News, debate and discussion on South East's Bus Operations.

After a little bike ride around Washington I ventured up to the Holiday Inn, in whic I found 510 YN05 GZS Scania K114IB Irizar Century C49Ft Built 2005 parked around the back of the Hotel. This has proven to be a great spot to find Random Coaches/Companies in recent weeks. I'm my guess work is good in assuming that this will be at the MetroCentre Bus Rally tomorrow

http://www.flickr.com/photos/adammalarke...otostream/
Apologies about the image quality, the sun was really badly shining on the coach.

Interesting find! I'm actually heading down Brighton at the end of the month, so I hope to get a good collection of the fleet down there.

(04 May 2013, 7:40 pm)aureolin wrote Interesting find! I'm actually heading down Brighton at the end of the month, so I hope to get a good collection of the fleet down there.

Out of interest, how are you getting there? I don't usually stay for the night when I go to places, but if I remember rightly, the trains were really awkward to get to Brighton...
Think it was Sunderland to London or Newcastle to London, and then a connection from there. Arrived quite late in the day, and the last one back home was a few hours later.

(04 May 2013, 7:43 pm)Daniel wrote Out of interest, how are you getting there? I don't usually stay for the night when I go to places, but if I remember rightly, the trains were really awkward to get to Brighton...
Think it was Sunderland to London or Newcastle to London, and then a connection from there. Arrived quite late in the day, and the last one back home was a few hours later.

East Coast from Newcastle to London Kings Cross. Then a short walk across to St Pancras, to catch the First Capital Connect service to Brighton. The latter takes about 1h 15m. The FCC trains are pretty regular, even at night, so you shouldn't have any issues.

If you were wanting to do it in a day, I'd look at getting the 07.03 off Newcastle. Worst case scenario would see you in Brighton for about half 11.

(04 May 2013, 8:50 pm)aureolin wrote

(04 May 2013, 7:43 pm)Daniel wrote Out of interest, how are you getting there? I don't usually stay for the night when I go to places, but if I remember rightly, the trains were really awkward to get to Brighton...
Think it was Sunderland to London or Newcastle to London, and then a connection from there. Arrived quite late in the day, and the last one back home was a few hours later.

East Coast from Newcastle to London Kings Cross. Then a short walk across to St Pancras, to catch the First Capital Connect service to Brighton. The latter takes about 1h 15m. The FCC trains are pretty regular, even at night, so you shouldn't have any issues.

If you were wanting to do it in a day, I'd look at getting the 07.03 off Newcastle. Worst case scenario would see you in Brighton for about half 11.

Must have been somewhere else I was thinking of! I'm assuming the 06:45ish GC train would be a little quicker to London but not sure... I'll have to check!
Might be getting mixed up with another one - that trip may have just been expensive in comparison to others I had looked at :p

(04 May 2013, 9:16 pm)Daniel wrote Must have been somewhere else I was thinking of! I'm assuming the 06:45ish GC train would be a little quicker to London but not sure... I'll have to check!
Might be getting mixed up with another one - that trip may have just been expensive in comparison to others I had looked at :p

I've looked at doing the 06.45 GC from Sunderland before, but it takes close to 4 hours. The 7.03 East Coast from Newcastle does it in 2h 37m, as it runs non-stop.

Yeah - anything to and from London can be really expensive. Even booking advance. I'm down there next week, and I was lucky to get my tickets for £60 each way. My Brighton tickets were £143.50 for a super off-peak return.

(04 May 2013, 9:26 pm)aureolin wrote

(04 May 2013, 9:16 pm)Daniel wrote Must have been somewhere else I was thinking of! I'm assuming the 06:45ish GC train would be a little quicker to London but not sure... I'll have to check!
Might be getting mixed up with another one - that trip may have just been expensive in comparison to others I had looked at :p

I've looked at doing the 06.45 GC from Sunderland before, but it takes close to 4 hours. The 7.03 East Coast from Newcastle does it in 2h 37m, as it runs non-stop.

Yeah - anything to and from London can be really expensive. Even booking advance. I'm down there next week, and I was lucky to get my tickets for £60 each way. My Brighton tickets were £143.50 for a super off-peak return.

Megabus Wednesdays and then two child singles to/from London and Brighton... £15.
I'd clearly blanked out the option of that method!

Certainly was an Interesting find and very unexpected. I've just been looking on virgin trains and the cheapest I found booking on June 10th as an example was £44.50 that's for an adult and £22.25 for a child. Either way i'd say it's 3 day job. with 2 nights in a Hotel. thats how I would do it.

(04 May 2013, 9:41 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote Certainly was an Interesting find and very unexpected. I've just been looking on virgin trains and the cheapest I found booking on June 10th as an example was £44.50 that's for an adult and £22.25 for a child. Either way i'd say it's 3 day job. with 2 nights in a Hotel. thats how I would do it.

