In a shocking turn, it has been announced to the staff (and since announced to members of the 'FirstBus Enthusiasts' Facebook Group) that First will close its Rotherham depot in February next year.
See the post below (screenshot is from 'RailUK Forum')

(11 Oct 2016, 6:31 pm)Kuyoyo wrote In a shocking turn, it has been announced to the staff (and since announced to members of the 'FirstBus Enthusiasts' Facebook Group) that First will close its Rotherham depot in February next year.
See the post below (screenshot is from 'RailUK Forum')

Not good, how many people will be losing their jobs?

=(

I wouldn't say it's shocking...?
It's been on the cards for a while. Operation of bus services would be transferred primarily to Sheffield's Olive Grove depot. The X78 would presumably be the service to move to Doncaster as nothing else would make sense. Therefore the majority of jobs would be transferred to these two depots. It's only a consultation at the present time anyway, but any changes would take effect from February 2017.

(11 Oct 2016, 6:49 pm)tyresmoke wrote I wouldn't say it's shocking...?
It's been on the cards for a while. Operation of bus services would be transferred primarily to Sheffield's Olive Grove depot. The X78 would presumably be the service to move to Doncaster as nothing else would make sense. Therefore the majority of jobs would be transferred to these two depots. It's only a consultation at the present time anyway, but any changes would take effect from February 2017.

New details revealed today:
X78 will be split between Doncaster and Olive Grove
Of the present 80 vehicle allocation at Rotherham, 7 vehicles will transfer to Doncaster and the rest to Olive Grove (taking Olive Grove's allocation to 305)

New for conversion of the long Service X84 from Leeds to Otley, Ilkley and Skipton is Scarborough Built ADL Enviro400MMC 33480 YX66 WKC .
https://www.flickr.com/photos/128732924@.../contacts/ Photo by Chris Munden .

These will replace High Backed seated Euro 4 Volvo B9TL's, Which were certainly sounding rough when I was there last month.

(04 May 2016, 8:57 pm)Kuyoyo wrote The West Yorkshire Information Service (WYIS) is reporting the following:

• Coastliner's B5TLs will follow the tradition of their vehicles being numbered in the 4xx series - being 430-7/41/2 (gap due to the first low floor deckers used - B7TL/Plaxton Presidents 438-40, 438 is now at Keighley and 439/40 are now at Blackburn) and these are for delivery in September (on 66 plates). 2763/4 are to return to Malton for the summer 2016 season
  

The same source now has the Coastliner B5TLs are following on from the Harrogate batch - as 3629-38.

Other details:

• The Harrogate-based B7RLEs are to be re-registered with HxxESU plates - 1800/34/7/8/9 are to be H10/6-9 ESU. The fleetlist has 1701-5 as H1-5 ESU.
  
• MPDs 710/1/9 (YJ04 LXT/U, LYD) are to be allocated to Keighley depot for the Wharfdale Tender services taken over from Connexions and TLC. Sisters 703/4 have been withdrawn from Blackburn and Burnley receptively.
  

(11 Oct 2016, 6:49 pm)tyresmoke wrote I wouldn't say it's shocking...?
It's been on the cards for a while. Operation of bus services would be transferred primarily to Sheffield's Olive Grove depot. The X78 would presumably be the service to move to Doncaster as nothing else would make sense. Therefore the majority of jobs would be transferred to these two depots. It's only a consultation at the present time anyway, but any changes would take effect from February 2017.

(12 Oct 2016, 9:08 pm)Kuyoyo wrote New details revealed today:
X78 will be split between Doncaster and Olive Grove
Of the present 80 vehicle allocation at Rotherham, 7 vehicles will transfer to Doncaster and the rest to Olive Grove (taking Olive Grove's allocation to 305)

More on this - date of closure now confirmed for 18th February. It also seems there's to be further changes to the cascading - management are reportedly looking to move 27 of the 80 vehicle allocation to Doncaster due to the (increasingly likely) chance of staff shortages if the majority of those jobs move to Olive Grove depot.

