Diversions, Enviro200s on the 51/251/252 and Doubles and Scania Enviro300s on the Loop.

 

Sometimes allocations can be out of the ordinary but when there is diversions involved, things get out of the ordinary every day of the week. That was the case last week there was a diversion on the 251/2 part of the Tunbridge Wells route resulting in Single Deckers which aren't to long on the 51/251/252. Doubles and Scania Enviro300s were banned from the 51/251/252 for a short period of time so did some Town work and the Scania Enviro300s worked the 54 as normal. The Doubles meanwhile, worked Town routes during last week.

 

Things are back to normal now as there is no diversion on the 251/2 which means the Doubles and Scania Enviro300s are back on the 51/251/252 and the Enviro200s are back on the Loop.

 

Scania Enviro300 28608 (GN61 EVM) on the Eastbourne Loop last Wednesday

Scania Enviro400 15503 (GN09 BCY) working the Eastbourne Loop also on the Wednesday

Enviro200 36898 (GN13 HHO) on the 51 also on the Wednesday this has had a respray recently but still has its Eastbourne fleet name

Loop Enviro200 36905 (GN13 HHW) on the 51 on the Monday

Unbranded Enviro200 36901 (GN13 HHS) also on the 51 on the Monday

This Buses slogan should of said All aboard this Loop instead of All aboard this One last week Enviro400 19662 (SP60 DRX) on the Eastbourne Loop on the Monday it worked the route most days

Ex Triangle Scania Enviro400 15545 (GN59 EWU) working the Eastbourne Loop on the Monday

15545 has an E40D to keep it company in this photo

Scania Enviro400 15506 (GN09 BDF) on the Eastbourne Loop on the Monday

2 Enviro400s both on the Loop Trident 19019 (MX06 XAU) and Scania 15546 (GN59 EWV) on the Monday

 Before I go onto my final photo the photo before shows Scania Enviro400 15546 (GN59 EWV) on the 3 on the Wednesday.

Scania 15546 (GN59 EWV) on the 3 on the Wednesday

 Back to the theme of this post I'm going to end with a photo of ADL Enviro400 19019 (MX06 XAU) on the Eastbourne Loop on the Monday.

ADL Enviro400 19019 (MX06 XAU) on the Eastbourne Loop on the Monday these are Beasts

Rail Replacment and a Bus showing 40X blinds



The local Train company continue striking over the same thing that never gets sorted or goes wrong. Buses and Coaches replaced Trains between 2 Stations because of it over the 3 days it was on for earlier this week.

This was by far one of the worst Rail Replacements I've ever seen it was really boring nothing much really worth photographing other then a Seaford PVL originally with Go - Ahead London as their PVL233 (Y733 TGH) now re - registered as Y24 SEA with a fleet number of PVL24 which was originally on a V reg President with the same company. The Seaford and District fleet looks smart and impressive this is a company who look after their fleet really well and are popular with enthusiasts with photos of their fleet getting loads of Favourites.

Seaford and District Volvo B7TL/Plaxton President PVL24 (Y24 SEA) on Rail standby

Southern Transit Trident TA406 (Y517 NHK) also on Rail Replacement standby

Southern Transit TA1 (V301 KGW) at Hampden Park Station near to where I live

PVL24 showing 40X blinds the driver put these up

The 2 Tridents are ZF and TA1 is really loud well that's standard for Euro 2 Tridents. Also the last picture of the PVL has had some work done to it on my phone as it needed loads of cropping.

Some of last months odd workings

 

As I haven't written a post for a while I thought I might do a little post. There was loads of odd workings last month but my camera wasn't able to take photos of most of them so only managed a few. Referring back to my previous post on whether route branding works or not, it highlighted that the One branded E40Ds were off route a bit and branding doesn't work on them due to how many times they're off route they continued what they like doing best appearing off route. 

 

 

Enviro400 19668 (SP60 DTO) appearing on a odd working of the Eastbourne Loop there has been at least one Double on it most days recently

A rariety now this time a Single on the Wave 99 Enviro200 36486 (GN12 CKK ) was doing just that it probably got busy as the 99 should really be Doubles and it's full and standing

Another oddie last month was Arrows branded Enviro200 36498 (GN12 CLV) also on the Wave 99.

These were just some of the odd workings from last month.

Another Bus outing

 

Went on another Bus journey last week this time it was to Brighton for Gemini and Enviro300 spotting as they were Buses I really wanted photos of like for example 489 with the giant Ice - Cream which I've been after for sometime and I mamaged to hunt it down for photos. Also one of a new Regency Gemini as well and having seen some more of them they look really nice and suit the livery.

 

 

This Bus makes you feel hungry everytime you see it because of the Ice - Cream here is 489 (BJ63 UJT) on the 21

Stagecoach South Enviro300 27655 (GX10 KZH) on the 17

Refurbished and repainted new Regency Bus B9TL 430 (BF12 KXJ) is seen on the Regency shame the blinds didn't come out

I've also seen this Bus on the 13X but here is Route 5 branded B9TL 478 (BJ63 UJF) seen on the 5A

Unbranded B9TL 456 (BK13 NZY) on the 5B

Stagecoach South Enviro300 27666 (GX10 KZU) on the 17

Stagecoach South Enviro300 27649 (GX10 KZB) on the 17

There would of been more but due to the sun I didn't take as many as I hoped to take. The GX10 Enviro300s are a really huge batch.

