Neville Hill derailment

At 0449 last Tuesday (17 November), two East Midlands Trains (EMT) Class 43 HSTs collided while performing shunting manoeuvres at the Neville Hill depot in Leeds. The Leeds-York line was particularly affected and a total of 5 train operating companies had to either re-route their trains in that area or provide replacement bus services.


CrossCountry's services between Leeds and York saw some diverted via Castleford during the morning of the 17th; new East Coast Railway saw a limited service on its entire network, with buses connecting Selby and Hull to the ECML at Doncaster; EMT services saw delays generally of around half-an-hour; and First TransPennine Express saw its Leeds-York trains diverted via Normanton with a knock-on effect of 30mins.


The operator affected the most, however, was Northern Rail, who replaced buses with trains between Leeds-Selby; all Leeds-York services; and from 0909hrs all York-Leeds services (the line had to be closed mid-morning to remove the derailed and horizontal Mk3 carriages from the tracks.


The accident took place at the depot's western exit with one HST set not having cleared a set of points before a second set took the road and the collision - albeit at a relative slow speed - took place. EMT were keen to point out that no one was injured as a result of the collision - one that looks like human error. While the accident itself didn't take place on the main line, the effort to re-rail the stricken train caused the passenger service disruption as this necessitated use of the adjacent main line.


'Minor' collisions are fairly rare, though Virgin had one on 29 March, rendering two of its Class 390 Pendolinos out of service after they collided at their Wembley depot. EMT, like Virgin, are now two sets down. EMT's managing director Tim Shoveller only last week spoke about how his company is short of the number of trains it ideally needs to operate its franchise. At the time, his shortfall didn't include Class 43 HSTs, though they may have temporarily been added to his list.


NickTheBatMan has a short video, taken from a passing train, that show the extent of the damage. Click here to view it. (GL)

Officially unofficial!

A few weeks ago, we produced an entry that looked at the likely route planned for the new High Speed 2 line, currently being worked on by the ad hoc quango, High Speed 2 Limited. We said that the company had given clear indications that it favoured a diamond shape route in Northern England, encompassing the East Midlands, joined to London by a linear route south of Birmingham - right through the middle of the Chilterns.

We hadn't dreamed this and then awoke to believe it was reality and then written about it!

Last weekend, High Speed 2's Chairman, Sir David Rowlands, outlined a totally different route in mind when interviewed on the BBC's Politics Show. This time, Sir David spoke of a line from London to Birmingham, via the Chilterns, and then mirroring in places the West Coast Main Line to service Manchester and on to Glasgow. Additionally, another line is to be suggested, bifurcating at Birmingham to Nottingham, Sheffield, Leeds and Newcastle.

Sir David said: “There’s clearly a business case to build what might be the first phase of a network as far as the West Midlands, going into Birmingham and joining back to the West Coast Main Line.....There’s also a clear business case to go beyond with a network that goes all the way up to Scotland.... My own personal view is that if all the Government wants to do is build a high-speed line to the West Midlands and no further I wouldn’t bother.”

Giving hints of previous unofficial briefings, Sir David went onto say that the bone of contention is the route taken north of Birmingham, with a line to Manchester omitting the East Midlands and South Yorkshire and vice versa. Clearly, a diamond shape route, which we believe quite strongly to have been considered - and maybe even proposed - by High Speed 2, would cover all these bases, though is currently out of favour.

Next month, High Speed 2 will hand over its findings in a report to the DfT, who will publish the details for public consultation next March. (GL)

The power of 1

In the latest CBW, news was carried of a recent public inquiry held by the Scottish Transport Commissioner (TC) Joan Aitken, at which Stagecoach's Strathtay Scottish Omnibuses subsidiary was called to answer questions over its performance.

What made the case unique is that Stagecoach Strathtay was seemingly brought to book following continued complaints by one passenger, and one passenger alone. Identified only as Ms C, the complainant contacted Stagecoach Strathtay on a 'significant' number of occasions by email during 2007/8 to complain about the operation of one service in particular. Scottish TC Joan Aitken described Ms C's correspondence with Stagecoach as 'cordial and balanced'; indeed from the quotes made it would appear to have been the case - with Ms C even apologising about having to contact the company.

Joan Aitken, Scottish Traffic Commissioner: "I will not disregard individual experience".

Ms C emailed to complain about the punctuality of the Service 77 group of routes on 27 occasions between February 2007-August 2008. The inference in the TC's report is that as a result of this, her compliance officers were sent to Tayside to scrutinise the validity of Ms C's complaints. The Service 77 group of routes (Kingoodie-Dundee-Balmerino) were checked, so too were Services 13/13A, 34, 39A, 73/73A, 74 & 85, with over 200 services monitored over a 9-day period. From the result, the TC suggested Stagecoach Strathtay had only been 'about 90% compliant'.

The 'window of compliance' is for 95% of timetabled bus journeys to operate within a 6-minute window: up to 1 minute early and 5 minutes late; thus Stagecoach Strathtay's non-compliance reached 5%. Under TC's Section 39 powers, a fine of between £50-£150 can be awarded per O Licence. The TC thusly fined Stagecoach Strathtay £140 per O Licence (160), totalling £22,400.

