worked for Plymouth Hospitals since 1982. 
http://www.cornwallcommunitynews.co.uk/2012/07/16/aisle-have-an-apology/
ReplyDeleteworth a read Western greyhound selling up?
First Northampton for the chop. Next month First to publish a list of depots up for sale so that they are able to raise funds
ReplyDeleteFirst Bus Chester & Birkenhead depot has been sold to Stagecoach. More to follow in the near future
ReplyDelete"Tim O’Toole: Well, in the disposals there are some money losing operations we have to run off, of which we weren’t able to complete the sales. We had more regulatory interference than we expected, but we also had people who had indicated expressions of interest, who at the end of the day walked away, and there was just no getting around that. In South Devon and Northampton we are almost in a close-down mode trying to figure out Northampton getting to a more efficient, smaller operations, transferring some of those operations to other carriers so we can TUPE the employees across and give them the appropriate future. We are having to do some of that although it is not a big financial item that you would see."
ReplyDeleteThe above is taken from the First Group conference call on Monday 20/05/2013, in reply to questions from financial analysts.
The interesting relevant bit is the line - "In South Devon and Northampton we are almost in a close-down mode" etc etc.
Spoken in American accent with plenty of Business jargon, it appears to hint at Plymouth? - Anyone like to add/comment??
A sad day for Torpoint. I am lead to believe that iconic pink branding on its fleet of Trident double deckers are to be re branded in the new colours. That can be seen on Plymouth park and ride fleet. I here one is being painted as we speak. I wonder if the little dart will also loose its unique identity. Torpoint bus lovers get your photos taken while you still can. Also I wonder if Cornwall or Devon will be on the side as these busses reside in Cornwall.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest though, the pink 'Tamar Link' deckers have very badly faded, so they were probably due a repaint anyway (and in need of one!)
DeleteWhat do the people of Plymouth think of Citybus since Go Ahead took over. Has the service got better or worse, there seems to be a fair bit of positivity (new livery, new vehicles and taking First on), is this borne out or is it just hype?. I live in the Go North East area and the service we have to me while not 100% perfect is there or thereabouts, so would be interested in any views.
ReplyDeleteDriving up the A38 near Chudleigh on Tuesday afternoon and saw a Brighton double decker heading towards Plymouth. May be of interest.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Countrybus in Torquay have two of these Tridents - still in B&H livery. Not aware of any others down this way.
DeleteRe Citaro's question maybe with Citybus now reducing their services and increasing their prices people may start to appreciate that they are no longer "your local bus service" but part of a national group driven by the need to satisfy shareholders! If they had got their way and driven First out of town I have no doubt their true colours would have shown through sooner. Thankfully First don't seem to have rolled over but with a new manager in place in Plymouth they seem to be fighting back which can only be good news for bus users in Plymouth
ReplyDeleteWhat a pity that the citybus route to Callington and beyond is being renumbered 78 and not the now-available 76 which dates from 1930. It would also be logical to number the Liskeard route through from Plymouth as route 75 (also from 1930 as far as Tideford) especially as it would confirm through running further west.
ReplyDeleteIt appears that Service no. 5/5A are now branded 'GreenFlash', Had a little peak around Milehouse Depot and no GreenFlash buses anywhere, PCB are using Enviro 200s on today's services but, from a message I got off of a "Bus" Friend, 2xEnviro200s and 6xEnviro400s are going to be painted into the new GreenFlash Livery.
ReplyDeleteUpdate by PomphlettDonnieEFJ
Yes, the 5/5a is rebranded Green Flash from 10 Jan 2016 and the timetable booklet for that service clearly says "New Buses Coming Soon". In the meantime existing Red buses are being used.
DeleteOne new E200 has arrived at Milehouse in plain Green for branding to be applied as Green Flash, the rest of the new Green buses are expected soon.
The message you got off a bus friend is wrong, the Citybus operations manager has already told this blog that there will be 6 x E200's and 2 x E400's in Green Flash livery.
Hope this helps.
Some of the new green flash buses have not yet arrived, and the new printed timetables say "new buses coming soon"
ReplyDeleteIt's been common knowledge for past month or so now about Green Flash, as has the order for new Enviro 200s & 400s. And, they're not 'going to be painted' in the Green Flash livery as you put it, they already get delivered in base green livery, as well as some in red, & Citybus put on the branding themselves.
ReplyDeleteWJ65 HMK/O/U in unbranded dark green in Milehouse depot earlier today.