Yorkshire Tiger

Noise coming from South Yorkshire is that from early January 2017, Yorkshire Tiger will be taking over a number of tendered services in the Barnsley and Rotherham area from Stagecoach and TM Travel.

Those are reportedly:

• Barnsley service 7/7a (Currently Barnsley - Hoyland Common or Birdwell - Pillley Circulars)
  
• Service 23/23a (Barnsley - Penistone/Crow Edge)
  
• Service 24 (Currently Barnsley - Ingbirchworth)
  
• Service 72/72a (Chapeltown - Manvers)
  
• Service 203 (Barnsley - Wombwell - Doncaster)
  
• Sunday operation on service 220 (Wath - Cottonwood)
  

Barnsley Partnership Details

Indeed, further details confirm the TM Travel 29 (Sheffield - Penistone) will be conbined with the Stagecoach-operated 25 (Penistone - Holmfirth) and operated by TM Travel - taking TM Travel over the boarder into West Yorkshire for the first time in a while.

All information coming from the 'South Yorkshire Transport' Forum.

Transdev Yorkshire

The latest update of 'West Yorkshire Information Service' reports 5 Open Top Dennis Tridents have been purchased from Lothian Bus to replace the Olympians on the York Sightseeing Work. As with T407 SMV already, they will be converted to electric propulsion along with the other two Tridents - T408/9 SMV.

(31 Oct 2016, 3:29 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Yorkshire Tiger

Noise coming from South Yorkshire is that from early January 2017, Yorkshire Tiger will be taking over a number of tendered services in the Barnsley and Rotherham area from Stagecoach and TM Travel.

Those are reportedly:

• Barnsley service 7/7a (Barnsley - Hoyland Common or Birdwell - Pillley Circulars)
  
• Service 23/23a (Barnsley - Penistone/Crow Edge)
  
• Service 24 (Currently Barnsley - Ingbirchworth)
  
• Service 72/72a (Chapeltown - Manvers)
  
• Service 203 (Barnsley - Wombwell - Doncaster)
  
• Sunday operation on service 220 (Wath - Cottonwood)
  

Barnsley Partnership Details

Indeed, further details confirm the TM Travel 29 (Sheffield - Penistone) will be conbined with the Stagecoach-operated 25 (Penistone - Holmfirth) and operated by TM Travel - taking TM Travel over the boarder into West Yorkshire for the first time in a while.

All information coming from the 'South Yorkshire Transport' Forum.

The 29 will interestingly terminate at Chapeltown, not running to Sheffield as it does at the moment. It's a shame as this removes the direct link that has lasted for years to Penistone! I'm surprised TM aren't running it commercially to Sheffield.

(02 Nov 2016, 10:05 pm)tyresmoke wrote The 29 will interestingly terminate at Chapeltown, not running to Sheffield as it does at the moment. It's a shame as this removes the direct link that has lasted for years to Penistone! I'm surprised TM aren't running it commercially to Sheffield.

https://www.sypte.co.uk/Media.aspx?id=5055

Still to be one morning and one afternoon trip to/from Sheffield via the present route.

Tockwith based Connexions Buses unveiled a new corporate livery this week, Today marked what I believe was its first day in service, As I cant find any other photos of it in service on Flickr.

Seen in Harrogate earlier today https://www.flickr.com/photos/140662069@...ed-public/


Wonder where that design came from

(12 Nov 2016, 10:22 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote Tockwith based Connexions Buses unveiled a new corporate livery this week, Today marked what I believe was its first day in service, As I cant find any other photos of it in service on Flickr.

Seen in Harrogate earlier today https://www.flickr.com/photos/140662069@...ed-public/


Wonder where that design came from  

That's actually the 2nd one to be done, although the other one has the front panel done in white which just looked all wrong! I believe it's just a promotional livery for the X70 (now running all the way to Tadcaster) rather than a new company livery though.

(12 Nov 2016, 10:55 pm)tyresmoke wrote That's actually the 2nd one to be done, although the other one has the front panel done in white which just looked all wrong! I believe it's just a promotional livery for the X70 (now running all the way to Tadcaster) rather than a new company livery though.