Most unusually, though, was the TC's direct and continued reference to the complaints Stagecoach had received from Ms C:

"I will not disregard Ms C's experience," said Ms Aitken, "even though it could only represent a tiny amount of the operator's overall service in the area. That I do not disregard it is because I will not disregard individual experience. First of all, it is real experience and a real live example of the intended traveller going for the bus and being let down. The operator has a legal duty to operate and run to time and route, and any failure to satisfy that intended passenger, without reasonable excuse, is a matter for me."

Ms C's emails were undeniably the catalyst for Stagecoach Strathtay receiving a fine equivalent to that of a driver's annual wage. You could argue that little could be learned if such a proportionately small fine is awarded, or that irrespective of the amount fined, having your dirty linen aired in public is punishment enough. In Stagecoach Strathtay's defence, the TC did acknowledge that temporary roadworks in the area, to some extent, did adversely affect punctuality while her compliance officers were monitoring, but this did not account for the unacceptable level of early-running.

This is a good example of how one passenger can force a multi-national bus company to face the most senior figure in the transport regulation industry. The power of one had genuine and far-reaching results. You'll note that Ms C first contacted the bus company in question and continued to do so for around eighteen months; she did not go straight to the TC. Undoubtedly, this sensible course of action was respected by Ms Aitken. (GL)

Need to contact your local Traffic Commissioner's office? Click here.

The 38 goes rigid

Saturday saw London's most frequent bus route change, with the articulated Mercedes-Benz Citaros being replaced by rigid double-deckers. The 38 operates between Victoria and Clapton Pond to a frequency that provided a bus every 4 minutes at peak periods - a feat not beaten by any other London bus service.

The conversion of London's articulated 'bendy buses' to standard 'decker operation was a pledge made by London Mayor Boris Johnson during his election campaign. It was seen as a 'get rid of the Bendies at any cost as they're not popular with Londoners and it will win be votes' manifesto pledge, and now in office, Johnson feels he has to go through with it - even though we understand he is believed to be less hostile towards bendy buses now he's no longer in 'opposition'.

So much so, that we were told by a well-known industry source at the North Weald bus rally in July that plans are being drawn-up to retain 'at least one' route operated by bendy buses.

Service 38 saw its Bendies removed following service on Friday, with a new timetable introduced from Saturday 14 November. To aid punctuality and make better use of the incoming 'deckers, only alternate journeys during the main period of daytime operation will operate the full length of the erstwhile route; between 0734-2006 ex Victoria, every-other journey will terminate at Hackney Central station, rather than continue to Clapton Pond. TfL claim this reflects the passenger flows to/from Clapton Pond. It also saves them 4 'deckers from their original figure.

The headline frequency has doubled from that of a bus every 4 minutes to one every 2 mins during the rush hours, though the operational timetable we were sent shows that in fact buses depart Hackney Central station at ONE MINUTE intervals from 0659-0713 on weekdays. Service 38 had a peak vehicle requirement (PVR) of 47 bendy buses, though this has shot up to 68 rigid 'deckers (52 x DB300/Wrightbus Eclipse Geminis and 16 x ADL Trident 2/Enviro 400). There is no bus route anywhere in the UK that requires 68 vehicles out at any one time to operate its timetable. The initial PVR for the 'deckers was 72, though turning alternate daytime journeys at Hackney Central station has save 4.

The service continues to be operated by Arriva London's Clapton depot, that currently houses a total of 109 vehicles (Services 242 & 393 are also operated from here, along with Service 38's through-the-night sister service: N38).

To put into some perspective the mammoth operational task of Service 38, during Mon-Fri daytimes, buses depart Hackney Central station (Graham Road) at the following times past each hour, heading towards Victoria:

xx02
xx05+
xx09
xx12+
xx15
xx19+
xx22
xx25+
xx29
xx32+
xx35
xx39+
xx42
xx45+
xx49
xx52+
xx55
xx59+

That's 18 departures an hour, compared with up to 14 when operated by bendy buses. Journey's marked '+' start from Clapton Pond 9 minutes earlier. Journey time between Hackney Central station and Victoria typically takes 66 minutes.

The Mayor's bendy bus removal policy commenced in July, when the two former Red Arrow-branded routes (507/521) saw their articulated Mercedes-Benz Citaros replaced by identical - but rigid - examples. The 'softener' here was the introduction of a new Saturday service on Service 507.

The 38 was one of the last Routemaster services to 'go bendy' in 2005.

There are many people opposed to replacing bendy buses with their rigid counterparts, and the cost involved in the conversion is something frequently mentioned: £13m per year, every year until the last route is converted - totalling £60 million is one figure recently quoted by the BBC, though we thought it was a little less. The rigid replacements need to operate more frequently as they have fewer seats/room for standees, so greater numbers are in operation (47 bendies -v- 68 'deckers), which directly affects congestion and pollution. Other factors include the ability for passengers to board through any door of the rigid single-deck Mercs operating Services 507/521 - failing to address Londoners' concerns about those choosing to ride for free.

