tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post3122399916067501217..comments2024-03-25T19:07:29.729+00:00Comments on Steve's Bus & Train Page: Second Anglia Short Set ArrivesSteve Whttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06852377706742868978noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-16692363237068057152016-07-14T18:58:23.079+01:002016-07-14T18:58:23.079+01:00Andrew. Carriages are like the other DRS mk2s. Obv...Andrew. Carriages are like the other DRS mk2s. Obviously not really modern, but probably refurbished 10 or so years ago I'd assume. Seats comfy and at a good standard.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-87061352382503097132016-07-14T10:52:06.538+01:002016-07-14T10:52:06.538+01:00Dunno, but I suspect Ipswich is just joining us in...Dunno, but I suspect Ipswich is just joining us in the rest of the Shires. Overcrowding is a commercial risk, mitigated by "frequent" buses. Ipswich is the conurbation to the people of Suffolk, but in a world where we classify everything I suspect it's "just" another (oversized) country town. If we want to have our cake and eat it then I suspect we have to "fit the formula" to make it work. And if you ignore the economics then you end up like in the discussion that follows.smurfukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04812247601237248526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-75301161842838944862016-07-14T10:19:36.132+01:002016-07-14T10:19:36.132+01:00Interesting to me that a lot of the problems are i...Interesting to me that a lot of the problems are in the west/north-west/south Scotland. I suspect in areas where there there has not been much change. I can remember shake outs in the 60s/70s and around the turn of the century. The bus and coach industry seems to me to nearly always be in a state of flux. I'm frankly surprised how much of it survives: in the coach industry for as long as I can recall recreational trips have always been advertised, then as regularly pulled for lack of business. Organisation and planning must be a nightmare. And I don't understand how many scheduled routes in the Shires pay their way, even taking into account that a few do, handsomely. The coach industry has always been at threat of dying, with many of its customers. And there's a lack of "big events" to help out after the last few years. A drought which might continue.<br /><br />Yes, I mourn the loss of the familiar names I grew up with, but I'd prefer a fit industry. And so far, the future hasn't been as bad as we thought it would be in the past, something turns up with a rescue of the bits that are worth saving, and even, more often than we might think, an improvement. Perhaps sadly, though I'm not so sure, jobs for life aren't any more. Were they ever, apart from 30-40 years after WW2? If only we didn't make a habit of cutting our nose to spite our face quite so often.<br /><br />Would I be splashing the cash as a sign of confidence in the future? Not at the moment; no. I suspect there may be a few of my fellow citizens taking the same view.smurfukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04812247601237248526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-5777600460394829232016-07-13T23:55:10.422+01:002016-07-13T23:55:10.422+01:00That is truly sad, and sums up just how hard it is...That is truly sad, and sums up just how hard it is for independents to survive these days with the big boys creaming off the profitable routes leaving the independents to fight over what few remaining scraps are left, having to tender at ridiculously low prices, then having to fund DDA too. <br /><br />Let's hope the staff involved find new employment too.Steve Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06852377706742868978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-32566927384524342962016-07-13T23:50:10.758+01:002016-07-13T23:50:10.758+01:00My info is old ones - ones left on the shelf no on...My info is old ones - ones left on the shelf no one else wanted.Steve Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06852377706742868978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-29376932139256272272016-07-13T23:00:41.621+01:002016-07-13T23:00:41.621+01:00BREAKING NEWS - One of the UK's largest Indepe...BREAKING NEWS - One of the UK's largest Independents GHA coaches has gone bust and will cease operating from midnight tonight<br /><br />It operates 230 vehicles from six depots and employs between 300 and 400 people.<br /><br />Its head office and central repair facility is located in Ruabon, near Wrexham, and the firm has additional depots at Ruthin , Tarvin (Chester), Winsford (Cheshire West), Macclesfield (Cheshire East) and Shrewsbury.