That one made its way onto a report on BBC news which focused on bus service reductions with North Yorkshire being the area used.

(12 Nov 2016, 10:55 pm)tyresmoke wrote That's actually the 2nd one to be done, although the other one has the front panel done in white which just looked all wrong! I believe it's just a promotional livery for the X70 (now running all the way to Tadcaster) rather than a new company livery though.

I have also heard that it is a new livery for the X70 (unless plans have changed?). The other OmniCity now has the registration WX6025. May be wrong but I think both of the one's that have been done are ex Wigan Coachways examples, one of them was running in the Wigan Coachways colours a few weeks back.

I didn't like the white front on the other example either.

(12 Nov 2016, 10:55 pm)tyresmoke wrote That's actually the 2nd one to be done, although the other one has the front panel done in white which just looked all wrong! I believe it's just a promotional livery for the X70 (now running all the way to Tadcaster) rather than a new company livery though.

I believe its being trialled out on the X70, With it spreading to other members of the fleet gaining it in the future, I could be wrong though.

Wouldn't mind one of their Fliolines in that livery though.

(12 Nov 2016, 11:00 pm)S813 FVK wrote That one made its way onto a report on BBC news which focused on bus service reductions with North Yorkshire being the area used.

Indeed, Transdev CEO Alex Hornby is seen in the background of the photo preparing to start to the interview, They recorded the majority of it in a 2 braded Versa I think.

(12 Nov 2016, 11:14 pm)Jimmi wrote I have also heard that it is a new livery for the X70 (unless plans have changed?). The other OmniCity now has the registration WX6025. May be wrong but I think both of the one's that have been done are ex Wigan Coachways examples, one of them was running in the Wigan Coachways colours a few weeks back.

I didn't like the white front on the other example either.

The less White on a livery, The better in my opinion.

(12 Nov 2016, 11:22 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote I believe its being trialled out on the X70, With it spreading to other members of the fleet gaining it in the future, I could be wrong though.

Wouldn't mind one of their Fliolines in that livery though.

Indeed, Transdev CEO Alex Hornby is seen in the background of the photo preparing to start to the interview, They recorded the majority of it in a 2 braded Versa I think.

The less White on a livery, The better in my opinion.

I heard that the X52 may potentially be gaining this livery, not certain on that though.

(12 Nov 2016, 11:26 pm)Jimmi wrote I heard that the X52 may potentially be gaining this livery, not certain on that though.

Wouldn't be surprised giving the pretty foul competition with Transdev going on, Transdev Keighley are rolling out refrubed B7RLE's in a similar two tone green livery on the competing Service 62.

(12 Nov 2016, 11:22 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote Indeed, Transdev CEO Alex Hornby is seen in the background of the photo preparing to start to the interview, They recorded the majority of it in a 2 braded Versa I think.

Most of the interior elements of the report were done on a 36 branded B5TL although the particular report was done for the national news. If the story also made the local news for that area, it is possible that a new report was made rather than making viewers watch the same film twice.

(31 Oct 2016, 3:29 pm)Kuyoyo wrote Yorkshire Tiger

Noise coming from South Yorkshire is that from early January 2017, Yorkshire Tiger will be taking over a number of tendered services in the Barnsley and Rotherham area from Stagecoach and TM Travel.

Those are reportedly:

• Barnsley service 7/7a (Currently Barnsley - Hoyland Common or Birdwell - Pillley Circulars)
  
• Service 23/23a (Barnsley - Penistone/Crow Edge)
  
• Service 24 (Currently Barnsley - Ingbirchworth)
  
• Service 72/72a (Chapeltown - Manvers)
  
• Service 203 (Barnsley - Wombwell - Doncaster)
  
• Sunday operation on service 220 (Wath - Cottonwood)
  

All information coming from the 'South Yorkshire Transport' Forum.

From the same source:

Tiger will additionally be taking over service 92 (Currently Barnsley - Millhouses, revised to be Barnsley - Cawthorne).