Remaining bendy bus routes & their contract expiry dates:

Service 207 - 09/04/2010
Service 18 – 23/08/2010
Service 149 – 18/10/2010
Service 29 – 14/01/2011
Service 73 – 01/05/2011
Service 25 – 26/06/2011
Service 12 – 31/07/2011
Service 436 – 09/02/2013
Service 453 – 16/02/2013

Some contracts were expected to require negotiation during 2009, though have been extended to 2011 as a result of good performance. The list shows an approximation for when each remaining bendy bus route will be converted back to rigid. Services 436/453 are not expected to be converted during Boris Johnson's first term - will he have to potentially leave office with bendy buses continuing to operate on London's streets, after all the fuss he made? (GL)

Quote of the week

You may have read about the train fare that exists here in the UK that costs in excess of £1,000. The Newquay-Kyle of Lochalsh Anytime fare is more expensive than "a round-the-world flight via New Zealand, Thailand and Dubai".

Kyle of Lochalsh - an unlikely locality for a ticket costing £7 more than a Trans Siberian Express rail journey from Moscow to Beijing!

CrossCountry's response (for it was they!) was nothing short of amazing, informing the (now free) London Evening Standard that, "It doesn't matter because we've never sold one."

Oh, that's alright then! (GL)

Perverse and irrational?

Stagecoach lashed out on Wednesday, following news that the Competition Commission (CC) has ordered it to sell its recently-acquired Preston Bus company. Calling the CC's decision "perverse and irrational", Stagecoach said that it was an "irrational contradiction of competition law and common sense."

So that's no merger with NEG and no Preston Bus. What now?

I read a very candid rant on a transport news forum some weeks ago by a transport planner for a local authority, who lambasted the CC, following its preliminary report, for even contemplating that Stagecoach's acquisition of Preston Bus was likely to reduce competition. It's safe to say that this individual had nothing to do with any party involved and yet despite his position, and openly naming himself, paragraph after paragraph was churned out, slagging the CC off (my favourite was "don't these b*stards realise the car, yes the ****ing car, is the competition here, not other bus operators"). It's perhaps not strange to see that he no longer posts to this forum.

"The CC concludes that the sale of a reconfigured Preston Bus will be the most effective way to restore competition and safeguard passenger interests. The CC will approve the successful bidder to ensure that it is capable of operating as an effective competitor to Stagecoach. The sale will include a bus depot, other assets and a network of routes, including services formerly run by Preston Bus but since transferred to Stagecoach following the acquisition." forms the opening paragraph in the CC's full report.

Taking each aspect in turn, we first come to 'network of routes'. Since Stagecoach purchased Preston Bus, changes have been swift and relatively wholesale. Does Stagecoach have to turn the clock back to its competing routes pre-purchase and agree the newcomer to operate routes akin to Preson Bus' upon its commencement?

'The depot' could be construed to be relatively straightforward, but with the changes to routes comes inter-vehicle swaps between depots to operate the existing services. Sure, the services can continue to be operated but from separate bases, but this will mean additional dead running and therefore an increase in costs.

Who is likely to want to buy Preston Bus? The nearest large group is Transdev's Blazefield subsidiary, who've taken on work from Stagecoach in Burnley during 1998. First in Manchester, Arriva in Merseyside? Will smaller operators try and have a go? Remember MAS Transit in Grantham, when RoadCar closed its depot there - a complete disaster; today, Centrebus operates services a shadow of their former selves. A year ago, you might have thought Veolia could come and have a go - maybe they will, especially since their planned merger with fellow French operator Transdev is well advanced.

Finally, the CC made a lot of noise about safeguarding the best service for the passenger, which is fair enough. But at the moment, a Preston-wide Megarider is available, offering travel on all Stagecoach and former Preston Bus routes. This will surely be offered only Stagecoach services after the Preston Bus sale has taken place. With the Tories thought to be against Quality Partnerships, even this possibility for trunk routes in the area is likely to be a non-starter.

What if no operator shows an interest in the former Preston Bus business? What if they, like MAS Transit in Grantham, cannot make a go of it and head off to the hills with their tail between their legs, what then? (GWB)

The CC report in full (86 pages in pdf form) can be read by clicking here.

November 2011 anyone?

Almost two years ago, m'colleague and I visited the East Coast Main Line (ECML) and took some last-ever photos of trains in the livery of the then East Coast franchise operator, GNER. Days later, and the GNER livery would be faded out and the vinyls that depicted the grand gold-lettered company name would be replaced with all-lower-case 'national express'.

Little did we know at the time that two years later, we'd be back at the same bridge overlooking the same stretch of line, eager to capture some similar shots of yet another East Coast franchise operator about to be 'gone for good'!

Yesterday's shot, taken from Bridge 202 at Essendine, Rutland: a Class 91 heads at near-top speed along the Down Main at approximately 1430hrs. The white stripe along the train was added under NXEC tenure, though on this train, the red GNER doors remain; others have seen the doors painted dark-blue.

For just over a mile, the ECML passes through the picturesque unitary authority of Rutland, and two bridges cross the line here. One is the main A6121 through the village of Essendine, the other is a quarter of a mile north, along the Pickworth Road, known only as 'Bridge 202, Essendine', and leads from the minor road to a farm. From here, a reasonable vantage is gained over passing trains through Rutland.

Same bridge, same view, same train, different operator. Stand here tomorrow and a third operator will be operating this Class 91! GNER agreed to NXEC removing its name up to a week before the December 2007 handover, though this didn't seem to be the case with East Coast Railway and NXEC, from the hour or so we were loitering in Essendine.