That's pretty reasonable! If you were going to do it that way, I'd probably do just the two days; Brighton, stop over, train to London the next morning, spend the day there, then home in the evening. Brighton is pretty reasonable for hotels and B&Bs.

I was looking a few weeks back and midweek, mid-day tickets on east coast in first class were £50 single to London from Durham. It was a little bit more expensive coming back

My 3rd of 4 days down Brighton today. Not had a lot of free time, but managed to get out early yesterday morning. Brighton & Hove (and a few other) pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aureolindn/...553972243/

Nice photos, Adrian. Thanks for sharing.

For those who thought Steve and Karen or Gary and Lisa were loud on a morning or aggravating on an afternoon, spare a thought for those passengers in Medway Town - they have Brian Blessed making their announcements... www.thebuspeople.co.uk/?p=2432

News, discussion and debate on Reading Buses to be placed here

A photograph has emerged on Flickr of 151 (RX61HTJ) having been involved in an accident and coming off quite badly.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59115230@N06/9566274622/
"The bus collided with a car that had jumped the lights on Queens Road. 6 people received minor injuries."

Velvet have acquired former Stagecoach NE Volvo B10BLE ALX300, R242KRG.

Photo by: davidph350
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparrowhawk7/9733601621/

(17 Dec 2013, 3:15 pm)BusFanPrudhoe wrote Velvet have 5 ex Stagecoach North East B10BLEs. A full fleet list can be found on my website at: http://www.sco1996.comxa.com/1_10_Velvet-Eastliegh.html.

Probably also worth mentioning that their boss, Phil Stockley, is also managing Sheffield operation TM Travel on a consultancy basis, helping to turn round an operation that has grown massively over the last few years, before being sold to Wellglade and lost their way somewhat, but that's a whole new thread!

They didn't waste any time getting these out into service...

2290 HF64BRZ UNI-LINK/BLUESTAR by eastleighbusman, on Flickr

The new Coastliner 700 branding on brand new Scania N230UD/Alexander Dennis Enviro400 15986 (YN64 XSO) (Photo @ EHBusman1958)

(11 Sep 2014, 6:21 pm)Kuyoyo wrote The new Coastliner 700 branding on brand new Scania N230UD/Alexander Dennis Enviro400 15986 (YN64 XSO) (Photo @ EHBusman1958)

Looks quite good, like the shades of blue they have used

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-...s-29688461

Men kissing on tfl bus, asked to leave by driver.

Does anyone have any details for Brighton & Hove's 2014 order? Had a brief scout around, but can't seem to find anything.

(24 Dec 2014, 9:01 pm)aureolin wrote Does anyone have any details for Brighton & Hove's 2014 order? Had a brief scout around, but can't seem to find anything.

24 long-wheelbase Wrightbus StreetDecks for the Coaster 12 service, numbered 921 to 944. They will have the older front-end, not the new angular style and will be in a blue/green version of the B&H livery.

There are also 10 Enviro 200's and 2 Volvo B8RLE/Wrights due for Metrobus, the latter for Fastway. The Enviros are rumoured to have a modified livery.

(31 Dec 2014, 5:43 pm)Darryl1976 wrote 24 long-wheelbase Wrightbus StreetDecks for the Coaster 12 service, numbered 921 to 944. They will have the older front-end, not the new angular style and will be in a blue/green version of the B&H livery.

There are also 10 Enviro 200's and 2 Volvo B8RLE/Wrights due for Metrobus, the latter for Fastway. The Enviros are rumoured to have a modified livery.

Thanks for the info Darryl.

(31 Dec 2014, 6:18 pm)aureolin wrote Thanks for the info Darryl.

No problem. Forgot to mention that all are due around March.

(31 Dec 2014, 8:11 pm)Darryl1976 wrote No problem. Forgot to mention that all are due around March.

Ideal. I should be down in May.  

34 new buses to hit the streets of Brighton and Hove as company announces £6m deal
Read more: http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/11735531....__6m_deal/

Very interesting development here!http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/11840378....k/?ref=trn

Moving from GNE for a second, has any of Brightons new scania omnidekka's entered service yet?

I can't find anything on their order

(12 Apr 2015, 5:45 pm)Michael wrote Moving from GNE for a second, has any of Brightons new scania omnidekka's entered service yet?

I can't find anything on their order

B&H havent bought any New Scania Omndekkas, They purchased Wright StreetDecks for Service 12 which have begun to enter service, which in turn would release the Scania Omnidekkas which were on Service 12.

(12 Apr 2015, 5:45 pm)Michael wrote Moving from GNE for a second, has any of Brightons new scania omnidekka's entered service yet?

I can't find anything on their order

They're Wright StreetDecks, the design similar to Gemini 2s.