It also appears they are to open a new operating centre in the Barnsley area for this work - with a reported allocation of 19 vehicles with some work additionally being transferred from Huddersfield's Waterloo depot.

Yorkshire Coastliner Volvo B5TL 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nsf323alis...32/in/feed

It seems Yorkshire are having trouble with consistency regarding the Frequenta brand too. Its only a minor thing though but given its for the same services, you'd have thought the livery would be the same on each vehicle type!

Pulsar: https://www.flickr.com/photos/128789124@...748051630/
Commander: https://www.flickr.com/photos/128789124@...748052760/

The main focus is the route details above the windows.

(19 Nov 2016, 2:08 pm)Malarkey wrote Yorkshire Coastliner Volvo B5TL 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nsf323alis...32/in/feed

Sneak peak of the branding courtesy of Mr Hornby. A couple of shots of the rear of the vehicles can be seen on his twitter page too:

(20 Nov 2016, 8:26 pm)S813 FVK wrote Sneak peak of the branding courtesy of Mr Hornby. A couple of shots of the rear of the vehicles can be seen on his twitter page too:

Looks like it will be in service imminently.

(20 Nov 2016, 8:26 pm)S813 FVK wrote Sneak peak of the branding courtesy of Mr Hornby. A couple of shots of the rear of the vehicles can be seen on his twitter page too:

And the rear shots confirm these are the first new vehicles for Coastliner not to be numbered in the 4xx series - they are allocated fleet numbers following on from the 36 batch.
Registrations confirmed are BT66MVO and BT66MVR - the later being 3633.

Stagecoach Yorkshire

Some interesting changes have been posted on 'South Yorkshire Transport' Forum starting in January 

Barnsley

• Service 1 Barnsley - Staincross: Timetable changes to better co-ordinate with 11 between Roundhouse and Barnsley. Evening service to be operated commercially.
  
• Service 6 Barnsley - Kendray: Timetable changes.
  
• Service 8/8A Barnsley - Worsborough Dale: Withdrawn. See 67/67A.
  
• Service 11 Barnsley - Athersley North: Timetable changes to better co-ordinate with 1 between Roundhouse and Barnsley.
  
• Service 20/21 Barnsley - Penistone/Millhouse Green: Each service will run hourly and combine between Dodworth and Barnsley with service 22 to provide a service every 15 minutes along the Dodworth Road. Service 21 will also extend to Millhouse Green partly replacing service 92.
  
• Service 22 Barnsley - Gilroyd: Revised to operate every 30 minutes. Will combine between Dodworth and Barnsley with service 20/21 to provide a service every 15 minutes along the Dodworth Road.
  
• Service 23 Barnsley - Penistone: Yorkshire Tiger will operate this service.
  
• Service 24 Barnsley - Penistone: Yorkshire Tiger will operate this service.
  
• Service 25 Holmfirth - Penistone: TM Travel will operate this service as an extension to their 29 Sheffield - Penistone service.
  
• Service 26 Barnsley - Wombwell: Timetable changes. Combined with service 27 between Barnsley and Grimethorpe will provide a service every 20 minutes. 1 journey per hour terminates short at Nancy Crescent.
  
• Service 27 Barnsley - Wombwell: Timetable changes. Combined with service 26 between Barnsley and Grimethorpe will provide a service every 20 minutes. Service 27 will run hourly.
  
• Service 28 Barnsley - Pontefract: Major timetable changes.
  
• Service 29 Barnsley - Hemsworth: Curtailed to run between Barnsley and Hemsworth only. Major timetable changes.
  
• Service 30 Barnsley - Brierley: Major timetable changes. Curtailed to operate to Brierley only.
  
• Service 31 Barnsley - Shafton Green: Withdrawn. Replaced by Watersons 35/36 service.
  
• Service 32 Barnsley - Cudworth: Evening service withdrawn. Replaced by a diversion to service 28 - the 28C.
  