For those who may have just 'surfed on in' to this blog and today's entry, we've been following the fate of the East Coast franchise for quite some time. At 2359hrs today, East Coast Railway, a government-operated company, will assume command for the franchise, relieving National Express East Coast after almost two years' operation. Franchise handovers generally take place at 0200hrs, so the 2359hrs for the East Coast seems odd, though many would agree the date - Friday the thirteenth - is synonymous with the route's bad luck of recent years.

Our NXEC/GNER archive is listed below for your convenience:

27 Nov 2007 - The End is Nigh. GNER gets ready to bow out.

17 Dec 2007 - Farewell to GNER. The LEYTR tribute.

6 Feb 2008 - King's Cross NXEC departures. NXEC announce they plan to remove departures from screens at KX up to 10 mins before departure. A sign of things to come methinks....

3 Jun 2008 - First Class 91 in NXEC livery.

27 Jun 2008 - More focus on trains to Lincoln & Grimsby. NXEC officially requests paths.

2 Aug 2008 - Two rail links cut. NXEC cut the Hampton Taxibus and Lincoln 225 service, both instigated by GNER.

10 Aug 2008 - NXEC Website. We review on of the best TOC website around.

23 Jan 2009 - NXEC considers seat reservation fees.

1 Feb 2009 - Beware changes to NXEC website. NXEC cease accepting AMEX for payment.

23 Feb 2009 - A curt response. NXEC rebuke Richard Branson's offer to relieve them of their franchise.

4 Apr 2009 - Good news from NXEC. An about-turn sees AMEX card accepted again.

15 Mar 2009 - The 'Poo Train'. NXEC cover commuters in sewage.

17 Mar 2009 - They just don't get it, do they? NXEC deny plans to bar photographers from its stations.

1 Jul 2009 - But what about Lincoln? NEG officially hands back NXEC.

21 Jul 2009 - At arm's length. We look at how NEG hope not to fall foul of the cross-default clause.

7 Nov 2009 - NXEC handover date set. (GL/PW)

Oyster is not always the cheapest

"Some say he was responsible for easyJet dropping its capital 'E'; and that his grey matter looks suspiciously like the circuit board from a Wayfarer 3 ticket machine. All we know is, he's called The Stig!"

The Editors have recently discovered that they've not always been getting the best deal when using their Oyster Pay As You Go (PAYG) cards on Transport for London's (TfL) extensive transport network. I've said I'll happily offer enlightenment.

It is misleading for TfL to state that their electronic Oyster PAYG card always offers the cheapest fare. There are two occasions when purchasing a One Day Travelcard is cheaper than using Oyster PAYG. The first concerns Travelcards added to the cost of a rail ticket for travel to/from London and the other is for those in possession of a National Railcard.

For residents living within what is known as the London Commuter Belt, the cost of an One Day Travelcard can be added to the total cost of the train journey into the Capital. On these occasions, it's worth checking the comparative cost for the type of journey(s) within London you plan on making if you're in possession of an Oyster PAYG. Why? Well, the add-on Travelcard is an all-zones (1-6) example and costs less than the cost of an identical Travelcard when purchased within London.

A One Day Travelcard, covering Zones 1-6, off peak, costs £7.50, while its add-on equivalent from a commuter locality such as Reading costs as little as £4.50 when purchased with an Off Peak Return (£15). Ultimately, the number of journeys on TfL's network the user plans to make, the type and extent to which they will travel within London, also has a baring on whether the add-on is better. If, say, the traveller will only be making three or four bus journeys while in London, then Oyster PAYG will be the cheaper option, as these cost £1 each. Those who gain the most are those who plan on travelling into Zone 6 once within London, or making three or more Tube journeys.

From the north, Peterborough has its own version: an Off Peak Return to London is £26, though only £3.50 more with a One Day Travelcard added (£29.50). Oyster PAYG users should keep their card locked in their purses/wallets and purchase a One Day Travelcard add-on from Peterborough.

If you're planning on visiting London and have never heard of an Oyster card, then what you must do is simple: spend five minutes online searching for your desired ticket to/from the Capital, then do the same again but this time add a One Day Travelcard to your request and calculate the difference. The add-on version covers Zones 1-6, that would otherwise cost £7.50 when purchased in London or rung up using Oyster PAYG. Any amount less than this is almost certainly worth purchasing.

Off Peak Travelcard prices are shown below ('off peak' is regarded as post 0930 Mon-Fri and at any time during weekends):

Zones 1-2 - £5.60
Zones 1-4 - £6.30
Zones 1-6 - £7.50

Using the two examples above (Reading and Peterborough), the saving made on both occasions is greater than the cheapest (Zones 1-2) Travelcard so is almost certainly going to be cheaper. The One Day Travelcard, and its capped equivalent on Oyster PAYG, still remains excellent value for those who live further away from London than those who are classed as living within the Commuter Belt and thus entitled to a Travelcard add-on.

The second occasion where Oyster PAYG is not the cheapest option is when travelling with a National Railcard. Until recently, only holders of the Disabled and Senior versions could save, but now all classes benefit (Disabled, Senior, 16-25 and HM Forces). A reduced-rate One Day Travelcard is available to holders of a National Railcard provided they purchase this from a London Underground ticket kiosk, i.e. only the adult version is available as an add-on for purchases online or at stations offering this facility outside London.