ReplyDeleteJust spotted that Devon County Coun cil have reassigned the 87/87a (Tavistock to Bere Alston and Bere Ferrers) to Stagecoach on an emergency contract, following unsatisfactory performance by Jacketts. Same timetable.
ReplyDeleteThis is cut-and-paste from Devon CC website:
>>> LATEST NEWS
Change of operator on Services 87/87A Tavistock – Bere Alston/Bere Ferrers from 1st February 2016
Following a period of unsatisfactory operation, Devon County Council have terminated the contract with Jackett’s Coaches for Services 87/87A, Tavistock to Bere Alston & Bere Ferrers. The termination takes effect after operation on Saturday 30th January 2016.
Devon County Council have made an emergency arrangement with Stagecoach to take over the same Service 87/87A route and timetable with effect from Monday 1st February. <<<
The A379 is closed at Slapton as a result of sea damage and the 93 (sorry - 3) is running inland between Kingsbridge and Dartmouth. There is local running between Kingsbridge and Torcross - Optare Solo in use on the 1535 from Kingsbridge to Torcross on 18th February. A Timetable is on the Stagecoach website, but couldn't find any mention of anything running out from Dartmouth towards Strete.
ReplyDeleteJust a thought ...
Ex Western Greyhound buses still have green electronic displays. Is it feasible to refit them to the Green Flash liveried vehicles?
Is the diversion of Stagecoach 2A to Elburton deliberate competition with Green Flash 5 and 5A, or is there a more positive reason?
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, the Sunday short workings on Stagecoach 2 from Mount Batten to Plymstock, travel over a mile out of service to change direction.
Ilfracombe bus services cancelled by Filers to be operated by Ifracombe CTA - https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/519044/np-2554-26-april-2016.pdf
ReplyDeleteWas the report of Plymouth Citybus 538-543 an April Fools joke as all mention of them seems to have disappeared. Am I just being thick?!!!
ReplyDeleteCheers. Pete Tierney.
Sorry - I thought it had been made clear since then that it was indeed an April fools
DeleteGraham,
ReplyDeleteThanks for clarifying this, I must have missed the posting making it clear. Never mind, but I was looking forward to another trip to Plymouth, from my base in the East Midlands, to get them. Glad now we didn't set out!!!!LOL Cheers Pete
a mini target travel fleet update, X315WFX has been resprayed with logos removed and will be readded soon,
ReplyDeleteH178GTT now has logos and small branding for Pryzm, the budo nipper solo now has its logos back on too after they was removed for a while for private use and the 03 reg buses or lower may get a withdraw at a later date but not fully known what will go yet
Re. Turners of Chulmleigh. Please see my North Devon Buses facebook page where we are having a bit of a Turners Fest at the moment following the news that they are closing the business.
ReplyDeleteIf you are going to refer people to a website, a link would be nice!
DeleteDevon County Council has reallocated all Turners routes to other operators including Taw & Torridge, Carmel, Stagecoach, Dartline and Country Bus. The new operators are listed on the Travel Devon website:
Deletehttps://www.traveldevon.info/bus/latest-news-service-updates/
All routes and timetables will remain the same apart from the 639 which will serve Cookbury and the 670 which will leave Crediton 10 minutes later and return from Tiverton 10 minutes earlier.
Visited plymouth yesterday (tues) and noticed fleet number 160 in plymouth depot. Looks like straight from the paint shop. Unfortunately unable to get the redg. Could be an ex target travel ?
ReplyDeleteWell, we might if you provided a link
ReplyDeletedo you know where the dartmoor explorer to moretonhampstead and exeter starts?. does it start on royal parade and who operates the service
ReplyDeleteoperated by first, link to timetable https://www.firstbus.co.uk/uploads/adventures-by-bus/Dartmoor%20Explorer%20leaflet%2028.06.21.pdf
DeleteHow does RTPI work around Plymouth? Why is none of the data from it available online? I went looking for it when my kids' buses were a bit chaotic at the start of the school year, but there's surprisingly little info about the system (that I could find). Seems like it would be cheaper to publish it as raw data on the WWW than it would to equip a single bus stop, and then anyone who can get online could know where their bus was.
ReplyDeleteI tend to use BusTimesSW to check on bus locations on my local route. It tells you if the bus is running to time or if it's delayed you can follow its track on a route map.
DeleteSee - https://bustimes.org/localities/plymouth