• Service 34/34A Barnsley - Shafton Green: Withdrawn. Replaced by Watersons 35/36 service.
  
• Service 48 Upton - Pontefract: Withdrawn.
  
• Service 66 Barnsley - Elsecar: Timetable changes.
  
• Service 67/67A Barnsley - Wombwell: Services revised with services 67/67A both operating via Mount Vernon Road. Service 67 and 67A will both operate hourly.
  
• Service 92 Barnsley - Millhouse Green: Yorkshire Tiger will operate this service.
  
• Service 216 Brampton - XPO Logistics: Timetable changes.
  
• Service N66 Barnsley - Elsecar: Minor timetable changes.
  

Rawmarsh

• Service 108/109 Rotherham - Rawmarsh: Increased running times on Sundays due to Parkgate traffic.
  
• Service 208 Rotherham - XPO Logistics: New workers service running at shift times calling at Parkgate, Rawmarsh, Swinton, Mexborough, Bolton, Goldthorpe and Grimethorpe.
  
• Service 217 Rotherham - Goldthorpe: Minor timetable changes.
  
• Service 218 Rotherham - Barnsley: Evening and Sunday services will operate between Rotherham and Highwoods Estate in Mexborough only.
  
• Service 220 Doncaster - Cortonwood: Service curtailed to run Doncaster to Wath only. Wath to Cortonwood section will be operated by new Yorkshire Tiger 200 service.
  
• Service 222 Barnsley - Mexborough: Service re-routed via the 203 route around the Aldham House Estate in Wombwell. Sunday evening services will be withdrawn. Increased running times on Sundays due to traffic at Stairfoot.
  
• Service 226 Barnsley - Thurnscoe: Increased running times on Sundays due to traffic at Stairfoot.
  
• Service 22X Barnsley - Rotherham: Increased running times on Sundays due to traffic at Stairfoot and Parkgate.
  
• Service X26/X27 Barnsley - Wombwell: Withdrawn. See 26/27.
  

Chesterfield

• Service 71 Sheffield - Chesterfield: This service will only operate early mornings, evenings and all day Sundays.
  
• Service 72 Sheffield - Chesterfield: This service will operate via Sheffield Parkway, Sothall and Crystal Peaks, before following the present service 71 beyond Halfway to Chesterfield. Operates Monday - Saturday daytimes only.
  

Ecclesfield

• Service 1 High Green - Batemoor: Minor timetable changes.
  
• Service 44 Rotherham - Chapeltown: Minor timetable changes
  
• Service 45 Rotherham - Herringthorpe: Withdrawn
  
• Service 86 Low Edges - Chapeltown: Minor timetable changes
  
• Service 106 Rotherham - Celandine Rise (Swinton): New Monday - Friday daytime service run on tender to SYPTE. Replaces the 45 tender and will continue to work off the 44 service.
  

Holbrook

• Service 7 Ecclesfield - Crystal Peaks: Minor timetable changes. Operation of this service passed fully to Holbrook, to free up space for car/bus parking at Ecclesfield garage.
  
• Service 52 Hillsborough - Woodhouse Village: Minor timetable changes.
  
• Service 72 Moss Way - Killamarsh: Withdrawn. See service 72 (Chesterfield).
  

It was the Coastliner launch event today in York with 3631 (BT66 MVO) attending:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/128789124@...35/in/feed

(08 Dec 2016, 3:55 pm)S813 FVK wrote It was the Coastliner launch event today in York with 3631 (BT66 MVO) attending:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/128789124@...35/in/feed

3632 was also at York Minster along with 3631.

I also went to the launch of the new Yorkshire Coastliner's today. Got to say, they are the business. Seats upstairs are amazingly comfortable and the interior (and exterior) is extremely smart.

I've made a Flickr album where you can have a look at the interior and exterior:  https://flic.kr/s/aHskQ8DrEC

Something I neglected to mention last night about the new Transdev Yorkshire Coastliner buses is, the two examples used at the launch yesterday will enter service on Monday with the others entering service later, there might be four in service by next weekend (not confirmed!).