Here, the One Day Travelcard, off peak, is a straightforward £5 and covers Zones 1-6 (i.e. the same as the add-on). These special reduced rates can be loaded onto an Oyster PAYG or printed onto a standard One Day Travelcard, but they can only be purchased by joining the queue to speak to a human at an Underground station.

While this reduced rate is more than purchasing an Adult add-on if travelling in from a locality classed as within the London Commuter Belt (£4.50 Reading, £3.50 Peterborough), the Railcard will have assisted the traveller in receiving up to 34% off the train fare in the first place, usually making it worthwhile to queue up once in London for your discounted One Day Travelcard.

In summary, despite TfL's claims that Oyster PAYG always charges the least amount, there are occasions when, for those living with London's Commuter Belt and who travel occasionally into the capital, this is not the case. Additionally, holders of ALL types of National Railcard benefit further with reductions for One Day Travelcards, which can be loaded onto Oyster PAYG if needed. (The Stig)

September Review

We blogged 28 times during September and covered a vast array of subjects!!

1st: We reveal how Stagecoach have altered their party line on drivers who exceed the maximum weights for certain driving seats.

3rd: Contributing writer 'GWB' gives details of First's large pot of money, available for its drivers who can demonstrate they've been driving more efficiently. Looking at the size of the pot available, First hope to save many millions of pounds! We also revealed for the first time the approach by the Cosmen Consortium for National Express Group.

4th: The Competition Commission make a preliminary statement over Stagecoach's acquisition of Preston Bus, and it's not good news for Stagecoach.

5th: We review our entries for July.

6th: With news of Greyhound's imminent operation, National Express retaliate with news of additional coaches to the same destination as those targeted by Greyhound.

7th: Govia's London Midland train operating company cancels hundreds of journeys after its drivers legitimately choose to stay at home.

8th: Contributing writer 'GWB' says: "We've all heard of 'jobsworths' - especially those that prevent genuine hobbyists from going about their peaceful hobby. Upminster station is the location of one such incident, though we understand LUL have apologised for the 'confusion' (ill-education? - Eds)."

9th: Stagecoach make no secret of the fact they're interested in as much of the National Express Group as they can get their hands on. We report that Stagecoach has made representations to the Cosmen Consortium to take off their hands anything they don't want, should their purchase of NEG be successful.

10th: Christian Wolmar provides our quote of the week. We also provide a little spot the difference of our own.

11th: Contributing writer 'CW' exclusively reveals that in some areas of the UK, the majority of texts sent to numbers affixed to bus stop flags are abusive and threatening.

12th: We update the situation regarding free bus travel for concessions in England.

14th: We give further insight into Network Rail's vision for High Speed 2 and welcome our very own The Stig, who spills be beans about the new-look Tube Map.

18th: We delve deep into the LEYTR Postbag in our own Points of View-style entry and detail that the railways in Europe aren't always as good as people would have us believe.

20th: National Express details how you can bling your own coach.

21st: We visit the Johnson Bros./Redfern Travel running day and the Meadowhall Bus Rally over the same weekend.

22nd: Contributing writer 'RW' reports how, without a fanfare, Arriva's Derby operation has conformed to 100% low-floor running for quite some time.

23rd: We've all had bad days. One of the Editors' included missing numerous photographic opportunities because he was in a rush.

24th: We detail how the Prime Minister gives his backing to a new high-speed rail line and are one of the first to report what is understood to be HS2 Ltd's preferred route options.

25th: The Stig reports that following the Mayor of London's intervention, the Thames will be reinstated on the Tube Map and we detail how you can view the Showbus Programme for free online.

26th: Our pun of the month goes to today's entry, detailing a bike-relating initiative for Merseyrail.

27th: Showbus 2009 took place today, so we had our own out-of-office reply.

28th: There are various deadlines looming for PCVs to comply to UK-determined accessibility law. We outline which types of vehicle are affected and when they must conform.

29th: Go-Ahead's Keith Ludeman gives the first clear sign that drivers who do not/cannot improve their driving efficiency will be shown the door.

30th: We review Showbus 2009 - a day so warm I got sunburnt.

Fourteen years ago

1995 was a milestone year for Optare - its tenth anniversary. Formed with bus deregulation around the corner, its was initially well-placed though problems came in 1993 when United Bus collapsed. However, one decade on, Optare was offering a full range of models: Prisma, Sigma, MetroRider, Spectra and the Vecta being some of the most popular at the time.

1995 was a year when 21 local authority-controlled municipal bus companies existed: Blackburn, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Burnley & Pendle, Cardiff, Chester, Eastbourne, Great Yarmouth, Halton, Hyndburn, Ipswich, Islwyn, Lothian, Newport, Nottingham, Plymouth, Reading, Rossendale, Thamesdown and Warrington. A further 3 had been purchased by their respective managements and employees: Brighton, Preston and Tayside. Stagecoach controlled 5 - Chesterfield, Cleveland Transit, Grimsby-Cleethorpes, Hartlepool and Kingston upon Hull; the company now known as Arriva (British Bus/Cowie) owned 3 - Colchester, Derby and Southend; and then-named FirstBus owned 3 - Grampian, Leicester & Northampton.