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-51343136984638687362016-07-13T17:18:43.735+01:002016-07-13T17:18:43.735+01:00PS We are told that the buses will be "brand ...PS We are told that the buses will be "brand new British built 39 seater single-deck buses" which will "as usual, have e-leather seating and will bring new style to the routes they appear on". My question is, are the "old" E200s still being made, or will these have to be the new model? The old ones haven't been listed on Alexander Dennis website for some months.Andrew Kleissnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-59905399064874173012016-07-13T17:13:19.149+01:002016-07-13T17:13:19.149+01:00Yes indeed, and the announcement on the IB website...Yes indeed, and the announcement on the IB website which I've now read suggests some cuts rather than enhancements - all being blamed (rightly or wrongly?) on SCC's refusal to pay enough for the "free" pensioners' tickets.Andrew Kleissnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-62572402459470236912016-07-13T13:06:35.308+01:002016-07-13T13:06:35.308+01:00Don't be silly, Andrew, of course not!! Increa...Don't be silly, Andrew, of course not!! Increase evening services? I'll have to look that one up.<br /><br />As I understand it the 4 more E200's, again just bog standard old ones, are to replace 4 deckers. So the march towards an all single decker fleet continues. I would respectfully ask Jeremy Cooper to get out there, ride the buses he is paid handsomely to manage, and see if after riding round, Chantry, Foxhall Rd and Whitton if he still thinks it's a good idea. <br /><br />Even if service frequencies are increased the never ending roadworks in Ipswich make punctuality impossible and I predict riots if after waiting for half hour in the rain for a bus the good people of Foxhall Rd find themselves crammed into a 37 seater E200. Steve Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06852377706742868978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-62140575410859841542016-07-13T08:45:56.705+01:002016-07-13T08:45:56.705+01:00Or are they intending to increase some service fre...Or are they intending to increase some service frequencies (which would be a Good Thing, especially in the evenings)? I can see some sense in rationalising what has been a very varied (i.e. interesting but expensive-to-run) fleet.Andrew Kleissnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-43400398848692755152016-07-12T21:11:59.103+01:002016-07-12T21:11:59.103+01:00Steve, you heard the news that Ipswich Buses are b...Steve, you heard the news that Ipswich Buses are buying yet more E200s this summer? It's like they want to put themselves out of business. Most of their double-deck routes are rammed at all times, it's basically inviting First or another operator to compete...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13881556552535866846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-78556821165882788412016-07-12T00:00:19.967+01:002016-07-12T00:00:19.967+01:00No, I meant the old Anglia carriages on the Short ...No, I meant the old Anglia carriages on the Short Set!!!Andrew Kleissnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-27588149960301953102016-07-11T21:50:59.676+01:002016-07-11T21:50:59.676+01:00Yes it's a 7 day service.Yes it's a 7 day service.Steve Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06852377706742868978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-31590245549184672092016-07-11T16:56:25.484+01:002016-07-11T16:56:25.484+01:00Any idea if this runs on weekends?Any idea if this runs on weekends?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-62921596468458186212016-07-11T14:12:17.856+01:002016-07-11T14:12:17.856+01:00Andrew, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piedmont...Andrew, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piedmont_(train). The locos are leased, but the carriages are owned. This is NC's version of the "Short Set," but instead of the twenty odd miles in East Anglia this service is over 180 miles. The other passenger train servicing Durham is the "Carolinian", Amtrak run from Charlotte NC to New York NY.NorfolkBoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06492584020846303209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-2539981979340459152016-07-11T13:47:15.352+01:002016-07-11T13:47:15.352+01:00Do you know what the carriages are like inside? Ha...Do you know what the carriages are like inside? Have they been refurbished at all?Andrew Kleissnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-49604300286515770832016-07-11T01:58:39.734+01:002016-07-11T01:58:39.734+01:00Just discovered the Charlesville cam buddy! Got ra...Just discovered the Charlesville cam buddy! Got rather addicted. Not only gigantic trains but prospect of decent lightning too! Record so far is an ELEVEN loco header! Over here that would fill a signal section on its own!Steve Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06852377706742868978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2425346921966365551.post-25181031554192936822016-07-10T22:19:29.053+01:002016-07-10T22:19:29.053+01:00Great header photo Steve. "The Piedmont"...Great header photo Steve. "The Piedmont" runs between Charlotte NC and Raleigh NC twice daily via my home city of Durham NC. The stock is owned by the State of North Carolina.NorfolkBoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06492584020846303209noreply@blogger.com