Does route branding actually work?

Route branding identifies the routes which the Buses are meant to be operated on for example a Loop branded Enviro200 should work the Eastbourne Loop or a E40D branded for the "One" should be working the 1/1A. But sometimes they appear on other routes. That is the case down here Stagecoach put branded Buses on other routes a lot which means the branding really isn't working. 

 

 

The Pros:

 

They identify the route the Bus is meant to be on

The branding stands out using really bold colours

They hardly ever come off route (Loop, Wave 99 or Hastings Arrows)

 

 

The cons:

Some do other routes that they're not branded for

They appear off route a lot ("One" branded E40Ds)

Some shouldn't be branded for that route if they keep going on other routes

 

 

Here are some photos of Buses not on their allocated routes:

 



 

When a Loop isn't a Loop Eastbourne Loop branded 36907 (GN13 HHY) on the 3 I wanted a photo for sometime of one of these off route and finally got one!

When a Wave isn't a Wave Scania 15770 (GN61 EVT) before it looked stupid after being crashed and having a odd front light on the Eastbourne Loop

One of the Hastings Arrows Enviro200s 36489 (GN12 CKP) off route working the 98

These appear off route quite a lot Eventhough they're branded for the 1/1A Ex Tayway 73 E40D 19653 (SP60 DPV) on the 51/251/252

 Now here is a branded Bus that is actually on its allocated routes 37327 (YY15 OWR) on Hastings Arrows route 20.

Route branding works really well on Hastings Arrows Enviro200 37327 (YY15 OWR) it is seen on its allocated route the Hastings Arrows.

My conclusion:

Route branding works most of the time so route branding actually works on some Buses but not on others.

My trip to Hastings

 



After waiting until at least 14:00 because we were doing other things, I finally managed to get to the Bus Station at Hastings to take some photos of Buses after they have reversed out of their bays. I took over 30 and not even half of them were good but I'm sharing my best ones on the blog.

 

My 99 to Hastings was 15775 (GN61 EVY) and I was actually surprised that quite an few people stayed onboard all the way to Hastings from Eastbourne. After trailing around boring places I finally got what I was after Buses. I also got a photo of a Ex Stagecoach in Eastbourne Bus and one of a current Stagecoach in Eastbourne Bus. The current Stagecoach in Eastbourne Bus replaced one of the Trident ALX400s that I've got a photo of on this post.

 

 

Stagecoach in Eastbourne 15544 (GN59 EWT) filling in for 15771 on the 99 shame those blinds didn't come out

Stagecoach in Hastings Ex Magic Bus 17639 (W639 RND) on a short 98 shame the blinds didn't come out

The last MEV standing in East Sussex 17106 (V106 MEV) on the 28

Really detailed branding I really like the Hastings Arrows branding but here is 36502 (GN12 CME) on Arrows route 22A

First day in service Ex Magic Bus 17663 (V163 DFT) is seen on the Hastings Arrows

Brought in on loan for extras on the 99 last week 19059 (MX56 FSK) is seen on the Arrows

Another Double on the Arrows 17624 (V624 DJA) is seen on the 20A

Folkestones 18172 (GX54 DVP) is seen on the 100 this used to be at Eastbourne but sadly was kicked out by Scania 15544 (GN59 EWT)

According to a few enthusiasts this Trident is an attention seeker wonder why it wants to be noticed but 18165 (GX54 DVH) is seen on the 2 heading to Tenterden for connections to Ashford

Shame those blinds didn't come out again but here is 36488 (GN12 CKO) seen on the Arrows

The last Enviro200 with the old body built for Stagecoach 37327 (YY15 OWR) is seen on the Arrows

 After about half an hour photographing Buses it was time to go back to Eastbourne wish I got longer oh well never mind I got some decent photos in that short space of time.

An year since the first 60 reg entered service

 



It's nearly coming up to an year since the first Ex Tayway Enviro400s entered service time does fly by so fast! I remember they entered service still in Tayway 73 branding or were looking sorry for themselves by looking really scruffy. Earlier this year the whole batch were branded for the 1 to convert the 1/1A to Double Deck operation but have appeared off route quite an bit allowing some of the Single Deckers onto the routes. This post focuses on the first batch (19648/9, 19650/1/2/3). Don't want to make this really wordy as I want to focus on the main post.

 

The first one I ever saw in service 19648 (SP60 DTF) seen on the 1A in the late winter sunshine

This is another of the first ones that entered service 19649 (SP60 DTK) also seen in the late winter sun on the 1

Later on in the year 19650 (SP60 DTN) is seen in the Summer sun appearing on the Eastbourne Loop this first entered service still in Tayway 73 branding.

19651 (SP60 DPO) is seen last month on an really rare working and I sadly didn't get the blinds in.

The first one I went on in service and it still had Tayway 73 branding when it first entered service 19652 (SP60 DPU) seen on the 1A.

 The last photo shows 19653 off route making an appearance on the 51/251/252 recently as the photo was taken earlier this week.

They are known to appear off route quite an bit and this one first entered service rather scruffy and was still partly branded I can remember 19653 (SP60 DPV) seen on the 51/251/252