ChesterBus was very much a municipal operator in 1995.

1995 was a year in which Dennis celebrated its centenary. Having developed an uncanny nack of being in the right place at the right time, Dennis had success after success: look at the Dart and its SLF variation. A vast range of Dennis models were offered, from 8.5m citybuses and coaches to 12m 'deckers. The Lance was being modified to offer the first low-floor version bought in decent numbers. The Javelin was one of the most popular coaches of the time.

1995 was the year when Badgerline and GRT merged to form FirstBus. Back then, FirstBus was the second-largest bus operator in the UK after Stagecoach. The 'Bus' was dropped following subsequent successes during rail privatisation, in favour of 'Group', though latterly simply stating 'First' seems to suffice. Grampian Regional Transport (GRT) was the first Scottish local authority-owned company to be sold and Badgerline took advantage of one of the first English sales, Bristol Omnibus.

The Badgerline name started to disappear from buses (and ties - Ed!) in 1995.

1995 was the year that Trent Buses introduced rare Alexander (Belfast) Q-bodied Volvo B10Ms to its Rainbow 1 'Transpeak' service, linking Nottingham and Derby with the Peak District and Manchester. The service today operates the full-length journeys using Plaxton Premiere Interurban-bodied Volvo B10M coaches in a special all-over green 'TransPeak' livery, having lost its Rainbow-branding and route number many years ago.

Unusual-looking Alexander Q-bodied Volvo B10Ms were making appearances on the flagship R1 route between Nottingham-Manchester in 1995. Ironically, the one posed for this shot is working the D1 park & ride service to the Meteor Centre in Derby!

1995 was the year when Stagecoach was still in the news following the previous year's antics in Darlington, having forced Dartlington Transport to cease trading after it set up competing services that didn't charge passengers to travel. Slowly, new vehicles were being introduced to the town, providing some interesting shots from my archive: Dennis Falcons in Stagecoach stripes alongside brand-new Northern Counties Paladin-bodied Volvo B10M-55s.

Many put the Competition Commission's comprehensive scrutiny of all Stagecoach's acquisitions down to its antics in Darlington in 1994. Inherited were ageing buses such as this Mercedes-Benz L608D, new to Ribble in 1986.

1995 was the year in which the low-floor bus took off. Previously, very few examples had been ordered, mainly due to the average 15% increase in overall cost to the conventional step-entrance single-decker. The Dennis Lance SLF was the first example to be sold in any real quantity. Another example is the Scania MaxCi, of which Midland Red took examples for Shrewsbury. Greater Manchester opted for the not-quite low-floor Volvo B10B, but chose to advertise it as a low-floor 'superbus' in any case. Ulsterbus placed an order for 60 Volvo B10Ls - a proper low-floor bus . Nottingham took delivery of one of the first Scania L113s. On mainland Britain, Rider York was the operator of the year to have the greatest number of low-floor buses in its fleet: 20 Scania L113/Wright Axcess-ultralows.

The Dennis Lance SLF was purchased by Badgerline and additionally by First once the merger with GRT had happened. Seen here, bound for Redditch, is one such example.

1995 was the year when the latest guided busway in Leeds opened, on Scott Hall Road, running north from the city centre. This scheme cost around the £2 million mark and while it is much smaller in length to the delayed Cambridgeshire example - due to open any time now - the proportionate cost is greatly reduced.

1995 was the first full year of privatised bus operation in London. CentreWest, London General, London United and Metroline had been sold to their workforces; East London and Selkent had been sold to Stagecoach; Leaside and South London had been sold to Cowie; London Central went to Go-Ahead and London Northern was bought by MTL Holdings. The London privatisation netted the government £233 million and a total of 4,795 buses were involved in the sale. Transport Minister Steven Morris decreed that all London buses must be 80% red, and many liveries were disappearing to conform. (GWB)

NXEC handover date set

At last the wait is over. A date has been set for the passing of the East Coast franchise from NEG's National Express East Coast company to a DfT arm's-length company, East Coast Railways: 2359hrs on 13 November. I think effectively this can be referred to as "from the start of play on 14 November".

This is the first HST set to be painted into NXEC livery, to coincide with the company's start-date of the East Coast franchise in December 2007. Subsequent repaints were few and far between. Until at least 2011 no further repaints are expected.

The handover includes all assets - including staff, and Transport Secretary Lord Andrew Adonis has once again stressed that passengers will see no change to service. They will, however, notice a slight alteration in the way the trains look, with new East Coast Railway vinyls being attached. While this procedure is fairly straightforward on trains carrying their *former former* operator's livery (GNER), how they'll apply them to those (mainly HSTs) that are adorned in NXEC silver and white, without looking out of place, is less clear.

"So what? It's just a name; provided the level of service doesn't drop below that which it already is, I'm not bothered!" commented a senior rail insider when we called for our fortnightly gossip. He's right, of course.

The installation of ticket barriers at its controlled stations along the East Coast Main Line have been particularly controversial, with their installation legally overruled at York. Seen here, days before they were activated, are barriers at Newark North Gate.

Upon first operating the East Coast franchise, I remember regaling the rest of the LEYTR Committee at one of our thrice-yearly meetings, that rather than witness a slight drop in standards, as was feared back then, I found the level of service had actually improved. Specifically, on the first-class journey I'd taken in January 2008, at-seat menus had been added to all tables - something GNER hadn't done. I also preferred the look of the quasi GNER-NXEC livery, with NXEC's white stripe running the full length of the Mk3 & 4 carriages, compared to GNER's red.

Since then, however, things have gone downhill, with the reduction of trains offering a full buffet service to just single figures, above-inflation hikes in fares; unpopular barriers installed at numerous stations across the franchise area; the lack of re-paints; a surreal story about see-through tops for its female staff, forcing the GNER blouses to live on well into 2009; and most importantly of all, the company's inability to build on the excellent work GNER had done to grow the line and to innovate, thus continuing to ensure the East Coast franchise remained part of the pantheon of the UK's inter-city network.

A GNER dispatcher is seen here on the eve of that operator's demise.

It also means yet another name change for the eye-opening NXEC Commuter Blog - started during GNER tenure, though having seen little activity of late (we understand one of its regular contributors has since stopped commuting to London). Its archive is well worth a trawl through; some entries really do encapsulate the frustrations felt by the hard-done-by train commuter.

The red stripe and doors looked fine while the norm during GNER days, but today the dark-blue doors and white stripe added as a stop-gap to the carriages by NXEC seems a lot better.

The DfT has made clear that the East Coast franchise won't be re-let as soon as possible; instead stability government-style will be brought to the route in the short-term, with tenders unlikely until the end of 2010 for a new operator to commence operation in 2011. Some insiders feel that the DfT should run the franchise in-house for the foreseeable future, as a showcase of how a train operating company should be run. Personally, running railways harps back to the 90s and no government - irrespective of their political persuasions - wants to be connected to policies seen as 'yesteryear'. No doubt Lord Adonis' intervention was the sole reason the franchise wasn't re-let within a year. (GL)

Our Farewell to GNER entry can be read by clicking here.

Virgin's loco-hauled's timings

With Christmas only just round the corner, and to enable body repairs to take place on two of its Class 390 'Pendolinos', Virgin Trains is to operate its loco-hauled set from 7 December, over the Christmas period, to the end of January. Its intended workings are listed below:

Monday-Thursdays
0703 London Euston to Birmingham New St
0850 Birmingham New St to London Euston
1043 London Euston to Birmingham New St
1230 Birmingham New St to London Euston
1443 London Euston to Birmingham New St
1630 Birmingham New St to London Euston
1903 London Euston to Birmingham New St
2050 Birmingham New St to London Euston


Fridays
0703 London Euston to Birmingham New St
0850 Birmingham New St to London Euston
1043 London Euston to Birmingham New St
1230 Birmingham New St to London Euston
1443 London Euston to Birmingham New St
1630 Birmingham New St to London Euston
1846 London Euston to Preston

Saturdays (not all dates)
0803 London Euston to Birmingham New St
0950 Birmingham New St to London Euston
1143 London Euston to Birmingham New St
1330 Birmingham New St to London Euston
1543 London Euston to Birmingham New St
1730 Birmingham New St to London Euston


Sundays (not all dates)
1050 London Euston to Birmingham New St
1310 Birmingham New St to London Euston
1518 London Euston to Birmingham New St
710 Birmingham New St to London Euston

To note is that weekend operation will not take place on 12 December and during 'key dates' over the Christmas and New Year period. The rake of Mk3s will be hauled by a DB Schenker Class 90. Humorously, one set of Mk3s has been painted in a livery akin to carriages forming Pendolino sets and has been given the name 'Pretendolino' by staff at Virgin's Wembley depot. (GL)

Photos: Herr Cheal

In the interest of balance

Many thanks to routeone's deputy editor Mel Holley for contacting us regarding the recent post we published comparing the publication's free online edition to the free distribution of London's Evening Standard newspaper.

To correct something we inferred, routeone is not bankrolled by the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), they are associated with the industry's trade association, supporting it and offering publicity for its shows.


Mel writes: "We do support CPT.... We also support smaller regional operator associations (of which there are a few). And, we support CPT by giving it publicity for its shows (mainly by publishing its press releases, which most other mags tend to ignore). Operators, of course, can choose whether to join CPT or not, but as well as lobbying, it also provides useful help and advice, plus discounts (such as its coach breakdown service) and support (such as its 24-hour Crisis Control for major incidents). If CPT didn’t exist, you can guarantee there would be some other form of national trade association, which we would also support for the simple reason that we are writing for operators and support operators.

We have also been told that the decision to place routeone online for free was done due to the postal strike and not to increase circulation figures, though as we mentioned, an increase in overall readership is comprehensively assured here.

Also in the interests of balance, we've not mentioned details of a railway equivalent - a weekly, free, downloadble e-magazine: Railway Herald. It's quite an informative publication, and its photos are second-to-none. Click here for more details.


Routeone's website
Railway Herald's website

Payrise: a Grimbarian writes...

Dear Editors,

I read with interest your entry concerning whether or not striking is worthwhile. I agreed with your crafted analysis and with that of your closing paragraph. To put in context, I write with the final offer made to my colleagues and I employed by Stagecoach's depot in Grimsby. I wonder if you'd consider reproducing it for your blog's readership so that they can compare it with the 3% offered by First to its drivers in South Yorkshire:

Current rate of pay = £8.40

A 1.2% pay rise from November 2009 taking hourly rate to £8.50.

A 1.8% pay rise from May 2010 taking hourly rate to £8.65.

A 1.2% pay rise from November 2010 taking hourly rate to £8.75.

Negotiation to take place again for an increase commencing May 2011.

An additional 50p/hour has been offered for working Saturday duties as overtime.

On average, over the 18 month period, the six-monthly pay increases equate to an individual rise of 1.4% on each equation, or a 2.1% annual increase.

As you don't offer a comments facility, I don't expect your readership to contact you directly with your thoughts, though I would be interested to have any that do forwarded to me for consideration. My main reasoning for contacting you was to use your site as a barometer for others out there who are entering into negotiation with their directorships and want to know what is happening out there.

Editors' note: it's worth noting that not mentioned, in the email from our anonymous Grimbarian, are details of local agreements paid, such as sign-on/off time and unpaid meal break duration, which can (and do!) feature in depots' pay offers. Additionally, the rate of pay quoted above is one of many different rates at the depot.

On the rebound

When I heard that news of Stagecoach's offer to merge with ailing National Express Group (NEG) had been declined, I did think to myself "Brian won't be happy!" Literally hours later I read that Caerphilly County Borough Council (CCBC) had recently agreed the sale of its municipal undertaking - the smallest council-owned bus fleet in the UK - to Stagecoach, who will acquire the Islwyn Borough Transport (IBT) bus company, subject to approval from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

They're the smallest council bus company in the UK - seen here is a MAN 11.190/Optare Sigma, new to Reading buses 13 years ago. N813 XJH is currently one of the mainstay of IBT's ageing fleet.

While this wasn't the case (CCBC decided to sell IBT two days before NEG said 'no'), I did have the delicious thought conjure in my mind of a certain Scottish entrepreneur, so angry at the prospect of being unable to control buses in Brum, that he threw a few coins from the bottom of his pocket in the direction of CCBC who, to his astonishment, took him up on his offer.

Clearly, Stagecoach do not enter into any purchase lightly. CCBC's press release for the sale of their bus company confirmed a sale to Stagecoach had been recommended, pending OFT approval and that negotiations with the company had been 'extensive'. They were also keen to point out that Stagecoach's 'extensive track-record' in the local area meant that residents in Caerphilly would receive the best-possible deal." The fiasco over the sale of council-owned Chester Bus a couple of years ago will have ensured the value-for-money slant was heavily played, not to mention councillors' desires to remain elected throughout the coming year!

Not included in the sale was IBT's coaching unit, that was sold at the start of the year, including its trading name: Kingfisher Travel.

If you're more a railwayman or have a very loose interest in the bus industry, you may be forgiven for wondering why you've never heard of Islwyn Borough Transport. The small council undertaking operates 11 routes based in the small Welsh town of Blackwood, that resides in the borough of Islwyn that forms part of CCBC. An equally small coaching unit named Kingfisher was also operated until the start of this year, when it was sold, lock, stock and barrel, to Diamond Coaches, along with its trading name. The coach business started to be scaled back just over a year ago, with Edwards of Llantwit Fardre purchasing four vehicles last September.

Seen here is a coach typical to the Kingfisher fleet until recently: a Duple Laser-bodied Leyland Tiger.

At last count, IBT had 47 ageing vehicles, all municipal in nature; quite frankly, it is astonishing the local authority didn't sell the business many years ago. How it lasted in its current state for over two decades in the privatised industry is a combination of will and grit and determination on behalf of its owners. Expect the most of the fleet to be replaced within the first year of Stagecoach ownership. Hopefully someone will put aside an IBT tie for me (email the editors if you have one to sell)!

One of the newest vehicles in the fleet is pictured here, a MAN/East Lancs Myllennium seen leaving Cardiff bus station en route to Blackwood.

Not so easy to replace is the entire fleet of NEG, not that much of it needed replacing, though Stagecoach won't get chance now, following NEG's rebuttal of its offer. As announced on 28 October 2009, the NEG Board believes that the best course action for their group and all shareholders is to proceed with an equity fundraising to secure funds before the end of the year.

A NEG statement said: "The Board, together with its independent advisers, has carefully explored a range of strategic options during the course of 2009. In relation to the recent Stagecoach proposal the Board concluded that there was significant uncertainty that a combination with Stagecoach could be successfully executed in 2009. Non-compliance with 31 December 2009 banking covenants would require the Group to seek further concessions from its banking partners, incurring additional cost and creating significant uncertainty for National Express shareholders. The Board believes it is in shareholders' best interests that an equity fundraising be undertaken as soon as possible to secure a sustainable capital structure for the Group."

Nostalgia - though a frequent sight on the streets of Blackwood until relatively recently - in the form of OAX 973M, a Leyland Leopard/Willowbrook, new in 1973.

Undoubtedly, the precarious financial predicament in which NEG finds itself is so dire that investigating a possible merger with Stagecoach would take too long and would force the group to miss the deadline of its banking covenants and the resultant financial penalty imposed would be very difficult to bare - half-a-million pounds, on top of the £250k penalty already owed. (GL)